Shiki's Sick Selebration

Mission Name: Learning The Ropes:

Okay so, Shiki was many things, but a thief he was not. Well, not on this very particular occasion...or ever for that matter! Trust him.

It had all started so well. The sun had been shining, and there was a gentle breeze in the air, enough to tousle the hair. Perfect conditions to just laze about drinking. For the last few weeks Shiki had been on a whirlwind tour of the island, and now that led him to this quaint little coastal settlement. Luckily he'd taken up several odd jobs along the way, so his purse wasn't completely empty for the first time in awhile. It had felt heavy during his travels though, enough for him to deem that it was time for a day long celebration. For the last few hours Shiki had taken residence on a beach chair, watching the ocean with bottle in hand...and several more empty ones by his side. The company was good, the servers even taking time to indulge him in questioning of their traditions.

Then everything changed when the fire nation attacked. No, wait, that was decades ago. It was actually when that old guy had showed up. Now the old man wasn't exactly the most...sane person from the looks of it. Unfortunately, this happened to be the elder of the lil' old village Shiki was visiting. While only slightly inebriated during the mini-lesson from the servers Shiki had managed to get the gist of how things worked. Something something, old man elder, something something something, fancy necklace with great historical importance that he guarded. You see where this is going right? Shiki could as well, it explained why the man was unreasonably angry.

Shiki let out a heavy sigh as the old man yelled many things best not said in public. The man took the time to put his coat and boots back on as he stood. He was only slightly unsteady on his feet despite the copious amount of alcohol that had been consumed, he was a veteran at this after all. "Look old-timer," Shiki began, the irony not lost on him, "I think you must've just dropped it under the sofa or somethin'."

Suffice to say that didn't help the situation, which is why Shiki was now hastily taking exit stage right out of the village post haste. Unfortunately it seemed as if it would not be as easy as that, for the elder had backup. While clearly not in the right frame of mind to notice he had literally dropped the necklace, he had the wherewithal to have already called a local group of shinobi to 'deal with this brazen thief'. At least that's what Shiki thought he said, it was hard to make out with.

Shiki sprinted through the narrow, cobbled streets of the village, his mind racing faster than his feet. He knew he had to think quickly if he wanted to avoid capture. The shinobi would be skilled and relentless, shaking them off would not be an easy task. But Shiki was resourceful and had a few tricks up his sleeve, or rather in his hands...seal...there's a joke there somewhere he was sure of it.

First things first, break line of sight. Easy enough given the athletic marvel that he was, it would only be a matter of time. Actually never mind they were definitely getting closer. Alright plan B it was, distract and divert...or something. It was really hard to focus right now. Shiki wasn't even quite sure if he could remember how do to this correctly. Was it this one? No, definitely not that one. But the plus side was he wasn't under a genjutsu anymore...not that he ever was, but you have to look on the bright side.

Having remembered the correct hand seal, two mostly identical copies of Shiki appeared in a puff of smoke. The plan was easy, one go left, one go right, Shiki jump the chainlink fence and go straight. Looking back on it, he should have made the clones do the jump.

One tumble, roll, and crash into bins later, he found himself pleasantly surprised to see that most of the shinobi had actually split up to chase after the clones. Genius plan, as always.

Now it was time to enact the final stage of the master escape plan. Hand seal time, he was now twice as much not in a genjutsu as before. Correct hand seal time. In a puff of smoke his appearance had shifted, becoming one with the bins. How long would he be staying there? Honestly Shiki had no idea, probably until either he sobered up or the village elder realised the necklace was in his back pocket this entire time.

From his concealed spot, Shiki could hear the shinobi rushing past, their footsteps growing fainter as they moved further away. He took a moment to steady his breathing and collect his thoughts. This was not how he had envisioned his day of relaxation ending, but then again, his life rarely went according to plan.

As the minutes passed, Shiki dared to peek out from his hiding place. The coast seemed clear, and he could see the outskirts of the village not too far away. He knew he had to move carefully; the shinobi might still be searching the area.

Shiki quietly slipped out from behind the bins, keeping low and sticking to the shadows. He made his way through the back alleys, avoiding the main streets where he might be spotted. His mind was starting to clear, and he felt more focused than before. He needed to put as much distance between himself and the village as possible.

Reaching the edge of the village, Shiki glanced back one last time. The chaos seemed to have settled, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the shinobi regrouped. He took off into the surrounding forest, moving swiftly and silently through the underbrush.

Once he was deep enough into the forest, Shiki slowed his pace and allowed himself a moment to rest. He leaned against a tree, catching his breath and assessing his situation. He still had his pouch of ryo, and more importantly, his freedom. The encounter with the village elder had been a close call, but he had managed to escape unscathed.

As he continued through the forest, Shiki couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. He hoped the elder would eventually find his precious necklace and realize his mistake.

[Closed]

[1083]

1000 Ryo
5 AP
10 Vigor
750+1250=2000/2000 Whistle Trigger
333/500 Body Flicker