Some days Sachiko would be alone. Having an active ninja as a caretaker and mentor meant that sometimes he would have to be gone for a few days on a mission. That was the life for a high rank ninja. Which rank he was, Sachiko could never quite remember. He always seemed to know most everyone in the village’s ranks, except for the younger, newer genin and chuunin. Those he seldom knew, but that just seemed to be how things were. Higher level ninja just didn’t talk very much with all the younger ones. Besides, there is only so many people one can meet in a large city that is what Kirigakure has become.

On such days, which happened that this day was one of those, Sachiko would roam about Kirigakure. However, this day she felt a tad more adventurous than before. This day she was going out to one of the small islands that surrounded the main island which the Hidden Mist village resided. She hadn’t decided which one, it wasn’t like she had a plan for any adventure. That wouldn’t be as fun as just roaming about would be. Instead she just decided walk along the coastal road until she came to her first bridge that she came across.

It was late afternoon when she finally came upon the first bridge. The was made of old stone, the long arch looked mossy and damp on the bottom, the stones appeared to have been slowly eroded by time and moss. The entire structure looked eerie in the pale, overcasted sunlight and the mist only made things more unearthly. All this combined to unnerve Sachiko as she fought herself to keep going and not take the bridge to the island. She couldn’t do that though, and forced herself to stick with her little rule of going across the first bridge she came to that led to another island.

It’ll be okay, she had to reassure herself as she made the first step onto the old stone path. The walkway was wide enough for three people, or two rather stout ones, but she still felt like the bridge could have been wider. She wished Shingen was back already so she could train more. It’d been days since she’d last had time with her caretaker and mentor. But now she was alone and crossing a strange bridge into a strange island. This was a chance to prove she could be out and about, something she could tell Shingen of when she came back. Sachiko wondered if he would be proud, then thought it would be best if she focused on what was happening around her instead.

knock knock knock...

the sound on Ash's door woke her up. silver was still curled up beside her, awake but not bothering with the door. She let out a sigh as she swung her legs of the bed and rubbed her eye as she yawned. she had been out late last night working hard on a new technique she was trying to perfect, but couldn't quiet get it down. he flowery white pj's hung loosely on her body as she walked slowly down the hall way in her house. Knock knock knock... The knocing proceeded as she continued to the hall, all until she reached the door and began to unlock it. As she was unlocking she said sleepily "Who's is there??" why did this always happen to her? she could go days or weeks without being bugged by anyone, but the times she decides to stay up late and continue her training rather than sleep. The next morning always seems to be the mornings that someone decides that they need her bright and early. "Uhhh..." she heard on the other side of the door. "Uhhh??" ash replied almost instantly, as she stopped unlocking her door, and grabbed the kunai on the stand next to her door. the wire attached to it had been a recent adjustment, and was partially the technique she was trying to perfect. the wire served it's function to allow for added ranged control, as well as blocking her opponents path, or even tie them up if need be. however she still didn't quite have the hang of that technique. "i-i'm from the kirigakure department of health and sanitation, and i was sent here because i have a mission of you" she heard the male's voice from the other side of the door. Ash lowered her left hand to the floor making it harder for the man to hear the snap she made. However silver heard it clearly and knew what it meant. Then Ash finished unlocking the door, and left out sigh before she flung the door open...

Ash immediately pressed the kunai up against the man's throat as Silver darted out the door, and stood about 4 meters behind the man. Blocking his escape if he tried to. Ash gave the man a dark look. Shock over took the man, as he began to sweat from fear. "I-is this really necessary??" he asked in a pleading and almost certain scared voice. "that depends." ash retorted. "i'm going to need proof you are who you say you are... and i wouldn't try anything funny either... unless you wish to continue your life without that empty case sitting between your shoulders." that last sentence took ash by surprise. she must have spent too much time around that crazy squad of her, and they must have been rubbing off on her. she had never really been this violent. However, that pause had set off more than a few of Ash's alarms and she wasn't about to take any risks. "N-no thanks.." he replied "i-i think ill keep my head." he finished saying and then dug into his pocket and showed Ash his I.D. She immediately relaxed and Silver returned his place next to ash's side, however he didn't have the utmost of faith in the man at the moment and would remain on guard just in case. "so you said you had a mission for me?"  she asked with a little bit of tiredness in her voice. "y-yeah... here." he said handing her a envelope "i need you to deliver this to your squad mate sero.". Ash paused for a moment in thought. "why me? why not just deliver it to his house yourself?". The man instantly looked a little bit more worried than he was before. "Well.... you see... the thing is... we alright sent one of our men out Sero's plalce of residence. it's just... he hasn't come back yet... and we have our doubts of if he ever will... so we figured it best if one of his squad members do it instead." Ash give a brief nod of acknowledgement as she continued to ponder the mission. then something struck her. "yeah sounds like sero." she replied almost nonchalantly as if people disappearing around his was natural. which for all she knew, it was. "But i'm not too close to sero. Why not find someone closer to him... i don't know. like gin maybe?" she said looking around the compound around her house. The himitsu clan compound was sure quiet this morning. She wondered if she hadn't been invited to another clan jutsu training session, because the clan-head had already given up on her. "oh trust me we tried" he replied. "Gin partied too hard at her club last night, and is currently dealing with a massive hang over. She said to get one of her underlings to do it." Huh. also sounded like gin. it was weird in a way though. how almost nothing out of this guys mouth surprised ashley. "alright... well then what about noz-" she tried to say but was quicky interupted "Nozomi's on an important mission assigned directly from the mizukage, and won't be back until much later.". Ash let out another sigh. well that left her and only her to go deliver Sero's mail. Yay what a fun job for her. "Alright. fine. ill do it." she said as she grabbed the enevolpe, and then closed the door behind her and sivler without even saying good bye to the man.

Ash quickly got dressed, in her typical outfit, although putting her hair up in a ponytail today, she strapped her kunai, and shuriken pouch to her right thigh which contained 10 shuriken and 5 kunai as well as 25 meters of wire, and then a demon windmill shuriken strapped to her left thigh, folded up of course. Then she had a belt which contained 3 scrolls. Silver was.. well just silver, althouh he wore her mother's scarf, since Ash was required to wear her headband on missions. After Ash and silver finished getting ready, they headed out of the door of there house, making sure to put the key in the false panel near her door. then she headed down the road with the envelope with sero's name on it. why did the sanitation agency need to contact him so bad? oh well, it really wasn't any of her business anyways. her simple job was to deliver the message to sero, and then leave. Once she was had handed him the paper, she was free to do whatever she wanted. Becuase of that thought, ash took up a running pace, with her fox pup close on heels...

It wasn't long until Ash reached the edge of the main island. However something was nagging at the girl. Sero had always seemed a bit sadistic in her mind, and inhumanely cruel. she wasn't sure taking silver along with her was really a good idea. Sero wouldn't harm her, because he would then have Gin and Ayakashi to deal with. However, nothing is stopping him from killing the fox pup in cold blood, and that thought worried Ash. Ash had been fortunate enough to have been given directions to Sero's place of residence for this specific mission, so there was no hesitation as the eerie feeling began to take the air as she approached the bridge that lead to sero's own personal off shot island. in fact she would expect nothing less of a creepy place for him to live. However what did surprise her. was when she found someone walking a crossed the bridge. YES Perfect. that girl, by the looks of it, could help her hopefully. Ash string tied 5 meters of her wire, and tied the each end onto a kunai. As she approached the girl, she sprang into the air, preforming a full extended flip. As she was upside down she flung the two kunai unto either end of the bridge. They stuck and were just the perfect distance apart that it made the wire tight. As landed her flip on said wire. so now it would look as if as was crouching there in mid air, directly in front of the girl. However it wouldn't be a terribly hard feat to notice the kunai and the wire underneath her, but it was still dramatic enough to get her attention and stop her. Especially since ash was right in front of her. As is stood now the girls were about 7 meters apart, and silver whom know how ash felt, was now standing next to the other girl. Ash cocked her head slightly and smiled. "HI!... my name is Himitsu, Ashley, or ash for short. i just wanted to know if a spare moment of your time to inform the area your about to entire is extremely dangerous, and i wanted to know if you wouldn't mind looking after my fox there, for a little bit as i run into and deliver something real quick. He doesn't bit, unless he is protecting you, and he isn't very talkive. he is super loyal, and has already been fed today so you don't have to feed him. He'll leave you at about sun down and head to my house... your welcome to come with him... you know... if you decide to let him hang with you for the day... is that okay?" Ash said giving the girl a smile and batting her eyelashes.

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WC:1629
OOC:
Sorry for the late post X_X
Hope the length makes up for it though <3
...
i didn't even mean for this post to be this long, it just kind of happened... sorry if it is too long however, just let me know if you want mt to tone it down, and i can. my next post will probably be shorter regardless.

The island itself felt wrong. Something dark had taken over the place. It was as if night never left fully and day was held at bay. The mist around the island itself seemed to blanket it like a separate realm awaited on the other side. Purgatory was brought from the imagination to life here. The air was humid and heavy and the temperature was cold. The mist seeped into the clothing and skin, soaking it little by little and chilling those who would notice such things to the core. Still it was breathable. One could wonder though if it was the moisture in the air that sent droplets down the back of their neck or sweat from just being here. If anything the island felt like a living grave. An old property of the Osada it had belonged to the previous Mizukage. Some knew of his son but most of the new genin did not. Still Ash had met him once before. Just from the one meeting she would know he was not nearby if she paid attention. Though it was eerie there was no monstrous aura close to them. Even Sero wouldn't be able to see through such a thick mist from too far away...could he?

Still as the two girls and the fox arrived on the bridge the kunai chipping at it sent some rocks crumbling from the bridge into the water below with very loud noise as they smashed through the surface. A small section of the bridge to the left shuddered where the kunai had buried next to it and cracked before it fell away. That itself seemed to set off a chain reaction. A one meter section of the bridge began to crack from wear and tear as the tiny bit of abuse had set it over the edge. It was now time to decide to leap across the gap before it crumbled or turn away. Should they progress further in the bridge would crumble leaving an easily leap-able gap but one that had they fallen through there was water and rocks below. Still had they chosen to progress inwards a little further they would begin to notice something as their eyes would adjust to the white curtain that hid the manor before them. The end of the bridge was close by as they could see the stone arch still intact marking it. But there was something just beyond it. Tall shapes seemed to stand posted just beyond the gate. Four of them barely able to be made out. Men by the look of them. Each holding a spear perhaps and hunched as if leaning on it.

If the girls chose to investigate these four guardians they would smell them before they got close enough to see. Something was rotting nearby. The smell of the dead raised up and would hit them like a wall of stink. It might be their first hint of what was truly there. Should they get close enough to truly see they would be able to eventually see that the four men were in fact not guardians but warning signs. Four headless bodies were planted there with long wooden stakes driven through their chests and out their back. Their skin flayed from them. If one was knowledgeable enough they would be able to see the skin was melted from their bodies premortem. The heads however were missing and in their place maggots had set into eating away the flesh. Whomever lived here did not often entertain guests it would seem. Still the dead bodies before them would be the least of their worries. In the distance something else echoed from within the mist that had heard the approach of the party. A bark echoed, sick and twisted by the sound followed by a series of echoing growls. Some form of canine also inhabited these lands apparently.

649

The mist seemed to get thicker the further she walked across the bridge. Her sight was being dwindled with the thickening mist and her clothes became moist to the touch. Shivers ran down her spine whenever a cool breeze blew her damp clothes against her skin. Her feelings about the bridge itself as well as the island she planned to explore were getting worse. Something about this place spooked her and made her on edge. The sound of reeds scratching against each other, the water lapping ever so faintly, and footsteps came to her ears. Footsteps?

Sachiko turned to face the footsteps as they came rushing up behind her but only a whip of hair hurtling up and over her was there. Tracing the hair with her eyes, she came to rest on a girl hovering over the bridge in a crouched position. The blonde haired girl seemed suspended on something, a look of delight and seriousness mixed into one as she quickly sprang into conversation, not allowing Sachiko to focus on what was making the girl stay suspended in such a crouched position.

"HI!... my name is Himitsu, Ashley, or ash for short. i just wanted to know if a spare moment of your time to inform the area your about to entire is extremely dangerous, and i wanted to know if you wouldn't mind looking after my fox there, for a little bit as i run into and deliver something real quick. He doesn't bit, unless he is protecting you, and he isn't very talkive. he is super loyal, and has already been fed today so you don't have to feed him. He'll leave you at about sun down and head to my house... your welcome to come with him... you know... if you decide to let him hang with you for the day... is that okay?"

"Uhh... wh-" Sachiko tried to reply but her attention was cut off by the breaking off of a piece of stone to her left. Just below where a piece of the bridge's wall had been, there stuck out a kunai and the piece above it was missing. Sachiko followed the wire tied to the kunai and saw that there was another kunai on the other side of the bridge wall. This was how the blonde girl, Ashley, was suspending herself before her. However, there was no time for being impressed as a meter wide section of the bridge that they were standing over began to give way as if the lodged kunai were the last bit of stress needed to crumble the dilapidated bridge.

Reacting more than thinking, Sachiko flew at the girl, hoping to knock them both to the island's side of the bridge as the floor fell beneath them.  Her jump was enough to get them clear of the danger and back to safety. The sound of splashing waves took over for a few seconds before things went back to normal. Back to the creepy, eerie feeling. Once things cleared, Sachiko would stand up and peer over the edge of the gap. The water was shallower now that it had a few more sharp stones under its surface. She would turn to face Ashley.

"Sorry about that," she would apologize. "I just kinda reacted. Hope you're alright. My name's Sachiko. Hattori, Sachiko and I think this place is more abandoned than dangerous." She would take a closer look around and see that the gap that was made in the bridge wasn't anything too serious. It still allowed for them to get back over with a simple jump. There was nothing to worry about this bridge and, so far, the island. So far. Yet something gloomed beyond the bridge that made Sachiko still have a bit of worry in her. Something big.

As the bridge finished collapsing the echo of the splashes and rocks colliding together would fill the air for a moment. Surely whatever was hidden in this thick veil could of heard such a thing with ease. Only the deaf and the dead would be able to ignore it entirely. Near the far end of the bridge on the village side a farmer returning home turned his head to look down the bridge at the sound of it. Surely no one would of crossed into such a place. To disturb the island was madness. Whomever it was that had ventured passed the veil of sanity was doomed in his mind. Quickly he bowed his head as he regretted their passing. Quietly muttering a prayer before quickly making his way home to lock his doors. His hands shook at the memory of the one time he had seen or rather more felt a single being leave that island. Only devils resided there. The being had pretty much ignored him but for an instant they had made eye contact. In that moment the old man had questioned the very foundations of his faith. Now he had no doubt in his heart whoever had crossed the bridge would not be coming back.

Still as Sachiko observed the rocks in the water below the breeze shifted again. It's cold touch as unto ice on her skin. With it a blanket of mist washed over the area for only a moment blocking off any vision more then a couple of feet from your face. In the moment it took to pass and only a blanket to cover the bridge once more Ash and her fox were gone. It was unclear what had moved them or how they had been moved. No drag marks...no blood...it was as if the mist consumed them and with it they were gone. Or had they ever even been there? Was it just another haunted spirit in this thick white veil? Was her sanity already being tested? If not for the bridge the mist would of made it difficult to tell direction causing even more stress to most. But could our hero prevail? Would she soldier on through these oddities and myths? Did she even know where it was she did tread? For the moment it was unclear. Still all would grow in excitement soon enough. She had alerted the hounds to her presence.

A distant howl dulled by the mist was all that hinted at that though. Barely audible as far as it was. However with the last sudden and bone shivering breeze a smell had set upon the area. The sour sent of rot strong enough to unsettle many a stomach. Anyone who had ever been near an aged, dead body could never forget this smell. The smell of what was once man left to its own devices after its heart had stopped beating. Some called it the breath of the dead but few ever spoke of it that knew it. Through the thick mist one of the four shapes, mere silhouette of the shadows of men shifted a little as something bumped it. It may look to the keen eyed traveler that a guard had finally moved. Perhaps the smell was just something rotting in the water...after all fish could develop a terrible smell. However nothing felt right. The island seemed almost to suck in those on the bridge. The mist clinging to their heels like loving tendrils with no physical grasp. If she approached the four shadows though...the horrific truth would be revealed...

all four shadows were long dead, headless men on spikes impaled to hold them up. Less guardians and more a testimate to trespassers.

1273

Whatever lay beyond the bridge, whatever was so gloomy that compelled her eyes to keep searching through the fog, seemed to transfix her. Forgetting for a moment, Ash on the bridge, she stepped down towards the opposing island. The cold mist and fog thickening as she walked forward, chilling her to the bone so much she thought the place the arctic. "What place is this?" she asked aloud in half-puzzlement, half-wonder. The air was strange, so thick with water it nearly choked her to breathe it in. The icy wind hurting her lungs with the sharp contrast in temperature. Her chest felt tight and her toes numb.

Yet she kept moving.

It was odd, really. The gloomy shapes began to form around her as she neared them, the fog only able to quell so much of her vision. Their smells pierced her soul the stank was so wretched. It became quite clear what the four things were. Dead men. Spikes driven up from the ground into their chests and poking out the other side. They stood crudely, all of them around her as if to be a line of guards for all those stepping off the bridge. Each of them lacked something though, which was the most gruesome part of it all. Heads. And, of course, their skins which seemed to have been broiled or melted off in some way or another. All of this nearly made Sachiko scream but really she couldn't even do that, her throat was so choked by terror.

"A-Ash..." she but barely whispered in a failed attempt to call out to her newest acquaintance.

Turning back and away from the grotesque sight, she went to check upon Ash and her fox to see if they had awakened. Her mind struggling to keep itself off the horrifying features of such a place. Yet when she came upon the place on the bridge where she thought she had left the two, she noticed they had gone. The fog had been so thick she hadn't noticed anyone move, nor could she really have noticed it was so thick, but now things had lightened up a bit it nearly gave her a frightful thought. Did the mist take them? As soon as the thought struck her she no sooner shook it off. Such a thing was preposterous. Mist can't move people, only people can move people, she had to remind herself. Things were getting out of hand. She believed the things transpiring to be affecting her mind in ways that wouldn't be healthy. But with Ash and the fox gone, what could she do? Not leaving, obviously, when they were nowhere to be found. They couldn't have left her either after the girl had said the fox would stay by her side.

What else had she said? Delivering something to someone here, I think it was. If there really was someone on this island, with all it's... 'charms', then maybe it was with that person that she'd be the safest. Just when Sachiko had turned back to the island a high sounding howl of a wolf sang in her ears. Yet another shiver raced down her spine. This place was very dangerous, indeed. But as a shinobi of the village, there was obviously something of importance that needed to reach whoever else was here. And that was the very thing Sachiko had to discover. Plus, there was Ash and her fox to think of.

Sachiko soldiered onwards, going into the heart of the strange little isle.

Even as she progressed the island itself would not become anything that a human would consider reasonable. No level of reason had been present within the mind of the one who had decorated this place. For a moment she seemed to be alone. The four bodies at the arch way left behind her only to enter onto a stone path leading through a maze of tree's. The mist seemed to curl around the trunks as the trees themselves bare of leaves creaked too and fro as if they reached towards her with long, dark branches. Moss and mist covered entire sections of the stone path before her. The wind picked up and seemed to howl at her as if the island itself was against her innocence...or perhaps after it. Even during the day it was something out of a horror novel. One could only wonder what the island was like at night. Still as she progressed onward the stone path would degrade more and more with tree's growing closer together until eventually there was no path at all. Soon it was just her amongst the thick tree line with thorny bushes tugging at her ankles and branches scratching at her face. All of it trying to keep her there...to capture her and bleed her.

If she pressed through though the treeline would break away to reveal the heart of the island. Before her was laid out as a broken down courtyard. Yet it was obviously aged as well as the remnants of a recent battle there. Mist coated a great deal of the ground but what it didn't was littered with growth that had broken though the stone path. The fountain itself had dried up of water and crumbled around the edges. Still something red ran in it now trickling down into the bowl and back into it only to trickle down once more. On a single spike on top of the fountain was a much fresher corpse. The mans body was the source of the blood that ran in the fountain now. His face stared blankly with a look of surprise still marking his features. If she took any time to look him over she would see that his back was burned away around a cut. But not like with fire. Something else had burned away his flesh. His spine was melted away near the wound and on his right arm was an arm band that marked him as some bandit or gang member.

Around her the signs of the battle persisted. Scattered around on broken statues were the crumbled remains of a three men. Of to the right was a scorched mark smoldering on the ground where three blackened bodies crackled with a distinct smell of burnt flesh. Their mouths forever opened in a terrible scream. Aside from the burnt ones which left no evidence either way though all the bodies hinted at being part of this bandit group. All of them wearing the arm band. Someone had come here before her and within a day. Likely during the night. Whoever they had been they had met and end that was anything but pleasant. A breeze would beckon here gaze to rise. The mist would part to reveal the heart of the island. At the center of the courtyard was a dark manor towering four stories high. Its windows either darkened or broken. The remnants of a shattered door swung eerily with no breeze where the front door should be as the doorway itself, like an open mouth seemed to spew mist out like a waterfall. A single light remained on in one room on the top floor. But that was not her immediate concern.

Between her and the manor growls suddenly picked up as hound after hound seemed to come from behind every bush and statue. Behind her in the woods three hounds emerged. Each with dripping fangs bared over black lips. They had circled around and surrounded her. Besides the three hounds behind her two stood between her and the manor and six stood to either side. All with fangs bared and snapping at her. Most of them seemed to be too skinny by far but that simply meant they were hungry. It only took the slightest of moments for one to launch at her at E-3 ranked speed from her left and then as if set off by that a second later one came at her from her right. The hounds intended to consume her, to hunt her and eat her.

2035

She left behind the four headless human shish kabobs and moved deeper into the island, following the path that led her further in. As she walked, the wind picked up, brushing away most of the mist except for the few clouds that hugged the bottom roots and trunks of the trees around her. The wind grew so strong, she struggled just to walk through the forest. Tree branches and roots stretching all about her as she moved forward. Not very long it had been, at least to her, before the cobblestone path had dwindled into nothingness. Soon she found herself stuck in the forest without a clear way out besides the way she had come. All that she was left with were a few cuts from the trees and sore feet from the walking, and still no signs of Ash or her fox, nor the person she had apparently been trying to contact.

This whole thing didn't make any sense and the place stunk of superstition. The way the environment felt to Sachiko just didn't bode well. A simple adventurous stroll had become so much more in the past hour that she couldn't remember what had driven her to be so adventurous in the first place. Not that it mattered now, as she was deep in the new isle and missing people she had only just met. Yet it still plagued at the back of her mind as she tried to figure out what to do next. It was the very thing that pegged the question of whether she should turn back or not. No, there's still Ash and her fox! I must find them.

HAving to fight her own thoughts now, she haphazardly decided to keep going straight. Aligning herself with the remnants of the cobblestone path, she aimed herself to keep going in the same direction and broke through the trees and shrubbery. Small cuts and scratches to her skin were nothing, barely any of them were more than just grazes creating little white streaks against her skin, a few drew blood, but only small droplets like the worst of paper cuts. Her scrapes were worth it, as she soon made it out of the thick forest of trees to be greeted by a courtyard. She was close, maybe, to finding whoever it might have been that Ash was trying to reach. But things didn't look good. In fact, they looked pretty grim. A thin layer of mist seemed to be sticking to the ground but rising out of it were several dead bodies. Coming up to them, Sachiko could see the wounds were still fresh, and one man in particular stood out amongst the rest.

Another spiked man, not decapitated this time, however, stood watch over the courtyard filled with the other dead bodies. The man was spiked on top of a fountain, the blood draining from his body tainting the fountain's water, flowing into the pool only to be sucked through the statue and back out. A very grotesque sight, indeed, so much so, with all the smell of death and the freshness of it, Sachiko hurled into the fountain, adding to the mixture of death and decomposition of the area. The sight of all the burned, melted bodies made her cringe even after emptying her stomach. There was only one thing noticeable about the dead bodies, they all had a similar arm band adorned on each of them, as if to unify them. Must be some group thing, she assumed as she did her best to step around the bodies.

As she made her way through the courtyard of melted bodies, a breeze picked up and blew away the remainder of the mist that had hindered her view, revealing the heart of the island. Ahead of her stood a dark manor four stories high with dark and broken windows all around it. The front door swung open, not that it truly mattered due to its shattered state. Yet Sachiko couldn't enter just yet for as she approached the manor, three wild hounds approached her rear. Their growls were what drew her attention away from the grim estate.

There were two more that had circled around her, getting in between her and the house, while six had closed in on either side of her. All of the dogs were snapping their teeth at Sachiko, their teeth a mixture of yellow and blood. This was more than she'd ever taken on at one time before, and being surrounded on such a crazy island made her nervous. She held out her only kunai as two of the wolves sprang upon her, one after the other. The first one to come at her was from the left, the other from the right. They were of decent speed, the hounds, but they didn't look as fast as she was, a good thing to be sure. As the one on her left came in for her, she waited for it to lunge before ducking, the wolf on the right jumped as well as it had only been a bit behind the other. The two collided together above her and came to hit the ground next to her.  She slashed at one wolf's throat before it could get up, the other one was able to get up, however, but had to shake its head. Taking the opening she was given, she grabbed at the dog's throat and slashed it.

Two down, nine to go.

There were a lot more dogs than she could deal with, especially if they all came at her. It would be an overload. Yet that was what was going to happen. More of the dogs came rushing at her, the loud snarls and gnashing of teeth a clear sign they were all very hungry for her body. Outnumbered, Sachiko had to use her chakra, stomping her foot into the ground to form spikes up to 6 meters away from her. The spikes caught three more of the dogs as they had started moving in on her but the other six had moved away as the jutsu began, staying clear from the jutsu's range. Now she was at least protected, but she couldn't search the house either. It seemed to be a standoff for now, with three of the dogs' bodies stabbed by the spikes. Their legs squirmed and they whimpered in the pain as they hung above the ground, unable to get off the spikes.

She was stranded, under siege by mere hounds, yet still outnumbered meant outnumbered, and she didn't feel she had the tools to kill these wild dogs without getting hurt herself. She dwelled on this while standing at the epicenter of the large, earthen spikes that stood around her.

Chakra 140/150:

The dogs had no hope of evading her blade as she dealt with each of the two that had dared to challenge the new predator on the island. Blood sprayed out onto the ground as both dogs twitched and writhed gagging and choking on blood unable to breath as their eyes swept from anger to fear in an instant. Here even the animals knew when they were dying. They continued to struggle in vain before each of them let out a gurgled, almost plea filled whine and then stopped moving. Few understood death until they stood mere feet from it. A slit throat was not as they made it out to be in the movies and books. It was not instant death but at the same time it nullified the target. They could struggle but rapidly they would grow weaker. It was difficult to survive with a medic nearby yet alone without one. To kill another being this way had to take a little of ones soul until so much was taken that it no longer mattered to them anymore. The hope fading from their victims eyes was just common place. Or you lived long enough to enjoy seeing the hope fade. Yet she was far from done.

As three more charged her she slammed her foot down and the earth split in a dozen ways with spikes rising up like a cage of spears pointed away from her. In a moment the three dogs that had not learned from their fallen were captured violently. Each impaled through the gut individually. Yelps of pain and panic filled the air as the other six hesitated. This new predator was no joke. Still perhaps if six moved at once the pack could take her. The dogs on the spikes weakened from the gut wounds as their blood trickled down the spikes onto the ground staining it red on the broken stones. The shadows of the spikes like claws up to the door of the manor now as well as back the way she came. The weakened dogs too weak to continue the struggle that only hurt them stopped and merely whined twitching now. The other six had it shining in their eyes...the pack is strong...the pack can take her. It was then that the thing that separated beasts and monsters would become reality. The thing that made even these bloodthirsty animals tremble.

As she would stare at the dogs they would suddenly flatten their ears and tuck their tails. They could smell the return of the master of the house. They could sense him coming well before a human could. Animal senses were keen like that. The unnatural things were like a beacon to them...a symbol to flee. And so after a moment of hesitation the six dogs turned tail and ran for the woods. A flicker of light would be the first real hint to her though to turn around. Then another flicker. If she would turn around she would see it happening. Small droplets of fire falling from the sky at first but soon it turned into a drizzle of fire in a four meter cylinder. The bodies caught within it including the one on the fountain smoldered and then burst into flame like torches lighting up the courtyard which only served to make the mist appear to be thicker. From the shadows the fire cast the spikes shadow connected to the edge of the four meters by the shadows of the tree's and the moment the shadows touched she would be able to feel it. To feel him.

If the Island screamed walk away before now it wailed like insanity. The danger the dogs posed was nothing. Somewhere near her there was the thing of legends and horrors. Things spoken of in whispers that cause children to wake up crying and adults to lock their doors. Mens cruelty was adorable next to this sensation. Something wicked watched her now. The dogs on the spikes sprung their efforts anew as their cries rang out in panic as in vain they tried to escape the spikes...ignoring how they tore themselves further and gored themselves to get away from the apex predator. However something shifted in the shadows. Whatever it was, it moved faster then was reasonable. In one moment it was at the treeline and the next it was by the dogs. From the shadows of the flailing dogs something began to rise from the shadows and blood. First it was silver hair before grey eyes emerged. Yet those eyes did not appear to be of the living. Glazed over like the dead it seemed to mimic the grave. Or mock it. As they settled on her she would feel as if something was breathing down her neck ready to bite down. And then the figure would rise further to reveal a young monotone face. Not old by any standards but no emotion showed. His eyes flicked to the dogs as their eyes were wide with a maddened panic. They avoided this man or child or whatever he was at all costs. Now they could not escape.

Sero finally emerged fully and revealed the blood stained grey, wide sleeved robes he was wearing. The mist seemed to cling to him and almost let him fade into it with the mere shifting of an eye. Still he lifted one gloved hand and reached out to the closest dog. Watching it snap at him in vain before suddenly he moved at that speed again. In one moment he was standing still and in the next all three dogs heads twisted backwards with resounding cracks almost in unison. With that the dogs finally fell limp. He looked to them as if merely studying them a moment before his gaze returned to Sachiko. She was within the monsters sight once more. When he spoke though his voice was cold. The heat of the flames behind her almost canceled out by the pure emptiness of it.

"I was hoping they would feat on my enemies and fatten up. However they will still do as a food source. I am sure more scroungers will come. I can not blame you for the loss. Here at my home survival is the only rule. Tell me though if you will. Who are you and why have you come?"

240/250:

3099

The dogs that remained, seemed unphased by her attempts to discourage their attack. Their hunger for fresh meat far outweighed the risk of more dying while attacking. She’d taken out a few but still there was quite a large pEFQack left and Sachiko was worried she wouldn’t be able to face them all if they all rushed her. Because of this, she dared not to return the earthen spikes to the ground. It was all that separated her from the six savage hounds encircled around her.

It was a waiting game. Sachiko had to find a way out safely before the dogs had a chance to all charge her. She knew she couldn’t just stay behind her ring of spikes forever and the dogs seemed to be very persistent, or uncaring, that the spikes were there for the moment either. However, while she was deciding what her next move was, the dogs’ behavior changed completely. Their ears fell back, their tails dropped between their legs, and their feet started to backpedal. Curious, she stopped her thinking as they continued with their new mood. Noses kept sniffing the air, and their eyes weren’t fixated, but searching. Something new was coming, or already there with them.

Turning her head around, she searched the premises, but it wasn’t until small flickers of light that she understood the newcomer was here. The flickers of light fell from the sky, casting an orange glow. The island was raining fire. Each time a piece of the falling rain of fire hit one of the corpses they would catch on fire. The fires grew rapidly with the onset of the downpour, centering around the fountain and courtyard. Such a terrifying rainfall caused the dogs to huddle away from the area of fire, their eyes dilated with fear. Sachiko could only stand and watch as everything before her began to be cooked dead. Screeches and yelps from the hounds broke through the silence of the island.

The hounds were running back and forht, as if to escape but they intended to stay, their emotions conflicted and their minds indecisive. Whatever life remained in the three dogs that she had pierced with her spikes now dwindled quickly as they flailed with renewed vigor, trying to flee from this new arrival. However the attempts to break free of their trappings was in vain, instead only bringing more suffering upon themselves as their movements only allowed the spikes to tear further into their bodies. All of these sights and sounds created a chaotic symphony of gore around Sachiko. Never had she ever seen a sight as gruesome as this, and although she was glad that the hounds were not a problem any longer, she began to dread whoever, or whatever, had created such horrors.

It was then that she noticed the shadow. Some silhouetted figure that was at the treeline, yet the moment she saw it, it was gone. So quick a vanish that she would have doubted her perception of it had it not been for where she saw it next. Within the next moment following the shadow’s disappearance, it appeared once more. It was closer now, by the dogs that flailed. In the shadows of those pierced upon the risen spikes. While it was crouched she could not make anything of its appearance or physical features, but when it stood up, a young face was revealed to her. It was a man’s face, and a bit handsome at that. In fact, it was a face a girl might think adorable had it not been preceded by death and destruction, by the setting ablaze human corpses, by a fountain of blood and several decapitated, impaled bodies. No, this was a face that conflicted with the world of this island. Only the man’s eyes seemed to be distant and cold like this island had been from the rest of the world, her world.

The dogs were still in a panic when the man had approached. Unfurling his hands from his blood-stained robes of grey, she tried her best to focus on him as he grabbed one of the dogs by their neck. His movement was so fluid, she couldn’t believe how bold he was. And then, as if to display how much greater his speed was, he flashed forward. The movement was such a blur she couldn’t comprehend all the steps done but only notice the result. All of the remaining dogs had fallen to the ground, each and every one of their necks broken and twisted. It wasn’t until a few seconds after the extermination of the hounds that the man spoke, his eyes trained upon her like the dogs had been just minutes ago.

"I was hoping they would feast on my enemies and fatten up. However they will still do as a food source. I am sure more scroungers will come. I can not blame you for the loss. Here at my home survival is the only rule. Tell me though if you will. Who are you and why have you come?"

“I-” she stumbled with her tongue. All this mist and yet her throat stung dry against her trying tongue. “I’m Sachiko Hattori. A, uhm, a genin from the village and, uh, well…”

She fumbled with her words. Everything was going so crazy, so weird, she couldn’t pick up the pieces. Her mind was on the fritz. The man was a bit on the scary side, but his calm demeanor was actually pleasant, yet within such a context it wasn’t. Sachiko couldn’t understand what all was happening, except--

It was him!

This was his home, he had said that! He must have been the person that girl and fox were trying to send a message to. Maybe he would know what happened to them. “So I was just wandering but a girl was with me. She said she was trying to give you a message,” Sachiko took a moment of pause. Her strength was centering on this one bit that made sense out of everything that had happened so far on the island. “You seen her, maybe?”

Sero paused momentarily in his musings and thoughts when she mentioned being a genin from the village. Grey eyes that had wandered to look at the dogs suddenly snapped back to her at that little revelation. She was certainly not the first to have wandered here. All of the genin that had wandered here in the past couple of weeks had been female as well. Perhaps it was a game among them. Something as simple as a dare to wander onto Sero's island and stay for an hour or something like that. Briefly those eyes seemed to only see her. Yet there was nothing that could be romanticized by it. If anything it was a cold gaze that seemed to raise the hairs on the back of the neck all the more. The mist at his feet seemed to lift in tiny tendrils to him and touch his cloak. Beneath his knee's his body seemed to blend in so well it was like he was fading from reality. Still she suddenly seemed to be distracted from her fear. A thought process had occurred to her and disrupted the aura Sero passively put off. It was certainly something he could admire in a genin.

Still his grey gaze broke from her to look the way she had come and it was like a weight was lifted. Somehow being directly under his gaze, the center of his focus was like being buried alive. His cold gaze took in the direction of the bridge before he spoke in return. His voice cold and uncaring but still like steel frozen in the ice of winter. "I did observe the meeting between you and the other girl. This isn't the first time I have crossed paths with her. Though the first time was brief enough. She was knocked dizzy by your tackle. When you were not looking directly at her I used puppet strings to acquire her. She was set on a local farmers cart and I made it clear he was to take her home. He seemed to be very willing to do so." His words revealed he had been watching her for some time and simply keeping his distance. He had allowed her to wander further and allowed her to defend herself. One would almost question if he would of let her fall against the hounds had she lost that little battle with them.

Still a pale hand reached up. Thin, claw like fingers gripped the closest dog to him by its neck and pulled. With a yank he pulled the dog of the earth spike with a sickening wet sound before slinging it over his shoulder. Its insides spilled out and soaked his grey cloak with more blood. A splash of it falling to the ground with a couple of parts that had been severed at some point splashing into the puddle. Its dead eyes still filled with the panic that they had died in. Wide and filled with terror the eyes seemed to stare at Sachiko. Almost pleading with her not to let him take the thing with him. Still as he turned from her he calmly looked over his shoulder. The world he stood in with the fires burning out around her, the smoke lifting and the smell of burnt flesh filling the air, this was normal to him. He spoke once more like evil on the breeze. Cold against the soul. "You may go if you wish, or if you feel your victory has earned you answers, grab a dog and follow along. I don't intend to waste the meat." With that he turned away from her and moved towards the looming, dark manor as if it didn't matter to him if she came with or left. All of it was just a distraction for now.

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She stared for a bit, wondering as to what was happening. It seemed the other girl was okay, safe for now. There was so much stench, she expected flies to be everywhere but strangely they had yet to arrive. Maybe it was something strange in the air, some sinister aura that bid even the flies to keep distance. Then again, as she looked upon the older man standing before her, there was something about him that seemed to be the epicenter of such an aura. Just looking at him raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Air was cold and the mist had pretty much drenched her by now, as if she had just waded out of the water. This whole place was strange and scary. Half of her mind said to leave when she was given the chance, yet the other half said to find out more while she still could.

Hesitantly, she stomped her foot once more to drop the spikes, the sharpened earth retreating to their original flattened state. The strange looking guy had already left her in the courtyard. Her mind was still processing things as she reached for one of the limp dogs. It’s matted and stained fur strange to her. There were bumps along the skin that she could feel through the fur, the strange syrupiness of the blood in the fur nearly made her gag again as she moved her hands to find a good grip on the body. Picking it up, she noticed how stiff the body had already become. Rigor mortis having taken effect so quickly, it was shocking to her.

This was death.

Sachiko had never seen anything die like this. Not this close anyway. However freaked out she may have been before, another notch was made as she carried the dead dog to where the boy had entered the mansion. It’s doors still having that eerie swinging motion as she crossed the threshold. Following a trail of blood, she would follow this boy deeper into the dark, shadowy estate.

“Wait up for me!” she cried out into the first hallway.

She had taken a bit too much time and missed seeing where he had gone. Instead she took time gathering in the place. The wood was old and rotten. Mold climbed around from the corners of the walls and the ceilings. Not the best place to call home which made her wonder if this was truly his place of living or if he had somewhere else he slept yet used this as a sort of eerie base of operations.

Pondering more on the man, Sachiko wondered as to who and what he was. His actions, his speed all aligned to a similar status of her own mentor and caretaker. So did that mean that this man was a ninja of the Hidden Mist as well? If so, what rank was he? He seemed to be very strong, with such amazing powers. The rain of fire that had seen had been terrifying, yet thinking on it now in such context of the man being a shinobi and that a technique, she was giddy with excitement and amazement. Such terrifying yet brilliant show of power was witnessed and only now she was gathering it in. Strange how the mind works, seeking to separate itself from the present when the present is something so dark and gloomy like the very house she stood in now.

As she would follow she would be able to see more then one battle had happened here. These corpses she had encountered upon arriving were actually fairly fresh in comparison to some of the dim stains. Not much effort had been made in the way of repairs or clean up. Dried blood crusted the floor as well as the fresh blood from the dog. Holes and burn marks decorated the walls from weapons and jutsu. A few dozen slashes here and there and even something with claws by the look of it had been here, or was here still. The manor was not a place of peace. With it being so close to the village it might be a little shocking to some to realize how dangerous living in Kirigakure could become. Sero still remained at the manor though even though it was obviously compromised. He hadn't lost a battle as of yet and it was his only real home. People who trespassed there would not find him fleeing but rather themselves screaming. He always made sure they knew the end was coming. The last survivor always got it the worst. It was too time consuming to do it with the rest but, with the last victim standing he made sure to take his time.

And so it was that when she entered the sound of something dripping on the marble floors of the grand entry seemed to echo the dark halls. Drip....drip....drip...was the only thing that seemed to respond to her call at first. The sound seeming on tempo like a clock. As she would progress further though she would find the source of it. Directly above the entry hallway before entering into the main chamber revealing two stair cases running along either side of the chamber to upstairs. Senbon littered the walls as they had yet to be pulled out. All of them buried there far harder then if they had just been thrown. Still a puddle, crimson and smelling of copper was drained mostly into the cracks in the tile. Drop after drop seemed to ever so slowly add to it. If her gaze followed the dripping she would see the source. A man wearing the same arm band was nailed by his elbows and knees to the wall above the entry. His gaze seemed to take her in for a moment. Not moving as her eyes adjusted to the light it would be clear that movement wasn't an option. The skin on the front of his body had been slit straight up the center and peeled to the side. If she looked closely she could watch as his heart beat ever so faintly. His death was indeed slow. His entrails remained intact but with no skin drooped around him. Most of the bleeding had been stopped via burns on the inside where the skin should be. Just not all the bleeding.

Still it might take her a moment before she would see Sero standing at the top of the stairs. Grey eyes still watched her and measured her reactions. No expression showed on his face as he tilted his head and looked between her and the man. When he spoke his voice seemed to break the silence of the room. It was like it encompassed every bit of the place. The harmonics were still well made in there. "Do you wish to end his misery? He is going to be my newest warning sign. The leader of the last group. He already told me everything I wanted to know and plenty I didn't. You may kill him if you wish, but do not attempt to save him. He came here to kill me. He failed and this is his fate. When you decide then meet me up here with the meat you brought in. The fridge is on the second floor."

4392

Thread closed.

4392
Bukijutsu B-A 3000/3000
Bukijutsu A-S 1392/4000