The events which transpired a few days ago had thankfully diffused into nothing. Hibiki, the boy who which wanted to date Niala, had not been seen around lately. Even when Kensaku and Niala ventured to their normal hangout spot, the library, there was no sighting of the man. Conversation with the librarian informed them Hibiki had not been seen since the last confrontation that occurred within the library,  nearly two weeks ago, and before the incident which happened at home. Out of curiosity, Kensaku discreetly asked around on the rich’s boy whereabouts with many saying the same thing - Hibiki had not been seen for some time now.  Even his parents, merchants of one of the local stores, and generally nice people, not had been heard from in a few days. The place where they erected their business seemingly empty of all of their presence. The workers had confirmed they had not heard anything from them, but it was normal for such a thing to occur, they already knew what was expected of them. With all that said and done, it would seem the teenager had simply vanished into thin air.

Kensaku did not let Niala know what he was doing. There is no need to cause his twin to potentially worry. While he did not say anything to Niala, he did confide in his parents, telling them he was looking for Hibiki’s whereabouts, making sure the boy would leave Niala alone. Though happy he was taking the incentive in making sure his sister is safe like any brother should, they warned him to be careful. While there is not anything Hibiki could personally do to jeopardize neither child’s career,  caution was still needed. With the family being wealthy, and Hibiki seemingly having access to the wealth, many would have no problem in causing trouble for the twins, if the price was right. Money is the root of all evil in the world. It is one thing every person is a slave to, especially a shinobi who’s economy is determined by payout from missions. And with just as many people who would kill Hibiki and his family for their wealth, there are just as many who would happily help them if it means getting a good slice of money

The idea of Hibiki hiring others to harm, hurt, or potentially kidnap members of his family to get to Niala, never crossed Kensaku’s mind. He realized how foolish he had been during his first through excursions to various places, looking for information on Hibiki. During the moments he did little to hide who he was. Not even bothering to deny that he was looking for Hibiki or anything. Heck, he did not even use a henge when he talked to some of the civilians, allowing people to get a good identification of who he was. He screwed up during those few times. Though, after having the conversation with his parents, both agreeing to keep what he was doing away from Niala, he revised his tactics and went about them as a shinobi should. Each time he ventured outside to looking for information, a different henge was used, and a name was given to those who he talked to. This way, even if someone managed to get back to Hibiki and his family about someone looking for them, it would not be one person but several.

After days pass with no indication of where Hibiki and his family had gone, Kensaku called it quits on actively searching for them. He will still keep an ear open for any relevant information regarding them, but otherwise, his attention was going to be shifted elsewhere. As to what held his attention? Ninjutsu and Chakra theories of course. The young teenager was spending a lot of time pouring over theoretical works written by master ninjutsu users and chakra theorists alike. More than his love for puppetry, there an unquenchable thirst to unravel the mystery of chakra, to unlock all the secrets it has. He was doing this not because of some grandiose dreams of revolutionizing the Elemental Nations, but out of his curiosity. There being nothing grand about it, he wants to see and experience what these theorists and ninjutsu master saw. The world was filled with many shinobi who preferred taijutsu and bukijutsu specialty, and while many took ninjutsu, none, in Kensaku’s eyes, uses it to the fullest potential. It is experiencing the true potential of ninjutsu and chakra as a whole which caused him to spend exceedingly long hours looking over various books, cross-checking their information with others, compelling his notes on what was read, etc. He was doing all of this only because he was curious.

The sounds of his alarm clock went off at exactly six o’clock in the morning, resounding loudly in the otherwise quiet room with its annoying beeping that would have continued if Kensaku did not shut off the contraption, plunging the room into silence once more. Yawning followed by a groan could be heard as Kensaku peeled the book, titled ‘Chakra applications’, from his face, it has been resting there when he decided to read it while in bed, and tossed it to the other side of the bed. He groans once more, body stretching, getting out all of the kinks and popping his joints, underneath the warm blanket was thrown over him. Rubbing eye crust away, he opened his eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to the light from the sun being filtered through the dark maroon blinds.

Sitting up, Kensaku tosses the covers to the side, shivering from the sudden coldness of his room, and when his feet touched the wooden floor. “Maybe I should have turned off the central air system last night.”, He spoke to himself, remembering that he had turned his air system own before succumbing the Morpheus. Because of what he did last night, his room was much colder than other parts of the house, but, that was fine by him. With his body having gotten over the shock of going from warmth to coldness, Kensaku turned to his bed and began to make it. There being no point in leaving his bed messy at all.

Once completely, Kensaku moved towards a wooden desk located to the left side of his door. Books, diagrams, pieces of papers, and sticky notes were thrown about on top of it in a disorganized manner - at least to anyone who was not Kensaku. Not missing a beat, he went about of compiling the material into neat piles, sorting them in a way that only made sense to him. Placing the last book a top of the others, Kensaku took a glance at the calendar, noticing that he were supposed to undertake a mission with his twin.

Missions, this would be their first one since arriving in Iwagakure no Sato. They did not have a chance to do missions within Sunagakure no Sato before the village was destroyed. When they arrived at Iwagakure no Sato, they were placed on probation, and not allowed to take missions until cleared, as security dictate. The twins were both in desperate need to start doing missions. They could not lean on their parents for financial support any longer. If they want to continue with their endeavors than they must earn the funds to support them, both parents having briefly told them of way, some being shady, that they made money to continue with their hobbies. While Kensaku had no problem in doing some of the ways that their parents did, he knew they, nor his twin, would approve. Hence the reason why he was going to support his interests the fairway, by doing missions. Also, there was no way in hell he would allow his twin to go on a mission by herself.

A combination of needing to earn money in a fair and honest way, and also want to keep a close eye on Niala, being the reason why Kensaku was now going through the clothes in his closet, having just got out of the shower. He slipped on a sleeveless grey mesh shirt which clung to his upper chest, showing off his somewhat muscular body. What the shirt showed off would not matter with a looser dark maroon shirt, with the long sleeves which openings were larger than normal, was slipped on their afterward. After putting on a pair of boxers, black cargo pants, with many pockets for scrolls and tools, were slipped on followed by match open toe sandals. Stuffing the scroll, holding his puppet, into his pocket, Kensaku tied the shiny headband around his forehead, having already put his hair into a low hanging ponytail. Taking a quick look at his reflection in the mirror, Kensaku was pleased with how he looked.

Having done everything which was needed, Kensaku opened his bedroom door, the delicious smell of breakfast being prepared calling him to the kitchen. “Yeah, I am going with her.”, Kensaku spoke, having heard the question regarding his whereabouts. The sound of his voice causing both parents to take a look at their other child. “Not going all black?”, Hanae asked her son, obviously referring to how Niala went with the color. “No, wanted to do more Iwa oriented colors that I have seen some Iwa nins wear.”, He spoke, giving insight into his clothing choices as he took a seat beside his twin, the answering having satisfied Hanae’s question. “You look like a Genin ready for what is ahead of them.”, Genki spoke. Kensaku was feeling happy from his father’s praise. Turning his attention to Niala, Kensaku spoke softly, “You ready for this mission?”, Wanting to see where his twin mindset was before they even began the mission if she was not up for it than they would put it off until later.

---

1648

Being the older sibling, only by a few seconds, Kensaku felt like it was his duty to watch after his twin, making sure nothing happens to her. Though, on another level, he knew even if she was the oldest one, he would still feel like it was his duty to watch after her; it is brotherly instinct to protect their sister from whoever might potentially cause them harm. The fact being more prevalent with the occupations they had chosen, death being an ever-present neighbor of theirs. Kensaku cared about a lot of things, loved many, but would only lay down his life for a few, those being his parents and Niala, his twin. They are the only people who he would willingly throw away his life to ensure their survival; the only people who matter the most to him. It is because of the love he has for his sister that he was adamant in knowing if she was ready to handle the mission waiting for them.

He should have expected it, the shake of Niala’s head and her response telling him she was ready to handy the mission assigned to them. He knew she would not back down from this mission, the mindset being shared with him. There is too much at stake with the success of this mission. It having nothing to do with the village, but with their parents. If they could handle the mission, completing it without trouble, it would show their parents that they were ready for the occupation which set forth for them. This mission being an indicator, a testament, of their hard work. The number of hours they placed in their training each and every day. The amount of blood, sweat, and tears lost as they were taught by their parents. It would show their parents that the training, and everything they have done for them, had not been for naught.

With Niala being ready, Kensaku tossed a glance towards his parents, a silence message being conveyed between the three; a promise to watch after her, and to also take care of himself. The eye contact no breaking until a subtle nod from both parents were given. Turning back to Niala, he followed her towards the front door, “We will be careful. That’s a promise.”, He spoke, wanting to reassure his parents, especially his mother, once more. It is understandable for any parent to be worry about the safety of their children, for they(children) are their legacy and hope for a better future. There would be something wrong if a parent did not show some kind of worried for their children who were going off to kill others.

Immediately stepping outside, onto their porch, Kensaku noticed a shift within his twin. The shy, meek, and timid girl from earlier had disappeared, allowing this other persona to reign control for the time being. He having saw a glimpse of this side doing the Hibiki’s incident, but could not truly appreciate it then. Now though, without having to deal with a nuisance, Kensaku had the chance to take in this persona. Cold and harden, the two words seem to fit the personality currently control of Niala. Nothing regarding the timid side of her remain. She being a totally different person with this person at the helm. If he did not know any better, he would have assumed the timid personality was an act, with this cold and harden one being true to who she was; however, he did know better, and also understood what had just happened. His father having explained it as a mental switch some shinobi developed while as a genin. A different persona to handle the stress and burden that comes from this occupation. It is something both he and Hanae had, and no doubt they, Kensaku and Niala, would develop in time. And, from what Kensaku could see, Niala had developed hers.

Kensaku took care to listen to the mission briefing, committing everything told to memory. “Bandits are some of the worse.”, He spoke, having a general dislike for the scumbag of the world. He did not allow himself to get too worked over the fact. Instead, he focused on the details, and the fact they could very well end up killing these bandits. It would not phrase him in the slightest with the academy making it mandatory for all genins hopefuls to be ‘bloodied’, killing another person, usually an inmate scheduled for execution, before graduation and with a certified Jounin in attendance, in case a mishaps happens. Therefore, both of them were ready for what they might have to do.

“I am ready.”He spoke, following Niala off the porch and down the road. Walking down the street did not last long with Kensaku taking to the rooftops, like any shinobi would, following his sister. Making it to the edge of the village, Kensaku dropped down, cushioning his fall with chakra, and followed Niala to the mission destination. The pace sought not being a slow one, but moderate in nature with them arriving fairly quickly, mainly due to the lack of incidents along the way.

Kensaku’s eyes narrowed as he watches what was occurring a front of him. A couple of bandits, and their apparent leader, circling around a woman and her young child as if they were prey. There were other people around, but, from what he could see, they were too scared to do anything. Disgusting. Before he could draw the attention of the bandits away from the woman and child, Niala did. With her distracting them, it allowed Kensaku to remove a scroll from his person. Unsealing his puppet, that used Niala’s own as cover, and attached chakra strings to it.

It took some control not to move in front of Niala to deal with the bandits who threaten her, but nevertheless, Kensaku listened to his twin words and allowed her to handle it. Gasps could be held from the crowd, and he could not tell if it was because of his puppet or the fact Niala turned a bandit into fine strips of meat . . . it was probably the latter. Hearing the bandit leader order the other bandit to attack Niala, Kensaku stepped in. Fuhyō crackling madly, jaws open and snapping shut as it moved in front of its master’s twin, “Come. Come.”, The demented puppet spoke, startling the bandits, and some of the civilian, who was not expecting that. Though startled, the bandit took control of his fear and charged at the puppet, yelling profanities along the way. “Ohhh shiny.”, Fuhyō spoke, right hand coming down to stop the downward strike of the kunai. “Mine!”, The demented puppet shrieked, yanking the kunai out of the bandit’s grip with its opposite hand while still tightly holding on his wrist with the other. “Yours!”, It shriek, twirling the kunai in hand and driving it into the man’s left eye socket, getting a bloody scream from the said man that only intensified as the knife-like weapon was savagely ripped out along with his eyeball. “Eww, slimy.”, Fuhyō spoke, looking at the eyeball for a split second before flinging it onto the ground, and stomping on it, a small ‘pop’ being audible.

“Please have mercy.”, The bandit spoke, looking at the monster which was holding him in place. Fuhyō tilted it’s head to the side as if thinking about what the man said, “Mercy? Sure.”, there was a flicker of hope within the bandit’s eyes that soon diminished with what was said next, “If I was human that is.” With those words Fuhyō’s swiped across the man’s neck, opening it up like a watermelon, and letting every see what the inside of a neck looks like. “Bye. Bye.”, The monster taunted, it’s grinning visual being the last thing the bandit saw as he died.

Still holding the bandit by the arm, Fuhyō turned it’s attention to master’s twin, “I got those to meat sacks. You, master’s twin, be careful, kay?”, The monster spoke, knowing how worried Kensaku would be if anything happened to his twin. Turning it’s attention to the two bandits that were looking at the monster with hesitation, having seen what happened to their comrade, Fuhyō spoke, “Come now. Make this quick.”. With that said, the monster charged towards the bandit, running similar to a gorilla while cackling madly. “And the world goes around!”, the beast song as it pounced on the shoulders of the first bandit, and twisted the man’s head 360 degrees; the cracking of bones sounding loud. Looking at the other bandit, who was trying to escape, Fuhyō jumped on his back, causing him to fall onto his stomach. “You know.”, The beast spoke in the bandit’s ear, the man clearly shaking, “Momma always told me to try new food.”,before the meaning behind the words could fully be comprehended, Fuhyō bit down on the bandit’s neck, savagely ripping chunk after chunk out of him .. .at least till he had died. “Eww, that is nasty,” Fuhyō spoke as if it could taste the human flesh that he had spit out after every bite. “Anyway, lets check on master’s twin.”, the puppet spoke, walking over to make sure Niala was safe. Having confirmed she was, Fuhyō walked over to Kensaku, the strings connecting the puppet disconnected, but not before it could get one final word in, “Wash me!”, as it was placed back into the sealing scroll.

With the mission completed, Kensaku followed his twin home, the incident that occurs being placed behind him.

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Word Count: 1612 |3260
1,500 (mission) + 1,200 (double ryo) = 2,700 / 3260
Ryo Owed: 600