Mission:

The day had started much like any other. The weather was not particularly cold, especially not for the Land of Fire which, ironically, seemed frequently blanketed in snow each year. Today, the white fluff had all but melted away, leaving scant ice crystals on a crunchy, partially-frozen forest floor. These provided a satisfying crunch with each step that Akaneya took, even moreso than the forest would usually provide with its mixture of twigs, pebbles, and grass. She didn't have a mental map of the forest laid out, and never actively tried to, so that each time she came there would always be something new to find. A new clearing to play in was usually the goal of these expeditions, but there was a peace to be found in small surprises along the way.

Watching various particles dancing in the individual beams of sunlight passing through the thick canopy, and listening to the distant chirps and calls of the various local birds, Akaneya could not help but feel at peace. This is why she chose to come to the forest, time and time again. Few things could put her mind truly at peace, but the serenity and isolation of a forest fit perfectly. Away from the many crowds of the village, and the cacophony of their hustling, away from haste and away from view, in a place most private. The forest was, indeed, the perfect fit for Akaneya's meditations.

Finding a clearing of a sort, with more light than other parts of the forest and less density of trees within a small ring, she entered the space. Finding rocky platform to stand on, she pulled out her flute. As always, it was in pristine condition, doubly for its age. As always, she placed her leather-clad fingers on the cold silver holes and prepared to play.  As always, she placed her lips against the hole, and with a gentle stream produced music beyond compare.

Today's melody was mellowed and relaxing. It was not a droning and flat song, as one might find in any given temple during their meditations, but instead something that carried the spirit of a small breeze. Were one to close their eyes, they might imagine a leaf floating in the soft wind, each note a dainty gust that pushed the tender leaf ever-so-gently up and about. The notes did not have a large range, and did not skip over too many notes between them. They were mostly of high pitch, and played both quietly and lightly, each note flowing into the next and yet with small taps between like those an older brother might give his younger on the forehead.

Then, the small crunch of a footstep came from nearby. Akaneya assumed it to be an ANBU who had followed her - as they were wont to do in most circumstances - but believed it was always fair to play it safe. Before she could turn to look, however, a man wrapped his arm around her neck and put her in a headlock. Playing a shrill cry on her flute in surprise before dropping it upon the stone beneath her feet, she elbowed the man holding her in the gut. With only a small reaction, she tried to poke out his eyes, but her arms were pulled back by another. She pulled away, trying to use her feet for leverage, but was violently jerked backwards as her wrists and forearms were tightly crossed and bound.

Stomping on a foe's foot with all her might, she managed to break out of the hold and began trying to run - only to find herself grabbed by another. With now three men working against her, winding a rope just under her breasts and around her upper arms to bind further, she began to kick wildly. With a deep, guttural, bestial growl, she would deliver a kick with all the force she could muster straight into the gut of the apparent leader. The precision of her strike caused him to cough a bit, even to spit up a small amount of his acid, which seemed to enrage him. Slapping her harshly across the face, and delivering a punch to her gut that made her keel over, his accomplices then quickly crossed her ankles and bound them too.

Being hoisted up over one's shoulder, she bit into the arm and tore with her teeth, shaking her head to increase damage further. Blood spilled on the ground from the gushing wound, and she was dropped onto the floor and kicked for her resistance. Glaring up at them in spite, she tried to stand and quickly fell. The others looked at one another as she did so again, this time falling on her side. A strange ringing noise began to echo out, confusing them all but ultimately not disturbing them enough to stop.

Attempting to pick her up again, another kidnapper had his finger bitten and torn in a similar fashion. Pulling it away, he found that it'd been dug into quite significantly. Finally deciding to end her reign of terror, a rag was hastily shoved into her mouth and she was picked up again, a couple strips of tape sealing the rag before it could be spat out. Her forehead protector, which kept her hair in check and, just as importantly, provided her with identification as well as general protection, was hastily pulled from her head and tossed aside - to make her more vulnerable and deny her identification in the case of an escape.

As it hit the ground, she tried to wiggle out of their grasp. Managing to almost slip out, she was grabbed once more and hefted over a strongman's shoulder. Stretching as much as she could to reach his ear, she jerked on it harshly and was dropped back on the floor. Trying to climb to her feet once more, she found a stability in bending her knees and spreading them apart. Taking a hop before getting caught again, her knees were tied together both just below and just above the joint proper.

Now being held again, more properly cradled like a child, all her wiggling did her no good. Her clan technique able to detect all the signs of her fight lying around, and the trails that were being left as she was carried away, she knew that there was a way to find her. Akaneya only hoped that she'd be able to escape on her own before such was necessary, and despite her limited field of view, tried her best to memorize the path and the terrain using this technique.

As time went on, the technique would fade. They were going far into the forest, it was clear that they had planned ahead. The question was more whether this was a specific countermeasure to her abilities, or if Akaneya had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time. She found herself growing somewhat tired, and it seemed that her kidnappers agreed. The daylight started to fade, and a clearing was soon found for camp. Akaneya was placed against a tree, her forearms unbound but quickly redone as pinned to her sides, and moreover she found herself tied to a thick tree. Her captors set up a campfire as she fought her bonds fruitlessly. Once they had set up their own bedrolls, the tape was torn from her mouth, and she spat out the now-wet rag. Before she could shout obscenities of every sort, a flask was placed to her lips. Forced to drink, it was as refreshing as water - but had the adverse effect of putting her cold to sleep. The light faded, and after a few seconds she no longer had the strength to shout, in a minute no longer the strength to keep her head up, and by the second minute she found herself in a very deep sleep.

She had a dream of Otogakure, as she did often. Akaneya would be hard-pressed to describe them as nightmares, because while such dreams were never pleasant, she never woke up feeling ill of them either. Those scarce few who she had told of her time always seemed horrified by the events she had underwent; on a personal level she simply could not stir any emotions about it at all, positive or negative.

Perhaps owing to her wakeful state, she woke in her dream tightly bound. It was a memory crisp as if it were freshly born, being replayed for the hundredth time in her mind. The room was dark, nearly pitch black. Her wrists were tied behind her, her arms wrapped around the back of a chair, and her ankles bound to the chair legs. Her head fell down, her muscles aching and her eyelids heavy, only to hear the hissing of a pit viper to keep her awake. Looking up to see The Snake, a tall and pale man with inhuman eyes and a voice like silk, she felt a sense of uncertain dread deep in her heart.

He cradled her face, she could feel the dark purple bruises on her cheeks throb as he did so. The young girl, only eleven years old at the time, couldn't understand why any of it was happening to her. He had told her several times before that he was trying to awaken her inner strength, and she remembered the speech he had given her when the mark was first branded on her skin, but it was incomprehensible to her all the same. Tears began to well in her eyes as she remembered her relatively caring father, only to be slapped once more for her weakness. This sent her into the next stage of her dream.

Now thirteen years of age, wrists bound and hung from a hook above her head, she felt the harsh sting of a cane on her back. All sense of longing and sadness had seemed to disappear, replaced by anger. A sense that things were simply not fair, perhaps because the mark didn't work? She felt like she was always the prisoner selected for these 'treatments', even though she consistently won her battles and behaved well enough at other times. She was informed by a vague voice that she had gone through enough for the moment. Nothing was stated, but she knew that there were hours of darkness to come. Nobody bothered to release her as the light coming in through the door began to narrow and fade, the heavy iron clicking shut and leaving her alone in the darkness. She knew it would be until dinner time that she'd be left alone like this, and could feel the rage inside of her, the sense that things were simply not fair, replacing the tears of old once more. With the loud clunk of the door's lock, the next phase of the dream began.

Fifteen years of age. Her fifth year in Otogakure. She was strapped to a medical table with metal restraints, her pupils narrow in the bright light. She whispered with a dehydrated throat through cracked lips, pleading for mercy, begging for relief. A needle dug into her arm, and a warmth spread through her bicep. She closed her eyes and braced as the warmth was carried by her blood to elsewhere in her body, where it turned from warmth to burning. Feeling as if her very blood had become acid, she screamed in sheer agony, but nothing she could do would ease the pain. No screaming could soothe, her writhing was prevented by her restraints, and she realized she was at the mercy of The Snake. It was a realization she had known for some time, but one that always needed a periodic reminder. She was at his mercy because she was powerless, and he was the only one who could give her power. She had sold herself to him, or rather her father had, years ago - and this is what it was leading up to.

That stain on the back of her neck began to burn as well. Orange lines began to grow across her body, glowing like an inferno. This was the key to her promised power, her internal strength manifesting in physical form. She had been trained and conditioned for this day, and it had come at last. There was something enabling, empowering, even triumphant about the pain. As the machines monitoring her vitals began to spike, her whole body fell into a deep, all-penetrating cold as the lines receded and her vision began to fade.

And that's when she woke.

Her eyes opening slowly, groaning into the reapplied gag, she briefly recalled the dreams. They were chronologically messy, emotionally conflicting, but each scene had a basis in the truth of her upbringing - and she could stir not a single emotion, positive or negative, to associate with each in her waking moments. Opening her dark eyes fully, she stretched as much as her bindings would allow her to. That's when she remembered that she was, in fact, bound; her arms crossed as before. With a small struggle, she blushed ever-so-slightly; it was somewhat embarrassing both to have been captured and to be helpless yet, but held an almost-comforting familiarity in its own twisted way.

Observing the room that she was kept in, it was entirely bare. Her flute and bag had been left behind at the scene of the kidnapping, her tools stripped from her. She had been left with herself, a mat, a floor, three walls, a roof, and a door. Bare indeed. Tugging harder at each of the ropes binding her, hoping to find a slip in any of the knots, she found the situation rather hopeless for the moment. She wouldn't quit, knowing that with enough effort any of them might come undone eventually, but coming out of a drug-induced sleep was not the time to be trying to fight.

Heaving a sigh, she tried to call out - prevented from doing so as punishment for her tenacious defense. All that she heard was her own echoing attempts as trapped as she was. Even still, Akaneya knew that there had been a sufficient trail left at the scene. With the ANBU's close observation of her at most times, it was only a matter of time before specialists would be sent. She never wanted to the a damsel in distress, but life did not always go as planned.

A quick assessment of her self assured her that she was safe. She had suffered no serious injury, only a few bruises from her previous scuffle and from the rough passage. She was not content to sit around all day, it was both inefficient and boring. Unfortunate as the situation may be, all she could do now was exactly that - to sit around and wait for her rescue. What an absolutely dreadful waste of time.

Post stats:

The morning air carried the briskness of the winter, evident to Kennosuke by the small fog his breath created as he exhaled. The sensation of being cold was foreign to him however and as he left out of the Kimura compound shorty before dawn, the sleeves of his tunic were still rolled up to his shoulders. He had his gear secured to his person, his tool pouch and quiver full, with Warpath holstered across his lower back and Rekka sheathed on his side. In his mind, he was mission ready; however he wasn’t exactly going on a mission. He had made friends within the Tracker Division and was going out with Tsuru Company today to learn the ropes and expectations of being a member of the Tracker Division. He honestly doubted they would have anything to do today, but it’s always good to get to know people you may have to work with soon. He was meeting the squad he was working with at the First’s gate at dawn so after pulling his hood up over his head he moves across the Hidden Leaf village to the designated meeting place.

When he arrived, his friend Inuzuka Shiba was talking quietly with hooded figure. Two other members he recognized as being part of Tsuru Company stood nearby along with Shiba’s canine companion Inari. The hooded figure shimmers and vanishes and Shiba turns to Kennosuke and with a curt nod motions him over to join the others. Kennosuke noted the fairly serious look on Shiba’s face as he joined the three man squad.

“Alright. Seems some scouts found something interesting. Signs of a struggle with at least four unique Chakra signatures, one of which belonging to a member of the Barrier Team. As of right now, we are to head out,  track them down and await further orders from there.” Shiba says in a quiet, yet commanding voice.

“What about Ryushi?” One of the other trackers asks, casting a glance at Kennosuke. Shiba tosses a radio and ear piece at Kennosuke, who catches it without problem, before tucking the radio into his belt and sliding the ear piece into place.

“Ryushi is tied up dealing with some other matters. This is Kimura Kennosuke, he’ll be taking Ryushi’s spot. Kennosuke, this is  Yoshimatsu and Tsugahara. Now, let’s move out. First we’ll go to where the trail starts and track them from there.” Shiba says before her and Inari bound off into the wilderness followed by Tsugahara. Yoshimatsu eyes Kennosuke for a moment and shakes his head.

“Keep up, Kimura, or you’ll get left behind.” He says before darting off after the others. Kennosuke smirks and leaps forward into the trees. This morning had definitely taken an interesting turn. Together the team of four sped through the tree’s, Kennosuke keeping pace with ease. Yoshimatsu may think Kennosuke was a nobody, but he wasn’t a Chunin for no good reason. He would however, obey orders and follow the direction of those who had been a Tracker. It wasn’t long before they came to a stop. The scene before them was what Kennosuke had expected.  Signs of a fight, foot prints and a decent amount of blood. The team spread out, each using their individual talents to find a trail. Kennosuke knelt in the middle of the fight scene, his eyes studying everything. No signs of any type of elemental damage and lack of discarded ninja tool’s led Kennosuke to think that whatever happened here, it wasn’t Shinobi verses Shinobi. But there was no real evidence to suggest it wasn’t that either.

After a moment Inari growls, obviously picking up the trail. Shiba pauses for a moment and calls in on the radio saying they found the trail and were in pursuit, before nodding to Inari, who surges forward. Once again in motion, the team moves swiftly across the wilderness. They spread out slightly, moving in a horizontal line, with a bit of space in between each of them. A familiar voice chimed over the radio asking their status. Shiba soon replied they were enroute 10 klicks west bearing west-northwest. The first voice came across again ordering continued pursuit but at a distance and not to engage.

Kennosuke couldn't help but grin. Takao was on his way now and Kennosuke could barely wait to stand side by side with his mentor in the heat of battle. It wasn't much longer after that Takao appeared from the rear of them, his body propelled by the jets of Burning Ambition. Tsuru Company halted and waited the last moments before Takao joined them.

"Already--?" Yoshimatsu mumbled in disblief as Shiba began to report to Takao. Kennosuke pats Yoshimatsu on the shoulder and smirks.

"Believe it, Yoshimatsu. Takao is a walking Legend." He said in a hushed tone as not to interrupt Takao's orders. They were to split the team up, two following Takao, the other two finding the Recovery and Medical squads and bringing them back. As soon as Takao took off, Kennosuke followed, the same jets that Takao had used covering his back and legs as well. He wasn't about to get sent off some escort job when Takao was about to walk into the unknown. No matter what they faced, Kennosuke would stand beside his friend and mentor until the end. Takao's speed made him look like turtle in a hare race, but now moving with his Burning Ambition, he was able to out pace the other member of the Tsuru Company who followed him. He reaches back and unholsters Warpath, flicking the bow open. He didn't know what lay ahead but he intended to have Takao's back regardless.

Shiba catches up to him, struggling to match his pace. She looked angry, no doubt she was going to send him to fetch the Recovery and Medical teams. He winks at her as just as suddenly as she caught up him she stops. Orders were to linger 1 kilometer and keep their distance while Takao engaged the threat. He refused that order. He wouldn't sit back while anyone from the Hidden Leaf Village could be in danger, no matter who told him to do so. Not to mention he couldn't see Takao in action if he followed his orders.

WC: 1067