Isamu had gotten his mission early this morning, and was now in the crowded marketplace, surrounded by clamoring people and fast-moving groups. He struggled to weave between the crowd, searching for his targets. He needed to get a hold of them and terminate them before they became a threat: they were going straight for the Mizukage. He searched all over, looking through the crowd and back at the mission details. Finally, he caught a look at two people with hoods up, who fit the description, and gestured toward his companions to follow them, as they moved out of the crowd and into a quiet area of the market.

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Word Count: 109/1,500

"No I don't want a damn frying pan!" Boruda yelled at the owner of the stall who had been continuously yelling at him to 'buy a wok' for the past few minutes. Finally it seemed with his outburst the man was going to leave him alone, the elderly man running the stall turned to face his wares before verbally bludgeoning another person passing through the area.

His mind back upon the mission the Bald Shinobi noticed Isamu gesturing toward him, it seemed as though he may have found what they had been looking for. Quickly Boruda followed in a brisk pace following him into a quieter, less populated area of the market. Thoughts passing through his head illuminating the fact that this was the first mission that he was fully expecting danger, they had been tasked with killing members of an organization that sought to assassinate the Mizukage. Heavy, man...We could all die doing this. he thought beginning to catch up to Isamu, in moments like this he often wished he was still just a drunk, or perhaps he should have chosen the route of working at the hospital...Too late now...


[201/1,500]

With her medical kit strapped to her right thigh and a coil of wire added to the supplies within, Tsuneko walked through the marketplace in a loose group with the other shinobi involved in the mission. Marching through the streets like a bunch of troops would not help them locate and take out their intended targets. Any attempt at a quiet approach was ruined as she heard Boruda yell out something at a salesman that carried over the noise of the crowd. On edge, she jumped a little bit at the outburst, her lilac eyes cutting over to the balding man. This wasn’t like the other missions that she’d been asked to carry out up until today; this one had a real risk of danger. If someone was seriously going after the Mizukage, they were either strong or stupid; either way, she considered it to be someone with a death-wish, and that kind of recklessness made even the stupid a very real threat. Today wasn’t the time to be making mistakes, and she didn’t appreciate any actions of the other members of this mission that would put herself more at risk.

She did not have time to decide whether or not it was worth saying something to Boruda, because another member of the group, briefly introduced to her as Isamu, was signaling them over. Following his lead, she moved with them into a quieter area of the marketplace. Assuming that Isamu had seen something relevant to the mission, perhaps even the suspects themselves, she gave him her attention, waiting for him to explain why he’d signaled them over here.

[275/1500]

Both hooded figures had one thing in mind.. To kill. The shorter figure whispers to the taller one silent enough so that no one else would hear, -do they really think we don't notice them?- The taller figurer then whispers, - I says we lead them to that place...-
Both hooded figures then dart out of the village and towards a nearby dense forest...

Isamu signaled to Boruda and Tsuneko to make a sudden turn as the figures darted in to the forest.

"Shit! Boruda, Tsuneko! They're moving! We're right on them, though..."

He sped forwards, in a desperate hurry to catch the assassins. He couldn't let them escape, or Sero's life would be gone within hours.

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169/1,500

The situation changed within seconds as Isamu yelled out that the two were moving Boruda's yelling at a man was one thing, but directly addressing the enemy?... There was no time to think on the mistake as the two had bolted, Boruda's stomach turned as it became evident where the two were moving toward. Once outside of the market there lay a dense patch of forest, perfect for a Shinobi to stage an ambush. It was quite evident that they were being lead into a trap of sorts, but what could they do in such a situation? Let the couple get away and risk the chance of them getting to Sero? This mission's screwed, someone explain why I'm risking my ass for someone I don't even really know? he thought to himself in open rhetoric, hoping he could come up with an answer on his own. Unfortunately no such answers entered his head, yet he pressed on thoughtlessly.

His brisk walk transitioned into an immediate sprint pushing a young man out of his way forcing him into a stall. Before consequences could be rendered he had closed the distance between himself and his mates, apparently Tsuneko had gotten there seconds before the two Assassins bolted, "Walking right into a damn trap, and we have no say in the situation." he murmured toward his comrades.

[443/1,500]

“Shit! Boruda, Tsuneko! They’re moving! We’re right on them, though…” Following Isamu’s gesture, Tsuneko turned and saw two hooded figures running through the marketplace. Taking off after the pair, she neatly wove in between members of the crowd as a child might, taking advantage of her slender build to slip in gaps that a larger person would have had to push his or her way through. A chase rarely ended well; even if they caught up to the suspects, property and other people were often hurt in the process, and at worst, they could lose track of their targets in the crowd. She didn’t know the entire backstory behind these assassins and how the spy network had tracked them down and learned of the plot, but apparently they had been expecting shinobi to be out looking for them, they likely wouldn’t have drawn attention to themselves by running off, otherwise.

She felt a strange mixture of relief and dismay as, instead of seeking to hide in a shop or going straight to the Mizukage’s mansion, they left the village and headed for a nearby forest. The girl was relieved at the chance of less casualties and collateral damage, as well as not having to deal with the question, that she had yet to have to answer, on whether she was willing to make a spectacle out of herself by using the Shikotsumyaku in middle of the village. Her dismay was that the three ninja were forced to follow wherever the pair might lead them. There was nothing in the report about other conspirators being involved; however, situations changed all the time, and she could not be certain that they didn’t have people lying in wait in the forest to ambush the team and free the pair from their tail, allowing them to go about their nefarious deed.

The girl had drawn slightly ahead of her companions, but she did not anticipate being able to catch up to the targets before they entered the forest at the rate they were moving right now; besides, even if she could, she was not eager to put herself in a two on one situation by bull-headedly charging ahead. Therefore, in an attempt to injure and slow the pair down, she raised both hands and used the Digital Shrapnel technique to fire twenty bone bullets, with barely a moment between the two volleys of ten, at the pair. As the projectiles came out of her without the aid of any sort of implement, such as a bow, there was essentially no sound to warn her intended targets that an attack was coming. Because of when she fired them, the bullets would, unless their pace significantly increased, catch up to the hooded figures before they could enter the relative safety of the forest. She didn’t anticipate her bullets taking out either of the targets, for it was unlikely that she would hit a vital organ from a ranged attack when both her targets and she were moving, but Tsuneko was, of course, hopeful that, due to the number of bullets and her intention that they would not be aware of the attack until it reached them, a few would reach her targets’ body.

Spoiler:

Right before Takashi and Nanami reached the forest, Nanami whispers to her partner,"They fell for it." At that exact second Takashi darted off towards the Mizukage's manner, and Nanami off towards the center of the village.

As Takashi is running he started to channel chakra into his fists ready to take out anything and anyone who stands in his way.

A grin crept up on Nanamis face for she started to unravel the bandages on her arms.

Isamu took notice as the two assassins' paths diverged, and suddenly one was heading out toward the manor and the other was heading back to the village. He couldn't think of anything to do to stop them, so he responded the best way he could. He turned to his squadmates and yelled, "We need to split up and keep them from advancing! Stop the girl, I'm going after the one heading to the kage's mansion!"

He sprinted in that guy's direction, but they matched pace quickly. He made a hand seal and opened his mouth, unleashing an ocean over the guy and knocking him to the ground, leaving him temporarily stunned. Isamu ducked under water and swam nearer to Takashi, in hopes of landing a few blows.

Word Count: 303/1,500

Chakra Remaining: 180/200: