Mission Briefing:

The red haired shinobi stared expressionless at his mission briefing in the hot Sunagakure sun. Leaning against the wall of a restaurant opposite the Ninja Academy, Akarui was quite clearly lacking in weapons. He had decided upon receiving this mission that it would be important to do reconnaissance the day before to ensure he had a firm grasp of the situation.

Looking up, Akarui could see students were beginning to run out of the academy laughing and screaming. These were likely troublemakers who had rushed out of class before the bell had even run, but it signaled the end of the school day none-the-less. The end of the school day and the beginning of Akarui's work day. Soon enough the flow of aspiring ninjas became more consistent, and students began to disperse throughout the area. There was one group, however, who very distinctly made shifty eye movements before running down into a dark alley. The group of three seemed to be older than the others, likely held back for failing to pass their examinations several years in a row.

Akarui breathed slowly as he paced his way across the road, dodging a deliveryman as he did so. Already he was having to focus on his training from back in his days in the Koga clan compound. He had never been good at acting casually. It didn't come naturally to Akarui. He needed to focus on his movements and expressions to make things work. The gate to the Shinobi Academy's courtyard made a drawn out whining creak as Akarui pushed through it on his way towards the alley. The shinobi held out the mission briefing before him as though he were reading a map or studying notes, acting as though he were walking towards the Academy's doors until he was out of sight of the alleyway, at which point he followed the wall to the corner. Leaning on the wall and focusing on his orders, Akarui began to hear the whispers of several people coming from the alley.

"You got the goods, gramps?" The distinct voice of a young teenager bellowed with an obvious voice crack out of the alleyway much louder than was appropriate for buying drugs off the street.

"Shut up! Someone will hear you!" A raspy, hushed voice spoke up this time with a panicked hiss. "Were you followed? Do any of your teachers know where you are?" Akarui's ears perked up at this, but he did his best to remain focused on the sheet of paper before him. Freaking out now would only jeopardize his mission tomorrow. He had to ensure that the drug dealer felt comfortable today so he wouldn't feel the need to change anything the next day.

A snort echoed from the dark area between the buildings. "Of course not. We aren't idiots! I'm already fourteen and a half! Treat us with some respect, man." Akarui heard a disgruntled sigh and unintelligable grumbling now.

"As long as you've got the money, you can have all the respect you want. Let's see what I have with me today." The clink of metal on metal was clear as the dealer waded his hand through his dufflebag. At this point, Akarui peeked his head part-way into the alleyway to see what was going on. He had to ensure that this was in fact the dealer he was looking for, after all. For the first time he could see his target in the flesh; the dealer was a scrawny man with a patchy beard and a twitchy eye. It seemed obvious to Akarui that the old man was past his prime, especially considering the shaking leg that supported him. Back in his day he was probably much more formidable. Perhaps it was his current state which inspired in those in charge the confidence required to assign this mission to genin. The old man retrieved four small cloth bags and distributed them to the academy students. As the dealer looked up with shifty eyes, Akarui hid himself back behind the wall. At this point he believed he had what he needed to convince himself of the man's guilt. Reconiassance was over. Preparations for the mission tomorrow would have to be made.

The Next Day

Akarui had forsaken his civillian clothing in favor of combat gear. Today he had decked himself out in combat capris, boots, and a short-sleeved canvas hooded jacket. Around his left arm he had tied his Sunagakure headband, and around his right he had tied a bandanna with the Kōga clan mon embroidered on it; black on yellow. Of course he also wore his trusty rusty old katana sideways across his lower back, and the pouch on his belt held his shuriken and kunai.

It was early morning when Akarui arrived at the academy. He had notified the school of his mission activities the day before to avoid a scare, but it was still best to set up when normal everyday people weren't up and about. The shinobi rubbed his hair with a yawn as he entered the alleyway from the day before. It was still somewhat dark but he could make out the table the dealer had placed his items on yesterday. After a few moments of assessment he noticed a poster on the wall behind the table; it was the perfect hiding spot for Akarui's plan. Pulling the poster halfway up, Akarui retrieved three shuriken from his pouch. A gust of wind spun around his hand as it approached the concrete wall, and not a moment later the air was silent, and the three shuriken were sealed there.

As Akarui smoothed the poster back over his seal, he examined the table. Placing his hand under its surface, a red glow filled the otherwise dim alleyway; his second trap was set. A few shuriken in the abdomen and first degree burns would hopefully be enough to keep the dealer from running away, or at least make him easier to take down quickly. His preparations complete, Akarui ascended the wall of the academy, taking a position above the table but out of sight. Now he would just need to play the waiting game.

Hours passed. Akarui had not expected the dealer to show up first thing in the morning, but academy classes were nearly out at this point. He was trying to keep his cool in true Kōga fashion, but the unforgiving Sunagakure sun was unforgiving and he was already sweaty and frustrated. After some time he finally allowed himself to sigh loudly and uncharacteristically in frustration, and it echoed across the rooftop and into the alleyway. It was nice for him to vent off some steam, but it did not really help with the hopelessly hot and sweaty part.

Not five minutes before the Academy got out, Akarui finally heard footsteps and mumbling down in the alleyway. Peeking his head over the ledge he saw the old man had finally arrived with a large duffel bag. His heart leaped for joy at the thought of his deliverence from this rooftop hell, and he almost leaped too but for the bad timing. Akarui's eyes eagerly followed his target as he paced in circles around the alleyway. For a moment he thought this was the most interesting thing he had done all day. That was, until he realized that the dealer had not gone near the table yet.

For what seemed like an eternity the dealer meanered around, limping slowly and shaking his duffelbag as though he were making sure things were still in it. With a disgruntled sigh, Akarui prepared the hand seal for the release of his traps; it seemed as though he would have to spring them at the soonest available opportunity rather than waiting for his target to settle at the table. Around and around he went like a merry go round, stopping only for a short time and always far from the table. Finally, as the dealer paced quickly past the table, Akarui snapped.

A ball of fire spewed ever brighter as the gust of wind from the seal holding the shuriken went off. Akarui jumped from the building, drawing his katana. As his feet met the side of the building he subconsciously initiated Supernatural Walking Practice, and his blade began to glow blue as the blade of the Flying Swallow technique took shape. Akarui was taken by suprise, however, when a kunai flew out of the ball of smoke and fire that raged below, and the kunai he had taken from his pouch to block it with was knocked from his hand by the opposing one. It was fast. Faster than he had expected for an old man at least, but then again he had not expected resistance in the first place.

As the smoke cleared and Akarui reached the bottom of the building, he was met with the weak and bloody body of the dealer, still struggling to remove a tanto from his belt.

"Who do you think you are, sonny? I'm the best there ever was! Nobody messes with my turf and gets away with it!" The old man coughed raggedly, whether from the smoke or blood Akarui didn't know. The shinobi hesitated for a moment as he slid across the dusty floor of the alleyway. It was sad to see him in a state like this, especially if what he said was true. Even if it wasn't the dealer was still meant to be his opponent, and it was almost an insult to his honor to fight like this. "I'll kill you! You hear me! You're a dead man!" The dealer's arm shook violently as the tanto clanked against its sheath, struggling to break free sideways or backwards if it had to. As the chakra on his katana began to flicker, Akarui frowned either in disappointment or in pity, stepped forward, and slid the blade across his neck.

1676 words
Mission - [1000/1000] Mission Complete!
Reaction Time (D -> D-1) - [325/325] Complete!
Perception (D -> D-1) - [325/325] Complete!
26 words for the trash