Sanosuke was on a roll. Apparently he was going to try and build up the foreign affairs with every village and Kaekio was going to be his catalyst. She supposed that there was noting that she could possibly do about it. He was the Raikage and she had to follow his commands, whether she wanted too or not. In fact she should probably be honored that he kept chosing her for these types of important missions. However she would much rather spend the day with nozomi then be out hunting down bad guys, or in today's case a "monster" was roaming around the rice fields. Although she shouldn't really be surprised, she had already taken out two things she wouldn't have thought should exist. So she couldn't really say that there was no way this monster that had been reported didn't actually exist.

Just like any other mission she had left a note for nozomi and went out the door before she woke up. Kaekio wondered what nozomi did during most of the days while kaekio was out running missions. She knew her house was more clean than usual so that might have partly been it, but she can't imagine that that was all the girl ever did. Today she even included that she was going on a mission with Sero. She knew that her and Sero were on the same squad. But, that was about all that she knew about Sero. Unlike Nanashi she hadn't been able to pull out much information on him. He had been a competitor in the chunin exams the same year Kaekio won them, and she had heard a few rumors from the other competitors about how he gave off a creepy sort of feeling, but Kaekio was never around him, and so she didn't notice it. She let out a small sigh as she reached the front gate, their meeting place, she would just have to see how he was. She was wearing her typical outfit, with her black sage cloak over the top of it. The hood down and her long blue hair flowing out, cover the hilts of her twin black swords. She had her kunai pouch on her right leg, with some kunai hidden in her sleeve for easy access, and her headband around her neck. Once she reached the gate she stood there and surveyed each person that walked in and out of the gate, waiting for today's mission partner to show his face.

---

WC: 424
Total WC: 424
EP Earned: 0

Sero had been informed by a wary messenger that he was being requested for one of the missions that met his specifications. His specialty was on category, hunt and kill missions. He didn't want anything were he had to escort someone or keep someone alive. Nor anything about rescuing some poor soul. The truth was he always found that all he was suited for was wiping out everything and anyone between him and his would be targets. He had no interest in the lives of those around him and so he usually did these missions alone in remote places. So it was that he had a couple of concerns about some foreign shinobi coming with him. More to keep an eye on him than anything from what he understood. However he had no doubts it wouldn't go well if she were to die. He didn't have much info on her to begin with. Rumor had it she had won some chunnin exams or another. He wasn't sure which. His experience with them was how difficult it was to hold back. Fights limiting him to not killing. Childs games he didn't care for. He hadn't really spoken with Nozomi about her either because he had no knowledge of their relationship. Mostly because even as his squad mate he was distant to her.

Still he wasted no time moving towards the village from the mountain. His grey eyes peered from the shadows of his grey hood. He avoided any roads or paths with some caution as he didn't wish to stir panic just arriving for a mission. His garb was a simple pair of black combat boots with grey pants over them and a grey zip up tank top. Over that was a long sleeved hood also grey in color. As he moved along through the rocks towards the main gate he seemed to fade in and out of sight. A thin layer of mist picked up as the morning brought heat from the rains of the night before. It seemed to blanket the ground as he drew ever closer. Finally being forced to the main road as the gates were the meeting place. As he approached he slowed to a walk. Each step seemed to drag the mist with him onto the path. Like tendrils licking and clawing across the ground almost flooding along the gate like a living thing. It was then that everyone at the gate would feel him.

A cold pressure on their skin...just short of being touched. It was like breath touching the back of your neck but too cold to be anything living. Above all else it seemed like it was hunting. This aura was seeking out everyone there. People scattered away from the mist like some monster resided there. However Kaekio wouldn't be given that option. When he stepped into the gates grey eyes shifted slowly from the path before him to look her in the eye. His gaze like the grave gazing into the realm of the living. He didn't appear to have any equipment on him at first until a tendril of mist lifted and wrapped into his hood and then faded to reveal a head band. A kiri head band. Sero had arrived for their mission. However even unarmed something about him screamed danger like a man holding a dripping weapon. From that distance he smelled of old blood. How long had it been since he killed something? Suddenly he spoke. His words were bland and emotionless. He held no contempt or care for anyone.

"We should await nightfall. The reports say all the attacks happened at night. They will be easier to track after a fresh kill. Blood leaves plenty of evidence. "

631

Dull eyes scanned the horizon, searching for her mission partner. She really hoped that this wouldn't eb the same as the last forien mission she went on, where she had to wait forever for her partner to arrive. However, just as she was beginning to think it would be the same, the scene before her burst into something else. Kaekio's skin began to crawl as if felt like there were people surronding her, close but not quiet touching. Close enough it was almost like she could feel their cold breath of her skin. This feeling made kaekio feel ill, however she couldn't sense anyone's eletrical currents around her so she didn't even bother checking around her. However it seemed she wasn't the only one to feel this sensation. The crowds of people before her scattered, as mist flooded through the front gates. Kaekio stood there leaning against a wall, her face emotionless as if this feeling didn't bother, which once she got over the intial shock, it really didn't. As a shinobi, there were far more terrifying things then empty feelings. Through the mist someone stepped. He dragged the mist with him, and almost seemed to be a part of it. It was his shroud, and presence in it's own right. It was easy to confirm that the source of this dark feeling loaming over the area originated from him, because as he grew close so did the feeling. Kaekio's face however remained dull and emotion less. The smell of blood also came along with the man, but Kaekio knew most shinobi smelled that way. She might too if she didn't try so hard to get the stench off of her. His gaze focused on her as his kirigakure headband revealed. It was definitely Sero. His words only confirmed it.

"We should await nightfall. The reports say all the attacks happened at night. They will be easier to track after a fresh kill. Blood  leaves plenty of evidence. " His gaze felt like death. He seemed dark and ominous, but Kaekio's face didn't change. The hunting feeling loaming in the air, and the dark side of her the arose during missions seemed to only amplify each other. "I agree we should wait until nightfall, but letting the innocent die would do the exact opposite of what you think would help. If it was the only way to track them, I'd be for it, but I can track them better if we ambush this monster instead of letting them run off." Kaekio spoke with an emotionless tone in her voice. "Plus it will look better on our mission reports. Don't feel like getting a lecture from the Raikage on how we used citizens blood for tracking purposes, especially since he knows I'm a better track then that... Although... We can use some of them as bait. That'd allow me to get close enough to track them." Kaekio said as she pushed herself off of the wall, and started walking towards the rice fields. "Well whatever the plan ends up being, the rice fields is our destination. We can discuss the ins and outs of our plan on the way, and while we wait for nightfall. Plus we can pick out potential attack sites, and a spot to ambush." Kaekio then let out a sigh, as she walked out of the gate. "She's going to be worried if I'm too late." she said to herself, and under her breath.

---

WC: 595
Total WC: 1019
EP Earned: 1

Sero watched the young woman as she spoke with a bland and uncaring grey gaze. He cared nothing for the lives of others in most cases but she didn't seem for his plan. Not entirely anyway. She seemed to want to preserve lives of farmers. He understood their value in a community and how many depended on them for food. However if one or a few more died others would simply take their place. Greed and want of land and profits would see to that. Still he didn't like having to keep someone alive that couldn't otherwise defend themselves. The shinobi he was teamed with was supposedly what they hoped could handle him. If that was the case no matter what they came across it wouldn't kill her. Not if she didn't do something foolish like shielding a child. Obstacles in the way of victory should be crushed and forgotten. He wondered for a moment if he should consider her an obstacle. If the source of these murders turned out to be one of these people she cherished would she stand against him? A brief but graphic image played in his mind for just a second as he saw himself stepping across the distance in one step and plunging a spear into her neck. The killing intent passing in under a second before he turned to look down the road towards the rice fields. Somewhere away in the distance. When he spoke once more he sounded as cold as ever but he had decided not to kill her unless he had too. After all to turn in the mission he would need her. Not only would he need her present but she would need to be in a condition to speak as the the completion of the mission on his behalf.

"If this is what you require I shall simply follow your lead until such a time as my skills are more effective. However, I will have to stay back just far enough to keep track of you. I am too easy to sense and no sane thing will approach for battle while I am present. It has always been that way between other predators and I. Where ever I stand they consider my territory and know better then to trespass. When you do catch sight of whatever it is we hunt I suggest wounding it...A wounded animal always returns to its den where it feels safe. If there is more then one or it has young, I shall cleanse the den of all of it. Let us be on our way if we wish to make it before nightfall."

With that said he turned away from her and shifted as the mist seemed to seep back to him away from the doors it had been clawing at of the residents living too close to the gate. Like a hungry pet returning to its masters side. He seemed to almost float in it down the road. As if he wasn't walking so much as just being carried along the mist that concealed his feet. He seemed oddly confident for someone whom appeared to have no weapons or armor on him. Either way the trip would take the majority of the afternoon anyway and once they arrived he would fall behind and almost fade into a nearby treeline...his presence fading with distance and yet it would seem like his eyes were always on her. Always watching her every move and never blinking. Almost like his cold breath was sliding down the back of her neck...Nozomi had been in a squad with this boy....somehow she only had one scar to show for it.

1252

"If this is what you require I shall simply follow your lead until such a time as my skills are more effective. However, I will have to stay back just far enough to keep track of you. I am too easy to sense and no sane thing will approach for battle while I am present. It has always been that way between other predators and I. Where ever I stand they consider my territory and know better then to trespass. When you do catch sight of whatever it is we hunt I suggest wounding it...A wounded animal always returns to its den where it feels safe. If there is more then one or it has young, I shall cleanse the den of all of it. Let us be on our way if we wish to make it before nightfall."  

After he spoke his words Sero turned away from kaekio. The mist an the dark eerie feeling fading away with him. And, as it did so the feeling of life and people starting to restore to the area he returned too. It was an interesting phenomenon to say the least. It was almost as if the kiri ninja was death himself. Causing people to run and scatter. However, Kaekio wasn't scared of death, nor of sero, and she had a duty to her village to complete this mission. She stood and followed him out the gate. Her sage cloak flowing as she trailed behind him. She would remain silent, however she would quicken her pace for a few spets after she pushed off the wall only running for two, before leaping and placing herself at his side. Enveloping herself in the feeling of death. Her eyes hardened as her body took in the darkness the surged from the boy. Unlike those who ran from the feeling, it appeared as though she was feeding on it. A dark feeling grew inside of her as she did so. The will to kill. She said nothing to sero as the walked to the rice field. There was nothing to be said anymore. the plan was laid out before them.

As they reached the field, and the sun began to set out, Kaekio broke off from sero and set herself in a tree that overlooked a farmer's house in the fields. She this farmer always worked late, and it appeared the recent threats didn't deter him. She sat on the branch ready to move at any sight of anything in the distance. She sat there in silence. A few moments after dusk settled she turned on her tracking range...

She felt the movement instantly. It was quick, much quicker than she was. Kaekio's eyes widened as it was headed for the farmer. "shit." The words escaped her lips. "MOVE!" She shouted to sero whom she could sense was within earshot, and also feel. The eerie feeling hadn't left her. Blue rings appeared around kaekio's eyes as wolves ears popped out of the top of her head, and tail formed under her cloak, although that wouldn't be visible as it was hidden. Her senses heightened. And she could immedaitely smell the blood of the farmer, even though the tree was a good 100 meters away from him, and she who was closing as fast as she could was only about 50 meters away from him. She had kicked off the branch. Kaekio's hand glowed a bright blue, making her visible from anywhere on the fields, and she moved it horizontally in front of her as if her were throwing senbon. 100 bright blue senbon came out, and scattered before her. "Chidori Senbon!" She shouted as she finished used her technique. The lightning faded in her hand as the scene before her light up. The creature was tall, she could tell that just by her sense, but as 5 of the senbon pierced different spots on it's body, it light up briefly. It reminded her of a wolf. And in that brief moment she saw several indicators of a wolf, although she knew things about wolves that most people didn't. To sero she could only imagine it looked like a creature with black fur, and claws. The creature let out a howl that definitely wasn't of a wolf, nor human, but somewhere inbetween, and then ran faster than she could chase it down.

She came to a sliding stop before the farmer, as she locked onto the animal's electrical signal. The farmer was cut up badly, as well as his house. the creature probably did that out of reaction to kaekio's attack, although she knew the farmer was dead before she had even began her technique. Although her senbon hadn't helped. It appeared several had pierced the man, his house, and his field as well. she let out a small "damn it!" under her breath, as she felt that eerie feeling approaching once more. Sero was coming in. As he got closer she spoke to him "Well you got your blood trail, and it's wounded." She said as she let out a sigh, and stood up from being crouched over the man's body. "Let's kill a beast shall we?" She said with a new anger in her eyes. Her ears and tail steady.

---

WC: 894
Total WC: 1913

Sero let his grey gaze flick to the girl at his side as she caught up and kept pace with him. He seemed to almost analyze her in a bored way before he looked back to the objective at hand. This close to him she might notice that by all appearances Sero appeared to not have a single weapon on him. Which should come across as odd since during the exams he was a weapons specialist. Still if he wanted to fight monsters unarmed it was his funeral. Or perhaps he had something up those sleeves. Even without a weapon at hand he would feel like he was already ripping out the throat of the target. He smelled of blood no matter how often he bathed. The fringes of his clothing were stained in it so badly that even faded from washing it wouldn't come out entirely. He didn't really care though. Such petty things as not wearing something blood stained was below him. He simply needed to continue passed those who shivered in fear and forge his own path with bodies to either side of it. If she could handle walking that path with him for a moment or two than more power to her.

Still as they approached a farm on the fringes he stopped and looked around as she continued beyond him. His grey eyes scanning the fields as if already searching for his prey. Stopping on the farmer off in the distance still working his fields regardless of the threat. On one hand he could respect the individual for being capable of shaking off fear in order to accomplish a task. However that respect was outweighed by the fact he considered the man a fool. A civilian with no natural talent should know their place and stay out of the way. Testing fate over a few ears of corn was just plain stupidity. Even if the man was stubborn he should know to step aside in order to survive. Survival was all in the end. Living through one battle to the next simply to kill before being killed had taught him that. He had lived because those who had tested his mettle had died. He could still hear their screams when he closed his eyes. As gentle a lullaby to him as any. This enemy would be no different. He would end them as he had all the others. He just had to play by a different set of rules this time.

Still he stood motionless as the sun began to set. Dusk was coming and so would the creatures. His grey eyes had lost track of the old man so now they shifted and watched Kaekio with a near unblinking and blank stare. When her face lit up he watched her launch from her spot and judged her speed. She was slower then him by a bit. Hardly mattered though. He could tell by how abruptly she moved they were too far away from the old man to save him. He would be dead well before they arrived. A small, pale smirk painted across Sero's features as he was getting his way after all. As he stepped mist pulled up around his legs, then his torso and his arms before finally his face. When it peeled away from him his ANBU gear was equipped. Arm and leg guards with a vest as most Kiri nin had. However his mask seemed to be twisted beyond reason. Dark and flaky as if soaked in old blood with two holes that seemed to be sunken in to reveal his dead grey gaze. What set it off the most was the stitched up smirk on the front of it. As if he was laughing.

His steps bounded him to her side as he looked around at the destruction as she explained the situation to him. His gaze flicked to her before his head tilted to look to the trail of blood. Wounded indeed. Then he spoke, his mask distorting his voice to sound like a dozen voices speaking in unison. Almost demonic by the sound of it. "Good. A wounded beast will return to where it feels safe. Keep up if you can. Or stay here with your dead. No difference to me." He didn't insult her in his mind but with that his feet seemed to shift and he was gone. Even faster then the creature had moved. He was making headway catching up to a wounded beast. Still after only a few moments of the country side blurring passed him he stopped outside a cave abruptly. His eyes scanning into its dark depths for a moment. It made sense that the creatures hideout would be so close to its food source. Still he could hear them breathing...he could feel them waiting for him to enter. There was more than one. He smirked behind his mask before sticking his arm out to stop Kaekio if she arrived. "Be prepared for multiple hostiles. Trust me...they will come to us." With that a pale hand lifted to raise his mask just over his mouth. He would inhale before exhaling a trail of thin mist into the cave. Slowly filling it until it thickened so much they couldn't see inside. For a moment there was just some alarmed growls. Than it began. Pained howls filled the air like screams. Three individual things howling in agony. All that Sero did was smirk before dropping his mask back into place and launching back just as all three creatures came tearing out of the mist. Their flesh missing or dangling in bits from exposed muscle as only tiny patches of hair remained. He had filled their cave with acid mist.

2215

As Sero approached Kaekio, she noticed the mask on his face. It was immediately recognizable as a Kirigakure ANBU mask. Although it felt different in some way as well. It's twisted stitched smile seemed to mock the ANBU Agent's victims. When he spoke, the words sounded different and demonic, as his mask would portray."Good. A wounded beast will return to where it feels safe. Keep up if you can. Or stay here with your dead. No difference to me." With that he moved, and she chased. She chased after the beast, whom she could still sense via her sensory, like she was hunting prey. Even though she was slowly falling behind Kaekio, the killing intent she leaked out of her would reach him. Her cold gaze stared at Sero's back as she followed to the best of her ability. She changed ranges when she felt the beast stop. In this range she could feel three. Three beasts of similar size and standing all inside of the cave, that was now visible as sero came to a stop and stuck his arm out, however she would have stopped behind him before reaching his arm.

"Be prepared for multiple hostiles. Trust me...they will come to us." Before he could lift his mask, the words came out of her mouth. "There are three, All appear to be adults." Then she inhaled deeply, as sero did. a second or so after he released his mist into the cave. A fireball in the shape of a dragon shot out of her mouth and into the cave as well, almost instantly colliding with the fleeing and screaming beasts attempting to escape. One of them, was knocked over by the second assault, presumably the already wounded one. It was quickly finished off by the acid it sat in. The other came barreling out of the mist, with hate and fear in their eyes. Kaekio's hand charged the charred and decaying beasts. Being much faster than it now, now that it was wounded, and still unsure what was going on. Her hand pierced through the bare amount of charred flesh that was left covering the animal's heart. She then ripped it out almost immediately. Her eyes burning with hate, and the desire to kill her prey. With the hand she just took out of the beast, she drew one of her black blades. It instantly grew blue with lightning. She dashed forwards again, as the animal started to gain it's senses, and rushed her whom was the closest. in an angry howl it extended a claw to slash her. Previously it woud have been faster than her, but with it's intense wounds the beast was slow. Her blade moved up, severing the arm of the creature as it let out another screech. She then drove her black blade into this one's heart as well. she then pulled out her black blade, no longer having lightning channeled into it. And flung it to the side to fling any traces of blood off of the blade, before sheathing it again. She then turned to sero. "I'll report the mission success to the Raikage. You are free to do whatever, this includes coming along if you see fit." And with that her ears, and the rings around her eyes finally faded. Her task had been complete. Although something felt off, the animals they had slain felt similar to wolves in a way. Wolves were pack creatures, but these three were by themselves. She doubted this would be the end of these creatures. She would make sure to include this in her report. After she finished speaking to Sero she would turn and head towards the village. Afterall, she had a someone waiting for her at home.

---

WC: 636
Total WC: 2549
Mission complete! 2500/2500
[Exit thread]

Sero stopped his retreat as she engaged the animals. His feet planted as he watched with a cold gaze. She was tearing into them in such a way that to join would be boring at best. The fire around the cave burned along the brush lighting the area as he watched her fight. He didn't bother joining in as doing so would be pointless. It was creative how she killed them and effective but he felt odd. He felt bored. Like some game had been taken away from him. Before she even finished the last one his armor peeled away from him like smoke as he stood there in the clothes he had met her in. It had been pointless to prepare his armor after all. The opponents were below him. He tilts his head as she flicked her blade clean and the fires flickered a little. She spoke to him as he stared passed her and observed the dead. Technically he had helped kill one but that had barely been of a direct cause of his actions. He let his gaze snap to her and as his lips opened the fires that were burning died out. The mist peeled back from the cave and faded as he looked to her. Somehow he seemed angry. Like he might lash out at her and go for the throat. His voice was certainly cold as he spoke. "Leaving me with nothing left to kill....its bothersome...if you do so again...I might not register you as a friendly." With that said he turned and walked away. Fading like a spirit into the treeline. He had too much killing intent built up. He needed to find something else out there in the night. Something hunting that was soon to become the hunted.

300

2515/2500 mission complete.
Exit thread