Protection Detail [C Rank Mission][Akira or Invite]

Protection Mission - Escort the Ninja:

Well, this was rather exciting! Heiwa Uchiha had gone to the newly erected mission board in hopes of finding something to do to bide her time and had come across a doozy of a mission. She was tasked in helping to escort a leader of a minor village from Kurayamigakure no Sato to the gates of his own minor village. It was supposed to be an easy task, thus it being ranked C-Rank, but it was still exciting nonetheless, and it made her feel pretty important that she could help like this. Apparently, though, someone else was supposed to come with her to help her ensure the safety of the individual: she didn't mind, if anything she would consider it a chance to make a new friend.

For now though she was going to head to the meet up point which happened to be the east gate of the village: she didn't want to be late and keep anyone waiting if she was running late. As Heiwa went she glanced down at herself to ensure she had everything: she was dressed as she normally was in a long sleeved net-style top which was worn beneath of a once piece tank top/shorts style outfit with a belt tied around the waist, this was worn over top of leggings that tucked down into black boots. Over top of all of this was a high collar deep blue jacket that went down to right below her shorts with the Uchiha clan symbol on the back. Her weapons, ten kunai and ten shuriken, were hidden on pouches tied around her right leg for easy access given that that was her dominate hand. Her long black hair was back in a ponytail with some bangs framing her face while not being in her eyes. She was, or so she figured, as ready as ever given the practicality of all of it.

Heiwa made quick work on leaving the building and heading down the street. She knew Kurayamigakure no Sato's streets like the back of her hand by now given she had lived in the village since she was a baby, and had been freely exploring since the Headband Gang was taken out, so she was able to take various short cuts between buildings and down alley ways to save time. She was running as she went, jumping and hopping her way over any obstacle in her way. She wasn't as skilled as some of the other people in the village but it was still pretty fun, and some good training and exercise to boot.

Heiwa slowed as she arrived at the gate, able to easily spot the minor village leader among those who were passing by. As she came to a complete stop about five feet away from the leader she would glance about to see if the other individual who was supposed to be taking this mission with her had arrived or not yet.

Word Count: 491 / 250

#1

He figured that he'd learned all he could from his parents, and the siblings were becoming annoying now that they knew what he could do, especially Furiku. She was the worst. With the eyes she was giving him Akira began to suspect that she liked him. His own sister though? So gross. This whole brother complex thing was something new to him, and he wanted no parts of it. How was Akuma dealing with it?

The Headbands were gone, so he didn't have to hide in the house all the time anymore, go up onto the roof to train, or sneak around unseen. It felt good to go outside using the front door. Akira managed to catch glimpses of the new guys who ran the village, and all of them seemed cool enough, except for the skinny guy with the crows. Akira had even managed to see some of what happened the night they took over.

All of them seemed like super humans, and anyone at his level would be aspiring to be just as strong or even stronger than them... but Akira wasn't in any rush. His whole attitude was that he'd get there when he got there. So to begin, now that the village wasn't being ruled by scumbags anymore, perhaps it was time to start helping out, and letting the leaders know that he had their backs and would do what he could.

A mission board was up, and after visiting it he saw that there was currently a mission underway that required 2 people. Accepting the other position, Akira took to the rooftops and began to freerun towards the front gates. He ran jumped, flipped and wall ran across the rooftops, finally sliding down a zipline with the use of his fingerless gloves to the ground. After a commando roll Akira rose to his feet and slid his hands into his pockets.

Akira Uchiha looked like a typical Uchiha boy would now that they didn't have to wear disguises anymore. He had moderately long black hair that was parted in the center and a pale skin complexion. He had on the traditional Uchiha garb: A dark blue short sleeved shirt that had a large collar, the Uchiha symbol large on the back, a pair of knee length black shorts, black sandals, and black fingerless gloves. He had a belt tied over his right shoulder which contained ninja tools, such as Shuriken and Kunai. His village headband was tied to this belt.

The mission was escorting someone home. A female would be helping with this job; he recognized her as a member of one of the other families. He'd never said anything to her before but he'd seen her around. It seemed like she'd decided to start helping out too now that the scumbags were gone. He didn't see anything wrong with that.

"Uchiha Akira," he said, a plain but calm expression on his face. It had been a while since he'd been outside the village. He was looking forward to this."I'm here to help on the escort mission."

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Heiwa was just about to introduce herself to the young leader when she caught the arrival of someone out of the corner of her eye; he was clearly free running and seemed to be exceptionally good at it too - much better than she was that was for sure. It was amusing to watch, and as he neared she recognized him as belonging to the Uchiha clan like herself, though from a different family. While she wasn't anti social she hadn't made great strides in making friends while everyone was in hiding; those had been difficult times, and trying to maintain friendships could have lead to endangering both parties. Of course, there was nothing to stop her from trying to make a new friend now.

After Akira introduced himself she would smile and nod her head. "Uchiha, Heiwa. It's nice to meet you Akira." Heiwa would then shift her black colored eyes onto the leader they were supposed to be escorting, waiting patiently and calmly for him to introduce himself which he did without missing a beat. "Uzumaki, Haun. At your service. Shall we get going then if we're all here?" The young leader was not necessarily in a hurry, but he did want to get home to his wife and children before it got too dark; he knew that they would worry about him if he wasn't home by them.

Heiwa simply nodded and then looked toward Akira. "I think perhaps one of us should lead and the other protect from the back? This way Haun is covered from both the front and back. Of course, if you have a better plan I'm open to hearing it." Polite, or so she was trying to be. She was open for another suggestion if he had one. If not it would just be a simple task of who wanted to lead and who wanted to follow. Given the rank of the mission she doubted that there would be much trouble during the trip, but it was still better to be safe than sorry: or so that's what her father had told her during the stories he used to tell of his days as an active ninja from back before he had moved to Kurayamigakure. She wanted to do this mission in the best way possible; she wanted a chance to not only make her father and the rest of her family proud, but do this as a means of thanking those who had saved the village from the Headband crew - if she could do a good job then she could prove she was capable of handling other tasks that needed done.

Word Count: 442 + 491 = 933 / 250

#2

She introduced herself as Uchiha Heiwa. The escort was an Uzumaki, famed for their outrageous chakra levels. He was famed and young too, so it was no wonder someone wanted him dead. he was ready to leave, and Heiwa suggested that someone lead, and someone follow. It wasn't a bad idea. Eyes in the front, eyes in the back. It wasn't very far to the next village, according to the maps he'd looked at from time to time, but better safe then sorry...

"Well, as the saying goes, ladies first," Akira responded, adjusting his supply belt upon his shoulder. "I'll bring up the rear... and be warned, I heard there's all sorts of man eating beasts out there in the dark."

Assuming that they began walking, Akira would follow them. He tapped his right leg where his kunai holster was, just to make sure. "Soooo...." he said, trying to make small talk, think of something quickly. He hadn't really talked to any girls besides his lunatic sisters and his mother. "...What do you know, if anything, about these new people?... I know the guy who runs things, the one with the white hair and blindfold, his name is Alec something... Kane?... I saw them in action that night, they're scary strong...."

761 words

Heiwa would indeed take the lead, going a comfortable yet fast pace. She didn't want this to take forever, and it truly wasn't all that long of a walk to the other village. Still, there were definitely dangerous beasts and creatures lurking in the darkness, and she had no intention of waiting around for something to find them and attempt to eat them. She had heard horror stories of those who traveled in the darkness unawares, and they never ended well. No, it was better to be safe than sorry in this situation, especially since their task was to ensure this leader got to his village without a scratch on him. "Yeah, my father used to tell me stories of what happened when my family was traveling here; there were quite a few attacks on their group from those beasts."

Heiwa thought over Akira's question for a moment as she walked, ensuring she kept an eye out for anything lurking in the darkness that surrounded them. After a second or two she shrugged her shoulders with a thoughtful expresison on her face. "Not a whole lot to be honest. I mean, they seem like much better people than those Headband guys. My dad's told me they've been doing a lot of stuff to fix up the village, too. I guess one of them got that hospital up and running too, she's a real powerful medic from what I was told. They seem pretty cool; though they look crazy strong. I wouldn't want to get on their bad sides, that's for sure."

She glanced around a bit; she knew that they were getting closer now. "I heard about Alec Kane, I was told he was blind... yet I don't understand how he fights if he is. Of course, that medic I was telling you about, I think they said her name is Hikari? She's blind too, but you'd never know it. Weird. I never imagined powers like that existed." Their charge was quiet, looking thoughtful as he listened intently to their conversation: he was just as curious about these individuals as they were considering he had up until recently been having to protect his village from the Headband gang and now he was actually trying to get a decent relationship between the villages going.

Word Count: 386 + 933 = 1,319 / 250

#3

Akira wasn't too much worried about the things in the dark. As they got farther away from Kurayami, he could hear things slithering about in the dark and up in the overhanging trees, but nothing attacked. Maybe it had something to do with the new guys; perhaps one of them came out here and cleared out the roadway to make the village more travel friendly.

Heiwa said that she hadn't heard very much about the new people, except that they'd been doing a lot to get the village back up. There was a girl who fixed the hospital named Hikari, rumored to be a very powerful medic. Heiwa said she didn't want to piss them off, and neither did Akira.

She also said that Hikari, just like Alec Kane, were blind. They were blind but they were able to clean out the village of scum and super freaks? Especially the guy in the north? Akira found that hard to believe. He wasn't given very long to think about how a blind person was able to fight since he caught the glint of something from above flying towards Uzumaki.

Akira quickly drew a Kunai and threw it, intercepting whatever it was, which actually turned out to also be a Kunai. The two weapons clash with a klang sound and a spark. At this point they had to be near Uzumaki's village, on the outskirts of Kurayami. He could see lights in the distance.

Besides sparring with his brothers and sisters, this was Akira's first encounter with a real enemy that would kill him if they could. His heart was pounding, and he found himself a little scared, but one could tell from his face. He remained calm and kept his eyes peeled. There was movement in the trees and branches above. Leaves spilled into the road.

Whoever these jokers were, they must not have been very good since Akira could easily see the attacks coming. If they were experts, surely he wouldn't be able to. 2 more kunai were flung from above towards Uzumaki. Akira drew another Kunai as he jumped and spun, blocking both kunai with either hand, producing more sounds of metal clashing with metal and sparks.

"Mr Uzumaki get moving, we'll watch your back," Akira said while landing. The two dark dressed individuals jumped down on either sides of them, one facing Akira, one facing Heiwa. The adrenaline really started to pump now that he could see the attackers, and he lowered himself into a fighting stance. He still continued to think that these guys weren't very good.

"You ready for this, Heiwa?" Akira asked, gripping the Kunai tightly. "We got nothing to worry about, these guys are wash outs." Ordinarily he wouldn't talk smack like this, but he took a gamble for confirmation.

"Confident little tyke, isn't he?" said the dark dressed assailant before him. "Let's see how much of a washout I am then, kid!"


1,273 words

Heiwa had just started to think that there was nothing out of the ordinary for this trip, nothing more than a simple escorting job and a decent walk, when from somewhere up above came a kunai. Before Heiwa could react, her own kunai having been slipped into her hand from the weapons pouch around her right leg, Akira made great work in deflecting it with one of his own. The clang of metal on metal resounding throughout the darkness.

Heiwa's own adrenaline was up, her heart racing and the pounding of her own heart and pumping blood in her ears: this was just like the situations and stories her father used to tell her about from back when he used to be a shinobi. She found herself grinning a bit: she was scared, yes, but she was still anticipating the chance to try out the skills she had been taught. She shifted into a combat stance just as Akira deflected another two kunai which had been sent towards the leader. When Akira told Mr. Uzumaki to get going, and that they would watch his back, she nodded in agreement. "You'll be safe once your inside of the gates." Or she was assuming: it'd be stupid for the missing nin looking individuals - something she assumed due to the slashes through their headbands - to follow him into the safety of his own village which was likely filled with guards.

"I'm ready.", she said in response to Akira's question. She was still a bit frightened considering this was her first time in an actual combat situation, sure, but with her adrenaline rush it wasn't going to show all that much. In fact, her grin of anticipation was still on her face and her hands were surprisingly steady. "I was kind of waiting for the day I got to do this; just like the stories my dad used to tell me."

"This isn't going to end like those stories, little girl!", came the voice of the missing nin who was facing off with her. Heiwa didn't want to keep talking, she wanted to get down to the fighting, so while remaining in her fighting stance with her legs planted on the ground in a specific pose that would make for fast movement, she brought her hands up and made a 'bring it on' gesture with them. It was all the invitation the missing nin needed as he rushed towards her with a kunai raised.

Heiwa watched and waited for the opportune moment to strike. As the missing nin came up to her she ducked underneath of his outstretched arm, using her small stature as a means of getting out of the way easier, while her speed did the rest. As she ducked she would spin, building up a great deal of momentum. As she neared the end of her spin she would lash out with her own kunai, aiming to hit the missing nin in his side, right where his kidney was. Given the missing nin was ill-prepared for her speed the kunai plunged in deeply before he could get out of the way.

Heiwa pulled the blade back out and darted away. Once she neared about 3 meters away she would turn and face the missing nin once more. His side was bleeding badly, and Heiwa knew that an injury like that would kill him if he didn't recieve medical attention within the next few minutes. She had never killed anyone before, but she didn't think that allowing this individual to leave was a good idea, so that medical attention wasn't going to be reached if she could help it. In desperation the missing nin threw a kunai at her but it was easily deflected with her own, sending it flying off harmlessly to the right after it was deflected with a soft clink of a sound with her own blade. Seconds later he was on his knees, clutching his side while blood flowered over and through his fingers from the wound.

Heiwa took a step or two back as he then face planted into the earth and became still. Black eyes would then shift in the direction of Akira, curious to see him and action and the fate of the missing nin he was fighting.

Word Count: 716 + 1,319 = 2,035 / 250

#4

Akira was right in his hunch. His opponent wasn't as fast as he was, primarily because of his Freerunning experience. Akira was able to dodge around and underneath all of his blows rather easily. He could hear the assailant's breathing pick up as he missed more blows.

"My sister is faster than you old man," Akira said as he jumped upwards into a flip. 3 swift kicks were delivered, impacting his shoulders and head, sending him spilling backwards. The assailant lie there twitching several seconds before getting up and forming hand signs.

Akira didn't know what kind of jutsu he was about to let off, but he wasn't going to give him the chance. He took a deep breath...

KATON: GOKAKYU NO JUTSU!

A tremendous fireball was exhaled towards the dark dressed assailant, illuminating the surrounding darkness. He stopped what he was doing and stared with eyes as wide as saucers at the fireball that was bigger than he was come speeding towards him at 30 mph. When it impacted, there was a moderate explosion which formed a crater into the ground and set him on fire. He ran into the wilds screaming like a wild man before collapsing and continuing to burn.

Akira had never killed anyone before, but he didn't feel any different. He knew that given the chance, he'd be the one dying right now. It was a kill or be killed situation; the life of a shinobi. He knew this day was coming sooner or later. Akira turned to see that Heiwa had also killed her opponent, seeing all the blood. It looked like he'd been stabbed.

"...Well, that's done..." he said, seeing the fires started from his fireball technique beginning to fizzle out and die. "We should head back before some of their friends show up..."

With Uzumaki safely in his village, Akira turned and began to head back towards Kurayami.

[Exit]

1,606 words

The leader that they had been escorting was safely in his village and no longer under their protection. Heiwa had killed her own opponent with a kunai to his kidney while Akira had burned his opponent to death with a katon element jutsu. The smell of burning flesh would likely end up wafting in their general direction soon when the wind picked up and she had no intentions of wanting to smell what cooked human smelled like.

"You're right. There's no point in sticking around out here. Besides, I'm sure some giant beast will come along thinking both of them a pretty decent meal and I don't want to be here when that happens." It was likely a dangerous situation; once a beast had a taste for human meat nine out of ten times they couldn't get enough, and there was no point in them putting themselves in further danger by hanging about.

So, she turned and headed back in the direction that they came with Akira, knowing that Mr. Uzumaki was now safe and sound in his village and their task completed.

Word Count: 245 + 2,035 = 2,280 / 250