Road to funding (mission/training)

Nero remembered how his 'father' had explained that the bugs inside of him fed of his chakra and followed orders because of it. Perhaps he needed to try it that way. Give her some chakra and then tell her what to do before planting her on Runner. "What do you think? Hmm? Yes? Alrighty then..." The sun had started to rise, glaring through the trees onto the road, creating shadow plays on the ground, the leaves rustling in the wind, the sun shining.

With a nod, Nero brought his hands up and spread them out in front of him, the bugs pouring out of his body. They collected on his arms and shoulders, buzzing and chirping, chitin ticking against chitin as they swarmed over his skin. With a flex of his muscles, the whole swarm took off and created a cloud of blackness around Nero. The only bug remaining was the female on, sitting on the back of his hand.

"Now this time, release that smell of yours, ok?" He spoke softly to the bug, gathering chakra on her. He waited for a moment to see if something happened but nothing moved and the swarm kept buzzing and zooming around him. Nero almost tripped over his own feet as his sight blacked out for a moment and all sorts of feelings came over him. Loyalty, love, desire, all at the same time. And combined with the feelings he could see something in front of him, something or someone very large was looking down at him.

It took him a moment to realize that he was looking at his 'father', somehow. The whole image was blurry and was built up out of smells and shapes, mixed with the knowledge of the body in front of him being home, rather then details or colors. As his 'father' looked down on him he formed the tiger seal and chakra flowed into Nero. "Wha-... Did you do that? He shook his head as the vision vanished. The bug on his hand was still there and looked at him, seemingly curious, tilting its head.

Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, Nero gathered his chakra and formed the tiger seal with his free hand, sending the chakra into the female bug. With a simple mental command, the swarm of bugs gathered back on his body, covering it in scattered black patches with bugs crawling all over him while the female bug flew over to Runner. "Alright, friend. Go.

Runner ran off, following the road, keeping in eye on his master and barking when he was almost out of sight. He kept the distance from Nero as he constantly turned around to see if he was still being followed. Although he couldn't feel it, he knew that the female bug was on him again. When he looked back yet again, the whole swarm of bugs lifted up from his master and flew towards him. Without panicking, the dog ran off the road and into the bushes, hiding and sneaking around, the bugs constantly changing direction as he moved around, constantly closing in on him.

Nero ran after the bugs, watching them congregate above a particularly large bush. "Found you... He teased and a bark from the bush told him he was right. Still perplexed by what he had seen, Nero continued along the road, his companion right next to him. The gate of the capital started to tower over the next hill and both man and dog started to increase their pace, running the last kilometer towards the capital.

Nero and runner arrived on the outskirts of the city, locating the warehouse, which was so close to the road that Nero cursed at himself for having missed it on the way in earlier today. With a sigh he knocked on the warehouse gate, which was quickly opened for him. "I'm here for the shipment of wood for Kusagakure?"

At least the man in this warehouse was more polite towards shinobi, no matter what their age. He explained to Nero that the shipment was ready, together with the drivers for the carts and that the payments were already in order. He had Nero sign for acceptance and stamped the mission scroll for later. As the convoy started to move out of the warehouse, Nero jumped up on the middle one, settling himself on the wooden planks.

The road home was boring and long, taking another half day to get back. Using that time to rest, Nero and Runner were sleeping on top of wood, which got a bit of a frown from the driver of the cart they were on. Without a care in the world, the boy recovered his lost chakra and stamina from the trip over, simply resting and counting the clouds passing by.

As the sun started to set, the Kusagakure gates became visible over the next hill and the drivers started going faster, encouraging their beasts of burden to take them there quicker. The sooner they were done, the sooner they would be allowed to go to the closest tavern and drink their way into tomorrow. Nero and Runner stood up, looking over the driver towards the kusagakure gates.

After stopping at the gates for inspection, Nero got one of the guarding shinobi to sign for the arrival, next to the big stamp on the mission scroll. "Where do these need to go, exactly?" He asked nobody in particular but the guard pointed towards a construction site in town. "Ah." The wagons creaked as the convoy moved into kusagakure, stopping at the construction site not long after and dropping off the wood there. Nero left the drivers with the foreman of the construction, leaving them to hash out the details while he went to get paid.

Mission: Name: Mercy Hunting [Continuous]


Learning: Mushitate no Jutsu (Bug Shield) 0/10


Another day, another... something that rhymes with day and means money. Oh, wait... pay. Another day, another pay. Nero's day had started off very early in the morning. After his mission having been accepted, Nero had gone to gather supplies he would need for his trip into the Jungle. On his bed were lying a tent, a raincoat, an extra set of clothes, food and three liter of water, all combined together into a large backpack. Runner would carry the tent, tied to his back in a contraption made by his 'father'.

So Nero left his home, as the sun was just peeking over the horizon, shining its first rays of light onto the world. He had heard the reports about the animals stealing and killing near the borders of the jungles, harassing the local communities. There had been sightings of everything from small monkeys to giant six legged tigers that breathed fire and had a tail that could call down lightning. Nero was pretty sure the last one was an overreaction.

With his ever faithful companion at his side, Nero set out of Kusagakure, following the road that would eventually skim the edges of the forest, which one had to pass to get into the jungle. From there he would head into the jungle's heartland and find himself some rare fire breathing, lightning calling, tigers to dispose off. Or capture. On the scroll he had brought with him he was making crude sketches of the things he saw along the road, small images drawn with little skill but recognizable. Between each image a number was written down, the approximate distance between the two landmarks.

After a while the landmarks turned into long rolling plains of grass, with the a dark line at the horizon, the edge of the forest. Pocketing his scroll and pen, Nero adjusted the backpack so it felt lighter and continued on the way. While he was walking, he mentally went over all the techniques he had learned in the relatively short time he had passed the genin exam. From his little mental list, he noticed that he didn't really have any offensive or defensive techniques, most of what he knew was supportive.

Thinking about this, he went through the things he already knew. Very limited Suiton control, bugs and medical jutsu... Nothing really came to mind when it came to protection. Unless... If he could form his bugs into a stationary item... What if he made it a small layer that covered his entire body? Like an armor made of bugs... As Nero continued along the road, the idea began to take a strong place in his mind.

With a nudge of his mind, the bugs inside of him crawled to his skin and clothes, enough to cover his arm from his shoulder to his fingertips. With another nudge they huddled up and layered their chitin shells in such a way that it covered his entire arm in a bug type plating. "That was easy..." He said to Runner, who barked at him. To show him, Nero moved his hand and as soon as he did, the whole plating cracked and fell apart as bugs rose up and moved around, confused as to what was happening.

With a little trial and error, Nero realized that the armor he had designed was so flawed in the way that it couldn't move that he decided to try something else. Instead of putting the armor on his body, that moved all the time, why not create a shield on the edge of his arm? That wouldn't move and it could still protect him, although not his full body at one time. The bugs quickly scurried together towards the front of his arm, flying to an area an inch or two from his fingertips. From there, the bugs latched onto each other.

A small circle of bugs was created and, as more bugs latched onto the contraption, the circle grew and grew, soon Nero had a small floating disk in front of his hand, vertical to his arm, about two hands length. He slowly moved his hand and the shield remained in front of his fingers, floating there, waiting to defend him. As he started to move his hand around more quickly, he noticed that the shield remained. To test its limit he started to swing his arms around and watched as the shield remained intact.

Satisfied with himself, Nero noticed that the Jungle had already taken up a prominent part of the horizon, the dark trees rising up. It wouldn't take him long before he reached the edge of it and his hunt could begin. As he crossed the distance between him and the Jungle, Nero practiced in forming his shield, explaining the shield to the bugs and linking it to a single command. Afterwards he started to create the shield, on and off, practicing.

Runner had been quiet as they moved along. He watched his master and friend think and create, design and improve. His tongue was dangling from his mouth as he walked beside him, sniffing and listening to everything happening around him.

Animal encounter:


Runner learning: Inukatotte (Canine Grip) 0/10

Nero learning: Tandokunonarabi Mushi Ryuuki (Single Line Bug Projection) 0/10


Once at the edge of the forest, Nero slowed down and approached more carefully. The Jungle was much deeper in the forest but you could never be too careful. Runner was right beside him, focusing as well, looking for any signs of danger. With both man and dog on alert, the two ventured into the forest, passing the green plains and into the increasingly thick foliage of the forest. At first it was just trees, with a lot of space between them, even something that resembled a road snaked its way through the trees.

As they ventured on, Nero had picked up a stick, roughly the same length as the fan he had been using at Lady Kibishi's place. Intent on practicing a little while he was looking for any of the predators that were harassing the people. But Runner had different plans. Instead of letting his master practice, he jumped up, playfully and hung onto the stick with his teeth firmly gripped onto it. No matter how much shaking Nero did, Runner wouldn't let go.

So, in order for Runner to let go, Nero hold onto the stick with one hand, pulling and tugging. The more he did the more Runner resisted. With his free hand, Nero pointed at his companion friend and made a mental nudge towards his inhabitants. At his command the bugs swarmed to his arm and from there on into a straight line to his animal companion. As they hit Runner, they started to swarm over his body, their little feet prickling him all over his skin.

Irritated, Runner let go of the stick, a loud bark of protest, followed by a growl towards the bugs. As soon as he had let go, Nero had recalled the bugs, not wanting to harm his companion. But Runner knew his master well and as soon as the bugs retreated, Runner jumped forward, biting down on the stick again, his jaws almost biting right through the stick. Nero, surprised had already loosened his grip on the stick and thus, lost the little match.

Not one to let his friend win so easily, Nero reached out with his hand again, the bugs swarming out from it, a straight line towards his four legged friend, grabbing onto the stick and swarming over it and from there swarming over Runner's snout and head and further over his body. With the bugs once again swarming over him, Runner released the stick again and the bugs pulled it into Nero's hand. "My win, friend. You can't beat me." The boy stated to his friend, as they ventured deeper into the forest.

From the bushes, two red dots followed the boy and the dog, their every move listed in his mind. He shuddered a little, the bushes rustling, but neither the boy nor the dog noticed it happening. He had been hungry for a while now and, although not his main course favorite, the boy and the dog would be a good start of the day. The thousands of needles on his back ached to be launched at his next prey.

Runner barked at Nero, playfully attempting to get his teeth once more on the stick. Nero, this time deciding on being the honorable one, did not use his bugs to assault his friend but instead use his natural strength. Both man and dog were holding onto the stick as if their lives depended on it and where pulling. "Let...go...Loser!" Nero said with a smile to which Runner growled in return. "No, don't think so... You let go... first."

The creature in the bushes watched and saw its chance. Would it attack now, right when both of them were so occupied. With another shudder of its gigantic body it readied itself for the attack.

(I can't see the proof page... Not that I don't believe you.)
Animal encounter:


Runner learning: Inukatotte (Canine Grip) 2/10

Nero learning: Tandokunonarabi Mushi Ryuuki (Single Line Bug Projection) 6/10


Unaware of the danger roaming in the forest, spying on them, both Nero and Runner continued their little game. With the mission being in the Jungle, Nero wasn't really paying attention to it yet. As they both continued their little wrestling match, the bushes rustled with the movement of an animal and suddenly both of them were focused and alert towards the noise.

But nothing happened. Shrugging it off to a bunny or something, Nero faced his current opponent again, who was standing in front of him, low to the ground, ready to pounce, growling at the stick Nero was waving around like a sword. With the next attempt at a bite, Runner's teeth went straight through the wood, splintering it in his mouth. As Nero looked at the left overs of the stick in his hand, Runner was spitting out the bits and pieces. "Really? You just had to go an break it?"

Nero had quickly found a replacement stick, considering they were in a forest. As the playing had slowly turned into training, Nero had searched for a slightly bigger stick, which could take Runner's bites without splintering. "There we go. New toy. And it's gone..." Nero sighed as Runner had snatched the stick from him. Once again, the bugs crawled onto his hand and from there flew towards Runner in a straight line. But Runner kept dodging it, the stick tightly between his jaws.

Nero adjusted the line time and time again, but Runner remained out of reach. "Fine. With the bugs returning to him, Nero ran towards Runner, diving for the stick and holding onto it with both hands as he started to fight with Runner again. But Runner's teeth were firmly planted on the stick and he wouldn't let go. He shook his head, trying to throw Nero off but both man and dog wouldn't let go.

As Nero prepared another stream of bugs to pester his friend, the red eyes peeked out of a bush near the road, again watching the two moving along through the forest. He could attack them now but he had noticed that, even though it didn't look like it, they were quite aware of what was happening around them. It might be a little more risky then expected. The beast waited for a weak point and watched the two as they moved.

Runner dodged the stream of bugs, jumping to the side, the stick still in his mouth, his teeth clamping down on it. Nero was tugging on the other side and Runner growled at him, his teeth showing. "Aah, getting mad are we? You want to fight?" Nero smiled at him, pestering him some more with another stream of bugs but Runner had seen through the trick and dodged again, shaking the stick in his mouth once more to try and throw Nero off.

With Runner dodging his attacks so quickly, Nero saw the flaw in this attempt at a technique. Although useful in close range or a stationary target, the technique would be difficult to use on a fast moving target. As Runner dug in his paws into the ground, Nero pulled on the stick, dragging his four legged friend over the ground as he never let up on the stick, his teeth remaining firmly implanted onto the object.

Animal encounter:


There it was. The chance it had been waiting for. The boy was pulling the dog forward, more or less in the direction of were he was hiding. From here he could kill it easily and then the dog afterwards. And after that it would be time for food. With a sudden burst of leaves, twigs and a lot of dust, its black shape rushed out of the bushes, creating a dust cloud in his trail. Red eyes focused on the boy as he attempted to tackle it.

His full mass made an attempt to collide with the boy. But either through skill or luck, he couldn't say, the stick between the two broke or snapped and both the boy and the dog fell backwards, out of his rushed tackle. What should have been a one hit kill attempt turned into a complete miss. As soon as it had passed the boy and the dog, he turned around, needless already launching in the general direction of the two of them.

The dog snapped one of the needles out of the air while dodging the rest while the boy stood there, one arm stretched out a black round disk in front of it blocking the needless heading towards him. His hand flashed left and right as the needles punctured the shield, turning it into a pin cushion. From between the stream of needles heading towards the boy a kunai passed between them in his direction, embedding itself into the skin of his back.

With an angry roar, he rushed forward again, attempting to bite the boy with his sharp teeth. Just as he was about to collide with the boy the dog rushed into him, his teeth clamping down on his shoulder. The rushed bite attempt turned into a sideways roll as the impact with the dog caused his momentum to shift. Rolling over the ground the pain from his shoulder and from the kunai stuck in his back caused him to yelp out.

Suddenly, the whole area filled itself with a mist and the dog released its grip, disappearing within the thick mist. Even he knew it was completely unnatural. Looking around, he tried to use every bit of nature that he could to find his prey. His shoulder hurt and it made it difficult to walk but he would kill this kid first. To his left, a shadow seemed to move in the mist and he rushed for it, colliding with the dog. But then the dog broke down into a hundred tiny specs, swarming over him, biting his skin and crawling between his needles and all over his body.

With the biting driving him nuts, he turned tail and ran, pushing back saplings and bushes alike in an attempt to get away from all the pain. It wasn't supposed to have gone like this. A simple boy and a dog, easy pickings and food for the next two days, perhaps. But no, they had tricked him. As he ran, the biting stopped and the little black specs left him alone. Unaware of the single spec remaining between his needles, he continued to run, towards home and safety.