Mission--- Investigate the ruins ---

[Arkai]

--- Investigate the ruins --- (Single)
Rank: C Rank
Requested Numbers: 1 Team
Briefing:
During the assault on the Village by the Missing Nin of cloud, and the traitorous acts of one of our our, a group of archaeologists were investigating the ruins of an old village near the border of the River Country. The last report they sent us mentioned finding an old scroll bearing the symbol of the Rain Village, but that was some time ago. As it is a short distance away, I have decided to find out what happened to the expedition and why they have not returned. Be cautious - the ruins themselves are likely unsafe.
Rewards: One D-Rank Scroll or 500 Ryo each
Currently Assigned: None

Arkai waited outside the gates for his teammates. The clouds above began to release drops of rain, and the sky growled with far away thunder. He unrolled a map he had taken from his house, checked the location of the ruins with the one on his scroll, then he drew a circle around it with his blood, after biting his thumb. Then, he made a few handsigns, and placed his hand on the ground. A puff of smoke covered the area, and in an instant there was his bite-sized bug, Ari. The large ant shook his black head, and looked up. "What do you want now? And you should really train, Hachi's waiting for some action!" He stifled a laugh, Ari was as headstrong as ever. "You're going to help us with a mission, Ari, so dont be a moron. Know anything about some ruins around here?" The ant scowled, then pulled up his kimono, and sharpened his fingers with his dagger. "I might." That was good enough for him. He sat down and watched the clouds roll in. It was going to be a long day.

Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)
Rank: "C" Rank
Skill: NinJutsu
Effect: This is the start of all Summoning Techniques, without this technique the user is incapable of Summoning what they wish whether it may be Animal, or Weapon.
Special: "Handseals"
Drawback: Even though one is capable of learning how to use this, they still must under go a massive amount of training in order to be capable of summoning up grander and larger types such as "A" and "S" Rank Summons.
Description: A Technique where the user makes a contract binding with that of the very Animal like summon. This blood can be used as a contract to which is capable of being used as on a scroll, or perhaps even a tattoo. There are many different types of summons but the most known are the Animal Summons. The Animal Summons are used to help with various tasks within battles and situations that may occur. However one must remember that one must have great respect for the summon, and are known to even fear summons. The summoning Technique however is capable of being used for other types as well such as weapons.
Limit: This is the basis of all Summoning Techniques. Without the capability of this technique all Summoning process is incapable of occurring.

D rank Summon
Name: Ari (Ant)
Size: Tiny (5 cm)
Special: Poisonist
Gender: Male
Duration: Until user dismisses him, or the user passes out.
Personality: NA
Description: A black ant that wears the Mushikazoku kimono. His eyes are red, and antennae are green. He wears sandals on all of his feet. He also has black pants that go over four of his hind legs. He doesn't have hair.
History: D Rank
Weapons: A small dagger (small enough for him to hold) that has venom of centipede on it.

Jutsus:
Sennen Goroshi (One Thousand Years of Pain)
Rank: E-rank
Type: TaiJutsu
A very simple Taijutsu technique with a very over-dramatised name. Forcefully plunges the user's fingers into the vicinity of the victim's rectal regions. Sakura dubbed it the "Super Powerful Ass-Poke". However, Naruto figured out the true meaning of the jutsu: it was mainly used with a pointed object (usually a kunai), in order to attack the blindspot of the enemy. When combined with explosive seals, it can even damage Gaara in his semi transformed mode.

[raijutsumi]

Tenshin kept his step with Arkai, and it wasn't long before the Shounin started forming Hand Seals... and within moments he performed a Summoning Jutsu. Hmm... don't remember him doing that before. He really has grown. It was a small ant, truthfully, but any extra "help" was going to be beneficial to the team. With that in mind, Tenshin focused his mind, closed his eyes and gathered his chakra.

'Fuukamanako!'

Fuukamanako (Stage 1) (CJ)
Rank: C Rank
Skill: Ninjutsu
Effect: The ninja is able to see the elements of Water, Lightning and Wind as thin strands of Chakra in the natural Line of Sight (not 360, only where he can see), up to the range of 50 feet (17 yards approximately). He can determine the differences between the three, see its flow, and recognise disturbances. It also allows them to see people by the flow of Water and Lightning within them naturally, clearly diserning them from objects. As such, E-rank and D-Rank genjutsu have no effect on him as he can see the elements rather than the chakra or body. However, C-rank genjutsu and higher still work against him. Also, moderate uses of Water and/or Lightning in the area can confuse the vision provided, temporarily rendering the Fuukamanako useless for seeing opponents.

He opened his eyes, and before him he could see the moisture in the breeze chilling the air, bringing a change in pressure and temperature. The clouds above where full of lightning and rain, the winds bringing them closer... but his eyes showed the essence of the clouds, and with a careful nod, he was ready.

[Jinkurou]

Although it wasn't a super huge introduction, the most important thing was the mission at hand. Quickly being informed more about the first mission he'd set out to do with his new teammates, Jinkurou listened intently on what his team leader Arkai had to say. Getting a nod from Tenshin after Arkai made his move out of the gate, Jin returned the nod and went after them.

As soon as they stepped out of the village, there was a few raindrops that came down to touch the ground. On top of that, thunder could be heard off in the distance. Hopefully the weather wasn't a sign that the mission wouldn't go too well was what Jinkurou thought. Watching Arkai unroll a map and then taking out a scroll, he began to summon something. As the cloud of smoke disappeared, a small ant showed up by the name of Ari it seemed.

He was supposed to help with the mission, but he wasn't eager to dispense with any information about the ruins when Arkai asked it of him. Jin merely brought his scarf up to his face to block the smile formed and to keep in a small chuckle.

Even Tenshin prepared for the mission ahead by using one of his jutsus, but Jin didn't have anything at the moment. He couldn't even mold chakra, but it didn't discourage him at all. He'd make up for it in his spirit to the best of his abilities. The last thing he wanted was to be a burden for his new companions. Slowly lowering his scarf to his neck again as he gained his composure, he slightly bowed to the new addition of their team, Ari.

" I do hope those archaeologists are okay...." Jinkurou began to speak up slowly as he looked down the road.

[Arkai]

As the small black annoyance on his hand continued to spew insults, Arkai surveyed his team. Tenshin, had already used his Fuumkamanko eye, which was always a helpful addition. He looked at Jinkurou, and noticed that he hadn't moved. His lean frame merely watched back, and eventually bowed to Ari. That must mean he's got something up his sleeve that wont help at the moment. That's good, we don't want us showing off new tricks to every potential enemy we meet.

He nodded, and while the ant was saying something about that guy showed more respect than he did in a month, he spoke. "Alright, you've seen my-" pausing to empasize what he meant when he said, "friend, Ari. He may not look like much, but he knows these parts. He'll help a good bit." He now turned his attention to the two maps in his hand. "I have marked the location of the ruins on this map, the other is from Lord Amekage." He handed them to his squadmates, then said, "It won't take too long to get there, so when we arrive, be on guard. We don't want anything to fall on us."

Yes that was an attempt at a joke. Ari was miming throwing up on top of his head, but he ignored it. He looked at the sky, and noted that they were heading right into the storm. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, and cast a shadow over everything. And then it was over, and Arkai smiled for a second, then leaped into a run. Their mission was about to start.

[Once it's your post, Jinkurou, you can bring us to the ruins.]

[raijutsumi]

Tenshin did his very best to hold back how amused he was of Arkai and his little friend; the banter and "friendly conversations" between them were certainly interesting. Though in actuality, if the summoned creature would be of use to them in getting to the ruins and investigating them, then he had no qualms with having it come along. In truth, he preferred having something like like around for information gathering than trusting his eyes. Certainly, the blood limit of his clan had some powerful enhancements to his vision, but his limited talents with them meant that he had too much of a blind spot in seeing hidden traps at distances. As Arkai started to lead the way to the ruins, Tenshin followed suit and quickly matched the movements of his team leader, one of his hands always near his needles... he had become so used to attacks to and from missions, he was not prepared to take any chances this time around.

[Jinkurou]

As Arkai continued to strategize how to go about venturing to investigate the ruins, Jinkurou stayed alert to any details still. Although he may have looked off in his own little world with a small smile present on his face. When it came down to it, Jin was still unsure how helpful he could be on this mission if things became hectic. His pouch was ready with a few items to help him and his new teammates out of quick jams, but would it be enough?

The others were definitely more used to these kinds of situations as Jinkurou barely had any experience at all outside of the village. As Arkai gave out a map to both him and Tenshin, Jin slipped his map into his vest and patted it against his chest to secure it.

The TaiJutsu master loosened up his body, so he could be limber and act quickly and carefully as Arkai reminded them all of the possible danger ahead. Nodding in agreement to his squad leader's words, he looked to Tenshin as Arkai moved ahead and followed after them on the move.

It didn't take long at all for Team Kouu to make it to the entrance of the ruins, but still Jin couldn't help but feel something was a bit off. Slowly raising his scarf up to cover his mouth slightly with his left hand, he scanned the area with eyes carefully. He figured if there was something up, Ari or Tenshin might sense it first.

[kininata]

[Welcome to your Narrator for your exploration of the Ruins, Ninjas. Within a short time, only a couple of hours, you reach the outskirts of the Ruins indicated on the map given to you. Before your eyes you see an area of ground almost ten feet below the normal ground level, with what seems to be a moat around its edges; several simple wooden walkways have been built around the circumference in order for the archaeologists to enter the site. There are twelve stone-work buildings visible from where you arrive, each as large as a small manor house surrounding one central building. You can see near this large building two small tents and equipment sufficient to say the team here was camping and working around that particular area.

Make your posts, and as you explore I will add details and other... interesting things.]

[Arkai]

The rainstorm had followed them all the way to the ruins. Arkai had studied the map long, but he wasn't sure that this was it. It was... He didn't think he could describe it. The ground dropped below his feet, and beyond it was a few bridges, worn from the terrible weather and extreme conditions. But beyond it... That was even harder to describe. It was if an ancient feudal lord had created a mansion underground, and left it there for years. But then, Arkai looked up and realizied it was only one of twelve different buildings. And the one in the center of the stonework ring was massive. "It's like... a castle." He managed to say in awe. He looked toward the ant, who didn't look one bit phased. "This is definetly it. Its the same since we had to take it a long time ago." He didn't want the bug to start with the war stories, so he just jumped down onto the bridge. It shook violently, then stablized. Arkai's face showed fear for a brief second, then returned to it's impassive blankness. He was leading a team, it was no time to be weak.

He managed to manuver across the shaky bridge, and to the other side. He put his hand to his head, and then looked to the sky. The storm showed no signs of letting up. Rain was pouring torrentially over the barren landscape. This was going to be difficult. He looked back to the site. He signaled to his teammates, then set his back against the stone building. He could make out some inscribing on one of the doors, but it was illegible. He bit his tongue, and began to form a plan. "I guess, we should just look around for clues about those archeologists. But we should stay out of the rain, just in case we get wet." Another bad attempt at a joke, but he wasn't worried. Those scientists would be rescued soon, and everything figured out. He hoped. The little bug stood quivering on his head, cursing the bad weather. At least this hadn't doused his spirits. They would need every optimist they had, Arkai was sure of that.

[raijutsumi]

Tenshin smirked and let out a slight chuckle at Arkai's little joke - being as they lived with the rain most of their lives - and started to make slow movements towards the ruins. There were very buildings, and its landscape did match that of a castle; moat defense, bridge access to control traffic in and out, and a central keep area for the lord. The only thing that made him truly curious was why was this place still not in use by anyone now... why abandon a reasonably intact place? The bridge was mostly intact, but he still moved slowly and carefully over the old rickety walkway. Once his feet hit solid ground again, he headed straight over to the camp site near the castle - his clan's eyes would show him if there were any bodies there from the increased concentration of water and lightning within a person. The camp was devoid of bodies.

'Well, where to start...' While the main castle complex seemed logical, it was also too obvious a place to begin; if there were hostile people nearby, they would be in the surrounding buildings waiting to spring an ambush. 'Arkai, how about if you start checking the north side buildings then heading eastwards; and Jinkurou, if you cover south side heading westwards. That way, we would have cleared the surrounding buildings and ensured that our missing people are in the castle.' He turned to Arkai, realising that his little instructions left little for him to do. 'erm, meanwhile, I head up to the castle entrance and use my eyes to see if anything is out of place... maybe spot a person inside near the walls or something. How does that sound to you guys?' He went submissive again, waiting to see how his suggestion went with the others.

[Jinkurou]

Following his teammates and making sure to keep a look out of his surroundings, Jinkurou made it across the bridge to the main area of the ruins. What stood before him was the large complex, and some left over signs of people hanging around the area at one time. Most likely the archaelogists that had been studying the ruins didn't have much time to pack up after themselves.

Listening to Arkai's words first, Jinkurou smiled as he slowly pulled down his scarf at the joke his leader finished with. The rain could have a bad effect on completing the mission, but it was something any ninja from the village would be used to.

Tenshin had suggested exploring the outside of the castle-like area in the center and then work their way in. Arkai taking the north to east along with Ari and Jinkurou taking the south and west to complete the circle, Tenshin would try to get a read on anything within the castle while he waited for both to assemble back at the starting point. Jinkurou didn't have much of a problem with doing so, but he wasn't about to rush off without getting the okay from Arkai first.

" That sounds fine to me. What do you think Arkai?" Jinkurou asked, just to confirm it would be a good way to handle things. He was put in charge of Team Kouu for a reason and making tough decisions was solely up to him.

[kininata]

[Sorry its taken some time, but i got overly busy

As you stand in the open courtyard of the grounds, you can all hear a faint sound emanating from the castle. At first it sounds like a simple gust of wind going past your ears, but a moment later, when the actual wind dies down, you can discern that it is a faint call of pain from another person. The sound is certainly coming from within the castle, but its only entrance way is at the top of the building... and the sound seems to be coming from deep within its structure.]

[Arkai]

Arkai listened to Tenshin's words intently. Even though it was a risky plan, it just might work. The splitting up had worked in their missions before. But even so... If they got separated, they might not be able to handle these threats on their own. But what surprised him was that the team had so quickly looked to him for the okay. He had to get used to it though, he was a leader now. He nodded. "That sounds like a plan. If something happens though... we'll be cut off. That would increase the risk of one of us getting injured, then having to return to Rain for medical assistance, and fail the mission. That wouldn't be good at all. So we should probably give a signal if we see something like..." He thought about what they would do if something happened. Ari piped up. "There's a bell at the highest part of the center building. Just give the rope a tug, and then you'll come running." For once, the bug had actually done something right. Arkai nodded his approval, and then began to walk toward the buildings he was supposed to scout around.

Then, an unearthly sound stopped him dead in his tracks. It was a faint sound, but it chilled him to the core. It was as if somone was calling to them. He pivoted to where the sound was coming from. It was the main building. But there was nothing in sight that could have made the noise. Except for maybe inside. His brown eyes grew wide with fear, then dialated. That was scary. He gulped then spoke. "M-Maybe we should check that sound out first." He accidentally emphasized the word, we. He laughed nervously. This was like something out of Chakushin Ari. He began to run towards the building, hoping it wasn't a call that they would miss.

[raijutsumi]

Tenshin gave a slight sigh of relief at his idea being accepted, though he nodded in agreement to both Arkai's comment about safety and the little creatures note of the bell. He started making his way towards the central building, the castle, when his eyes showed an unnatural disturbance in the wind coming from the entrance.

Then the noise came. It was faint, almost like a whisper, and though he could not tell exactly what it was, the sensation of it as well as the way the energy of the wind was sent shivers down his spine, causing his hairs to stand on end. He had been afraid of things before, but this was something else... something he would prefer not to deal with at all. 'M-Maybe we should check that sound out first.' came from behind him, and Tenshin nodded in agreement. With a hand that shook slightly, he drew out three of his needles into his throwing hand, and made slow, careful, cautious steps up the path towards the entrance at the top of the castle structure.

[raijutsumi]

[Sorry, been very patient, but no one has posted a thing, so I'm going to skip ahead - Kini's given me enough to work on for the first couple of areas.]

Tenshin turned to his team mates, seeing that they were staying behind him for the time being. Well, lets see what these eyes can show me. He began to creep up the steps, slowly making his way to the entrance there. It was unusual to have the entrance at the top of a building, considering the standards of construction, but in that manor the most fortified position would be the base of the castle in this case. He reached the doorway, his eyes scanning the room ahead of him;

It was an open chamber, small, with a spiral stairway heading into the structure and a bell hanging above. His eyes showed thin, dry patches on the ground nearby. He bent down to touch them, finding that there was still a tiny amount of the stain with moisture... 'Blood.' He recognised the appearance of it through his eyes from the encounter with the Missing Cloud Nin, and knew that this was not a good sign of things to come. His hands firmly gripping his senbon, Tenshin carefully crept his way to the stairwell and moved cautiously down into the castle, fully aware that he could be walking into a trap.

[Arkai]

[Sorry about having you wait, but I guess we have to use the IIC rule. I probably wont be on very much, but I should be able to keep up with your posts.]

The ghastly whisper had just about made Arkai crap his pants, but he managed to keep hold of himself. He felt like a complete coward though, as he followed Tenshin. They walked into a chamber-like room, and he looked around. There was something oddly familiar about this thing. He gulped, but this time he muffled it. He walked until he was shoulder to shoulder with Tenshin. He spoke, with a bit more control. "Where do you think we are?" He tried to sound confident, but failed miserably. He sounded constipated. He ignored his stupidity, and began to walk forward. Then he heard Tenshin say, 'Blood.' His head snapped around, then looked down. He saw a pool of dark red a few inches below his hovering foot. "Oh Shi-" He said reflexively as he jumped back.

That was not cool. At all. "Um." He stuttered. Then his other side took over. This time he was glad it came back. He needed it. It made him take a deep breath, and then push it out. It opened his eyes, and then it spoke. "Alright. Apparently someone...or something has been injured. If we're not careful, we could end up the same way. There should be a trail of blood somewhere, so we should follow it." Tenshin moved closer to the castle, and Arkai moved next to him. He placed his hand on his katana, and half-moved into the Iaijutsu stance. He advanced slowly with Tenshin, ready to fight. He stared right into the darkness, waiting for something to jump out at him.

[raijutsumi]

With Jinkurou guarding the way in, Tenshin and Shounin Arkai carefully made their way down the steps into the darkness - his Fuukamanako acting as a simplistic guide to ensure they did not slip on anything as they continued their descent. The air was dank, moist, and cold, and for Tenshin this created a near-perfect image of the surroundings in a light blue glow of water, though while not as colourful as normal vision, it was certainly a wonderful sight to behold.

At the bottom of the steps, a corridor carried on downwards at a gradient of three feet forwards to one feet down, and at the end of this tunnel both himself and Arkai could see a glimmer of light... and at their feet several drops of blood hinted that whomever had come in here, had went down to that light also. Forming a handful briefly, Tenshin rose very slightly off the floor and started to move down the corridor without making a single sound. If he was walking into a trap, he preferred not being heard by the ambushers.

Otonai no Jutsu [No Sound Technique]
Rank: E
Skill: Ninjutsu
Effect: Silent walking
Special: Hand Seals - Snake
Drawback: None
Description: Focusing chakra to the bottoms of his feet, much like walking on water, the ninja can walk or run over any sort of surface using this chakra as a sort of cushion for his feet, allowing him to move without rustling over leaves or stepping on twigs. This Jutsu only masks the feet, and things that the user may step on. No other part of the body.
Limit: Anyone can learn.

[kininata]

[Sorry about that - Kinda been busy recently. Lots to do, little time to do them and all.]

You continue down the passageway, a long and downwards path that is very dimly lit from the light ahead. However, as the light improves your vision, you can start to see the blood trail again, slower than before, leading all the way down to an opening leading to a large chamber.

The chamber appears to drop down twenty feet, is almost fifty feet across, and has smooth marble walls covering every square inch of it - stained with the blood of what seems to be six people... the expedition team. At the center of the room you see person staggering towards you, a katana impaled through his back, and his left arm missing from the shoulder.

[Arkai, you post first]

[Arkai]

The ninja sandals echoed on the ancient halls of the old building, the hollow footsteps reminding Arkai of how empty this place was. But the blood said something entirely different. He looked to Tenshin, it seemed that he was employing a stealth technique. It would come in handy, the element of surprise was always a good thing. He nodded to his partner, then turned buisness again. They couldn't afford a screw up here, that could be fatal. He silently inhaled, trying to calm his nerves, then walked forward, but this time on his heels, to minimize the sound. He tightly gripped his stolen katana, and let chakra seep into it. He prepared to acitvate the water seal on it, just in case. Now that he had gotten everything straightened out, he could continue.

After walking a bit more, Arkai motioned to Tenshin. It wasn't necessary, the Fuukamanko would be able to see it. The blood trail had resumed, but now the dark hall was growing less... dark. Light was a good thing, but it could mean something bad was waiting for them. He nodded to the ant on his head, and Ari crawled down his body. He moved out of sight, then nothing for a second. Then, he reappeared, with a look of terror on his face. Arkai ran forward, then looked. The floor he had been walking on sunk into the ground. He was on the edge of a pit. And in the pit... appeared to be enough blood for six people. "The expedition team..." He wispered to himself. He had seen plenty blood, but this... was horrible. His attention was drawn to the bug, who motioned to the center.

There appeared to be a human standing there in the middle. But human was almost giving it a compliment. It had been... butchered. There was a gleaming katana through it's bloody back, and red liquid dripped from a stump where an arm had been. "Oh my god..." He breathed to himself. This carnage was terrible. He jumped down into the blood-stained chamber, and came up to the man. He stayed away, but he could sense he needed help. Obviously. "Who are you? What happened here?" asked Arkai. Maybe this guy could help them. "You need help." He grabbed the man, and jumped back to the ledge, and used his knee to hold him up. He tore some of the man's clothes and tried to bandage his bleeding arm. He didn't remove the sword, but made sure that nothing touched it. If the blade was removed, something bad could happen. His mom had been slightly helpful after all. He managed to stop some blood loss, but it was clear that without a proffessional medic on site, he would die. He had to get the information out of him quickly. He repeated the questions. "Who are you? What happened here?" He waited for a response, then looked to Tenshin, with a look that said, this isn't good. And his friend didn't need his storm-eye to see that.

[raijutsumi]

Tenshin could barely hear Arkai following him down the passageway, which was a good thing really - they would think only one was coming, whoever "they" might be. Considering their track record on missions, there usually was someone waiting for them with a not-so-pleasant greeting at the end of it all, whether it was a Missing Nin causing chemical spills or Missing Nin trying to kill them while following them back home. At some point there luck had to change.

Reaching the entryway and seeing the corpses ahead was sickening - he had seen dead bodies before, but this was beyond anything he had ever seen. This wasn't a murder... this was a sacrifice; they were killed in a horrifying, painful manner, and there was no doubt in his mind that those responsible did not show them an ounce of mercy. Arkai quickly sprung into action, heading towards the "survivor" of the massacre, and Tenshin slowly moved in after him, relying on his eyes to see who might be watching them.

[kininata]

[Play time]

As the two Ninja of Rain hold position at the center of the chamber, the survivor falls limp, dead from the loss of blood caused by his injuries. The expedition members are all accounted for... yet they could now here the sounds of footsteps coming from the darkness around them, and before long, a figure clad in a black gi emerged from the shadows, wielding a long chain, bearing three spines at its end.

'More flesh for the master.' He said, his voice seemingly emotionless, but his intent was obviously not friendly; they could see the blood spilled all over his clothing and the weapon he wielded. Their recon mission had become a battle in the chamber. 'Yours will make a nice belt.' He said looking at Arkai, and for a moment, it sounded as though he had licked his lips - right before vanishing from sight... and then appearing just above Arkai swinging the chain to build up motion before sending its clawed-end at the Shounin.