Land of Fire II[Narutointp]

[Purple Rose]

((Double post. Sorry.))

Somewhere, far from the village of Konaha, a group of six figures rushes through a dense forest. Two of them carry between them a seven foot long box. They leap and sprint through the forest at break-neck speed, dodging through the branches with skill befitting shinobi of high levels. As they run, a tree in front of them suddenly splinters and explodes, forcing them to disperse, coming to a stop and regrouping in a small clearing. The group’s leader a man with short silver hair and a scar along his face, looks back the way they came.

“Shin, Tzou,”

The two carrying the box nod in unison. Without needing further instruction they turn and vanish into the trees again.

“Shou, Rishida, go with them. Taka, we will hold her here.”

Two of their comrades nod and vanish after Shin and Tzou. Taka and the silver haired ninja wait for a moment before leaping apart as the ground where they stand explodes. A woman drops into the clearing. Taka and his leader nod at each other and throw themselves at her, drawing their weapons and radiating powerful charka auras. She slowly raises her hands as they rush in to meet her.

*****

Shin, Tzou, Shou, and Rishida continue on through the forest as sounds of explosions issue from far behind them. Shou and Rishida’s eyes meet and Rishida speaks.

“They are buying us time. All that matters now is that the package makes it back to the base. Shin, Tzou, no matter what happens, you must not allow the package to be lost. Too many of our men have been lost securing it.”

The two carriers nod and the group speeds onwards towards their goal.

Some time later the four break from the treeline, coming to a stop at the top of a very tall waterfall that crashes unseen below. The land before them is split in a long divide, as if the earth had been pulled apart by some powerful being long ago. Sheer cliffs drop off on both sides of the deep canyon which stretches for miles in either direction. The waterfall nearby drops into the chasm where it feeds the lower half of a river that will stretch across three countries before emptying into the ocean. The four of them look across the divide at the far side. It is well beyond their reach and proves an impassable obstacle. Shou looks both ways.

“S***. We got off course through the forest trying to lose her. The crossing is miles back the way we came.”

He looks past the waterfall and at the split as it runs off into the distance away from where they stand. He looks the other way.

“S***.”

The trees on the edge of the forest line tremble and all four look nervously. Rishida and Shou step between the treeline and the other two.

“Go. We’ll keep her occupied long enough for you to get away.”

The woman from before emerges from the trees. She is fairly plain, aside from the letters L09 tattooed beneath her right eye. She pauses and takes the group in, her gaze settling on the box they carry. Shou steps forward.

“Listen, there is no reason to do this. We want nothing more than to make it back alive. Your organization is done for anyways. Soon there won’t be anyone giving you orders. Just let us go.”

“Shou, it’s pointless.” Rishida says.

“Come with us! We’ll offer you freedom. A life you won’t have back there. Surely there is something you want.”

The woman turns her eyes to him and raises an arm, holding her palm out towards Shou.

“Either you let us go, or we’ll ki-”

He is cut off as slender silver traces flicker through the air and his throat is slashed open, streaming a misty fountain of blood. His eyes go wide and he drops to his knees, gurgling and clutching vainly at the fatal wound. Shin tugs at the box.

“Let’s go, Tzou!” shouts Shin.

More silver traces and Shin's legs separate from his body in a bloody mess. Tzou tugs on the box, trying to heft it onto his back as he makes to flee. Silver lashes whip across his back, bringing him to his knees with a cry of pain.

Meanwhile, Rishida draws a sword and leaps at the woman, swinging for her neck. She sidesteps, striking the side of the blade with an open palm, causing it to shatter. She pivots and brings her foot up, slamming Rishida in the back and sending him crashing to the ground. He staggers to his feet and starts signing. More of those intangible silver streaks fly and his left arm goes sailing into the air, streaming crimson from the clean cut that severed it from his shoulder. He cries out in pain and staggers back. The woman regards him slowly, then turns and starts for Tzou, who has gotten once more to his feet and is making an effort to drag himself and the box towards the edge of the cliff despite the fatal wounds that have begun working their death into him. From behind her comes Rishida’s voice.

“Damn you… Damn you to hell.”

He finishes signing with his remaining hand and symbols scroll across his body, covering him with black ink. He charges her. She raises a hand and deep cuts lash at his body. But still he continues forward, the letters and markings on him starting to glow brightly. He impacts her, wrapping his arm around her and spinning to put Tzou at his back. Red flows down his body, pooling at his feet as the life bleeds from him.

“You may have…. Have killed me… But I’m taking you with me…”

His chakra swells like a fire, enveloping him and her. The blank expression on the woman's face breaks for an instant with panicked understanding as she tries to push him off, but it is too late. A high whine precedes the explosion by an instant, the only warning to the intense fireball that erupts from within Rishida’s body. The blast is powerful enough to disrupt the flow of the river for an instant, flash boiling the water and bringing a momentary pause to the torrent that rushes headlong into the chasm. Tzou is caught in the blast, propelling him and his cargo over the edge of the cliff, tumbling into the abyss below. A column of smoke and a slowly shouldering forest fire along the rim serves as the only tombstone for the four ninja and their opponent.

*****

Not far from the village of Konaha, a long box drifts along the currents of a small offshoot stream, carried from some unknown starting place far to the north. It catches on a fallen tree and slides to the shore, beaching next to a small trail that skirts the stream for a distance. And there is sits, waiting discovery.

[Lord_Asmodeus]

Kyogou Sunadou

Kyogou, finally able to drag himself awake, arrived at the exam building, yawning loudly and looking generally disheveled. He walks around until he finds his now-teammates and/or Miragata, and greets them when he does. "Sorry I'm late, did I miss anything?"

(sorry about kind of forgetting to post for a bit >.<)

[Moon Wolf]

((That's okay. Miragata's not there, she's in town talking to Kazekage and co. ))

[Callos_DeTerran]

Rin

It didn't take long for Rin to guide Hari and Kaede to the Academy, but a brief fit of nerves did cause her to take a short detour to avoid having to face the music so soon. Not that Hari or Kaede seemed to mind all that much, considering they still arrived on time(ish) to get their seat assignment and filter into the room to take position.

Okay, this doesn't look too ominous. I mean, there's only a bunch of chuunin sitting around the edge of the room and a bunch of genin that I don't recognize. Really, how bad could it be?

============

[Kasanip]

Alilah smirked. Not a very good idea to call me a 'lovable little child'. It's not exactly common to call a criminal a lovable little child when they have grown up into something that is anything but. All of us were children once, and all of us were completely normal until things happened that changed us. The same must have happened to you, with the destruction of Kusagakure. The same must have happened to most, if not all of us. And...if you don't mind my asking...what is this thing that only you can do, Kaguya-chan? Alilah's mind was racing at quite a fast pace. If this girl said something like that, then it was obvious that someone had put her mind on this goal...perhaps.

Kaguya

"Well, the only thing I can do of course, is to change the world.

Dispel the illusions that have blinded people to reality."
She shrugged as if it was an easy task, though the sarcasm on her voice spoke otherwise.
"Makes sense doesn't it? I'm an illusionist." She said, looking up and meeting Alilah's gaze again. She held it for a minute, and then stood up and stretched.
"It's a good idea to always set goals for yourself, afterall. That's how you improve. What's your dream for the future, Alilah?"

(ooc: sorry it was such a slow response)

[Moon Wolf]

((That's okay.))

Alilah

Alilah stared incredulously at Kaguya. Change the world? Ridiculous! You'd have to be as strong as a kage or higher to be able to do something like that. You'd have to have lots of experience and a stable mindset. Forgive me for saying this, but neither of us fit that quota. We are too young to do something like that by ourselves. She suddenly understood. Everything clicked perfectly into place, leaving only one final answer.

Kaguya-chan. What has Kyo been telling you? Surely you couldn't come by all of these crazy ideas on your own, without help. And I seriously doubt that any other member would come up with that kind of idea. She sighed. Since we'll probably be here for quite a while, I'll make some tea. She found two cups after some rummaging around, and filled one with hot water and one with cold water. She also found a couple of teabags and stuck one in each cup. She held out the hot cup to Kaguya. We'll talk over tea.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Zel

Zel knew there was still some time before the public part of the exams began. Not much for her to do until then. So, she decides to get back to her normal workout routine. Always gotta stay at the top of your game.

She strolls out of the village and towards an area she discovered shortly before her last mission. Nice little opening surrounded by woods, with a stream running through it.

After a while, she arrives at the spot. She takes off her jacket and hangs it on a branch. She does some quick stretches, then walks over to the stream. She is about to go through her water walking routine when something catches her eye. Right on the bank of the stream is a large wooden box, about seven feet long.

Zel stares at it for a moment. Then she slowly approaches it. Once she reaches the box, she'll see if it has any markings on it.

[Purple Rose]

As she approaches, Zel finds a long, white box covered from one end to the other in dozens of powerful seals. Most of them, however, have been torn, burned, and worn away, leaving less than a handful intact. Aside from the seals clearly meant to keep it closed and sealed there is no other markings on the box. It looks like it has been through a lot, though. It is cut, scored, burned, bashed, and growing a thin layer of algae. Though it can't be told without opening it if the box is still waterproof, it clearly has been floating for some time.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Zel

Zel studies the seals for a moment. She considers opening them, but decides against it. She has no idea what's inside.

So, she goes back to grab her jacket, then comes back to the box. She gets her hands under it and tries lifting it.

She's gonna see about taking it to the Hokage. He might be interested in it.

[Purple Rose]

The box is ungainly, but not overly heavy. Conveniently, it seems to have handles on the underside, though they seem spaced for two people to carry it.

[KerfuffleMach2]

[Zel]

Zel makes due with what she can. She slowly makes her way back into the village and heads straight for the Hokage's office. Unless somebody stops her along the way.

[horngeek]

She might see Haruka sitting on one of the trees, just looking like she's thinking...

Then she looks down. Do you need help there?

[KerfuffleMach2]

Zel doesn't notice Haruka until she asks Zel if she needs help. She shifts the box a little so she can turn to look at her.

That would probably make it easier, thanks. I'm taking this to lord Hokage's. I figure he might be interested in it.

[horngeek]

All right.

Haruka hops down, and picks the other side of the box up.

Her Kumo symbol on her arm is quite obvious.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Zel doesn't really care to much that the woman is from Kumo. She offered to help carry the box, so she isn't looking for trouble.

That's Zel's logic, anyway.

[horngeek]

Haruka, on the other hand, just marked Zel as 'rookie'.

She helps to carry the box to the Hokage's office!

[KerfuffleMach2]

If Haruka told Zel that, Zel might get slightly upset. Yelling would probably follow.

Once at the office, Zel will slowly set the box down. She takes a moment to straighten her leather jacket, then knocks on the door.

[horngeek]

Haruka figures that the Hokage will be mentioning it anyway.

She waits as well.

[KerfuffleMach2]

As she waits, Zel turns to Haruka. She holds out her hand to shake. Name's Zel, by the way.

[horngeek]

Kurosawa Haruka.

Haruka shakes Zel's hand.

[KerfuffleMach2]

So, what brings you to Konoha? Ah. She did realize that Haruka's from Kumo.

[horngeek]

Basically, I was sent as a temporary ambassador.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Ah. Zel nods a little. Guessing it was for the exams?

[horngeek]

Partially, yes.

[KerfuffleMach2]

So, how many teams are there from Kumo this year? If you don't mind me asking.

[horngeek]

Just one team.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Do you know them? Are they a good bunch?

[horngeek]

They've got my student as their Jounin.

They do seem like a good bunch to me.

[KerfuffleMach2]

That's good. I wish them luck.

Zel starts eyeing the seals that remain on the box again.

[Purple Rose]

If she knows anything about seals, she might be able to tell that they are designed to protect whatever is in the box from the elements. They also prevent the box from opening on its own and hide the nature of its contents from most ninja techniques that could peer through it to see inside.