Pale blue light leaking down from a single sliver of a crescent moon shines down on a shadowy clearing just outside of a large stone castle. Five cloaked figures jump down from three tree's in unison. Four of the five land with one knee down while the fifth remains standing. The standing one is obviously significantly taller and wears a bear mask. He has bushy brown hair and beard that all pokes around his mask. [color=a0410d][b]"Are you all ready? This is serious now."[/b][/color] The man speaks in a hushed by serious tone heavy with the weight of responsibility. [color=a0410d][b]"For some of you this is your first assassination. The target is the primary objective. If we can get in and out quick that is the best thing. We aren't seeking additional casualties."[/b][/color] The four nod in agreement before he moves on. The man turns to one of the middle cloaked figures. [color=a0410d][b]"Mayonaka, you take point. You have the best stealth and speed. I'll back you up and take the rear guard. Okay? Break!"[/b][/color] he says with a small fist pump and the five jump out quickly into a dash for the wall. The light of the moon doesn't provide much visibility but for Noraneko this didn't mean much. She saw better at night than most of her comrades did at night. However this mask narrowed her vision and she didn't really like it on her face. She kept it on for now but makes the conscious choice to remove it as soon as it becomes a hinderance. Slowly the group approaches the edge of the wall and from there they all can see that torches light the whole way round the castle walls. She makes a hand gesture for them to procede with caution and she takes a step on the wall and her foot sticks as if it was glued. The rest follow in the same way as they begin to run full speed up the side of the wall. She wasn't sure if it was because of her sharp night vision or perhaps just instinct but she makes a split second halt and throws up the signal to stop. However one is not able to stop in time and as they step past the point where she was a flash of light erupts throwing her from the wall. With lighting reflexes the leader leaps from the wall as well but the girl is just out of reach for him to catch her. [color=00aeef][b]"Saki! Shit!"[/b][/color] She says under her breath as she quickly pushes past the line as it seemed to be a one time trap that blasts all objects on the wall at that point off. She takes a quick glance back at the ground. Saki seems to have landed wrong and now lay on the ground trying to get up. Kumogachi lands just a ways off and seems to be fine. However a group of at least fifteen guards rounded the north corner and was quickly approaching. She saw the captain as he engaged them. [color=00aeef][b]"Ryuketsu. Akumu. Keep going"[/b][/color] Noraneko instructs. [color=00aeef][b]"Once we reach the top wait for the captain Kumogachi to find you. He will take care of Saki and return."[/b][/color] Biting her lower lip she makes a shadow clone which leaps down the wall landing by the fallen comrade. Rounding the corner were another dozen or so enemies all armed with heavy weapons. She remains silent as she starts making a few quick signs before fading away into the darkness. She had not left but stayed standing there with the same stance but now the low visibility with her transparency jutsu makes her nigh undetectable. Two kunai are drawn from her bag and her transparency spreads to them as well. A slight breeze picks ups as the kunai make a low humming sound. If they were able to see her they would see her blades extend slightly from her wind chakra and in just a flash of a moment she moves swiftly slashing into the enemies who never see her coming. The bodies fall to the ground without a single survivor between them. Her comrade can see how that each and every one had been slashed in the jugular with a deep slice into the spine as well. Some of the enemies spines were totally severed. [b][color=00aeef]"Hide"[/color][/b] She says coldly coming back into view before her clone dissolves into smoke. Kuroneko's main body as well as Ryuketsu and Akumu have continued up the wall and managed to make it to the top. Just before getting to the top Kuroneko dissapears into the darkness with her transparency jutsu just as her clone had just done. Two guards were stationed at this particular portion of the wall. Neither of them seem to notice Kuroneko and so turned their attention to the other two also ascending to the top of the wall. It was quick, easy even, as she planted a kunai into each of the guard's foreheads. Looking down she sees that Kumogachi has defeated the rest of the enemies and now scoops up Saki into his arms. He gave her a thumbs up before jumping into the trees unnoticed. [hider=Saki and Kumogachi] Saki was running along the wall with the rest of her team. She was a little pissed that she didn't get to have a better role in this mission but it couldn't be helped. The castle was well fortified and so her Fukiyu no jutsu sniping technique wouldn't be very practical. She closes her eyes and sighs. However this was the worst possible to have done this as she missed Noraneko's stop signal and she ran right into the trap. She had no time to react as a flash of light and powerful explosion expelled her tiny self clear off of the wall. Her senses were addled and her head was ringing. She could hardly tell which way was up or down as she fumbled to get situated in the air to land. However before she knew it the ground hit her like a train. Her right leg was the first to hit but it didn't hit evenly and as she tried to catch herself she could feel a sharp pain run through her shin and then a tiny pop. Suddenly it was like her whole leg went numb except for pain and the rest of her body hit the ground with a loud thud. [b][color=fff200]"What..the ..fuck.."[/color][/b] she gasps as the wind was knocked out of her upon impact. Then she hears the whistles and warning bells as some enemies appear from the north corner. [color=fff200][b]"s..shit."[/b][/color] She says trying to get up before falling back down again. She was bleeding from the head and her leg was cocked at an impossible angle. A loud thump echoed as the captain landed next to her. [color=a0410d][b]"Its okay."[/b][/color] He said softly. [color=a0410d][b]"I'll take care of them."[/b][/color] He gives her a gentle pat on the shoulder before rocketing off to the guards and taking them down one right after another. Unfortunatly another group appears around the east corner of the castle. Suddenly as if by magic Noraneko had appeared next to her. If she had landed she had done so without a single sound. Then just as she had seen countless times before she is gone as if by magic and suddenly the guards are felled in an instant. [b][color=00aeef]"Hide."[/color][/b] Noraneko says in almost a whisper before disolving into smoke. [color=fff200][b]"Kage-bushin then..."[/b] [/color]She says under her breath trying to get up on her one good leg. However she doesn't have the chance as the captain suddenly scoops her up into his arms. She is lifted gently but her leg still hurts.[b][color=fff200] "ouch.."[/color][/b] she whimpers. [color=a0410d][b]"Yeah...thats definitely broken."[/b][/color] Kumogachi leaps up into the trees and sets her down. [color=a0410d][b]"They shouldn't see you if you remain hidden. I could give you some basic first aid but that leg is going to take a full blown surgery and at least two weeks to heal. It won't do much good. Thankfully you are the only one on this team that can still be useful even if you can't walk. Am I right?"[/b][/color] He gives her a smile and points towards the gate. [color=a0410d][b]"Keep an eye out on that gate. Keep it cleared if you can."[/b][/color] He gives her one last thumbs up before jumping back over to the wall to catch up to the rest. Saki nods twice and summons her Fukiyu and adjusts the scope. At the first guard she is able to see she sets up her aim and presses her tongue to the mouthpiece to summon a dart in the barrel. Channeling her charka she fills her lungs fill so full of air they are about to burst but yet she holds. Waiting till the pressure is peaked she lets out an incredibly powerful blast of wind. The dark flies out of the fukiyu with such speed that a normal eye couldn't even track it. It lands between the eyes of one of the guards and the force is so great that it goes through his skull and several inches into the ground behind him. The guard next to him is struck through the head in the same way before he even noticed his fellow. [b][color=fff200]"Too easy."[/color][/b] She says lining up her next shot. [/hider] [color=00aeef][b]"New plan..."[/b][/color] She said slowly. [color=00aeef][b]"Captain is outside the walls and he is having to evacuate Saki. You two prepare a distraction. Stay hidden when you can and make an escape route when I need it."[/b][/color] She takes off her mask and rests it on the side of her head. For the first time during the mission they see her. Her skin is incredibly pale and her eyes are a bright and shining blue that seem to reflect what little light is in the area. [color=ed1c24][b]"What? But.."[/b][/color] Ryuketsu begins. However before she can protest Noraneko leaps down off the top of the wall. Picking up a great amount of speed as she falls Koraneko focuses a large amount of chakra to her feet. During the descent Noraneko takes note of the layout of the castle's interior. It seems there is a large wall that makes the major obstacle but there is another tall tower like building in the center of the courtyard. They have great steel doors that are slowly being closed as she descends. They must have gathered the target as well as other important people into the building soon as the alarms started. If they manage to close that door she might have a difficult time getting in. There are no windows in the tower except for the very top which is heavily guarded. [color=00aeef][b]"Understood."[/b][/color] She says to seemingly no one. She lands a split second later on the ground of the courtyard more than 80 feet from where she had leaped from. Her whole body coils in like a spring being crushed under the weight of her fall. Underneath her feet all of her chakra acts as a cushion as it also builds pressure. As it peaks and her body is at the breaking point she uncoils both her chakra and her body and takes the force of her fall to plunge her at immense speed at the closing door. No one is able to see her but even if they had it was doubtful they could have done anything to stop her. Everything around her moves in slow motion and she takes the two hundred feet to the door in about 1.3 seconds. --- [hider=The Escape Route] Kumogachi reaches the top of the tower only a few seconds after Noraneko swan dives off of the side. Looking both amused and concerned he looks at Ryuketsu and Akumu. [color=a0410d][b]"Did she just....leap off the side?"[/b][/color] He asks tentatively. "[color=ed1c24][b]Yeah...Yeah she did."[/b][/color] Ryuketsu says in an irritated tone. [color=ed1c24][b]"Orders are to wait for you and clear a path for her escape. Then, at least I think, she managed to sneak into the main tower before the steel doors closed."[/b][/color] She flexes her muscles and begins to do leg stretches in anticipation of combat. No one else seems to have spotted them yet but the whole fortress was on high alert. [color=a0410d][b]"Well..."[/b][/color] Kumogachi says with a satisfied smile. [color=a0410d][b]"If the little lady wants a clear escape route then lets give it to her."[/b][/color] He looks down the side of the wall at the gate that was adjacent to where they were standing on the same wall. "[color=a0410d][b]Lets give her a big escape route."[/b][/color] Then he begins to run down the side of the wall and Ryuketsu leaps immediately after him. [color=662d91][b]"Really....dammit."[/b][/color] Akumu says under his breath following both Ryuketsu and Kumogachi. [/hider] Skidding to a stop inside of the dark building she immediately spots several bodies moving around. None of them seem to see her and none of them are her targets. With a blank expression she gracefully passes by them with steps softer than silk and movements as fluid as a river. Making her way up the stairs of the tower she remains undetected and she slowly reaches the level just below the top level. She see's a long haired man walking through this door looking tired from his brisk walk up the stairs. "I don't need any guards in my room with me." The man spats at his men. "Just make sure no one gets past you here at this door. No one can get here without getting through you!" With this the man slaps the hand of a guard and moves into his room. As if moving on instinct Noraneko leaps behind him past the guards just as the door slams shut leaving only the two of them in the room together. "Honestly! The nerve of some of those people. Just do your damn jobs!" The pathetic man now standing before her with no defenses at all matches the description of the black book profile and her minds drift back into her memories. [i]"This is Yamagendo Usugi. He isn't a ninja himself but he is amassing a small army of rogue ninja mercenaries. He uses exploitation of the local villages to make his money. He claims to be a noble but in reality he is just the spoiled brat of a noble that has fallen into line of many Yakuza of the local areas. Most of his money and influence is due to drug peddling, gambling and now sex slavery. He imposes taxes he shouldn't be able to impose by law and then takes the property, money or daughters of those that cannot meet his impossible standards. Recently he has obtained a few higher class shinobi. He is now a threat that cannot be taken care of by the regular fire nation forces and we of the Anbu need to step in. We are to take care of him as the primary target. There are two jounin that are also targets if you come across them. However do not pursue if combat isn't required." [/i] A bit of rage boils in her stomach as she grabs her blade tighter. She wants to ask him why he would so something so evil but such questions no longer have any meaning in today's world. People do bad things and we stop them. That is our mission. We are the Anbu. With this in mind she takes her blades and with a swift motion cuts off his head and grasps it by the hair. The greasy hair feels wrong between her fingers. Disgust and nausea fills her. Now she needs to get out of here. Closing her eyes she ignites something within herself. Suddenly the chakra's of those around her become as clear as if she could see them with her own eyes. She senses several chakra's above her, outside the door and all around her. Quickly she finds her comrade's familiar chakra They are fighting outside the wall that she is at currently. They seem to be defending something so she decides to take a gamble. [color=00aeef][b]"Not really my style..."[/b][/color] she complains to herself as she tosses up the head towards the ceiling. She makes several different hand signals and then catches the head before unleashing an incredible blast of fire from her mouth which vaguely takes the shape of a giant fire dragon that hits the solid stone wall and then breaks through exposing the night sky. Keeping with her concentration the great flame dragon descends down the side of the tower to the courtyard. Glancing out at the courtyard she can see that her comrades have managed to lower the gate but it is still being guarded by many men. Changing the direction of the dragon she forces it to blaze through the men and out of the gate before it dissipates. Her vision blurs as she falters for a second but catches herself. I better not use that much chakra all at once she thinks to herself. I am not suited for that kind of combat. The door behind her busts open before she is able to finish that thought. Gritting her teeth she leaps out of the tower in the same way that she had gotten down from the wall. Similarly to before she lands hard and coils herself. As she uncoils she feels a slight snap in her leg which causes her to gasp out loud but gritting through it she launches herself through the now open and empty gate. She can sense it as her two comrades disappear into the night as she does as well. [u][b]Several hours later[/b][/u] The morning dew glistens in the sunrise and Koraneko slowly puts her mask back on. She had forgotten she had taken it off during the mission and hoped that none of her comrades saw that she had taken it off. If she was found out her captain would scold her again. She adjusts her seating on the bench located on the road just a few miles outside of Konoha. This was the rendezvous point that was discussed earlier and she was surprised that she was the first one to make it here. Though the second she had this thought it seems her captain appears next to her. [color=a0410d][b]'Yo!"[/b][/color] He said with his overly familiar tone and pats her on the shoulder. She shys away from it slightly and tries to hide the wince of pain she has when she leans on her left leg. [b]"Heard you were quite the glory hog by the other two. Already met up with them and told them to head on into town. They had to carry Saki who I am pretty sure had a broken leg. She will be fine with some R&R."[/b] His voice is far more cheerful than she is used to but she says nothing in protest. [color=a0410d][b]"Did you get hurt?" [/b][/color]he asks inquisitively. His tone of voice was somewhat off but she couldn't put her finger on what it was. [color=00aeef][b]"No."[/b][/color] she lied. Very quickly and suddenly her captain's face changes. [color=a0410d][b]"Don't lie to me."[/b][/color] The altered tone put her off for a moment and he takes this chance to grab the bag with the head inside from her.[color=a0410d][b] "I am going to take this to the Hokage and report the mission as a success. I was going to offer to heal your leg but if you want to be stubborn about it maybe the walk home will teach you a lesson."[/b][/color] His anger is not hid at all. But that is like the captain. His emotions are on the surface and nothing is hidden. Its a harsh contrast to Koneko whose cold exterior is all anyone ever sees. Just like that he was off and it left Koneko on her own at the bench. She slowly gets up and starts to walk the path to the village. Each step is a bit painful but its not impossible to push through. She might have to take a break for a day or she might have to swallow her pride and go to the hospital. As someone who isn't a medic ninja she has self-diagnosed it as a torn ligament in her leg. She hopes that it will get better soon. ----- As Inotsu begins his walk back from the village he notices a man leap down next to him. The man is tall and has obvious bushy brown hair behind his bear anbu mask. He stands nearly 190 cm tall and is less graceful than most anbu would be expected to be. This is a man Inotsu would immediatly recognize. Perhaps he didn't know him well but they have had dealings together in the past. [color=a0410d][b]"Inotsu-kun!"[/b][/color] he says with a cheerful tone. At his side is a bag with the scent of blood. [color=a0410d][b]"Good to see you! Still napping out here?"[/b][/color] Inotsu would recognize him as Kumogachi Yamamoji. He is a captain of the anbu with a reputation of being a bit loud but as a capable ninja. [color=a0410d][b]"Actually there is a quick request I have of you. I have a cute little ninja that is still being a bit of a pain in my ass. She injured herself in her last mission but still wants to deny it. As punishment I am making her walk home but if you wouldn't mind keeping an eye on her just in case for me buddy?"[/b][/color] the usage of the term 'buddy' was definitely not warranted for their relationship but still it didn't stop him from using it. [color=a0410d][b]"Thanks in advance!"[/b][/color] He says with a slap on Inotsu's back and was off the next second.