[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/0369facd-986c-44d2-8991-6e5de6b744c2.png[/img]
[Color=fuchsia][u][i]Takayuki Mekakushi[/i][/u][/color]
[u]Konoha, 1st Battalion,
Location: Forest river
Chakra reserves: 100%[/u][/center]


Takayuki nodded gravely at Kenshiro's words. Times were changing. Rumours had been flying for months, even in Konoha, and some of his long-distance routes had recently become unsafe to run. [color=fuchsia]"Aye. Always better to be safe, in my experience."[/color] Still, he wore a gentle smile. Wouldn't do for his cute students to see him worried; If they were going to kill today, he'd have to keep their spirits high. Even so, a subconscious ripple of chakra set his arm vibrating madly, and he had to take a moment to restrain himself. 

He ran a few combat scenarios through his head, training half an ear on the conversation to catch any relevant details (Kenshiro was certainly the superior strategist, he'd leave that to the older Jounin). Mist nin were slippery. Quick to hide and troublingly at home in the forests of Fire Country. Were he running solo, Plasma Wave would be the obvious technique of choice. But with students around, indiscriminately filling water sources with electricity would likely be a [i]bad[/i] move. Bait tactics, then, and if he had to leave the kills to his kids, then so be it. He grimaced.

Sand nin would be slightly trickier. Puppeteers and wind users did not a happy Taka make, although earth was easy enough to outrun. Fire was out straight away, having enemy wind users around made it far too volatile to use with inexperienced genin on the field. Lightning, meanwhile, was trumped by earth. A nasty hard counter, but one he'd have been a fool not to account for at this level. He gave his kunai pouches a sad pat; they'd certainly need a refill after this little excursion. With the Mist around as well, he'd have to make a lot of kills today. Unfortunate, but not untenable, even with his rather perishable chakra reserves.

He recognised the names of the villages vaguely. His dad had mentioned Daikon once during a story about Taka's grandfather. Both gone, now, of course... [color=fuchsia][i]'Not the time, Mekakushi!'[/i][/color] He couldn't afford to let his mind wander, not at a time like this!

His gaze fell onto his students next, darting quickly from face to face. Chokuro, Miho (bless her arrogant little soul. He'd work it out of her yet), Juzo, Rashiku, Shizuka, Ami, Kimi, Kushina... They'd already become precious to him. They were his students, his to protect, to guide, to teach. His innocent little genin. So like he'd bee-

[color=d11014]"... Been discovered."[/color] And suddenly Taka was gone, his smile set into a grim snarl, and there stood The Mirage, goggles dropping over his eyes in a flash. He barely stood still long enough to hear the end of Kenshiro's report. [color=fuchsia]"Hai!"[/color] He vanished in an explosion of shredded leaves, and returned seconds later with a burst of displaced air. [color=fuchsia]"Perimeter's clear, but I heard rapid footsteps. They'll be reporting back. I'll take a squad to the village, you take Rest. Daikon sounds good."[/color] A grin, then. [color=fuchsia]"Might be ruined, now, but my dad always said it was nice."[/color] He turned his attention to the genin, smiling broadly (although his eyes, hidden as they were by his tinted lenses, were dark). [color=fuchsia]"Righto! I want two or three of you to come with me, doesn't matter who so long as you can work together. Remember, I'm fast, so don't bother coming if you can't handle a run. This could be your first taste of active combat! Exciting, eh?"[/color] He shot them a V for victory. [color=fuchsia]"Kick their asses, and watch your backs!"[/color]

Pep talk over, (and hadn't that gone well?), he turned to Kenshiro once again. [color=fuchsia]"Don't concern yourself with my lot, I've got their backs. Anyone goes for them and I'll [b][i]gut them where they stand.[/i][/b]"[/color] Light flashed across his lenses and there was death in his voice. And then the moment was over. [color=fuchsia]"Just make sure the unsupervised lot can take care of themselves, [i]please[/i]. I'll see you in Daikon, yeah? Take care of yourself, Ken-San."[/color] His piece said, he wandered over to a nearby tree and stood ready, letting the small amount of chakra he'd used for those Surging Flickers regenerate somewhat.