[Yamamoto Shosuke]

She sure was making a large amount of noise for someone who was, or at least should be, aware of how secretive they needed to be for this mission. Sho should have known better too, but for some reason he felt the need to justify himself.

"I mean, you make it sound like its stupid, but think about it - I can make any amount of shelter from the wind as required, I can grow plants as needed to provide safety and cushioning, and I can generate firewood at the flick of a wrist. Everything one could ever need for a makeshift camp.

Besides, if its good enough for gorillas and monkeys, its good enough for us at a stretch. We are just over-developed apes when you think about it."

There it was again, that intellectualism over humanity. That desire to boil everything down to logical explanations rather than acknowledging the nuances of the situation. None of his abilities would ever realistically create a comfortable night in the field, but it gave everything one could need at a very base level.

It just didn't factor in the very base factor that almost nobody would prefer that over simply including the weight of tent supplies.

Regardless, as combat initiated, Sho was once again reminded of just what a threat this girl actually posed. She was insane, almost feral, and yet she kept an intelligent head around her at all times. It was a scary thing to witness up close, especially considering that he had previously had to be on the other end of it. Perhaps he should have been thankful for her connection to Az after all...

His kunai, for their part, landed home - they ruthlessly pierced through the enemy's jugulars, sending them flying. The only sound made from them was their gurgling death rattles and the weight of their body collapsing on the cave floor. Miroru, for her part, took care of those unlucky few that survived, bringing them down with the silent ferocity that epitomized her fighting style.

Taking but the briefest moment to yank his kunai back out of his now dead targets and giving them a vague wipe on the hem of his jacket, Sho continued without concern for the bodies left in his wake, moving now more rapidly through the tunnels. They were looking for a centralized quarters area - that would be, if logic served correctly, where they were keeping their captives.

Unless of course these guys were smart. Anyone with two brain cells would be able to think that that was the logical thing to do, so if they expected company they might do just about anything else.

446 words | Uchiha Miroru

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None

[Uchiha Miroru]

Uchiha Miroru

Konohagakure No Sato

Genin

Yamamoto Shosuke | 228 | notes

Miroru paused, tilting her head. "CAN you make firewood? Freshly fallen timber is pretty bad for firewood, you know." That was all she could really fit into the conversation before combat was on them.

As the redhead straightened from helping to make sure their presence wasn't announced, Shu might catch a glimpse of something in her eyes. It wasn't... pity. She didn't have any for slavers. But it was something similar. Regret, maybe. Not for killing them, but- for HAVING to, maybe. A wish things were different.

She straightened and moved onwards after checking the fallen briefly for keys. Slaves tended to be locked up, after all, and if the slaves weren't shackled, they were likely imprisoned behind locked doors. Either way, she wanted to avoid having to double back- and after a brief search, she was rewarded with a small ring of rough iron keys, which she shoved into her shirt, wrapped up, and crammed under the hem of her shorts to keep them silent as she moved forwards, around a few corners- to a fork, where she looked back at Shu, prompting him to pick which way they went- or if they split up there.

"Just don't give up on me! We can figure this out!"

Template by: Monkey

MISSIONS
D - 0 | C - 9c/3i | B - 0 | A - 0 | S - 0

[Yamamoto Shosuke]

...

There was a pause for a moment as Miroru retorted with that question. It was a simple enough question, it should have a very "yes" or "no" answer, but there was a certain awkwardness in the pause. If she was to stare at him in that moment, she might notice a look of surprise or even minor confusion across his face.

The explanation should have been simple but the truth was...

Well, honestly? The truth was Sho didn't know.

Sho was intellectually gifted, that much was for sure. But he was a researcher, a scholar, someone who lived to learn information and to develop an understanding. He didn't have Miroru's experience in the field, and whilst he hesitated to admit it, it showed. Both here and now and on the previous mission they had undertaken together, there was a difference between his understanding of the world as a series of facts and figures, and this well-traveled experience that Miroru seemed to have despite being several years younger.

At least they could agree on one thing though. The idea of having to kill these guys was an unpleasant one. Not because of what they were, those who engaged in trafficking and enslaving their fellow man could not be forgiven and if they had to be killed to be stopped then that was simply that. No, it was unpleasant because of the thought of what could have been. They had made their beds and had to lie in it, but what had driven them to needing to make this fate for themselves in the first place?

Not everything could be as simple as black and white morality.

Regardless, Miroru managed to snatch the keys from one of the bodies and they moved onwards through the tunnels until they came to a fork. With Miroru shooting him that look that asked him what they should do, he took a moment to look up both the tunnels.

Perhaps it was the relative lack of light down here, dwelling as they were in an almost perpetual artificial twilight, but he couldn't see any evidence that would lead one way or another. No footprints, no discarded food leavings, not even a smell that might give away their location should they prove as unwashed and unpleasant as the ones they had just fought.

No, all in all, it seemed that they would be stuck going their own ways on this one.

"I'll take the left, you take the right. Hug to a wall until you come across something important. If you find something? Send me one of those little fox things that follow around and I'll follow it back to you."

He didn't mention how he would get in contact back with her, perhaps the answer was because he didn't have anything to offer, but that didn't seem to stop him. Instead, he simply took off, walking slowly down the hallway, keeping his eyes out for any traps.

491 words | Uchiha Miroru

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None

[Uchiha Miroru]

Uchiha Miroru

Konohagakure No Sato

Genin

Yamamoto Shosuke | 230 | notes

Miroru sat with her head tilted while he pondered whether he COULD indeed make proper firewood. The moment didn't last long, and she didn't push it- she wasn't here to "win" the argument or anything, just to explore ideas and talk it through, and now there were other things they had to attend to.

Miroru flashed a thumbs up at his plan for moving forwards, but held up her hand for him to pause, taking a moment to jab the back of her hand on a kunai and smear the blood onto her fingers for a quick summoning. As she completed the seal, three tiny foxes appeared, one of whom scampered off down the dark path they'd come from, while one of each of the others went with Shosuke and Miroru as they parted ways. For Miroru, her clip-on flashlight handled lighting her path, while Shosuke and the lantern made their way in the other direction.

"You may communicate anything you wish to convey to Miroru-san at any time," said the tiny fox on his heels. "Meanwhile, we will keep an eye on the entrance and appraise you both if anyone approaches or enters the caves. Please be cautious."

"Just don't give up on me! We can figure this out!"

Template by: Monkey

MISSIONS
D - 0 | C - 9c/3i | B - 0 | A - 0 | S - 0

[Yamamoto Shosuke]

... Okay, who the hell WAS this girl?

As casually as one might blink, Miroru drew her own blood and summoned a trio of small foxes. Of course, summoning wasn't unheard of in their line of work, but it was generally a skill practiced by the higher echelons of the villages. Everything he had seen, both inside their own fight and during their campaign against the pirates, had shown that Miroru was a very talented young shinobi, but this was a whole other level.

As impressed as Sho was, it also just emphasized the frustration that had led him to going off on that rant in front of the Raikage. Miroru was so skilled, so talented, and she was half a decade younger than he was. Of course, part of it came from just how impressive she was, but it also reinforced how weak and pathetic he was. What did he have to show that was anywhere near this impressive?

No wonder he lost to her. Even if he hadn't surrendered to avoid upsetting Azarea, it was all but certain that he would have publicly humiliated himself.

This was a thought process for another time, but still he couldn't help but feel irritable, frustrated, powerless.

---

Heading further down the cave, the corridor stretching out in front of him, poorly lit by the small lantern that he was using, Sho crept as much as he could. If someone saw the lantern there was a chance that they would dismiss it as just one of their own wandering around in the dark, but there was no way that he would be able to pass for one of them if they saw him. As such, he tried to minimize any sound, any sign of life that could give him away.

Fortunately, it seemed that there was little activity down this path. He had to assume that most of the danger was down Miroru's path, or perhaps simply that they had caught them mostly unaware. Perhaps they had even sent some of their men out to town to fetch supplies or something. Either way, the first time that he came across any sort of actual resistance was after a few moments of walking, finding himself at what appeared to be a small supply dump.

Sitting at the bottom of his path of the mine, a series of crates were kept in the middle of a larger room, watched over by a pair of thugs. It seemed to be a mix of different supplies - there were a few weapons strewn about, what appeared to be a bunch of rations, and a couple of barrels of fuel off in one corner. Probably stuff to power the generators that kept the few electronic lights running.

Moving to draw a kunai from his belt in one hand and a flash bomb in the other, the young medinin took a short breath.

"Miroru, if you really can hear this... I'm about to get loud. Take advantage of the chaos."

Moments later, the mine itself shook, the very walls itself shifting from the force.

515 words | Uchiha Miroru

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None

[Uchiha Miroru]

Uchiha Miroru

Konohagakure No Sato

Genin

Yamamoto Shosuke | ### | notes

What an excellent question Shosuke asked himself. It wasn't one Miroru realized she inspired in others. Her bar for notability was warped and distorted, looking up to the likes of the Hokage, Kazui, and the leaders of the Uchiha, Senju, and Hyuuga clans, all of whom she knew personally and spent time training with. Compared to them, she rightfully considered herself well short of their impressive stature-

-but she was completely blind to the fact that where her SKILLS were just happened to be very impressive for where her RANK was. It was utterly beyond her to realize what was going on behind Shosuke's glasses as she demonstrated yet another extraordinary achievement before scampering off as if it was nothing at all.

As he prepared for his own engagement, he got a response from the fox before it bounced back down the tunnel to take cover and await his return.

"Your message has been delivered. She says she won't waste the chance you create."

---

When he'd said "loud," Miroru had envisioned something very different than the shaking rumble rocking through the mines, but when it came, she moved into action, despite being shocked thoroughly! She performed a couple quick handseals, and then grabbed one of her kunai as she rushed deeper into the mine, quickly faced by rushing bandits on their way to find out what the HELL just happened!

It wasn't that they were incompetent or unskilled. They all put up a fight, but the stakes were violently tilted against them. Miroru could afford to shove herself into their reach, to take blows before they got enough momentum to be truly dangerous, or to dive inside greater reach to take body blows from limbs attempting to make much grander strikes, and dart away after.

Nobody she hit with the Chidori-charged kunai could do anything but twitch afterwards. The exchanges simply weren't a fair rate.

---

"She says to come back down the other tunnel. She's found the... holding cell. There's several still guarding it. She's posted up a short ways back down the tunnel from there, awaiting your rejoinder."

Which was exactly how he'd find her if he proceeded past the thoroughly KO'd bandits along the way- crouched behind a corner, its edges lit by torchlight from beyond that turn of the tunnel.

"Just don't give up on me! We can figure this out!"

Template by: Monkey

MISSIONS
D - 0 | C - 9c/3i | B - 0 | A - 0 | S - 0

[Yamamoto Shosuke]

Urgh... It seemed that every time Miroru and Shosuke spent time together, the smell of burning flesh was soon to follow.

The plan had gone off without a hitch; the kunai had struck into the side of the fuel barrel, causing it to start leaking and drawing the attention of the guards. Though the flash bomb only had the slightest spark, enough to set off the bright light within the bomb itself, it was enough to ignite the leaking gas, following its path back to the barrel. The rest... well, it was elementary.

Now the supplies were a pile of burning refuse, and the guards had been killed by the exploding shrapnel of the barrels. Everything that had needed to be taken care of on his end had been, making him more than receptive for the request coming from the fox.

"... I'm sorry, can I just say how weird it is that you can talk?"

---

Miroru wouldn't be left waiting for long. Without much fanfare, Shosuke would come from the depths of the tunnels to join her. Walking past the guards, he had to admit that he was impressed - They had managed to end up with much the same result, though judging from the surroundings it seemed he had been more lucky in the kind of equipment he'd come across. As far as he could tell, she did this with only her own abilities.


When he found her, she was crouching behind the corner, lit only by the candle flame. Joining her in crouching down, he spoke to her in a quiet tone to try and prevent them from hearing them as they spoke.

"Looks like you won the coin flip. Have you managed to get an eye on the victims? What kinda condition are they in?"

It seemed Shosuke's instincts as a doctor were as sharp as ever, prioritising medical treatment over dealing with the ones who still kept them hostage. Or, perhaps, it was simply a nature of his growing trust (and jealousy) of Miroru, knowing that she would be ble to take care of any guards without any real difficulty.

350 words | Uchiha Miroru

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None

[Uchiha Miroru]

Uchiha Miroru

Konohagakure No Sato

Genin

Yamamoto Shosuke | ### | notes

"You certainly may," replied the fox, its voice a calm, mature female's. "You wouldn't be the first. We understand. However, all summon animals can speak. Some of us have much more impressive abilities- especially those of us bound to the Sages."

---

Within a few moments, the two shinobi were reunited, and Miroru nodded at her question. "Wretched conditions, for some, but all seem stable. None seem in immediate danger, unless the integrity of the cave is in question," she said without taking her eyes off those assembled. "Give me a few to clear out the slavers, and we'll get you in to treat them and escort them out ASAP."

Something about seeing the prisoners in the holding cell, seeing the sores on their bodies, the tattered rags in this cold, damp mine, just- rankled at Miroru. And Shosuke heard something in her tone he'd not encountered before. Not on the pirate raid. Not in the Exams. Not ever.

The little redhead was -furious.-

Once Miroru started moving, she was beyond Shosuke's capability to track visually. The sheer speed of her movement was absolutely tremendous- it wasn't that he couldn't SEE her, it was just that by the time he'd registered her in one location, she'd exploded into motion again and vanished from where he was looking. She was, to his eyes, little more than a lightning bolt in flight from position to position as she exploded off one guard onto another to a thirdfourthfifth, Raiton burning between her palms as she pounced on each, electrocuting each and leaving them writhing piles of twitching, paralyzed pain. She didn't kill any- they were all most assuredly still alive, but also definitively down for the count.

In seconds, she'd taken them all down, leaving her to skid to a stop while her hands steamed, sweat hissing off her hands from the heat of the jutsu she'd used. She was breathing hard, but controlled. She'd exerted herself, not exhausted herself.

"Whuff. There," she said, grabbing the keys off her belt and jogging over to wave him in. "Shh, everyone. Stay calm. Everything's fine. Doctor Shosuke is gonna make sure everyone is in condition to get out of here, and then we're all leaving. You're all safe now~"

"Just don't give up on me! We can figure this out!"

Template by: Monkey

MISSIONS
D - 0 | C - 9c/3i | B - 0 | A - 0 | S - 0

[Yamamoto Shosuke]

Whilst the end result was expected, the path to get there was anything but.

Perhaps this was the first time that Shosuke had seen Miroru not holding back to some degree, but the fact remained all the same. Just standing back and watching, it was a true sight to behold, somewhere between beautiful and hideous. Where there had once been a camp of guards left, there was now nothing but bloodstains, leaving Shosuke to step forwards and assume his more typical role as a doctor.

That said, her words once again just seemed to sink it into his head. Doctor Shosuke. Everything he had wanted to escape, summed up in a single sentence. He couldn't help but feel that he had been no help, that even his contributions to this mission had just been things that she could have done without him, and all he was able to do was what he always did - clear up the mess after everything else had already happened.

In short order, they were able to break open the cells the kidnapped women were in, getting them out and seeing to them one after the other. Shosuke, despite his feelings of concern and inadequacy, acted his role out with aplomb, seeing to each one in turn and ensuring that nobody left without directions for treatment and that anything that could be taken care of on-site was taken care of.

Finally though, alongside Miroru, Shosuke was able to usher the girls out of the mines and start bringing them topside.

As they walked, however, Shosuke couldn't keep his eyes from straying towards Miroru. Who, or rather what, was this girl? She was capable of so many great things and she acted as if it was the most casual thing in the world. If they made a big deal out of her that would be one thing, but the sheer normalcy radiating from this girl was the most annoying thing. If she was normal, then what did that make him?

333 words | Uchiha Miroru

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None