[Honō Kusari]

The gates of Kusagakure stood tall behind him, looming. The midday sun painted his shadow across the grasslands, which in turn fluttered ominously as the wind blew gently over. He watched quietly for a moment as it danced. Today, he had been tasked with a mission that took him outside the safety of the village and into the Grass Nation, toward the holdings of one of the newer merchants, Hibiki. Kusari did not know the man other than by his budding reputation. What struck him as odd was the accusations that the man was making. It was not impossible that the more seasoned and entrenched merchants were unhappy with someone moving in on their territory, in retrospect.

Times had been chaotic over the past several years in the Village Hidden in Grass. That was putting it lightly, in fact. A power vacuum had beset the Lordship, one after the next until they had finally settled on a young man who's most impressive trait was how unsuited to the task he was. The difficulty of keeping the peace in a setting like this was when the offenders had found a way to operate within the law. No matter how many times they adjusted policy or twisted the arms of the merchants, the economy was uncaring. The need for those who brought money into Kusagakure ultimately trumped the needs of a single, unestablished merchant. There was little that they could do for the man... within the law.

Shinobi were the failsafe tools of a Lord who had exhausted all other resources. Kusari sincerely doubted that Nakahara Ichi would have sent them if he had another sound option- the man was a known pacifist, and would have loved to see the situation resolved without strife of any kind. That he would choose this particular team, though- the young Honō had to give the Lord of Kusagakure some credit.

It seemed that he was not the type who would entirely forego the use of the sword when an offered hand had been bitten, after all.

It fell to the two young Honō Ninja to deal with the issue, and preferably, via the use of diplomacy. Bring the threats and strongarm tactics to a halt. There were other avenues to explore if that method failed, and they would traverse them whenever that time came.

He turned to glance back at the gate, watching for his partner for the mission. Once his cousin arrived, the two of them could get underway.

[415 words]
Mission: 1/15
Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako couldn't shake the thought that his presence signaled a departure from the diplomatic approach that the mission had requested as a possible solution. His specialty lay not in negotiating peace treaties or brokering deals, but rather in the art of apprehension and, when necessary, termination of threats. On top of that, with the rumors he heard about Kusari, it felt like he definitely hadn’t been paired with a shinobi known for ‘diplomacy’.

It was a sobering thought, acknowledging that his skills were often called upon when diplomacy had already failed or was deemed futile from the start. The selection of Mako for this mission hinted at the gravity of the situation, suggesting that traditional avenues of resolution had likely been exhausted or were deemed to be the unlikely solution from the get-go. Mako wasn’t much of a diplomat.

Just like with every mission, Mako knew that the stakes were high, and the path ahead would likely be fraught with challenges and dangers. With two Honō shinobi being put on the mission though, he felt a little sorry for his opposition. His clan was known for their destructive capabilities and, even if letting these enemies live was an option, it was unlikely that they’d want to live after having their flesh melted by lava.

Exiting the gates of Kusagakure, Mako felt a surge of anticipation coursing through him, this was the first time that he’d been paired with Kusari and the guy’s alias combined with some flitting rumors made Mako a little apprehensive to say the least. The midday sun cast his shadow long across the grasslands, painting a stark contrast against the vibrant greenery. As the wind whispered through the fields, he watched the grass dance in its gentle embrace, a prelude to the journey that lay ahead.

With a sense of purpose driving him forward, Mako scanned the horizon, his gaze settling on the distant figure of his teammate for this mission. With a casual wave and a cheerful "Yo!" He greeted them, while casually walking to within a few feet of his teammate for the mission. "I assume if it’s us two diplomacy is probably out the window, huh?” A laugh would escape Mako’s lips as he brought his internal thoughts directly to Kusari’s attention.

Rather than waiting for Kusari to respond, he’d keep walking, almost assuming that Kusari would start moving now that he was there. He wasn’t sure how fast Kusari was, so he’d simply match the guy’s travel pace once they got started, if Kusari didn’t move immediately he’d stop a few feet down the road and wait until he actually started traveling. They could potentially talk strategy while they moved.

Honō Kusari

[Honō Kusari]

The other youth was brimming with energy as he called out emphatically to Kusari. He kept walking, and as he passed, the elder Ninja turned and matched his pace. They were roughly the same height, but Mako was markedly more muscular.

Still within earshot of the village, simply agreeing with the other man was out of the question. It was important that if anyone could hear that they established some level of plausible deniability. Accepting a foregone conclusion meant that they had no intention of attempting to offer an olive branch, which could reflect badly on Kusagakure with the merchants- not that Kusari cared about that, exactly, but he knew he was already on thin ice with the powers that be.

"More than likely, the hope is that the prospect of intervention by Shinobi will act as a nuclear deterrent for further instances of the antagonistic behavior," he said as they trudged along the path, away from the village, toward their destination. "But the contingency also necessitates sending Shinobi who are capable of handling the problem in the eventuality that the aggressing party is not open to to a diplomatic solution."

The further they got from the village, the less inclined he felt to temper his words. Neither of them were the type who stood on ceremony, he could already tell.

After all, the other boy laughed at the prospect of violence. Perhaps, for a brief moment, they could get along. Kusari pulled a scroll from his sleeve and opened it, deciphering the instructions encoded there. "The outpost itself is a half day's walk." Given their current pace, they might make it by nightfall. That was good. The cover of darkness was the perfect backdrop for a more intimidating approach. If they wanted to really leave an impression, that was the safest bet.

"I don't doubt that the attackers will have the same idea, since purportedly, the harassment is on a consistent basis."

[323 words]
Mission: 3/15
Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako's attention was fully captured by Kusari's insightful assessment of their mission. Although his casual expression didn’t change he definitely reflected on the fact that if they didn’t at least try talking to the enemy that it would reflect poorly on the village. In the grand scheme of things, Mako cared much more about the village’s reputation than Kusari did, but he thought that simply asking the attackers to stop would likely be a dead end to explore

"Absolutely," Mako replied with a tone that exuded both understanding and determination. "I'm all for giving diplomacy a shot. Not only is it not my strong suit though, but when have you ever known people to stop harassing and attacking someone just because you asked nicely?" he added with a chuckle, acknowledging his preference for more direct approaches. Despite his skepticism, he understood the importance of at least attempting diplomacy for appearances' sake.

Continuing along the path at a steady pace, Mako found himself nodding in agreement with Kusari's assessment of the attackers likely resorting to similar tactics under the cover of darkness. "We'll need to stay vigilant," he remarked, a sense of resolve underlying his words.

Glancing at the scroll in Kusari's hands, Mako contemplated the distance to the outpost and the strategic implications of their impending arrival. "Half a day's walk should give us some time to formulate a plan," he observed, his mind already working through various scenarios.

"I'm more of a melee fighter myself, but I can provide ranged support with genjutsu if needed," Mako explained, offering insight into his capabilities. "Just watch out for my lava—it burns a lot hotter than most so you won’t want to get too close if I start using it," a note of caution in his voice as he warned Kusari.

With each step forward, Mako felt the weight of their mission pressing upon him like he did on every mission. Even if he didn’t know Kusari, Mako felt a lot more comfortable doing this mission with someone else. Not only that, but this mission gave him an opportunity to learn more about Kusari; despite being almost exactly the same age, they entered the academy at different times and mostly grew up apart.


Honō Kusari

[Honō Kusari]

"It is the nature of dogs to snarl," Kusari agreed.

In truth, what need would there be for such a mission in a world where people were not driven to violence for their own selfish desires? The economy of their village depended on commerce, on the ability of the merchants to do business, and for friendly competition to thrive. Without it, the more rabid, long standing institutions started to set prices, to take advantage of the people.

It was because of this that they were Shinobi at all.

When the other man started to talk strategy, Kusari silently approved. They could have gone on talking semantics for hours, and there were plenty of other Ninja he had met who might. Knowing your ally was as important as knowing your enemy, especially when it came to extremely volatile Jutsu like Yoton. As Mako spoke up in description of his combat ability, Kusari immediately noted that if they both started to use the Kekkei Genkai, it was unlikely that any buildings would survive the ordeal.

"Then we will have to be precise and cautious in employing our Jutsu," he said after a moment. "I doubt the party who petitioned for the mission would be pleased with much more collateral damage."

A troublesome truth, but a constraint that they had to work within as Shinobi of Kusagakure.

"I am capable at close and mid-range," he told the other, "We likely have nothing to worry about in terms of friendly fire, but we should be mindful of the way that fire tends to spread. My Jutsu could feed yours, and vice versa."

When it came to missions, Kusari was infinitely confident in his own ability. He cautioned Mako solely because he did not know him well, and human error was often the downfall of the best and most intricately planned missions. They would not lack for communication if he could help it. "It would be to our advantage to get there with some daylight left, if only to reconnoiter the area and those surrounding it. Be it laying traps or familiarizing ourselves with the terrain in the case of conflict..."

[356 words]
Mission: 5/15
Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako listened attentively to Kusari's reflections on the mission, nodding in agreement with his peer's sentiments. "You're right," he acknowledged, recognizing the necessity of their role as shinobi in maintaining the delicate balance of peace and commerce within their village. The economy thrived on stability, and their intervention was essential to ensure the continuation of friendly competition and fair trade.

As Kusari delved into strategy, Mako's focus sharpened, his mind shifting into tactical mode. He appreciated the pragmatic approach, knowing that efficiency and precision would be paramount, especially considering the potential destructive power of their respective jutsu. "One hundred percent agree," Mako responded, a note of determination creeping into his voice. "We’ll probably need to do our best not to bring the whole forest to ruin if we start tossing out lava, we might have to limit our use of it unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Getting there with daylight left sounds like a solid plan though," Mako agreed, already considering the various possibilities for reconnoitering the area and assessing potential threats. "We’ll need to pick up the pace a little if we want to make it with time to spare. I’d like to give us a bit of time to scope out the place, so we aren’t surprised by anything," he added, based on their initial assessment that if they kept this pace they’d get there just before sunset. Given the opportunity Mako wanted to have some extra time to maybe scope out the place.

With that said, Mako would slowly increase his pace. They wouldn’t be going at max speed, but at this new pace they might get there maybe 30 minutes to an hour ahead of time, which would give them ample time to watch their enemy and get a basic idea of the layout of things. Given the fact that the enemy didn’t have any shinobi they probably weren’t prepared to take on two shinobi. It’d be nice to get an idea of where all their potential enemies might be before they approach them, that way they’d be even more prepared if/when diplomacy failed.

Honō Kusari

[Honō Kusari]

"On you," Kusari affirmed, increasing his own pace attempting to match Mako's the other man was a bit fleeter of foot, admittedly, but he was able to stay within a comfortable distance behind his cousin without a fantastic amount of effort. Speeding along without using chakra was the optimal approach, if they intended to utilize their reserves at all in the probably inevitable conflict.

"Trapping the area does seem like the best approach," he called after a moment. "The more resistance we can thwart prematurely, the less need there will be to employ more severe methods. Plus, if we can whittle away at their numbers, they may be more inclined toward diplomacy. Though, I'm not holding my breath on that."

Mako was a no-nonsense type, which Kusari found to be a relief. Many of his clansmen were more preoccupied with glory, with honor, with all the things that ultimately detracted from a clean and quick ending to a mission. Sure, there were plenty of them who could give themselves over to passion when the chips were down, but most of them had hang-ups about it.

Fire was in their nature. Passion was their birthright. He felt himself looking over the man, waiting for the moment where something was said or done that ended the honeymoon phase of their first mission together. All he'd seen this far was an ideal partner for the job. Where was the disagreeable Honō he had grown to expect from all of his kin?

Had he found the unicorn?

They continued along the path for several hours, taking to the low road that led out of Kusagakure and into the southern central portion of Nohara no Kuni. This was where the outpost had been established as a connecting point between two minor trade routes and the path toward their village. They had wanted to keep a low profile, and so, only the merchants with credentials to deal with the Ninja Villages had any information on the hidden path. That also kept it mostly free of bandits. There were always exceptions, obviously.

"We're getting close," he told the other man. "The intel they gave us says that it would be difficult to miss."

[366 words]
Mission:7/15
Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako listened attentively as Kusari outlined their strategy, acknowledging the potential effectiveness of thinning out their enemy's numbers before resorting to more drastic measures. "Totally," Mako concurred, his gaze scanning the area for potential trap locations. "If we can create enough obstacles, it might give us the upper hand and force them to reconsider their approach."

As they continued their journey, Mako couldn't help but feel that Kusari wasn’t as bad as the rumors had suggested, appreciating his cousin's practical approach to the mission. It was a refreshing change from some of the more hot-headed members of their clan, granted they hadn’t broached the topic of whether they’d be taking any men alive or not.

The landscape gradually shifted around them as they neared their destination, and Mako's senses remained sharp, ready to react at a moment's notice. His eyes scanning the horizon, he'd let out a quiet proclamation, "I think that’s it."

As Mako and Kusari approached the outpost, its silhouette emerged on the horizon, a stark contrast against the backdrop of the grasslands. It consisted of a series of makeshift structures, hastily constructed from wood and stone, forming a crude perimeter around a central clearing. The buildings were weather-beaten and worn, evidence of the outpost's unofficial existence.

As they drew nearer, Mako's sharp eyes caught sight of movement along the outskirts of the outpost. "Looks like we've got maybe four stragglers assuming their guard situation is mirrored on the other side, and the leader is probably using the biggest building near the center," he observed, pointing out the figures lingering near the edges of the encampment. They appeared to be keeping watch, their movements cautious and deliberate.

Mako's lips formed a thin line as he surveyed the scene. "I'd prefer to knock them out rather than engage in a full-on confrontation," he remarked to Kusari, his voice low but resolute. "I just think diplomacy will be much more likely to be civil if we leave them alive." Mako would pause a little bit in thought before finalizing the train of thought, "Granted if they don’t accept the diplomatic approach it’ll be difficult to take them all alive unless we tie up their hands and walk back.”

He scanned the area for potential hiding spots, his mind already formulating a plan of attack. "What do you think Kusari?" the question came out quietly but he was curious what Kusari thought about the current layout and whether he thought it’d make more sense to take a hostile approach.


Honō Kusari

[Honō Kusari]

When they arrived, Kusari was already looking for potential areas to set up ambushes. The clearing itself had a small area of flat and even ground surrounded by trees that provided cover for would-be intruders. It was hidden decently enough, but if one already knew where it was- as the attackers obviously would- it was practically indefensible.

"Clearly, they were not expecting a fight." The red-eyed youth narrowed his eyes. It was an undisciplined merchant who made the decision, perhaps, but that made it even more grievous. Should a businessman not consider security among the utmost priorities?

The number of guards was small, meaning they were probably strapped for any help. "These aren't the ones we want to hurt," he explained. "See how anxious they look? It's clear that they're waiting for something to happen. They're expecting a conflict. Those are the petitioner's men."

He disliked that they didn't have things in order, that if the two Ninja from Kusagakure were to fail, the entire responsibility for the building and everything (and everyone) in it fell exclusively on them. It felt kind of like a set up for insurance fraud, with two skilled fall guys.

Of course, he didn't say that.

"That doesn't mean we should introduce ourselves, though. They don't know we're here, so the enemy doesn't, either. Let's maintain our plausible deniability for now."

Kusari got immediately to work, setting several explosive tags on trees, readying them to fall strategically to cut off escape routes, and potentially crush or maim anyone who got too close.

"As for what I think, he added at last, "when the guys we're waiting for do get here, we can make a bid for a diplomatic end to the situation. Failing that, I'm just going to kill them. There's no point in trying to save their lives when they wouldn't extend the same courtesy to us, and we gain nothing from keeping them around. If they aren't going to listen to reason to begin with, it doesn't matter if they're alive or not."

[340 words]
Mission: 9/15
Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako listened attentively to Kusari's assessment of the situation, his brow furrowing slightly at the mention of potentially killing their adversaries. While he understood the practicality of eliminating the threat, the notion didn't sit quite right with him. Although they had potentially harmed a lot of people’s lives by being a general nuisance and threatening people, they weren’t much of a threat in the grand scheme of things.

"Good catch, they do look a bit twitchy to be hardened thugs," Mako began, his voice carrying a hint of reluctance as he started talking about the enemy they were there to confront. "Killing them doesn’t quite sit right with me though. Just based on the threat level of the mission alone, they’re more like pests than real threats."

He glanced over at Kusari, searching his cousin's face for any sign of hesitation or doubt, before sighing. The look on his face was resolute and it was obvious that appealing to his emotions or sense of justice was the wrong path to take in this instance. "Fine, it’s not worth fighting about the fate of a bunch of criminals anyways, but we should at least make sure they aren’t a part of something bigger before we kill the leader."

Mako ran a hand through his hair in frustration as he watched his cousin set up. Kusari was much more of a strategist than Mako, he was setting up this elaborate plan to entrap the people they were there to confront, and meanwhile Mako would probably just punch them if given the opportunity. "Once we confirm that they aren’t a part of something bigger, and assuming the negotiations go poorly, we can just take them out." he admitted, his gaze returning to the outpost ahead before commenting on the actual plan. "You're a lot more of a strategist than I'm used to, Kusari, usually Honō like to just charge in and confront things head on. Not that I'm all that different, but actually having some sort of plan is a breath of fresh air."

As he made small talk with Kusari, Mako made a silent promise to himself to exhaust every possible avenue for a peaceful resolution before resorting to violence. He might not agree with Kusari's approach, but he knew that their mission's success depended on their ability to work together, despite their differences; and it wouldn’t bode well for the mission itself if they couldn’t come to a quick resolution about the fate of their enemy. If the enemy decided that they wanted to fight then they'd fight.


Honō Kusari

[Honō Kusari]

"I'll gladly make this concession for you," Kusari began when his cousin spoke about his reticence to take life. "I will exhaust all other options before resorting to lethal force." The other man was willing to be reasonable with regard to his morality, something many of their kind were more rigid about. Kusari was glad that Mako would rather not argue the point, and so, he was less rigid with his pragmatism in this particular instance. "As long as taking the prisoners is reasonably within our power, I'm willing to be flexible."

With the explosive tags in place, Kusari grabbed a twig off the ground and began to etch a rough layout of the surrounding area for Mako to look over. "These are the areas I've armed," he pointed to several stick figure-esque trees that he subsequently marked with x'es for ease of denotation. The explosions from the tags themselves are going to be non-lethal, but when the blasts go off, the trees could incapacitate or kill anyone unfortunate enough to be in the fall zones. Keep that in mind and try to avoid those areas. The trap isn't geared toward killing the enemy, rather, it's meant to cut them off from one another."

He tapped at several areas outside the fall zones. "The trees in this area are large enough that, after being felled, they will impede movement of most foot soldiers- barring the unlikely event we're dealing with enemy shinobi, they will be forced to go around the obstacles to regroup. That should buy us the time to deal with any enemies trapped inside after springing the trap. Obviously, though, that implies that we are running on a schedule."

Kusari took a breath, sighed, then smirk wryly at Mako. "I'm no stranger to the "Honō method," his lips tightened a bit as he shook his head. "There's much to be said for a plan." he agreed entirely- then his voice quieted, and he muttered under his breath. "Don't tell that hag Chisai you agreed with me, though."

[339 words]
Mission: 11/15
Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako listened intently to Kusari's words, a sense of relief washing over him as he realized his cousin's willingness to accommodate his moral reservations. It was a rare concession in their line of work, where the line between right and wrong often blurred in the pursuit of duty. He offered Kusari a grateful nod, appreciating his flexibility in the matter.

"Thanks," Mako replied sincerely, his gaze following as his cousin outlined the areas armed with explosive tags. He studied the makeshift map, committing the layout to memory as Kusari explained the purpose of each trap. The non-lethal nature of the explosions reassured him, knowing that they could incapacitate without causing permanent harm, although an explosive tag always had the potential to be lethal this wasn’t the tags’ purpose.

As Kusari elaborated on the strategy, despite the basic nature of the plan, Mako couldn't help but admire any display of tactics. In a mission like this he would have just gone in and chased the stragglers down. The planning and consideration of cutting off escape routes highlighted Kusari's experience and expertise as a shinobi. Mako made a mental note to trust in his cousin's judgment, knowing that their success depended on their ability to execute the plan effectively.

"I'm impressed, Kusari," Mako admitted, a hint of admiration in his tone. "It’s generally a pretty basic strategy but it’s sound enough. It looks like they’re short on people or all of the enemy is inside the camp itself, so we probably can skip the neutralization of straggling guards."

He chuckled at Kusari's mention of the 'Honō method', acknowledging the reputation their clan held for its direct and sometimes aggressive approach to conflict resolution. While he shared some of the clan's traits, luckily for Kusari, Mako was much more flexible than many of his kin.

"Don’t worry though, I won’t even tell Chisai that you called her a hag," Mako laughed softly, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. "But we should probably circle around to the entrance of their camp so that it looks like we’re just coming in normally and we should just try to get a meeting with the enemy.” Mako would point back the way they came, and assuming there wasn’t any objections from Kusari, he’d start heading back the way they came from before adding, "If things start going south we’ll cut off their exits and handle it from there.”

With the map in mind, and assuming Kusari was fine with going back to the entrance he’d lead the way back to the entrance of the enemy’s camp, and be the first to wave down one of the people on the outskirts of the camp, who Kusari had pointed out was likely one of the people that had contracted them for the mission to begin with.


Honō Kusari

[Honō Kusari]

They had arrived with some time to spare, so the preparations he'd made would hopefully bear some kind of fruit. Kusari noted his cousin's visible relief at the idea that this could be solved without needless death. There were differences between them, certainly, but Mako it seemed had a cooler head than many of their kind. His personality seemed to favor the earth element rather than fire.

"I'm all for tactical reposition and a disarming approach," he consented with a slow nod. "After all, we want to try to sell the politicking."

The two of them made their way safely around the traps and out of the wooded area, back to the main path that led to the outpost. Kusari and Mako walked in step with each other, the former with both hands tucked into the sleeves of his kimono while Mako, in his less traditional attire seemed like a guard or hired muscle. This was the illusion- the facade of a diplomat and his retainer from the Village Hidden in Grass, here to speak on behalf of leadership.

"Let's start with a bluff," Kusari whispered in a low voice to Mako. "Follow my lead. Let's see if we can get them to volunteer any information we can use."

The golden haired youth raised his voice.

"Good evening!" he declared. "I've come at the behest of Kusagakure, under the authority of the current sitting Lord. We want to try to settle the differences between the Merchant, Hibiki, and you lovely gentlemen."

He removed his small, golden fan from where it rested inside of his sleeve, snapped it open, and began to fan himself. After all, he had to appear as a diplomat, not cut out for this distance of travel or the kind of terrain that they had covered to make it this far.

[304 words]
Mission: 13/15
Honō Mako

[Honō Mako]

Mako observed Kusari's demeanor, noting the subtle changes in his cousin's demeanor as they both agreed on a more diplomatic approach and slowly began to approach the entrance of the camp. Despite their differences, Mako found comfort in Kusari’s willingness to bend and make compromises. In the grand scheme of things, both of them were very different from their hotheaded family. He nodded in agreement with Kusari's plan, acknowledging the necessity of presenting themselves as diplomats rather than aggressors.

"Sounds like a plan," Mako whispered back, his voice low as they approached the outpost. He fell into step beside Kusari, maintaining a composed, yet casual, demeanor as they prepared to engage with the inhabitants of the encampment. While Kusari exuded an air of elegance and refinement, Mako's presence lent a sense of strength and readiness to their duo. Despite their shared station Mako was quick to pick up on the fact that Kusari was presenting himself as the diplomat in this situation.

As Kusari initiated their bluff, Mako allowed his cousin to take the lead in their diplomatic exchange. He observed Kusari's confident posture and graceful gestures, impressed by his ability to command attention and authority in any situation. Although it was common for shinobi to have to utilize subterfuge and take on fake identities to perform their duties it was a rare sight to see a Honō lie so naturally.

Rather than remain completely silent and steadfast, Mako established his purpose for being here, it wasn’t exactly a lie and it helped to serve as supporting statement for Kusari, "Hey, I'm just here to ensure that negotiations proceed smoothly and my client makes it home safely," Mako interjected, his voice carrying a hint of authority. He glanced around the outpost, his gaze lingering on the men gathered before them, assessing their reactions.

As the tension in the air thickened, Mako caught the skeptical glare of the guard stationed at the front gate. Undeterred, he maintained his composed facade, meeting the man's gaze with a steady stare. He knew that their bluff had to be convincing if they were to gain an audience with the leader of the camp. After a moment of silent scrutiny, the guard's expression softened slightly, a begrudging acknowledgment of their presence. With a curt nod, the thug at the front gate gestured for them to follow him, "Yeah yeah, whatever man, just follow me.” indicating that he would guide them, presumably to the building where their supposed boss awaited.

Mako exchanged a brief glance with Kusari. It was difficult to tell whether the guards believed them. The feeling Mako got was that the guards at the front gate were too disinterested in giving the specifics of the situation all that much thought. Either way, it didn’t seem like they would meet much resistance, the guards were run of the mill thugs and criminals that didn’t seem like much of a threat.



Honō Kusari

[Honō Kusari]

"Of course, of course~" the more extravagant looking Honō seemed to flow with all the regal bearing of a proper dignitary. His walk was seamless, each step timed to be light and make little sound, so as to not distract or impede proceedings nearby. With the fan now hiding his expression, Kusari's eyes flicked toward Mako, who had already started giving him an uncertain gaze. Theirs was established as the relationship between mercenary and diplomat, so such things were frivolities, easily overlooked at face value.

Unfortunately, they had to improvise from here. He had no way of feeding the other man information or telling him anything important, so he had to hope that Mako was observant, careful, and thought critically.

To put it bluntly, he'd just gambled very heavily on the guy based on only a few minutes of getting to know him.

There was always the contingency, if things went south.

The guard leading them deeper into the outpost held up a hand to stop their advance and shuffled ahead, sliding the door open and hurrying to the side of a man knelt seiza straight ahead of them. He knelt and whispered something, and Kusari watched the man's eyes snap open to consider then.

"On behalf of the Lord of Kusagakure, you say?" he mused, looking over the two Honō Clan Ninja thoughtfully. "Well, we're not in Kusagakure, so certain protections that your position affords you don't protect you out here. Tell me why I shouldn't have my men cut you down."

"Fufufu," Kusari tittered, full of mirth. "My, aren't we bold and assertive this evening," he tilted his head, eyes shut, features still masked behind his fan. "I'm sure even you merchant types are aware of the protections afforded to representatives of Nahara no Kuni by the Daimyo," he stated, citing one of the relevant codes. Shinobi they may be, but knowledge of the law of the Nation that they serve was important in many missions. "If we were to not make it back and Nakahara-sama were forced to inquire after us... well, that would be bad for business, would it not?"

"..." the man looked them over a second time, peering harder at Kusari than before. "Well, any diplomat should know that much..." he started to mutter discontented.

"Now, about the dispute..."

[384 words]
Mission: 15/15
Honō Mako