In the Land of the Nin

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In the Land of the Nin

Post by Halcyon508 »

In the land of the Nin there is only war. Wars are fought between groups of elite warriors trained in the art of stealth, deception, and murder. The man stared around into the depth of the forest as he panted from the exertion. The man tightened the mask around his mouth and the lower section of his face. Three nights he’s been running, the man smiled a bit under his mask, and now he believed he’d beaten his pursuers. Resting the man stopped, still clad in the dark blue loose fitting clothing from when he began the mission, and looked at the scroll in his hand. “I need to get back to the village.” He said softly to himself. “The elders need to know!”

As he shuffled his foot to continue his run he sensed something and dove to the side. It was at this moment that a number of well aimed needles landed where he had just stood. “Damn!” he cursed. “You finally caught up with me?”

“It wasn’t hard.” The voice echoed around the man and he glared in various directions attempting to find the source of the voice. “You were sloppy, you left a trail.”

“Heh.” The blue clad man replied, “I’ll have to do better next time.” He replied to the voice.

“There will be no next time!”

The mysterious voice shot back. The blue man jumped to one side and threw a knife. “There is always a next time.” A body fell out of a nearby tree, a large throwing knife dug deep into its chest. “And it will take a thousand years for you to catch up to me.” The blue man smirked and walked over to the corpse. The man he had killed wore a green jacket over a white and black patterned uniform. The blue man hit the corpse with his toe knocking it onto his back so he could see the face of his victim. “What?” he said seeing a perfectly round and smooth object, almost like a faceless porcelain doll. “No!” he said as a knife stabbed into his back. “A trick?”

“A trick.” A voice called. A man dressed identically to the manikin said. He was perched up on a tree having just thrown the knife. “Oldest trick in the book.” Jumping off the branch he landed gracefully on the ground below staring at the blue man. “And you fell for it. So how many years will it take for me to catch up to you?”

“Heh...” The blue man replied ripping off his mask revealing his face. A smile formed, “A thousand.” He charged forward. The two engaged each other with fists and knives dodging and thrusting back and forth. The blue man slashed his opponent across the chest, the green jacket absorbing most of the blow, and then was almost immediately stabbed in the chest. “Ten thousand.” He said spitting up a bit of red liquid. It was almost over, his life was almost finished, his mission failed.

Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a small ball like object. “You bastard.” He said simply. “If I’m going down I’m taking you with me!” he focused his body’s energy into the ball bursting it. A black cloud surrounded him followed quickly by fire as an explosion turned the entire area into a crater.

Smoke lifted from the crater and a menacing laugh could be heard. A man in white and black pattern clothes and a green jacket approached wiggling his fingers in the air. As he did so three figures walked up next to him, each in the same clothing, each bearing his face.


Fuse Jinn was a midsized boy, not to tall and not small for his age but that’s where average ended for him. His families were all high ranked Nin within the Village Hidden in the Wilds and he was a recent graduate of the academy. The boy’s purple eyes glared at his selection of clothes as he began to dress. He put on a dark blue, almost black, short sleeved shirt and knees cut and hemmed pair of muted brown shorts. Wrapping his legs and feet in puttees he protected himself from underbrush and help cushion his feet to prevent sound when moving he was now ready for the final piece. His father had given it to him when he graduated from the Academy a week earlier; the boy reached out and grabbed the light blue headband and wrapped it around his head keeping his black hair from his eyes. On the center displayed to the world was a red setting sun with the silhouette of a bonsai tree. “Let’s go!” he yelled jumping up into the air!

Carrying the small pouch with him he ran down the streets towards the central hub of the village. As he ran past he smiled and gleamed at many of the adults around him. Suddenly he reached a crew beginning construction on the road ahead. The energetic boy ignored the dug out road and jumped into the air landing on the power lines that the workers were attempting to bury underground. He ran across them hopping playfully each time he reached one of the large wooden poles. The workers shook their fist at him and yelled as he smiled to himself. Finally he passed the construction and flipped landed back on the road. “Perfect ten!” he said as he examined both of his feet sitting perfectly next to one another.

With a big smile he entered into the Village Center. For a village based off their skills as mercenaries the Village Center is where all those went to get jobs and receive missions. Jinn smiled widely as he walked down the hall. He was with squad thirteen, a new training squad authorized by the elders. Approaching the front desk he asked the crotchety old man which way to his teams meeting place. The man gruffly told him the location. Jinn walked down a set of hallways and finally reached the door. He slid it open and looked inside the dark damp room which appeared to have fallen out of use. “I must be early.” He said to himself walking in and sitting down at one of the nearby desks.

The youth waited switching positions several times and fidgeting in his seat. Suddenly he heard a noise and the door slid open the room. “Jacan?” he asked seeing another youth come in. “JACAN-KUUUN!”
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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The Ramen Shop was busy this time of the day, hardly an empty seat to be found. It was perfect. Asura Jacan crouched down in a back corner of the shop doing his best to conceal himself and to stop the laughter from bursting out of him. Jacan was a young Nin with ash gray hair and bright orange eyes. He was dressed in a crimson shirt and puttee's wrapped around his forearms and lower legs. His shorts were long, black and baggy and he wore a pair of black ankle boots. Over-top of his undershirt he wore an open steel-gray vest and a forehead protector of crimson was tied around his right bicep.

The Asura family was neither low on the village totem nor absolutely renowned. Nin of the clan were known to become respectably powerful, with the usual outliers on the top and bottom of the spectrum.

The Ramen Shop that Jacan was currently hiding in happened to be owned by an aunt of his and he was sure he'd be catching hell for this later but he was just too darned excited today to care! He'd recently graduated from the Academy and had been assigned to a team. Team Thirteen! And their first meeting was today! The young boy watched on as one by one the patrons of the shop began loosening their colors, wiping their brows, or gobbling at their glasses of water. Some of their faces turned red and others eyes started to water. Several shoved away their bowls in surprise and shock.

He couldn't contain his laughter any longer and as he burst out with a proud chuckle he sensed a presence take notice of him. Turning his head slightly to the side he saw his Aunt, arms crossed over her chest and her face nearly as red as her customers. Though her's wasn't because of his Taste-of-Fire technique.

"Jacan-Kun! Are you responsible for this!?" She shouted.

Jacan had been made, and he needed a getaway. His orange eyes shifted left and right, then a sloppy smirk spread over his lips and he vaulted up on top of a nearby counter. "People of the Hidden in the Wild Village, you've been had by the Blazing Bandit!" he confidently shouted and tossed a small dark orb onto the counter in front of him. The orb immediately exploded, creating a dense cloud of dark smoke. By the time his Aunt hurried forward and fanned through the smoke, Jacan had leaped through the open window and was running through the village.

"Have to hurry." he spoke as he dodged pedestrians and zig-zagged through the buildings. "Can't be late to the first meeting!"

A handful of minutes later he was bursting into the Village Center and confidently striding up to the front desk. He demanded the location of his teams meeting place and the grumpy old man furrowed his brows and glared down at him.

Jacan's face fell as he realized that in his excitement he'd stepped over the lines of respect and his behavior was unacceptable. He shied away a bit and tucked his hands down by his sides and bowed slightly before asking again more respectfully. The man seemed appeased by this and gave him the information he'd requested, and Jacan then walked much more patiently down the corridor towards the room.

When he passed the threshold of the door he sensed the other child's presence and then heard Jinn address him. For a moment his gaze darkened with the realization that he'd arrived late but then he noticed that there was no one else in the room and the frown disappeared. Instead he bounded into the room and slammed into Jinn with an excited embrace.

"JINN-KUN! We're finally here!"
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"So your on my team?" Jinn said pulling the boys arms off him. "Do you know who else is on it? Do you know what our first mission is? Do you know who our team leader and mentor is?" He continued with his machine gun questioning. "Wait why are you here?" he finally asked in a questioning manner. "I mean don't they create these teams based on abilities?" The comment could go either way, an insult or a compliment, Jinn meant the later. Each team was comprised of people of various levels of talent in order to maintain equality throughout. Jinn himself was rated top in his class, a genius level student when it came to the techniques of the Nin. He was however a bit of a slacker so he didn't make the number one slot, which in his mind was good because he would have also been tagged with the class's last spot, a person who would undoubtedly bring the team as a whole down. Jacan, as Jinn knew, was a mid level Nin close in skill to him which meant either his poor academic grades had brought him down to mid level despite his top marks in technique and skills, or the third member of the team was someone that would be less desirable.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan stepped back a few feet as Jinn went about firing away with his questions. When it finally seemed as though the black haired youth was done and had turned slightly introspective, Jacan replied.

"Easy, Jinn-Kun!" he started, "I don't know the answer to any of those questions, I didn't even know that you were on my team until just now. But we'll find out all of that and more very soon!" He exclaimed, glancing around the room they found themselves in briefly. It seemed abandoned, and it led him to wonder just why their Team Leader had chosen here to meet. Jacan wondered about Jinn's last question as well. He hadn't been told upon graduation what place among his peers he had come, but Asura Jacan was a very skilled and adept Nin. Perhaps all the trouble he caused had lessened him in his teachers eyes. The young boy frowned slightly at that thought.

"Say, Jinn-Kun, what kind of a place is this, anyway?!" He asked, motioning around the room with one hand.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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The black haired boy looked up and around at the dilapidated room. "It looks like an old storage closet with some desks added to it." he said biting his lower lips. Looking around the room he examined the water stained walls and stared at the damp concrete floors. At one point there had been carpet or hardwood floors but now only concrete and a layer of dried half removed glue remained. "I wonder why this room looks so bad when all the ones around it are perfectly clean and nice?" Pausing he thought for a moment, "Do you think its a training room for some sort of water technique?"
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan walked over to the nearest wall and reached out to touch it. The young Nin immediately regretted not wearing gloves today. Jacan placed his fingertips and palm against the walls surface and partially closed his eyes. It was said that through enough concentration and practice, a Nin was capable of gathering a reading or information from inanimate objects. He walked forward slowly, dragging his fingers along the wall behind him... When a desk finally blocked his path, he knelt down to touch the floor in the same manner...

He stood with a short sigh. "I can't tell. Possibly.." he turned to face Jinn with a shrug. "Whatever this place is, I hope were not here for long.."
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"Yeah." Frowning a bit Jinn examined the room again. "It certainly has it's own... I don't know... charm?" he sighed a bit to himself, "When is our third teammate getting here? And when is our team leader getting here?"


Fuse Jahms jumped across the tree branches trying his best not to leave a trail. No one should have been following the pair as they made their way towards the rendezvous. They arrived and found nothing, their fellow Nin had been late. The two stared at each other and began their search of the general area. "So I heard that Jacan-kun was to be in squad thirteen with my Jinn." the man said, "It's good that they keep the familiar teams together." he smirked at the man. He was a splitting image of his son Jinn. Jet Black hair matched by purple eyes so deep and dark they might as well had been midnight. He was a handsome man and skilled and knew the business of secrecy. It didn't take long before the two reached the crater caused the night before by their comrade. He had been far closer then they had realized. "They get along right?" He asked staring at the smoldering crater, examining the contents. "Your Jacan and my Jinn I mean."
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"I'm already here," a girl said suddenly as she dropped into view hanging upside down from the rafters. Her face appeared just three feet away from Jinn's and he jumped in surprise. "You must be Jinn-kun," she said with a giggle then she held her hand out towards him, "I'm Ayame."

Jinn was about to take the offered hand when her eyes flicked up and spotted Jacan. Immediately she withdrew her hand and dropped to her feet just as Jinn's fingertips brushed against hers and then she threw her arms around Jacan. "Jacan-chan," she squealed, "I can't believe we're in the same squad together! This is like the bestest thing to ever happen to me!"
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan had been surprised as well when Ayame had dropped down from the rafters of the room. He hadn't sensed anyone else nearby, how had she gotten inside? Not that it mattered, but she'd been sneaking up on him and the others like that since as long as he could remember. His orange eyes widened as she took notice of him and threw her arms around him in an excited embrace. He returned the gesture, giving her a friendly squeeze.

"Ayame-Chan! We finally made it!" he spoke as the pair spun around from the momentum of her hug. He let go and took a step back before tilting his head a bit to the side and adjusting his vest. "We're going to be the greatest of all the Teams. Team Thirteen!"
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Asura Lokke knelt to the ground and picked up a handful of scorched and crumbled soil, squeezing it through his fingertips, his eyes closed in concentration. He grunted a bit, his features wincing at something only his minds-eye could see, and then he let the rest of the dirt fall back to the earth and stood back up, the light breeze shifting some of his long gray hair into his face. Their friend had been chased here...

"Yes I think so." he finally replied to Jahms, though his attention remained on the crater. "As well as boys their age can, at any rate. If I remember correctly you and I weren't exactly the fondest of one another during our academy days..."
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"Ayame-chan is pretty...." Jinn said aloud, under his breath, as he watched her greet Jacan. The greetings were over and Jinn pulled Jacan to the side and shot an arm over his shoulder pulling them close together. Jinn then turned their backs on Ayame so his voice wouldn't travel. "Are you and Ayame... you know?" he asked in a suddenly serious and low tone making sure not to allow his voice to be heard by the girl.

"Ayame-chan is cuuuute." He added unnecessarily.

Jacan's forehead wrinkled a bit as he understood the question Jinn was asking him. Were he and Ayame... Jacan looked back over his shoulder ever so slightly to look at Ayame again. She was pretty. Prettier than alot of the other girls... But she was Jacan's friend and to speak of her the way Jinn-Kun was...

Jacan's eyes brightened and the boy slapped Jinn over the back of the head with a dull thud. "Oi! Jinn-Kun how can you think of our teammate that way, it isn't right, you know?" he spoke tersely, but in the same close-huddle volume so Ayame could not overhear.

"Good then you aren't." Jinn said beaming a large smile. "AYAME-CHAN!" he yelled loudly "Nice to meet you!"

He started to approach the girl when suddenly a booming voice overcame the room. "It is good to know that everyone has gotten to know each other." Jinn heard the voice and jumped back his feet coming together and hitting the wall before he hurled himself at the source.

"I got you dirty peeper!" he yelled as an invisible hand grabbed him and hurled him across the room. The boy flipped and Jinn's back slammed into the wall and he slid down it slowly, head first, hitting the ground.

"You figured out where I was?" The voice laughed before appearing in front of the group. "That is impressive." The man was tall with hair black as the night and a youthful face. He had a small wooden skewer hanging from his mouth. "I am Adachi Hiroto." he said as if that meant something. The man waited spitting the skewer from his mouth letting it land on the ground. Jinn looked and noticed that the ground was littered with identical skewers. "I am your team leader as of today." Jinn stood up and stared at the man who had been camouflaged among them since arriving. "I don't need to be introduced to you, I've heard and seen everything that has happened in this room." The man waited for his young charges to digest the information. "When you are ready. Tell me and I'll begin the briefing for the first mission."
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Then the voice cut into their gathering Jacan was as quick to act as Jinn. Only instead of going on the offensive and blindly attacking the opponent as Jinn did, Jacan moved sideways in the blink of an eye, placing himself between the voice and Ayame and squaring his posture off to face the enemy. His left hand holding a talon-tipped kunai, black in color. The blade was similar to the standard Kunai, except that it had a clawed hook at the very tip. It was somewhat less versatile than the standard version, but it was specialized for close combat and dealing severe damage to a foe. The talon-tipped kunai was a signature weapon of the Asura family and many of them had been passed down through generations of Nin warriors.

The young boys orange eyes focused intently on the location that Jinn had been thrown from. He didn't know how his friend had known where to attack but he was glad that he had. Then the stranger began to chuckle and suddenly appeared before them. Jacan narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his kunai before the man introduced himself as their new mentor and team leader. He took a deep breath and slowly stood out of his stance, straightening bent knees and returning the kunai to its sheath. Adachi Hiroto... This was a powerful Nin, to become a Team Leader. Jacan's arms fell to his sides and he bowed slightly in greeting, but refrained from introducing himself as was Hiroto's instruction.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Ayame blinked in surprise when Jinn pulled Jacan aside and started talking to him in whispers. She tried to edge closer to them but the two boys drifted further away. Finally she just turned and sat down on one of the desks happily swinging her legs back and forth. Jacan and me on the same team, I can't believe my luck! He'll notice me for sure now! For as long as she'd known him Ayame has had a crush on him. She was always doing things to try and get his attention but Jacan just never really seemed to notice. That was all going to change now that they'd be working together.

Her reminiscing and silent plotting soon came to an end, though, when a booming voice suddenly filled the room. Jinn tried to foolishly attack whatever it was and promptly got his just deserts from it too. Jacan however moved to protect her which made her squeal with glee. He thought of me, her mind screamed at her. Then a forth figure had appeared in the room and introduced himself as their leader. Ayames eyes flicked between him, Jacan, Jinn and then back to Jacan again. She didn't say anything though and just stood to face her teacher to show that she was ready.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"Hiroto-sensei..." Jinn started but was then silenced by a look from the senior Nin.

"So you have all gotten to know each other. Now its time to discuss our first mission as team thirteen! But first a history lesson." He began. "When I was fresh out of the academy like you I was assigned to team thirteen." Walking forward the man sat on the desk. "In the history of our village, there has always been a team thirteen! Team thirteen is the elite of our village and you will not let me down."

"No sir!" Jinn said smiling. "We won't let you down."

"Good!" Smirking the man sat down on the table and fiddled with a knife. "The Island Cove County has had a rash of murders. Someone has been drowning people and bringing them up onto shore." Biting his lower lip he then added, "They have contracted us to find out who is doing it. They suspect a street gang." Standing up he walked towards the door and slid it open. He waited for the team to fall in behind him. "It's a two day trip, are you all ready?" he asked.

"YES SIR!" Jinn yelled jumping up in the air. "But can't we get a cooler mission?"
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan stood very still and his orange eyes focused intensely on the Team Leader as he told them of the heritage of Team Thirteen. Elite? We are to be Elite? His lips formed a tight smile at the thought of this. The smile was replaced with a serious and somber expression, however, when Hiroto-Sensei told them of their first mission. Murders in another Country....

When Jinn started to complain about the mission and ask the Sensei for a new one, Jacan felt he could turn around and stop focusing on their Leader so that he could check on their teammate. "Ayame-Chan..." he nearly whispered, "Are you alright?" He asked her. He hadn't had a chance after their Sensei surprised them and then started to lecture.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan-chan, Jacan-chan, Ayame kept repeating to herself as she gently rocked herself back and forth in her chair. She was too busy daydreaming to really pay attention to what their Sensei had to say. If she had then she would probably be a bit worried but as it was she was completely lost in lala land when Jacan turned to her and asked if she was alright.

Ayame stopped rocking and stared at him, blinking in surprise. Finally she just smiled. "Of course I am, because I get to be with you!"

Then she realized what she just said and quickly covered her mouth. I can't believe I just said that out loud! I hope he doesn't think I'm some kind of crazy stalker! Ayame, you idiot! "I mean, um--you and Jinn! I get to be with you and Jinn," she covered for herself.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan's head tilted a bit to the side once again. Ayame sure is acting different today... He thought to himself. Though he couldn't have begun to guess why. Must be a girl thing. He finally smiled at her and nodded, as if that was a proper response. "Together we'll be the Elite Team Thirteen and complete many dangerous missions." He spoke, pride seeping into his boyish voice and making it sound more serious. "But don't worry, Ayame-Chan. I'll protect you, always."
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"Eep," she cried, drawing in a sharp breath. Oh my god, he is so cool, she thought as she fell backwards into her chair. Her legs became as putty an she slid down in her chair until only her face was just barely visible over the top of the desk. Jacan-chan said he's going to protect me, there isn't a thing in this world I have to fear now!

"Ayame-chan," Hiroto snapped and the girl shot straight up into her chair like a bent twig.

"Yes, Hiroto-sensei!"

"Pay attention," he told her and Ayame's cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Silently she nodded and Hiroto turned his attention back to Jinn.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Hiroto gave them all a nod. "As I was saying, its a two day trip."

"How will we be traveling?" Jinn asked curiously, "On foot it would take a week, probably more."

"We aren't walking." Hiroto said as he led the group out the door. He didn't answer the anymore of Jinn's questions as he led the group through the building and outside. There they were greeted by two large lizards about the size of large ground car. Each was ash gray with black spots broken up by a light gray, almost white, boarder. One was larger then the other. Hiroto jumped on the smallest of the two mounting it like a horse. The largest had a wicker basket on top with three seats for the young Nin. "Summoned from the Land of Heat." he said softly nodding. "Jacan-kun should know of the Salamanders."

Jinn stood up and jumped onto the basket thumping hard. "What do you know about it Jacan-kun?" he asked softly.

"The Salamanders and Clan Asura have a long standing friendship. Although its less frequent now then it used to be our clan has in the past signed summoning contracts with them." he looked down at the creature. "Even when there is no contract at younger ages they like to roam and sometimes end up coming to the village."

"Yo! Hiroto-kun!" The large Salamander groaned, "Is it really okay for me to be doing this?"

"Yes, I'm sure it is." Hiroto replied.

"Shut up and carry the kids oniichan!" The smaller lizard carrying Hiroto snapped.

"How troublesome." the lizard sighed. "Do I really need to carry three kids?"

"Only as far as the Brown River." Hiroto replied. "After that we will take a ferry up river to the sea and to Island Cove County."

"Gah how very troublesome." The lizard sighed. He had been around mammals for far too long.

"Oniichan!" the younger lizard yelled. "Race you there!" Suddenly the creatures feet started moving as his body slithered and took off down the road at an alarming pace.

"How troublesome..." the larger of the two Salamanders replied. Ayame and Jacan climbed up into the basket. "This is going to be a long sixteen hours." he said setting off down the road after his little brother.

The basket bounced and shifted on the creatures back as they moved. "This isn't going to be a smooth ride!" Jinn said.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan hadn't taken a seath like Jinn-Kun had, rather he stood at the very edge of the basket and held on to its railing, watching the landscape shift by as they trampled through the wilds towards the river. He'd spent many hours mounted on the Salamandars and was very adept at riding them. The boy was not jostled or bothered at all by the roughness of the ride, his feet remaining planted to the floor of the basket as he anticipated the shifts the animal would make instinctively.

"What are you talking about, Jinn-Kun?" he asked curiously, glancing over his shoulder as he did so.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jinn bounced around shaking in the wicker basket. "Sixteen hours." he yelled. "of this!" his body jumped around sliding around. "I can stand up and stay stable too but standing like that for sixteen hours is a work out!"

"How troublesome..." the lizard replied, "What is wrong with you people! I'm giving you a free ride taking a week off your trip and yet your complaining."

"A smoother ride would be nice!" Jinn yelled at the lizard.
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Let's live for now and anyhow who needs domani?
~ Frank Sinatra, Forget Domani
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"I don't see what the problem is," Ayame replied. She like Jacan was also standing in the basket rather than sitting. She'd never been on one of these lizards before but she had an excellent sense of balance and quickly learned to anticipate the rocking motion of the lizard's shoulders. Her eyes briefly flicked up from Jinn to Jacan and suddenly her expression darkened. That jerk's not even watching me! It's not like this is easy, you know!
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jinn stared at Ayame who was in turn glaring fire and brimstone at Jacan. Sighing Jinn stood up and positioned his feet keeping balance. "Well this is all fine and good." He said having no difficulties. "But what about when its hour 12, and its time for us to sleep so we won't be useless?" Jinn grumbled a bit.

It had been sixteen hours and the youths were all but exhausted from their little competition seeing who could stay up the longest. Jinn set up the groups tent while Jacan set the camp fire. "We have time to sleep finally!" he said. It would only be four hours but it was better than nothing. On the boat ride they would have nearly all day. Jinn pulled some food out of his pack and prepared to cook it over the open flame. Using his fingers he punctured the top of the can and ripped the lid off getting to the packaged and processed meat inside. A small metal sheet made up his pan as he put it over the fire. "Everyone ready to eat?" he asked as the meat began to sizzle.
Domani, forget domani
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan looked turned back away from the younger and smaller of the two Salamanders, and focused his orange eyed gaze on Jinn and the fire that Jacan himself had started. Food did sound good, and he'd already left the lizards with some of the special spicy treats that his Clan made for them. The young Nin smiled and nodded his head. "Aye. Let's eat." He answered, heading back over towards their tent and digging out his own portion of processed food.

Jacan placed his meat on the pan a far distance away from Jinn's, then began to build up energy in his index and middle fingers. He glanced off into the distance and used the Create Sound technique to make it seem as if there was something back behind Jinn. When the boy looked away, Jacan swiftly placed his fingers down on the very top of Jinn's slab of meat, imbuing it with the spicy hot Taste of Fire. He had quickly withdrawn his hand and was already rummaging through his pack by the time Jinn had turned around, none the wiser of what had just transpired.

"Hiroto-Sensei, is it alright if I go to look for some water?" He asked, thinking some warm tea would be a great addition to their meal. "Do either of you want to come along?" He asked, turning to look at Jinn and then Ayame as he waited for their leader to give permission.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"I would!" Ayame cried shooting instantaneously to her feet. She was tired from the sixteen hour trip on the back of a giant salamander but she could summon up just enough energy to follow Jacan out into the woods. She was pushing her limits as it was but she wasn't about to miss an opportunity to be alone with the main object of her attraction.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Hiroto-Sensei nodded his head slightly in the direction of the woods. "Aye. Stay close together and be quick about it, though." He cautioned the two Nin.

Jacan bowed slightly and then grabbed hold of a large canteen. He turned to wait for Ayame and then started walking off into the woods next to her. "Have you ever been this far from the village, Ayame-Chan?" He asked after they'd lost sight of the camp.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jinn waited for Ayame and Jacan to walk out of few into the forest around them. He was jealous of his friend, longing to be alone with Ayame. Sighing Jinn looked at his food. As he examined it he could see the energy that had been in Jacans finger tips now saturating his food. "Taste of Fire?" he said with a bit of a sigh. He stood up with his plate and hand and quickly switched it with Jacans. "The Blazing Bandit burns out..." The boy smiled broadly.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"No, this is my first time," Ayame replied. She couldn't control the flushing of her cheeks and so she tried to avoid making eye contact with the boy as the wandered through the woods looking for water. "How about you, Jacan-Chan? Have you ever been this far from the village?"
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan slowed his pace and then crouched down near a fallen tree and squinted his eyes as he examined some markings in the dirt. He nodded his head a bit and then glanced back over his shoulder to look at Ayame. "Once or twice." He replied modestly. "My father used to bring me out here with him every once and awhile." he continued. "These tracks go off in this direction, let's follow them and see where if they lead us to water."
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"Good idea," Ayame quickly agreed with an eager smile and the two children started to follow the tracks in the ground. As they walked Ayame kept her eyes on the ground and something started to nag at her in the back of her mind. "Um, Jacan-Chan," she said after awhile, "what do you think these tracks belong to?"
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"Well they're definitely not Nin tracks." the boy stated as he ducked under a low hanging branch. "They go about as deep as ours do, though... So whatever they belong to probably weighs about as much as us. And judging by the outline it looks like it's clawed. Probably a Ridgecat." He concluded, finishing with a nod as if that sealed the discussion.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"Ridgecat," Ayame nearly exclaimed but then she had the sense of mind to keep her voice down. Her heartbeat quickened, though, and she felt a pit growing in her stomach. "Aren't they predators? What if these tracks lead us right to it?"
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan shrugged slightly, then pulled out his talon-tipped kunai. "Then we'll be having a lot better meal than the meat rations that are warming up back at the camp." he replied with a sly grin. He could tell she was getting nervous, though, and he felt bad. The young Nin shook some gray hair out of his eyes and spoke once again. "Remember what I said back in the classroom?" he asked as they broke through the brush and out into a small clearing, at the end of which was a crystal clear stream.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"Right, you said you'd protect me," Ayame answered and she immediately started to feel better. "Well, we better hurry up and get back before Hiroto-Sensei starts to wonder where we are."
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan nodded and slid the large container off his shoulder and handed it to his teammate. "Here, I'll watch the woods in case the Ridgecat's come back." he told her, "Once it's full we can hurry back to the camp." he finished, setting himself up in a defensive stance, letting his orange eyes focus intensely on the shadows created by the tree's around them.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Ayame nodded then took the container and carefully dipped it into the stream. She held it there until she was sure it was full then put a stopper on it and quickly stood up. "Okay, let's start heading back," she said handing the full jug of water over to him. She had a little trouble lifting it up but was relieved when Jacan accepted the burden from her. Then she pulled out her kunai knife and started to lead the way back to the campsite.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jacan took the container from her and then he followed Ayame back through the woods towards their campsite. They'd made it about halfway back before a Viper snapped down from a tree branch nearby and hissed at Ayame. She gasped and stumbled backwards to avoid the snakes initial fang strike. Jacan narrowed his eyes as he caught Ayame in his left arm to keep her from falling. The gray haired Nin then raised his right hand to his lips and used his Breath Fire technique, spouting a short burst of flame that drove the Viper away.

"Ayame-Chan, are you alright?" he asked her as he helped her regain her balance. She nodded her head slightly and he offered her a reassuring smile before they got back to the path, walking a little bit faster and staying a little more alert this time until they finally reached the campsite again. Jacan took the container of water over near the fire and started setting things up so that he could brew them some tea for dinner.
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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Jinn watched as Jacan and Ayame came back. He had to admit he was jealous of the two's time spent together. Jinn ate his meal and then smiled as Jacan took a bite. The fire would get to him in a few seconds, just long enough for Jinn to get a jibe in. "I switched our meals Jacan-kun! It looked like you had a smaller portion and I didn't want to be greedy." He smiled broadly at his friend whose face grew red as he began to choke from the steaming heat. "Oh was it that hot?" Jinn asked innocently, he picked up his own and bit into it. Nothing happened to his face as he contently ate. "No it seems fine to me."
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Re: In the Land of the Nin

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"I switched our meals Jacan-kun!"

The words echoed inside his mind for a few short moments before his orange eyes widened and he tried to spit out the bite he was currently chewing. Taste of Fire did not take very long to set in, and when used in such a small portion, instead of a large serving dish for a group meal it was even more potent.

The Blazing Bandit had been had, and by his own doing, no less.

In seconds the young Nin was sweating, his face turning very red from the extreme spice. His eyes darted around, searching for the tea he'd just started to brew. "Ayame-Chan... Ayame-Chan... Drink... I need... A Drink..." He whispered around his scorched throat as he reached a hand out towards the tea.
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