A Battle Outside and Within

Mission:

---

Rose tinted hues peered on through the night's darkness, her way lit by a dim moon, missing a sliver but still reflecting enough light to keep nagivating through the night not difficult. The curvy woman stepped through the forest, just outside of the walls surrounding the village, where the wall ended and the Senju forest begun...she'd heard talks that a pack of Wolves had been terrorizing pedestrians in the area, and killing livestock...She knew if this continued someone would take care of them, and wished to try to see if she could help the supposed mad pack of Wolves regain their senses...and if they was too far gone, she'd take it upon herself as an Alpha Wolf herself, metaphorically, to end their suffering and the deeds they committed.

She'd reach up with a hair tie as she stepped through the woods, a fairly clear path for her as she searched out this pack of Wolves--the woman scooping up her excessively long silver locks and putting them up in a more manageable ponytail(See avatar), and sighing as her pinkish red hues glared forward with their fiery fury. Sharp like a hawk, and ready to glare daggers at anything. Her natural expression was a scowl. She had to push her way through a bush, the end of the woman's kimono caught on a branch of it for a moment, her having to tug it off with an annoyed huff.

She'd keep going but only make it a few more feet before she literally tripped--a branch not noticed as she landed with a thud, wincing a little. "Damnit..." she muttered, embarrassed she had been clumsy enough to fall--a slight blush on her face. With a sigh she pushed herself back up, brushing off the dirt...she'd pick up the small branch she'd tripped over and threw it as far as she could in anger, whirling it through the brush and hitting something with a 'thwack' somewhere out of Tsukiyo's sight. The markings on her cheeks had flashed red while she done this, but as she slowly calmed down, they shifted back to blue. Her mutations...they was sadly a bit of a giveaway for her emotions.

[Repost from here.]

Suguru began on the trail that led through the east side of the forest, as he had done on that faithful night when the comet had broken the night sky and so many times before. Yet his urge to visit the Senju Forest had somehow turned into oppression since that night, even though he had no idea what actually happened after he gave his first wish to the bloody omen. One thing was for sure, he had been off-sake since then. They must have put something in it that really fucked him up. The forest was a dangerous place, after all, one wrong step and you could end up dropping to your death off a ravine.

Yet today, he was not visiting only to sate that urge. This time, it was on a mission. A letter was slipped under his door, a mandatory mission that needed to be fulfilled and he was randomly chosen to do so. It was the first time he did not have to sneak out using the hole in the cemetery wall but passed proudly through the main gate, showing the mission brief to the guards, yet even their gaze was one of suspicion.

The mission was simple in essence. Cull a band of rabid wolves who have been making the lives of the civilian populace harder than it already was. He also had a personal stake, since he didn’t want to get mauled in while he was in one of his nightly escapades. Plus, it also scared any busty maidens wanting to have a dip in any of rivers.

Mission had to be done at night too; since during the day the wolves would retreat in a den, yet at night they would be outside, ripe for the slaying. He had some new Taijutsu techniques he wanted to try on something that wasn’t a wooden training dummy and the wolves would be perfect.

“Who knows, I might get a cool scar tha-“

THWACK

A stick hit Suguru’s head with considerable force, hurting quite a lot yet, alas, would leave no cool scar.

“What the fuck?” blurted out Suguru, foregoing any shinobi training he had been thought.

There, you imbecile.

The voice in his head surely didn't help, yet he unwillingly found himself looking to his left, and his eyes seemed to focus on a particularly dark shadow.

[1]
WC: 360

Tsukiyo was just about to begin walking along again when right after the sound of the stick crashing, her ear burned with a loud blurting out of 'what the fuck', her glaring over her shoulder in the direction she'd thrown the small branch a moment ago, an eyebrow raised. The markings forever painted upon her cheeks shifted color once more, going from the subtle blue to a pinkish red--matching that of her eyes as they narrowed that way--the woman turning towards the direction of the sound. She slipped a kunai from the holster tied about her left thigh, spinning it on her fingertip before holding it with the blade out the bottom of her closed hand.

"Who is there?" she'd say with a tone laced with fury, sharp, direct. Tsukiyo slowly approached the direction of the ground, wanting to see who was out there--who might have been following her spying on her, a subtle growl emitted from the wolf-like female as she came in place where she'd be able to see Suguru. Not like he was exactly trying to hide, she just hadn't been in a position to see him when she tossed the stick. Her eyes focused on the man, sharpened into a glare.

"Why are you out here?" she was quick to question him, keeping herself in a defensive position with the kunai at the ready. Although honestly, the man could ask her the same thing. She let her eyes shift to the branch, it the one she'd throw, and then back to Suguru. At this point there was a good 15 meter gap between the two, her keeping her distance, but having already approached this range when searching out who'd gotten a nice thwack by the stick she'd thrown.

It did not take long before that shadow moved and made its way to him. His mind had imagined that maybe this would be an enemy shinobi or maybe a lumberjack, yet he definitely did not except a woman, let alone such a busty one. The split second he spent looking at her face was not enough to see if she was wearing a headband, and even if he wanted to know, it was now too late as his eyes had found two things that piqued his interest far more than this Kunoichi’s allegiance would.

She’s armed. Defend yourself, fool.

Suguru’s body morphed into a fluid stance without him thinking.

“Shut up, not now.” He hissed to the voice in his head.

“I could ask you the same question!” Suguru responded with as much confidence as he could muster, his eyes not moving an inch. He tapped his thumb against his headband’s plate. “Unless you are an enemy of the leaf, I suggest you drop that weapon, ma’am.” Suguru’s gaze rose to look into hers as he uttered these words, but only for just a second as they soon found themselves dragged back downwards.

"And if you are an enemy of the leaf, I suggest you choose which tree will be your grave.” This was spoken with an edge of malice that his tone had not previously had, and as his gaze rose once more, yet the eyes that were not the darting eyes of Suguru but a black pupil with a yellow slit of an iris, as his aura exuded faint traces of senjutsu chakra, noticeable only to the keenest of chakra seeing eyes, before rippling into nothingness, the same way his eyes returned to those of the salacious Suguru, who found their place once more on the Kunoichi’s chest.

[2]
WC:300

Jutsu Learned:
Gentle Way (-100WC)

TWC: 560

The student of the Hokage watched as the man before her slipped into a fighting stance too, her tightening her grip on the kunai she had drawn, as she had--somewhat as expected--her own question fired back at her from the man. Although he had more to say it seemed, demanding she drop the weapon if she wasn't an enemy of the leaf--and threatening to kill her if she was an enemy of the leaf. Maybe if his gaze had went just a bit lower then the E-Cups of her bust, he'd have seen the Konoha headband tied about her mid-torso, an extra wrap about the Obi of her Kimono. But the short but curvy woman seemed to ensnare him into a trap...without even casting any Genjutsu.

Still. Even as allies of the same village, she didn't take kindly to the threat--at all--and would slowly reach up with her free hand, pushing her hair out of the way of the right side of her head, revealing her earring--a bell. Tsukiyo slid a single finger behind the bell, and gave it a single ring. The sound of the bell crossed this 15 meter gap between them in only 0.15th of a second, traveling at 100 meters a second, and should Suguru have heard it, he'd hear the bell ring--followed by a couple echos...but nothing more, for now. Genjutsu taking time to set in.

She had to keep him distracted, which considering the anger welling in her, she had no issues coming up with some banter and other tactics to keep him busy. "You threaten the student of the Hokage, yet expect me to drop my weapon. You must be a fool if you take me as one, kid." she fired back with her sharp tongue, and would cast a secondary technique in this moment while she spoke. Only a second later, having no need for the enemy to do anything to trigger it, the ground would begin morping between them, melting--growing--shaping itself into more and more of the woman before Suguru.

One by one slow moving versions of Tsukiyo appeared from the ground, each and every one of them also wielding a Kunai, slowly shifting and moving about with very sluggish movements. This was the Mist Servant Technique, a very basic Genjutsu, but for now she had no intentions to actually hurt the man before her...but toy with him? It literally drew a smirk to her lips, revealing one of her elongated canine teeth, her wolf-like mutation normally hidden now revealed.

"Even if we're both Konoha Shinobi, I don't like my life being threatened...now you're gonna pay the price." she said through her smirk, confidence in spades it seemed as she now stood among an army of herself, although she herself was the only real one. Slowly, these 'clones' of hers begun approaching Suguru, kunais held up as if ready to strike. Although, they was harmless...hitting them would only make more appear.

[150/150. Learned Bell Ring Genjutsu]
[100/100. Learned Mist Servant Technique]

---

Bell Ring Genjutsu--2 Round Countdown [0/2]

As the words left his mouth, Suguru looked visibly shocked for a moment, unsure where he got the spine to say such things, seeing as he had never threatened anyone in his life, let alone an armed busty kunoichi.  What had gotten into him? Was the voice in his head now becoming his voice?

Yet before he could draw the courage to say something to remedy the situation, he stopped himself. Why should he? If this was an enemy of the leaf, he had intimidated her with his sharp threat and if this was a fellow ninja of the leaf, well, if any of the manga he read were true, he had just introduced himself as the hardboiled protagonist.

“I guess I owe you thanks.” Suguru whispered to himself as if he wasn’t already making an arse of himself enough already.

It was at that point that the kunoichi revealed she was a student of the Hokage, and that was enough for Suguru’s eyes to find her face once more, this time to see what her expression was. It was defiantly not one he wanted. Still, he did his best to keep a brave face and wrecked his mind to come up with a reply.

“Now would be a good time to do your thing.” He whispered, yet the voice in his head seemed oddly silent when he needed it. Not that he ever thought he would.

Movement in the corner of his eyes broke his one-sided conversation, as that movement developed in a shadow shape of the Kunoichi, who apparently was now his foe. Soon, duplicate shapes started sprouting from all around, armed and surrounding him.

Suguru gave the Kinoshi one last look, half desperate, half trying to understand if she was trying to pull some test on him. He had been beaten up by numerous women, albeit he himself would not admit it, but when you spend a substantial amount of time in trees that are suspiciously overlooking hot baths, it tends to happen.  

Suguru realized he did not have any kunai nor shuriken on him. And they always said learning Taijutsu was useless.

Finally primed for battle, he prepared to slam the first clone, yet it simply parted in half, giving form to two of the bestial kunoichi. Taking a step back, he finally got a good look at her, or what was her ghastly clone.

“Damn, she’s hot. I cannot lose this fight or else I’ll lose my chance.” A chance for what, that is only known to the degenerate mind of Suguru.

Channelling chakra through his limbs, he loosened his joints and struck from odd angles, yet the ghastly army kept growing to his dismay.

He resorted to changing his stance as he hardened his joints once more and went to the defensive, adopting more solid sumo-like pose, slamming his palms into the barrage of every growing clone army.
Sweat dripped from his brow.

Soon, he found himself backed against the bark of a tree. It was then he got an idea.

“Guess I’ll need to call some back-up.” He smirked, as he weaved signs one-handedly, while he punched a ghastly clone with the other.

Alas, a slip in his defense finally let a kunai sink in his back, before he puffed into a plume of smoke, leaving a branch behind.

“Elementary jutsu, but always works.” He taunted, this time on the branch of the tree he was backed against, and with him stood 10 equally smug Sugurus. “Now, unless you think you can handle fighting the shadow clones of a Tajitusu master, I suggest you call off your ghost jutsu, or else, be warned, my fists are bisexual, lady.”

This, of course, was a complete lie. Not only was he not a Taijutsu master, but the clones were nothing more than haze clones, as deadly as smoke, a rouse that any competent shinobi could see through.

About his fists being bisexual, that would have to be seen.

[3]
WC: 650

Jutsu Learned:
Soft Body Manipulation (-100WC)
Soft Body manipulation - Surprise Whip (100WC)
Shatter Palm (-150WC)
Slamming Palm (150WC)
Haze Clone Technique (-100WC)

TWC: 610

Among a sea of her 'servants' she kept her focus on the man in her sights...he seemed to be talking to himself, but she was too far to hear what he was saying--only able to see his lips moving. In reality the woman had no idea of his abilities--but this would hopefully tell her more then she needs to know to get an idea of what type of opponent she'd be against...seeing how he'd deal with the multitude of copies of her. She did take note of his eyeline rising at one point, about the only time their eyes would meet--letting her know exactly what he'd been eyeing so far...this only drew a low growl from the Wolf-mutated woman.

But she'd continue to watch him, analyzing his movements as he begun to try to handle the army of illusions before him--the man's fist connecting with one--only splitting it apart and into two of the same. They would continue to advance, Tsukiyo lifting her head as she stared down her nose at the man, chin up--clearly 'looking down' at him, despite the fact...he was taller then her.

Tsukiyo continued to watch him as he begun trying to break down the advancing clones of emptiness, each strike only making more appear, an ever growing army to overwhelm him. As this was going on, she'd once more give the bell hung from her ear a jiggle--the ring echoing once more across the battlefield and into any unprotected ears within range. As her advancing ghosts of the mist approached, backing the man against a tree, he spoke up and begun weaving hand seals--a single hand used for it. This was something she'd heard about before, sort of a weaker version of her ability to cast Genjutsu without seals completely.

Her expression never changed, cold pinkish-red hues lifting up after the substitute poofed and Suguru had made himself known to now be up on the branch of the same tree. Now he wasn't alone, her eyes simply shifting from one to the next as more clones of the man appeared, a total of ten of them. But his hand signs...they didn't match up. No, they couldn't be Shadow Clones as he would boldly claim. Although the note about fists being bisexual actually would draw an audible laugh from the girl, a moment of giggling in battle, only followed by what could almost be called a bloodthirsty smile. A hint of the primal fury behind her smile. She'd form her own hand seal--a simple half tiger--and a clone of her appeared beside her in a poof. Just one. But unlike his...Tsukiyo's was a real Shadow Clone. The clone darted off and mingled into the sea of clones created by the Mist Servant Technique, trying it best to mix in and become lost among them.

"It'll take more then some playground tactics to beat me." she said with the same confidence as before, clearly feeling she still had the upper hand. Did she? Probably. It was about this time a kunai was thrown from the crowd of Tsukiyo, all of them at once throwing a kunai, sending an army of the knife flying towards Suguru and his clones. Fact is, only one was real, aimed for the one she figured was the real Suguru--being the one who'd spoken up--but no worries to him, on its current path--if it did manage to hit him--would only graze the man's cheek, a simple cut if it went through. As for the fake Kunai, they would likely all pass through his clones--and any hitting the real Suguru would simply poof harmlessly, if the man and his posse didn't try to avoid them outright.

---

[Analyzing for Precogs. 1/2 Rounds]
[Bell Ring Genjutsu--2 Round Countdown [1/2]

t was safe to say that making the woman laugh was the high-point of the fight so far for Suguru and for a moment, he thought that would have been the end of the fight. Alas, it was only going to be downwards from there, quite literally. The kunoichi’s hands blurred into the forms of hand signs and in a puff smoke, another clone of hers appeared next to her. Yet this one wasn’t a dark, ghastly shambling imitation of her form, yet a perfect copy. Suguru didn’t need to have chakra sight to know that was the real deal. The famed shadow clone Jutsu; leagues above any Jutsu he knew of, that was for sure.

Suguru only caught a single glance at what he presumed to be the original's face, her lips twisted in a smile that did was anything but friendly. The shadow clone wasted no time running in the ghastly crowd, becoming a blur among the shambling figures.

Fuck winning. I need to survive this.

Suguru’s pride and ego was something to behold, yet he was never above running away from a fight. Better be number two and alive than the number one and dead. Yet running away from a woman? That he never did before. It did not help that the voice in his head was markedly absent. It seemed to be just fine taking the main stage and putting him in the shit, that is until the fighting started.

A shiver spread from his spine, and he felt the cold chill of the voice. He focused all his energy on resting whatever pull it wanted to do. He was already in deep enough shit. Yet instead of some snarky quick, his mind rushed with thoughts; his own, yet at the same time alien.

Distraction.

His hands fumbled through his pockets, only an instant before he retrieved a singular Ryo coin.

His mind raced to try and say something cool, lessen the blow of running away from a woman, especially such a good looking one.

“Sorry sweet cheeks, would love to stay but I got a mission to do and wolves to slay.” Suguru found himself saying, shrugging as he said so with a sarcastic smile. His hands joined into hand signs, and he flung the coin as if it were a shuriken.

“A coin for your time.” The words came out of his mouth as his hand formed the dog sign, and the Ryo started to expand as it sped unrelentingly towards the bottom of the tree.

His strongest ninjutsu technique, Shurkien Giant Body Technique. A mouthful to say, yet its effectiveness could not be scoffed at. Ironically, Suguru never actually used a shrunken in tandem with this technique.

Yet Suguru did not have much time to blow his own horn, as a wave of sharpened kunai knives made it way towards him. In his effort to not get impaled, the soles of his feet tipped backwards and found himself plummeting towards the ground, just as the Ryo coin, now nearly ten times the size sine he had thrown it, collided with the ground, it’s impact resulting in great upheaval of dirt and dust.

Suguru’s nails dug into the bark, charka flowing into them as they hardened into claw-like appendages, slowing his descent before breaking off and slamming him in the undergrowth. Could have had a better landing, yet it went from a back-breaking fall to a sudden drop in a bush, not breaking his back but knocking the breath out of him.

Undoing the black haori he was wearing, he wrapped it around him as if it was a shroud, putting a charge of charka as he clutched it tightly around him.

Making a cloak of invisibility from one’s clothes was shinobi 101, yet he only hoped he would not be found.  It covered him up to his knees, yet hidden in the underbrush, it served its purpose.

He was unsure how the voice or whatever it was in his mind was doing this to him, yet it felt like he did it. These were not techniques he all knew, yet it seemed whatever it was, was helping him use them at just the right time.

As he lay there, taking deep restricted breaths, Suguru felt a warm tickle on his cheek. It seemed he did not dodge all of the kunai. Hopefully, that woman couldn't smell blood or else, he was going to lose more than a trickle.

[4]
WC: 645

Jutsu Learned:
Cloak of Invisibility (Free)
Claw Creation Technique (-150WC)

TWC: 1,105

Tsukiyo and her Clone both had eyes on the man as he seemed to fumble for something, her keeping a sharp eye--well...as sharp as her eyes could be at least--on him to watch for what he was going to do next--this was before her clone and fake ghostly images of her was to throw their kunai. Finally he revealed his trump card, the real Tsukiyo cocking an eyebrow up at the sight of the coin--a single Ryo. He'd spit out some rushed 'one liner', which shifted the raised eyebrow back down as her eyes narrowed in anger now. The man would toss the coin--and with a hand seal, expand its size. She had it in mind to throw her own kunai and using the same technique to expand hers to deflect the coin--but the Ryo piece wasn't aimed to hurt her or her clone, no--it was aimed to the ground.

She huffed a sigh, and pre-preemptively raised her Kimono's sleeve up over her face, protecting her eyes as the coin hit the ground, forcing a blast of dirt and dust to fill the air to cover his escape. Her clone kept her eyes on the target, continuing to analyze him, not needing to protect herself as much--watching as he fell back to drop off the tree, trying to avoid the kunai. A smirk crossed her features as she watched her own real Kunai hit its mark, probably not even noticed by him as it speed off and hit a tree in the distance, poofing in smoke as it was only part of the shadow clone technique. The blast came and Tsukiyo's clone dispersed itself before being caught in the blast of dust from the coin strike.

Tsukiyo, the real one, looked up from covering her face, the dangerous part of it over. She'd dropped the first illusion, the army of clones of her gone--and now leaving only the real Tsukiyo. With what her clone saw, she knew he'd dropped back--and that she'd hit him with the kunai. She watched on as the dust settled, her letting her hand drop to her side once more as she slowly walked through what was their battlefield. There was a large Ryo piece stuck in the ground...and half broken. It was made of wood! What a cheapskate, having fake coin. She rolled her pinkish red hues, as the color of the markings on her cheeks shifted, loosing the fiery intense color that matched her eyes, fading back to a duller blue shade.

She kept her eyes looking about as she stepped closer to the tree, stopping a few meters from it. He was no where in sight. She sighed deeply and reached into her top, ruffling around for something before pulling an item from her top, sliding it out from between her 'lady lumps'. She hadn't used this on a real target, only a clone of herself, but the item she drew forth would be a stainless steel flute, not very durable, a butter knife could break it, but it was its utility that made it a weapon in the hands of Tsukiyo. She didn't know where her target was...but that didn't stop her from trying to find him. She'd form the half tiger seal again--and like before, a new Shadow clone formed--a twin of the female half of the Shinku twins--beauty, curves, and all.

The real Tsukiyo nodded to her clone, before she lifted the flute to her mouth. Taking in a deep breath the woman would let air flow into the flute, slipped through her soft lips into the instrument, and with it, and haunting tune would be played. This demonic song played from her flute wasn't for show, no, it had a purpose. While the real Tsukiyo played the flute, her clone watched around, looked about, searching...because if he heard her ghostly ballad, he'd find himself caught by the effects of the jutsu--Demonic Flute: Phantom Sound Chains. If caught in this...well, her clone would find him, as it'd ruin any attempt at hiding with its binding powers.

---

[Analyzing for Precogs. 2/2 Rounds. Complete.]

Silence took hold, bringing an end to the tide of battle.

Bated breath slipped from Suguru’s lips, his heart pounding against his chest. Did he manage to successfully evade the voluptuous kunoichi after all? Albeit he had used every trump card imaginable, Suguru found himself doubting such. Any chance that she was the student of the Hokage being a lie was irrelevant, her power was obviously leagues above his, as was her competence as a shinobi.

Seconds ticked by, and there was only the sound of footsteps to break the ever-rising tension. Curiosity got the better of the hot-blooded Suguru, and doing his best to move as little, found a fold in to peek in between from. At first, he could only get a view of leaves and dirt, but with enough slow adjustments, he finally saw her once more;  and once more the found his breath being knocked out of him.

“Such a shame we didn’t meet at a bathhouse or near a flowing lake.” Suguru sadly mused, that thought now somehow being the topmost of his worries.  Whatever lecherous path that line of thought was going to take found itself accelerated to the utmost, as the sight of her retrieving the flute hit him.

The icy voice in his head might have tried to say something, yet Suguru’s mind was now filled with obscenity that it could not hope to beat out, and having relinquished control to his most base instincts, the icy voice dissipated into silence, it's warning of the coming threat lost to whatever recess of rationality Suguru might have.

A tune cut the air, but it might as well have been a whole orchestra, as Suguru’s mind was already deeply enchanted by the doting desire demanding decided dedication.

Stiff as a board, he was in for it hook, line and sinker, his hearth now teetering in hope of something he didn't even know of.

[5]
WC: 320
TWC: 1,425

The melody of madness continued to emit from the real Tsukiyo, her fingers dancing along the instrument in specific patterns, each movement represented with a shift in pitch and tone. For anyone hearing this song, it would be a mix of soothing, haunting, and even maddening with continued exposure. It seemed that Suguru was still in earshot, as he'd become trapped in the Genjutsu.

Now taken hold, the man would have his arms dragged out to the sides--as if chains had bound him up. This would in fact be translated literally by the man, if he was to look to either side, he'd find his wrists wrapped in chains, pulling his arms out to the sides and hanging them there. Then...the hallucinating. Tsukiyo was nice enough to not make it to bad, but still--the world about Suguru would disappear, replaced with a dark room, no details, nothing but darkness beyond his immediate vicinity. All that could be heard was her ghostly song, a siren in the night, one that could bring death--but luckily, was merciful.

It was about now that Tsukiyo's clone came into view, stepping out from the shadows of the hallucination and coming to stand in front of the trapped target of the Phantom Sound Chains. This was her Shadow Clone, narrowed pinkish-red hues glaring up to the tall man. In reality he'd tried to hide, but now under the Genjutsu's effect, had been forced to drop his coat and deactivate the invisibility jutsu--as basic as it was. It made finding him easy, even for the less perceptive woman. Now...he was at her mercy. The clone stepped closer and reached up forwards his face, hand in a position as if she was simply gonna grab his throat and choke him...but as it got closer it'd slip to the side of the man's face, and a finger gently drew a line on his cheek--picking up the blood from the cut she'd made earlier with her kunai, her stepping back and looking at Suguru's blood on her fingertip, a smirk upon her face.

"...I could kill you. Out here...no one would even know who did it...no witnesses to point their finger. But...I won't do that to a fellow Shinobi of the Leaf. It'd be counter productive. The village needs all the Shinobi in top shape...and breathing." she'd say, her voice having a haunting echo too it due to the Genjutsu, an almost demonic undertone spoken behind her otherwise sweet and seductive voice.

"Lets start off the right way, shall we? I'm Tsukiyo Shinku...who're you...then we can discuss the Wolves you mentioned earlier--because if you plan to just kill them before I can try to see what I can do to help them...I'll change my mind and kill you here and now." she said as her smirk faded and her gaze returned to Suguru, and he was met with her more serious expression--cold, sharp, befitting of a Shinobi...even if her skills was sub par at best. Physically, she was no different then him...their skills matched up almost perfectly as far as physical capability...but it was the mind that made the difference.

Tsukiyo was a step above her peers, and it showed in her knowledge of more advanced techniques. If anything, it spoke volumes of the types the Hokage took on as their student...even if the man had little to do with her progression, if any at all. She'd learned the hard way to never let her mind falter in the heat of battle, a glance at her left shoulder showed 3 bear claw marks--still fresh enough to be considered 'healing', but mostly just scars now. Maybe a week old or so. This is what happened when she didn't keep her wits about her...and this was a part of the results of that lesson. She took no chances, she wouldn't let her emotions control her thoughts. But back to the task at hand...

As the haunting melody cut through the silent forest air, it’s notes filling Suguru’s head the world seemed to turn all too surreal, as if everything was right but wrong. Serpentine feeling slid deftly across his shoulders, slipping under his armpits and coiling downwards across his arms.

The threat of a snake heading to bite its venom into him was enough for Suguru to break the spell the Kunoichi had on him with her mere beauty, yet as his eyes left the singular figure that was her, darkness took hold in the corners of his vision, blotting out the forest, leaving only a blank. Null.

As his vision turned onto himself, he found no serpent, but coiled chains, not of any material he had ever seen, squeezing his limbs and lifting him up; the Haori he had been using as a conduit for his jutsu slipping away, fading away in the all-consuming darkness that now had become his surroundings.

The stiff relaxation that had come over him while watching the kunoichi play slipped with it, replaced by painful emptiness, his mind thumbing as if something was locked inside and was trying to find it’s way outside, to give light in this black land.

Time stood at a standstill, a second seeming like hours and hours seeming like a second, before the valapcious form of the kunoichi appeared before him. Her touch was like a live wire, as her hand wrapped around his throat, and slid upwards to his cheek, thumbing the bleeding line that her attack had inflicted.

The words she spoke were as clear as ice, cutting through his mind like a hot knife through soft cheese.  Any words that he tried to conjure fizzled before even reaching his throat.

As the last of her words died in the endless echo, the world itself seemed to shift as her smirking façade changed to cold seriousness. He felt himself choked, at the edge of death, one single desperate attempt to breathe before the cold arms of death would overtake the chains of his mortal coil, and then.

Air.

Words formed in his mind; he found he could speak.

Suguru foud his mouth filled with cold salivia, which he gulped down with difficutly. The voice in his head seemed to have the right idea for once.

“Right pocket of my Pan-“ Suguru's words stopped.

Speak the truth. Don’t be a jackass.

The perverse rouse he had at the tip of his tongue found itself ripped from his mind by the alien hand that was the voice.

“-of my Horai. There’s the mission brief.”

[6]
WC: 425
TWC: 1,850

Tsukiyo's melodic tempo continued, fingertips dancing across her flute--holes covered--others left open, continuing the ghostly song. The clone of the woman found her captive seemed to be loosing himself into the Genjutsu--he looked as if in a fog, lost in the illusion before his eyes. It seemed her Genjutsu had been very effective at subduing the man, the clone of the woman reaching back over to him and wiping the blood onto his shirt, cleaning it off of her fingertip.

It'd seem the man finally tried to respond, but he was clearly out of it--the haunting song having such an effect on his mind it make it hard for him to even speak. She sighed deeply at his response, she wasn't dumb enough to not realize what he was going to say...but still. Mission details? Not what she was after. Or at least, not the scroll--she'd already seen the same scroll before, this being what lead her to take on the task of trying to save the wolves before someone else killed them.

She'd roll her eyes at the perverse words he almost spoke, before shaking her head in annoyance. "This isn't going anywhere anytime soon..." she growled mostly to herself, before the woman reached up quickly, hand pressing onto Suguru's forehead, gripping on as she shut her eyes. Using Psycho Mind Transmission, she'd begin sifting through the man's memories, finding out more information in a moment then he could've told her in minutes--his name, his plans, the last month of his actions, all memories she'd quickly search through.

"Suguru huh..." she'd say, her eyebrows shifting to express frustration as she kept going through the young man's mind...he really had some dirty thoughts--including about her. Just like the last one. Seems she did have a gift for attracting the opposite sex...or hell, anyone into Voluptuous woman. She took a deep breath and sighed out the annoyance, continuing through his memories...

Suddenly something flashed across her eyes. Something...else. Something in his mind. A manifestation of the curse the man's blood carried. Clone tsukiyo suddenly opened her eyes and recoiled back, eyes wide and hand shaking--before the clone poofed into a cloud of smoke, the mental shock from what she seen enough to make her disperse. The information all was in an instant relayed back to the original Tsukiyo, and she'd suddenly stop playing her flute, a hand reaching up to grip the side of her head, almost as if she had a sudden migraine from hell. In this moment Suguru was released from the Genjutsu, and set free, no longer under its influence.

Tsukiyo took a few breaths, as if she had the wind knocked out of her, before pinkish red hues opened, and glared in the direction of Suguru. She'd turn, and begin walking towards him, slipping the musical instrument back into her top...sliding it right between her breasts to do so, securing it under her obi. "...Suguru." she'd say with a sharp clarity as she stopped about 5 meters from him, eyes narrowed on the man who likely was only just now regaining himself--unless he was really good at snapping out of stuff.

"Here is the deal...you come with me and help me try to see if I can do something to calm down the wolves. If you try to kill them before letting me try to help them...l might just kill you." she would put her foot down and draw the lines that Suguru shouldn't cross, less he earn her full wrath. She indeed was a feisty one.

"Also...try to get me to put my hand in your pants pocket again and I might just cut it off." she'd warn him...this may have been worse then the threat of killing him, depending on how much he valued his manhood. "Now...you coming to help me or should I make sure you take a nice long nap in the grass...cause that can be arranged." Tsukiyo would say with her eyes narrowed at him, awaiting his answer. Assuming he hadn't already interrupted her by now.

Sweat dripped from Suguru’s forehead, even though there was nothing but a chill breeze sweeping the night. He knew the stakes were high, and giving the wrong answer could mean he loses his life among the trees of the ferns.

I gave her what she wanted right, so she had no reason to kill him now? Right? Suguru thought to himself, as he witnessed the Kunoichi angrily mouth something, his ears too caught up in the tune to understand, before she wiped off her bloodied finger onto his own shirt. He didn’t bother protesting. The shirt had stains of all manner already and the bloody thumbprint wouldn’t be the worst of it.

As her hand touched his forehead, he felt an electric tingle emanate from the touch. Even a knucklehead like Suguru realized this meant she was using some Jutsu of some kind. Yet what he did not understand was the horror on her face, before she dissipated into smoke.

This act gave Suguru a moment of insight which, he recognized that perhaps he was under the power of Genjutsu, Focusing chakra in his being, he tried to break the hold on his system. Yet, if that were to be successful or not, it was not to be known.
The Kunoichi stopped her music, and the lightheaded feel escaped upon the last notes that she had played. Suguru groggily got up to a kneel. Reality hit like a brick, and it was anything but pleasant for the genin.

He found himself once more in the view of the magnificent sight that was the Kunoichi. Even though his head was clear, he still felt the allure of her chesticular fortitude and his eyes soon enough locked with them.

She said something about killing him, which was not a good start, but then began a tangent on putting her hands in his pants, which showed a chance for improvement yet alas, this too concluded in an unfortunate resolution. These words, slipping through Suguru’s mind like clear water in a muddy lake, were responded to with a silent nod.

He could have said something, yet, even Suguru knew that would be unwise.

[7]
WC: 350
Jutsu learned:
Genjutsu Kai (-150WC)

TWC: 2,050

Tsukiyo was able to get through her 'terms', or 'deal' with Suguru, the man having not trying to escape the moment he was released from the Genjutsu. After she had said what she was going to say, the woman was cast a nod in silence from the man, him not as talkative as before. She'd let out a frustrated sigh and shut her eyes for a moment, before opening them again to look at him with less ire then before, despite her attitude she felt a hint bad that she'd threatened him. Then again...the cutting off his manhood thing--that she felt no remorse for. She'd been dealing with a lot of pervs lately, although at this point she was almost used too it.

With that she'd turn, gesturing for him to follow. "Come on...and don't worry--I won't kill you." she'd say, at least a bit of reassurance the woman would try to dial herself back. She knew she had a short fuse, and he'd lit it...but at this point, she had gotten a bit of her anger out in her harsh words. Assuming he joined her, she'd begin walking, heading deeper into the Senju forest just outside of Konoha's walls. But...something bothered her.

"...What is in your head, Suguru..." she asked...curious what she'd seen, what had freaked her out when she went through his mind. "...I saw something in there...something....else." she'd continue. Then again...who knew what Suguru knew about it, maybe he wasn't even aware of what it exactly was.

Suguru’s silent response accepted, the Kunoichi turned, offering a view that rivalled that of her chest; a very stiff completion on all fronts. Renewed strength flared in the young genin’s blood, and he shook away the fact he had fallen from a tree with seemingly no effort. Her beckoning to follow was unneeded, as Suguru would not stray from behind her even if she was going to lead him into the gaping jaws of a Bijuu. Easily were forgotten the threats of castration and death, and in were his recovering ego and undying lust once more.

Suguru remained silent, at her reassurance that he would not be killed, albeit a good response or two passed his mind, he understood the value of silence. From where he was standing, his ego could take the backseat and relax, things were just fine how they were. The chance to fight the wolves present an opportunity to show the full range of his abilities, and with that, impress this gal and restore his ego.

Just as planned.

It was at this exact moment that the Kunoichi spoke, and this silent pilgrimage was to be cut short. The Kunoichi asked a question which Suguru was not excepting.

“Wait, wait; How do you know my name?” Suguru asked back. “And how do you know-“ A rare spark of intellect lit in his mind, and he concluded that this woman must have read his mind. Then, it was lost back in the darkness.

"You read my mind, didn't you?" Suguru went on the offensive. It was time he asked the questions and took control of this mission.

[8]
WC: 270
TWC: 2,320

The kunoichi was joined by Suguru, almost as if he followed her before she'd even gestured for him to. She'd push a branch out of her way as she continued to step through the woods along with the taller Genin. She kept her eyes forward, although she'd not let her guard down--in case he tried something to get revenge on her. Frankly...he just wanted to follow that booty. Who could blame the guy?

But as he finally spoke up, she'd glance over to him, quiet for a moment, letting him let the thought tick by in his head for a moment...and there it was, a moment alter, she'd be asked if she had read his mind. She'd nod, ducking under another branch as they continued through the brush. "I used Psycho Mind Transmission on you...long story short--I can tell you what you had for breakfast three weeks ago, what you thought about that chick you kept staring at last week...and the fact you've spent more time staring at my chest then my face this entire time." she said--the last bit earning the man a glare from her, but she quickly shifted her eyes back forward, letting it go outside of calling him out on it. She'd stop fairly suddenly, eyes glancing down.

She seen a patch of fur left over on a low twig...the woman leaned over, probably giving Suguru just the kind of view he'd hoped for if he was still behind her--if only for a moment, as she snagged the bits of fur and stood back upright. "Hmm...they been through here, and judging by the tracks in the dirt, fairly recently...we're on their trail." It'd seem the woman must had been picking up on the tracking skills her brother showed such skill in...that was always his specialty, but she wasn't dumb--the woman grew up in the forest...hunting food along side her brother. Now she was picking up on these tracking skills...she'd continue on after the short pause, continuing to walk, although now slower to reduce noise.

Not too far ahead of them, the focus on why both the Konoha Shinobi was out here to begin with would be grouped together about a creek--a full pack of wolves, a couple getting a drink in the river, while others growled and wrestled with each other...well, wrestle was putting it lightly. More like ripping off ears and biting each other's legs so hard they dripped with blood. Something was wrong with the wolves...their minds lost. But it'd still be a couple minutes before the two of them would be close enough to even notice them.

Typical of a woman to use such underhanded tactics. No wonder I had to retreat! She knew every move I was going to make! Of course, I wouldn't lose a fight against a woman in a fair fight!. His ego swelled, reinforced by the confirmation of his theory.

Their eyes met as she turned, Suguru doing his utmost to give an intense and borrowing look as he could muster, his brow furrowed and jaw clenched. This attempt was met with little success, seeing as he had just been on his arse at the mercy of her whims.

“Pretty darn cheeky of you, eh?” Suguru retorted, completely ignoring the fact his licorous nature had been exposed. “If you know so much about me, I guess you also know about me not liking people reading my mind.“

While others might have asked for a name or details about their person, Suguru’s mind raced on finding a way to take advantage of the situation and press the advantage, something it did with uncharacteristic haste.

“I reckon you wouldn’t like it if somebody probed in that mind of yours, aye?” Suguru continued, further ignoring the initial question about the voice in his mind. “I would guess you wouldn’t like it if somebody slap-“

His right hand was already on course, just a few millimetres from getting a handful of the kunoichi arse, when his own left hand shot to stop it with a vice like-grip, a chill cold spreading in it as it moved.

“Don’t court death.”

“It” had intervened again and possibly ruined his only chance at getting to touch any part of the voluptuous kunoichi.  If this attempt had been seen or not, seeing as the kunoichi was more focused on tracking then listening to what a scummy pervert was saying, that had to be seen.

[9]
WC: 305
TWC:  2,625

She'd take note of his glare, doing his best to mean mug her--but the woman had no response, her resting uninterested/bitch face unyielding. Tsukiyo went about with her tracking, as she'd hear the man finally start speaking up. Oh, here it came. The hurt pride. She knew he had an ego...she knew a lot of things at this point--having read him like an open book...well, until 'it' reared its ugly head. Still, her response to him saying she should know he didn't like people reading his mind was a simple shrug. "Mhm." is all she'd offer in response.

The man continued on about the time she had come across the tracks and fur from the pack of wolves they followed--hearing him go on about 'how would you like it if's'...although the last one was cut off around the time she'd been leaned over to snag the wolf hairs that'd been caught on a bush's branch. After she had stood back upright she glared over her shoulder. "Slap what huh...I suggest you reconsider your words wisely." she said with a cold snap, before continuing on, once out of the brush and into the more open area she would turn on her heel and turn towards the man, stepped off to the side now. "How about you lead the way...Can't trust you behind me." she'd say, eyeing the taller man. She'd go ahead and gesture which direction they was to keep going. "Or do you like following a woman around?" she said as a small jab towards his thoughts earlier about 'not being able to loose to a woman.'

Frankly it was probably for the best she was unaware how close Suguru was to smacking her ass. Although if she ever read his mind again...

The lack of response or any distinct reaction to his words riled Suguru up, yet with his new knowledge, he kept mostly calm. After all, he didn’t know if she was still reading his mind, and the last thing he wanted was to get tricked into fighting another one-sided fight. Yet whatever caution that thought might have held, he still had the gall to try and slap the sharply behind of his “companion”.

Yet now here he was, hand in hand, and face to face with the Kunoichi. Albeit her words were stern, it seemed that the voice in his mind had succeeded in keeping the situation from escalating.  She was still willing to partner with him in the fight against wolves, even though she was being a typical woman and trying to do things peacefully. Suguru just wanted to try some new katon jutsu, since elemental ninjutsu was banned in the training ground to avoid injury and damage.

Still, wolves were wolves. They weren’t going to respond to her charms, no matter how big her tits were. Who knows, battle was unpredictable. Maybe they’ll end up falling in a waterfall and they will have to resort to heating each other up with nothing but their own bodies. And that could easily lead to…

This line of thinking was cut by the Kinoichi’s sharp offer, to lead and lose sight of her beauty, or follow like a wounded car. It was meant to riel him up, and he knew it. Any decision was a loss.

“Your foe awaits ahead.”

Suguru gave a tilted gaze, and he too saw the nest of wolves.

“I think it’s best you head alone along to those wolves if you want to "talk". A rival alpha would spur them in a fight.” Suguru responded, with his trademark shit-eating grin.

[10]
WC: 300
TWC: 2,925

She'd keep her eyes on Suguru, keeping watch on the taller Genin. Tsukiyo seen the tilted look ahead the man gave, spotting the wolves in the next clearing by a river. She'd glance that direction as he spoke, the man suggesting she head in alone. She'd let out an annoyed sigh. "You would rather send me in alone for what--so you can run off, or attack us all at once? Hm. You seemed more charming earlier, I must've struck a nerve." she'd say after glancing back towards him.

But she'd shrug. "If you're not gonna help me then just go." she said, with that the fairly short woman would turn a cold shoulder to him, and continue on towards the rabid wolves. She'd keep her guard up, not putting a sneak attack past the man if she really had pissed him off so much--granted, they both had angered each other. Tsukiyo slowed as she entered the brush between the clearings, staying low and moving quietly. The young woman came to the edge of the clearing, scouting out the wolves, watching their movements, analyzing them. She'd wait to observe them...and if Suguru was going to join her--this was the time.

[Analyzing Wolves for Precogs. 1/2 Rounds]

Here he was, playing along with her bullshit plan of talking to wolves, a plan that was on all levels, asinine, and he gets the thanks for allowing such tomfoolery with her throwing a tantrum.

“Fucking women. Can’t live with them, can’t live without them.” Suguru muttered to himself, his hand pulling a rather battered iron box from his pocket and pulling a cigarette out of it and placed it in the corner of his life.

Sugru strutted behind the Kunoichi, making no attempt to hide his presence. Sneak attack. As if. He could take any woman on, face to face, and beat them. Of course, he could. He was Suguru. Still, he needed to work out a bit more. And probably stop smoking.  Ah, for another time. Right now he had to deal with this. This line of thought ended as his eyes caught the view of the kunoichi's crouched form, which was a very welcome sight. He was really hoping they fall in a waterfall.

Crouching next to her, he clicked his fingers in a flash of katon and lit his cigarette before blowing out the chakra flame.

“So misses animal talker, what have you figured out?” Suguru began “Let me guess, the wolves didn't invite you for tea and biscuits.” He let himself a small laugh. “All I need is one look at them to see that they are rabid and we need to eradicate them out of this forest and I’ll be here to do just that. I need no underhanded tactics to win my fights.” His mouth was twisted in a smile, but the obvious implication was not hidden in the mocking tone of his voice.

WC: 280
TWC: 3,205

Tsukiyo watched them for a moment, sighing afterwards, about the time that Suguru would appear behind her. The man had made no attempt to be sneaky, but still she kept in mind he was there--albeit when the man lit a cigarette she'd glance over to him. He'd continue on about how he didn't have to watch them to see they was rabid. He seemed to still be pretty irked--did the man seriously hold a grudge this long? She had a short fuse and no patience with others, yet he was continuing to be an arse. But sadly, he was right about one thing.

"They are beyond help. Doesn't take an expert to see that." she'd say quietly, letting out an annoyed sigh. As they hid among the brush, one of the wolves begun picking up a strange smell...cigarette smoke. It wasn't but a moment later the wolf was glaring their direction, and begun charging quickly at them. "You gave away our position." she'd say in a bit of anger as the markings on her cheeks glared from blue to a pinkish red--same color as the woman's eyes. With a single quick hand gesture--a series of spikes of earth would sprout from the ground, skewering the wolf instantly.

Tsukiyo popped out into the clearing, a the fight clearly on. She quickly begun forming hand seals, Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, and Tiger--the second and a half it took for her to weave the hand seals also spend taking in a deep breath and molding chakra in her lungs, letting the fire within her seep into her lungs and mix with the air. In a mighty exhale she'd billow out fire from her soft lips, it forming into a large fireball and speeding off towards the group of Wolves now heading their way.

[150/150. Learned Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique]

"They are beyond help. Doesn't take an expert to see that."

Finally; the words he had been yearning to hear. This charade of animal talking was over and now the time of fighting would begin.  

The wolves, sniffing the air, quickly caught the scent of his cigarette and the kunoichi made no secret that she knew that. as she spared no hesitation in spearing one with rock. A strange emotion known as admiration filled Suguru's breast as he found himself impressed with a woman for reasons beyond having an amazing body.

All this wasn't part of the plan. Roasting wolves alive is much easier when they are not charging to tear out your gullet. Usually, Suguru would have “moved back to formulate a better assault” or in layman’s words, run off till they forget about him and he gets the drop on them once more. And neither was being impressed by a woman's actions.

“Of course I did. I fight fair remember?” Suguru bluffed, doing his best to not look like he was going to piss himself.

“Keep it calm Suguru, this is your moment to shine, look cool and get the girl. These are just dogs, you’re a god damn shinobi. You can breathe fucking fire. And you fuck like fire.”

Although only half of that thought was a fact, it fully engorged Suguru’s confidence. Seeing that the kunoichi had stolen his idea of burning them alive, Suguru saw it was a prime opportunity to show that he could breathe the biggest fireball, even though he had only practised the jutsu one time, which had coincidentally been in the same time that there was a suspicious forest fire.

Flicking the butt of his cigarette away at the wolf who had unfortunately decided to lead the charge directly at him. Suguru closed his eyes he took a deep breath as he filled his lungs with chakra. As he felt the heat rise in his throat, he opened his mouth, and the air in front of him burst into fire, the wolf completely engulfed, a whimper on the wind it’s last words as the flesh become charred bone.

WC: 350
Jutsu learned:
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique (-150WC)

TWC: 3,405

Tsukiyo heard his bluff and wouldn't believe it for a second, the man just didn't think about the wolf's enhanced sense of smell and the stench of burning tobacco. Although it would seem a similar thought had crossed both of their minds, animals...they don't like fire--at all. Along with the wolf-like female, Suguru joined in fanning the flames of the wolves fate by adding in his own fireball. The two fireballs collided with their targets, and the last breaths of the wolves involved fizzled out in a whimper.

Tsukiyo watched on with just a bit of pain in her eyes...the woman and her brother both were linked to these animals, herself able to enter a state to speak directly with and understand them as if speaking to any other human. But the woman's vibrant hues also showed her desensitized distancing, she could no longer think of them as a pack of innocent wolves. Still, it hurt to destroy what she'd call her own kind. Between the three attacks from the pair, most of the wolves had been taken care of--only the two who'd been hanging back drinking at the river stood across the open clearing, teeth bearing and dripping with foam, loud growls heard from 30 meters away.

She quickly eye'd the clearing, gauging the space--it went back at least half a kilometer or more, and was easily just as wide...perfect. Overkill? Overkill. The woman would take a sharp breath while forming a Horse hand seal, filling her lungs with air and mixing in her katon chakra into a potent and deadly cocktail. She aimed at the wolves over her horse seal before lowering it out of the way of her mouth, and with a mighty smooth flow of this chakra infused air, a shot of flames erupted forth, much more powerful then the relatively weak fireballs they had used before. It jet out in a long flaming stream, before spreading out into a 250 meter wide wall of fire, rushing forth at extreme speed, crossing the entire distance the jutsu would cover--500 meters--in only five seconds flat, ingulfing the entirety of everything caught inside the Great Fire Annihilation.

This wall of flames left nothing of the wolves left, not even ash piles as they had been spread to the wind and mixed in with the torched earth. Had there been any trees within the range, they now was nothing but charred, short stumps. Nothing was left, the entire clearing nearly had been torched down under the massive power of the flames, but luckily the surrounding forest was left unharmed. Tsukiyo raised her nose a bit to look down it as she examined the potency of her work. Was it absolute, undeniable overkill? Yes. Was it necessary? No. Was it much more impressive then the simple fireball jutsu they both used earlier? Damn right it was.

She sighed deeply and would turn towards Suguru, the woman still mostly expressionless, although she'd lost her intensity from earlier, features more natural and softened. "Well...guess mission accomplished." she'd say, a hint of regret for having to do what they did in her voice, but carefully hidden with her expressionless look. She turned towards the destruction she caused again, looking around a moment. "I might have overdone it..." the curvy short woman commented.

[300/300. Learned Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation]