| All You Can Take [Ryuichi, Katsuko] |
[Oct. 3rd, 2009|06:38 pm] |
Late at night on April 14th, after Knife's Edge and No Rest For the Wicked.
What it all came down to was that Headquarters wasn't stupid. They'd see something wrong with the report, or the hospital charts, and eventually they'd dig a little deeper into Arai Ryuichi's files. What they'd find there was anybody's guess, but Katsuko knew it would more than enough for them to put two and two together and come up with four.
They'd find out Ryuichi had taken illegal drugs, that he'd overdosed on those drugs to complete the mission.
And then they'd realize that Katsuko had deliberately left it out of her report.
Kami, what had she been thinking, enabling a chronic user? Some skewed notion of honor, protecting a teammate who didn't want her help? The most she'd managed to do was buy both of them some time, and it would only ensure that HQ would come down on their asses all the harder for it.
Ryuichi would be unrepentant.
Three agents dead, one partner looking for death, and her caught in the middle of it all.
It pissed her off.
Katsuko wouldn't have been so irritated about it--hell, she'd known what she'd been getting into when she'd given Ryuichi back his bottle of pills, but...she was due for her period in a week. Unlike some lucky bitches who just bled and went on with their lives, she'd inherited from her mother the cramps, headaches, and hair-trigger temper that came before the 'woman's gift'. It made her chafe inside her own skin, want to lash out at whoever and whatever crossed her path. It was a restless feeling burning underneath her breastbone, a sort of exhausted energy that wouldn't let her sleep until she'd worked the need to hurt and hit and fight out of her system.
So that was how she found herself slipping out of bed and down to one of the training grounds by the Forest of Death, where she could punch and kick at trees and unseen enemies to her heart's content. The training ground itself was rarely used by anyone except fellow jounin, and even they wouldn't be crazy enough to come around in the dead of night.
Katsuko shrugged out of her jacket and dropped it carelessly on the ground, heading over to one of the training dummies. She'd beat it until she worked up a sweat or it broke, whichever came first. Then she'd move on to practicing lightning jutsu on the trees. That was always a stress-relieving exercise in futility. |
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| Never Too Late [Closed to Ryuichi] |
[May. 27th, 2009|08:52 pm] |
Takes place two hours after No Rest for the Wicked.
The past three days were lost in a haze of unconsciousness and morphine. It was an excuse for someone who didn’t need an excuse. Ryuichi knew that other missions were assigned while he was out, and it didn’t surprise him when Ise came in bruised and bloody, her uniform ripped and armor dented. The hospital walls rose up around them, an acid smell of disinfectant to conceal the many deaths that had happened. The sun had started to go down, and Ise slid through the half-open door without a word as the first star came up. Neither of them saw it. The walls were thick, and there was no window.
The medics had seen her coming and moved out of the way. They knew her well. They knew Kaede-sensei better, and Ise had the distinct fortune of looking exactly like her. They had the same scruffy hair, the same hard mouth and harder eyes. It was good for getting people to move out of the way. Not so much when they mistook her for a crazy jounin and expected her to react accordingly.
“I head you were dead.” Ise settled herself down in the chair Katsuko had so recently abandoned. It looked worse for the wear, but this was a shinobi hospital.( Everything looked worse for the wear. ) |
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| No Rest for the Wicked [Closed to Ryuichi and Katsuko] |
[May. 27th, 2009|08:21 pm] |
Takes place directly after Knife's Edge in the Konoha Hospital
After--
After they'd managed to tug Ryuichi away from her grasp, and hauled both of them onto stretchers, and carried them both to separate examination rooms--
After the clinical examination, and the doctor's prounouncement that she didn't have anything a day or two of rest wouldn't cure--
After alll the questioning, and the papers and the report she had to fill out, and the long hours spent waiting outside of surgery where her partner's life hung in the balance--
They wheeled Ryuichi to a room, ICU or something like that, but Katsuko wasn't listening because she staring at his bandaged, pale, unnaturally still face.
She bullied her way inside and dragged a chair up beside his bed, ignoring the oderlies' protests. She'd spent the rest of the time alternately dozing or waiting for Ryuichi to open his eyes, only leaving to change and wash up.
The steady beep of the heart moniter soothed her anxiety and prevented the waiting from becoming unbearable, a constant assurance that Ryuichi was still breathing. What he would be like when he woke up, however...
Katsuko's hand went into her pocket and closed around the unmarked bottle of pills. She'd slipped her hand into Ryuichi's belt pouch during their panicked run, claiming the bottle with the vague idea that he wouldn't want the hospital to take it when they wheeled him into the operating room.
They'd have to talk about that. As soon as Ryuichi woke up. As soon as... |
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| Knife's Edge [Closed to Katsuko and Ryuichi] |
[May. 24th, 2009|08:26 pm] |
It was Ryuichi’s opinion that Intel was screwed up and filled with sadists. It was also his opinion that his current mission partners were doing their very best to make him miserable. Despite flatly ignoring them for three hours straight and then pretending he was deaf for what felt like another two, they were succeeding.
Thick grass stretched out from them in all directions, broken only occasionally by dark boulders. A chill wind hissed through the grass, and it would have been worse if it weren’t so dry. When the sun went down, Ryuichi knew it was going to be very cold. Winter was mostly over, just a few more days of cold intentions to break it up before the heat came, but this was one of the few and letting everyone know it.
Eventually they would reach the forest and the rendezvous point. Katsuko would be there.
When it all came down, she was little more than a stranger, but Ryuichi respected her fighting ability. That mattered in a Hunter, and what mattered more was that she seemed level-headed.
( Well. For a jounin. ) |
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| Survivor Mentality [Closed to Ryuichi] |
[Apr. 21st, 2009|03:12 pm] |
[Takes place on March 20th]
It took the entirety of the journey back home for the Intel agent to realize that he wasn’t interested in any aspect of her—stretching from her conversation to whatever the hell else she was pedaling, and even then, she wouldn’t shut up. Of course the other two agents had found it amusing as hell—mostly the girl with yellow eyes—and of course the only way to make it stop would have been to fight. It took glance down at his hand, all bandaged up in the splint that shouldn’t have felt as makeshift as it did, to dispel any thoughts to start one. Pain came and pain went, but Ryuichi didn’t want to make more for himself.
He just gritted his teeth and started counting the steps back to Konoha, imagining the various ways he could conspire to skip the debriefing completely. Sleeping held a strong appeal, as did a shower, something to get the dirt out of his hair and the fatigue out of his joints. Alas, neither came before the debriefing, and though Ryuichi went, he spaced out thoroughly enough to avoid listening to a single thing the Intel agent said.
There was a certain kind of annoyance in her face when they filed out, and Ryuichi considered smiling to let her know it had been on purpose. ( In the end he didn’t, and she watched him leave without comment. ) |
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| It Won't Be Long [closed to Ryuichi and Hayate] |
[Apr. 2nd, 2009|05:23 pm] |
Takes place March 27th
Being on medical leave meant he had a lot of free time on his hands. Hayate was decidedly unused to spending long periods of time idle. He rarely got injured badly enough that he needed a long time to recover...but ANBU was changing all that.
Tired of being cooped up in his aunt's little house, and not wanting to go back to ANBU headquarters, Hayate went out for a walk around the town. The day was slightly overcast, but without much wind or other signs of a storm just yet. It was chilly enough that he had opted to hear a jacket over his patched jounin-uniform-shirt. Of course, the jacket was actually an old hanten of his father's, and it looked a little odd paired with his worn jeans and hitai-ate, but it was much easier to put on over his stupid sling.
He'd been wandering for an hour or so, watching people and generally exploring Konoha. Every mission he went on, it seemed, the city changed while he was away. In protecting it, he knew it less and less.... But that was a morbid thought.
As he moved down a narrow side-street, rambling aimlessly, he caught sight of a modest little weapons shop. Drawn by the display in the window, Hayate crossed the little street. He appraised the blades behind the glass with a practised eye.
Hmm. Odd, that swords looks like it's high quality...but that one definitely isn't. He chewed absently on his lip. Curiosity peaked--what merchant displayed goods of differing quality in their window?--Hayate turned to enter the little shop. |
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| Say it Right |
[Jan. 21st, 2009|08:09 pm] |
Once his head stopped ringing, Ryuichi would conclude that the spar had been quite enjoyable. Katsuko (he'd forgotten her surname already, but that could be attributed to the fact that she'd hit him square in the face at least once) was a jounin. She'd also agreed to practice with weapons, too, and hadn't required convincing to do so. Most of the jounin Ryuichi knew were either psychopathic or full of themselves. Arrogance came with skill, and jounin had that by default. Insanity usually came with the rank, too, but few shinobi were all there in the head. Came with the job. Sanity hindered things.
Civilians were slow, whereas shinobi were fast. The wording was simple. The meaning, not so much, but it all worked out at the end of the day.
"That was fun," he said, staring at the ceiling and waiting for his head to stop spinning. There were a few lines on it that had come from something bladed. How they'd gotten on the ceiling itself was a question without an answer. Maybe he'd get bored enough to pursue it, but probably not. Ryuichi didn't get that bored often, unless he got hurt enough that active-duty was something he thought about wistfully, and he'd been lucky the past few weeks. Nothing major enough to make the medics notice. "And I'm fine. Really."
( He wasn't lying ) |
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| How Doth the Little Crocodile... [Closed to Hayate and Ryuichi] |
[Sep. 28th, 2008|08:13 pm] |
(Title taken from Lewis Carol's poem of the same name. The poem can be found here.)
There was a momentary hesitation at the door, but Hayate paused the fraction longer, and the other agent preceded him through the door. Hayate eyed the man's ponytail--tied with a small white bow of all things!--and stepped quietly out of the briefing room. The mission was a straightforward B-rank, guarding a caravan while a merchant toted a particularly large jewel to a prospective client. They would leave in an hour. Hayate was not displeased with the mission. He was curious about the other agent--he didn't think he'd seen the man around before. Hayate fumbled briefly for the name....Arai Ryuichi, that was it. Ryuichi looked roughly Hayate's age, with a scarred face and dark scowl. The be-ribboned ponytail was an interesting touch. Hayate hoped it meant the man was not as unfriendly as he first appeared. |
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| Mission Desk |
[Sep. 27th, 2008|12:20 pm] |
Mission Rank: B
Number of agents requested: Two - Arai Ryuichi, Chuunin, 019904; Gekkou Hayate, Special Jounin, 011671
Description/Objectives: merchant Escort Kondo Eiichi and his jewel caravan from Ise Gai in the Fire Country to Tsumago, a town just inside the border of Grass Country. There have been several groups of bandits roaming the way between the villages, and the jewel in question is worth 2.5 million ryou. Its protection is of utmost importance.
Possible Hazards: Attacks by bandits are a near certainty. Iwagakure activity has also been reported in the area recently.
Special Notes: The client requires that agents wear their masks at all times. Engage with and eliminate bandits as necessary, but do not engage non-hostile Iwa nin unless attacked. Agents preassigned due to need for specific skill sets.
By authority of Arakaki Hisoka, Director of ANBU Operations |
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| Storm in a Teacup: It's an Angry Fish [Closed to Ryuichi and Kotetsu] |
[Aug. 16th, 2008|10:27 pm] |
Takes place after this conversation with Ryuichi.
He hadn't thought about him for a long time.
Kotetsu wasn't an angry person by nature - it took a lot to make him angry, or at least get him to the level of killing intent. Oh sure, he lost his temper sometimes, but all that needed was a bit of venting, or even just plotting to turn that person's underwear bright flourescent blue and then he was over it.
But now?
( Three years. It'd been three years, since he'd last thought of him. Makoto. ) |
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| Under Pressure [tag Ryuichi] |
[Jun. 10th, 2008|07:40 pm] |
This was the last straw. The pen-ultimate. The very, very last straw.
Shibata Yuzuya stormed out of the bath with a curt slam of the door behind him, unused clean clothes and bath bucket in hand. His shampoo fell out of the bucket and clattered with a plastic clank onto the cement floor. He kicked it, angry, and then remembered that he'd need that and went back to pick it up.
( Someone was seriously out to get him today. ) |
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| Pulling Rank (Closed to Inoichi and Ryuichi) |
[Apr. 13th, 2008|08:41 pm] |
Backdated to January
Sometimes, Ryuichi wondered if the gods hated him. Then he reminded himself that he didn't believe in them anyways, and it was a moot point. |
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| Wine, Woman, and Song (Closed to Ryuichi and Aoba) |
[Feb. 27th, 2008|08:28 pm] |
(Backdated to December)
There wasn't any good reason for Ryuichi to be on the third floor of ANBU HQ. His own apartment was on the second, and it was, though not really late, in the process of getting there. No mission the next morning, (unless he'd missed the briefing, which would be really bad), and no reason not to be sleeping. At nine, most people were still awake. But Arai Ryuichi knew that sleep was something ninja took for granted way too much, and he wasn't about to start. Except, of course, that he was. He really should be sleeping right now. He just wasn't tired.
Why the third floor? Hell, why not? Know your terrain and all that shit. He hadn't been up there before, though as of yet, it had proved to be no different than the first floor, or the second. The only thing that changed were the occupants and the numbers on the doors, though he hadn't gone knocking on any of them as of yet. Sure, there were the occasional dents and stains in places, but nothing ground-breaking.
Ryuichi lit a cigarette, and exhaled, leaning against the wall. Another bad habit. And people were always saying rookies went out of their way to end up dead. He shouldn't work to prove them right. |
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| Off Hours [Closed to Ryuichi and Kotetsu] |
[Feb. 7th, 2008|10:50 am] |
Kotetsu prodded the door open; he thought he heard someone in here. Decimating straw dummies. Which sounded like fun, and maybe he could learn something, if not get said someone to spar. He felt full of energy, and remembering Zombie-man's fighting style and weaponry made him gleeful.
So he was feeling bouncy. Won't be having missions for a bit, he was all revved up, is all.
"... oh hey!" It was Zombie-man! Well, Ryuichi, but the nick-name fitted. And every time he called him that Ryuichi would look at him. It was hilarious. "You're here! And okay! We should spar." |
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| Hello Stranger [Closed to Kotetsu and Ryuichi] |
[Jan. 11th, 2008|10:40 am] |
It was a rather nice day, for snow. Even with snow. It was a nice crisp clear day, with blue skies, and cloudy breath. It was colder under the trees, in the forests, but if he kept moving - which he fully intended to do - he wouldn't feel the cold.
Kotetsu liked forests. They were positively filled with hidey holes and obstacles and uneven ground, perfect to put traps all around. It wasn't often that Ko had time - now - to lay out all the traps he could think off, and survey them with pleased pride.
He didn't set them to lethality, just the bare outlines so he knew he could remember them. A time limit of setting ten traps in a goodly periphery. His timing was just a little off, and one of his traps were a bit too hurried to do any proper damage, or restraining even in this sketchy form, so he set about resetting it, this time, in its full glory, just to be sure.
He hadn't reckoned on some idiot blundering in on his training space! |
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angry
hopeful