And into the darkness you go

There was a small port made of wood that stood two Takigakure shinobi. They were standing there, doing what the current leader of the village told them to do; Guard the entrance of the village so that no one can come in and attack. The two guards were two young men who were ready to head on home. Becaues of there youthfulness, they were experiences one of youths most deadly form of torture: Absolute boredom. For the past three years, absolutely nothing has happen to this village. Nothing, not a single thing out of the normal happen. They had an incident of a man who wore a cloak and cause a bit of ruckus but once the Takigakure shinobi showed, the man was gone without a trace. Ever since then, there has been no commotion. No action had taken place. It was, in honesty, peaceful for the time being. One of them, the one that was closest to the edge of the port, open his mouth widely to let out a loud yawn. He scratched his chest out of habit and goes back to his composure. God, he was bored. There was nothing he could say that could make this day go any faster. He was grateful however that his shift was almost over and they could head home. In an half hour, there would be two other guards that would take there place and they could go home for the night and sleep it off.

The other guard, who was standing with a large shuriken on his back made a bit of small talk "Awfully quiet, ya know?" He said enthusiastically. "Maybe something might happen tonight"

The sleepy guard blew him off with a wave "Please, nothing exciting ever happens here. It's been dulls fucking ville for the past week. The last thing we go was a false alarm of a person body floating on the river"

"You have to admit, that was pretty suspensful"

"Dumb, if you ask me. If it was a real body, then we could probably find the killer"

"What makes you say that?" The shuriken guard turns around to face the sleepy guards back. The sleepy guard faces him and the shuriken guard ask him again "What makes you say that?"

"Well think about it. Takigakure isn't as huge as it use to be. Many of the shinobi left to go to other villages, some of them became mercenary for hire and others just fucking left the job for the good. There aren't that many shinobi who quit still around in the village and the only shinobi who are left really are some of the veterans and alot of the young guys like us. If you think about it, we are limited to two groups. The veterans and the rookies. If it was the kill and it was clean, then it meant that it was done by one of the good veterans or one of the better rookies among us...that limits us down to a few shinobi which we would have to kill because in Takigakure, we still follow those same rules. If it was a sloppy job, then it was probably one of the rookies. Not alot of us specialize in assasinations."

The shuriken guard turns back around facing the water, facing the water and the litttle houses that stood on the edge of the river "I guess you have a point. Wow, that was pretty smart of you"

"I have time to think about things like that. It's not like we get any action around here so the only thing that is really left to do is to think or get bored and die. I rather go with my first option the go the second"

The shuriken guard shrugs "I guess you are right" There was a pause and there was a bit of silence for awhile. The shuriken guard didn't hear his comrade taken into the water, where he was stabbed a few times in the chest and in the neck. He was unsuspected. In still thought his comrade was still there. He decides to break the silence "Hey, wanna go to the bar afterwards? My treat"

Nothing. The shuriken guard sighs "Are you giving me the silent treatment again? Come on, I'm asking you if you want..." he turns around and he was cut off short. His comrade was gone. He looks around to see where he had wnet off to. "Hey, where did you go?" he shouted out. "You better not be playing a joke on me. Haha, it's funny. Now cut it out" He had a small smile on his face but the smile quickly faded away, as he notice that there was something coming out of his mouth. He moves his hand to reach to his mouth. Why did it feel so damn heavy to move? It was shaking. In his mind, he was saying what the hell but his mouth just couldn't move. He touched the side of his mouth. There was blood. It was warm, fresh...

Now the two guards are quite unaware of the threat that was underneath the port. There was Riku, who was treading in the water waiting for the right time to strike at the two guards. He wanted to do this quietly, professionally. No need to rush this, it was getting dark and this would be the perfect time for him to strike. The water was still warm from the sun heating it up all day and he could maintain homeostatis for quite some time. He wasn't just listening to what the guards were saying, he was also looking at the shoreline. There wasn't that many people out. It was a warm day and there wasn't that many people. He then undersood that it was getting late and it was time to head in. With that enough reasoning going through his head, it was a perfect time to strike. The cicada's were still clickign away with there bodies and he could hear the crickets chirping. Perfect, absolutely perfect. The guards are totally unaware that Riku had taken out a kunai and climbed up on the wooden port to take out the sleepy guard silently. Normally, there would've been a splash but Riku wanted this done professionally; sound was an assasins enemy and water splashing does attract attention.

He stabbed the sleepy guard in the neck first, swiped it clean cutting away at the larynx and pharynx so he couldn't scream out or gurgle. Then he stabbed him in the chest a few times before pulling him into the water. He slowly let the sleepy guard's body flow slowly into the water. With luck, the other guard was not aware of this happening and during that silence, the sleepy guards body fell into the depths of Takigakure river. Riku rose out of the water and swam closer to other guard. He heard the other guard speak, waiting for a reply. He then heard footsteps on the port. This would've been awful if Riku were to just arise from the water like a bat out of hell and just begin to stab. The guard would've scream out, causing more attention on him and he would definitely have to abort. But Riku was calm, silent and still like a falcon, like a panther silently hunting the prey. He quickly got out of the water, swiftly but steadily out and pulled out Bouga. There he stabbed him, just a little bit past his spinal cord but through most of his internal organs. He knew he hit the large and small intestine and the stomach.

The guard was in shock. He wanted to turn around to see who it was but Riku twisted the blade. The guard definitely felt the sting of the blade and could only make a grunt sound. Riku put a hand over his mouth as the guard fell down on the port. Riku retrieved his blade out of the man's body, cleaning it off with a cloth and sheating it. He then went back into the water and drags the guards body into the water, where he would sink for the time being before floating back up. He had a good hour before there bodies would come out of the water. If the guards weren't paying attention, he would have enough time to take the scrolls, maybe go get something to eat and leave. But, this wasn't leisure and play. This was strictly business. Work was definitely getting started

Swimming in the water was something he hadn't done on a mission for a long time. Yes, hiding in the trees was common for him. Hiding in the shadows? oh yeah definitely common for him. But water was definitely something of a rare occasion. He thought it ironic though. He comes from a country surrounded by the water, hell it's not name Water Country and yet the rarity of The Creed doing missions in water was quite a rare occurance. He thinks that other village specializes in water stealth just because that's is just something to learn. He could be wrong and it might be vice versa and he truly didn't care right now, he's on a damn mission and he's going off a tangent.

He moved through the water swiftly, seldomly kicking his feet to draw attention. Fate had it that he was suiton user, otherwise this would be alot more difficult to move through the water. He peered his head up just slightly up on the water's surface. He glanced around 180 degrees. He saw no one of any threat, just villagers who were doing the last of there chores. There was a house that Riku saw that he could see inside and see a mother and a child eating dinner. He couldn't hear what they were saying, his ears were slightly in the water and they were mayb 5 meters away but he could see the child laughing a bit while the mother smiled wholeheartedly. Riku seeps back into the water and swam towards the back side of the shore where he came out.

It was entirely dark, there were a thick lush of trees that was now covering him away from anyone. This was perfect for him to change into the approiate attire for this mission. In his vest, underneath both sleeves of his vest, there was a zipper. He removed both of them one at a time and pulled out a longer sleeve that compressed onto his arm. Entirely black like the jounin vest, keeping to the shadows was something of a must. He reaches to the back of his vest and pulled up a hood. The hood darken all of his eyes and parts of his nose but it was perfect just in case someone saw his face. He reaches into his back pocket, unzipping the pocket that contain not only the journal of his father but two gloves. He puts the journal underneath his armpit so that he could put on his gloves.

Taking the journal out of his armpit, he opens it up to the last page he left off. He quickly reads a part to himself before closing the book and taking off in the blackness. What the journal said gave Riku the information he needed to find the place where he needed to go

May 23rd

Rain. Perfect

We left the village today. Jouten was a bit surprise to see that I got the information he needed to take on Kakuzu, although now he his having second thoughts, which he always has. He would think they would've stayed for at least a week so that he could've gotten the information needed to find the scrolls. I told him I've been here before and that I had to interact with the village leader at one time. The place I found this stuff at was in the village leader underground chamber. It took me two minutes to find, I was rushing just a bit to find it but I found that it and it was somewhere near the desk. Once, I got there, it was smooth sailing from there on out.

The night still had it's youth so Riku could take his time with this. Although his father didn't give him any specifics as to where it was underneath the desk, he could find it. His only worry was that the layout of the place could've changed and they could've put it somewhere else.But it's been what, over 250 years since anyone stole from the village? He had his certain doubts and because his father was quick about it, they probably didn't suspect a thing when he left the office. Maybe the office was messy and he wouldn't have to clean the place out.

The trees kept him hidden, he was thankful but it wasn't getting closer to the village leader house. He would have to wait till every light went out. He lands softly on a branch that had a few leaves in front of him. There, he peered through the leaves to get a better view of the village. This might be awhile. The lights were going out slowly, people were probably still eating or drinking. He could risk it and go now but that would risk a lot of things. Patience was the key at the moment. He had time, he had plenty of time

September 9th

Mild and cloudy

Has it been so long since I've been here? Has it been so long since I wrote on your beautiful blank pages, putting my thoughts onto paper so that I may read it again during the course of my lifetime? Oh, I'm going off of a tangent again. I suppose I should go on and say what I did today.

What happen today was that I came back to Takigakure. It's been so long...in this world, it's been 12 years since I've last came here. In the realm in between, millions of eon's has passed and I do not have a sense of time anymore...unless I go into a world that has time. Again with the off tangant. I came to Takigakure again to find the hidden clues on the Chisoku. An interesting human clan. A clan of small assassins. They do appear in the history books of the Shikyo clan but only a small reference as they were allies to us. We had the same believes apparently and also, some of the same technology.

I've done alittle homework about them having scrolls on weapons that were ahead of there time, even before the Shikyo had any influence on there technology. Interesting enough, there is a blade that does not reveal itself in the open; A design for the sole purpose of close combat situation and steathly assasination for a person who wants to make a close encounter kill without making a scene. Indeed, this is fine material for my research on assasinations. I have plans on making a group of men and women who will be different than the shinobi of today.

Riku closed the book. He was sitting off the branch of the tree that gave an overview of the village. He's been sitting here for a good three hours or so, reading a few of his fathers journal entries. He only read the one he had in his hand, the other one he left in Kumogakure. He had to stop reading for a while because he saw a group of people run out of the village. They weren't going in the direction of river, which meant that his presence wasn't known as of now but they were going towards the huge tree that overshadow the place. With the amount time he had, he scouted outward with his glasses and saw the village leaders housing complex. Very nice, he thought. It was better condition than most of the housing he was seeing . Quite greedy but it was also one headquater that he could inflitrate.

He places the book back in his back pocket and zipped it up. He jumps down from the tree and landed softly before rushing forward. He was entering into the village quietly and swiftly. Ninety percent of there lights were out and only a few stree lights were on. He knew where to avoid and where to run. In the beginning of his raid, he jumped over some of the housing, dodging a few windows that had some light to it, using many of acrobactic skills and flexibility to move out of anyone's view point. He wasn't sure if there was anyone there at the window but again, he didn't want to take any chances. He moved quietly but with fast pace, if one where to blink, they would think he was gone but he was moving a bit faster than the eye could percieve it. When he got closer to the building, he jumped on top of a housing that was twenty meters away from the building and lowered himself down to an absolute crawl

He stopped. Damn, there was a guard standing at post. There was only one and it looks to be more aware than the shinobi he killed at the port. Well, not a problem, just a step back on his plan. He grabbed out a kunai out of his front pocket in his vest. With a bit of chakra, lightning slowly course through it. It was a dim amount, nothing specatular for someone to turn his way to look. He glances over over the roof. Good, he wasn't causing any attention. He then quickly stood up and threw the kunai at them. The guard did not have a chance to react for the kunai struck up at the side of his neck. The kunai went through him, ripping through the cervical point of the spinal cord, cutting away all brain function. The guards body went limp and fell over, dead before he even hit the ground.

Riku took a few steps back and then ran to launch himself over the large twenty foot fence. He landed but rolled to decrease the impact of the landing. He looked ahead. There wasn't anyone at the door. He didn't sense any alarms near him which was a good thing. He look over at the guard back behind him behind the fence. Geez, maybe that was a bit too brutal. He could've made that alot cleaner. He suppose he could make it up with the information he was getting. Riku didn't enter through the door, he had another means of getting of there. He scaled up the building by focusing chakra to his fingers and feet and did a improvise look of someone scaling the ground just on a ninety degree plane and up a five story building.

He reached up towards the tallest window. There, he glance to see if that was the place he needed to go. There he saw a desk, a few plants on the side of the window, a bookshelf and two and picture of a person of a family. Unless they start doing office work like so in a leader building this should be the place. He focus a bit of lighting at the tip of his fingers and begins to outline the square window itself. With careful precision, he made a clean cut. He slowly then removed the cut piece of glass out of its place and slide it down on the ground. It landed softly on the carpet floor, but it made a little crack. He slides his body into the 3x3 window and enter into the office. Alright, he was so far so good.

He took his time to see where it was by the desk. If the floorplan stood the same, then it shouldn't off been a problem. Instead of searching throughout the entirity of the place, he activated his aura echo and look to see if there was anything different about the place. What he saw was that the desk had been moved a while back. He saw the dark lining of the carpet that dragged the desk from it's original spot. He check to see if there were any other dark linings that he messed. He didn't smell anything new about the carpet and there were no other markings, so that lead him to one of the bookshelfs that stood from ceiling to floor. He takes a look at the books to see if that would off anything about the shelf

He got nothing. There was no books that activated like a switch. Well, it's definitely not something from a movie so I guess the book was out of the question. He look on the side of the thing and began to feel to see if there was a button that would activated it. He felt an indent of something rounded. Oh, this might be something. Riku pressed on it and the shelf began to move to the side of room. The dust from the ceiling came falling down on the ground making Riku take a few steps back. The shelf moved to reveal a stairwell that lead downward into the darkness. Oh joy, another dark cellar, what a suprise.

It's smooth sailings from here on out. That's what Riku kept on saying to himself even though clearly it wouldn't. Yes, he had gotten pass the guards, yes he had taken time to get away and scout the area, yes, he killed the guard that was posted for the village leaders house and yes, he did fine the secret lair to the forbidden scrolls...but it would not be smooth sailings in the long run. He had very little time before someone were to find that guard and for someone to find that the window glass has been taken apart and for someone to find the bookcase moved.

He was already down the steps and down the long hallway he had to travel. His eyes were still activated and he did not see any traps that were nessecary for him to dodge but he didn't always rely on his eyes. Because the hallway was narrow, he takes a step back and then jumps on the wall. He needed no chakra for this for this was essentially all skill as he propel himself, jumping off from wall to wall to reach to the end of the hallway and to the door. He wanted to test the door but it was locked, as expected. So, why go back up to the top of the office and find the key when he could easily do what he was going to do.

The shadow underneath him moves across the ground and then moves to the front of the door. The shadow began to the pulse, moving forward. The shadow, it was eating the door itself. If there was an alarm that was suppose to go off, the shadow consumed it whole, eating it away into the dark realm of the shadows. Riku past the eat spots and the shadow moved back down underneath him. Smooth sailings? Bullshit, he was thinking to himself. Maybe back then it was smooth sailings but now it's actually a bitch. He had to free-run his way to get to his destination. What did dad do, walk in and out? Bullshit, he thought once more. But he shouldn't be complaining, he was about to get his prize.

Inside were three large scrolls laying hortizontally and one huge scroll that was placed behind the scroll. Now, to Riku, this all seems very suspicious but that was just a mentality because he was in inflitration mode and the first thing that is sticking in his mind was to not trust a damn thing he came across. Even if it looks easy that it might be something of a trap. Riku didn't have to physically open up the scrolls to see which one had it, he needed to take all of them. Again, his shadow came out underneath the bottom of his feet and went to the scrolls, expanding itself to fit the giant scroll that was placed behind it. The shadow made a sound that almost reminded Riku of a person swallowing something heavily.

"Dont enjoy that too much, you gonna need to upchuck it later"

The shadow didn't reply, it only scruried back underneath Riku's feet. He shrugged and turns around to get the hell out of this place. It might've been easily to get in but getting out might be a little bit complicated

*****

Reaching the top of the stairwell, he looks around to see if anyone was there. There wasn't, so he moved quickly to the window where he came in. He looks out and no shock to him, there were shinobi all around. Must've found the body in the river. Well, they would first suspect it was a intruder first, that's just typical of shinobi these days. They would search the forest and then search the houses and maybe search the waters...but they wouldn't even know that Riku had came past for he was already gone and out of the leaders mansion. This time, he used his speed to invade capture and to invade anyone to see them. The shinobi would yell across trying to find the culprit. They would try to find this intruder, but then they'll begin to suspect that maybe the intruder was someone close to them. Someone internal, someone who had knowledge of the place. They wouldn't even guess that the only way Riku was able to efficiently know the place by hand was he took the hours hidde in the shadow, reading the journal his father had and of course his inflitration skills.

It would be a few hours later, in the early morning around four thirty that they would go into the office of the leader and see that it had been ransacked and the scrolls would be gone. The panic would then ensue thinking that the intruder or the spy or whomever had came through would know about the fearsome jutsu that keeps humans immortal, the violent deadly path would ensue. They would only hope that they find this person soon, otherwise destruction would come to the world once more. In form of chaos