Squad #2 (Konran, Shizuka, Akuma & invite)

The squad he made was off to a running start now. All 3 of the kids could do incredible things and had awakened their potential. Alec only hoped that sort of power didn't go to their heads and lead them to do stupid things.

The were a few new people in the village too, like the girl he released from the mission he took his team on. A girl raised as an assassin that didn't speak, named "Quiet." Alec noticed that she followed them back here, probably from having nowhere else to turn. He didn't mind at all. The same as he'd offered Namie when he met her, he thought of having her join a team so that she didn't get into trouble.

There was also the matter of Konran, who'd told him that he wouldn't mind joining a team either. He had the strength and skill of an A ranked Jounin, but he still didn't know the order of things. Being on a proper squad would likely give him some much needed experience.

There were a few others running around out there. One person in particular had caught his eye, (Akuma) but Alec hadn't had the chance to meet him yet. In recent days, young men and women began to volunteer to be guards for the village along with Kinzoku, Kuro, Artemis and Kurai. Alec called them his "Dark Ops." They were eyes and ears around the village, and Alec would mostly use them for intel, and occasionally call on them to run errands and messages. "Dark Ops" members could easily be recognized by their purple ninja uniform complete with face mask. He asked one to find and ask Akuma to visit him at the mansion, and asked another to find Shizuka to ask her to do the same.

"Konran, you around?" Alec said into the Wireless Communicator while stepping out onto the front porch. He stood before the stairs with his Blind Fury stick in front of him, both hands atop of it like a cane. "I have an opportunity for you if you're interested. I remember you saying you could use a little action..."

Shizuka was free. It was still a concept that was hard for her to wrap her head around. To be able to come and go as she pleased, to be able to roam freely without an armed escort.

One of the other people who had likewise been rescued had helped her in finding a one bedroom apartment: the other individual had acted as her much needed mouth piece, explained everything, and had ensured that everything was set up. Shizuka had been very careful in keeping sure she kept her nose clean. She didn't feel the urge to constantly be looking over her shoulder, she didn't feel like impending doom was circling around her and that she always needed to be on her toes. She had begun to relax, a lot, and feel comfortable in her new home.

However, now she was a bit concerned. Someone had shown up at her door asking for her to meet Alec Kane at his mansion, recognized as a Dark Ops organization member of the village by their attire. Shizuka had nodded of course while her mind churned over all recent events: had she done something she didn't realize was wrong and got herself into trouble? She couldn't think of anything.

Shizuka would glance behind herself; her weapon was always kept on her, and her inability to wear more than the black bikini, bandages that covered portions of her skin, and boots, due to the fact that she breathed through her skin meant she didn't need to grab a jacket or anything of the sort. Stepping out of her comfortable one bedroom apartment she would lock the the door and hook the key onto the belt from which her folded up weapon hung. A quick trip down some stairs, and she was outside. She didn't waste time in getting to Alec Kane's mansion, speed was something she had in droves after all. When she neared she would slow to a jog which would then slow to a walk as Alec Kane himself came into sight. She could come to a stop nearby, a curious look upon her face. She still didn't understand how a blind man could see, and she hadn't yet found her voice to ask.

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Yawning, Akuma walked into the courtyard of the grand mansion in the north sector of town. It was, to be frank, his first time being out and about in this part of town after his unfortunately sad upbringing. He didn't care too much, mind you, since he was a fucking beast because of it. He wore his normal attire, black pants with a black and red jacket over it. The rebellious youth had a kunai blade strapped to his back, five scrolls at his side for random scribblings and Fuuinjutsu, and a plethora of kunai and shuriken in a pouch strapped to his belt. He never left home without being armed to the teeth, and given how addicted to pain he was, both causing and receiving, that he never wanted to. He was completely and utterly sociopathic, but he was at least a functioning one.

Walking up to the Kuraikage, who stuck out like a sore thumb with his white hair, blindfold, and general size and carriage, Akuma would bow with a smirk. It wasn't often that Akuma met someone his height, and he relished the feeling of not having to look down. Watching the other person closely, he would note that, like he, she carried herself with the gait of a killer. She wore only a black bikini and appeared to be Akuma's age, which was...pleasant. Damn his libido and raging teen hormones.

The purple dude with the mask wasn't there, so he assumed that the Kuraikage was relatively comfortable around a pair of people that were obviously trained to kill from the time they were young. Likely, he had enough power to back that up, so Akuma didn't even bother trying to assess how fast he could kill him. Likely, the man knew the Jashinkyo weakness, and would exploit it once he found out.

"Akuma Jashinkyo, as you requested. May I be so bold as to ask why we have been summoned?" Akuma would say pleasantly. High-functioning sociopaths were smooth criminals, as it were, and the particular brand of crazy that Akuma prescribed to allowed him to be subservient to those with more power than he. He wasn't a die-hard Jashinist like the rest of his clan, but he did have his moments of messed-up fun.

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Konran jumped down from the roof, landing in a crouch while holding the scabbard of the Shift Blade. Konran didn't look the part of a Shinobi. He was wearing an opened Khaki shirt with a black wife beater beneath, black gloves with no fingers, Khaki pants and combat boots. A pair of dogtags hung around his neck; the reminder of the weapon he was. Konran had wild uncombed hair and a pale complexion like many who'd lived here out of the sun their whole life.

In his left hand was a sword that he took everywhere with him: The Shift Blade. It was a special weapon that once belong to his father; he having stole it from a once renown ninja. A strange smoke constantly rose from the scabbard of the weapon, which vanished not long after.

Konran stood up straight to turn and see two others that he'd never seen in the village before. There was a girl who barely had any clothes on, but looked pretty serious. There was a guy who looked to be somewhere around his age who also looked pretty serious. Did Alec have something special planned for the 3 of them?

"Uh... What's up?" he said, unable to think of anything else to say.

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Shizuka showed up first. She didn't say anything, but Alec wasn't expecting her to, and only grinned. Not too long after she arrived a young man showed up next. Alec couldn't really get an accurate read on him, which meant at the moment he was unpredictable. Something told Alec that, just like Konran and Shizuka here, he probably didn't have a childhood filled with rainbows, butterflies and beautiful sunsets, but perhaps this team would get along since they were all so similar.

Last to show up was Konran. "Well," Alec began. "I was thinking of getting another team together, and putting one of my people as the sensei since I currently have my hands full with students of my own. You said you'd been waiting for something like this Konran, so I thought of you. Shizuka I figured this could be a way for you to fit in around here. You could also learn a few things."

"I don't know too much about you, young man," Alec said, "looking" towards Akuma. "But i've noticed you around. You have chakra that isn't ordinary. I thought you may want the chance to develop it, and possibly learn a thing or two. Is that something you'd be interested in?"

Alec cleared his throat. "Before you answer, I think some introductions are in order. My name's Alec Kane, i'm the Kuraikage. I don't put myself above anyone, so just call me Alec instead of Kuraikage-Sama and all that jazz. You might have noticed some of my guys around the village, Kinzoku with the glowing gourd, Kurai the Ape Sage, and Kuro of the Crow Sages. We were the ones who got rid of those Headband morons who used to run the place.

"That girl there, her name is Shizuka. It means "Quiet" because she doesn't talk. I won't say too much about her cause it's her own business, but I will say that she's been trained to do nothing but kill since a young age, much like you were, Konran. She's adjusting to a normal life after one... not so normal, so be easy with her, guys." Alec "looked" to Akuma again. "So why don't you introduce yourself and tell us a little about you, yeah? Then you can have a turn Konran."

Two individuals appeared after her, both of whom were male. The first to arrive had black hair with red streaks and ice blue colored eyes. The second was pale skinned, with black hair and carrying one of the strangest weapons she had ever seen. She didn't so much as nod to either of them and instead just simply shifted her attention back to Alec Kane as he began to speak. There had to be a purpose for her being called here and she figured she was about to find out what that was.

Alec mentioned getting a squad together, and how he was thinking of putting one of his people in charge of it since he had his hands full with his own squad - which only confirmed what she had assumed before about the three kids who had been with Alec the day she was saved. He said that Konran said he had been waiting for something like this, and that he thought it would be a way for Shizuka to better fit in. He mentioned he didn't know the other individual that well but that he had strange chakra and it would be a way for him to better develop himself if he was interested.

From there Alec went on to explain that he didn't think of himself as above anyone, to just call him Alec instead of by his title or anything such as that. This information caused the first actual emotional reaction from the female since she had been freed: eyebrows raised up in curiosity and she tilted her head ever so slightly to the right: curious to hear more about the kind of person this individual was. He had all of this power, all of this skill, and he didn't lord it over anyway? It was different than what she was used to.

As she was wondering about all of this Alec went on and introduced her, which was thankful since she hadn't spoken in years. He gave her name, and explained that it meant quiet because she never spoke. He said that he wouldn't say too much about her, but that she had been trained to do nothing but kill since a young age. When he mentioned that she was like Konran her red colored hues would shift to the male with the strange sword, head cocking even more to the side: he was like her? Was he an experiment, too? With Shizuka looking at Konran she listened to the rest of what Alec had to say and then listened for the other male individual to begin to introduce himself.

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Akuma chuckled a bit at that. What would he say about himself? His past wasn't sparkles and rainbows, so it was rough to revisit, but his new team deserved to know they were harboring a sociopathic killer in the shape of a polite, well-mannered teammate. "My name is Akuma.  I'm a member of the Jashinkyo clan, so we're all a bit...unhinged. I was used by the Headbands as a bit of an experiment into having an invincible soldier due to my clan and religion, until they were driven out by Alec here. They put me through a training program like a Shinobi Academy, except more twisted. Sooooo, yeah...."\

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He was finally getting the chance to join a squad. Since coming back from the boat trip Konran spent his time reading the many books around the mansion. He also made sure to stay sharp by regularly practicing in the backyard. Konran took one last visit to the room where he'd spent the first 14 years of his life to take whatever else he wanted from there before locking the room and the building for the last time.

By some means he was even able to meet Kuro, a fellow clan member. He was mostly a loner, but he was nice enough to teach Konran more about the clan and some of his techniques. Today would be the day to join a squad and be one of the regulars. Alec said he'd been waiting for this, which was true. He said it was a way for the new girl to fit in, and that he didn't know the other guy, but he'd been watching and noticed that he had an abnormal chakra level.

Alec introduced himself, then the girl Shizuka who's name meant "Quiet" since she didn't speak. He said she'd been trained to kill since she was young, much like he was. The guy introduced himself as Akuma Jashinkyo. He said because of their clan he was kinda off; a clan Konran knew nothing of. The people his parents worked for also used him as an experiment to create soldiers.  He'd been through a training program similar to a ninja academy, except they used cruder methods.

And then, it was his turn. "Uh... Konran Nara's my name. My parents were members of the Headbands and had me to use as an experiment, just like you two... They both taught me to fight everyday, but it was torture mostly... They injected me with weird drugs and soon I was able to do things not everyone else can... I'd planned on freeing myself and killing my parents, but Alec saved me the trouble..." He couldn't think of anything else to say and went silent.

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A member of the Jashinkyo clan. This is what made Alec look a little bit grim. Alec knew well of the clan and their bizarre practices. He made several adjustments to his blindfold.  "Hunh... Jashin," he said, returning his hand to the top of his Blind Fury stick. "Haven't seen any of yours around in ages. I know of your rituals involving blood and of your fetishes for pain, and also how your people tend to be sociopaths. I'm no one to judge, but i'll ask that you mind yourself around your team mates, Akuma."

Konran introduced himself and told a bit about himself last. Alec could see for himself the difference in the three. Konran was the strongest of them, and there seemed to be more to the girl than she was showing. It would be an interesting show to watch her develop. Akuma seemed to be the least refined of them all, but this would soon change easily enough under Kurai's watch. "You're all going to be under a friend of mine's tutelage, his name is Kurai Yanagi. Konran, I can see that you're quite stronger than your team mates, so i'll need you to go a little easier. For you, the team experience is mostly to get a feel for things. Kurai will likely have you doing missions around the village soon, so share some of your techniques with your new squad mates, alright? You may show them something that will save their life one day."

Alec put his right hand up to wave at them. "Kurai will be along shortly. He is a diligent but fair Sensei; impress him and he may show you all some incredible things. Feel free to wait here until he arrives." Alec turned and went back inside of the mansion.

\Exit\

One of her teammates, named Akuma of the Jashinkyo clan, began to introduce himself. He explained that they, which she figured meant his clan, were all a bit unhinged which in Shizuka's mind meant he was dangerous: the kind of dangerous she used to put down a lot during those kill or be killed training exercises she used to have to go through. He went on to explain that he likewise was an experiment: an attempt for the Headband people to make an ultimate soldier due to characteristics his clan was famous for - ones she knew because she had worked on and with members of that clan.

Next came the other male individual's introduction. He called himself Konran, and said that he was of the Nara clan. He had been used as an experiment just like herself and Akuma, yet by his own parents. He was injected with weird drugs and trained to fight ever day, but the fighting was more like torture, which Shizuka could well imagine. He admitted that he had planned on getting free and killing his parents one day, but that Alec had saved him the trouble. So, Alec Kane had rescued him too then?

When Alec Kane began to speak she shifted her red colored hues back onto him and returned to paying attention to him. He seemed to know some things about Akuma's clan, and warned him to mind himself around herself and Konran. Would Akuma cause problems for the both of him? Was he a sadist like the other members of the clan she had met during her training? The thoughts were pushed from her mind as Alec Kane went on to explain that their sensei would be an individual named Kurai Yanagi. Kurai would apparently be along shortly, and that he was a diligent but fair sensei. if they impressed him then perhaps he might show them some incredible things.

When Alec left she glanced first towards Akuma and then back to Konran. This was likely going to be a pretty interesting situation: she didn't exactly speak, so communication was going to be a problem for a while. She'd have to figure out some way if they were all going to work together to get her point across; so with this thought in her mind and brows furrowing in thought she began to whistle very softly.

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At the Kuraikage's words and departure, Akuma would laugh a little before smiling and turning to the others. Alec had hit it spot on, if he were honest with himself. He was a sadist, yes, and he was utterly sociopathic. But, that didn't necessarily mean he was cruel at all. Watching his teammates with interest, he noted that they both seemed around his age.

The female was of interest to him due to what Alec had said about her, and not because of her admittedly alluring appearance. She was on the smaller side, wearing an eyepatch over one of her blood-red eyes. Silvery hair hung down to her butt, and a black bikini covered the parts of her that would be impolite to stare at. Not that Akuma minded being impolite, but it would be better not to be.

The other male wore a khaki shirt left open to reveal a black wife-beater beneath, and cargo pants with a pair of combat boots to top it all off. A pair of dog tags hung around his neck, suggesting more to the story behind his parents' mistreatment. Drugs and such to enhance combat prowess? Not that Akuma hadn't heard of people doing it, he had just never seen the need to. His brain was already fucked up enough.

"Well, I wonder what this Kurai will be able to teach us? I can't learn much other than Fuuinjutsu and Taijutsu. Maybe Ninjutsu too, but I've never actually tried. Like Alec said, my clan is unique. We have a hereditary lust for pain, and are all a little messed up in the head, to varying degrees. I'm more of a high-functioning sociopath, myself, but I'll still go crazy if I don't get hurt or hurt something. Our clan's Kekkei Genkai, I guess you could call it, lets us survive almost anything and still be able to fight. Seriously, the only way to kill us is to cut off our heads or destroy our hearts. I wanted to let you guys know that so that you didn't freak out anytime in the future."

And with that, Akuma pulled out a kunai and started spinning it. He considered writing more Kanji on his arm, but it would be difficult to transcribe it in front of people. So far, he had the entirety of the Art of War written on his left arm in scarification, starting on the inside of the bicep and running all the way down to his wrist. On the other side he had "Sin" and "Pleasure" written side by side. They were new, just turning to skin color from the pinkish they were last week. The trick was not to cut too deep, and to hook it just right. For the more intricate patterns, he would use a scalpel while larger patterns he could get away with something bigger.

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Alec just seemed to re-appear with how fast he ran back to the mansion. This wasn't the actual Alec, but just a clone. He came to a stop and let out a breath.

"Change in plans," he said. "...Kurai isn't available at this point in time, so until he is, we'll have to go about things differently. This meeting was just an assesment of your skillsets. Konran, Shizuka, the two of you were pushed harder than Akuma, so as it stands now you'd have to slow yourselves in order for him to be able to keep up with you two. So for now, the two of you report to the dock area. You'll receive further instructions there."

Alec turned to Akuma. "Akuma while you were trained and brought up in the manner that you were, While I will admit you have an admirable level of chakra for your age, it's not quite on par with Shizuka and not even in the range of Konran. So what i'll need you to do for now is train yourself. Get faster, stronger. Increase your ability to withstand punishment. Train your eyes. Increase your chakra. I also want you to do some jobs around the village, make a name for yourself. This will prove that you actually want to be a part of this. Someone will be watching you no matter where you are in the Kurayami region, and your performance will be evaluated. So, keep that in mind."

With nothing else to say, the clone vanished into smoke.

/Exit/

Konran was silent. Sometimes he'd look at the girl, and sometimes he'd give a glance to Akuma. So, these were his teammates.

Akuma started talking. He said he wondered what Kurai would teach them, and that there wouldn't be much he could learn besides Fuuinjutsu and fighting techniques; perhaps some Ninjutsu too. He said the Jashin's were unique like Alec had said. Pain and blood... he admitted to being messed up in the head, and to being a sociopath, and also having to hurt himself or be in the position to hurt someone else or risk going crazy. This is what made Konran frown some, and begin to think being on a squad with someone like this was going to be a problem. The hurting himself/hurting others explained why he had named and phrases carved into his skin. Akuma said the only way someone in his clan could die would be to cut their heads off or to destroy the heart. He said he wanted to inform them so there were no misunderstandings in the future.

Then he was pulling out a weapon. Konran almost instantly had out the Shift Blade while jumping back into a defensive stance. It had been hard-wired into him; when a weapon came out, Konran went on the defensive. Especially with what he just revealed. Konran didn't know if he'd really truly be able to trust him.

"...."

Konran was debating on what to do. The notion that this squad was turning into a bad idea was interrupted when Alec returned. He said Kurai wasn't available at the moment, and brought up how Shizuka and himself had been pushed harder than Akuma was. They would have to go slower so that Akuma would be able to keep up, that much was true. So he and Shizuka were being sent to the docks, where they would get further instructions. This seemed fine with him, so sheathing the Shift Blade again Konran, after seeing that Alec wasn't Alec, but simply a shadow clone of him, began walking down the path back towards the village while keeping a cautious eye out for Akuma.

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[Exit]

"......" Reaction. That's all it was. A weapon came out from an individual who admitted that he was a sociopath, who admitted that he liked pain - both giving and receiving it. This was an example of the kind of individuals from her past that she had had to put down: the kind of people who would have killed her would they been given a chance. It was a simple flight or fight instinct now: and flight was never an option.

Her hand went to her sheathed weapon with a high amount of speed due to years of training, unclipping it instantly. With a burst of chakra and a flick of her wrist a series of clicks were let off as what had been a tiny box turned into a full blown gunscythe which was aimed point blank at Akuma. Shizuka didn't speak, she didn't even give any outward sign of attempting to communicate: she spoke with her weapon and the message was clearly 'try something and die'. She had no trust for the sadist: she didn't know much of him, only what he had just admitted to and what he had just said didn't make him look all that great of an individual.

It was then that she noticed Alec Kane, or rather what would later turn out to be his clone. He said that Konran and herself were more advanced than Akuma, and because of this the two of them were to report to the docks. Akuma, meanwhile, would have to undergo some more training, to get stronger before he could work with them. It was fine with her: working with a psychopath wasn't exactly going to be fun.

Still with no word she would free her scythe, the tip of which had been embedded into the earth, and twirl it expertly before placing it on her shoulder. She would take several steps backwards and away from Akuma, not wanting to present her open back to the other individual, before she would turn and follow after Konran. Even as she left she kept an untrusting eye on Akuma: waiting for him to try and stop one of both of them, waiting for him to attack.


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