Naruto Tenmō (Part II): Danger in the Fabric

--- He couldn't hold back from coughing as the cheap secondhand smoke that lingered in the air filled his lungs. The poignant smell of old sake wafted towards them as they passed a rather seedy looking bar, and Yoru thought about how hard it must've been to live in a place such as this. Crime ruled this place, a city rotting from the inside out, a symptom of its never ceasing decay. Desolate hearts ruled by hopelessness were literally only a stone's throw away; after all, they consisted of pretty much every single human being that was unfortunate enough to reside here. Yoru had observed that everyone they'd passed so far had the same dead, vacant look in their eyes...it was depressing. The atmosphere was so heavy with misery that it felt like gravity had been doubled, weighing down upon him insistently. He absolutely loathed this city and how it sapped the life from him, and right about now, returning home to sounded more than a little appealing.

Not a single word of greeting, a smile, even a nod. What a miserable people - not that he could blame them, of course, given where they were. Running a hand through his thick, blonde hair, he forced the image of their target to the forefront of his mind. A rogue from Konoha, exile of the Uchiha clan, who'd been caught abusing their position within the Military Police Force to bring illicit drugs into the village. The Uchiha didn't need another stain on their reputation wandering around, so his father had personally requested the twins' assignment to this mission, trusting in their ability to handle it. Tch, sometimes he wished their father wasn't so confident in them. This corner, that corner, every damn corner had a possibility of concealing danger just around it, making him feel like they'd walked into some kind of death trap. As he walked, he cracked his neck and rolled his shoulders, attempting to keep his body loose. He could have to spring into action at any moment, after all.

Glancing to his right, he felt a huge amount of gratitude as his eyes rested upon the visage of a member of the Yamanaka Clan who had offered the assistance of herself and her companion. There was safety in numbers, so Inochi and Shishi were definitely welcome additions. On his left was his twin brother. Yoru pondered whether or not Akunin was feeling the same sense of dread as him. More often than not, they were on the same page, so he supposed it was likely. It was a great thing Akunin was there, however. There was something reassuring about having his twin by his side. As usual, Takehiko was with them, as well, his former teammate and close friend. Yoru made a silent wish that they'd all get out alive and in one piece, before something caught his eye. A hooded figure was walking quickly...a little too quickly. His eyes narrowed, and his sapphire blue irides became drenched in crimson as his Sharingan activated. Every instinct in his body told him to chase that figure, and he did, tossing one of his three-pronged kunai at a spot directly above the target's head.

With graceful ease, the young Uchiha warped to the kunai, marked with his special Fūinjutsu seal, and brought his heel down on the hooded figure's head. The man yelped in pain, and Yoru turned him over with his foot to inspect his face. Sure enough, his instinct hadn't let him down: this was indeed the scumbag they were looking for. Yoru was ashamed that this man shared the name Uchiha with him. "Did you really think you could escape Konoha's justice for long, or that of the clan Uchiha? If so, you're insane. Please don't bother putting up a fight, because you won't last." Out of nowhere, a blade plunged viciously into the back of Yoru's left shoulder, and the Uchiha howled in pain and surprise. The target smirked, getting to his feet and wiping the blood off his face before turning and running. Ever persistent, Yoru attempted to run after him, but found himself surrounded by a group of menacing looking men who he assumed were rogue shinobi of some kind. Gritting his teeth, he shifted into a fighting stance, waiting for one of them to dare to make the first move.