A Doll meets a Knife.

Jesmin Kaylar was cheerfully walking down the road. He was about ten miles from the nearest town, and another thirty or forty until the next one. His travelling companion had decided to take a rest about an hour before, and urged Jesmin to go on without him for the time being. The bastard Hyuuga wasn’t too worried about his friend being in any danger, so he agreed to it. Wearing his normal attire, most notably the headband around his neck, Jesmin enjoyed the early afternoon warmth. The day was rather pleasant so far. With any luck, it’d continue being such.

As he began approaching a bend he kept his pure white eyes open, aware that bandits liked to use these sort of locations to jump travelers. He wasn’t too worried, his skills allowing him a pretty solid chance against any random thugs. But it never hurt to be careful. As he finished going around the turn, he was pleased to find that no one tried to jump out and threaten his life. It was always a pleasant surprise when that didn’t happen. However there was another pleasant surprise. A young woman was walking down the road, in his direction. Jesmin decided that he could do with taking a short break, and giving Jin a chance to catch up, so he sat down against a rock, in plain sight of the road, and waited for the woman. Perhaps she could allow him some conversation.

A soft innocent tune could be heard along the dirt road, the tune a soft hum was slowly getting louder and louder indicating someone was getting closer. A young woman close to her twenties was walking down the road a small innocent seductive smile upon her soft lips. The woman was 160 centimetres in height with long flowing straight black hair that reaches down to her derrière neatly cut at the forehead in a hime-style. Throughout her hair she had twenty small sakura blossom hair pins running from the top right to the bottom. She had soft white silky cream skin, pointed red eyes, and a birthmark under her left eye. Her nails are grown long and painted purple.

Her attire consisted of a shortened (almost skimpy) kimono cut at the top to show off her shoulders with white trimmings. The sleeves stop half way between her elbow and wrist with white cuffs as well. Her kimono was also cut short at the bottom reaching half way up her knees showing off her long silky legs. Her kimono is done in a floral pattern that stretches up the sleeves down her back, front and end of her kimono. Around her waist a white obi sash tied in a butterfly bow at the back with two long ends reaching down to her knees. Slipped into the side of her obi sash sitting on her left hip a katana with a black tsuka and sheathe.

She was something out of a fairy tale, she walked with grace like a princess, she had a soft seductive enticing sway to her hips that could draw in any hot blooded male. Although petite she was no way near unattractive quite the opposite. Just from looking at her you would mistaken her for the lover of a young daimyo or even a price. To many she looked innocent and weak as if she couldn’t hurt a fly as if the katana was just for show. All who thought this would be caught in her deceptive web though, and five sinister pairs of eyes were just that caught in her web.

From when she had entered and left the town behind her she had been followed by five thieves looking to take advantage of the ‘young innocent maiden’ that she seemed to be. With a sickening glee and a vile stench it was obvious they were the lowest of trash, scum to never had set foot on this earth. As they got closer they took advantage of the situation quickly surrounding her and cutting off any escape root, all oblivious to the young boy sitting on a rock only five feet away. The obvious head of the group was easily 50 centimetres taller than her towering over her small frame with a sick twisted glee, lust deep in his eyes. The woman almost wretched from his horrid stench as the others closed in.

““Ara, ara what can I do for you?” asked the woman in a soft, delicate and innocent tone of voice completely unaware to their lustful gaze as they eyed her form. On the inside she was resisting the urge to put them down like the dogs they were, beasts that should never even exist, that took sick pleasure in harming the innocent.

The thief in front of her licked his lips, “Oh there’s lost you can do for us missy. But how about you come back with us for some fun” he spoke in an overly sickening sweet voice and his breathe was putrid. He reached out with his right hand touching her cheek that made her almost pull away on instinct. She slowly reached for her katana with her left hand only for one of the others to snatch her wrist, “Now now chickie none of that, come quietly and we won’t have to scar that pretty little face of yours chichichichi”

She scowled at them pulling her arm weakly, “You obviously don’t know how to treat a lady scum” she hissed at them as unseen to them her a deep predatory twinkle began to form within her eyes hidden by her fringe as she cast her gaze down.

As he sat down and occasionally glanced down the road, Jesmin played with one of his puppets.  It was his smallest one, Nezumi, in the shape of a rat.  His other two puppets were stored in scrolls that he had easy access to, for the time being.  Playing with his puppets was a hobby, and a way to kill time.  After a few minutes had passed, and the girl hadn’t appeared near him, he looked up again, curious as to if maybe she’d turned around or something.  He was surprised to see a small group of men surrounding her.  They must have been following her in the forest, as the road was straight for quite a ways, and it would have been obvious if they’d been walking behind her…  If they followed her in the forest though, it meant that they didn’t wish to be seen, and that could only mean they were up to no good.

Jesmin, being a reasonably noble person, stood up and without hesitation decided to help the woman.  She had a sword, but she was outnumbered…  Pulling a scroll out of a pouch, he raced into the forest, and parallel to the road, coming up near the group.  Hiding about fifteen feet away, behind a tree and in the shadows, the Hyuuga of ignoble birth placed a hand on the scroll with the seal, his second puppet appearing in a quiet puff of smoke.  Inu was in the shape of a wolf or dog, and quite a useful tool for combat, though not as sturdy as Jesmin would care for.  But for now he’d serve his purpose.  Using his Chakra Threads technique, Jesmin made the canine puppet move, as well as his rat puppet.  Both  moved quickly, the rat puppet in almost complete silence, the dog puppet moving slowly to keep quiet, but it was only a few moments before both were right near the group, Inu being hidden behind a large rock, maybe eight feet from the group, and Nezumi under a small log no more than ten inches from the closest thug.

Placing the thread connected to Nezumi up to his ear, Jesmin prepared to assist if needed, listening through his rat puppet, still hidden from view.

Spoiler:

Amaterasu pulled her head out of the man's grasp looking at him in disgust, “I give you one warning leave" she spoke gone was her innocent voice as she glared up at the man only making him and his group laugh at her making her left eye twitch slightly. She took a slow step back only to pump into the man that was right behind her. She tsked at that as she felt an arm slowly wrap around her waist. She looked down finding she was being held in place she could feel their vile intent radiating from their bodies and it sickened her. She had told them to leave, she knew in cases like this she could attempt to seduce them but take them out when they least expected it but she really wasn't in the mood, besides she didn't want to even touch these foul smelling creatures.

One of the thieves approached her with a lecherous grin as he placed a hand close to her chest. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, “I advice you to remove your hand or you may lose it" she spoke in a soft yet deadly tone but he took no notice of it as he groped her inappropriately a his lecherous grin firmly in place, "Just settle down chickie and we promise it'll be over with soon" that however was the last straw for her. She moved her body back leaning into the man behind he creating a small gap allowing her to slip down and out of his grip. She cartwheeled to the right whipping her legs out causing the thief to back up to avoid being hit.

She cartwheeled creating a bit of distance between herself and them sneering, “I did warn you to leave me be. I normally hate to resort to violence but I'm afraid I can't leave you be. Normally I wouldn't have minded playing along with you however...you smell and I can't stand it " she placed two finger over her nose pretending to gag. She placed her right hand on her katana “But I shall deal with you efficiently. I suppose I should tell you the name of your killer. Suishin, Amaterasu! " she spoke settling into a battojutsu stance making a 'come forth' motion.

With an angry battle cry the thieves drew long knives and charged her. She sighed and slowly fell into her sword stance “Youyuu-Roshintouryuu... (Molten Core Sword Style) " began the young woman.

Listening through his puppet, Jesmin heard the conversation. color=#cc66ff]“I give you one warning leave"[/color] was the first thing said, and the puppeteer was surprised by the venom in her voice. The sword she had looked impressive, but for all he knew, it was just a hilt glued to a scabbard. When the man from behind put his arm around her and held her, it was obvious that something needed to happen to end this, quickly. Waiting now for a good opportunity to step in for maximum effect, Jesmin bit back his disgust of these men until he heard the words "Just settle down chickie and we promise it'll be over with soon" . Peering around the tree, he saw the woman maneuver out from the men at that moment, and as their eyes followed her, he sent his puppet out to do their job.

Inu crossed the distance quickly, leaping onto the back of one of the men, and letting loose two of his hidden blades threw the air into the shoulder of another. Stepping off the man he had knocked over now, Inu took on an aggressive pose, having no capabilities of sound, but his attitude that of a dog protecting its owner. In fact, he was placed now perfectly between the men and the one woman. Nezumi remained in place, having less effective abilities for combat than Inu. But he could still be useful if things turned out poorly.

Jesmin kept peering from around the tree, fortunately far enough away that the chances of anyone seeing him were incredibly slim. He knew that these men weren’t ninja or even trained in any combat, and would likely scatter now, as bullies are wont to do. But should they try and attack Inu, he was ready to react accordingly.

Amaterasu blinked as after she had created some distance between them a strange puppet shaped like a canine appeared leaping onto the back of one of the men as a pair of blades pierced through the air into the shoulders of another. The dog had stepped of the man he knocked off taking a pose between her and the thieves. She could only blink in slight surprise she had thought she’d have to deal with the thieves herself. At least now she wouldn't have to worry about staining her sword with more blood. Her eyes changed returning to their innocent appeal as she brushed a strand of hair from her face.

The thieves had taken a step back out of fear of this thing before them, whatever it was. Being civilians they didn’t know anything about the shinobi world. The men gulped holding their knives in front of them their bodies shaking in fear at the beast that stood before them. Amaterasu sighed and slowly started a series of hand seals, “Yoton: Yōgan katamari (Lava Release:Lava Globs)” She moulded chakra into her lungs mixing her Katon and doton nature allowing it to rise up her lungs and into her mouth. She parted her lips launching a large soccer ball sized glob of lava. The glob flew towards a tree impacting against the park and began to melt away at it.

The men squealed falling to the ground and stumbled to the ground, “DEMONS!” they shouted as they scrambled to their feet and took off in the opposite direction screaming about being eaten alive by demons. Amaterasu merely shook her head as she watched the cowards flee. Her eyes travelled towards the strange puppet creature eyeing it carefully as her left hand rested on her hip.

Spoiler:

To think that there were still people foolish enough to call a ninja a "demon" in this day and age. Well, you got country bumpkins from all over the place, Jesmin silently mused. Stepping out from behind his tree as the men fled, he walked the short distance out of the wooded area, silently calling his puppets to come up to him. Out of habit, when Inu reached Jesmin, he pet the puppet's head as if it were a real dog. Nodding politely to the girl that he had just assisted, Jesmin spoke first. "Hello. Apologies for stepping in on things there, it seemed that those men meant you harm. I felt it was only right to assist, though I see now that you likely could have handled yourself. My name is Jesmin Kaylar, and I'm a wandering shinobi, originally from Miare City." Still maintaining his control over the two puppets, and Nezumi likely still being unseen due to his small size, Jesmin stood in a casual manner, waiting for a response for the woman. She was dressed rather nicely for a ninja, so had she not used a jutsu, he wouldn't likely have deduced that she was a fellow shinobi. But then again, half of being a ninja was misdirection.

Amaterasu raised a hand to her lips and giggled innocently as the boy that had stepped out of the forest patted the dog like puppet on its head. It was rather cute to see such a display of affection towards a lifeless object. The young Kunoichi smiled sweetly at Jesmin as he introduced himself as a wandering shinobi from Miare city. She brushed a stray strand of hair away from his features and battered her eyelashes, “Ara, ara now you certainly know how to treat a lady. Suishin, Amaterasu former Kunoichi of Kumogakure no Sato pleasure” she spoke with another small giggle before grabbing the end of her kimono and curtsied winking playfully at him. She approached the young boy getting close enough for him to smell her sakura blossom scented perfume. She had just sprayed enough to be pleasant and strong but not overbearing.  

“Oh my now that get a good look at you your quite handsome aren’t you. My prince in shining armour” she scooted up close to him. She placed her index finger on her chest making small circle, “I bet you could show a girl a good time. You know it gets quite lonely for a young woman such as myself on these roads and dangerous. I could do with a strong handsome man like yourself around” she said playfully with a seductive smile firmly in place.

She turned taking a few steps away from him adding a seductive sway to her hips. She looked over her shoulder at him in a rather enticing and sexy manner as she blew a soft kiss towards the puppet user, “I hope you won’t object to me joining you on your little journey ne shinobi-kun” she sweetened her voice close to the end saying 'shinobi-kun' in an enticing and rather sexy tone. She hoped he would allow her to join him she was even using a little bit of her charm in hopes that seduction may sway him enough to let her join him on his travels.

Spoiler:

Jesmin was entirely uncertain how to react to this woman. However someone didn't need a Sharingan to see that this woman was trying to seduce him. Giving a nervous but polite smile as the woman brushed some hair from his face, Jesmin let her say what she wished. A former villager from Kumokagure? Jesmin had heard of the village in rumors, but wasn't sure what it offered, where it was, or really anything else about it. It was in the mountains, he knew. But beyond that his knowledge was severely lacking. But perhaps it was the village he was looking for, where the Hyuuga Clan had relocated. Making sure not to get his hopes up too much with the possibility of finding the Hyuuga girl, he thought for a moment after Amaterasu's monologue. Amaterasu? 'Heavenly Light'? This girl's parents must have thought highly of her with a name like that. I could use her to find this village and continue my hunt for the Hyuuga clan... But she is apparently eager to join me in travel. Why? What is her motive? These thoughts went through Jesmin's mind in a second. But he had a decision.

"If you wish to join my companion and I on our travels, you're of course welcome to. We would be happy to have a fellow shinobi join us. There is of course safety in numbers. But might I ask what your goals or destination are? I'd hate for us to be traveling in the wrong direction." His words were cordial, his expression pleasantly neutral. He released his control over his puppets now though, Inu staying standing and Nezumi still hidden in the shadows. He could regain control over them in an instant if needed, but for now he had no need. Waiting somewhat nervously, though hiding such nervousness, for the woman's answers.

Amaterasu blinked slightly titling her head to the left in a cute manner in order to hide her own thoughts. Had he not fallen for her little act? Perhaps it would be a bitter harder to seduce him than she originally thought. Though he hadn’t objected to letting her travel with him nor his companion, so he wasn’t travelling alone that was good, true there was safety in numbers. She really wasn’t going anywhere in particular, just wondering the world learning new things and improving her skills, but she didn’t want to say she aiming to become the strongest swordswoman. She liked to keep up her rather meek, innocent and weak appearance.

Brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes she smiled sweetly at the puppet user, “ “I’m happy to follow where ever you go teehee” she giggled softly, “ “All I want is to ensure that all men and women are equal in this world, that is my goal” of course it was a lie but he wouldn’t know that. If she got close enough to him sure she’d tell him her real goal but for now she’d just go with that. As a Kunoichi she learned a few things, don’t trust easily. While this boy may seem innocent he was still a shinobi and who knows he could plan to kill her the moment she let her guard down. His companion she hadn’t even met yet so she’d have to keep her guard up until she deemed them trust worthy. One mistake and who knows where she could end up. She had been hunted plenty times for her bloodline in the past or for her body.

Placing her hands on her hips she leaned forward slightly and giggled, “ “You kindly asked my goals, my I enquire as to what yours are ne?” She placed her index finger against her lip and pouted softly batting her eye lashes as she gazed on in his direction. Her eyes were soft combined with her pout made her look rather cute.