Mission:

Another day, another mission. Kiku's success with his first missing child mission had been a bit of a curse for him. He kept on being assigned to find people now, despite not being a sensory nin. It was getting to the point that he was considering trying sensory ninjutsu. He knew it was generally clan stuff or hidden jutsu, but maybe there was something he could learn. It was embarrassing having to pretend he was a lost child for the sake of the mission.

Kiku started by interviewing the parents. They had left their little boy outside while they stayed inside, and when they went to check on him he was gone. Kiku asked them why they were so distracted, but they got flustered and tried to avoid the question. Kiku was pretty sure he knew what that meant, which flustered him in turn. He decided it was best to just leave that discussion alone and go about the mission.

At the start, it was pretty typical. Kiku stashed his headband in his pocket and started asking around on the street, playing the part of the worried brother. Sometimes it was a blessing, looking like an adorable kid. People were sympathetic, going out of their way to help the scared, sad little boy find his baby brother. But the more Kiku asked around, the more real the worry became. The stories were all matching up: the boy had been seen being led away by a man who definitely did not match the description of his father. Kiku's heart leapt into his throat. Was he dealing with a genuine kidnapping?

Kiku made his way through the town, getting into the seedier parts of the village. The stories were still matching up. Little Takeshi had been lured away by some strange man in his thirties. The passers-by had thought the man was his father, and Kiku didn't contradict them. If he did, they might get involved and disrupt the mission or blow his cover. He just asked them where daddy had gone and thanked them for the help. It had brought him here, to a ramshackle slum in the worst part of Soragakure. This was where the witnesses had seen Takeshi brought. Kiku lay prone on a roof across the street, casing the place. There was a rough-looking man standing near the entrance, maybe a guard. Kiku would have to be very careful. If this man really was a guard and he managed to alert the others, the kidnapper could escape or there could be a hostage situation.

Kiku circled around the side, slipping in through a bathroom window. From here on, he would be on his own. He had to check this place the old fashioned way. He peeked out into the hall, making sure the coast was clear before he slipped out. He started making his way down the hall when there was a loud voice behind him. ”Hey, kid!” Kiku froze, turning to face the man. This was bad. ”What are you doing out here? Get back with the others!” Kiku played up his fear, but he was actually relieved. This man could lead him right to Takeshi! And if he heard right, there were others too. He was going to bust open a whole kidnapping ring!

The man grabbed Kiku by the arm, hauling him into a room. There were four other kids there, including Takeshi. All of them looked terrified. The door slammed behind Kiku, and he went over to them. “Don't worry, I'm a ninja. I'm going to get you out of here.” He pulled out his forehead protector, tying it on. The window was barred, but he could see that they were only on the second floor. It would be pretty easy to get them out. He just needed to buy time. Kiku looked around, and his eyes settled on the cots scattered around the room. “Here, help me with these.” He started pushing one of the cots, and the kids pitched in, putting up a rudimentary barricade at the door.

Kiku signaled for the kids to stand back from the window, then held up a hand. There was a whirring noise, and a Rasengan formed in his palm. “Everyone, cover your faces!” He threw the Rasengan, obliterating the outer wall of the room and leaving a gaping hole to the outside. Before the dust had settled, he grabbed a kid and hopped down, depositing him in the alley below. “Stay here while I get the others.” The kidnappers were pounding on the door, but the barricades were holding for now. Kiku picked up the kids one by one, bringing them down into the alley. With a noise like that, there would be reinforcements on the way. The door gave way just as Kiku dropped down with the last kid. “Let's go!”

He led them out into the street, where an ANBU team was waiting. Kiku showed them his forehead protector. “There's at least two kidnappers in there, maybe more. I've got all the hostages out and they don't seem to know ninjutsu, so it should be safe.” The ANBU nodded wordlessly, and his team was off in a blur. Within minutes they were coming out with four men in handcuffs. Shinobi were dispatched to return the other children to their homes, and Kiku could bring Takeshi back to his family.

It was a good day.

[Words: 901/850]

Approved