Brat on the Run [Mission/Hanzo]

[Kirihara Izumi]

Late. Late. Late. LATE! She was going to be so late! Izumi zoomed around the apartment that she and her father had recently moved into. Even though it had been weeks since the big move-in, boxes were still out and about; some were pushed against the wall, others were stacked on each other, and the rest were already opened and simply left out to be forgotten. A frustrated growl escaped her as she opened a random drawer in the kitchen, already knowing that the item she was looking for wasn’t there. She still checked, however, before slamming it closed and stomping to another part of their apartment.

”Where the hell is it?!” Izumi shouted to herself. She now stood in the middle of the living room, hands on her hips and head constantly swiveling around to survey her surroundings. The fourteen year old girl was dressed in her usual ninja attire and seemed to be ready to head out. From the looks of it the only thing kunoichi was missing was the kunai pouch that she usually wrapped around her right thigh. Normally, she would pester her father, Tsubasa Kirihara, to help her look but he was gone away on a mission, again. ”Urgh. Whatever. I’ll just... Huh... Oh!”

Out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of a familiar shape under a pile of bubble wrap. With a huff she reached under the pile and pulled out the pouch. Quickly, Izumi strapped it on her thigh and locked everything before racing out towards the gates of the village. If her calculations were right then she’d only be a five to seven minutes late. Damn. Hanzo might already be there before her, and that would count another win under his belt. Hoping that her fellow squad mate wasn’t there she pumped her legs faster until she jumped off of the roof of a building and landed a few feet from the gates.

Izumi let out a deep breath before looking around for her friend and their client. Yikes! Hopefully, the client hadn’t gone off without them, thinking that they weren’t going to show.

[Hayashida Hanzo]

Relaxed that was what Hanzo was feeling right this moment, he knew he had a pretty big mission to do and that he would need a clear head for it. He had been rather excited the night before which had made sleeping rather hard to do. It wasn't so much the mission was a tough one they just had to escort a girl back to her home for one of the busy shopkeepers, but it was a c rank mission and he didn't get those often which meant that there was liking a bit more to this than meets the eye.

He had talked to his dad the night before about the mission and the location of where they were going. He was rather curious about if there was anything he should know about the area that would make things harder for him and Izumi on this mission. His dad had given him a bit of info but nothing major telling him that somethings he had to learn on his own he if was going to be a full ninja and catch up to him. Hanzo easily took on that challenge he wasn't about to lose to his dad or Izumi.

He was already up having trouble sleeping anyway, so he was ready and dressed long before the meeting time. He had left his track jacket today and picked hit hooded vest for this mission. He was heading out the door when his dad stood by the entrance waiting for him to leave. The two of them were never really emotional people it was usually his mom that handled that part for the two of them. He looked at his dad who nodded to him "Be careful, and come back with a successful mission under your belt." That was all his dad said to him before turning back into the house and heading for his room.

Hanzo smiled and nodded taking off for the gate entrance where he was to meet with Izumi and the client for this mission. He took off running there jumping from building to building his hood pulled over his head as he landed a few feet from the gate looking around. He didn't see Izumi or the client so he had to have gotten there first. he grinned "Ha looks like another win for me Izumi." He was talking to himself just leaning against a wall waiting for the others to show up.

He didn't have to wait to long before Izumi finally arrived and he grinned looking at her. "Well looks like you are getting slower Izra, you're lucky the client isn't already here might have had to leave you behind." He was teasing her now as they waited for the client to show up so they could get started.

[Kirihara Izumi]

It wasn’t long for her to spot her teammate. A scowl made its way to her lips. Of course. Izumi gritted her teeth at his comment. Slower?! She thought furiously to herself. ”Slower?!” Her thoughts were voiced out in an indignant exclamation. Crossing her arm over her chest, she took a couple of steps toward him and huffed. ”I’ll have you know that I made it here from the new apartment in six minutes!” Her lips curled into a taunting smile now. Six minutes was, indeed, a record breaker. Usually it took either genin, at most, seven to ten minutes to reach the gate when running at full speed.

Feeling that she had gloated enough to save her pride, Izumi dropped her hands to her hips and took another glance around. Well, despite her being late, their client’s niece was still nowhere in sight. That worried her slightly. Izumi had read the report thoroughly even though it was a fairly easy C-Rank mission. Take the girl home, that was it. But if there was no girl to take back then they had already failed their job, which did not sit well with the teenage girl.

”How much earlier did you get here, Hada?” Her crimson orbs locked onto her friend. The stare was sharp and almost demanding.

If Hanzo had been here and missed the twelve year old girl, she was so going to throttle him. Wait, no. Izumi shook her head slightly from side to side. Her childhood friend took his job as a shinobi just as seriously as she did so there was no way he would have allowed that. Following that thread of thought, Izumi’s eyes flashed in an epiphany. Their mission didn’t really say it in the print, but it was so obvious that she had to smack the palm of her hand to her forehead.

The little girl - though Izumi couldn’t really say that since she was only two years her senior - was being taken home because she was being a nuisance. That was the key to their mission. Humming and thinking to herself, she began to pace back and forth, and trying to remember what was it that the middle-aged man said about his niece. Turning to Hanzo again, she asked, ”Do you remember what the guy said about...” She trailed off, momentarily forgetting the girl’s name. ”... Kimiko-San?”

[Hayashida Hanzo]

Hanzo couldn't help the grin that started to form over his face as he looked over at Izumi knowing that he had gotten to her. His comment about her being slow had really pushed her buttons that on top of being late really must have gotten to her. Yet he was sure that that was the case more so when she started to brag about the fact that it had only taken her 6 minutes and how other took longer, He would have just let it slide let her get that little victory and not have told her how fast he had gotten there if she wasn't being as smug about it as she was.

"You know you shouldn't go around bragging like that, I mean just because you need the extra minute and a half more than me to get here doesn't mean you should brag about something like that Izra. But I guess we all can't be fast after all now can we." He smirked at her from under his hood knowing that he had probably made her even more annoyed with him. This was the game that the two of them played always trying to one up the other but when it came down to it they knew that they had each others back.

Hanzo had crossed his arms over his chest as he looked around wondering just where their client could be. He was pretty sure that they hadn't missed her, he had been here early enough for that not to happen. Izumi must have had the same thought because she was asking him about when he got here. "Don't worry there is no way that we missed her I was here early enough to catch her if she was here."

Even as he said that he started to look around a bit more now for their client. What was the chances that the girl really did just u and leave on her own, no that wasn't very likely. Hanzo looked up turning to Izumi as she started to talk to him. It was then that it started to click "Oh right i remember....she was being sent away because she was a problem....which means she is likely going to be our problem now. You don't think that she will try and run and avoid us do you..."

Now Hanzo was starting to wonder if the two of them should start to go and search for her. That was when he heard footsteps coming their way.

[Kirihara Izumi]

His light scolding made Izumi look to the side, trying to seem nonchalant even though her expression had a tinge of guilt showing. Well, whatever. What’s done was done and she couldn’t take back her words. Instead, she stopped pacing and listened to him answer her questions. Izumi nodded along. So she had been correct in her assumptions. Judging from the sun’s position in the sky and factoring in what a civilian teenage girl’s life... Izumi let out a small groan. Closing the distance between she and her partner, she said to him, ”Hmm... I wouldn’t put it past her. That sounds like something she’d do from what I’ve heard about her.”

Just as Izumi was about to suggest looking for her, which she was sure Hanzo was thinking of as well, the pitter-patter of sandals hitting the ground reached her ears. She turned and raised an eyebrow at the twelve year old girl who was doing some sort of run-slash-fast walk while looking behind her. As expected of their age difference, the girl didn’t seem much different from Izumi. She had medium length brown hair, a soft earthy tone, and a petite body frame that Izumi was sure wouldn’t be able to fight off any bandits on the roads.

The girl kept moving forward, head still turned back, before Izumi cleared her throat. ”You wouldn’t happen to be looking behind you just to see if we were following you, right, Kimiko-San?” The response was immediate. Kimiko whipped her head forward and gaped at Izumi and Hanzo, stopping right in her tracks. She took two steps back then tried to put on a haughty and superior look. ”Ehh? No! I was just being chased by some creep.”

The lie was so obvious that Izumi was dumbfounded. Sure, Kimiko was a cute girl, but her lying skills were horrendous. Thinking that it was a waste of time to try pointing it out, the kunoichi shrugged and took the excuse. ”Really? Well, let’s hurry and go then. The faster we get out of here, the faster you can get away.” Her fake, polite smile was flashed towards Kimiko, who grinned back uneasily. Kimiko, who had finally took in her surroundings, spotted Hanzo and immediately brightened. ”Oh! Sorry for my rudeness! I’m Kimiko.” By the younger girl’s pitch and direction, Izumi had the feeling that she was mostly directing her introduction to her partner. ”But you can call me ‘Kimi’.”

Kimiko batted her eyelashes at Hanzo, flashing him to what she thought as a charming smile. Irritated, Izumi turned away and began walking past the gates. She didn’t bother to give her name; that girl didn’t deserve it, not that she would remember it anyways. Kimiko seemed to be too taken by Hanzo, who she promptly ignored too.

[Hayashida Hanzo]

Hanzo could tell that he had totally hit a button with Izumi right then his comment getting to her. He didn't have the chance to try and make up or anything however because it seemed that their little client was making her way toward them. As Hanzo watched he she seemed to be on the look out for someone continuing to look behind her as if she didn't want to be seen or followed. Hanzo didn't have to say anything to the girl because Izumi beat him to the punch, the girl looking at them surprised. It seemed their theory about her was right however she was going to be trouble all the way to getting her home. That made Hanzo sigh to himself under his hood as he looked off to the side away from the two ladies.

He stood there with his arms crossed as the two ladies talked and the small girl tried to lie about the whole avoiding them thing. it was the easiest lie to see through and Izumi had caught it quick from the comment she had made and Hanzo did his best to keep hi grin to himself. However it seemed the girl had moved on and was talking to Hanzo now as he turned to her and nodded from under his hood. "I'm Hanzo, and that's Izumi we will make sure to get you home safely so you have nothing to worry about Kimi."

Hanzo heard movement and turned to see Izumi already starting to take off she must have still been annoyed with him over the while bragging thing he thought to himself. That made him let out a slight sigh as her waved the girl toward them. He moved to catch up to Izumi and whispered in her ear quickly "I get you are mad about earlier but we are on a mission. You can be mad at me over earlier later ok."

With that he turned to Kimi and waved her forward to the two of them. "Alright I think it best if we keep her in between the two of us, you can take lead Izumi and I'll bring up the rear." He turned to the girl then and continued "I need you to stay close to the two of us Kimi, I doubt there will be any trouble but better safe than sorry right." The girl hadn't taken her eyes off of Hanzo for awhile now but he didn't think much of it. It was probably just her curious about him being a ninja and all of that. With everything set off they were out of the gates walking forward to take the girl home.

[Kirihara Izumi]

The pace at which she had walked away wasn’t particularly fast, but it was enough for Hanzo to catch up quickly. Izumi had to pause as he whispered to her ear and saying something about her being mad at him about her boasting, which she had just forgotten for a moment. His closeness had her body stock still and rigid, not allowing her to reply in time as he turned back to tend to Kimiko. The brat, she hissed in her head as she turned to make sure that young girl was between her and Hanzo. A basic protection formation, but it’ll have to do.

”Hanzo, huh?” Kimiko batted her eyelashes at him again. This time she walked towards them though only to stop right next to the dark haired boy. ”You wouldn’t mind it if I call you Han, right?” She then asked, completely ignoring Izumi who was now quietly fuming inside her head. Her crimson eyes glanced at her childhood friend and wanted so bad to sneer at his gentlemanly attitude. His very existence wanted to make her scream in frustration! But, as a ninja, she had to keep her cool. Yeah, blank mask. Fake mask with a polite smile that read, ‘I don’t mind you at all.’

Her calm and collected expression began to crumble just a bit. It was a little crack at the right of her temple. Who was she to act all close to him when they barely met?! She gritted her teeth behind a tight-lipped smile. There was no way Hanzo would let her call him that, would he? Izumi focused on his oblivious face and sighed. Knowing him? He would let Kimiko call him that, which just annoyed the Kumo genin. ”Alright, come on Kimiko-San. Get behind me so we can take you back home safe and sound like Hayashida said.”

His last name always slipped out when Izumi was in a bad mood and all the blame was credited to Hanzo.

”But I want to stay next to Han!” Whined Kimiko, not at all concerned if Hanzo had accepted or declined her use of a more friendly usage of his name. Instead, she slipped an arm around his and hugged him closer. ”He can protect me easier if I’m close to him, right?” Kimiko said it with so much sugar in her tone that Izumi wanted to vomit and never eat anything sweet in the future. But it something else that caused Izumi’s mask to drop.

”Oh?” Her eyes flashed dangerously even if her voice was controlled and no ill-will seeped into it. ”So, what you’re saying is... You want to cling onto my,” the emphasis on ‘my’ did not go unnoticed by Kimiko despite her fearing the older girl just a tiny bit, ”... teammate just so you can act like a dimwitted fangirl?” Izumi was on a roll now. Her entire focus was on their client’s spoiled niece, somewhat forgetting that Hanzo was even there. ”If you want to do that then go ahead. Get him and yourself killed just because you were holding onto him when he needed to move freely.”

She stopped a few feet from the girl, her steeled eyes connecting with hers. ”But if you don’t want that to happen then I suggest...” Izumi reached over as if to rip the girl’s hold on Hanzo. ”... You get your hands off of him and get in line.” Her hand patted the Kimiko’s upper arm softly before swiftly turned around.

”Alright! Let’s move out.” Izumi growled as she finally stepped outside of Kumo’s gates.

[Hayashida Hanzo]

For the moment it seemed that things would be alright, and they would hopefully get this mission through without much issue on any ones part. Kimiko didn't seem like she had any plans to run away or leave them behind anymore as she made her way up to stand next to Hanzo. He was glad that would make things a lot easier for Izumi and him, it they didn't have to worry about the client being angry and fighting them on everything the whole way there then they could get there faster and it would mean a nice and easy job for the two of them.

Hanzo turned to Kimiko when she started to talk to him asking him if she could call him Han, he didn't really mind or seen any issue with it. There were quite a few people that called him that anyway so one more couldn't really hurt. Plus if she let her would probably keep her happy and more willing to listen if and when they told, and needed her to do something. The happier the client was with them the more likely they were to follow the orders that they gave. This was actually going a lot better than he figured that it would, at least in his head it was.

He turned to her and smiled "I really don't-" he didn't get the chance to finish what he was about to say because it seemed that Izumi was ready to get moving. Also from the way she used his last name it was easy for him to tell that she was still upset with him and was likely to be for awhile. He let out a slight sigh to himself, that was one thing that he would have to deal with later. Hopefully she would get over her anger with him as they did the mission and things would go well. That was what he had wished but it all fell apart when Kimiko said that she wanted to stay next to him.

One minute they were getting ready to move the next minute all hell was breaking loose, It seemed that Izumi was a lot angrier than he had thought and in that moment it all blow. The things that she was saying to the client were it wasn't so much what she was saying, since it was true how she said it was the problem, There was so much anger behind her that even he was feeling nervous in that moment. He for a second thought that Izumi might out right attack the girl. Once she had finished and pulled the girl from him to walk Hanzo knew he had to do damage control quickly. He could see it in Kimiko's eyes that she was upset, and looked like she was about to release tears.

Hanzo took the step forward between the two women and glared at Izumi for a moment he really couldn't believe she was acting like this knowing that Kimiko was the client for the mission and could easy turned around and tell on them that they were doing a crappy job and wanted another set of ninja. "Look everyone needs to calm down right now, you even more so Izumi. There is no reason for you so have acted like that no matter how angry you are now cool it."

He turned to Kimiko then and sighed "I'm sorry about that really, you can stay by me if you want we'll just have to change the formation a bit and it should all work out. I hope you aren't to upset and that we can continue on this mission on good terms and end that way." He moved to take Kimiko's hand annoyed at both the fact that now he would likely have to hold her hand the way there and at Izumi for acting like that. "Izumi walk ahead as point and keep and eye out as the advance guard, I'll stay next to Kimiko and run close guard. Now that's that and no more arguing at all move."

Hanzo held Kimiko's hand and started walking with her next to him a sigh on his lips this was turning into a bigger problem than he thought, but from the look on Kimiko's face she seemed to be a bit happier at the turn of event and being able to stay next to him. At least she wasn't going to request new guards and they could finish the mission.

[Kirihara Izumi]

She could feel her teammate’s glare. It wasn’t like the other glares that he had given her; they were all weak and lacked the necessary ‘grrr’ in them. This one, however, sent chills down her spine in the bad way. Like, ‘don’t talk to me ever again’ kind of way. And his words stung. Izumi felt indignant, hollow, and just a whole lot of mess that she couldn’t pick out the emotions. Her expression went blank at his words. Hanzo was right, again. As a shinobi on the job, she shouldn’t have let her feelings get in the way of the mission. It was always about the mission.

Turning to him, she gave him a stiff nod that she understood. Izumi told herself she should have turned around right after confirming his orders, but her red eyes stuck to the scene like some masochistic sap. He offered his hand and Kimiko took it with glee. As if sensing her gaze, the twelve year old glanced toward Izumi and sent her an infuriating smirk, turning a little so that Hanzo didn’t see. The Izumi from thirty seconds ago would have done something about it, but seeing as her friend was already at odds with her she simply raised an eyebrow.

If Kimiko was waiting for her to start something again then she sure as hell wasn’t going to take the bait. Izumi was well versed in the rules of the shinobi and it was high time that she took them to heart. Rule Number Four. A shinobi must always put the mission first. Seeing as Hanzo and Kimiko ready to move, she faced forward and took a jogging start. Moving was a good thing. It made her focus at the task at hand and ignore the source of whatever it was that made it hard for her to breathe.

Her crimson orbs flickered from side to side, locking onto anything that moved just an inch or so over. It might have simply been the wind pushing them along, but Izumi needed the distraction. Any thoughts that made its way back to her teammate were stomped on and kicked to the side. She didn’t need him or the annoying feelings attached to him. It made her weak and clouded her judgement. And the most important rule... A shinobi must never show any weakness. Nodding to herself and at the rule in her mind, Izumi came to a decision.

She was to let her childhood friend go.

That’s all there was to it. Let him go and it would make their lives a whole ton easier. She wouldn’t have to worry about him or get that uneasy feeling when he talked to other girls. And she sure as hell wouldn’t lose her temper either. He, himself, wouldn’t have to deal with bruising inflicted by her, or wonder just what it was that made her mad at him. Izumi began to steel herself for the long haul. It wasn’t going to be easy letting go, but the end results just might be worth it. Maybe.

Kimiko, who had a smug smile, watched Izumi move further away from them. Her hand gave Hanzo’s a slight squeeze as they started moving on the road as well. ”So, Han. Tell me about yourself. Hobbies, family, friends. All that stuff.” Even though her initial plan was to avoid the ninjas that her uncle had hired to escort her back home, she found that she rather liked her escort. Plus, having a nice conversation with a handsome guy would make the trip go by a lot faster.

[Hayashida Hanzo]

Hanzo watched as Izumi started walking forward without another word, not even bothering to look at them after that. Hanzo didn't need to be a mind reader or get any kind of special signal to let him know that she was pretty pissed off with him right now. After all the silent treatment was never a good sign when anyone was doing it. He would just have to deal with that for now, so she was mad he had every right to say what he did it was to save them both from losing their mission. He was walking mindlessly now slightly looking around to keep an eye out but mostly lost in his own thoughts at the moment, wondering if he was to harsh back there.

He had been so lost in his own thoughts that he had almost missed the question that Kimiko had asked him. If it hadn't been for the slight squeeze that she had given his hand before she had started talking he might have missed it altogether. He had turned slowly then to face Kimiko and blinked before it clicked what she had asked him just then "Oh well as a ninja you know I can't give you to much information about us, wouldn't be very ninja-like. However if you promise to keep it to yourself and not tell I might be able to tell you a few things."

Hanzo had no plans of telling her anything important, he would just tell her things that he would have been able to anyway but doing it this way would let him gain a bit more trust with her and that way hopefully they wouldn't have any more issues out of her and maybe he wouldn't have to hold her hand all the way there. He could see it in her eyes that he had her interested now. He grinned slightly then and nodded before continuing.

"Well my hobbies would probably be probably training and checking out new places. As for friends I have one very close friend we've known each other for as long as I can remember. We argue, compete, and sometime fight but when it comes down to it we are always there for each other and always will be." As soon as he had finished his sentence they had reached the bridge that would take them toward the town that Kimiko leaved. Once they crossed it, it was pretty much a straight shot to her place.

However it seemed to be a slight as he walked up to stand next to Izumi and looked at the bridge, He turned to her then and back to the bridge with a sigh. The bridge looked pretty old and might fall at any moment, it didn't look like it would hold more than one of them at a time. They could try and look for another way around but that might take more time than they needed too. "It looks like the bridge is a bit old but if we go one at a time should be fine...we'll go with Izumi first then Kimiko, and I'll follow at the end. This can work we all just have to be careful."

[Kirihara Izumi]

It was a quiet journey. Nothing exciting happened. Just boring old trees and nature. Izumi still kept guard, however, as it was the only thing she could do. Not only was it good for the mission (and practice) but she didn’t once have to look behind her at all. She knew that Hanzo would be able to take care of things when and if things start to get rocky and dangerous. So, for the next couple of hours - Izumi wasn’t sure how long it had been - they made their way towards Kimiko’s home.

Izumi had paused in her movement to stand before a bridge, a rickety old one too. She doubted that it could hold anything more than a person and their belongings. A frown etched on her lips at the thought as she eyed the empty space below the bridge. It would be bad if any one of them fell. Well, sort of. She and Hanzo could easily make it over. As shinobi they had been trained to have light and silent feet. Kimiko, on the other hand, was, well, a girl. And there was no way she could make it safely across the bridge.

Some distance away, as they neared the bridge, Kimiko was staring wide-eyed at the boy next to her. She truly was a child. A very troublesome one at that. ”That’s it?” A pout was on her lips, disappointed at the lack of excitement in his hobbies. Her interest was piqued, however, by the mention of a close friend. Perhaps the close friend was as cute as him! She wanted to ask, and so she did. ”Oh! Who is he? Is he in your team too? Why didn’t he join in the mission?” Her questions sped out like bullets as they neared the bridge.

Kimiko’s expression turned slightly sour when she saw Izumi standing just a few meters ahead of them. Her hold on Hanzo’s hand tightened. And by the time they stood by her, she was glaring daggers at the dark haired girl. Izumi didn’t bother to turn to either of them and simply nodded. Start now, she told herself. Pull away whenever possible. The kunoichi began to make her way to bridge before Kimiko said in her childish voice, ”I’m sure it’s fine. I’ve been going through that bridge since forever so I’m sure Han and I can go over it together.”

Izumi almost, almost, paused in her steps before turning to them and shrugging. It shouldn’t matter to her, she kept telling herself. But she looked towards her childhood friend and waited for a response. If they did it Kimiko’s way, and it was a success, the mission would go by faster. But safety was less guaranteed and Izumi wasn’t sure which was the better option.

[Hayashida Hanzo]

For the moment Hanzo found himself ignoring Kimiko who stood next to him continuing to question him about his life, hobbies and friends. He didn't have time for that right now, from Izumi's lack of words it seemed she was still upset and ignoring him as much as he was Kimiko right now. He let out a slight sigh under his breath, to think that a simple escort mission had turned into this. He knew that he didn't have time for those thoughts right now he had to focus on the task in front of them. Once the got the girl to her home safely then he could worry about getting Izumi to forgive him.

Hanzo looked over at Kimiko who was still clinging tightly to him saying that they could make the bridge together. He turned back to Izumi but it seemed that she had no words on the matter at all. He sighed seemed he would have to make the decision on this one alone. That was fine, he knew what he had to do as he turned to the two girls. "Fine, I'm sure that you have been over this bridge before but that was likely a bit ago and this doesn't look that safe right now. With that being the case this is still the fasted way to get you to your place. So this is what I will do."

He managed to slip out of Kimiko's hold and took a step forward toward the bridge before turning back to the girls. "I'll head out first to test the bridge, I'll go across and back, if it's secure and safe then we all can get over together. If it seems even a bit dangerous we go with the one at a time place. If it is a lot dangerous we will just have to find another way around even if that takes longer. Now then time for me to get a move on."

He smiled at the both of them then started to the bridge moving forward before either of them had a chance to try and stop him of complain. He was moving slowly at first his first few steps were careful not sure how the bridge would hold. it wasn't until he was about a quarter of the way that he grew comfortable and started to quicken his pace walking normally. He the half there when he let out a breath feeling that the bridge would be able to hold. He started to move faster and more free until he reached the other side. He nodded and felt safe as he slipped a hand into his pocket.

He started to go back toward the two girls a smile on his face as he moved getting about half way there when Kimiko ran out onto the bridge trying to meet him. That was when he heard a slight snap under the weight of the two of them. "Noo...Kimiko stop and don't move." That was great, just what he didn't want to happen. He looked pass her at Izumi "I need you to get her off the bridge as careful as you can and don't worry about me I'll figure something out." He looked around he was pretty much dead center on the bridge and couldn't move until Izumi had Kimiko safe and off the bridge.

[Kirihara Izumi]

Kimiko frowned at his lack of response but tried to keep chipper about it. She was sure that he was only thinking about how to cross the bridge safely and together with her. But once he pulled away, Kimiko felt her ire rise. He was supposed to stay back and let the other girl do all the work. The twelve year old, however, pressed her lips together in annoyance at being left with Izumi and waited until Hanzo made it safely to the other side. Her frown turned upside down as he started making his way back. Thinking it was safe, Kimiko called out his name and started running towards him, only to stop in the a few paces into the bridge as something snapped.

Izumi was on the move. Her heart beat dangerously against her ribcage as she ran forward, untying the sarong around her waist. ”You damned idiot!” She roared at Kimiko, who had frozen on the bridge and clinging to the sideline. Clicking her tongue in irritation and taking a deep breath she hollered over to the younger girl, ”Hold on, Kimiko-San!” Once her clothing was out in the open, Izumi flapped it so she could throw one end at her. ”Just... Just slowly step back, Kimiko-San.”

Her voice was now soft and comforting. It wasn’t warm by all means, but it was enough for Kimiko to break the bonds of fear and take small steps back. ”That’s it. Almost there, almost there.” Izumi called out softly before rearing back and letting one end of her sarong fly and land on Kimiko’s head. But even as she did that, Izumi kept an eye on her partner. Worry gnawed in her subconsciousness as she kept glancing at him, standing in the middle of the stupid bridge.

Feeling something on her head, Kimiko hesitantly reached out and grabbed the cloth with one hand and glanced back at Izumi, who had her attention on Hanzo. She gulped nervously, following the older girl’s gaze before continuing to move back until her feet hit solid ground. Izumi grabbed the girl’s shoulders firmly and pulled her back, holding the shaking Kimiko against her. ”She’s safe!” Izumi called towards her friend, her eyes still on him.

[Hayashida Hanzo]

Hanzo stood completely still as she listened to the slow cracking of the bridge under him. The only thing that was important was that Izumi get Kimiko off the bridge and the two of them were safe. If the two of them were out of dangers way, then he could figure something out for himself. He wasn't surprised when Izumi yelled at kimiko, if the situation had been reversed he probably would have done the very same thing. However she regained herself and was focused on the task of getting Kimiko off the bridge. Hanzo watched and tried to be as still as possible while Izumi guided Kimiko off of the bridge. He could hear it cracking more under her footsteps, but it was still holding together for the moment.

Hanzo cast a look back behind him to check out the distance from where he was to the land on the other side. He wasn't any closer to that side than he was to the other, so that didn't matter. He turned back to the girls to focus on them, and the mission at hand protecting the girl and getting her home. He looked right at Kimiko and smiled trying to come off as calm so that she didn't panic. "You got this, just keep heading back to Izumi off the bridge. Everything will be just fine, we'll all get through this and find a safer way to the other side."

Hanzo looked pass Kimiko then looking straight at Izumi giving her a knowing look. He could see it on her face, that she was worried that this wasn't good even though she was trying to stay calm. He smiled at her and gave her a quick nod, before looking back at Kimiko who was almost off the bridge now. She was about two more steps from safety when the bridge cracked again this time bigger than the last. Hanzo found himself shaking a bit trying to keep his balance and be still. Izumi had gotten Kimiko off now all he had to worry about was making it off the bridge himself.

"God job you two, now back up a bit the bridge doesn't look like it will hold out to much longer." Hanzo turned and looked right at Izumi then "No matter what happens here you make sure to get her home, and finished the mission. Now then...time to get over the bridge." He started moving toward the two of them slowly at first just going one step at a time. However every step he took the bridge cracked a little more. He didn't have time to go slow, he only had one chance at making it if he was lucky.

Hanzo ran for it taking a mad dash toward them as the bridge started to come down under his weight he was almost there when the ropes holding it up gave way and down he went reaching toward them just out of reach. He managed to grab hold of one of the snapped ropes holding on as hard as he could.

[Kirihara Izumi]

Don’t break. Don’t break. Don’t break.

It was a chant that she kept repeating in her mind as she watched her teammate stand alone on the bridge. Izumi couldn’t really see any minute details on what he was doing except to stand there, but there were always little ways that one could do to help them in the long run. In Hanzo’s case, Izumi could picture him trying to keep his weight balance and being still while she had been helping Kimiko off the deteriorating bridge. It was one slow step at a time, but with every step came the sound of the bridge breaking under foot.

Hanzo made a dash toward them. Kimiko had turned towards him at that moment and took a huge gasp of air. The bridge broke and the ropes snapped. He was falling and reaching out for the ropes. The entire thing was like a movie, a scene moving in slow motion. One... Two... Three.. . And he was falling, disappearing beneath the ledge and fingers grazing the length of rope fluttering in the air. Izumi felt her heart stop. A scream. But it wasn’t her; it was Kimiko. The poor twelve year old girl had tears in her eyes, hands shaking over her quivering lips.

A heartbeat.

”HADA!!!”

Unlike Kimiko’s scream, this one was high-pitched, pained, and filled with hysterics. Izumi pulled away from the traumatized girl and scrambled over to the ledge. No. No. No. No. NO! Again, a chant in her mind as if it would do anything for her. Hands gripped onto the edge as she frantically searched for her teammate. For just a moment, a second, her heart stopped. She couldn’t see him. Did he not make it? The chills rippled through her body. It wasn’t possible. He couldn’t be...

She blinked and stared harder. Almost five to ten meters down was Hanzo clinging onto a rope. Izumi let out a shuddering sigh of relief. ”Hold on, Hanzo!” After determining the rope he was holding onto, Izumi took said rope in hand and began to pull it up. Sweat began to appear on her forehead as the strain of hauling the rope and her partner back up. Gritting her teeth, Izumi soldiered on until she felt the load lighten. Turning over her right shoulder, she saw Kimiko helping her. She sent her a small smile and thought that Kimiko might not be that bad of a girl.