Team Elizabeth: Wax On, Wax Off

[ZeroNumerous]

Kagekure

The sun was high up in the sky, sending its bright rays of sunlight across the blue dome that covered the land. Clouds drifting about lazily as if unhurried about where they had to go and who they had to rain on. In the land squashed between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, a large collection of buildings marked the presence of one of the nigh-famous Hidden Shinobi villages. Concealed in the shadow of a massive overhang of stone and the huge tree that grew on its peak, a cool shade covered the town and most of the nearby lands in the valley. A large waterfall cascaded from the north end and became a river that traveled the entire length to exit out into forests and lakes. Birds flitted happily through the air and a quiet murmur was in the air. It always was, even if there was nobody actually awake and about, one mystery of this place.

A battered and burned wall surrounded this sleepy place, scars from battles long past marring its perfect white surface with three gates. One to the west, south, and north while the east side only had a gaping hole with construction crews scurrying about it. The interior of the village had the same scars as the wall that protected it though there was considerably more work done to repair the damages to it. Some buildings actually looked new and fresh. A sprawling noble complex with the symbol of the infamous Mibu clan. A tall and dome-like building in the center of the village, the residence and office of the village leader. And of course the Academy itself has been completely repaired and fixed. Fewer people then normal were bustling about the city but it was a healthy sort of buzz. The kind that showed that this village, despite its hardships was just beginning to recover from whatever tragedy had befallen it. Shops and restaurants getting enough business to pull them by. Children playing in the street with toys. Wives or husbands putting clothes up on the line.

---

A warm breeze over takes the group as all four ninja step under the shroud of shadow that covers the entire village. In sharp contrast to the forest around it, being in and around the village felt as if everything was a shade or two darker than it should be. Even with the sun shining high your world was one encased in shadows. The team makes it's way through the remains of the east gate and into the residential sector. The streets are near vacant and navigating them isn't a problem. However, you are left with a strange feeling of being watched that picks up almost as soon as you enter the cities' walls. All three genin await on Elizabeth to give them directions on where Mr. Mataki is.

[Valgunn]

Elizabeth

Elizabeth had no idea where he was. "Er." She started strongly as she thought up a lie, and thought it up quick. "Part of the mission was to find Mr. Mataki first."

[spectralent]

"This had better be worth it, or something is going to get seriously hurt..." Arisu growled, before going off and asking someone nearby.

"Excuse me, do you know where Mr. Mataki lives?" she asked a nearby villager.

My roll, if necessary. I'm assuming it'd be gather info.
You'll have to excuse my total forum inenptitude here. Dice roller doesn't seem to be working.

[ZeroNumerous]

Arisu

The villager just shrugs, as he doesn't know anyone by that name. Fortunately for Arisu, someone nearby does point her toward the office that takes care of the census. Specifically, the building she's looking for is the Central Administrative Office building where Ihesamo directs ninja activity in and around Kagekure.

Type 1d20+Example, but replace Example with numbers. Or use 1d8, 1d6, 1d4, 1d10, etc instead of 1d20.

[spectralent]

Arisu nods her thanks, then returns to the others.
"The concensus is that we should head to the census office in the center of town. Now, the real question I think needs to be answered is why on earth our employer would set us a task to find him before we do his job..." she punctuated that statement by glancing at Elizabeth.

[Neon Knight]

Bunko

Personally, Bunko didn't see anything odd about it. After all, Arisu and Takako went out of their way to make her life difficult, so why were they surprised when others did it to them?

She didn't say that, of course.

[Bariko]

Takako

The red eyed girl hadn't moved a muscle when they were told to look for their employer; this was something Bunko could handle. Arisu having the information made little matter, knowing the next step was the obvious point, even though it seemed...inconsiderate. What could be expected?

"Stop complaining," she said dispassionately. "Though perhaps we should have all the pertinent information before our next mission, Elizabeth-sama," echoed as Takako started walking.

[Neon Knight]

Bunko

Well, that census office wouldn't walk up them and produce the information they needed all on it's own, so Bunko headed to the center of town.

[ZeroNumerous]

Central Office Building

As soon as Bunko sees it she recognizes the structure as where they had first ran into Team 5; aka Team Lani. The rounded and distinctly spartan design is obviously not intended to serve as an office building, but necessity breeds change. A lazy chuunin guards the entrance with obvious disinterest in what goes on, but he does take the time to get Bunko's name written on a rolled up scroll tucked under his arm.

[Neon Knight]

Bunko

Bunko debated whether she should linger (and enjoy the time out from under Takako's heel) or be efficient. She decided to just get it done with, as an angry Takako was something she didn't want to see. Not after last time.

She walked up to whoever was in charge. "Excuse me? I'm looking for someone..."

Gather Information: [roll0]

[ZeroNumerous]

Bunko

A few questions to the right people puts Bunko standing in front of Ihesamo's office. The secretary said Mr. Mataki was having a short and late lunch break with Ihesamo and hadn't left yet.

[Neon Knight]

Bunko

Well, if she left to go get the others he might leave and then she'd look like an idiot. Determined not to mess up, Bunko waited at the door for Mr. Mataki to emerge.

[Valgunn]

Elizabeth

Sure that her 'famed' Gossip Squad would find Mr. Mataki Elizabeth relaxed. The tension of what could, would, and should happen on a battlefield long gone from her slight frame. She stayed roughly in the same area, only wandering around to keep her body from tensing.

[ZeroNumerous]

Bunko

The brilliant fool-proof plan in action, Bunko only needed to wait..

And wait.

..And keep waiting.

An hour later and Bunko is still waiting for Mr. Mataki to emerge. The genin's patience finally pays off when Mataki and Ihesamo-sama emerge from his room arms slung over one another's necks and a very obvious drunken tint to their faces. Mataki is a bald and wrinkling old man with a bushy white moustache and a black bottle in his free hand. He waves the bottle around while unintelligibly reciting a story that apparently Ihesamo-sama finds uproariously funny. Both men stumble down the hall and toward the building's exit.

[Neon Knight]

Bunko

And interposed between the door and the two was Bunko. "Excuse me, Mr. Mataki," Bunko bowed to the two men, "but I'm one of the genin you sent for..."

[ZeroNumerous]

Mr. Mataki

The old man lets go of his bottle to pat Bunko's head with a wrinkled hand and mumble something incoherent. The bottle tumbles down to the ground and smashes into a million pieces with a brilliant crash! Both old men point and laugh outrageously at the mess, then tumble backwards into a rolling laughing tangle of limbs.

[Neon Knight]

Bunko

If Bunko wasn't adept at maintaining her demeanor, she'd have fallen afoul of Takako by now. Thus, she didn't let her irritation at the situation show. She shuddered a bit inwardly as she thought about Takako finding her with a drunk Mr. Mataki. She just knew the older girl would blame her for it somehow.

Actually a bit paranoid about it, she checked about to make sure Takako hadn't shown up, then walked over to the two men. "Mr. Mataki? Are you alright? Could you come with me, please?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Mr. Mataki

The old man scrambles a little as he gets to his knees only to slide on the dry part of the floor and tumble right back down. He has a good hearty laugh at his own predicament before saying something incoherent in Bunko's general direction. Twice more he attempts to stand and twice more he tumbles to the ground. It's rather obvious to Bunko that Mr. Mataki is incapable of going anywhere at this critical juncture.

[Neon Knight]

Bunko

Bunko sighed. Oh, this wasn't good. There was no way he was going to get there under his own power, and she couldn't carry him. Heck, she probably couldn't even help him get there.

On the other hand, he probably wasn't going anywhere, so... maybe it safe to just leave him there and go get the others?

"Mr. Mataki? Could you please stay here? I'm going to go get the other genin. It'll only take me a moment and I'll be right back. Then we can help you with... whatever you need help with."

[Bariko]

Takako

Outside the building, Takako is beyond impatient. After an hour, her attitude towards letting Bunko do a servant's work is weaker than her utter impatience. Catching the eye of Arisu, "Come on. This is ridiculous. How hard can it be to get one man!"

As she stormed stiffly towards the buildings entrance, she was consumed with distaste. You'd think simply finding a man in a predetermined location would be a simple task. Hell, even Bunko should have had no problem.

As she and Arisu arrive at the entrance, Takako curtly explains who they are and who they're looking for inside, maintaining eye contact with an expression of aggravation.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Bunko and Takako run into each other half way between the drunken mess in Ihesamo's office and the confused Elizabeth standing outside. Bunko is quite obviously alone.

[Neon Knight]

Bunko

Bunko sprang back "T-takako!" She bowed hurriedly. "He's, um, he's right int here!" She pointed to the hallway she'd just came out of.

Please don't make me wash your dog again. I hate that dog!

[spectralent]

Arisu shrugged.
"About time. Let's go see what he has to say for himself..." she mumbled.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Elizabeth, Arisu and Takako barge in on a very drunk Ihesamo-sama and another drunk man they can only assume is Mr. Mataki. Mataki has vomitted in the corner and you all guess it'll leave a nasty stain. Either way, you've potentially found your employer for the next couple of days.

[spectralent]

Arisu sighed and put her hand to her forehead.
"Not much, by the looks of it..." she groaned.

[Neon Knight]

Bunko

Bunko waited for Takako to take charge, as she undoubtedly would.