[IC] Soragakure: The Earth and the Sky

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

A cold wind blows through the early winter air. Masaru, Keita, Yousuke, Momo, and Takuya all gather together at the Leaf Village's gate. The massive wooden gateways are marked with giant red kanji that reads "Leaf". A pair of chuunin sit at a small wooden desk beside the large open gates. Refugees from the war form a pair of long queues in front of both chuunin. The Leaf Village had been taking in any refugees from ninja families or families with ninjas in their lineage. Many villages were destroyed in battles between the Leaf and the Sand, and likely the Sand was doing something similar.

The sky above the Leaf is dominated by the massive floating village formerly known as the Village Hidden in the Sky. While the Sky wasn't nearly the same size as the Leaf it was still a fairly large city. The main rail of the Sky Village descends down into the center of the Leaf, and is likely in use even now. Knowing Kaede it was probably providing supplies to deal with the refugees. After all, he had no reason to attack the Leaf given his plan hinged on being undisturbed. But, of course, getting to the Sky would require getting through the Leaf Village. And no one aside from Masaru had free reign to come and go within the Leaf.

The queues for the incoming refugees move slowly as the gathered ninja put together their plan of attack.

[Bad Situation]

"It gets surprisingly cold in Fire country," is Yousuke's first thought as he unconsciously tugs his warm, knitted scarf tighter against his throat and shoulders. It had only been about a year since he'd last been inside the village but today on such a momentous occasion, the Leaf village's high, intimidating walls seemed larger than ever before. He had grown as well, in his absence, now the tallest of their group by far but with the task that lay before he could not help but feel just the smallest bit insignificant.

He watches the paper pushing chuunin with some measure of apprehension churning in his gut as they approach, feeling the familiar sweat of agitation collecting on his brow. What if they recognized him as a war criminal? He had taken special effort that morning to dress himself as drably as possible but what if they caught sight of his face or something? His talent with the Transformation technique was next to nonexistent and if they caught him with a disguise up it would spell the end for him. Nervously, he fingers the brim of his conical straw hat, trying to see how the others planned to get inside.

There was little doubt in his mind about the strength of the Leaf village. He had served in their elite shinobi corps for almost a year before abandoning his post. Who knew what kind of sensors they had watching the gates? All it would take was a single sniff from an Inuzuka or a Byakugan using Hyuuga and their whole entrance would be ruined!

Thinking about the Inuzuka and Hyuuga however, summons up a different sort of apprehension in his stomach. "I didn't leave on such good terms with Mako or Jun, did I? I wonder if they're still angry about the whole 'going AWOL' thing?"

Turning around, he makes a face at his allies and shiftily darts his eyes from side to side as he rattles off his paper thin excuses. "M-m-maybe today isn't such a good day to do this. My stomach is acting up, you know? You know what they say about fighting on stomach aches. L-let's come back tomorrow when I feel better."

[Eurus]

The air was cold, but a few slow sips of Yasuro's plum wine chased off the worst of the chill. He was getting used to the weather here, by now. Hot summers and cold winters, not like the grey blur that Soragakure's seasons blended into.

It was a strange feeling, looking back up at his old home. Even stranger to realize that Kaede was peacefully interacting with the Leaf. As far as the other countries were concerned, what had happened was simply a rebellion in one of the lesser shinobi countries, no different than a coup in Ame or Kusagakure would have been.

He'd made a few attempts to voice his concerns, of course. To warn the Leaf about Kaede's plans. But he wasn't exactly a trusted or respected voice, just a too-old Genin in a dead end position filing reports that nobody would read. So he'd waited, vaguely wondering each day if Kaede was getting closer to exterminating the ninja villages or casting his grand illusion.

Yousuke's voice jars Masaru out of his thoughts, and he raises an eyebrow at the swordsman. "...Not the suggestion I would have expected from you, Konpaku-san. You could at least do us the courtesy of a better excuse."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke scowls at the chemist, "Oi, you understand better than most that for various reasons, showing my face in the village after the things I did would spell out trouble for all of us." Then, turning his face away from Masaru he mockingly adds, "Though if you had advanced as a chuunin you probably would have been able to get us in quite handily, Sarucchi." He leers at Masaru from beneath his hat and brings his hand up to cover his mouth but eventually coughs with embarrassment, realizing where they were standing.

After clearing his throat he asks "A-ah, completely unrelated but how are Ma- I mean, how are Hyuuga-san and Inuzuka-san doing? Not still angry at any potential criminals, yes?"

[Overlord Rion]

Takuya just ends up chuckling at the exchange. "Truly, the mightiest of us all has been lain so low." He accompanies this with as a grand a gesture as he can muster. Followed quickly by hugging the both of them. Any other members nearby would also get the same treatment. "So, what the hell was up with just disappearing on me for a whole year? That just isn't nice."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke stares at Takuya strange as he puts on his 'what' expression, cocking the one eyebrow and squinting with half-narrowed eyes, followed by an “Eh?” that comes out of his mouth half a second later. "I don't remember being the mightiest of our lot though I suppose I'll take the compliment."

When the Sky nin goes in for a hug however, Yousuke's right hand darts out at a blistering speed and interposes itself between the two, forcing the almost embrace into a halfhearted nearness as the swordsman draws back half a step. The smile that he responds to Takuya with is thin and doesn't quite reach the eyes. "Please, I would rather not reinforce this particular misconception about me more than it already has been."

After backing off he turns his attention back toward the village gates, "Sarucchi can explain better than I can, I think and I would rather not get into specifics so close to the gates."

[Eurus]

Masaru chuckles softly. Now that was a little more like the Yousuke he remembered. Subtly, he tries to size up the swordsman's mental state, curious as to how he's changed over the past months.

"...I haven't heard much about them recently. As far as I know, they've been occupied with the war effort."

And he, of course, hadn't. Which was rather awkward, socially speaking. He could count the number of Leaf-nin he'd gotten to know well on one hand, all of them in primarily noncombatant roles like himself.

Suddenly, he finds himself awkwardly hauled into a group hug, along with anyone else within arm's reach. Takuya seems to have put on some impressive muscle. Once the embrace is over, he straightens out his coat and smiles faintly again.

"It's good to see that you're all in one piece. I've heard some interesting stories, lately. We should catch up more, when we have time."

Turning toward the others, Masaru sighs, hanging the wine gourd back at his side and shoving his hands in his pockets before inclining his head politely to each of them. Almost the polar opposite of Takuya's alarmingly physical greeting.

"Uchiha-san. Kuroda-san. ...Goyou-san. It's been a while."

"Let me start out by saying that I'd really prefer not to get kicked out of another village. I don't have much pull here, but most of you could probably get in through conventional channels. Konpaku-san is the obvious exception, and possibly Uchiha-san as well. I'm not entirely sure what would happen if they recognized you, but I'm not eager to find out."

[Overlord Rion]

At Yousuke's movement, there is a flicker of...something in Takuya's eyes. It's gone, replaced by an obviously disappointed look. But he quickly shrugs it off. "What will be, will be. You'll tell me when you feel like it." Takuya looks up the wall of Konoha. "You know, I really don't think I've been here before. I've been mostly stuck on an island for a few years." He blinks at the gate, then looks at the others. "Well, I'm not in much of a hurry."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke waves away Takuya's curiosity. "Ah, it's not as impressive as it appears from the outside. Inside, it's just like any other Hidden Village really. Bigger though. Better looking too. And I suppose it's more peaceful than any other Hidden Village I've ever been to." He blinks a bit as though facts set in and then cranes his head up toward the Sky before turning back to the others smiling pleasantly with his eyes closed. "Well, let's do our best to keep it that way, shall we?"

[Togath]

"aye" says Keita, having not talked much, "and it is fairly peaceful, been working as a tea shop's assistant.. again, ever since the Grass incident forced me out here"

[Cespenar]

Momo raises the collars of her sleek black coat, adjusts her red beanie, and shivers. She wasn't sharing the overall high morale the rest of the group was having, not with Kaede so close to the Leaf. Still, she was nothing if not sociable.

She greets them all, nods back at Masaru, and keeps her eyes a second more on Yousuke, as if trying to understand the boy- correction, the man. It was easy to think of them as the puny genin they were 3 years ago, but especially Takuya and Yousuke with their... improved physique again remind her of the fact that they have all grown up.

She decides to reply to Masaru at first.

"I've been in touch with Mako and the others, actually. If she's not being held somewhere, she should be able to get us in. You could go in and inform her yourself if you want, or I could talk to one of the chuunin here," she offers.

[Overlord Rion]

"See? Pretty, smart, AND useful. We got the whole package right here, everyone." Takuya bowed in Momo's direction as he said this, a large smile plastered on his face. Perhaps he was laying it on a little thick...

Keep it up, this is hilarious.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke blinks at Takuya's brash statement before giving the other male genin an intense look of unequivocal pity. Watching Takuya make an idiot out of himself for a girl who probably didn't return his feelings was amusing, if sadly reminiscent of his attempts to woo Camille.

Camille was definitely prettier and smarter though. No doubt about that. And sure, her experiments often left him hazy and feverish but if there was one thing he could say about her drugs, it was that they worked.

[Cespenar]

Momo raises an eyebrow at Takuya, implying that he was indeed laying it a bit thick. She chuckles nonetheless, acting if it was a joke, if only to disperse some of the awkwardness away.

It is interesting, though, she thinks. She doesn't remember him giving away hints of ever being interested in her in all these years, apart from some silent glances, maybe.

She blinks a couple of times, and looks at Takuya again with a mildly confused look on her face.

[Eurus]

Masaru silently watches the exchange between Momo and Takuya (and Yousuke's apparent reminiscing over something) before he just sighs.

"...I can try to find Mako, but she might not be around. Most of the village's ninja have been in the field."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke shakes his head and points up at the gleaming metal monstrosity they called home. "Mako is related to Hokage. If anybody has been recalled to the village at a time like this, it would be her. Though, if she's the same kind of person as when I left she would probably be back in the village regardless of how her family feels about it."

[Cespenar]

"Koji and Jun might do as well, to a lesser degree," Momo says. She hadn't contacted them much without going through Mako, but she did keep friendly relations with them.

[Togath]

"Given that you're the only official Leaf nin among us.. Could you help us enter some of the more guarded areas around here? While I can't speak for the others, I at least have been hoping to someday get a chance to look through records of the first Hokage, and I think we can all agree that dealing with the Oni sage once and for all would be a good start as well, no?"

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke blinks, yet again, at the questions and statements being thrown around. He was beginning to do a lot of this today and if his luck held out, he'd be stuck with it for the better part of the week. Frowning, he turns to the ex-Sky and Grass nin and squints his eyes as if perplexed. "Oi, how much clout do you think a genin has, exactly? They barely trust Sarucchi to begin with, what makes you think they would let him escort us into the 'guarded areas' as you call them? Has being away from active service ruined your brain or have you always been like this?"

It was harsh, sure, but did the summoner understand the words coming out of his mouth? Really? "Well, if I had any doubts about his exile from Grass they've now been put to rest."

[Togath]

"I more figured he'd have seen enough Leaf nin to know how they act, so we could have a better chance of passing ourselves off as them if we need too" says Keita, more out of wanting to bring reason to his idiotic statement, "I've mostly just made tea and stole from empty battlegrounds during this time, so I don't have a very good idea what most of the shinobi here are like, aside from the dead and decaying ones anyway"

[Cespenar]

Momo shakes her head, not believing that she has to even say this out loud.

"You don't... infiltrate Konoha with a bunch of genin, Keita-san."

"Doubly so when you're trying to be friendly to them, and have perfectly good allies within."

[Cespenar]

"Anyway."

Momo starts to move up to the two chuunin, bypassing the crowd, hopefully with the group back in tow. When she reaches them, she bows a short bow and smiles toothlessly.

"Hello. I'm Uchiha Momo, and ah, these are my companions," she says, gesturing back at them. "We had urgent matters to speak with Hyuuga Mako of the Leaf." She pauses for a brief second, then adds as an afterthought, "...who should be able to vouch for us as well."

Probably don't have to Diplomacy since it was a pretty truthful and logical statement, but just in case, taking 10 for 30. Or 32 if they are male.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

The chuunin stop whatever they're doing, and many of refugees pull away from the approaching Uchiha. They look at one another, and then one nods. The one who nodded, a dark-haired young man with a scar over his left eye, turns back to Momo. His companion, a pale-haired older man with a perpetual frown, gets up and heads into the village. The younger man nods at Momo. "Your message is being relayed inside. Until he comes back, you're free to wait here. But I can't let you into the city as you are just yet."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke nods beneath the brim of his hat and leads Momo and the others away, toward one of the many large trees planted around the village gates. As they leave, he gives the guard instructions upon parting ways but is throws on a deepness to his voice. "When M-Hyuuga-san arrives, tell her where she can find us."

If the others choose to follow, Yousuke seeks out a particularly large tree trunk and sits down at its base, leaning his back against the wide layer of bark. When he finds himself comfortable, he reaches within his sleeves and pulls out a long, silver-tipped smoking pipe before lighting it and taking a few puffs. "Well, I haven't seen any of you in about a year. The lot of you have stories, I imagine."

[Togath]

"I've not done many particularly interesting things these last years, just working as a sell-sword or sometimes a researcher for hire.. tried my hand at being a village shinobi, until I messed up and got thrown out.. and I'm now working here as a civilian, helping my uncle with his new tea shop.." says Keita, before adding near the end, "even I've heard about some of your exploits though, Yousuke-san, you're quite the famous mercenary in the land of fire"

[Eurus]

That seemed to go suspiciously smoothly. The pessimistic part of Masaru insisted that it wouldn't be that easy, of course; who knew if the Hyuuga girl would be inclined to help them? Fingers crossed, metaphorically speaking.

Yousuke's comment makes Masaru wince, then chuckle. "Not so much, on my end. Just three years of failing to get promoted. Apart from that oddness with the Uchiha shrine and the talking cat, anyway. But I think I've already told you that story."

[Cespenar]

"Well, I've been wandering a lot," Momo says, "between helping Amon and hunting the villages for allies. I think I managed to convince several from the Euryale, even. Two twins and a weapons master. Didn't manage to persuade Camille, though," she adds, mainly to Yousuke. "Which you probably would expect. Couldn't find Sune either."

She looks like she would continue, but Masaru's words surprise her.

"What? What shrine, what cat?"

[Eurus]

Masaru takes another sip from his wine gourd and shrugs. "I'm afraid it wasn't as exciting as it sounds, Uchiha-san. About a year ago, I had a mission to clean up a shrine. I proceeded to fall into some sort of underground chamber, mostly empty except for a stone tablet covered in writing. It was completely illegible, though. I couldn't even trace it."

"So I did some research, and it seems that the structure used to be the home of the Uchiha clan, which I assume means that the rumors that it was built by the First Sage are disappointingly false. It made the tablet much more interesting, though, since I've heard that some of the great clans can encode their secrets into writing so that only their own eyes can read it. It was odd enough that I tried to do some follow-up investigating, but when I tried to track down the man who paid for the mission, it turned out that he had used a false address. And when I revisited the shrine later, the entire chamber seemed to have vanished, along with the hole I fell into."

"Oh, and there was a talking cat. It tried to dissuade me from poking around the shrine, I think. It said that it had ancestors buried there, I think, odd as that may sound. I was never able to find it again after that first visit. Does your clan have some kind of connection to cats, Uchiha-san? I've never heard about anything like that."

[Cespenar]

Momo stays silent for a while, digesting the news.

"Yes, there is such a connection. We even have a Grandma Cat, which should more or less summarize the situation.

"I've encountered such a place in my travels as well, actually. The writing on the plate indeed reveals itself when someone looks at it with the Sharingan. There was also a passage, in my situation, that could only be read with the Mangekyou, but... yeah, I don't plan to have that 'privilege' anytime soon." She looks uncomfortable for a moment.

"I suspect that cat you saw was probably a Uchiha, and it was his or her genjutsu that was responsible for the disappearing of the shrine. Or doton, maybe."

She looks like she considers something for a moment, but then shrugs.

"Where were this place anyway?"

Would compare the place Momo went with the scroll, with the place Masaru had been, to see if they were the same.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke shrugs when Momo brings up Camille, "To keep her curse from overcoming her body she has to live at Scarlet Devil Manion with Satoko. Honestly, I'm happier the further she is from any potential battlefields." He takes a puff from the pipe and breaths the smoke out into the air before asking, "You were in the Grass, then? How is Fumie doing? Has she been worked on her footwork at all since I was last there?"

[Eurus]

Masaru describes the location of the shrine as specifically as he can remember, given the twelve months or so since. He makes a mental note of the cat thing, silently berating himself for not thinking to research that himself. Not that it would have done much good, anyway.

[Cespenar]

"Fumie? Ah, you probably mean that swordswoman. Still doing good, I guess. She was sparring with two girls - twins, and holding her own pretty well. Couldn't persuade her, but I got the twins, eventually," she adds, grinning mirthlessly.

"So, what were you doing all this time? Are the rumors true? Do you really wander around the countries and duel with people?"

[Togath]

"Twins? Would their names happen to be Kinuye and Sinuye?"

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke only smirks and inclines his head in response, "Mm, something like that. After my exit from the Leaf-Sand War, something changed in me I suppose. I became so wrapped up in obtaining power for power's sake that I lost sight of what I set of to do in the first place. Back when I was fighting for the Leaf I thought I was doing some good in the world, that I was doing something with my own power for once but at some point you can't help but look at the blood on your hands and wonder if it was all for naught."

The casually arrogant smirk disappears and is replaced by a more somber frown as he blows his smoke out into the cold, winter air. "I thought I'd grown up enough, back in Soragakure. Three years ago I thought I knew everything there was to know about the world but now, I guess you could say kids grow up fast, huh?"

The swordsman takes another puff and looks right up into the sky where he lets out another stream of smoke, staring out into space with a faraway look in his eyes. "There's a lot of good that needs to be done out there, in the world. Things that war will never fix, no matter how nicely you might try to dress it up. We tend to overlook these things but when they're right there, staring you right back in the eye you just can't ignore them." Then, as he stares directly into Momo's eyes he adds, "So yes, among other things I did duel quite a few swordsmen in the past three years."

And then, as quickly as it came, the serious shell comes off and Yousuke smiles at Momo and the others. "Ah, I forgot to mention. I have an apprentice now! I have a few pictures of him stashed in my wallet, let me dig them out..."

[Cespenar]

Momo mirrors Yousuke's gaze with an equally solid one while his speech about change and war stirs thoughts of her own. She clearly sees the growth he is talking about, and wonders if she has gone through something like that herself. And if she did change, was it really for good?

Don't overanalyze. Don't hesitate. You already think about these enough.

As Yousuke changes the subject, Momo instinctively mimics it and breaks into a smile, even though her thoughts were still behind a couple seconds. She catches on quite smoothly, though.

"Apprentice? Oh, I have to see that."

She nods at Keita in between as well. "Yes, they are them. You were in the Grass yourself?"

[Togath]

"For a short while, before being exiled due to making a mistake.. and trying to.. well.. I may have tried to break in the Greatmother's estate" he responds, before stuttering a bit as he clumsily adds; "B-but it was for a good reason.. I'd thought Celestine was in danger, and that Akemi might be a traitor.."

[Cespenar]

Momo simply looks at Keita for a while, and then shrugs.

"Well, you survived, apparently, so that's a plus for you," she says deadpan.

[Bad Situation]

At the mention of exile, Yousuke can barely even look Keita in the face but offers a response nonetheless, "Yes, dumb luck certainly is a talent worth having isn't it?"

[Eurus]

Listening to Yousuke's solemn disclosure, Masaru remains almost expressionless. Another sip of wine. He should probably be a little more careful with that; getting tipsy now certainly wouldn't be appreciated. He risks another sip anyway, and can't completely blame it on the weather.

The thought seems to strike him as funny, and he suddenly chuckles, a surprising lack of bitterness to the sound. "Personally, I learned to stop giving a damn. Nothing erodes your sense of self-preservation like three years of grunt work, apparently."

"Life, as they say, goes on. Nothing lasts forever, right? Not war, certainly not peace. Not even the First Sage's peace. Even if Kaede won, it would be temporary. Maybe a decade, maybe a thousand years... but temporary."

He takes another sip, savoring the sweetness in a way that some detached part of his mind decided was symbolic. Then he chuckles again.

"That being said, I'd rather like to stop him anyway."

[Overlord Rion]

"So the result is easy. We win this fight, if we can. Then, we train the next generation to pay attention. I, for one, would rather train my own flesh and blood, so I'll be living long enough to enjoy having children." And teaching them to enjoy fishing like I did.

You sound like an old man.

If I could beat you in the face, I would.

Whatever changes Takuya went through, he was trying his damnedest to hide them.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

"Stop who?" The sound of a woman's voice drew the group's attention behind them. An older (http://i.imgur.com/ldTOi9F.png), but familiar, face approaches from the village's gate. The group catches glimpses of her ANBU uniform under the long green winter cloak. The dark-haired white-eyed Hyuuga looks at each of the group in turn, then bows deeply. "It is good to see all of you healthy again."

Behind her stands the pale-haired chuunin from the gate, and behind him stands a few other ANBU. All of them are masked--wearing a variety of masks ranging from dogs(like an Inuzuka) to oxen. In total four leaf-nin--not counting Mako herself--stand in front of the group. Mako herself motions to Momo. "Uchiha-san. I heard that you wished to speak with me. I would love to speak with you, but... We were informed that the mercenary Konpaku Yousuke was here today." She looks toward Yousuke when she says that, then back to Momo.

"I am afraid that we'll have to apprehend him if that is true."

[Togath]

"Why would a known war criminal just show himself in public like this? While it's true that this guy's a member of the Konpaku, he's just a distant relative, Isn't that right Amumaru-san?" says Keita, talking to Yousuke at the end.

*Bluff check:[roll0]

[Cespenar]

Momo sidesteps a little, blocking the Leaf-nin's vision of Keita, and tries to cut him mid-speech.

"It's good to see you too, Hyuuga-san!" she says, a tone higher and more excited than usual, and bows back.

"No, I don't know about him, actually. Anyway, where is Uchiha- and Inuzuka-san? Weren't they in your squad?"

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Mako looks at Keita, then to Momo when she interjects. When Momo professes to not knowing about him, then Mako simply nods. She points afterward at Yousuke behind Momo. "While I am surprised you didn't recognize him, I am obligated to inform you that he is behind you. I'll answer any questions after our business is concluded."

Mako plainly speaks to Yousuke, but doesn't look away from Momo. "Of course, were such a divisive individual to surrender himself, then I would be obligated to bring you all in for questioning."

[Cespenar]

Momo nods, repressing her urge of sighing exasperatedly, and continues like nothing had happened.

"I see. And that would be the only way we'd be allowed inside peacefully?"

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Mako nods. "As things are, I believe it would be the only resolution to this situation. Since we know Yousuke is here, then we're obligated to attempt to apprehend him. If he surrenders, then no one needs to get hurt."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke doesn't stir from his seat nor does he say anything, choosing simply to take a long drag from his pipe before blowing the smoke outward. Then, in a practiced motion he flicks the tobacco from the metal bowl and he slowly rises to his feet. "Can't say I didn't expect something like this to happen." The swordsman tucks the long, ornate kiseru into his robes and loosens the ties that that keep his wide, brimmed hat on his head before tilting it back far enough to reveal his face. He turns to Momo and winks, "You can deal well enough on your own without my aid, yes? From what I understand, Takuya is almost half as good as me in a fight these days."

Standing up to his full height, he waves at Mako and her ANBU squad playfully, "Divisive individual, was it? I hope you aren't making me out to be some kind of demagogue, Mako-chan. I'm not that dangerous. Not to pretty young girls like yourself, neh?"

"Well, at least it doesn't look like she's holding a grudge."

[Cespenar]

As Yousuke praises Takuya's martial skills, Momo raises an eyebrow. Wasn't the guy a... ah, what was he before anyway? Nevertheless, if Yousuke says so, it should probably be true.

She turns from him to Mako, looks at her with a slight smirk on her face, and opens her hands, as if to say, "Here you go."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Mako shrugs. "You claim not to be, but abandoning the leaf like you did lent a lot of credence to the Sand's reasons for this war. And possibly dragged it out longer. Whatever influence you think you have, the fact of the matter is that your reputation gives weight to your loyalties in the public eye."

The ANBU-armored Hyuuga motions to her compatriots, and they move forward. Two of them produce a pair of seal-covered tags each. They fold the tags as if they were cuffs, and hold them out. Mako speaks. "We ask that you agree to wear these on your hands and feet. They'll suppress your chakra, and turn you into merely an incredible swordsman."

If Yousuke offers up his hands, then the ANBU place both sets of seals on his wrists and ankles. They flare with visible chakra, then the paper goes blank as the black ink comes alive like snakes. They coil around Yousuke's wrists and feet, and immediately the young man feels a barrier cut him off from his chakra like an airtight door. The seal would fall away with the right key, but it'd be impossible to know what key was selected.

If Yousuke does not offer up his hands, then Mako implores him once more. "Once we escort you to a holding cell, then we'll have a few questions for your friends. Nothing too bad. Afterward, if you check out, then I could show you around."

[Bad Situation]

"You seem to know quite a bit about my reputation, Mako. I'm curious, what exactly are they saying about me in Fire and Wind country? Should I be concerned?"

Yousuke frowns at the restraints and the ANBU holding them up for him but holds out his arms at Mako's prompting. "Show me around? I think I'd like that," he says with a smile. It was odd how much leniency they were giving him right now but he wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Was it from the Leaf's lingering respect for his grandfather that stayed their hands? For most war criminals, the only thing waiting for them in a hidden village was execution.

When the seals are latched on against his skin he stares down at his wrists and sighs. There was something strange about being cut off from one's own chakra but he supposed it was better than the alternative, to be chained up like some kind of wild animal. Speaking of which, "Ah, that does remind me though. How is Jun? I never got a chance to say goodbye to her."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Mako nods in response to Yousuke's question. "You should be concerned. Many higher ups are calling you a traitor--and treason is a very serious crime. Others are more concerned about the disappearance of Sanagi, and rumors started that you've done something to her. Or that you know where she is."

When Yousuke talks about being shown around, Mako shakes her head. "Your friends would be shown around. If you're lucky, my grandmother can convince the council to put you in prison for the rest of your life. If you're not... Well, they say samurai at least get to kill themselves, right?"

The Hyuuga sighs and shakes her head when Yousuke mentions Jun. "I'd be more concerned about myself, were I in your shoes." Her eyes turn back toward Momo. "Interesting change. Those permanent?" She's obviously referring to Momo's Sharingan. "Well, either way, you'll need to come with us. Nothing personal, but with the war and all we don't just allow outsiders to wander around freely. Once you've answered our questions, then I'll see about getting you a pass." With that said, she turns around and starts heading back to the Leaf. The ANBU with her fan out, and surround the group to escort them through the gate.

If the group follows, then everyone is taken to a large circular building bearing the kanji for Leaf on the front. It's build like a bunker, and is obviously their seat of government. The ANBU and Yousuke head to a side door that leads underground, while Mako and the rest of the group head in through the main door.

Yousuke

The three ANBU lead Yousuke down a long flight of stairs, into room filled with holding cells. Some of them are in use--mostly with people asleep or minding their own business. None of the prisoners bear any markings. A ninja bearing the Leaf handband sits behind a desk. Obviously he's intended to be the guard for this area. He hands one of the ANBU a set of iron keys. The ANBU request that Yousuke hand over his swords, and strip down. They give him a new set of clothes if he complies, and one of them takes his gear elsewhere. Yousuke is then taken to an empty cell, locked inside, and the ANBU leave to return the keys and go back to their duties.

Yousuke finds himself in a ten by ten foot room. The bars in front of him are some kind of metal. There's a bed to his side, and a toilet in the back.

Momo and the Momoettes

Mako leads the group upstairs, to a small office. A man with a rat-like face and a cold demeanor asks them several questions about how long they'll be in the village, what their goal is, and where they are from. As long as no one gives any ridiculous answers, then each member of the group is given a passport with their photo.

Mako waits until everyone is finished. About half-way into the vetting process a young genin runs into the room, and has a whispered conversation with Mako. Once the group finishes, the Hyuuga turns her attention to them all. "Well, as long as you aren't planning on something crazy, then you're free to wander around the city. Sorry I can't show you around, but I've got to meet with my commander." Mako waves goodbye, then heads outside and upstairs toward where--presumably--her commanding officer is.

Listen DC 15
Boy: "Hyuuga-sensei! Jou-sama wanted to speak with you. The Sand has broken through Tengyou Pass. Junichi of the Red Sand is at their head."
Mako: "Junichi? Really... Alright. Tell him I'll be there in a moment. When you're done, report to Sunbeiseki. We captured that thorn in his side."
Boy: "Really? Di-Didn't he say to kill him when you saw him?"
Mako shakes her head. "Just go report in."
Boy: "O-okay Hyuuga-sensei. I-I don't think he'll be happy to hear that."

[Eurus]

Masaru quietly watches the others as they go through their brief interviews, contemplating the situation and eavesdropping. When they find themselves unescorted, he raises an eyebrow.

"That was about 75% of a success, I suppose. If I'm interpreting that last exchange correctly, Hyuuga-san's commander would rather see our friend dead, so that's something to look forward to."

"Do we have a plan here? I admit, I've been mostly assuming that one of you had found some kind of trump card when you mentioned wanting to come back for a second crack at Soragakure."

[roll0]

[Togath]

As Yousuke's being taken away, Keita says, "for what it's worth, even I will do my best to make sure you return alive, Konpaku-san".

After the interview, Keita hears the same conversation as Masaru, "I heard it as well... hopefully there will be some leniency, at least long enough for us to help.
On the subject of trump cards.. I don't have much, other than a decent skill at ninjutsu and genjutsu.. I've become better at summoning over the years as well, though they require open space to be effective, given their size"

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke takes the news every evenly, expressing neither remorse not fear. "A crime against the state, perhaps but if I had stuck around for longer than I did I would have inflicted a mark upon my soul. Though, I do rather hope I'm not put to the death. You'd be making a great deal of people out in the world very angry if you did and leave my poor, little apprentice all alone in the world. Again." He smiles conspiratorially but allows himself to be lead away by the ANBU regardless. He does however, turn toward his friends for what might be the final time. "Try not to get into too much trouble without me."

Inside the building, Yousuke has no more words for his jailors and chooses simply to comply for the time being, letting himself into the cell without protest.

When they finally leave him to his thoughts he runs a free hand against the metal bars and hums to himself. "What I wouldn't give for a heavy dark iron sword" With nobody around to see him, he walks toward the center of the cell and bends down to sit seiza-style as he lets the events leading up to his jailing crash into him.

"...well, I wonder who I'll have to kill to get out of this mess."

[Cespenar]

"Yep, permanent," she replies to Mako conversationally. "I expect you yourself must have developed a trick or two, but I guess it's not the time to chat."

As they and Yousuke are about to split up, Momo looks at him silently for a moment, and shrugs.

"If it were anyone else, I'd be worried, but it's you," she says, but a playful smile is almost visible on her lips as she turns around.

After their questioning, Momo moves quickly to stop Mako with a light touch before she leaves. She speaks softly as not to carry her voice any further than this room.

"Hyuuga-san, thanks for all this... but I'm really worried about the Hokage. It's extremely dangerous for the whole of Leaf for the Sky to be this close. For him to be this close."

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo and the Momocats

Mako stops, turns, and looks at the Uchiha with a frown on her face. "You're right. But with Sanagi gone and morale damaged by Konpaku-san going AWOL... The Leaf lost a few heroes. Turning the Sky could bring in more villages, and end the war quicker. Plus... We can't exactly attack them. Even with the right number of troops, they could just lift off and harass us from the air."

[Togath]

"What if we offered to help you take the city? A floating fortress would certainly be a boon to the Leaf, and we could likely clear the main troops if we were able to sneak in, leaving enough of an opening for your ANBU to finish the stronger shinobi residing there, such as Youki, Hina the Vulture, or the Oni sage"

[Cespenar]

"I know, I know..." she says to Mako as she listens to her reasons. "but we heard him talk about his plans ourselves. He aims to start from the Leaf. And this whole 'Kaede is gone, Sonia back on top' thing is a definite sham. Kaede is never gone that easily. And his Mangekyou...

"Its power may allow him to match even the Hokage himself. And I shudder to think what would happen if he does succeed."

[ZeroNumerous]

Earth, Wind, and Momo

Mako just looks at Keita when he speaks up. "And how do you propose to sneak into a village with one entrance and exit? The rail is in plain sight, and has no places to hide. Even if you could make it up there, then why would we enlist you?"

When Momo speaks up, the Hyuuga just shakes her head. "There's nothing to be done. If we lose the Sky, then they'll go to our enemy. We're hurting--both on the morale front and in terms of friends. If the Sky joins the Sand, then we'll be in a three way war against the Stone, the Sand, and the Sky. Konoha may be the largest village, but an army spread too thin destroys itself."

When Momo suggests that Kaede would attack the Hokage, Mako shrugs. "If he tried, then he'd be in a bad position. Grandma doesn't go anywhere without a squad of elite ANBU. One man against five? You only win battles like that in manga. Even Sanagi-sensei would have lost against Grandma and her entourage."

Mako finally breaks distance with Momo. "Regardless, it's out of my hands. I'm just a chuunin. Grandma makes all the executive decisions, but you wouldn't be able to get close to her right now."

[Cespenar]

Momo looks after Mako imploringly.

"One, five or twenty wouldn't make a difference to him," she says, trying to get a few words before she leaves for good. "We tasted his jutsu firsthand... it warps reality wholesale, in a large area."

"Isn't there something you can do?" she says, and produces an ANBU mask for a brief second, only to disappear it inside her coat. She raises an eyebrow.

A Sentinel's Mask is pretty much an ANBU mask, right?

[ZeroNumerous]

Mako

The Hyuuga shakes her head again. "Now you sound like Konpaku-san saying things straight out of a shounen manga."

When Momo motions toward her mask, Mako crosses her arms over her chest. It's plainly obvious that she'd just made an absolutely fatal error. "There's nothing I can do except forget we ever talked about this. For your sake. You're lucky I don't report what I've heard, or else you'd be down there with Konpaku-san."

[Cespenar]

"Fine. Thanks again, and sorry about worrying about your grandma. And world peace." She grins mirthlessly, turns around, and joins her friends to go wherever.

[Togath]

Once the group is away from Mako, Keita stretches for a moment and says; "so now what? Yousuke-san's a captive now.. and it sounds like we'll be unlikely to get much aid from the Leaf, this part of it anyway..", "Would it be worth seeing if we could pass ourselves off as refuges, in order to get closer to the sky? The higher us would recognize, probably anyway.. but I'd imagine we could at least get a glimpse of Kaede's forces that way, even if only the part he's letting refuges see"

[Overlord Rion]

"Personally, I just want to see if everything has finally settled the hell down up there." He blinks for a second as Mako berates Momo's idea. "We appreciate your understanding. Momo's decisions aren't always worded the best when they're concerning her brother. Would it be too much trouble to ask to see my dear friend one last time before you decide what to do with Yousuke?"

If Mako allows him to see Yousuke, then he waves goodbye to the others and follows her.

If not, he can be seen staring at her as she walks away. Another flicker of something crosses his eyes, then he shrugs it off. "Why is it all the women I have no chance with got pretty while I was away? In any case, the one least notable among us is me anyway, so I think the best bet for infiltration through disguise is to send me. Technically, I actually AM homeless."

[ZeroNumerous]

The Momo Matthews Band

When Momo gets sarcastic Mako frowns. "World peace is a bit less important to me than my family, and I'd be betraying them if I were to let you get so close to grandma. Don't pretend you know what's best for everyone, or you'll quickly find yourself out of friends here."

When Takuya speaks up about speaking to Yousuke, Mako shakes her head. "Sorry, but no one can see him until the council decides what to do with him. If he's lucky, then he'll be allowed visitors in a week or so."

With that said, Mako leaves and doesn't turn back. The assembled genin are left to their own devices in the middle of the leaf headquarters.

[Cespenar]

"Goddamn fool!" Momo grumbles between her clenched teeth after Mako clears out of earshot. "Her bloody family won't mean a thing when Kaede breaks out the world war, and she knows it!"

She looks around, eyes blazing with fire, daring anyone to come into contact with them.

[Togath]

"Given this.. Should we try to contact Yousuke?", "While even i doubt we could just force our way in.. I did bother to take the time to acquire a sword of dark iron.. surely not as good as his normal weapon, but a sword's a sword, and if I'm remembering right, you" he pauses for a moment while gesturing to Momo, "are practiced in genjutsu, are you not?, As long as his guards aren't Eurayle or Hyuuga, you might be able to sneak it to him"

[Eurus]

" I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," Masaru quips in response to Keita's suggestion, carefully avoiding looking directly at Momo.

He'd be lying if he said the girl didn't terrify him, a little. As far as he knew, the blood that ran through her veins made her as unpredictable and dangerous as any demon. But it also might very well make her one of the few people that could compete with Kaede.

When he does turn in her direction, he still doesn't quite meet her eyes. "...It was worth a shot, I guess. That doesn't leave us with many options here, though. At this point, I think the Hokage is the only person who could let him out of there, and it'd be nearly impossible to even get to speak to her, much less convince her. If we had some proof of Kaede's intentions, perhaps, but as we are..."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke paces around the room, a nervous wreck now that nobody seemed to be watching him anymore. He runs his hands through his hair and anxiously scratches at it as he uneasily walks the length of the room. "Why does this always happen to me? My feet hurt. These clothes don't fit me right and I think they smell bad. This cell is too small. How do I train with these seals on me?" Finally frustrated with it all he runs up against his door and begins rapping on it. "C-can you let me out now? I-I'm sure we've all had a pretty big laugh now. I need to get out of here and save the day again. Hello?"

When no response is forthcoming he skulks back to the bed and sits down, steepling his fingers together. "I wonder how many people I'll have to kill to get out of this mess..."

[Togath]

"There might.. maybe, be someone who might be willing to help us, from what I've heard an old childhood rival of mine became a Leaf.. I'm not exactly sure how high of a rank she is though.." says Keita, pondering just how Miyabi would react after all this time..

[Cespenar]

"Kaede isn't dumb enough to leave any proof of his plans, but I had expected that the Hokage would at least heed a warning from her granddaughter," she says to Masaru, cooling off a little. "If she is the tiniest bit wise, she would send a clone... or someone else, an impostor to speak with the Sky. I wouldn't trust even specifically created anti-genjutsu techniques to resist against my brother's Mangekyou."

"Talking about the Sharingan... perhaps I could go ask Koji's help. Maybe he would be more understanding."

Betting all on the fiery Uchiha boy isn't perhaps the wisest move, Momo thinks, but I've got nothing else.

If no one objects, she'll lead the group (or go by herself, if the others have stuff to do) to the Uchiha clan house.

[Togath]

"sounds like a good plan for now"

[ZeroNumerous]

The Momo Rangers

Traveling to the Uchiha clan holding proves simple enough. Konoha is a bright well-traveled and populous city with little crime, due in large part to the sheer number of shinobi living within its walls. Even as the group walks through the city they spot several young ninja leaping, playing, and running together. One wouldn't be remiss to think that a war wasn't going on at all.

Eventually the group comes a large modern-style apartment complex. It's fenced off from the rest of Konoha by a large iron fence, and a solid metal gate bars passage from the street into the complex. Of course, for ninja such as yourselves, leaping over the fence would take no effort. But it might be seen as bad manners. A fox-masked ninja makes itself known when the group approaches the complex by leaping down from the roof and landing behind the gate.

The masked ninja looks toward the group, and stops when it spots Momo's eyes. "I don't recognize you. A wayward cousin born outside the Leaf looking to come home?"

Yousuke

Several moments pass as the young man sits--alone, unspoken to, and forgotten. That is, until someone shows up.

A black-suited armored man--obviously a soldier of some sort--comes into sight through the bars. He's balding, but has a bit of black hair left over. He's an older man with a war-weary face and a deep scar across his face. Another ninja accompanies him, a plain-suited dark-haired young boy with a clipboard. Both of them stop in front of Yousuke's cell.

Yousuke vaguely recalls the face of the man--though he didn't have that scar back then--as his commanding officer during the war: Misoku Sunbeiseki.

"We lost the great Thunder God. We lost the Sokuri Brothers. We even lost the God of Poison Setsumi-sempai. But lo and behold, the grandson of the Dragon himself appears before us, and we gain his allegiance. Then he runs. Like a coward. Do you know how much that stunt cost us?"

[Cespenar]

Momo stops dead in front of the building. Her eyes move up and down the building, calling at memories from way back. Try as she might, though, she realizes she can only remember the good ones. Such was the mind of a child, apparently.

Well, the Sharingan put an end to that, though, didn't it?

Momo wakes up from her thoughts rather abruptly by the appearance of the masked ninja, and only her training prevents her from flinching. And exposing yourself.

She blinks a couple of times at the man(?) and recollects herself.

"Something like that," she answers, and smiles faintly. "I've come to talk with Uchiha Koji in the meantime, though. We know each other."

[ZeroNumerous]

The Momo Experience

The masked ninja just shakes its head. "The wayward prince is busy, I'm afraid. Off fighting the good fight, no doubt. However, honorable grandmother Naomi-sama is home, if you would rather speak to her."

[Cespenar]

Momo nods thoughtfully at that piece of news. Koji was on the front lines?

"Okay then, if she'll have me", she says, trying to remember the Uchiha grandmother from the days she called this place home.

Anything she can recollect?

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

Memories from before Momo's Sharingan are hazy, and she does not recall her grandmother.

DM

The masked ninja pops open the gate, and allows Momo inside. If anyone else attempts to enter, then it raises a hand to stop them. "Only Uchiha can pass onto the clan ground. However, you can wait here if you'd like." Whether the group leaves or waits, the masked ninja shuts the gate and guides Momo inside. When it's gone, another ninja--bearing the same mask--leaps from the roof and stands in front of the gate.

Momo

The modern building doesn't seem to be anything like the way Momo remembers it, but it's fairly straight forward in style. The two ninja head over to an elevator, and ride that up to the roof. Once the elevator stops they step out of the elevator into a wide open air garden. At the far end of the garden is a small traditional style home that brings up vague memories in Momo. A bent-backed old lady waters plants in the garden, and stands up straight--with some visible effort--when the two Uchiha approach her. Her face is weathered and wrinkled with age, and she has a head full of snow white hair. Her callused and ancient hands grasp a tiny silver watering can, and she's wearing a rather formal yukata. She turns a pair of blood-red eyes upon Momo, and immediately the young girl comes face-to-face with another Sharingan. Naomi nods to the masked ninja, and it bows once before turning back around.

The old woman directs her sharp gaze at Momo, then nods. "I did not expect the wayward princess to return, hm. I suppose, then, you've come back to us to take the place vacated by your brothers? Hmph. Speak up dear. I don't have all day you know?"

[Cespenar]

Take back the place vacated by her brothers? It was that simple? Truth be told, for all her troubles in looking for allies, she never considered the clan itself. Probably because it always felt like something from her past only. Did she really not see the opportunity standing in front of her eyes?

"I might be, yes," she replies smoothly, as if it was her first intention all along. "Is Koji really fighting the war, by the way?"

She waits a spell before moving on to her true subject.

"There are some other pressing matters though. It's Kaede, and he wishes to destroy all the secret villages, starting with the Leaf," Momo gives a rather succinct briefing. "And the ongoing war does him nothing but favors. But my real fear is the Leaf/Sky alliance itself. I'm assuming it's a part of his plan, though I have no proofs to say so."

"I have to find a way into the meetings, so I could expose Kaede and his plans."

She suddenly stops, giving the old lady a side glance. It wasn't a time to show pride, not in such dire circumstances.

"Or so I was thinking. Do you have any other suggestions?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

"Hmph", is the only response the woman gives in return to Momo's statement. It was plainly obviously not in her plan, but the old woman makes no attempt to argue.

The old woman narrows her eyes when Momo questions Koji's whereabouts. Her Sharingan stare straight into Momo's own, as if evaluating the young girl's worth, then breaks eye contact by nodding. "The Leaf needed a show of solidarity in the face of Daisuke's betrayal and the reappearance of the forgotten clan heir. What better gesture of faith than sending the current heir off to fight in their battles?"

When Momo starts talking about Kaede and his plans, the old woman just listens impassively. When Momo asks for her input, she simply shakes her head. "It is not my battle to fight, and the results are wholly irrelevant to me. However, if it is your plan to expose him, then you realize that doing so will simply start a battle right here in the Leaf. Perhaps you should see to the survival of our clan before setting out to seek your personal vendettas. That is, of course, if you intend to return to us properly."

[Togath]

"I'll wait here then.. In the mean time.. how are you?" he asks the shinobi at the gate, cheerfully extending his hand, "you seem.. strict, but much more friendly than the last ANBU", "The last time we encountered one, a friend of ours got imprisoned because he happened to look a bit too much like one of the Traitor Konpaku of the sky.. I don't suppose you might offer at least your word for our use that he certainly isn't one of them? After all, would a traitor travel with a high ranking Uchiha?"

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

The guard doesn't respond to Keita's statements. It's plainly obvious that the guard has no interest in whatever he's rambling about.

[Togath]

"well then.. Masaru-san, got any contacts here? All I have are my uncle and a chuunin who might or might not try to kill me"

[Cespenar]

Personal vendettas. Personal. She actually said that.

One side of Momo's lips momentarily jerk to a grim smirk, and her eyes spark up with a fiery glint.

He wished me to join him, you moron! I cast down my own brother for the chance of saving a couple more lives!

The tells disappear as quickly as they develop, though, and only the most acute observers could detect the aftershock of rage on her otherwise calm words.

"Anything happening to the Leaf will happen to the clan as well. And if Kaede has a grudge on anyone in the world, it's to the Uchiha. So it's very much our fight as well, whether we prefer or not."

"That said, I do agree with the necessity of our survival."

I don't, not fully, but whatever floats your boat.

"The clan should make preparations, in any case. Worst case scenario. We should be ready if he moves against us, or if war breaks out between the Sky and the Leaf."

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

The old woman just watches Momo as the younger woman smolders with contained anger. "Hmph."

As if that one noise dismissed all the anger and rage Momo felt, Naomi motioned toward the house behind her. "You'll need to wait here. I'll send out summons to the council of elders, and we'll see about you assuming your rightful place. Then, little princess, you can give orders to the clan."

The old woman kneels down slowly, placing her watering can on the floor beneath her. "And, of course, any servants you may have acquired in your time outside the clan will be allowed to remain as your retainers."

[Cespenar]

I don't wish to give orders, I just want people to take this thing as serious as I am.

Momo sighs inaudibly.

"I... okay. The traditional way it is, then. I'll wait here."

[Cespenar]

Thinking that she shouldn't make the others wait as well, Momo makes a quick hand gesture to summon a clone, and makes a couple more to lend it a bit of her own essence.

Go with them, explain the situation, stay mostly to the back, and aid them when needed.

She sends the quasi-real clone to her companions, unless the grandmother urges her not to, for some reason.

When the clone exits the building, all can see that it's mostly the same Momo, except the beanie she's wearing is white rather than red.

"The business inside may last for some time," she informs Masaru, Keita and Takuya. "Don't wait up. Take my clone with you, and go on with your business."

This was probably needless, but I wanted to show off the jutsu. :smallbiggrin:

Anyway, costs 1+2 initial chakra, plus 3 for concentration, sharingan, and unlimited range. Also [roll0] Kage Bunshin damage.

Lasts 4.5 hours.

Also, I thought about fluffing the clone as Cybele as per your earlier suggestion, ZN, but with the Leaf and Sky so close, it doesn't seem like worth the risk.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Naomi just looks at Momo, and when the clone appears and walks away she makes no movements to stop the younger Uchiha. "Hmph."

The older woman forms a sign that Momo recognizes as the Shadow Replication technique. An explosion of smoke announces the arrival of another six versions of Naomi. The old woman just nods, and all six clones vanish as they leap off the roof.

A shake of the head is all Momo gets if she questions the older woman. Naomi then turns and walks toward the house behind her. "Let us retire. The other six elders will arrive soon enough. There will likely be some kind of rebellion among the other elders, but you have my support. You will likely gain the support of Yusei with my word alone. But you will need to convince Kokan, Liu-Lee, Izumo, Yodo, and Shige on your own. You'll need a majority to accept you as our new clanhead. Otherwise, well... You might be arrested as a pretender. No pressure, youngling."

[Cespenar]

Of course it wouldn't be that simple.

An arrest, though? Well, it made sense, from a certain point of view. From the old bats' point of view, that is. The ones that she'd need to convince, if she didn't want to watch the sunset of the shinobi world besides Yousuke, in jail. Wait, why did that sound more romantic than she wished? Damn that Takuya, he was putting ideas in her head.

"I see," she says. "Why do I have your support, by the way, if you'd please?"

After she listens to her answer, Momo pauses for a moment.

"What kind of people will I be facing, then? Can you tell me about the elders?"

[Eurus]

It takes Masaru a moment to process the Momoette's statement and realize that it's referencing itself. Finally, he shrugs. "Alright. If we're willing to put a rain-check on figuring out Konpaku-san's situation, I suppose we could always do some information gathering. The newest refugees might have more recent news about the situation in Sky."

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

A familiar sound escapes Naomi's lips when Momo questions Naomi's support. "Hmph."

The old woman meanders toward the house slowly. "Do you really have to ask that? Perhaps I am wrong to support you then. Think back on what I have done."

Naomi glances at Momo. "Koji is a fool, and I'm old. When I pass, Koji will become the clan head. He's not smart enough to resist the elders, and they will destroy our clan. But you? You quickly lied to me for your own benefit. You have looked to the future and seen the results of your actions. When someone dismissed what you thought, you did not lash out. You simply powered through to get what you wanted."

Naomi motions toward the building at her feet. "The clan needs someone who will get what they want--someone who will protect them. Koji cannot. He's too proud, too bullheaded. One must bend with the flow to lead, while maintaining one's sense of purpose. You can. Thus, I am betting what little time I have remaining on you."

The Uchiha clan head just shakes her head when Momo requests information. "You'll need to discover that on your own. This is your chance to prove you have what it takes to rule."

[Overlord Rion]

"Really? Eh, shoulda figured. Clan stuff is just bureaucracy mixed with family, two things that shouldn't mix." Takuya is silent for a second, a pained look on his face before it's covered back up by a smile. You'd think it would stop hurting after a while.

It never does. You just get used to it.

He throws his fist up in the air. "All right, let's mosey everybody! Masaru, lead the way. You know where we're going better than I do."

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke can't help but frown as the realization dawns on him until finally he finds himself staring back into the man's eyes. "Mako filled in, very briefly, as she led me in here but no I didn't know what my disappearance would do to Konoha until after I made the decision to leave. But I do have to ask, what made me so special exactly? I'm Youki's grandson yes, but if nothing else that should have told you the kind of person I am. Why me and not somebody like Mako, whose loyalty is yet unquestioned? I abandoned your village for the sake of a child and more selfishly, to rid myself of the blood on my hands. The 'Dragon' would have done the same, has done the same in fact. So what about my departure came as a surprise exactly?"

In spite of himself, Yousuke goes quiet as he speaks of his grandfather, turning his gaze down to ground in shame. "Then, what have you come to me for? I've been made to believe that a formal pardon is simply out of the question, so what is it exactly that brings you before me? Come to off me yourself, perhaps?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Yousuke

Sunbeiseki crouches down to look Yousuke in the eye despite the bars separating them. "What made you special? Did you take one too many knocks on the head? You're special because you became famous. You're practically a household name! And you came from an even more important name."

The ninja stands up, then shakes his head. "You abandoned us because we asked you to kill? Did you think this life was one of peace and love? Your grandfather had no qualms killing the innocent in the Rebellion, and yet you've suddenly become an upstanding moral citizen. Of course we'd be surprised when the blood of Konpaku Youki fled from a battlefield."

Sunbeiseki motions toward the boy with the clipboard, and the boy produces several sheets of paper. Yousuke's former superior reads over them as he speaks. "Knowing that you abandoned us did quite a number on morale, and raised our enemies' hearts. We had a lot more battles. A lot more dead." With that, Sunbeiseki throws the papers into Yousuke's cell. Immediately the bundle bursts into a rain of floating paper, and several end up outside the bears of Yousuke's cell. Still, several land inside, and the young Konpaku can see that they're all names.

"Every one of these soldiers are blood on your hands. Your cowardice got them killed." Sunbeiseki turns to leave, then stops and looks back at Yousuke once more.

"When the time comes, I hope Hokage-sama grants me the honor of cutting off your head after you spill your guts for her." With that said, the older man leaves, and his clipboarding bearing friend follows. Once more, Yousuke is left with his thoughts. And the guard, and other prisoners, but no one cares about them.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke merely glances around at the names, choosing instead to stare a hole into Sunbeiseki's back. "I had my reasons for abandoning the Leaf and while I freely admit my guilt over their deaths the only regret I hold in my heart is not leaving any sooner. I am not my grandfather and knowing what I know now, I understand why he chose not to settle down here. Why he always prodded me away from becoming somebody exactly like himself. Konpaku Youki was a man of many regrets. When Konpaku Yousuke dies at the feet of your Hokage it will be with a clean soul, whether the prison records say otherwise or not."

With a sniff he adds, "Though, I can't say I plan on dying any time soon."

"Alright, big talk. Now what the hell are you going to do about it?"

[Togath]

"Checking on the refuges looks like our best course of action, unless we want to gamble with seeing if we can 'visit' Yousuke"

[Overlord Rion]

"I know I delegated leading me around to Masaru...but on second thought, I'm going to go check out the rail to the Sky. Unlike the rest of you, I didn't do any actual fighting against Kaede. All I did was run with my friends to a turtle island. If Miss Make says we can't see him, then it's going to be difficult. You two do the talky bit. Me and Not Momo here are gonna mosey." He grins, just as he says

"So, Let's split up gang!" He doesn't even bother waiting for their reactions and heads out.

[ZeroNumerous]

Fred and Daphne

Takuya and Momo's clone make it to the Rail with little trouble. As they draw closer and closer the crowds get thinner and thinner, until no one is wandering the streets near the Sky's main entrance. Eventually, the duo arrive at the Rail. The large Rail extends high into the Sky, and Takuya and Momo's clone are both able to see the giant fortress floating in the sky above. However, looking at the ground reveals that Rail is a lot busier than the streets. A quartet of ninja, all bearing Sky headbands, drag a series of large plastic-covered pallets off the Rail. A familiar looking woman with long purple hair oversees the unloading. The Euryale doesn't appear to have changed a bit in the last three years. She has the same defined form that would make most dancers jealous. Clone!Momo's Sharingan reveals that Cybele isn't using her aging technique, or at least doesn't have any active techniques. It seems her "adult" form is now the norm for the former Sky-nin. She's wearing a familiar black outfit, and still bears no headband.

Cybele and her four workers stand opposite eight Leaf shinobi--six of them kids. Behind the Leaf-nin are four large boxes. It's obvious that they're supplies of some sort. The older adult Leaf members talk at Cybele, but the jounin just turns around and starts heading back to the Rail without saying anything in response.

The four Sky-nin move to the Leaf-nin, take hold of a box each, and follow Cybele back up the rail. The Leaf-nin look at one another with surprise. Eventually the purple-haired jounin's retreating form disappears up the Rail, and the Leaf-nin start emptying the Sky's pallets piece by piece.

[Overlord Rion]

"Holy crap. It's a shame she would probably kill me if I approached, but I do so enjoy watching her walk away." Takuya cringes as he realizes he said that out loud. "I just know you're going to have some quip when you hear this." He shrugs. "Okay...let's see if I can get up the rail and into the city. See the state of it." Takuya motions for Not Momo to follow him and head towards the rail.

[Cespenar]

Momo gazes at Naomi with renewed respect. She didn't exactly know if she said what she did specifically to provoke her, but it was clear that she saw through her feelings and intent in any case. If the others were at least half as wily as this one, well... she'd better pick her words carefully in what is to come.

She bows gratefully to the old lady, and merely waits.

***

The clone follows Takuya as best as she can, without much comment. When they encounter Cybele, though, the clone speaks up.

"Shouldn't we transform into an unfamiliar form, if we're to infiltrate the Sky?" she offers with a level tone. Apparently whatever Momo did to the clone allowed her to carry out a proper conversation, and the order to "aid" Takuya involved insight as well.

[Overlord Rion]

"You probably should, considering the connections Momo has up there. I, however, started going through puberty, changed my clothing style, and was on an island for 3 years. That isn't even mentioning personality changes. Transforming wouldn't do me much good, I'm basically disguised as is. Besides, the ones who matter will see right through the disguise, realize you're a fake, and probably capture or interrogate me. So get on that transforming."

[Cespenar]

The clone listens silently to Takuya's reasoning, nods, and transforms herself into a random young woman. Clearly the perfect girlfriend, all in all.

[Eurus]

Masaru seems surprised when Takuya suggests splitting up again, but doesn't voice an objection. Before long the two of them have departed, leaving Masaru... and Keita. The chemist suppresses a sigh and takes another sip of wine.

"I can't help but feel like the two of us aren't the best choice for this job, but it's worth a shot. We can return to the check-in line at the gates, I suppose. Failing that, I know there's a few specific areas where they've been assigning temporary housing to most of them, but hitting people up at random isn't really my strong suit. I wonder if there's anyone I recognize..."

Trailing off from his verbal train of thought, Masaru heads in roughly the direction of the gates.

[Togath]

Keita follows Masaru, glancing around just in case anyone's trying to keep an eye on them.
Spot:[roll0]

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

Time drags on as Momo and Naomi wait. The old woman is silent unless spoken to, and makes no attempt to start conversation herself. Nearly ten minutes of total silence passes until the same fox-masked ANBU as before arrives. He bows, then looks to Naomi. "The other Elders have arrived, Elder Naomi." The old woman waves him off, then looks to Momo.

"Well, it's time. Always remember, you'll have my support at least."

With that, the old woman stands up and starts heading outside.

Amid the garden stand six humans--all Uchiha based on the blood red eyes they bear. The six elders are arrayed in a semi-circle facing toward the garden, and all six bow slightly when Naomi steps out. On the far left stands a massive bear of a man, nearly 2 meters tall, and well over 80kg in weight. Muscles cover his body, and he's clearly a fighter of some sort. His thick shaggy white-hair is unkempt and untamed. He's wearing a loose-fitting shirt and training pants resembling a karate gi. To his immediate left stands a thin man with a long white beard and matching moustache. He's wearing a black jacket with loose black pants. His head is covered up by a black bandana, and he glares at Naomi and Momo with a gaze of steel.

To that man's left stands a thin, pale older gentleman with short cropped white hair and a suit befitting a banker. His face is weathered and wrinkled, but he has an air of sophistication that his compatriots lack. Thin rimmed wire glasses adorn his eyes, but they're as blood-red as the other elders. To his left stands an old woman, bent with age, who somehow looks even more ancient than Naomi. Her thin hands cling to a walking stick, and her small body is barely half the size of Momo, and no where near the massive gorilla's size. The old woman--balding with age--still had wisps of white hair on her head. Her eyes are closed, but a sense of purpose within her smile and gaze that none of her companions hold.

Beside her stands the penultimate elder. A small young man barely taller than Momo. He's wearing a suit resembling the taller elder, but he has a head full of black hair and can't be older than 18 at most. He looks at Momo and Naomi with a blank expression on his face. Finally, the last elder, is a weather-beaten old man wearing a long-sleeved button-up shirt, and long loose-fitting pants. His white hair is parted down the middle, and he looks like the ultimate grandpa figure. Or, at least, he would if not for the near permanent scowl adorning his face.

Naomi nods. "I have gathered you all here to announce something. Our stolen heir has returned to us, and I propose we replace Koji with our rightful heir." Naomi motions to Momo.

"Momo. These are the elders of the Uchiha clan." Naomi starts from the giant gorilla of a man on the right, then moves to the left slowly. "Liu-Lee, Yodo, Izumo, Kokan, Yusei, and Shige. Elders, our heir." Naomi motions toward Momo, then takes a step back to allow the girl to take the forefront.

Takuya and Clone!Momo

With Momo transformed the former sky-nin and his friend stare up the giant Rail. It's completely uncovered, there's no possible way to hide, and a quartet consisting of Cybele and four sky-nin are about halfway up it. If Takuya and the clone jumped on the rail right now--or, really, at any time--they'd be in plain sight with no possible way to hide their approach.

Masaru and Keita

Masaru and Keita head off to the main gate of Konoha. The streets get thicker and thicker with refugees. Every leaf-nin they pass by stops the duo and requests to see Keita's I.D. card, but once they verify that it's accurate they allow him to leave. Soon the two boys are standing at the main gate, staring at a big line of refugees, watching the two chuunin doing paperwork.

[Overlord Rion]

Well, there was nothing left to do but go up the rail, was there? "And away we go!" Takuya begins grinding up the rail.

[ZeroNumerous]

Takuya and Clone!Momo

Takuya starts sliding up the Rail, and whether Clone!Momo joins him or not he arrives at the top within a minute. Stepping off the Rail Takuya finds himself surrounded on 3 sides by six ninja--all of whom bear Sky headbands. He recognizes four of them as the same ninja who had just been helping Cybele. Without warning a trio of throwing needles dart toward Takuya.

Takuya needs a Spot Check(DC 37) or he's flat-footed against Cybele's attacks.

Cybele full-attacks with her throwing needles. She elects to deal lethal damage, and applies Sneak Attack if Takuya is flat-footed. She only deals 1 damage per hit if Takuya succeeds on his Spot check.

Attack: [roll0] - [Hit] if Takuya fails his Spot. Otherwise, [Miss].
Damage: [roll1]

Attack: [roll2] - [Miss]
Damage: [roll3]

Attack: [roll4] - [Miss]
Damage: [roll5]

Every successful hit requires a DC 18 Fort Save or he takes an additional 2d8 points of damage.

[Eurus]

Masaru surveys the scene, frowning slightly.

"This should be fun. Why don't you start on the refugees, I'll see if I can get anything from the Chuunin."

If Keita doesn't object, Masaru heads over to the table, scanning the crowd to see if he recognizes anyone. If not, he looks for anyone who doesn't seem too busy to approach.

[Overlord Rion]

Fortunatel, only one of the needles manages to get through Takuya's defenses. "I'm not here to fight or cause trouble and would prefer peaceful interaction. I just want to talk with Yousuke's grandfather to tell him of his grandson's fate. He deserves to know." On the very likely chance that Cybele would ignore what he said and continue attacking, Takuya prepares for the next attack.

I'm actually surprised I didn't hit more often, considering who I was dealing with.

In any case, fort save

[roll0]

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

There's only one response from the invisible purple haired ninja. But speaking gives away her position near one of the chuunin. "Kill the man. Capture the girl. If you harm her, then I'll see how well you fly after I cut off your arms."

http://i.imgur.com/1olsmxW.png

Legend:
Light Purple - Takuya
Dark Red - Clone!Momo
Light Silver - Floor
Dark Silver - 5 foot tall wall
White - Sky.
Dark Brown - Building walls
Dark Purple - Cybele
Red - Enemy Chuunin

Initiative:
Takuya: 16
Clone!Momo: Acts on the same initiative as Takuya
Cybele: 13
Chuunin: 8.

[Togath]

"sounds like a plan" says Keita moving over to begin questioning newer arrivals about if they know of any upcoming public appearances of notable people from the Sky, and if any know where the sky is dropping off supplies to aid the Leaf, attempted to maintain the claim that he's a recent refuge as well, since it's at least a half truth.

[ZeroNumerous]

Masaru and Keita

As there are only two chuunin at the table, Masaru doesn't have to scan long. He recognizes both of them as the two chuunin who met them when he tried to escort the other sky-nin inside. He doesn't know either one of them personally though. Regardless, they're both plainly busy and no other leaf-nin make themselves known.

When Keita questions the refugees he mostly gets confused looks. How could they know what was going in inside the Leaf if they were just arriving? Regardless, no one has any answers for the young sky-nin.

[Cespenar]

The clone releases the transformation technique, and appears in the form of Momo again. She addresses the blank spot near the chuunin, where Cybele is supposed to stand.

"Cybele-san, wait. He means what he says. He just wants to inform Youki-sama. It's... about Yousuke."

She opens her hands to either side.

"I mean, why would we otherwise come here in plain sight, seeing that you are here?"

With Takuya's explanation, I couldn't find a straight up way to Diplomacy the situation, so I'm bluffing instead. Though that last sentence has to have a circumstance bonus, seeing how right it is. :smalltongue:

[roll0]

[Overlord Rion]

"In hindsight, this a dumb decision. But I felt he should know. Too bad you have to be like this, though." He glances around at the chuunin and smiles, his eyes growing hard and dark. "I would recommend running." Takuya's hands start to glow with visible chakra. "Ka.."

Wait, we're doing this?

"Me.."

Doesn't this have a big explosion?

"Ha..."

This would be like declaring war on the Sky, Takuya!

"Me..."

Takuya, what about Mo-

Be quiet.

"HA!"

He doesn't aim it at any particular person, he simply aims it where the blast can catch as many people as possible.

Going to pump it up to 13d6 for the extra 10 chakra. Also brings it up to a 40-ft blast radius I believe.

[roll0]

[ZeroNumerous]

Takuya

Takuya's explosion of power obliterates three members of the Sky team, and reveals Cybele. The purple-haired assassin stands with her arms crossed in front of her face, as if she had just blocked an attack. Her body smokes slightly from the heat of Takuya's Kamehameha. The ground beneath her feet has cracked and broken from the force of the explosion. Cybele casually discards her glasses, then stares at the attacker. An intense killing intent radiates from her inhuman eyes. Her square pupils focus solely on Takuya's own, as if seeming him as a threat for the first time. "You've become quite handsome in the time you spent away from us. But I cannot allow such a threat to Kaede-sama to continue to exist."

After this proclamation Cybele instantly vanishes. No poof or blur signify her disappearance, but Takuya can feel the intense killing intent to know that she didn't run away. Then, suddenly, a pair of metal fangs lash out at Takuya's throat from his own shadow. Like he had trod upon a snake, and it bit him for the trespass.

The remaining chuunin lose their nerve, and remain where they are.

http://i.imgur.com/lLatfw2.png

Legend:
Darker silver is damaged ground, no mechanical change.

Initiative:
Takuya
Baddies

Cybele crosses distance with Takuya using a technique he's unable to identify.

She then hides in his shadow, giving Takuya a spot check to notice her against a DC of [roll0].

If Takuya fails, then he's caught flat-footed for the next attack.

Cybele uses a technique to attack. If Takuya can see it, then he needs a DC 21 Taijutsu check to identify it. Otherwise, he doesn't know what it is.

Attack: [roll1] vs Flat-footed if Takuya fails his spot check.
Damage: [roll2] + [roll3] + [roll4] Sneak Attack if Takuya fails his spot check.

Afterward, Cybele attempts to hide again, taking a -20 penalty due to sniping. [roll5]

[Togath]

Out of the corner of his eye, Keita notices the flash.. though he just assumes it's fireworks or somesuch, given the distance, "Oi! Masaru, There's fireworks or something over at the Sky, you heard of any reason they might light a few off in the middle of the day?" he calls to Masaru, wondering if maybe it's some sort of signal that a meeting or event is beginning.

[Cespenar]

The clone seems terrified that the situation had devolved to what it is, but focuses on her task anyway. She spots the Euryale with her Sharingan, and launches a rather low level genjutsu at her to cloud her mind.

Endgame Relief. DC 24 or lose next round.

Edit: Also, move back a step or two with the remaining move action, I suppose, so that Cybele couldn't threaten us both at the same time.

[Cespenar]

Momo's eyes sweep across the collective of elders, her mind tense yet her facade ever confident. What she stands before is probably one of the biggest power groups in Konoha, and the fact that she is trying to reign over them was... funny, in a sense. In a more relaxed time, she would try and see the steps leading to this point, but not now. Now was the time for action.

First, though, analysis. Momo knows that she can't ascertain the elders' colors with a mere glance, but assumptions assail her mind nevertheless. She sees the hawk, the dove, the materialist, the idealist, the young, the old. Momo realizes that even with her half-baked deductions, there surely must be many contrasts within the elders, and she can't hope to win them all. She just needs to win the majority.

"Revered elders," she starts, bowing. "I come today not with a mere wish of reign over our great clan, but with a warning, and a necessity. I assume an introduction isn't necessary, as all of you must already know of Uchiha Kaede and his little sister."

"The warning I was talking about is to do with that exact person. Kaede is still very much alive, and controls the Sky that makes dealings with the Leaf even as we speak. His wish is not simply one of alliance, though. If anything, time has only served to inflame his bitterness, and he wishes to topple the whole shinobi system through a wide-scale war. And not to mention that the Leaf ranks the first on his black list.

"I had the misfortune of tasting his powers firsthand, and believe me when I say that this threat is not one to be discounted. Through his Mangekyou, my brother has awakened some kind of power on par with the fabled Tsukuyomi itself, bending the senses of multiple people simultaneously. He pushes and pulls minds as if it is a bread dough, and gods know what would happen if he directs that power at the Hokage."

"It is because of the power and mad vision of this person that I'm now before you, because the Uchiha can't stay still any longer. Either by fighting or fleeing, we must survive this storm. And we can only do so as united."

Momo constantly takes 10 with Diplomacy for 30 (32 against males), to whatever effect that creates.

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

Naomi immediately seizes the initiative and speaks first, before any of the other elders get a chance to voice any concerns. Obviously she understands that seizing the moment and swaying hearts right here and now was important. "I, for one, support our heir's decision. Destroying the forgotten son of the Uchiha is our best approach, lest he return and fragment our clan once more."

The old bandana-clad elder shakes his head. "And what of the clan, young miss? You say the forgotten son, Kaede, is alive. But his goal is one of destruction of the ninja villages. What does this matter to us, who do not buy into the Will of Fire? I withhold judgment until I know your stance on this matter."

The biggest, strongest elder backs up his bandana-clad friend. "Exactly. If he has the strength to do so, then it is his right. The village system has always been a convenient scapegoat to protect us, but we hold no loyalty to the Leaf. I reject the heir. She would involve us in Leaf politics like Koji, and do so with weak intentions. The clan would be lesser for her leadership."

The old woman speaks up next. "The Mangekyou, you say? Do you understand what that means, young one? The seven of us together would not be a match for Kaede if that is true, and you say he's awakened some skill aside from the Tsukuyomi? To fight a monster like that would put an end to many lives within the clan. Are you certain that this course of action is the right one? What will we gain for their deaths?"

The smallest man at the far right simply looks at Momo. He says nothing, but she can sense a familiar softness to his eyes. As if Momo were some beloved daughter, or a son who has been sent off for years. Then he closes his eyes. "She does look like Naomi, does she not? I reject this heir. Naomi's blood has proven incompetent in the past, and her judgment is suspect concerning Koji."

The youngest man speaks last. "Far be it for me to dispute Naomi-sama's choice. I support the new heir."

[Eurus]

Deciding that hitting up the Leaf Chuunin would be a poor idea at the moment, Masaru turns his attention back to the refugees. Former sky-nin would probably have more information than civilians would, so that's where he focuses his attention. Someone relatively close to his age, perhaps someone who'd recently finished their paperwork and could use a tour guide. It seems unlikely that any of them will be people he remembers from the academy, but it would be a pleasant surprise if they are.

[ZeroNumerous]

Masaru and Keita

Unfortunately, Masaru is searching for Sky refugees in a line full of civilian refugees. He, obviously, doesn't find anyone like that anywhere in the line, as all of the refugees gathered outside the gates are from the war.

[Togath]

"Let's head back to the Uchiha place, looks like we wont find much here, unless you want to be check out the fireworks over by the Sky's rail"

[Overlord Rion]

Takuya carefully moves away from Cybele, since he can't see where she is. His hand begins glowing again, but the energy quickly moves to his index finger. "Cybele, I'm sorry it has to be like this. I didn't come to the Leaf to stop Kaede. Over the years I started to agree with him."

Free Action to stop suppressing Speed Rank 3 before five-foot stepping away. Standard action to form the Rei Gan

[Cespenar]

The clone backs another step from Cybele, and casts the same genjutsu yet another time.

Again, Endgame Relief with DC 24.

[Cespenar]

Momo listens to the elders with care, trying to catch every nuance of their patterns. She wasn't always the most emphatic speaker, but she knows here and now that she can't smooth talk her way through these elders - she has to figure out what they want, and play them accordingly.

At the smallest man she looks rather oddly, and decides to ignore at the moment for she couldn't read him yet. The boy was, as Naomi said, in the bag already, so she ignores him as well. She chooses to address the other three simultaneously, while being somewhat aware that the banker-ish looking elder hasn't spoken at all.

"You seem to have misunderstood my words, revered elders. I didn't mean to oppose Kaede out of some sense of blind allegiance to the Leaf.

"No, what I meant is this simple fact. It's because of us, you," she gestures at them encompassingly, "that he will 'punish' the Leaf first. Do not suppose for one moment that he would destroy the village but let the clan escape. He believes that the clan represents all that is wrong with the system - pitting brother against brother, enforcing a cycle of hate and pain, just to gain a bit more power - his words.

"The way all that matters to us," she addresses the elder with the bandana, "... the reason that I'm trying to wade through this political jumble right now," she glances at the warrior-elder, "... and what we will gain in return for all this," she nods at the older woman, "is the same thing."

"It's survival. For he will come at us."

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

The largest elder just shakes his head. "If he wishes to fight, then he can. The clan will simply gather its strength, and destroy him. It would be foolish of us to expend our strength assisting the Leaf."

The banker-like elder speaks up at that. "He is right, though I think waiting for him to approach us is the wrong way to do it. If we allow the Sky to expend its strength destroying the Leaf, then we can attack Kaede while he is weak. There is no reason for us to be involved in the initial fighting, or to support the Leaf."

The bandana-clad elder simply frowns, and says nothing.

The female elder just looks at Momo with a blank face. "I will grant you that you have a persuasive argument. But it doesn't hold true for you, does it? You have no stake in this fight. If your life is not on the line, then how can we trust that you will save as many Uchiha as possible?"

The smallest elder makes no further statements. It seems his position is unchangeable.

Naomi and the youngest elder make no attempt to back up Momo's words of course. It is her struggle to convince the others, not theirs.

Takuya

Cybele is revealed when Takuya steps backwards, and Momo attempts her genjutsu once more. She doesn't respond to Takuya's statement, as she obviously cannot hear them within Momo's genjutsu. When it breaks, the purple-haired assassin cries. She shakes her head, then looks toward Momo's clone. "A genjutsu...? I suppose then, you truly have abandoned our family."

She says nothing more, and simply resumes her strange stance. Takuya and Momo can both see that her legs are tense, but the rest of her is relaxed. Takuya has never seen this kind of stance before, but his knowledge of taijutsu tells him that it has to be some sort of mobility stance.

When Momo attempts her genjutsu once more, Cybele doesn't react. "Those kind of cheap tricks only work once."

[Overlord Rion]

"It's still a shame. If you had just talked instead of attacking, I could have been another ally." Takuya rushes forward, raising his index finger towards Cybele's middle. It was do or die now.

Was nice knowing you, Takuya.

You too buddy.

Oddly, no one would sense any killing intent form Takuya. It was if he simply accepted what the situation was, regardless of outcome. "Let's make it quick then, okay?" And with that, he fires, a sad look overcoming him.

Moving in right beside Cybele and firing the Rei Gan with the full 30 chakra for 12d8+19 damage.

[roll0] And spending an action point: [roll1]

Damage: [roll2]

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

As soon as Takuya fires his spirit gun Cybele vanishes. No sound or blur of movement announce her disappearance, she is simply gone.

[Cespenar]

The clone looks desperately around her, knowing that it's out of her hands right now.

"I'm just trying to save my friend's life, Cybele-san. Please... if you ever cared about me... spare him."

[Togath]

Keita sees the second flash.. Is.. is the Sky exploding? he thinks to himself as he starts to move through the crowds, trying to head towards the Sky, "Masaru, I'm going to go check those weird lights out, It's like the rail's exploding or something, and this aint the best place for something like that to fall"
With that begins hustling to try to get to the Sky's main rail. if stopped by any sky nin he pulls out his sky headband and tries to explain that he's just another sky shinobi like them, and is as worried as them about why their city just partly exploded.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

From within Takuya's own shadow comes a familiar voice. "Don't lie to me. Just as I wouldn't betray Kaede-sama, you couldn't betray those close to you. We are enemies so long as those people precious to us are enemies." With that said, another pair of metal fangs leap from Takuya's shadow. She targets his lungs, his arms, and his legs: All wounds he couldn't move far with. It was like she was a hunter shooting to wound a deer.

Cybele burns her swift action to move 120ft toward Takuya. Due to the mechanics of her technique she's invisible during this movement.

She hides within Takuya's shadow. Takuya gets a spot check vs DC [roll0] to spot Cybele. If he fails, then he's flat-footed against her attacks.

Cybele burns the three charges she gained from her stance to draw her kunai as a free action.

Cybele full-attacks Takuya with both of her kunai.

Attack#1: [roll1]
Damage#1: [roll2] + [roll3] sneak attack if he fails his spot check.

Attack#2: [roll4]
Damage#2: [roll5] + [roll6] sneak attack if he fails his spot check.

[Overlord Rion]

Takuya can't take the hits like he had hoped and drops to his knees, bleeding everywhere. He turns to the Momo clone and speaks his last words in between bouts of coughing up blood. "Looks like I screwed the pooch on this one. I'm sorry, Momo. Before I go, I wanted to you to know: I love you and was too much of an ass to tell you. Don't hate Cybele; she's just doing what she believe is best." Another bout of coughing and he shifts back toward Cybele. His voice drop so only she can hear. "Thanks for the compliment about me being handsome. Although I wasn't lying, no matter what you think." And with that, Takuya falls forward, his eyes closing for the last time.

I hope I wasn't wrong..

[Cespenar]

The clone watches Takuya in horror, and drops on her knees besides him, trying to treat his wounds. When she realizes that she can't, however, she just looks at him and listens.

"You should have told me sooner, I never knew..."

She hugs his bloody form, and kisses him full on the lips as his life fleets away every second.

After a while she gets up, produces a kunai, and despite Takuya's words, turns to face Cybele silently, taking her full in view.

"The difference was," she says, faltering in her speech, "I never could bring myself to kill you... or Kaede. Now... I'm not so sure..."

With her still in sights, she stabs herself in the chest with the kunai, and disappears into smoke.

[Cespenar]

Momo, on the other hand, tries to refute the elders' battle strategy at the moment.

"Kaede is no fool," she says, addressing both elders together. "He knows of the clan's capabilities, and would not overextend himself to be flanked by the Uchiha in any case. He's a planner, and a manipulator. Waiting against him would serve only to strengthen his h-"

She freezes as her mind is blown away by a torrent of memories.

Cybele, Takuya, how did all this happen?!

Reliving Takuya's admission, the kiss, the death, and finally the stone cold expression of Cybele, Momo stumbles and barely succeeds to stand up. She lets out a muffled gasp as pain explodes in her right eye, and her hand rush to cup and protect it, as if it'd do any good. When she pulls out her hand and looks at it, she sees that it's smeared with drops of blood, and in the process bares her eye for everyone to see - the two commas of her Sharingan circled by two smaller commas of their own.

She squeezes her eyes tightly as a child would do to make an apparition it just saw disappear, and with a force of will, she reopens them. Her regular sharingan back on track, she stares at the elders, just realizing that this all happened in front of them.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Cybele just watches the clone, then turns her eyes toward Takuya's corpse. "You could never bring yourself to kill me, but you'd let him do it? Hypocrite. Unlike you, I am willing to kill for the people important to me, and won't force others to sully their hands in my stead."

The clone kills itself, and Cybele motions toward the chuunin frozen in fear. "Throw the body over the edge. I have to hunt down some rats."

Momo

Naomi watches Momo double over in pain. The other elders watch her bleed.

Then the oldest man speaks up. "Now we have proof that she's truly Naomi's child. Do we need more than this? Who did you kill, child?"

Naomi speaks up. "Now isn't the time. I am ending this meeting. We shall reconvene tomorrow, and discuss the matter then. You are all dismissed."

With that said, all of the elders bow, then leap away to their own private adobes. Soon, Momo is left alone with Naomi.

"What happened?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Yousuke

The prison time is quiet. A chance for reflection and repentance amid the calmness of the world.

"H-Hey! Ho--"

A bone-jarring crunch signifies the end of the speaker, and Yousuke's assessment is confirmed when a body hurtles through the air and crashes into the wall beside his cell. Yousuke vaguely recognizes the corpse as belonging to his guard, but the man's face is caved in and the back of his skull has swollen and cracked in a grotesque manner resembling a busted rotten watermelon. Whatever killed him did so with intense physical trauma. The kind of blow one could only expect from...

"He's here, Onee-sama. I can smell him."

A familiar girl in white steps into the view of Yousuke's cell. The little princess Kisaragi points at Yousuke's cell, then looks to someone closer to the door. "I found him! Onee-sama, he's here."

A familiar woman clad in a cheongsam decorated with twin coiling dragons steps into view. She's carrying a familiar white-haired boy by the scruff of his collar. The blue-haired Toramaru just glares at Yousuke and frowns.

"Eh? Aniki! I leave you alone for a little while and you go and make yourself a prison bitch. If I knew you were into men, then I wouldn't have brought your little pest along."

Toramaru unceremoniously drops the boy, and he flails as he falls. The boy slams into the ground with some force, and lays sprawled out on his back for some time. Then he hops up and runs over to the cell.

"Yousuke-sama. This crazy grandma--"

Whack.

Kisaragi smacks the boy square across the back of his head with her bow. "H-How d-dare you!? O-Onee-sama is--"

"Shut up." Toramaru doesn't even raise her voice, but the edge to it is familiar to Yousuke. The edge of barely contained violence and rage boiling just beneath the blue-haired woman's skin. Both the younger humanoids immediately go quiet. Kisaragi looks to Toramaru with big eyes and a soft smile, as if either one of those would save her from being mauled. "Did you come here on your own, Yousuke?" No honorific, but more importantly, she was using his name. "You're not hurt. I don't see any corpses. Did you surrender to these dogs without a fight?"

Keita

Keita arrives at the Main Rail, but doesn't see any sky-nin near the base. Obviously, going up the Rail would be the stupidest possible course of action. Under the Rail, he can see a bloody mess of a human body. It's not hard to identify the abused corpse as Takuya's limp body. There's no sign of a struggle or fight nearby, and no one seems to be dealing with the body. Takuya's corpse just lays there with blood pooling underneath it.

[Cespenar]

Momo is awoken from her stupor by the words of the old man.

"I didn't kill anyone," she manages to hiss. "It's my... friend that died." Nevertheless, she isn't that tough to stop Naomi from sending the elders away. When they are alone, she turns to Naomi with silent tears rolling from her eyes, the right one still tinged a little with red.

"It's... my friend," she repeats. "The one that I sent the clone to. He... chanced upon Cybele, Kaede's servant and an Euryale assassin. She... killed him." Momo apparently doesn't want to go into the length, nor explain the silliness of the action in the first place.

"Is this supposed to hurt this much?" she mumbles to herself, unclear if she's talking about the death, Mangekyou, or both.

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

"I recognize that name. The Stone Heart. I fear for your safety if she is at his side." Naomi just stares at Momo with a dour look on her face. "I won't lie to you. Yes. It will hurt. It will hurt forever. There is no salve or solace, and time will not heal this wound. Because you, no... Because we cannot forget it." The old woman looks toward the sky.

"Every day you remember what you have done--what has been done--to attain that eye." Naomi looks back to Momo. "Kaede told you that the clan forces brother against brother in order to attain that eye. That is only partially true. We--you, your brothers, your parents, and myself--we are all blood descendants of the First Sage. While others married into the clan, our blood traces an unbroken line to the First Sage. And the Mangekyou is our burden to bear. We do not force the other members to achieve it, nor do we request it from them. We kill our siblings for power, so that we can protect and safeguard the Sage's power from those who would desire it."

Naomi shakes her head. "But we failed. Someone stole the Sage's power from us three years ago. I had hoped to put an end to this practice, and I am truly sorry to know that you now bear our burden."

[Cespenar]

Momo looks lost for a moment, but her mind is apparently eager to dwell on anything that isn't death or eternal torment right now.

"Our bloodline goes directly to the First Sage? Is that why that old man... (Shige?) hates us?"

She also perks up upon hearing about three years ago.

"Sage's power? Do you mean the Rinnegan?"

If that was indeed it, yet another piece of the puzzle was to uncover itself, though maybe somewhat late.

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

Naomi shakes her head. "No. Shige hates us because of my sins. I did not have the heart to tell him about what needed to happen. So when our son killed our daughter... He did not take the news that it was necessary well."

When Momo brings up the Sage's power, Naomi nods. "We held his last great gift, hidden away underneath this apartment. Somehow, someone penetrated all our defenses without any of our guards ever seeing them, and stole the Rinnegan from its resting place."

[Cespenar]

Momo looks sideways at Naomi, and chuckles in a drained manner.

"That should be Hisako. An artisan among the Oni, she had in her possession a mask that rendered its user undetectable to us 'mortals'. And don't ask me how I chanced upon that bit of knowledge."

She looks around for a while and dusts herself off. She gives her eye a rub while turning at the old lady.

"You shouldn't have sent them off," she says half-heartedly. "I... I could go on. They were just in my grasp, you see." Apparently even she realizes the folly of her words, and the last sentence comes off in a tone of grim humor instead.

[Togath]

Upon finding Takuya's remains Keita is shocked, less by the mess(he's seen and done worse), but by seeing a freind, if only one he knew for a short while, slain.
"Takuya.." is all he says, as he carefully removes any obviously valuable objects, to prevent the corpse being scoured by thieves.
"I will tell the others of your fate.." he murmurs as he wraps his cloak over what remains of Takuya, before heading back to the Uchiha compound, hoping he's wrapped the corpse up enough to prevent anyone questioning him.

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

"Hmph." The elder Uchiha simply motions toward the stairwell that would take Momo downstairs. "We will provide accommodations for you tonight, but until then you should spend some time in the city."

Keita

Robbing a corpse would obviously draw some attention, but luckily there's no one around the Rail. Fortunately no one spots Keita dragging a corpse around, or else he'd have questions to ask. Obviously when he arrives at the apartment building the guard doesn't even make himself known, since Keita plainly isn't an Uchiha.

[Togath]

"Oi, guard! is the girl, Momo, still here?" shouts Keita, hoping the guard decides to answer this question, or at least that Momo might hear the shouting.

[Cespenar]

Momo nods and remembers to bow at Naomi before going out and exiting the building altogether.

She spots Keita there as he yells inside.

"Where is Masaru?" she asks him urgently. "We should stick together. Cybele might come after us. She... she found Takuya. Killed him."

[Togath]

"So that's what happened to him.. I saw something happening near the rail to the sky.. by the time I got there, he was laying on the ground below, dead.. that's him over there, in the cloak, figured the least I could do was recover his remains" says Keita, appropriately grim given the subject matter.
"Masaru is still over near the gate I believe, he was busy when I saw several large flashes coming from the Sky's entrance"

[Cespenar]

Momo just looks at the cloaked body where Keita points and stares for a few seconds.

"Pick him up," she urges Keita in an oddly unemotional tone. "We'll give him a proper rite somewhere. Let's get Masaru in the meantime."

She leads the way to where Keita described.

[Eurus]

Even before Keita's run off, Masaru has more or less pessimistically decided that he won't find much here. He makes a few token attempts to strike up conversation with people as they finish their papers and enter the city proper, but mostly just feels like he's killing time.

By the time they return, he's leaning against the wall just inside the gate and rubbing his temples. His only comfort, perhaps, was that he hadn't comitted high treason or been nearly eviscerated yet. That put him ahead of the curve, as far as he was concerned. But the day was still young.

[Togath]

"Alright" says Keita.
Before leavign he shouts to the guard he assumes is still there; "Don't let anyone move that, got it? Or you'll wake up blind tomorrow" his odd mind warping the much more effective threat of 'I know someone who could remove your eyes, so behave, got it?' to an almost humorous form.


"Ah, good, you're still here" he says as they reach the.
"I'd been worried something may have happened to you.. Takuya's investigation.. didn't go so well.." he continues solemnly, "he ran into some high ranking sky nin.. didn't last long against her..".

"So what now?" he asks after a pause, "should we see if the supplies will give us any useful information?"

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke only nods his head to her line of questioning and does not remove himself from his bed immediately when Toramaru arrives. "The girl who led me in here. She was an old friend of mine and you know how I am with pretty young women, anego. Regardless, killing her and her team would have barred Momo and the others from entering the village for sure. They didn't need to be dragged down by the weight of my sins, not while I can still help it."

Finally, he stands and looks out through the cell doors to get a better look at the odd trio. "And what are you doing here exactly? I thought you wanted nothing to do with such a 'bothersome Uchiha?' I'm waiting for one of the many troublesome women that I keep company with to break me out. I was holding out for a blonde but perhaps I was mistaken?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Yousuke

"You've grown soft, aniki. At this rate, you'll get so soft that even baby tigers won't listen to you." Toramaru just stares at Yousuke as she speaks. For a moment, her gaze resembles the gaze she gave people who were bowing and scrapping their heads to avoid catching her ire. Not anger, not pity, but the flat gaze of a woman watching an event that had no connection to herself. The gaze of an impassive observer watching something irrelevant. Then it's gone, and in its place is a fist speeding right toward Yousuke's face.

Luckily Toramaru strikes the bar beside his head instead, or possibly she changed trajectory at the last second. Regardless, her fist turns the formerly immobile steel into a warped parody of itself. Immediately the bar she punches takes on the property of jello as it bends and contorts under the strength of her blow. Another four fists go out in rapid succession, each one targeting a different bar and each one ruining the cell for future generations. She follows that up with a sideways chop resembling something out of a karate manga, and all five damaged bars are sliced through like they were no stronger than dead wood.

Soon enough Yousuke has a large enough space to crawl through, if he keeps his head down. Obviously Toramaru did that on purpose, as breaking down the door would have been trivial with her strength. "Get out. I need to kill that Uchiha, and you'll show me where he is."

Kisaragi gives Toramaru the look of some horny teenager who had finally met her favorite singer. "O-Onee-sama..." A blush grows across her currently human face. Was she gushing internally about something, or maybe she was just rendered speechless?

The kid rushes into the cell before Yousuke gets a chance to get outside. He slams into the young man's knees and hugs him tightly. "Y-You bastard. You said you wouldn't leave me behind like that. You promised, you know?!"

[Bad Situation]

Even as Toramaru makes her move, Yousuke gives away nothing and doesn't flinch away as the steel bars bend and twist to her strength. It was exactly like Toramaru to do this. Anything that didn't fall into her pathetically small worldview was labeled 'soft' and therefore 'weak'. Knowing that he had subscribed to the same philosophy in the past for as long as he did made him sick to his stomach.

Lost in thought, Yousuke doesn't notice his apprentice until it's too late and he half lurches forward when the young boy tackles his shins. The boy as physically much stronger than he realized, which made for awkward situations like this. Recovering quickly, Yousuke smiles softly as Gintoki's soft weight presses against his knees and he bands down to ruffle at the child's already messy head of hair. "Sorry about that Gin-chan but I really didn't want to bring you anywhere near this mess." Then the apologetic tone is gone and is replaced by something much sterner, "And why are you here? How are you here. I left you with the 'nice ladies' at the Scarlet Devil Mansion for a reason. Didn't you have fun with Camille-chan?"

He looks up and glares at the most likely culprits and glowers fiercely. He fights down the anger however and slowly climbs out of the hole 'carved' into the cell. Then, he begins leisurely examining his binds, taking his time as he carefully and cautiously picks at them. Without really paying attention to his rescuer and her tagalong, he walks further into the prison. "Do you know where they left my things? I feel frightfully bare without a sword at my hip." He had grown considerably 'softer' in his time away from Toramaru, for sure, but there was way no way he had become weaker for it. He'd prove this to her, even at the price of drawing her ire. It wasn't as though he was in any less danger than he was a moment earlier after all.

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo and the Momo-ites

After the trio check out the crates they discover nothing unsurprising. Food and supplies were changing hands. Oddly it was the Sky giving food to the Leaf, not the other way around. Regardless of the situation, both Momo and Keita spot several crates that are slightly ajar. It wouldn't be terribly hard to sneak into the Sky if they could somehow get the Leaf nin to pass those crates over to the Sky nin.

It's around this time that a strange sight appears from the south. A ninja, bearing the Leaf handband, leaps toward the group. Well, toward Momo in particular. His dark hair and an ANBU mask with painted fire covering the right side of his mask. Nonetheless, as soon as he's within ten feet of the group the ninja drops to one knee in front of Momo. "Clan head! Something terrible has happened. T... The elders. Someone attacked them. Naomi-dono told me to find you immediately and ensure your safety. Has anyone strange appeared lately?"

Yousuke

Toramaru maintains that flat look on her face as Yousuke glowers at her. "Don't look at me like you have the spine to do something. It's disgusting aniki."

The boy continues complaining. "This crazy grandma took me away with her. Camirin", Camille?, "tried to keep me safe, but this crazy old lady hurt Korin", did he mean Koakuma? How close did he get to those girls...?, "until she gave me up."

Kisaragi seems to be trying to restrain herself--likely out of respect for Yousuke--but it's plainly obvious that she really wants to hit Gintoki. "Grr... O-Onee-sama did nothing of the sort! Do you think she just bullies people weaker than her? That's now how it happened at all you little liar!" Kisaragi scoffs, then crosses her arms over her chest and recounts her part of the tale. "Onee-sama went to Satoko-dono, and asked for your whereabouts. Lady Satoko agreed, under the condition that Onee-sama track down an object in the house." Kisaragi beams at the next bit. "Onee-sama found it in one question! I-I mean, the question was "What does it smell like" and then she summoned me to find it... But still! This little brat demanded to go along with us. Because someone left him behind." She glares at Yousuke. Among tigers, abandoning ones cub is tantamount to saying that you didn't want them anymore. A cub leaves the den on its own. The parents never force it out. She's obviously rather upset at Yousuke for leaving the boy behind.

"So here we are, Yousuke." No honorific, again.

[Cespenar]

Momo looks at the ANBU skeptically, but with hints of fear beginning to seep up from her stomach. She casually gives the ninja's chakra a read before speaking.

"All of the elders? Are they dead?" The familiar face of Cybele appears in her mind's eye. "It must be Cybele. But how could she strike all of the elders at once? Did Kaede himself come down?"

She returns to Masaru and Keita. "I must go back to Naomi-sama. You can come with me or try to sneak into the Sky within those crates."

[Togath]

"I'll come too, since if it was Cybele, you'll do better if you're not alone, and if it's a trap.. well, the same thing applies, no?"

[Cespenar]

Momo nods wordlessly, too preoccupied to show her appreciation. She starts to land hop back to the clan house.

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

Of course the ANBU's chakra is suppressed, because he would be a terrible member of the assassination squad if he could be defeated with something as trivial as chakra sensing.

"When I left, we had only received reports about Shige-dono and Yusei-dono." When Momo brings up going back to Naomi, the ANBU shakes his head. "It would be too dangerous, clan-head. Our enemy, whoever it is, is obviously targeting our clan leadership. If you were there, then we would be obligated to devoting as much of our power as possible to protect you. However, if you were somewhere safe, such as the Central Government Building, or meeting with the Hokage, then we could focus our efforts on protecting the surviving elders."

[Togath]

"pardon if I intrude for a moment.. but why are you referring to Momo-chan as the clan head? She's yet to be voted in from what she told us.. I'm sorry if my next action is a bit drastic, but as an ANBU I'm sure you can understand our weariness, and I'll let you go before you get hurt.. too much anyway"" says keita, as he's finishing he uses Smashing Brambles to try to catch the suspect ANBU.

the ANBU must succeed on a Dc 24(save DC is 10+rank+ability mod?) reflex save. if he fails, the vines make a grapple attempt vs him.
Grapple(if he's caught):[roll0].
Keita decides to not summon thorned ones.

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo's Entourage

Keita's vines grab the ANBU. "Traitor! Clan-head, please, run! There's a traitor too close to you!"

[Cespenar]

Momo's eyes dart frantically between Keita and the ANBU. She had thought of the same thing as the Mokuton user, but was it paranoia or truth she wasn't sure. The only thing sure was the die having been cast.

Momo, ignoring the shinobi's words, starts to land hop back to the Uchiha compound, expecting Masaru and Keita to follow.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Whether Masaru and Keita follow or not, Momo arrives at the Uchiha apartment complex to discover... It looks pretty normal. As she approaches the gate no one makes themselves known, nor does anyone shout or say anything from the inside. Which is odd all on its own, as the place was more lively when Momo had left.

[Eurus]

Masaru was starting to suspect that this entire day was some kind of bizarre nightmare. Ever since Keita had calmly walked up carrying Takuya's corpse, he'd had to actively fight the urge to break into semi-hysterical giggling. The urge only increased when the ANBU appeared, announcing the fate of the Uchiha elders.

It's Keita's attack on the man, and his attempt to "warn" Momo in response, that finally pushes Masaru over the edge. Despite his best efforts, he starts snickering. Then laughing, so hard that his eyes tear up and he has to clutch the nearest wall to keep himself upright.

"We... are so screwed. We are so, so screwed."

It only lasts a moment before he's able to get himself back under control, feeling too sickened to manage much embarrassment at the outburst. As Momo jumps away, Masaru does his best to help pull the ANBU out of the brambles, silently wondering if he should just dump Keita in a shallow grave somewhere before anything worse could happen.

[Togath]

-Masaru
Masaru is able to free the ANBU from the vines after about a quarter minute or so, though he's in rather bad shape from them...

-Keita
"this is odd.. but I don't see any external damage.. should we head inside?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Masaru

Masaru can cut through the vines with some effort, eventually freeing the ANBU. But he is heavily injured as the result. The ANBU looks at Masaru. "I have to protect my clan-head. Please, help me save her."

[Eurus]

Masaru nods, looking in the direction Momo dashed off. "She's probably checking on the Uchiha complex, unwise as that is... I'll try and convince her to get back to the central government building. You should warn anyone else."

If the man doesn't object, Masaru chases after Momo.

[ZeroNumerous]

Masaru

The Uchiha shakes his head. "I can't... That traitor messed me up pretty bad. I need to stay here and heal myself."

DM

Masaru arrives shortly after Momo and Keita.

[Togath]

"Ah, there you are Masaru-san! Were you able to find out who sent the fake ANBU? Kaede? Cybele?, Suneko?" says Keita as Masaru arrives, unknowing that the ANBU seems to have turned out to be innocent.

[Eurus]

Masaru is breathing heavily by the time he arrives. When Keita speaks, the chemist just glares.

"New rule, Keita. You don't attack anyone in Konoha -- literally anyone -- unless Momo or I specifically tells you to."

"...Anyway. This isn't the safest place to be, Uchiha-san. I understand if you need to see what's going on, but we should do so quickly. At any rate, this might qualify you for an audience with Hokage-sama."

[Togath]

Dawning on him that he and Momo may have made a mistake Keita, "A-again.. that's.. that's the third time now.." he trails off more annoyed than upset.
When Masaru mentions the Hokage, Keita adds in "If the ANBU wasn't some sort of spy, aye, it's probably best if we try to meet with the Hokage.. we might even be able to free Yousuke or contact Amon"

[Bad Situation]

Ignoring to the two dangerous tiger women for now, he bends down to Gintoki's height and smiles sadly as he looks the young boy in the eyes. "You're braver than I really gave you credit for but I suppose it was wrong of me not to believe in my little brother some more, huh?" He stands slowly but on his way up, he grabs Gintoki by the sides and seats the child on the square of his shoulders. He smiles cheekily up at the squirming bundle and winks. "I'm a little ashamed that you had to be the one to remind me of this, but we're family Gin-chan and I think somewhere down the line I forgot that the safest place for you to be is right by my side." He holds up a fist to be bumped and then gives Kisaragi an appreciative nod.

He looks down at the seals on his wrists and blanches. "Before I lead anybody anywhere, I need my things back and these restraining seals removed from my person. Just knowing that the Roukanken is in the hands of the Leaf makes my stomach churn." He flashes an easy grin at Kisaragi and asks, "Would you mind leading the way, hime-sama?" Hopefully their relationship hadn't deteriorated that much in the time that he'd disappeared.

[Cespenar]

Momo turns and looks at Masaru, frustrated but mostly at herself. "Honestly, I thought of the same thing, that the ANBU could be Cybele, or one of her clones..." she palms the right side of her face as a splitting headache seems to bore its way through. She wasn't sure if it was her eye or the sudden ebb and flows of stress, or some combination thereof. "Still, we shouldn't have lashed out like that," she says, looking at Keita.

As the chemist reiterates the ANBU's suggestion to go to the Hokage's meeting, Momo looks torn apart for a moment.

A second later, she summons yet another two clones of herself, and infuses them with a portion of her life force. One clone remains at the compound and slowly makes her way inside, while the other accompanies Momo herself as she nods at Masaru and agrees to go to the Hokage's meeting.

"Keita, you should transform into someone else as well, to avoid any 'misunderstandings' with further ANBU."

Two full blown Momoclones, with all the toppings.

16 chakra total, paid from the reserve. [roll0]

[Togath]

"Aye, will do so" he says as he begins a series of hand signs.
in a moment he changes(in a short puff of smoke) into a young girl about Momo's age, with short cut light brown hair, and hazel eyes.
"I figure the form of a Leaf nin ought to help ease suspicions about why I'm with you guys" he says afterward, not mentioning that he actually knew this one.

"And I'll make sure to not lash out again.. I suppose I may have been a bit reckless" he admits.

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo

The two clones hit a barrier the moment they attempt to enter. Whether through leaping or walking, the air in front of the front gate is as solid to them as a wall would be to any living creature. Obviously an attempt to prevent clones from being sent in as reconnaissance.

Yousuke

Kisaragi shakes her head. "Onee-sama summoned me. Beyond that... You aren't the strongest one here. I can no more do as you ask as the weather."

Toramaru is the next one to speak. "I can rip off your arms. That'll fix both your problems. I can't help you with fuinjutsu, because I only know the basics myself. But I'm not going on a hunt for your pointy metal stick."

If Yousuke searches the guard's room, then he discovers some lockers near the back wall. He finds his things there, but no weapons. Wherever the Leaf took his swords--and the Roukanken--they obviously wouldn't keep them in anywhere the prisoners could find them in the event of an escape.

The blue-haired tiger sage growls, low and long like she actually was part cat. "Are we done? I have something important to do."

[Eurus]

"No. No transformations, for god's sake. That's an academy-level technique, do you really think the Hokage -- who is, by the way, a Hyuuga, with all the ability to see through illusions that implies -- and her personal guard would be fooled by that? Please, let's not make ourselves look more suspicious. I'd really like to not see you get arrested, let alone get arrested myself."

"I'd go into the compound myself, but if there are still Uchiha there, they'd probably cut me down. They tend to be... territorial, as far as I know. Particularly under the circumstances."

[Cespenar]

The clones return to Momo as she makes her way back to the Hokage meeting.

[Togath]

"I suppose you have a point" says Keita, dropping the transformation..
Once it's dispelled he follows along with Masaru and Momo

[ZeroNumerous]

Momo's Party

Momo and Keita notice a series of flashes of light at the north, then all three ninja hear loud pops as explosions echo through the air. Soon, smoke is flowing upward toward the blue sky above. It's not hard to figure out that someone is fighting up there. A siren goes off in the distance, but only Masaru recognizes the noise. It's the alert siren used in case of attacks by enemy nations.

Yousuke

The young man doesn't hear anything, but both Toramaru and Kisaragi stop and listen. The blue-haired woman just smiles that strange and inhuman smile she gets when violence is about to happen. Kisaragi speaks to Yousuke plainly. "There was a series of explosions close by. I don't know why or who, but someone is fighting and using high explosives pretty freely."

[Cespenar]

"So it started." Momo mumbles as she momentarily stops to observe the explosions and the following smoke, remembering the similar starting move from just three years ago.

She then continues on her path with haste.

[Eurus]

Masaru stops abruptly as the sirens blare, freezing like a deer caught in the headlights.

"That's..."

Mind racing, he looks around quickly, trying to process yet another development.

"...Change of plans. The village is under attack, we're not going to be able to meet with anyone like this. I don't know if it's Sky, but who else could it be, at this point? I wonder if they're moving ahead of schedule because they know you're here..."

He seems to be wrestling with indecision, as he peers off to the north.

"I should go see what's happening, but... This might be our best chance to get Yo-, ah, Konpaku-san. Our only chance, even."

It was also a very, very good way to get himself killed. But picturing Yousuke stuck in a cell while the city burned was a powerful motivator. And at this point... they desperately needed every pair of hands they could get. Motioning the others to follow, Masaru dashes for the prison.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

The group passes by a bunch of leaf ninja heading toward the northern wall as they travel. Eventually they reach the prison, and discover it quite devoid of life. All the guards have been killed with some sort of heavy blunt object. When they go inside, they find Yousuke, a blue-haired woman in a cheongsam decorated with dragons, a blond-haired woman with a longbow on her back, and Yousuke's pet kid.

[Eurus]

Masaru seems rather pale, as they pass the corpses and eventually stumble on Yousuke, like he might actually pass out if they weren't already pressed for time. He reaches for his wine gourd again, then seems to think better of it. Pity he didn't have any morphine.

"...Well. You're alive."

[Cespenar]

Momo looks at Yousuke's saviors rather cautiously after seeing the slew of corpses outside the place.

"...Thanks to these ladies, I assume," she adds to Masaru's sentence and trails off, waiting for some, if short, explanation from their side.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke blinks at the news of the explosions but puts it out of mind as they make their way out of the prison. Priority number one was getting out of the prison. Still, "I swear, if I find out that Keita is the one behind those explosions I will rip off his arms and beat him half to death with them..."

When Momo and the others come into sight, Yousuke responds with an unflappable nod and jogs over to them. "For now at least. Though, if a fight breaks out now, I won't even have that." He lifts his arms up for the others to see, "I'm cut off from my chakra and I can't find my swords anywhere. Anyway the lot of you could help me with that? Ah, where are my manners. I think introductions are in order."

He gestures behind him, "That's Toramaru, the Tiger Sage and Kisaragi-hime." He points at the blue-haired woman and archer respectively. "Onee-san, this is Uchiha Momo. The young woman who I've currently pledged my allegiance to and whose brother up in Soragakure we've all agreed to cut down."

[Eurus]

Masaru seems to calm down, once he realizes that the women are... if not friends, at least allies of some sort. Better than the alternative, at least. He looks dubiously at the manacles, and shakes his head.

"Short of amputating your arms at the elbow, I don't think so. My only knowledge of seals is more theoretical."

Turning to the others, Masaru bows, briefly but politely. Pointless, perhaps, but if this woman had just staved in the heads of a dozen Leaf-nin it might be wise not to offend her. Still, he couldn't help feeling a bit wryly amused.

"It's an honor, Master Sage, Kisaragi-hime. Were you planning on joining us in our suicidal endeavor?"

[Cespenar]

Momo bows to the duo rather respectfully, if only to, well, get along with the crazy killing machines. What sort of people Yousuke has been throwing his lot with anyway?

She does raise straight up after Yousuke's words, though, and lays a hand on his shoulder. Her voice softens up uncharacteristically.

"You should know before all else... that Takuya is dead. He, ah, ran into Cybele." It feels a little less painful after the second retelling, but still not enough, apparently. She tears up a little, but blinks them away, her expression changing only slightly.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Toramaru just smiles at the former sky-nin, saying nothing.

Kisaragi nods her head slightly. "If your friend is dead, then perhaps it is time to take our revenge."

[Togath]

"Good to see you're still alive, I'd been worried with what we overheard from the guards as they took you away" says Keita, honestly relieved, to an extent.

After a moment he draws his sword and offers it, hilt first, towards Youske, "this aint the best blade, but I'd imagine it'll serve you until you can get your own back, no?"

At Toramaru's comment, regardless of if Yousuke takes the sword or not, Keita says; "Aye, with luck the sky nin may be occupied, and his defeat might cause enough of a shock to help dissolve this war, at least on the Leaf's end"

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Toramaru continues to not speak. At all.

Kisaragi looks at Keita like he's an idiot. "Are you stupid? How is a personal vendetta going to end a war?"

[Togath]

"Well, he was the catalyst that started it. With him gone, the Leaf won't have the aid of the Sky, and might have a chance of falling to the Sand, ending the war. Admittedly, it would be a rather violent end to it, but one none-the-less" answers Keita, "And to be frank, the Leaf fired the first shots, so I'm more or less in favor of the Sand winning, if I have to choose one anyway. Though I'd rather both sides just backed down, but what are the chances of that?"

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke blinks at the news of Takuya's death, quivering slightly as he reaches up and plucks Gintoki off from his shoulders, setting him down on the ground. He looks down at his feet and remains silent for the longest time as he balls up his fists tightly, gripping hard at some invisible tension. Eventually however, his shoulders sag and a deep and heavy sigh escapes from his lips. The situation was more dire than he'd feared then. Without another word he reaches out to Keita and grabs the preferred blade with perhaps more force than necessary and slides the blade halfway out of its sheathe to inspects the steel. "It will have to do for now, then."

He looks at Toramaru and then Momo with a sharpened edge behind his gaze, "It won't be revenge, calling it that would be a stain against Takuya's memory. But it will be personal when I drive my blade through Cybele's heart. We all knew that fighting her to get to Kaede would be a foregone conclusion the day we set off on this mission. Takuya knew this as well and it was only unfortunate that he failed but she's not somebody we could manage to fight against while holding back anyway."

Frowning, he looks up at the Hokage monument and mutters a quiet prayer to his ancestors as he ties the ninja-to his side. He draws the Dark Iron blade and holds it up to the light, catching the rays of the sun as he angles the weapon toward Soragakure. "The Leaf was holding out for The Dragon to return to them but it seems they'll just have to settle for a Tiger in his place."

Fighting the Sky meant more than just fighting Cybele and Kaede after all. "What fool dreams does the Dragon chase about in the Sky, grandfather? I'll have you tell me."

[Cespenar]

Momo returns Yousuke's gaze eagerly, for anger was always more preferable than sadness or despair - to her, at least. She advances a step and continues to speak in a confiding tone.

"You must have fought her before, do you have any plans to overcome her stealth?"

She half turns towards the door, ready to speak on the go if anyone suggests that they should leave immediately.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Toramaru speaks for the first time. "You can pretty it up with words like that, but at the end of the day it is what it is: You're killing someone because they killed your friend."

When Yousuke makes his big shounen hero speak, Toramaru just shakes her head. "Don't lump yourself in with us. You're far too soft."

[Togath]

"if it helps our case any, Toramaru-sama, one of our number, Kaede's younger sister, and new head of the Uchiha, has reason to believe he may have a weapon capable of wiping out the minds of entire nations, much like the Garou clan uprising a few years back, but on a nation-wide scale at a time" says Keita, hoping to glean some aid, "That, and I have a personal vendetta against one of his allies, over a wound I suffered the day of the coup"

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Toramaru looks at Keita. "Did I speak to you? Did I ask you about your petty existence and worthless goals? No. I didn't. Do not speak again, or I will carve your last words into your skull."

The tiger sage turns her attention back to Yousuke. "If that's where he is, then I will be going on ahead. I need to kill that man. Maybe, if you don't die in this nonsense, then I'll consider you one of us again. Kisaragi. You have done as I have asked. You are free to do as you wish."

With that said, she leaves the assorted sky nin to do as they wish. Kisaragi stays behind, and looks at Yousuke. "...Well, I suppose that means you're in charge now. What do you need me to do?"

[Bad Situation]

When Toramaru leaves, Yousuke dashes up and snatches and clasps Kisaragi's hands. "Swords, I need you to track down my swords. I don't know what the Leaf nin are doing with the Roukanken but I don't like it."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Kisaragi shrugs, then sniffs around. She follows a scent from the door back to Yousuke's cell, then follows the scent trail back to where Yousuke was stripped down. She follows a scent over to the desk where the guard was at. When moves the desk, and reveals a trapdoor. "Here."

Under the trapdoor the group finds Yousuke's equipment--except the Roukanken is missing.

[Eurus]

Masaru sighs and shakes his head at the disappointing discovery. "Before we go anywhere else, give me your hands. I've never actually tried this before, but it probably won't tear your arms off."

If Yousuke doesn't object, Masaru pulls out a pen and sketches a second seal over the first one, hoping that it wouldn't be too sloppy to work. As soon as he finishes, he pricks his finger with a shuriken -- taking care to pick out one of the non-poisoned ones, naturally -- and swipes a bit of blood over it, suppressing a wince at the sting.

Finishing, he quickly goes through the seals of the summoning technique, bringing out a small wasp. Well. "Small" was a relative term. Anything the size of a flying cat with a four-foot wingspan wasn't that small, and arguably far bigger than any wasp should comfortably be.

Level one Wasp soldier summon, 2 chakra.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

The wasp pops into existence with poof and a cloud of smoke. When the smoke clears Yousuke's arms are revealed to be clean and free of seals.

Yousuke is no longer restrained.

[Togath]

"Should we head on out to the Sky? Now that Yousuke's back up, and with the guards occupied by fighting, now might be a good time to head there, before the battle moves inside the walls of the Leaf" says Keita, starting to move to leave the prison, "as for Cybele, if we can either slow her down, or just use a wide enough attack we might be able to disable her"

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke nods at Masaru appreciatively and rubs at his wrists before stripping down to his small clothes and changing back into his regular equipment. He could save the embarrassment for some other, right now they needed to move. "Where is it...?"

Even as he adjusts his armor and miscellaneous equipment, his eyes dart around the room in search of the blade that should have been there. He flashes toward Kisaragi and asks, "My sword, the Roukanken, it's missing. Can you track it down, still?" He was in a foul enough mood as it was. If he found out that Sunbeiseki or some other Leaf bastard had taken it...

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Kisaragi looks annoyed at Yousuke. Being used for something as lowly as sniffing out Yousuke's weapon likely annoyed her greatly. Nonetheless, the tigress sniffs around the room for nearly thirty seconds before finally shaking her head. "I only smell you on these things, on your body, and coming and going out of this room. If someone did steal your weapon, then they left the same way you came in."

[Cespenar]

"So they must have left through the front door before you two came in and killed all these guys, right?" Momo guesses, looking at Kisaragi.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke looks as if he's about to explode but catches himself in time, slumping his shoulders in frustration. He takes in a deep breath and releases it just as quickly, "Sorry about that, Kisaragi."

He looks at Momo, "What's the plan? I'm not going to be fighting at capacity without the Roukanken but I understand that time is of the essence. I'd rather not face my grandfather without our ancestral blade but if there's no other way..."

[Eurus]

Masaru decides to spare Momo the stress and interject himself.

"I'm not particularly thrilled with the idea either, but I can't think of any way to quickly find it. Whoever took it is probably dealing with the battle right now, and that's the last place we want to be."

"I hate to say it, but this might be our best chance. Sky will hopefully be distracted either helping Leaf or taking advantage of the chaos to move their own plans. The longer we wait, the more chances we give Cybele to kill us and our allies."

"Speaking of. Do we have any allies? Uchiha, Konpaku, Euryale, anyone at all? Because if we do, now's the time we could use them. There's only one way in and out of sky, and it's not very subtle."

[Cespenar]

Momo looks thoughtful for a moment.

"Koji is away on the front lines. The Uchiha, perhaps, if the elders weren't being picked one by one by Cybele at the moment. Hmm. We have Mako and Jun too, theoretically."

Her face lightens up for a moment.

"Oh, yes, the Euryale. I could convince a handful of them the last time I was in the Grass. I think Suiten must be making her way here, if not already arrived. And she might have brought Kinuye and Sinuye as well, if we're lucky."

She shrugs. "That's it I'm afraid."

[Togath]

"I know the twin Eurayle, they at least would be loyal allies at least.. I never met Yuiten though. Do you think either will hold any hard feelings against me for having gotten exiled?" says Keita, after a few moments, he adds; "I do still wonder if I did really do anything wrong.. It's hard for me to believe the Greatmother would set me up in a test where war with the Leaf was only a misstep away"

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke shrugs at the talk of allies and gestures in the direction that Toramaru left in, "Sensei is nominally your ally, though if I had to guess the only reason she's actually here is because she disagrees with your brother's Moon Eye plan and its application." As they idle around doing nothing, Yousuke flexes his muscles and works out the uncomfortable stiffness in his limbs courtesy of the chakra-restraining seal. With a sharp, final crack he fixes the tension in his beck and looks toward Soragakure and its rail system. "Whatever the case, if there's nothing left holding us back here I'd like to begin our attack on the Sky. I haven't grinded the rails in what must be ages."

He nods at Kisaragi finally and bows humbly as he pieces together a hesitant request. "You lack the training required to propel yourself along the rails. Would you, like me to carry you up?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Everyone but Yuiten

Kisaragi looks at Yousuke with a blank face for a moment, then breaks into a wide grin. "Well, of course. Did you think someone such as myself would walk when I have a perfectly usable mule?" It seems like a few moments out of Toramaru's view is enough for Kisaragi to return to normal.

If the group gets ready to leave, then they step out into the street to find themselves face-to-face with a large contingent of Leaf ninja.

A group of twelve leaf ninja stand in a circle discussing something among themselves, but their discussion ends when the group steps into the open. One of the leaf-nin (http://i.imgur.com/YuJIP.jpg) turns to look at the group. "Looks like a bunch of missing-nin, and the famous traitor."

Another one (http://i.imgur.com/yESzG.jpg) cracks her knuckles, her limbs crackling with lightning, and motions to the spear-woman (http://i.imgur.com/w9a64zG.jpg) near her. "Didn't you say you wanted to fight the traitor, Hisae-chan?"

Their apparent leader (http://i.imgur.com/kAFtB.png) nods. "Wipe them out. We can't afford to capture the traitor while there's a battle going on." The leaf-nin ready their various weapons for battle.

Yuiten

Getting into the Leaf should have been trouble, but today was your lucky day. The Sand and the Stone attacked the Leaf, causing the village's security become rather lax. You've successfully avoided any patrols or guards so far. Kinuye, Sinuye, and the two Konpaku that you've barely gotten to know follow behind you closely. Your group rounds the corner just in time to see a big group of Leaf ninja looking right at you.

You immediately turn and bolt, expecting the others to follow. After a minute of running you turn to find yourself on your own. However, you have found something interesting.

Momo and her group are standing in the road ahead, and a group of Leaf ninja stand in their way.

DM

http://i.imgur.com/ViZ76d4.png

Legend:
Purple - Yuiten
Dark Red - Momo
Gray - Yousuke
Dark Green - Masaru
Light Green - Keita

Red#s - Enemy leaf-nin
Yellow#s - Enemy leaf-nin leaders
#1- Apparent leader
#2- Spear-wielder
#3- Lightning ninjutsu user
#4- Male ninja

Dark Gray - Buildings. 30ft tall.
Brown - Dirt road.

[Togath]

"No use holding back with Yousuke with us, especially after Toramaru's attack on the prison" mutters Keita.

[Cespenar]

Momo frowns severely. She thinks about invoking the "I'm the head of the Uchiha" clause, but then decides against it, seeing how impossible a case Yousuke's presence makes for. If anything, it would hurt her reputation, she thinks, if she goes there.

Sighing, she carries out several hand signs, and waves slowly around her with both hands.

"Do not be alarmed," she warns her companions with a voice suddenly taken a serene sense. "Let my visions guide you."

Even if she wouldn't be able to prevent these leaf-nin's deaths, the least she could do is to prevent her companions', she thinks sullenly.

Use Emboldening Visage on 3 people for 8 chakra. Everyone gets a +6 bonus any one roll or AC in a given round, chosen by you. You can swap the bonus around every round. Lasts 9 rounds.

[roll0]

[Eurus]

So that was that, then. No sense in worrying about a reputation now. He'd successfully become a criminal in another village. It's almost a relief, in an embarrassing sort of way. He shakes his head as he speaks up.

"...What awful luck. Great General Kyouko of the Leaf. Considered to be possibly the greatest strategist and technical genius in the village, besides commanding a potent bloodline."

"The male is Hyuata Eiichi. A powerful wind elementalist. They say he can unleash powerful cyclones, but that seems like a lot of collateral damage for the middle of town."

"Uchiyama Tama, also called Thundercaller Tama. An elementalist. Lucky that it seems to be a clear day, because I've heard she can summon actual lightning from rain clouds."

"The woman with the spear is Hirano Hisae. A spear fighter, in case that wasn't obvious."

Turning his gaze to the enemy group, he calls out to the woman with a polite bow.

"My apologies, Hirano-san, but I don't know much about you personally."

"Sixteen leaf-nin. Even if we had time for this, which we don't, I wouldn't like those odds. But I suppose we don't have a choice. Unless you could be convinced to let us go, Soushi-sama. Traitors or not, we were just leaving the city, and I imagine your assistance would be appreciated elsewhere."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

The "great general" just looks at Masaru, then puts her hand under her chin as if thinking terribly hard on how to answer. "Hm. I'm afraid I can't do that, Minami-kun. While it's likely true that you were leaving, I don't think you'd just leave the Leaf peacefully. Unfortunately, that puts us at odds with one another. I have an obligation to protect the village after all."

Hisae grips her spear tightly. "Besides, that traitor can't be allowed to go free!"

Kyouko shrugs. "Even if I believed you, I don't think I could control these guys. And if they attack, my hand is forced. Sorry, Minami-kun. But we're enemies, for now."

[Bad Situation]

Blinking, Yousuke grabs Gintoki and deposits him on the ground, ignoring whatever complaints the child has. "You know the drill, Gin-chan." He watches the scene with the Leaf nin unfold coolly, turning his head subtly to glance at Momo from the side. "Sorry Momo, but I don't think I can hold back against these people. They're dangerous. As dangerous as me when it comes down it, and there's four of them at that." Without taking his eyes off of them, he tries to remember as much as he can from his days of fighting for the Leaf and frowns when he can only remember two of them. He watches the spearman with an especial interest, however. "You wanted to fight me, Hisae-chan? Good. I've always wanted to see how my swordplay fares against a spear user..."

He takes a single step forward, calmly inching his way toward the Leaf team and in an instant, disappears from sight only to reappear in front of the spear using kunoichi with his iron ninja-to held high in the air. "I was saving this for someone else but now is a good a time as any to see how well it works."

"Great, Momo is in my head now. I'd always heard that Uchiha were egotistical and uninspired but I expected something more from a genjutsu expert like her..."

Status
Hit Points: 84/84
Chakra Pool: 53/68
Chakra Reserve: 36/36
Armour Class: 42
Ongoing Effects: Spd Rank 4 (1/5), Str Rank 4 (1/5), Raking Tiger Stance, Saint's Fury (1/7), Emboldening Visage (1/9)

Actions
Free Action~!
Unleash Rank 4 Strength.
Unleash Rank 4 Speed.
Unleash Saint's Fury.

(Heroic Surge) Move Action~!
Move toward the Leaf nin, 65ft.

Full-Round Action~!
Five Signs of the Dying Deva (Pounce)
Target: Leaf Nin Leader 2
Attack 1: [roll0]
Damage: -- [roll1] + [roll2] + [roll3]
Attack 2: [roll4]
Damage: -- [roll5] + [roll6] + [roll7]
Attack 3: [roll8]
Damage: -- [roll9] + [roll10] + [roll11]

[Eurus]

"Oh well. It was worth a shot."

Frowning as he sees Keita and Yousuke run forward, faster than he could keep up with, Masaru dashes after them.

Status
Hit Points: 68/68
Chakra Pool: 48/52
Chakra Reserve: 20/20
Armour Class: 28 (flat-footed 21, touch 23)
Ongoing Effects: Speed Rank 3 (1/5), Emboldening Visage, charged paper bomb x1 (5 charges)

Actions
Free action: Speed Rank 3 activate
Free action: Spend an action point on chakra. [roll0]
Move action: Move 75 feet west
Move action: Attempt to charge a paper bomb, 5 charges. 4 chakra spent.

Range: 70 feet
Area: 10-foot radius
Reflex DC: 18 (Man I suck at ninjutsu)
[roll1]

[Togath]

Moving just after Yousuke, Keita draws out a thin knife and makes a thin slice across his hand. with a throw, he embeds the(now red tinted) blade in the ground about five feet away, before making a series of hand signs.
After a short puff of smoke, a humanoid lizard about six feet in height can be seen kneeling, facing towards the group of Leaf nin.


HP: 95, Chakra: 61(+10 pool, , -10 reserve, -19 pool from summon)
Defense: 22.

actions;
Keita spends a full round action summoning a level 4 guardian rank lizard, and taps his chakra reserve as a swift action for ten chakra.

Chakra Control:[roll0](includes Momo bonus, unless I can increase the elite/paragon chance with it)
special summon chance:[roll1]

[Overlord Rion]

It truly was fortuitous that the Sand and Stone attacked the Leaf. Well, it was until the group of Leaf ninja. Yuiten barely had time to shout "Scramble!" before dashing away at top speed. The others should have been able to keep up. Unfortunately, they must have all taken different directions. Looking ahead brought a smile that quickly turned into a grimace. Momo was ahead. Well, it looked like she was the lucky one.

"Okay, so I've got to help them. The others can fend for themselves. Well, probably, whatever. I can find the twins and the Konpaku AFTER I get Momo and her friends out of trouble."

Free Actions
Unleash Speed Rank 4
Unleash Strength Rank 4

Attack Action
Charging my Expert's Holster

Moving to the next available square as far as I can go.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Yousuke's sword slices through the air and strikes the spear user three times. However, he senses that he isn't doing as much damage as he would normally. As if her flesh was somehow resisting his sword.

The leaf nin scatter, aiming to protect themselves from Yousuke's allies and any ranged attacks, while simultaneously preventing Yousuke from blasting them all with ninjutsu. The spear user steps back, but remains in sight of the others. She smiles. "This will be fun!"

Kyouko shakes her head. "Don't get lost in battle, Hisae-chan. We need to work together. I'll keep him busy, so you get ready to strike."

Without warning, Hisae leaps into battle with Yousuke. Her spear dances around his body as she attacks seemingly wildly. But in between her wild attacks Yousuke senses a sudden burst of killing intent, and narrowly avoids a shuriken thrown from the edge of his vision by Kyouko. Unfortunately, that puts him in the perfect position for Hisae's next attack.

After the exchange of blows, Hisae looks rather bloodied. The leaf teams react by moving toward her, and one of them--obviously a medic--starts healing her.

The other leaf-nin target Yousuke immediately. A coordinated orgy of violence erupts around the young man as he is targeted by several ninjutsu techniques--and several sharp bits of metal--all at once.

http://i.imgur.com/Cm4gApu.png
Legend:
Lime Green "L" - Lizard

Enemy Actions:
All enemies delay until Kyouko acts. All enemies also unleash their speed/strength ranks as appropriate.

Kyouko uses Tactical Mastery, granting a +4 bonus to all her allies' attack rolls. She then uses Heroic Surge, and Aids Another Hisae's next attack roll. She can't possibly fail a DC 10 Diplomacy check, so she grants Hisae a +11 bonus on her next attack roll.

Hisae five foot steps away then attacks Yousuke with Hassun. She gets a +15 bonus from Kyouko.
Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage Roll: [roll1]

She then uses her Heroic Surge and attacks Yousuke with Super Heavy Strike.
Attack Roll: [roll2]
Damage Roll: [roll3]

If it hits, Yousuke is knocked back [roll4]x5 feet. He gets a Fort Save against DC 23 to reduce that to half.

Eiichi uses the Wind Enclosure technique on Yousuke. Yousuke needs a DC 20 Reflex Save or take [roll5] wind damage and be unable to move from his position, and be unable to use Evasion.

If Yousuke succeeds vs Wind Enclosure, then Tama uses Static Pulse: Immobilize on him. If he fails, then Tama uses Lightning Dragon Blast. Yousuke will need either a Fortitude Save against DC 21. If he fails vs Wind Enclosure, then he automatically fails his Reflex Save against Lightning Dragon Blast.

The Leaf Nin move around.

#9 discharges a Rank 1 Healing Technique to heal Hisae by [roll6] HP.

#10, #8, and #6 all use Elemental Beatdown Rank 3 on Yousuke. Yousuke needs three Reflex Saves at DC 18. If he fails his save vs Wind Enclosure or Static Pulse, then he automatically fails these saves.

[roll7] - Fire
[roll8] - Wind
[roll9] - Lightning

#3 readies an action to heal Eiichi with Rank One healing if he takes damage. He discharges the technique for [roll10] HP.

#1 and #7 throw shuriken at Yousuke.
#1:
Attack Roll: [roll11]
Damage Roll: [roll12]
#7
Attack Roll: [roll13]
Damage Roll: [roll14]

Damage Dealt:
Hisae - 67(?)

[Togath]

"Bothers.." mumbles Keita angrily as Yousuke falls, though he looks prepared to dash off/hide if necessary.

[Eurus]

Masaru can only watch as Yousuke is pummeled by the entire amassed squad, brought down in one brutal moment. His jaw tightens, until he sees the swordsman still alive and breathing. Keita kneels in surrender... a surprisingly wise choice, but one that still makes Masaru sigh in disappointment.

Everything was spiraling farther and farther out of control. They had one window, and it was closing fast. Frowning, the chemist slips into the shadow of the building and blends into the stone, taking a drink from his other gourd. The one that smelled more like rubbing alcohol than wine. That, alas, was the consequence of making it out of the cheapest ingredients he could find.

Status
Hit Points: 68/68
Chakra Pool: 52/52 (5 temp)
Chakra Reserve: 10/20
Armour Class: 28 (flat-footed 21, touch 23)
Ongoing Effects: Speed Rank 3 (2/5), Emboldening Visage, charged paper bomb x1 (5 charges), Meisaigakure no Jutsu, chakra restoration 4/round

Actions
Swift action: Tap reserves for 10.

Attack action:
Meisaigakure no Jutsu for +9 hide.

Non-action: 5-foot step northwest.

Move action: Drink chakra restoration potion.

[roll0]

[roll1] (+6 Emboldening Visage bonus, +3 speed rank bonus)

[Bad Situation]

Halfway into his headlong assault, Yousuke feels a familiar straining sensation in his throat but manages to fight through it long enough to complete his attack but to his utter disappointment the Leaf nin is still standing. He would have clicked his tongue disappointedly if not for the pain that usually came with his coughing fits. "Damnit, not now of all times."

And then when the spear flashes his way he mistimes his exhalation and he feels the full force of the blow drive into his abdomen. "I guess this might be why grandfather never chose to smoke," he thinks wistfully even as he grits his teeth through the pain. Thankfully the blow had avoided any vital areas but the damage was done, nonetheless. Choking and wheezing, he lifts his foot up into the air, ready to drive it into the ground for an earthquake step but is forced to abandon his technique halfway when the spiraling wind attempts to ensnare him. He looks into the eyes the elementalist dangerously but before he is able to fight back a pulse of lightning traps his movements.

He casts away the dark iron sword as the technique overruns his body and he falls to his knees, hacking out a hoarse "I surrender" before he manages to catch his breath. His eyes widen and he glares down at his still jittering hands, as though betrayed by his own body. The ninja's body spasms and twitches and it takes all he manage just to keep himself from double over. Through it all he has an intense look of frustration on his face and seems as though he's in another world. "Three years of training and this is all I can manage against a team as small as this. I couldn't even lay low the spearman without the Roukanken..."

[Cespenar]

Momo watches from the corner that the powerhouse she knew as Yousuke falls down to a concentrated attack after mere... seconds. For all their talk, they were so weak, the lot of them, including herself.

She moves forward alongside the wall, wondering how they could turn thing this around, or if it's even possible in the first place.

Move action: 2sw, 4w.
Attack action: Pretense of Speed.

Active effects: Speed rank 1 (2/5), Pretense of Speed (1/9).

HP: 52/62
AC: 26
Pool: 61/80
Reserve: 19/35

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Kyouko raises her hand when Yousuke surrenders. "That's enough." Hisae turns to look at her. "What are you talking about? If we put an end to him, then we'll save a lot of lives later."

Tama bears her teeth and shakes her head. "He surrendered. It wouldn't be right to kill him after that."

Eiichi shakes his head. "Unless, of course, they're still our enemies. Then we have to kill him and carry on with the battle."

Kyouko scoffs, but looks to the other sky-nin all the same. "Your friend has surrendered!" She shouts to be heard clearly. "If you do the same, then we'll consider things finished between us! You'll be free to leave, but your friend will stay with us! Otherwise..." Kyouko stops shouting as she looks at Yousuke with a mixture of pity and cold resolve. "I don't want to kill you, Yousuke", she doesn't use his last name or an honorific, "but I simply can't accept your surrender if your friends continue fighting us. I don't like it. Someone like you should be allowed a proper death, but I promise I will do my best to make it quick and easy."

"No", Hisae says as she raises her spear, "I'll kill him."

[Cespenar]

"No, wait!" Momo cries, canceling her jutsu and stepping out in the open. She looks at each of the quarreling voices, and thanks the fact that the wise one is the one in charge.

She raises both hands to signify her nonaggression, and continues.

"We surrender," she hisses. She motions with her hand to the others behind her to do the same, while gazing gravely at Kyouko, looking for a hint to doubt her sincerity.

[Togath]

Keita follows Momo's lead, "worst comes to worst, I suppose we might still end up meeting the Hokage.. not on as good terms as we'd hoped, but it's the bright side of things, innit?" he says, waiting to see what Masaru decides to do.

[Eurus]

Despite Momo's announcement of surrender, Masaru doesn't emerge from hiding. He didn't have much of a desire to chat up his countrymen -- if he could still even think of them that way -- and, well, he wasn't as good at explaining things as Momo was.

Sighing, his body still little more than a vague blur, he shapes chakra to his feet and jogs onto the roof for a better view. And, depending on how the next few seconds worked out, possibly a more strategically advantageous position.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Kyouko looks at Momo with an equally appraising gaze. "Well, if you do, then everyone should step out in the open. On both sides."

She motions toward the three ninja in the alley, and the three leaf-nin step forward. She then turns back to Momo. "I believe you had one more."

The leaf-nin awaits the appearance of anyone else.

[Eurus]

Masaru silently charges two more exploding tags before stepping up to the edge of the roof and revealing himself.

"...So many delays. We're just trying to stop the Sky-nin from committing far worse crimes, you know."

[Bad Situation]

From his spot on the ground Yousuke speaks up for once, "Don't listen to them Momo. Defeating your brother is more important than whatever obligation these Leaf ninja believe they have in bringing you in." And then, clutching at his faces he seethes. "Besides, you don't need someone like me dragging you down. How will I be able to defeat an Oni Princess and my grandfather if I couldn't even beat someone as weak as her," he spits out as he glances in Hisae's direction. He looks down at his still trembling hands and attempts to force them to stop but to no avail. All his fears were coming to life now. "Was three years really enough?"

[Cespenar]

Momo looks down at Yousuke in a frustrated manner. A cold glint appears in her eyes at the prospect of losing a friend so soon after another.

"Don't be ridiculous. You weren't fighting her, you were fighting a whole damn Leaf unit by yourself."

She pauses, and chuckles grimly in dark humor. "Besides, I don't want to have a second Takuya case in my hands."

Turning to Kyouko, she grows serious once more.

"I assume I have your word for his safety. At least for the time being. And the rest of us are free to go?"

[Princess Tracy]

Usagi "When I saw the village floating above the leaf on my return trip, I knew this was going to be a looong day..."

"Konpaku Yousuke is neutralized," comes a voice. An ANBU appears among the crowd so quickly that one might think she was there the whole time, stepping between Yousuke and his most recent opponents. Looking down at him, the mousy-figured woman flashes the mask she wears - the same rabbit-like ANBU mask of the woman he defeated months ago. She turns to her companions, dressed in black ops uniform and battle unit armour, toed boots and gloves worn under a dark travelling cloak. She turns to the woman who seems to be running things. "Kyouko, right? Usagi of ANBU." she salutes as she shares that brief, down to business greeting. She looks around and up for the village a moment, and to the amassed former sky-nin. "Status report," she requests, keeping one eyes trained on Yousuke under her mask.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

"ANBU huh." Kyouko doesn't look terribly convinced, but doesn't voice any questions. "We apprehended the traitor, Konpaku Yousuke. These other... individuals... were just leaving the village. Uchiyama-san and I were going to take Yousuke to the D-Unit prison." Kyouko looks at Usagi with a raised eyebrow. "Unless you have a better plan, of course, miss ANBU."

[Princess Tracy]

Usagi grabs her cloak and tosses it to the side, revealing a bit more of her figure, and the well-polished leaf headband that she wears like a necklace. She points down to Yousuke. "This one has information vital to our operations. I'll need him for questioning on the Sky, ASAP." She reaches on her belt for something to restrain him with, finding some rather modern handcuffs, and steps towards him. "He surrendered, so he's in good hands," she says, looking over her shoulder to Kyouko to put any of her concerns to rest. For what else would she question among the Hokage's direct servant? Her eyes scan each of the Sky-Nin in turn. There was one more... Shaking the number from her head, she looks down to Yousuke, cuffs in hand. "You will cooperate, won't you, Konpaku?" the familiarly timid assassin asks as she makes to restrain him.

Momo
Usagi's chakra is totally suppressed

[Cespenar]

Momo gives the ANBU a cursory glance. The mentioned name Usagi makes her blink in a mildly confused way as if she's reminded of something, but overall she seems too preoccupied to get to the bottom of it.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Kyouko raises an eyebrow at the ANBU, but then shakes her head and shrugs. "Alright then. I have to go to the front." She turns toward the group following her, and points toward where the explosions have been coming from. "We've got Sand and Stone ninja to kill. Patch yourselves up on the way."

With that said, the group of leaf ninja leaves.

[Princess Tracy]

Usagi watches the leaf-nin go, but doesn't slap the cuffs on Yousuke. As they rear the corner, she looks around at the sky-nin again and bows briefly. "Hello, Uchiha-san." She tuts once she's quite sure they leaf are out of earshot. "What kind of status report was that, they could have at least mentioned these sand-nin. That might be important for an ANBU who just got into town to know about. These non-ANBU are just sloppy." With her light-hearted complaint, her voice softens a little as it gives way to her own brand of dry 'wit'.

She turns, looking down the street away from the battle as she considers her options. "Get up, Yousuke," she orders. "Usagi the Brave, to you."

[Togath]

"An ally?.." says Keita pondering things, "While I only have a hunch right now as to who you are.. I figure I should get this over with; Takuya-san's met his maker.. He got ambushed by the assassin Cybele and slain in battle... I was able to recover his remains.. But only Momo-chan was able to contact him before his death"

[Bad Situation]

The swordsman looks up at the ANBU clad woman, a faint sense of recognition dawning on his features before he abruptly looks away. "So you didn't die that time, huh? Are you here now to finish the job yourself? I would ask for you to preserve my dignity but I don't think I have any left." He stops shaking and keeps his eyes flat on the ground, muttering something beneath his breath. "Fighting grandfather as I am now, who I was kidding really..."

[Cespenar]

Momo stares at Amon with crossed arms, but seems to be waiting for her to resolve Yousuke's deal before "properly" greeting her.

[Princess Tracy]

Usagi stops when she hears Keita speak, turning to look at Momo. Takuya did... then, does she have the eyes? If there was sorrow in her, her mask hides it well. She looks up into the sky, nodding slightly to Keita. "It is improper for an ANBU to remove her mask in public," she proclaims. "Our goal is the Sky. There's a private armory nearby," she proclaims, implying they would speak more there and makes to lead them to such privacy.

She starts to pace away until Yousuke speaks, drawing her attention as she sees how distraught he really was. She walks forward, drawing the blade strapped to her back and stabs it down in front of him, deliberately missing him just barely as she stabs into the earth with a shining white-bladed ninja-to. "If that's how brittle the will of a Konpaku is, perhaps Youki can just be talked out this war." She's quite merciless, to the point - yet reminds him of his higher duty. Or intends to. It's a bit of a drag to see him so down. She drops the act a second, her voice softening to something more familiar. "A swordsman shouldn't weep for a blunt blade, only for the one he protects. Genius or not, you still have growth to do - so do all of your friends. But you must do what you can, for now at this vital moment."

[Eurus]

Masaru is quiet, processing the development with concern, then curiosity, then just patience. He didn't quite recognize the ANBU, at a glance, but there were rather a lot of them in Konoha.

Slowly, he walks back down the wall, hands in his pockets as he surveys the now-empty street. He glances at the other newcomer, and inclines his head politely.

"...Euryale-san. Should I be so optimistic as to assume you're here to help us?"

[Princess Tracy]

Usagi holds her gaze on Yousuke for a moment, flinching at 'Euryale'. She nods in Masaru's general direction. "I was taken off the assassination squad after our last encounter, Yousuke. And yes... my goal is in the Sky. I'll do what I can to assist you, and to protect this world," is all the assurance she can spare while still she wears her indifferent mask.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke doesn't flinch as she buries the blade into the ground, glancing at the weapon for only a moment to admire the craftsmanship before turning his attention back to the masked ANBU character. He grinds his teeth at the insult hurled at his grandfather, flaring his immense killing intent for everyone present for only a moment before he calms himself down and puts a clamp down on his latent rage. He takes in a breath deeply and stands himself up, looking directly at the ANBU's mask as he does so. When her voice softens however he clicks his tongue almost instinctively and looks away, "I'm the one who should be saying that..." He was scared. Scared at the thought of fighting his grandfather. Of fighting Cybele, even. But then, that didn't matter now did it? "A swordsman wields the sword not to strike down his enemies, but to strike down his own weak self. I said something like that a long time ago, didn't I?"

He watches the exchange between Masaru and Usagi carefully before interjecting, "Don't talk about me as though we were ever that close, ANBU-san. Whether it was a bluff or not, you raised a weapon against my cousin at that time. I think we are all...grateful for your aid now but if you have more to say, let us do it elsewhere." He's silent for a moment before gesturing at her, "Lead the way."

He stares at the back of her head when they finally depart, "I don't know what it is about her but I feel at ease with her around. Like when were genin in Soragakure."

He blinks for a second, "We?"

[Cespenar]

Momo watches the back-and-forth with furrowed brows and keeps her stare a few seconds more after it's done. Then she clicks her tongue and mumbles beneath her breath.

"Tch... can't believe this crap."

[Princess Tracy]

She doesn't react to the killing intent - not enough for it to be seen past her mask anyway. She'd faced much deadlier things than a disgruntled Yousuke after all. "From determination, truth," she comments briefly, an old saying among swordsmen and soldiers when fighting in the name of their cause. Usagi nods, swiping at the air with her sword to launch the dirt from it before sheathing it again, moving quickly down the streets. As he chastises her closeness, there's what sounds like a giggle in her voice, if she weren't so otherwise flat. "I wasn't the only assassin present that night," is all she says, "Come then, sharpen your blade before you strike. One solid strike..." Her stride seems odd - a certain asymmetric flow to her sprint.

She leads the others away to the cover of the armoury and forge nearby. Heavy wrought-iron doors block the way, but she produces a key easily enough, letting anyone that follows in; a cooled and empty forge is on the far side of fairly modern cabin, and every wall is lined with weapons of all shapes and sizes, ready for use, but mostly it is Katanas. A certain whimsy might be felt if there was not a war on the place's doorstep. She's quick to close the door once everyone has filed in; the misted and barred windows are well sealed, and she's certain nothing's come down her forge's chimney. They were alone. As alone as they could get anyway... She could have flushed out Cybele, maybe should have, but this was an enclosed space - I could beat her in here, she argues with her all-too healthy paranoia of the master assassin. Cybele could wait for now anyway. Not for long. But for now.

Usagi paces around the mats surrounding the central cement and forge, and hangs up her sword on an empty slot on the racks. "So many unused blades... so many incapable wielders..." she reflects on war one last time as her hand traces along the racks. The same initial marks each blade and sheath, 'Masamune'. She reaches onto two different shelves, retrieving two trinkets - a sword and what look like knuckle dusters both made of something shimmering and golden. Sheathing the ninja-to, she hands it to Momo, then the knuckles. "I'm sorry that I didn't deliver these to him sooner..." she says slowly, voice full of regret as she holds the knuckles fit for Takuya. "May the blade protect you at least, Momo-chan..." She'd have removed her mask the instant she closed the door, but she needed another moment to gather herself before facing Momo proper. She wasn't even trying to hide her voice anymore though, for those who would recognise it after a year or more of absence and maturity.

[Togath]

"It's good to see you again, Amon-san" says Keita, once everyone is inside the forge.

when she brings out the knuckles, once meant for Takuya, he adds, "what Kaede has done is horrid.. But hopefully we'll be able to finally put a stop to that bastard" sighing, he says "He means well, I get that.. but that's no excuse for enslaving the minds of a nation, nor for hiring murderers, assassins, and traitors to 'aid' him in his goals.. Nor for murdering his 'beloved' little sister's allies"

[Cespenar]

Momo's frustrated expression turns into a mixture of confusion and sadness as she's handed the two weapons. She takes the ninja-to without even caring about it at the moment, but she stops at the sight of the knuckle dusters. Her eyes examine the weapon thoroughly, and she shakes her head after a second.

"No. This... I can't do anything with it. Just... put it on his grave or something, when this is all over."

She turns around.

[Princess Tracy]

'Usagi' nods solemnly, setting the knuckles back down on the rack, making a note to store it more privately before they leave. The sword itself feels incredibly light, like air, and resonates with good intentions an aura that seemed the opposite of Kaede's hatred 3 years ago. Don't know what I expected. "I wish I could have helped..." she pleads honestly. A soft sight echoes in her mask as Keita stabs at her identity. He was sharp after all - enough to see through the disguise that had kept her safe for the past year, but then, she wasn't maintaining it well in their presence. Reaching, she removes her mask and coat, hanging the latter and setting the former down on a workbench, fixing her golden locks and dusty old doujutsu inhibitor as they are finally revealed. "Yes, Kaede's sorrow drove him too far." she replies stiffly. She sets her hand to Momo's shoulder, trying to comfort her. She seemed much more confident than 3 years ago, some actual wisdom in her eyes, but still that brought few insights in comforting a grieving friend even if she did seem a much sturdier shoulder to cry on.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

The only thing to greet Amon's heartfelt worry and Keita's mindless drivel is a single sound.

CLAP, clap, clap.

"Aww.. That's so sad. You're mourning. It's a great act. Definitely award worthy." The voice comes from a white-clad woman (http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/ZeroNumerous/whiteprincess.jpg) sitting on the workbench in Amon's "closed" room. The White Princess smiles slyly, and looks toward Momo. "But you have to drop the act and save your world." Her gaze turns toward Amon. "Or would you rather see everyone die in the next ten minutes?"

[Princess Tracy]

Amon's fingers tighten around Momo's shoulder as she hears that old voice speaking. She doesn't need to look, bu turns slowly, not reacting much as she releases Momo to stare at the Oni. She snaps her fingers, trying to conjure her words - like she could actually forget the Princess' name. "Ah, Isane. You know, I've been looking for an Oni for three years. This saving the world business would go a lot faster if you'd have just come to me," she says plainly. She'd faced one too many sages by this point to feel intimated, but there was a cautious excitement in her heart - it'd been so long since she had a breakthrough in her quest, but she wasn't about to let the White Princess know that. Alright, use Momo's genjutsu, Masaru's poison, Rinnegan her brain and we win. Or, you know, ask her to help. Yeah. Better try that first. "What's this about ten minutes? Is popping in and murdering Suneko an option?" Some fear slips into her voice, but mostly for the White's sadistic benefit

[ZeroNumerous]

Isane

"You say that like I had a choice." Isane shrugs. "Regardless, no. Killing Suneko would only make things easier for us."

[Princess Tracy]

Amon's eyes narrow. "Are you allowed to speak less cryptically?" She sighs. "Pity, assassinating Suneko was the only plan I had, too. So your invasion force is ready then?" She pauses, leaning against a beam as she recalls the sight of the Emperor, cringing a bit as a genuine dread hits her delayed nerves. She whips off her travelling gear and starts digging through her armoury, getting ready for war. "I assume you're here for more than taunting a distraught woman." She sounded oddly detached, but just wanted to distance herself from her old dread. She was this world's saviour now - she couldn't afford to look weak. That and her mind was too busy trying to think up some new plan now that her old one had folded.