Kiriagakure: Bloodlines (IC)

[Dark_Prophet]

Kiriagakure ~ The Early Morning of Five, Not Four

The early morning is a beautiful one, for the Hidden Village of Mist, at least. The light of the sun, and even the blue sky could be seen almost clearly through the perpetual mist surrounding the village and the nearby mountains, a rarity. Some in Kiriagakure regarded such a event as a good omen, others a dark one.

The four of you were told individuality after the examinations and tests for eligibility by the judges at the testing location yesterday that you qualified for the Genira team, and to all meet your instructor and teammates under the archway to the Mizukage's Residence at precisely eight o'clock.

The path to the Mizukage's personal residence from the south is quiet, dotted with stone statues of guardian demons and right before the bridge, a immense stone arch with a state of each previous Kage, eyes seeming to peer into onlookers and judge them silently. Grass grows on either side of the stone path, morning dew glistening on each blade.

Behind the arch and the kage statues, a wooden bridge rises to a platform in the center of the lake. On top of it rests the tall, decorated palace of varnished wooden and paper walls marked clearly with the symbol of the Mizukage, providing a familiar but forbidding backdrop.

It is usually devoid of people, except for the Mizukage's personal guards which guard the bridge, but this time, you notice a tall, pale woman with dark hair tied back in a ponytail wears the distinctive light blue vest of a Jounin, with a grey-blue cloak cushioning her as she leans against a statue of the first Kage of Kiriagakure. She stands, but her eyes are closed - they open to reveal perfect light blue pupils that stare at each of you as you approach, and she beckons you forwards with a silent smile. And around then, you notice that there are four other shinobi there including yourself, not three.

(OOC thread is here (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?p=4250425#post4250425) - for die rolls and the like, but lets try to keep it game focused. OOC in here will use parenthesis like this one. Everyone, feel free to introduce and describe yourselves, your reactions, and also post your character sheets in the OOC thread that way I can have the latest versions and links. Not everyone needs to arrive there at the same time, I just wanted to get the ball rolling and give you guys a feel for things. Lets get this party started!)

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

A lone figure ambled towards the bridge. Nice day. Too bad I didn't bring any paper. In truth, Tetsuo was fond of the mist, having grown up in a small village on the water, followed by here in Kirigakure, it was a slight reminder of home. However, a thinner mist helped the beauty of the village stand out more, framing objects in a slight shround until one approached, at which point the details jumped out at you, almost larger than life. Taking in the views as he walked along the path, he brushed his blonde hair out of his sky blue eyes and grinned as he rounded the corner.

Approaching the large arch of the Kage statues, even Tetsuo paused a moment before their stony gaze. Long dead, these statues still felt of...power, if there was a word to be put to it. The sheer visual impact of these sculptures drew the eye and held your attention for a moment.


The impact was so great, that for a moment, Tetsuo didn't even notice the silent jounin leaning against the First. As she stood and opened her eyes, Tetsuo knew her to be the new jounin. He smiled and waved as he approached. "Good morning! My name is Watanabe Tetsuo. Pleased to meet you!"

Looking around, he pauses. "Uh, there seems to be one person too many here. Hope it isn't me."

[Catch]

Miharu

As the sun rose that morning, so did Miharu, awakening to a distinctive screech and a ruffle of feathers swooping through her open window, which looked down into the village square. Aozomaru had been out hunting early, and he was proudly perched on the window's sill, a gory hunk of mouse pinned beneath his talons. The sleeping girl opened one yellow eye, but otherwise did not move from the nest of blankets she had woven around herself.

"Don't come barging in like that unless you've brought something for me too," she grumbled, finally shoving off the covers. Stretching, Miharu rubbed sleep from her eyes while the tawny hawk happily tore pieces from his kill, seeming quite pleased with himself. A soft breeze brushed at the girl's hair auburn hair as she propped her elbows on the windowsill, looking out over the Kirigakure no Sato, watching the sun climb up from beneath the horizon. It was early on mornings like these when Miharu would sit quietly at her window, savoring the unbroken silence that came with a new day, before the rest of the village rose from their beds and reminded her of who she was.

What she was.

As the sun marched higher in the sky and Aozomaru had taken wing to find himself another snack, Miharu rose from her perch at the window, dressing slowly, reluctantly. Over her undermesh shirt she donned the padded vest she wore for protection, buckling on her tool belt that had been draped over a chair, then fastening a shuriken holster over her knee-length pants. With a sigh, she donned the billowing, long sleeved blouse she favored, cinching it shut with a simple sash. Snatching her sandals from the floor, she crossed the room and sat on the edge of the window, slipping her feet into the padded leather, leaning against the frame, watching the clouds go by.

One day, she would join them. For now, though, she was leashed.

With a vaulting leap, Miharu sprang from the open window, landing in a crouch on the tiled roof one story below. Over the rooftops she traveled, towards the Mizukage's towering home. She was the raptor seeking her trainer, ready to be released to hunt and retrieve the next target. It was a feeling she detested, but her feelings were irrelevant, as always. Do as you are told, and all will remain well, she remembered, her mantra, ever-present. As long as she was obedient, pliable, submissive, the Kage would keep his word.

His looming castle-house grew as she drew closer, the gaps between rooftops widening as the houses dwindled. Nearing the bridge, Miharu's keen eyes spotted the woman standing there, and she all but stopped, descending to the ground below with a small hop. Slowly, deliberately, she followed the path, tentatively crossing the bridge and coming to halt, standing a ways off from the woman. She clasped her hands in front of her, keeping her eyes downcast in what appeared to be well-practiced diffidence, though the frown that marred her features seemed to detract from the effect.

"Hayama Miharu, reporting," she said stiffly, offering an equally mechanical bow.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

"A school of killifish is in the little stream.
Watch the stream quietly,
Watch the stream quietly.
All of the killifish are playing happily.

The killifish, the killifish of the killifish's school,
Who is the teacher and who are the students?
Who is the teacher and who are the students?
They are dancing up and down.

A school of killifish looks merry and happy,
Swimming along the stream tooy-tooy,
Swimming along the stream tooy-tooy,
Going together tooy-tooy."

The song could be heard long before the singer could be seen, going in a loop of the same lyrics over and over of a children's song, before the tip of a wide open pink umbrella could be seen gliding up the street towards the Mizukage's palace as if the person carrying it was gliding across the ground. Of course the delicate creature carrying the umbrella wasn't truly gliding, no instead wooden sandals clacked lightly whenever they hit a solid enough material. Not that the...genin, it had to be a member of the team, looked much like an actual ninja with the flowery pink kimono, sing-song voice, and long silky black hair that had been tied back out of a cute face.

Eventually, as the umbrella carrier neared the other kids and the easily recognized woman, the song stopped and the umbrella was closed with a slight womphing noise from the displaced air. Cheerfully smiling to those already there having showed up about two minutes too late, nodding to each in turn before giving an apologetic bow. "I'm very sorry jounin-sensei but it is quite a walk to get here when one is easily distracted by the light in the mist and flowers along the way. I'll try to be more hasty in the future."

[Golda]

7:57:51
“Oh please don’t let me be late"

Were there any casual observers around to watch the young girl race along the back roads of Kiriagakure, they would have certainly found her a rather odd sight. When she left the Ishashiken estate on the far corner of town her arms were fill with an entirely improbable bundle of equipment piled up so high that it threatened to block her vision. Yet this didn’t seem to slow her one bit, as she crossed rooftops, slid down drain pipes and continued her mad dash through the misty streets.

“7:58:27
“Oh please don’t let me be late.”

As she ran, the gear in the girls hands made a slow but steady migration to their respective places on her person. Boots found their way onto feet, a blue vest ended up over a dark gray utilitarian shirt, both of which had more pockets in them then either garment was designed for. A gray belt found its way through gray belt loops, pausing only briefly to accept the burden of several pouches of various sizes.

7:58:46
“Mother will kill me if I’m late.”

Kunai found their way to sheaths, which slipped into slots in boots and vests and pockets. Trip wire and tags found homes as well, each placed without a single glance form the young girl, as though she knew it all by heart. The two heaviest portions of her burden found their homes then too, the twin ninja-to blades migrating to their places on back and left hip.

7:59:15
“I can’t be late on my first day.”

The young girls mousy brown hair trails behind her in cloud as she takes two great leaps across especially long gaps between several houses. By the end of the first leap, the left shoe has been thoroughly tied. During the second, the right shoe is also laced into submission. Her last leap brings her down onto the towns main drag and she begins the final sprint towards the Mizukage’s residence.

7:59:31
"I'm sure no one else will be late."

Practiced hands move rapidly as she runs, combs and clips and hair ties working in a frenzy of cosmetic confusion. A long braid rapidly forms from the untidy mess and begins streaming behind her as she closes the distance to her goal.

7:59:56
“I Can’t be late.”

The young woman’s arms are finally free of all burdens save one. A shinobi headband with the characteristic four waves of the Village Hidden in the Mist finds its way onto the young woman’s head.
With it the image is completed, and gone is the frazzled girl who started from her house moments ago. Now there is a picture of your classic Genin, the kind that belongs on posters outside the academy. Skidding to a stop, she bows low and formally to her new sensei.

A casual observer might have found this transformation shocking. In a ninja village of course, there are no casual observers.

8:00:00
“Ishashiken Yuriko Reporting for duty.”

[Dark_Prophet]

The woman raises a eyebrow at Yuriko, who arrives first, then Miharu, nodding approvingly at them in turn, her forehead protector around her neck glistening with the morning mist. Several minutes go by, and her only other movement is to frown at Nishi and Tetsuo when they arrive, her perfect white skin around her forehead furrowing.

"You are late. Do not be late in the future, it reflects on not only yourselves, but your clans as well. For those of you who have them, that is." She intones, looking at both of them coldly in turn. "Take a example from Ishashiken and Hayama for next time. I am Aotake Genira, your instructor. To answer Watanabe's question, no, it is not a mistake that there are four of you here."

Genira takes a step forwards from the statue of the First, walking past all of you and then turning to face you, her grey-blue cloak twirling behind her. "At least, not a mistake of yours nor mine. The instructors deemed all of you worthy and with abilities compatible enough to create a four man team. This team will deal with special missions and situations that have been appearing recently."

Her face softens and she smiles, her cold features seeming to thaw. "We will be working together, and from what I've read all of you are very talented individuals, especially with our bloodlines, and I'm sure that we'll do a fine job. Success and coordination will require discipline, however, and I will need you to follow my orders. Are there any other questions before we begin our first mission? If not, feel free to introduce yourselves, your talents, and anything we should know about you in order to balance or refine our tactics."

(Could everyone throw their character sheets up on OOC when they're ready, or otherwise make sure I have them, and finish up any last minute rolls that need to be done or the like?)

[Dark_Prophet]

After a moment or two of expectant silence, Genira's face shifts to one of irritation and impatience, her body remaining unmoving from her position. "We are in a hurry here. Perhaps I did not make that clear enough - I will expect more initiative from you in the future during these situations."

She points at Yuriko sternly, her finger moving to rake in the other three. "Ishashiken, Hayame, Watanabe, or even Kitoku, start reporting your areas strengths and weaknesses now."

(I wanted to clarify that this wasn't meant to be me rushing you guys for a response - ok, maybe not entirely:smalltongue: but more me realizing the last one was too open and broad.)

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

Stepping forward quickly, Tetsuo raised his hand. As the wind ruffled his hair, he addressed his new leader. "Please excuse my tardiness, Aotaka-sensei. I got distracted on my walk. I will endeavour to make sure it does not happen again. I will introduce myself to the team."

Turning so he can see all of the remaining people, Tetsuo smiled. "Well now, my name, as you know, is Watanabe Tetsuo, but just call me Tetsuo. I don't mind," he chuckled. "My primary skills lie, I think, in tactics. I am attuned to suiton techniques. Fitting, isn't it? given where we're from and all, I mean. My primary technique ability is therefore ninjutsu, though at prompting and encouragement, I have some relatively good genjutsu abilities, I believe."

As he spoke, Tetsuo knelt down, opening his pack, the sunlight glinting off of the ninja-to he wore. "But, I think this best explains where my interests lie." So saying, Tetsuo pulled out handfuls of tags. Dozens of them. Standard exploding tags, greater exploding tags, trap notes, sunburst tags, sealing tags, they all were shown. "My strength," he repeated, "is tactics."

Looking up at those gathered around him, Tetsuo smiled again. "However, my weakness, is Taijutsu. Hell, even hand-to-hand combat in general is my downfall. But thanks to some help, I can hold my own in a given situation, though really, I'm more comfortable away from slashing weapons aimed at my face, thank you very much." As he replaced his tags, Tetsuo chuckled softly. "But that wasn't exactly what I was supposed to say. You want to know why I am on this team."

"Most people don't know about this." Placing his equipment beside him, there was produced a large scroll. Shading his eyes, Tetsuo peered at the sky for a moment. Turning his head to Miharu, he glanced at the sky again. "Hayama-san, does your friend up there like to play? I'm kinda hoping yes." Tetsuo unfurled the scroll, making ready to explain through actions, not words.

The scroll seemed to be nothing but drawings, approximately the size of a page each. Tetsuo skipped many, until arriving at the first drawing of a bird. Touching the drawing, He then concentrated for a few seconds, and smiled as the ink itself began to move.

The ink moved and took form as the drawing of the bird left the paper entirely, with the sharp, identifiable call of a hawk. As the unusual creature circled the group, it suddenly came to rest on Tetsuo's shoulder. "I have a hawk too. Actually, I have any number of things. They obey any mental commands I give, regardless of danger or relevance. When I first began doing this, I couldn't control its every move, but simply give a goal. 'Catch some fish', for example."

Tetsuo grinned. "But, now, I can control its every movement, for as long as I want. No more, no less." Concentrating for a moment, the hawk takes off from Tetsuo's shoulder as his body goes still. The hawk circles for a moment, then lands on the ground in front of all. Cautiously, it scrawls "Tetsuo" on the ground. The hawk takes off with a scream as Tetsuo opens his eyes again.

Tetsuo smiled. "Go play with the hawk. Don't fight." The ink and paper creation takes off, higher and higher, searching for the real hawk.

"My drawings are the exact same as their real, or legendary, basis. They retain all of their abilities, but will take extra damage from fire or water. They are paper, you know." Tetsuo rolled the scroll back up and returned it to his pack.

"So, that's me. Who's next?"

[Dark_Prophet]

The Jounin smiles, watching the paper hawk fly up into the air. "That was a very good demonstration of your capabilities; the rest of you take note and try to show similar examples."

She raises a hand to her chin, and strokes it contemplatively. "So you're the Kamitora trap specialist - I've heard about you from a friend. As far as your shortcomings in close combat, if my report was correct, you three" Genira gestures with her head towards the three other team members, a smile still on her face, surprisingly enough "should be able to make up for that, right?" She winks.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

"Ahhh," The genin's face tilted up to watch the ink hawk spiral away up into the sky after the real one, a look of wonder present before snapping back down to earth and looking straight at Tetsuo. "Tetsuo-kun that was amazing! I can't wait to see what other wonderful things you can draw and make come to life!"

Finally, with a twirl of the umbrella, the genin's head swiveled back to face the jounin. "My name is Kitoku Nishi and I am a student of Yumi-sama. I cannot do the impressive things that Tetsuo-kun can do with ink and brush but if I can close with an enemy then I can be sure to apply what Yumi-sama has taught me, and with great enthusiasm too."

Nishi paused for moment and tapped a finger against the bottom of the umbrella before continuing. "I suppose I have some small skill at sneaking about and hiding but it is not very impressive plus I am sure anybody with sharp eyes could pick me out if I was unlucky or was too noisy."

Finally blue eyes turned to the jounin and Nishi dipped into another apologetic bow, clearly guilty about what was spoken next. "I am very sorry Genira-sensei but it is not wise for me to demonstrate my more unique abilities. I was warned that there would be consequences if I caused anymore accidents. I would like to ask that you allow me to demonstrate in actual combat in the future instead of here and now...I could demonstrate something though.." With another bow the bizarre kid turned and smoothly walked back the way Nishi had come up and approached one of the guardian demon statues. Twisting the handle of the umbrella, Nishi slid out a blade as long as the umbrella and reared his arm back. One edge of the blade was the normal steely gray of...well steel but the other side was a pure white that seemed to glitter in the light. A swift horizontal cut later and Nishi leaned up to press both hands against the demon's head and heaved, pushing it off of the body after it had been severed and walking back.

"I hope that was okay Genira-sensei."

[Dark_Prophet]

Genira nods, her eyes losing their previous humor. "So you're the one responsible for those incidents. Do see that you can keep yourself under control, and...try not to destroy the scenery." She glances at the daemon statue, raising her eyebrows as she turns back to him. "Unlike the Swordsmen of the Mist, we must exercise discretion. Headless statues tend to make people uneasy, with these troubled times and all. I understand your...enthusiasm, however." The jounin smiles wanly. "I will pay for the damages this time, but after this its on your budget, understand Nishi. Apt...performance."

[Golda]

Yuriko steps forward next, speaking in a calm, mater-of-fact tone. "My skills are neither as dramatic nor as mysterious as my companions I'm afraid. The Ishashiken clan has, for many generations, possessed the Satori bloodline. In its greatest form, the Satori can allow members of my clan to read minds and can also make them near unstoppable swordsmen. In its lesser form, it can manifest as simply a gift for understanding both people and bladed weapons to an unusual degree. As you might expect therefor, I am a taijutsu specialist and have spent most of my life with these weapons. I'm skilled in a number of different sword techniques, and if I may, I would like to demonstrate my favorite."

Reaching down, Yuriko find a fist-sized rock and casually tosses it into the air, away from the group. Drawing the sword on her left hip, she settles quickly into a broad stance, left foot forward, sword held lightly in the right hand with its tip resting gently on her left. In a single burst of speed, Yuriko charges forward, her braid trailing behind her. Sword thrusting forward, she smashes the rock to pieces before it can reach the ground and then comes to a skidding stop.

Walking slowly back to the group, Yuriko pulls a small cloth from nowhere and quickly cleans off the tip of her blade. "That is the simplest form of the Gatotsu, perhaps my best technique. In addition to my taijutsu skill, my family made me learn the basic ninja skills, such as hiding, moving silently, or noticing others doing the same, as well as a wide range of ninjutsu and chakra control techniques, including several Fuuton and some healing jutsu. Finally, perhaps because of the Satori, I've found its very difficult to lie to me, a skill that has benefited me several times in the past."

[Dark_Prophet]

The jounin claps dryly, a wry smile on her face. "Good, good. We can never have enough Satori users, and that style...we can make use of that. The Ishashiken Clan is renowned for their diversity and adaptability, and you appear to have inherited that as well." She looks to Miharu last, her face turning up into a knowing grin as she regards the stoic girl, then glancing up to observe the two hawks in the sky.

[Catch]

Miharu

Above the soft, light mist that blanketed the Kirigakure no Sato, a tawny hawk wheeled in a lazy circle around the clearing where the genin had assembled. The girl, whose hair seemed the exact shade of the bird's feathers, glanced up with bright, golden eyes, as a loud, clear screech echoed from above. Riding a warm updraft of wind, the hawk climbed steeply to a great height, then tucked its wings close, plummeting in a sharp dive towards the ink-and-paper intruder, tearing through the creation with vicious talons. Swooping low, the bird unfurled its wings and descended to the girl below, landing on the thick leather bracer that extended up to her elbow.

She shrugged slightly, which could have been interpreted as an apology. "Hawks are territorial. They don't play well with others," she explained stiffly. For a long, awkward stretch of silence, she stroked the bird's feathers gently, seeming unsure of how to respond to the Jounin's question.

Hesitantly, with strange, clipped speech, she explained. "I'm a hunter, like Aozomaru here. If you want something, we'll find it. If you want it dead, it will be. That's what I was trained to do." Her voice seemed hard, not that speaking of killing unnerved her, but speaking at all, apparently. She chewed her lip a moment, and stared at the ground, as if gathering herself.

Looking up, she fixed her deep amber eyes to Genira's blue, a strange fierceness suddenly in them. "I will do as ordered. As always."

[Dark_Prophet]

Genira nods respectfully, her blue eyes matching Miharu's golden ones as the scraps of paper and ink fall nearby. "A demonstration unto itself, but regardless of how well hawks get along with others, we will all be working together as a team, so you will need to be able to surpress your dislikes and remain with us during many situations. But you've gotten good at that, haven't you?" She smiles dryly. "I myself use elemental ninjutsu, in particular, that of the Hyoton."

The jounin gestures with her hand, and a bubble of water floats up from the lake, quickly taking on a translucent quality. It floats over next to Genira, and then she gestures quickly again, and it seems to warp and condense, crackling and quickly forming into a humanoid shape, and then refining, in several seconds revealing a perfect replica of her, but made of ice. "This is the innate shaping ability of the Hyoton bloodline - actual ninjutsu requires more chakra. At any rate, I can't maintain it for long, or else it'll wear out my chakra reserves."

She snaps her fingers, and the statue starts to melt, then turns back to her four charges. "At any rate, now that we know all of our capabilities, I've determined our roles and positions during missions. Kitoku, you and Hayame will both take the front due to your taijutsu skills and mobility, while Watanabe and myself will hold the middle. Ishashiken will take up the rear - we will leave a gap for her to execute her Gotetsu charges in any direction."

Genira pauses, then removes a scroll from one of her pockets, unrolling it. "Our first mission is to track down and capture a samurai sprung from jail, presumably by his friends, in Kohei - a small, mountain village several days travel from here down the mountain. At least, for most people, since its a bit isolated, which is why we're the ones who'll be taking it - the other squads might have more trouble reaching it in time. We can reach it in half a day."

She stretches, looking around and measuring the others reactions and expressions, the ice sculpture of her beginning to noticeable melt and water to puddle around it. "Any questions?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

"Ahh, I'm surrounded by extraordinary people aren't I?" Nishi remarked cheerfully, only offering a nod of the head to the jounin when she instructed him to contain certain impulses...and not to deface property. There was a brief...twinge at the comment about the Swordsmen of the Mist but not so much as a ripple passed over the cherubic face. Upon hearing what assignment the genin had received, Nishi's being to hold the front line with the hawk tamer the genin walked closer, still smiling politely.

"Hayame-san, it'll be an honor to protect the front of our squad with you. Is Aozomaru the name of your bird?" It was only at the last second that Nishi had refrained from calling the proud looking hawk a chicken but then lots of birds looked alike to an observer on the ground when they were flying so high up in the sky where they couldn't be seen. It was actually slightly irking that they could fly and Nishi couldn't. Considering the assumption Hayame would say that it was, the genin bowed the same polite bow that had been given to Genira. "Hello Aozomaru-san. I hope you'll keep an eye on me so I don't stumble into any trouble, okay?"

Something seemed to click though and the delicate looking kid spun about to face Genira-sensei with a bright look in the formerly placcid blue eyes. "Genira-sensei you didn't say we needed to capture him alive...does this mean we'll be allowed to kill him instead of trying to pull him back to the village?"

[Dark_Prophet]

Genira sighs. "Nitoku, the bounty is the capture of the escaped samurai alive..."

She raises a hand, smiling slightly at him. "However, it does not mention anything about his friends and accomplices, so if they don't surrender after we give them a chance...yes, you have permission to kill them. But only after we give them the option - I'm aware of your...history. Are there any other questions regarding the mission?"

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

Looking upward, Tetsuo observes his paper hawk torn to shreds by the real one. "Huh. I see. Ah well, what's a waste of a little chakra?" he smiled towards Hayama girl.

Turning to observe Genira as she demonstrated, eyes widening at the shaping ability manifested. "Impressive, Genira-sensei. It seems like the tales told of you aren't unfounded. I would be pleased to hold the centre of the squad."

As he checked his equipment one last time, while Genira explained the mission, the odd...boy?... asked about the mission. He takes a rather.. odd point of view...

"Before we worry about killing or not," Rio mentioned as he straightened his ninja-to in its scabbard, "How do you plan to get us to this place in a fraction of the normal time, Genira-sensei?"

[Dark_Prophet]

Genira smiles, her eyes glimmering. "Why, we can use my Hyoton to cross the chasm between here and Kohei that everyone else would have to go around. I won't have much chakra left to help with the samurai, but some genius bloodline users like yourselves should be able to take care of some unruly swordsmen without any difficulties."

There's a yawn, and she seems to muse out loud, her gaze flicking over each ninja. "...unless, of course, you're afraid of heights...in which case we could go around, but then we might lose them, or the Taka clan might be called out to deal with them before they escape." She is clearly enjoying herself, turning to look at Miharu for the last. "And we wouldn't want that, would we?"

(OOC - The Taka are a small but versatile Moujuu Aishou clan in Kiriagakure who partner with crows. Known for teamwork, crafty tactics, and using traps.)

[Golda]

"I'm sure none of us will have a problem with the mode of transport. We won't disappoint you sensei."

Yuriko takes her place near the back of the lineup, checking her bootstraps, make sure her weapons are all in the right places and ready to draw.

"I should warn you all that I will often attempt to attack from a distance more then once in a given combat, as its my most effective tactic, so if you find the time to leave me openings for such attacks I will be most appreciative. Also, Tetsuo, I know a few ninjtusu for trap making, including a personal favorite that creates a land mine made from chakra. I also have some ability to either hold enemies in place, or with my charges, to move them into new positions. If such can help you in your tactical plans, just let me know."

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

Smiling, Tetsuo looks at Yuriko. "Fortuitous! I was going to take time to try and learn that land mine technique myself, but found it simply unable to fit into my schedule at the time. It will certainly be useful in tactical planning, thank you!" he sincerely says, nodding towards her. His sincerity and happiness are not in doubt, with a sincere smile on his face, it's almost as if he's mentally trying to work it into his preexisting strategies. "And if you have the ability to immobilise, or position targets, that's another excellent advantage."

Looking up at Genira, Tetsuo's smile remains, but it seems to take on a hint of anxiety. "Um... Sensei... Far be it from me to argue with you, and I will of course respect your decision, but... your method of travel, it's... well... exceedingly dangerous." Approaching the melting ice statue of the jounin, Tetsuo ran a finger along the side of it, the little sunlight through the mist reflecting off of it in subtle, eye pleasing ways. "Ice is hardly a stable surface to walk upon, especially if we're going to be over a chasm of such proportions. If the goal is to capture the culprit, what matter if we make it there in a day, or in three? It seems like something of an unnecessary risk, is all." Tetsuo knew very little abut his jounin. She seemed friendly enough, but perhaps she didn't take kindly to challenges to her authority. Nonetheless, he kept his friendly outlook and waited patiently for a response.

[Dark_Prophet]

She looks at Tetsuo for a moment, then laughs. "Yes, we'll need to be careful, and I'm only going to do it if everyone is confident in their abilities. I should be able to catch you, and Hayama has some skill in the air, but it will be up to you. The problem is that if we go the long way, they might escape or someone else might catch them, and this is our first mission. Its up to you four to decide." Genira pats him on the head, looking around with a genuine smile, waiting for their answers.

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

Tetsuo nodded as his jounin spoke. "I understand. I see no problems arising if we just tread carefully. And as it's a matter of speed, we-... wait." A grin just spread across his face. "Wait! Sensei, I have an idea. You stated that the purpose of this was to speed our arrival, but it leaves you with little chakra, and it's not the safest travel. I can give us both a safer trip, and a faster one."

Quickly, Tetsuo opened his pack, speaking as he did so. he pulled out a piece of paper and a pencil. "we," he said as he made an O, "are here. We need to get here." Tetsuo drew an X to represent their destination. It almost seemed that Tetsuo was reveling in this situation, putting his mind to a task. Making light, outlining lines to represent the ice path they would walk, he continued. "Most people have to go around the chasm, as you said Sensei. We would go across it, by foot, slowly, but it would be a vast speed increase over the journey around. And it would take much of your reserves of chakra to get us across, even if we all make it across without incident. So here's my solution."

Tetsuo drew thicker, darker lines over the bridge drawing. "We fly." He looked at his sensei then, eyes glinting with energy and excitement. "I can draw us aerial beasts to transport us across the chasm. It would be faster than walking, so we might even get a total drop on the target. You, Genira-sensei, would keep your chakra, and it's safer than walking on ice, I think. Of course, it would cost me some chakra. That would be in addition to the little I wasted on my flying friend before," he glanced at Miharu. "But it accomplishes our goals faster, and safer. And I will not be helpless. What do you think, Genira-sensei?" Tetsuo was practically beaming as he looked towards his instructor.

[Dark_Prophet]

The jounin looks at Tetsuo, then opens her mouth. Her stays open for several moments as he outlines his plan, and then she closes it. "That...is a brilliant plan, Tetsuo. I wasn't aware that you had the skill with your bloodline and the chakra reserves to maintain that...but it sounds like you can. You're right, that would be most efficient - is everyone all right with Tetsuo's plan?" Genira quickly recovers her poise, nodding questioningly around to everyone, still obviously surprised and impressed.

[Golda]

Yuriko stands quietly for a moment, seeming to mentally mull over Tetsuo plan. "I can't seem to think of a reason not to. It will allow the stronger ninja to retain more chakra, which can be then put to better use. Lets go."

[Catch]

Miharu

The tawny-haired girl appeared unabashed at Genira's implication that she was not what some jounin would call a "team player." Indeed she was not, nor had she been trained to be, and the notion of looking after someone besides herself seemed troublesome. Miharu had worked with other ninja before, but her experience was limited to being directed and commanded, not cooperating. She was given a target or a destination, then supervised to ensure she completed the task quickly and efficiently, and punishments were given out accordingly. All this made her decidedly uncomfortable, and the feeling was picked by Aozomaru, who shifted uncomfortably, perched on her arm.

Her feelings on this assignment were, of course, irrelevant, and the stricter portion of her training showed as she stood quietly to one side, listening to Genira's explanation of the mission with marked diffidence, though her focus was no less than complete as she worked out the best approach. Find the target and retrieve it, alive if possible. Mountain travel would make tracking by foot difficult, but with aerial scouting, and a band of escaped samurai would be easy to spot for a hawk's eyes. Given the lead, she could spot the target at a distance, then cripple him quickly, which would likely scatter the others, making the retrieval relatively simple. Samurai often put up more of a struggle which would require--

Miharu's careful thoughts were interrupted by the strange boy-girl and she blinked her large amber eyes in surprised. He--at least she thought so--would not have received more than a passing glance from the girl, not even for his odd choice of attire or peculiar attitude. She had be taught not to notice these sorts of things, as she had no business talking to anyone. Still, the "boy" showed a remarkable strength, which was a trait she understood, but a certain lack of control and discipline. A liability. Frowning, she rebuffed "his" politeness with gruff ambivalence. "Just don't get in the way." Miharu bit her lip after the words slipped out, and she immediately realized her mistake, a handful unpleasant memories flickering through her mind. She had been disciplined before for her attitude, and harshly--she was to be courteous when spoken to, a lesson that had been laid into her firmly. "Um, please. Sorry." she added hastily, muttering to the ground.

Properly mortified and self-conscious, Miharu listened intently to the rest of her jounin's explanation, eyes downcast so as not to offend anyone further. Hearing Genira cite the Taka, she swallowed nervously, tucking her head down to seem smaller. A visit from her trainers would not go well, not for her, and she would be made to regret it if they had to become involved. The boy with the paper birds caught her attention, though, and she watched him with interested eyes as he explained his play. Flying--that she wanted more than anything else. Her fears and impatience dissolved, forgotten as she imagined herself above the chasm, rising on a thermal just as Aozomaru could. She hesitated to speak, knowing that words did not often suit her, so when asked for the team's approval she simply nodded, albeit quite emphatically, perhaps even eagerly, and the very thought of it exited her in a way she normally did not allow.

To soar.

[Dark_Prophet]

The Jounin nods, smiling thinly at the others responses. "Very well, then. We seem to have a consensus. Whenever you are ready, Tetsuo. I'm not sure how much all of you have been outside of the village, but the gap is about two hours journey on land away. The gap itself is only perhaps a hundred yards across, Kohei perhaps two or three hours beyond that, and flying is faster then walking. Can you maintain your creations for that long?" She looks at him carefully, her robes and cloak blowing slightly as a gust of cool wind blows in from the east.

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

The sullen, silent hawk girl actually exhibited a flicker of excitement, whether she believed it or not. Hey, she does like something. Huh. As Tetsuo hauled out another scroll, and prepared to draw, he paused, listening to Genira.

He considered closely. "Well... that depends where you want to leave from. If I draw here, I would have to draw two, and they should get us to the village. My creations can currently last about five hours. If we would walk to the gap, I could draw a single creature just to fly us over. If I draw two birds here, it will obviously take more chakra, but we will ultimately be faster, and we won't need to stop. Really, I'll leave it up to the team, but my original plan was to draw two of them now, to get underway. He looked at the team closely, as his hair ruffled in a small breeze. "If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, please say so. If not, let me know. It will take me about ten minutes to draw the two creatures."

[Dark_Prophet]

I think you can start drawing, Tetsuo - I wouldn't mind giving my feet a rest." The jounin chuckles, then nods, as if remembering something. "I almost forgot - we'll be investigating their escape in Kohei as well, in order to find out what happened, that way we can avoid it happening again - villages shouldn't need us to come out and take care of these things." She glares darkly out to the east. "That one has a history, too..."

[Golda]

Yuriko seems to study Genria as she talks, listening politely. Then, once the jounin finishes, the young girl almost sheepishly replies "Its not my place to question sensei, but if you have information about that place sharing it might help in the investigation, and help us know what to expect. Trouble that occurred once could occur again. Though if you do not want to talk that is fine; memories are powerful and we don't want you thrown off so soon before a battle." Then, almost realizing after she spoke what she had said..."And I'm sorry for presuming, perhaps I should not have spoken at all."

[Dark_Prophet]

Genira looks at Yuriko, her eyes narrowing before she smiles. "You're...Yumeyo's girl, aren't you? You certainly have her talent at reading people." She sighs. "The last Civil War...Kohei was one of the bases of the rebels. We had to go in and clear the place out, and a lot of the villagers were sympathetic to the rebel cause - a lot of people died. So they've never been very happy with Mist ninja there after that, so we might have to be careful. Can't let that stop us if anything happened, though."

[Golda]

Yuriko, confidence seemingly resotred, replies in her regular, matter-of-fact tone. "Understood sensei, we will keep it in mind." Then, almost as an afterthought, "And yes, Ishashiken Yumeyo is my mother."

[Dark_Prophet]

As Tetsuo draws the winged creatures on his scrolls in the background, Genira unrolls a map of the Land of Water on the ground and charts out their course. "After we cross the gap, we should be near the old footpath through the Forest of Mist - if we follow that, we'll be able to reach Kohei in no time at all. The escaped criminals have probably fled into the forest...can any of you track? It can be rather hard to follow people in there - supposedly its haunted and plays tricks on people, which is why there isn't much traffic there." She looks around. "And Tetsuo, how much longer are you going to be?"

(Assume some timeskip here, as much as you guys want.)

[Dark_Prophet]

The answer is irrelevant, however, as two large winged birds emerge from Tetsuo's scroll, hovering beside him in the air flapping their wings. Each of them are large enough to provide transportation for up to three people, and soon all of you are flying on them over the mist filled streets of Kiriagakure, Tetsuo and Genira on one, and Yuriko, Nishi, and Miharu on the other.

As you head towards the eastern gate, you leave the Monument Garden and pass by the large, looming cathedral of the Seven, made up of the style dojos and practicing halls of the Swordsmen. The Mist ninja guard everywhere else in the city are absent around their grounds, but as always a “honor guard” patrols the perimeter discreetly to help keep the Swordsmen safe, noticeable to skilled shinobi such as yourselves, and then you reach the city proper.

The normal people on the streets look up when they catch sight of you, and then quickly resume their tasks, fearful of being caught seeing something they shouldn't. The ninja out vary with their reactions, the numerous ninja guards looking up and seeming to merely observe and take note of the those riding. In contrast, the shinobi teams, recognizable by their lack of the light blue ninja guard garb, gesture and point as you fly above them, one team waving, most likely the carefree Akamatsu Ukoh's team, unafraid of seeing the special team's business - typical.

You pass by a squad of Mist guard at the front gates, who tense and fall into a combat stance, readying techniques and shuriken as they see the shinobi leaving the city on flying creatures. Your instructor, however, quickly waves them down, gesturing in what appears to be the Mist ANBU code, and they allow you to pass unhindered, even saluting. Past the high walls, the plateau that Kiriagakure is built on begins to drop off into a winding mountain path, mist obscuring the bulk of the mountains below. Up here, a strong wind blows and moves the mist, giving you clear view of the bright sun, as you pass several of the way posts and small villages along the path. Soon, you reach a chasm between the mountains, with what looks to be the remnants of a bridge foundation at the start of each ledge, but now long since vanished.

You clear the gap in several seconds, and several minutes beyond it a tall, dark forest quickly begins to loom below you on the mountain plateau, covered and hidden by Mist. "Thats the Forest of Mist. We should reach Kohei within the hour."

Sure enough, relatively soon the wooden buildings of a small, walled village are visible through a clearing in the forest - a rarity from your previous view, as the forest canopy seems to obscure the ground. Genira nods at it, and your mounts slowly take you down, the villagers staring up in awe and something else, one of them shouting something and then the others running for their houses quickly as you begin to land, expressions of terror on their face. What exactly it is difficult to make out. By the time you touch down, almost the entire village is silent and empty of people, hastily dropped tools and abandoned items littered about. Stepping off of her mount, your instructor growls, looking absolutely incensed, presumably at your (lack of) reception. "Well, this is new. I expected them to at least send us a welcoming committee...but running away like this? Ungrateful wretches - they would never have done this before the War."

She checks several small opaque containers at her sides, and then smiles darkly. "There's something going on here, and we're going to find out what. Find the leader of this place - get the people out and ask them, I don't care how, but don't kill anyone." The Jounin looks at Nishi pointedly, her blue eyes burning coldly.

(Sorry about the delay, I'll try to move things faster on my own and give you guys leads and things. Anyways, took your group about one and a half hours of travel total, so its not even noon yet - closer to 10. Much faster then the original plan, which would've had you guys getting here afternoon or evening.

Also everyone roll me spot and listen in OOC using either the forum die roller or invisible castle)

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

While Tetsuo drew new and exciting things down in order to create Nishi had been very silent. One could almost say pouting at the response that had been given on the regards of killing the target and those serving with him so while Nishi waited the genin went and found a comfortable seat of stone to pass the time and hummed the same melody as during the first approach. So when the bird creatures finally appeared Nishi was the first to approach as close as possible with an unabashed smile of delight.

"Tetsuo-kun you continue to astound. What are these creatures called?" Nishi asked politely before turning the same easy and innocent smile to the hawk girl who had rebuffed a friendly advance then apologized for it. "Ahhh no need to fret. I will be sure not to get in your way."

It was a simple promise to make after all...but keeping it might be an entirely different kettle of fish. Or would it be cage of birds now? In any case when it came time to climb unto one of the bizarre paper-and-ink creations Nishi chose the one that Miharu did and climbed up behind her and folded up the umbrella and when those on the ground waved Nishi waved back as if without a care in the world. There were even waves given to those who ran and hid or didn't look at them at all. This was too marvelous a thing to be put off by people's fear!

_______________________________________________

Once they had landed in the village Nishi only gave a distracted nod to Genira-sensei. Already picking out exactly where the answer lay, the genin made a quick path to a large home and only paused long enough to bend over and pick up a discarded doll along the way. Upon reaching the door Nishi knocked softly and waited for some sort of answer before calling out to those inside.

"Excuse me, but your child dropped a doll outside. May I return it?" Nishi seemed oddly intense as the time ticked by and another short series of knocks was sounded. Already a plan was formed and the genin planned on following through with it completely. "I mean no harm, I just wish to speak a moment and return the toy, then I shall leave you on my honor." Cordial, polite, reasonable...there really was no reason not to answer the door...it'd just be rude not to.

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

((OOC, sorry about my delay everyone. Life engsmsploded on me.))

Absorbed in his work, Tetsuo failed to answer Genira. However, as she trailed off, the first mount appeared. As he put the finishing touches on the second, and brought it into the three dimensional plane, a chuckle rumbled in his throat to Nishi's question. Stretching his fingers, and standing, Tetsuo shrugged."Honestly, I don't know the proper name of them. I only know that they are distant cousins to the rocs of legend. How else could one explain their huge size?"

Hopping up onto the second bird, Tetsuo grinned, looking at all of his teammates. "Shall we fly?"


******

After a while of relaxing flight, interrupted by occasional mental commands to the birds, altering their course, they began to land. Observing the villagers pointing and calling out, his eyes glanced over to Genira. Leaning towards her, he had a brief, whispered conversation before touching down, and dismounting.

"Actually.....Genira-sensei... From what we discussed a moment ago, I must disagree. You should stay with the mounts, for the moment," he said, confidence growing. "We know why they ran, don't we? It's no mystery. Instead, we should focus on finding the samurai, not interrogating villagers." He looked at his companions, the tracker, the sword afficionado, and the very feminine gu- wait. "Where's Nishi?" Tetsuo glanced around quickly, spying him with a doll in hand at a villager's door. "Oh, shi-."

Quickly cupping his hands, Tetsuo calls to Nishi. "Nishi, Come here! We figured out why the people left! There's something else we have to do now! And leave the doll by the door!" Tetsuo waits until he can see the other genin returning, then turns to the rest...before remembering that he almost made an order to his jounin. "G-Genira-sensei, I meant no disrespect," he stammers, slightly nervous.

[Dark_Prophet]

(Suggested soundtrack is this (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/witch-hunter-robin-original-soundtrack/uscydugcue/09-underground-passage.mp3). Other things will happen once everyone else acts - consider this a kind of "intiative". No need to roll...yet.)

Genira looks at him sternly, then nods almost imperceptibly. "The samurai should be our top priority...and yet I am troubled. I am not sure we can trust our other contact who sent word of the samurai's escape if Soma is mi-"

She whirls, and notices Nishi at the door with the child's doll at Tetsuo's exclamation, tensing and then relaxing just as quickly. "Relax, Watanabe. Kitoku knows what will happen to him if he spills so much as a drop of that child's blood unless I order him to." Her words are quiet, but carry all the way to Nishi at a low whisper. She taps the container at her side, flicking open the pouch as a tiny, almost unnoticeable sphere of water floats out, hovering above her hand, its nature slowly condensing and shifting to ice, then back to water. "Right, Nishi?" Her words are as cold, her expression as unreadable as the bit of ice floating in her hand.

[Catch]

Miharu

As Tetsuo carefully made his drawings with smooth, deliberate strokes, Miharu waited off to the side, having put up a well-practiced front of patience. Her curiosity, though, it tugged her closer towards the boy as he hunched over his craft. She made little notice of herself--that was her station, as it always had been--but she peered inquisitively at the rolled-out scroll, as if half-expecting the ink to climb off the page as soon as the lines were drawn. Few things captured her interest and very little fascinated her, but the thought of riding a giant bird over a canyon tickled her long-suppressed desire to fly. She envied the birds in that way--they could take wing on a whim and leave the earth behind. How she wished to.

Having seen the technique before, Miharu was somewhat less surprised when, at Tetsuo's command, the birds of ink squirmed and wriggled on the scroll, rising from the paper to become two horse-sized creatures--living drawings. These new mounts were impressively lifelike, and their animated appearance seemed to them less intimidating, though Miharu expected their talons were no less sharp. Unafraid, the tawny-haired girl was the first to climb on, after sending Aozomaru skyward with a lift her arm and gesture of command, where he circled, waiting for the group to depart.

Despite sharing the creature's back with two other girls--well, Nishi counted as one, she imagined--Miharu felt a distinct solitude as the great bird took wing, not the kind that she disdained, but a soft sense of tranquility that came with rising above the village. The rush of air tossed her hair about, and she spared only a glance below to see the buildings and numerous people grow smaller as the creature's massive wingbeats carried them higher. The small-yet-distinct curve of a smile blossomed on her face as they crossed the great chasm and swooped over patches great leafy forest, the ground forgotten below and the clouds so near above. And then it was over.

As the rooftops of Kohei neared, the birds descended and shook Miharu from her airborne reverie, depositing the five of them within the bounds of the village. Regretfully, the girl dismounted with the others, giving the great bird a thankful pat and a sigh before it dissolved into the ink that made it. The anxious shouts of villagers brushed her ears and she glanced around, noticing familiar expressions, ranging from trepidation to outright panic, though those most terrified had escaped in a hurry. Oddly, it was not her than they feared, but... someone else.

Genira's command caught her attention and she turned, replying to the issued orders with a dutiful and automatic nod. She had heard more than just orders, however, and something had changed in the woman, Miharu sensed, a tangible tension, her smiles and amiability having dissolved completely. The girl tilted her head inquisitively, yet hesitated to speak. Questions were dangerous things, she remembered, and were not often welcome. Still, there were things they had not been told, that much she knew. Odd that they knew nothing of their target, no description, no name, and that the village would be so openly afraid of their arrival. Her arrival.

"There is something going on here," Miharu said softly. "And you know what it is." Narrowing her eyes, she focused on the elder jounin, her voice rising in boldness. "'Ice Witch' is what they're calling you." she said, treating the name delicately. "Tell us the rest. About the rebels and the war and your puppet leader. Why we're really here."

[Golda]

Yuriko

Yuriko watches with casual interest as the group embarks on its flight upon the strange creatures. As they soar across the landscape she seems deep in though, trying to make sense of her new companions. Her face remains impassive however, even as she tires to understand these strange people she somehow must work with. Yet as the ground below her flashes past she seems to allow herself a few moments, and only a few, to forget all that and simply enjoy the wind in her hair.

As they come in for a landing, Yuriko goes through an almost ritualistic check of her gear. Straps secure, weapons safely sheathed but loose enough for a rapid draw. With the same systematic discipline she scans the area around her as she dismounts. The homes, the landscape, the uncommonly frightened villagers. Tetsuo's orders throw her off for a moment, but he didn't seem to mean anything by them. Yet when Miharu questions Genria like that, so openly, her calm breaks for a moment. Just a moment. Because you don't get to do that. You just don't. Not if your an Ishashiken anyway. And why would the rules be different for everyone else?

Yet there is not a hint of those emotions as she adds her voice to the conversation, only the calm, reasonable tones she always uses.
"Miharu, I'm sure Genria-sensei has the situation in hand, and will give us the information we need when we need it. Perhaps it would be best if we simply wait till we can find something useful to do."

[Dark_Prophet]

(Soundtrack (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/witch-hunter-robin-original-soundtrack/jecdqewpdk/16-shadow.mp3))

Genira's eyes turn to look at Miharu slowly, boring into her a own for a moment that seems like infinity. She speaks he words slowly and distinctly, but with more tension then if they had been shouted. "If I want you to know something, I will you tell what it is, Miharu. You are not a tactician like Tetsuo, who has some justification for questioning my orders. Until you are, it is none of your business. There is a change of priority now. Ask the villagers, find out however you can where Soma is, what the traitorous rebels are planning, who set the samurai free, and why. I don't care how."

She takes a deep breath, and the tension slowly ebbs out of her, the closest thing akin to sympathy in her voice that any of you have heard, nodding to Yuriko. "I understand all of you are used to having all the information, but there are forces and events at work here I do not have time to explain. Please follow my orders-"

And then the door opens in front of Nishi, the scared but eager looking girl casting a hopeful glance at him. "You said you had my toy?" Time seems to stop for all of you, as her face turns to one of puzzlement. Behind her, you can see the outlines of her parents rushing forwards to close the door, shouting for her to get back. And in that second, Genira gestures to her with her hand, the command for the girl's capture obvious to all of you.

(Intiatives! Actions! Drama! Lets roll!)

[Golda]

Yuriko

Not a hint of hesitation crosses her face as Yuriko races forward, angling to sidestep Nishi and leap over the girl, landing on the other side between her and her parents, a kunai appearing in her left hand, and her right on the hilt of her shoulder-sheathed ninja-to. "I apologize, but I must insist you stay where you are. Nishi, grab her gently please."

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

Nishi ignored the others as they asked him to comeback or quarreled about whither the mission was truthful about it's purpose or not. None of that concerned the delicate looking genin and the unseen sign from Genira to grab the child was exactly that...unseen. All Nishi knew was that there was much scrutiny on all of them.

"Yes, I have it right here. Did you want it back?" Came the polite and punctual response to the girl's question but then Yuriko was running and jumping over the girl, drawing a weapon on the parents. Before the words even left her mouth Nishi was responding. Free arm shooting out to grab the girl and spin her about, stepping in close behind her as the doll was dropped and the suddenly free hand twisted and pulled the blade from within the hidden scabbard in the umbrella.

With a shrill whistle the blade whipped about until the pure white edge was pressed up tightly against the hostage's throat and a smiling face turned to the...detained parents though what the genin said was loud enough to reach the other houses. "Let's not become too violent Parent-sans...if anybody comes too close to me then I may slip and accidentally slice her throat open. None of us want that at all so why not tell us where Soma-san is?"

Curiously enough Nishi's eyes then went to the girl he was threating to kill and he whispered just loud enough for her ears alone. "I'm very sorry about dropping your doll. If I don't need to kill you then please let me clean it for you. I've been awfully disruptive and I'd like to apologize if your still around to hear it."

[Dark_Prophet]

(Soundtrack (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/naruto-original-soundtrack-1/brdteyfmol/06-nervous.mp3))

The little girl, Tsuki, looks up at Nishi, her eyes wide, tears pouring down her small face. She nods in response to him, trying to relax against him, still obviously terrified but trying not to cry.

Her worried, enraged parents start to move. The mother, a plain woman with a normally broad, smiling face, looks at the girl, her eyes wide with concern and fright as she obviously struggles with herself. "No! Tsuki!" She turns towards Nishi, her voice pleading with him. "Please let my little girl go! PLEASE! She hasn't done anything, she wasn't even born when all of this happened!"

The father, a medium aged man, lets out a shout and rushes forwards towards Nishi, but stops abruptly as Yuriko's ninja-to starts to come out of its sheathe. He glares at Yuriko and Nishi, then his gaze moving over to Genira, smoldering with quiet rage. After a moment he takes a deep breath, trying to regain himself and speak as per Nishi's request, but coughs and clutches his chest.

The houses of about four of the other village doors burst open one after antoher, angry peasants in the process of rushing out with kitchen implements, stopping just outside their doorways as they see Tsuki with a blade to her throat. Two are across from Tsuki's house, while another is one of her neighbors, and the last near the city gates by a large, towering tree.

Genira looks around for a moment, and smiles, nodding her approval to Nishi and Yuriko, and gesturing for them to continue, still holding the ball of ice at the ready, while the townspeople all glower at all of you, many other doors opening, but particularly her.

[Catch]

Miharu

At Genira's reprimand, the tawny-haired girl snorts impudently, almost laughing outright. She had expected as much--worse, in fact--and shook the admonishment off with a shrug of her shoulders. "Hmph. I suppose I'll stick to my strong suit, then," she muttered dryly.

Cracking her neck, she glanced around the village square, putting her sharp eyes to work. The ragtag bunch of townsfolk would prove to be no threat; one display of force would scatter them like pigeons. By the village gate, though, she spotted a pair of men hidden in the shadows of a great tree, hands on their swords, though they seemed reluctant to enter the conflict. Miharu would make sure they did not.

Leaving the negotiations to the overly-polite girl and strange girl-boy, she moved quickly across the square towards the east gate, signaling for her feathered companion to follow with a sharp gesture. Placing herself between the two men and the conflict, Miharu folded her arms and stared them down with relative disdain, coiled like a spring.

"Don't even think about it. This is Mist business," she barked tersely.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

When both of the parents rushed forward Nishi only did what seemed best and leaned back, pressing the white edge even tighter against the girl's throat and clucking. "I wish I could let her go but I need to get information for my sensei and I've already proposed my exchange. The information on Soma for Tsuki herself. It's a very nice deal isn't it? We deal with Soma for you...and nothing happens to a sweet little girl who won't know why she had to die because her parents became tight-lipped and were greedy with information."

Friendly blue eyes remained on the mother, the only one who seemed talkative at this point since the father looked like he was in the middle of a heart-attack. Then they twisted to Yuriko and Nishi gave a brief tilt of his head. "Thank you Yuriko-chan, it might have gotten messy if you hadn't stepped in to help."

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

Everything happened so quickly, the young genin barely had time to react. All of a sudden, they were dealing with a hostage situation, something he wasn't fond of.

He knew the situation was relatively volatile. The girl had would be rescuers everywhere on the ground, and a blade against her neck. Thinking quickly, Tetsuo remounted one of the birds, with a quick verbal command to the other to try and maintain a perimeter against the neighbours farther away. He then directed his bird to go to Nishi and the girl.

"Hey, Nishi! Maybe your little friend there would like to take a ride? I'd be more than happy with that! And of course, her little doll too," he smiled. As they got closer, Tetsuo leaned down and whispered for Nishi's ears only "If we get her off the ground, it makes for a more stable position. There's no chance of rescue, and less of combat. I'm not trying to ruin your plan, just make things more stable. Ok?"

[Dark_Prophet]

(Soundtrack here (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/witch-hunter-robin-original-soundtrack/qqbksaybdy/04-sneak.mp3).)

Tensions continue to rise as the father starts to regain his breath, the villagers beginning to advance slowly to form a large circle, murmuring and watching Nishi and the other ninja with angry eyes. (50 feet away from Nishi, the girl, and Tetsuo on average.)

Behind the crowd, the two men with swords move out from behind the tree to face Miharu, one of them, a larger, more solidly built man with spiky dark hair looking uncomfortable and starting to move towards the gate, but the second, a leaner man with pale skin and a plain katana at his side, shakes his head firmly at his larger companion and smiles bitterly. "No, its time for us to stop running, Choichoro." He turns to Miharu fully. "Mist business, you say - is that what they're calling it nowadays?"

Behind them, another man exits from the house, this one shorter and heavyset, and he moves over to the lean man quickly, murmuring urgently, looking at Miharu worriedly. "Sagata! The Ice Witch is here! We need to get out of here!"

Looking exasperated, the middle man growls, and then steps forwards, moving past Miharu to address the crowd and in particular, the Mist ninja in the middle of it. "I am Umewaka Sagata, and I am the one who killed Soma. The girl and the villagers had nothing to do with my escape - leave them be, Mist ninja." He says the last bit derisively.

Genira turns from the middle of the crowd at Sagata's announcement, turning to face him. Her face slowly twists into a mask of hatred. "SAGATA! You traitor!"

She shouts to her ninja, the ice growing in size between her hands and fluctuating wildly in shape. "Forget the girl! Take him alive! Kill the others!"

(End of round 1. Beginning of round 2 - updating initiative order. Yuriko, you're up!)

[Golda]

Yuriko

"I'm very sorry for any inconvenience, enjoy your day." Bowing slightly in apology to the two clearly disturbed parents, Yuriko casually back flips back out of the house, moving with slightly more then human speed. In mid leap she both throws her Kunai at the shorter, heavyset opponent and draws her ninja-to from its back sheath, then taking a few quick steps after she lands, ensuring she has a clear line to the opponents for her next strike.

first, Shodan Kousoku,
[roll0] (failed, though i could only fail on a 1)
Then, Kunai attack
[roll1] (missed)
(note: this roll is 1 higher if Shodan Kousoku succeeded)
Then damage, if the Kunai hits
[roll2](doesn't matter since i missed)

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi (http://www.imeem.com/baka-chibi/music/pOUwXroP/naruto_orochimarus_theme/)

Kill!

"Do you see Parents-san? Not a single harm came to her pretty head." Nishi said cheerfully as the genin pressed the doll into the girl's arms and pushed her towards her troubled parents. There was not a single thought in Nishi's mind for the various angry villagers who had taken offense to what had happened, all thoughts were focused purely on Sagata, Choichoro, and their heavy seat friend who both had weapons and seemed to be somewhat skilled in their use.

Kill!

Eyes sharper then the blade that had been held to Tsuki's throat gave away the hostile intent that the charming smile tried to hide as the sword-cane was subtly flipped about so the steel edge was the presented one. Nishi's hand squeezed down eagerly on the hilt as something just seemed to...shift on the genin's face.

"Right away Genira-sensei!" Nishi responded as something began to change...marks the color of burning embers and in the shape of lotus petals began to spread over pale white skin, wrapping around to Nishi's front as if this sudden pattern had originated at the small of the back and spread from there. Soon all of the visible parts of Nishi's body was peppered with these eerily glowing lotus petals, which cooled to a jet black. There was no more civility or faux kindness in those eyes anymore, just a wide-eyed blood lust mirrored with the wide and off-kilter smile that was presented to the world. "Shinmei Ryu-Ken..."

Kill!

Normal people wouldn't be able to follow Nishi's movement as the genin went blazing forward, just a blur of motion that raised a trail of dust all the way to the taller and broader Choichoro. Nishi brought the sword upwards from the lower left in a motion that would cleave most regular people from the left hip to the right shoulder, underneath many people's guards even when they weren't trying to block a lightening quick and accurate sword-stroke.

"...Zanganken!" The last word came out as an unstable laugh-giggle, as disturbing to hear as the axe-happy expression on Nishi's face was to see. "Come on Choichoro-san! Make this fun and scream!



Taijutsu Check and To hit. (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1602854/)

Damage if hit: [roll0] and ignores 5 points of DR

[Catch]

Miharu

Miharu was furious. The lanky swordsman had not even acknowledged her threat, barely bothering to reply before opening up his braggart mouth wider, boasting to the village square about his heroism. She had done as she was told, and he brushed her off like an insolent child. Her words meant nothing, always--no one ever listened. Never important enough to respect, never intimidating enough to be feared, Miharu was the shy, quiet girl that knew her place. And when she spoke, nothing came of it. Always, she was ignored.

Not now, she thought fervently. Not again.

Genira's enraged command echoed just outside her heated concentration, a vague shout which needed no comprehension for the message to be heard. The advance of her companions seemed irrelevant as Miharu's amber gaze narrowed at the proud man's back, and the rest of the world began to dim, becoming grey and indistinct. Only her target remained clear, now, this self-proclaimed hero with the gall to announce himself to the whole square. The hood was off, and her prey needed no tracking.

All that remained was the retrieval.

"Hey."

Her arm unfurled, catching Sagata by the shoulder in a heavy grip, her long, talon-like nails digging into his flesh. With a violent yank, she whirled him about to face her, a cold stare matching the chill in her voice.

"I was talking to you."

A cruel smile curved her lips as she leaped into the air, smashing both of her heels into the man's surprised face with an audible crunch. He crumpled like a puppet with cut strings, yet Miharu was not finished. Landing smoothly on one hand, the tawny predator barely brushed the ground before she whirled around and lunged forward with talons extended and teeth bared, driving her clawed hand into the helpless man's chest, crimson drops spattering as she heartlessly rent flesh.

Crouched over her foe's body, Miharu swept her piercing amber stare over the assembled villagers, meeting every eye. She held up her clenched hand, displaying the bloodied claws as a cruel example. After a long moment, she spoke, slowly, delivering every hardened word with purpose and ice.

"This is what happens when you cross the Mist. Who else wants to play hero?"


((Attack rolls and saving throws made with DP beforehand))

Nidan Kousoku - DC 19: Take 10 + 11 = 21 (+2 to hit, +2 to AC, +3 to Jump, +15 ft. to movement)
Chakra Control - DC 14: 1d20+10=20 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1602875/) (converting 4 HP to 4 CP)
Hirai Aishi - DC 16: Take 10 + 11 = 21 (Target is stunned for 1 round, falls prone, -6 AC, denied Dex mod, drops held weapons)
Attack roll: 1d20+10=19 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1600935/) + Action Point (1d6=4 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1600939/)) = 23
Feral Combat damage: 1d6+3=8 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1600936/)
Asshou! - DC 12: Take 10 + 11 = 21
Attack roll: 1d20+10=30 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1600937/)
Critical confirmation: 1d20+10=13 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1600938/)
Feral Combat damage: 2d8+6=20 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1600941/)

HP: 46/50
CP: 21/24
AC: 20

Total Damage: 28

[Dark_Prophet]

(Soundtrack here (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/naruto-original-soundtrack-3/tnjwhtoeuk/10-avenger.mp3))

Sagata's fall was greeted by the shocked eyes and gasps of the onlooking villagers, many looking saddened or enraged and beginning to start forwards, only to be stopped by the threat of the Mist ninja, almost all eyes shifting to Miharu, whispers and exclamations everywhere. But not on her alone for long.

The large man, Choichoro presumably, reeled backwards from the onslaught of the monster Nishi has become. He let out a bellow as the sword cut into his side with a spray of blood, and his eyes widened as his leader fell. "SAGATA!"

Grimacing, he set himself into a defensive stance, flexing his arms and focusing, the muscles on them standing out. He then rushed forwards with speed startling for such a large man, launching one of his enormous fists even more quickly towards the True Origin genin, grinning savagely, the pain not seeming to bother him. "Only if you'll be joining me, Mizukage dog! TAIHOUKEN!" The fist connected with Nishi with a clap of thunder, the sound of the breaking of bones audible from him as he was sent flying backwards 10 feet, falling limply at Yuriko's feet.

"This will be revenge for all of our fallen comrades....the true heart of Mist." The large, muscular man stood, in a defiant stance, facing Genira. "Aotake, call off your hounds - Mist has lost enough young misguided fools already. Face us - you owe us that much. You owe Tsukiko that mu-"

Genira's face continues to twist into a scowl of fury, her eyes blazing. "Don't you DARE say her name, you filth!" She screams, and blue white streamers of chakra arc all around her body as she flashes through several hand seals lightning fast, from her many small containers, many more then were previously visible on her body to concentrate in her outstretched hand.

The jounin points at Choichoro with a flare of the chakra, and then his skin starts to turn blue - everyone nearby, even Nishi in his unconscious state can feel the cold emanating from him. He looks at her, and then starts to stumble, but somehow manages to regain his footing, alabiet shaky and still blue skinned, his expression one of pain, fear, and disbelief. She smirks in a satisfied fashion, the cold woman's eyes full of malice as she peers at him. "There. Now lets see how smug you are about my "hounds" now, old friend." The jounin nods to her team.

Well, damn. He just had to confirm that critical...Nishi, take 33 damage. Since that puts him unconscious (unless I missed something), he's sent flying 10 feet back (autofail fort roll).

For reference, he rolled a crit, confirmed it, and then had that nice x3 crit multiplier.

And Genira used a technique. Indeed she did.

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

Tetsuo was calmly reaching out to the girl when this man, this Sagata, spoke up. The frustration growing, Tetsuo suppressed a groan. Turning to look at these men, he took a breath before hearing Genira's order.

Everything exploded.

Nishi turned into something akin to a monster, and flew at the tall, fat one, with an expression and voice which were most unsettling. Simultaneously, he watched Miharu's face contort in frustration, rage and power and she decimated the one called Sagata. As he watched, she raised her bloody hand and said something, crimson drops splashing on the ground. her words weren't important at the moment, as the visual evidence of Nishi getting his face punched in came into play.

"Holy fu-" Tetsuo got out before pausing to listen to the man. He didn't sound irrational, nor overly confrontational, and there was something about Genira owing them...

Everything exploded. Again. Genira used some kind of technique which nearly destroyed the big man, mid-sentence.

Tetsuo had his bird advance to the fallen Sagata. He leans down and touches Sagata on the forehead. "She did a number on you, huh? Sleep it off." Quickly snapping his head back to look at his... irate jounin. "Genira-sensei! Stop! You are in error. These men are more useful alive than dead. Your actions are in conflict with that. Please, disable the remaining opponent!"

Closing his eyes for an instant, the second bird suddenly wheels and flies directly at the remaining opponent, near Genira. Nodding to himself, Tetsuo turns to Miharu and Yuriko, gesturing towards the frozen man. "I know I'm not the jounin here, but we should take him alive if possible. Please do so!" As he reached into his pack and grabbed a tag, Tetsuo tried hard to hide his nervousness. He had just overtly and vocally countered his jounin's orders, and she was already acting irrationally. He hoped he wouldn't pay for this...

Did attack roll vs AC 11 with DP in chat.

Jukusui no Jutsu Perform DC 16, take 10, 10+11=21. Will save DC 17

The actions of the second bird this round were done with DP over AIM.

[Dark_Prophet]

(Soundtrack here (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/death-note-ost-iii/ijxzlwadax/18-near-2.mp3))

Genira looks at Tetsuo, her eyes still cold, and then shakes her head. "Tetsuo...you don't know what these men have done, who they are. They are terrorists, they're the main reason that so many died in the last civil war. They cannot be allowed to live...but perhaps..."

She takes a deep breath, then nods, slowly calming herself. "Yes, you're right. They might know something. I am a blade of ice, I cannot allow these emotions to interfere." She turns back to her team, giving them new orders, giving Tetsuo a careful look. "Take them alive - see to Nishi's wounds. Tetsuo, we'll talk later about this."

Hearing this, the remaining man, the short, nervous one who had been quiet with shock of the devastation of his companions, bolts for the gate, readying a shuriken to toss back at the Mist ninja, but as he nears it Tetsuo's second faux bird swoops in at him to block the gate. "No! You'll never take me!"

As it tries to grab him with its talons, he throws shuriken at it lightning fast, striking it once, then twice as it swoops at him again, sending it reeling back. Finally, he runs out of shuriken and it grabs him with its beak, using its weight to pin him down as he struggles futilely just outside the gates of the village.

"Good, good, Tetsuo. Keep him pinned, and don't let him escape; this forest is the perfect place to lose pursuers in." Genira commented cooly, her hands on her hips, her face relaxed and calm as she smiles at him, something new in her eyes. The crowd, meanwhile, watched in shocked silence from inside the village, not even a whisper audible from the tension.

(Wow, end of round 2. That was really great, everyone. There were some crazy rolls - several criticals, but now its time to go back to Yuriko once again, starting from round 3.)

[Dark_Prophet]

(Soundtrack (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/front-mission-3-original-soundtrack/yzjxjtmpxs/114-anger.mp3))

Choichoro's eyes widen, and he looks around at both of his companions, then at Genira. "You!" He starts to break into a run, stumbling, but somehow managing to keep moving, rushing at the Jounin. "You're the one who killed Tsukiko! If not for you, she would still be here! And now you're killing your own teammates? I've hoped you might see the error of your ways after all of these years, but now...? Traitor!"

Miharu grabs at him as he runs past, but he manages to break free with his enormous strength, continuing his motion through the crowd to Genira as he sends peasents bowling and diving aside. As he reaches her, he reaches up with his enormous hands, seizing her neck, and then squeezing powerfully, choking her. She tries to break free, but he keeps his hold, and her face starts to slowly turn blue as she struggles against him, managing to gasp out only a couple words. "*gack* Choichoro *cough* I didn't *cough*"

(So, Yuriko was holding (Golda let me know), Nishi is unconscious (you can roll me stabilization when you want, Callos), Sagata's dazed, and that leaves Choichoro doing a charge grab to Genira after Miharu doesn't manage to grab him with a AoO. I believe that means its Miharu's turn now!)

[Catch]

Miharu

No recognition. The villages recoiled in fear and horror at her display, and the larger man even let out a shout of surprise. For one brief moment, Miharu felt as though she had done something worthwhile. Satisfaction washed over her.

It did not last.

The stout brawler whirled, as did the assembled eyes, locking onto Nishi as he was thrown with all the force of a falling oak, landing crumpled and near-lifeless. He would live, she thought. The other boy, he spared not even a glance for her, directing all his attention to Genira, who saw nothing but her own selfish goals. This woman clearly cared not the slightest for her students, despite the pleasant facade she had offered at their first meeting.

Her title was fitting, she thought.

As the artist-boy tried to pierce the woman's ice with pleas, Miharu scowled. He, the genius was worth heeding, because in the Mist, reputation was more important than experience. By nature of his status, the boy's words found the jounin's ear where her own had been met with deafness. As usual, the animal was good for only one thing--not thinking and reason. She had dispatched the target with effortless ease, and her keeper did not even notice. She seethed. What would be good enough? What?

The burly man's roar broke through her ire and Miharu glanced back in time to see him rush at the older woman. From her crouch, she lashed out with her leg, hammering at his ankles as he passed, yet the man stampeded on like a rage-drunk ox, seizing Genira by the throat. The girl rose, watching the breath squeezed out of her teacher. Choichoro had left himself completely open, yet Miharu remained still. Words crawled from Genira's lips as they faded in color, air denied to her lungs. The panic was clear on her face, as desperation quickly replaced rage. Miharu almost smiled.

She waited. Watching.

Seconds passed. More.

As Genira's eyes began to glaze over, the stoic girl, shifted her feet, tilting her head in contemplation, as the great muscled man throttle her jounin. Long enough.

She crouched, bending at the knees, coiling, tensing well-trained muscles. A pause. And then Miharu exploded into the air, leaping her own height and more. The wind seemed to catch her, rippling her long, flowing sleeves, lifting her higher. She spread her arms like great wings, floating for a moment that stretched out, as her whole body streamlined, and then in a flash, she was gone. Streaking towards the two grappling combatants, Miharu was nothing but a red-brown blur, covering the distance in an eyeblink. Hammering into the muscular man's back, the girl drove her clawed fist into the base of his neck with a resounding blow.

"You owe me," she growled.


Chouyaku no Jutsu - DC 12: Take 10 + 10 = 20 (+4 to Jump)
Chakra Control: 1d20+10=20 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1605211/) (Convert 1 HP into 1 CP)
Jump: 1d20+17=30 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1605200/)
Tsumetsuki - DC 17: Take 10 + 11 = 17 (Aerial charge, Str damage x2)
Chakra Control: 1d20+10=24 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1605214/) (Convert 2 HP into 2 CP)
Attack roll: 1d20+12=20 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1604771/)
Feral Combat damage: 1d6+6=11 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/1604772/)

HP: 43/50
CP: 21/24
AC: 18 (+2 from Nidan Kousoku, -2 from charging)

[Dark_Prophet]

(Soundtrack (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/bleach-original-soundtrack-i/tioxxmtufr/01-on-the-precipice-of-defeat.mp3))

The large man growls in pain from Miharu's strike, several deep incisions in the back of his neck from Miharu's talons, but he still manages to keep his hold on the jounin, her face turning deeper blue as she continues to struggle uselessly against him. Choichoro, his breath still coming in short gasps, just continues glaring at her, his body trembling from the effort of continuing to stand, still cold and streaming with blood from his several wounds. He looks at Miharu out of the corner of his eye, and smiling slightly and respectfully. "Girl, you can kill me in a moment; I know you're skilled enough. I have something I need to finish first that way I can rest in peace."

He turns back to the terrified, struggling Genira. "S-she cared about you, sheltered you with special training and rewards, and then...then you killed her for your precious new Kiriagakure. I don't know what caused you to become so twisted, but maybe you'll see her again after you die." He coughs, then smiles at her, sadly, in a disturbingly, surrealistic way in contrast with the intensity of the situation. "Die, and I'll forgive you for everything, Aotake."

(Next up - Tetsuo!)

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

A sigh of relief slowly exited Tetsuo's lungs. Genira had agreed. Now all that was left was to immobilise the remaining opponents. Suddenly a loud roar cut through his thoughts.

Right, he though, the remaining opponent.

Turning to catch a glimpse of the noise, he saw what appeared to be frustration on the face of Miharu, before she swung to attempt to trip the large man. It had no effect, as the man seemed to be focused solely on Genira as he charged heedlessly towards her. The eerie silence around them was oddly...heavy as Tetsuo caught the sound of the large man's fist closing around Genira's throat. As the gasps leaked from her mouth, Miharu stood. And she waited. And waited. And waited. Tetsuo thought he saw a flicker of a smile cross her lips before she finally lunged forward, driving her attack into the back of the man's neck.

In the brief span of time he looked around, Tetsuo absorbed everythign which had happened. He'd seen his team become kidnappers, then watched a teammate become fairly psychotic before getting himself critically wounded. He'd witnessed his jounin lose control of her faculties, before helping her regain them in a small way. And now a man whose life he'd helped save was attempting to kill her. Tetsuo gripped his ninja-to.

"I'm sorry, then, Choichoro, but you will not get your rest this day. I did not ask Genira to spare your life solely so Miharu could take it. And I absolutely didn't do it so you could kill Genira-sensei." The ninja-to sliced through the air, before impacting the base of Choichoro's neck. As the large man crumpled, Tetsuo looked at Miharu. "He was right, you know. You were pretty awesome. Took down that Sagata guy really expertly. Nice work. Though maybe you waited a little long to go for Choichoro," he chuckled. "No matter anyways, he's down now. Would you mind tying up Sagata, while I go get his friend under my bird?"

As he pulled the kousen from his pack, Tetsuo called to Yuriko as well. "Yuriko-san, would you take a look at our fallen friend? Just to make sure he doesn't worsen, is all." Casting a glance at his recovering jounin, he smiled. "I think we should all have a talk, don't you Genira-sensei?" So saying, he knelt down, and began to bind his birds prisoner.

[Dark_Prophet]

(End of combat! Moving back to normal type. And soundtrack (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/persona-be-your-true-mind/diwlubqtgq/221-freezing-mind.mp3). )

Tetsuo's blow with the sheathed ninja-to rings out with a loud crack as it connects with the side of Choichoro's head, his eyes rolling back as he collapses without a word, unconscious. This dislodges him from Genira, who gasps for breath, now blue in the face, her pale cheeks stained with tears as she coughs and sobs.

The crowd watches, angry and fearful murmurs, but fear still keeps them in check. First a couple villagers, then even more begin to head back inside their homes now that the excitement is over and the Mist ninja have one. The remaining few are mostly grizzled and scarred men and women, presumably veterans from the Second Civil War, who are watching the gasping jounin with small satisfaction.

As Yuriko hurries forwards to tend Nishi's wounds, the jounin removes her hands from her throat, slowly regaining her breath while wiping away her tears, and then gives Miharu a Look, seeming to immediately regain her poise. "You...hn...performed superbly, Miharu. I appreciate your assistance, although please do not delay next time. I will mention that in my report - however, I apologize for overlooking your efforts - I noticed them." She nods to Tetsuo as he ties up the shuriken thrower near the gate, and then stands up, mustering her breath.

Genira coughs a bit, then turns over and walks towards him. "I'll explain once we're out of this situation - there are too many ears here. Will he be all right?" She asks the female ninja the last with concern, as Yuriko finishes her work on the effeminate boys' wounds. She nods. "He'll be all right - I've managed to stabilize him, he should be coming around any minute."

(Posted with permission of Golda, who was having trouble getting the post out - figured it out offscreen.)

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

Everything had been going so well! Nishi could see the crimson droplets hanging in the air as if frozen in time and a certain child-like wonder filtered through the genin's gaze but then the distraction seemed to come rushing back to punish the moment of wonder when the big fist cracked against into Nishi's chest. Limp body thrown all around like a rag doll before coming to a rest ten feet away from the one who had delivered the blow, only the steady and pained rise and fall of Nishi's chest showed that the genin was still alive.

KILL! Kill....kill? The fun is over already? Were the only thoughts swimming about and then...then darkness. Without the fanfare the black lotus petals began to burn once more then begin to recede back to where they seemed to have originate but as for Nishi's expression...well when one is unconscious it is hard to change one's expression.

When the light finally returned Nishi's eyelids fluttered briefly before shooting open to stare up at Yuriko...who seemed to have bandaged the wounds inflicted by the unconscious man. And with that the genin shot up and quickly looked all about for the sword-cane's blade, hobbling over to where it had fallen and scooping it up, breathing ragged and pained. Confused crystal clear blue eyes looked around before they settled on the downed, but clearly alive Choichoro, and a pout came to the genin's face. "Whaaat? Why is he still alive? Genira-sensei, your not disabled are you? Is that why you haven't finished him?"

There was even more confusion in Nishi's voice but oddly enough not any...anger or fury. Nishi was hobbling toward Choichoro using his weapon as a cane though...

[Catch]

Miharu

A predator on the hunt, the girl snarled when the man refused to fall, despite his previous injuries. Some prey clung to life, fervently, despite knowing their end was near, yet there was no fear in this one's eyes, even as Miharu tensed, poised to strike the final blow. The massive man seemed willing to embrace his end, begging only a moment before succumbing, acknowledging her strength and capability.

A warrior, she thought with a passion. He understood her duty as well as his own, willing accept death at the cost of finishing his work. She envied his zeal and his freedom to love and hate and fight for what he wanted. Yet Miharu could not let him kill Genira, not before she learned what the woman had done. She met his eyes levelly, shaking her head in silent regret for what she had to do. Drawing her fist back, the girl uncoiled and--

A hammer blow struck into the man, his eyes rolling back as his knees buckled, leaving the jounin free, yet gasping for breath. Miharu blinked in surprise, her composure dissolving--she had been dimly aware of the boy, yet in her concentration and rage, she had forgotten he was near, or even capable of helping. He had not disregarded her, however, and in response to his complement, she could only muster a nervous shrug. She was not used to recognition, especially not from her peers, and the girl honestly did not know what to say.

Now able to breathe, Genira echoed Tetsuo's sentiments and the girl nodded stiffly, a touch of color in her cheeks. "It was necessary," she mumbled to the ground. "Without a leader, forces scatter. It's easier to pick them off that way."

The hunt was over, and now the genin were to retrieve their targets. At Tetuso's suggestion, Miharu retrieved a length of kousen from her belt pouch, intending to restrain the bandits' leader before he mustered himself enough to struggle. She had only stunned him after all, and despite being injured, the girl expected Sagata would have plenty of fight left in him, given the chance.

To her left, she noticed that the other girl was tending to the increasingly-odd girl-boy Nishi and that he was beginning to regain consciousness. She had sensed something strange in him, once the fight broke out in the village, the latent bloodlust she had detected before, but amplified tenfold and characterized by the strange black marks that coated his small frame. She kept a watchful eye over him as she passed, tensing as he rose. This boy was dangerous, and not only to enemies. She herself was erratic at times, yet this one was a walking disaster in a pink dress.

Her eyes narrowed as the boy retrieved his weapon, whining that no one had died. Disgraceful, she thought. A child with the power to kill on a whim. Smoothly, she placed herself in between the pouting boy and Choichoro's unconscious form, crossing her arms in subtle denial. She would have to keep an eye on this one.

"The orders have changed. We're taking them in," she explained firmly. "Alive."

[Dark_Prophet]

(Soundtrack here (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/witch-hunter-robin-original-soundtrack-2/eopkrzfruw/10-lie.mp3))

Genira shakes her head, and starts to move forwards, then stops as Miharu intervenes. She smiles, coughing a bit. "*cough* Thats correct, Nishi, all of them should be interrogated - they might be able to tell us more about the movements of the rebels; I doubt they acted alone. Probably more appropriate for some of our skilled friends in Hidden Mist be the ones to question them."

She quirks a smile, rubbing her throat as she turns to Tetsuo. "I'm sure they'll be executed in turn, anyway. As to your question, Choichoro and Sagata were my old teammates who betrayed me, our team, and even the village - they murdered Tsukiko, the leader of our team, and and then fled to the side of the rebels, revealing our plans. We've been looking for them since the end of the Second Civil War ended, along with all of the other surviving rebels. As to why they're here, I think I have a idea...our contact here who sent us word of the escape of the "samurai" was one of Soma's men, Kazima. It must have been a intentional misdirection, perhaps under threat, after Soma was assassinated by Sagata - they must have sent word of a easy mission such as escaped samurai in order to get one of the other teams assigned to it that way they could kill or capture them."

The jounin laughs. "They probably didn't know one of Soma's reports was due to us in those couple days, and he's never been late. And they weren't expecting a team like yours - you're probably one of the strongest newly assembled teams I've ever seen or heard records of. All of you made your clans proud in one way or another."

She coughs again, still with a amused expression on her face. "This was meant to be your first test, but it didn't go as planned - but you all exceeded the expectations we had set. Now, our first priority are to get these traitors" The woman nods to the fallen rebels, then looks at the young Kamitora user again, her blue eyes boring into his. "back to the village for questioning, and healing to those who need it. Tetsuo, do you have enough chakra to create another of your transport creatures? If so, lets get going."

(Sorry about the delay there - long busy stretch and lack of inspiration)

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

Crystal clear eyes widened in surprise when someone interposed themselves in the narrow view of Nishi's vision between him and his target. It took some time for his gaze to travel up to the face of the one who had done this and then Nishi's body froze again and a more then slightly confused look passed over his face. "Hayama-san? What are you doing?" He asks a bit numbly, still holding his blade as a cane and loosely at that, listening as Miharu explained about the change of orders and storm of confusion ran rampant before it settled back into that same placidly cheerful and polite expression it had before. A disturbing mask for the bloodlust he had unveiled not so long ago and his own face was set as he painfully straightened.

"I'm sorry Hayama-san but you are not in command, you don't get to decide a change in orders. Only Genira-sensei can ask me to stand down." Nishi almost managed to sound apologetic when he said that, shrugging his shoulders and moving to go around the girl obstructing his path to something that seemed much needed. Almost every part of his chest ached from the blow he had received not to mention a rib had probably been broken at the very least, and after such injuries had been inflicted on him there only seemed like one good way to act at the moment. And then Genira-sensei had to speak up and the genin halted as if frozen by ice. Mouth opening and closing soundlessly for a moment Nishi finally shut it with an audible noise and he sighed. "Awww...alright Genira-sensei, if you say so."

Taking care Nishi wiped the slightly bloodied blade of his sword-cane on the hem of his kimono before sheathing it with clink and looking around as if in a daze. What was he supposed to do now? There were no more enemies close by and unlike the others he hadn't doubted his jounin's mission or orders for a moment. If Miharu was a trained hunting hawk then Nishi was more like a mindless sword ready and eager to strike. Had he returned the doll? And...would Tetsuo still be able to get them home the easy way? He was still feeling more then a little bit woozy.

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

Tetsuo grinned. "Do I have the chakra? Easily. But there's something I think we ought to do..." So saying, Tetsuo flipped open his pack and withdrew three small tags. Smiling slightly, he approached all of the fallen opponents, and placed the tags on their bodies in such a way that they can not reach them, due to their hands being bound. "These are called sealing tags. While they're affixed to the body, the bearer can't use ninjutsu, or genjutsu, and any attempt to use chakra to manipulate things like exploding tags will be almost impossible. I imagine Sagata will wake up shortly after we leave, and it wouldn't do to have him use techniques on us in mid-air."

Satisfied that the captives were all bound properly, and that the tags were affixed securely, Tetsuo pulled out his scroll and summoned two more identical aerial mounts. Thinking quickly, Tetsuo paired the captives with team members. "Nishi, as you're in rough shape, travel with Yuriko, would that work? Miharu, how about you take Choichoro? If he wakes up and causes trouble, punch him in the face, and it should drop him again. Genira-sensei, so as to keep things from getting too confrontational in the air, I shall take Sagata, if you have no objections, which would leave you with our shuriken throwing friend, there," he gestured. "If there's no questions, we should probably be off."

[Dark_Prophet]

(Sorry for the long wait! Lets get this thing moving again! Bariko has net and time issues posting, so I might be skipping over him a bit if needed to keep things moving, we'll see. Soundtrack (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/death-note-ost-iii-part-2-/rcipqskxox/11-near.mp3))

"Help, please! Don't leave us-" Genira walked over to the shuriken thrower, who has been struggling and calling out to the villagers. Before he could so much as turn towards her, she coldly knocked him out with a single blow to his neck, and then turned to the villagers in his stead. "Let this be a example to you all. Your replacement due to Soma's assassination will arrive shortly - my apologies for this series of events. There is nowhere traitors and rebels can run where we will not find them. Long live the Mizukage."

She then turned back to the group, nodding to Tetsuo, and soon everyone took up their positions on Tetsuo's birds, leaving most of the villagers standing in stunned silence, the last few glowering at your group as you leave, clearly being kept in check by fear and worry for their fellow villagers.

As you lift off, the village soon disappeared from view, obscured by the forest as your mounts fly back towards the village. Several minutes into your journey, Sagata starts to stir, his eyes widening as he looks around. "What happened? Where am I? Choichoro?" He catches sight of Tetsuo, then Genira and his friends unconscious bodies on the other birds. "No!"

"Knock him out, will you, Tetsuo? I'm not in the mood for his bleating." Genira calls back tiredly from the bird up ahead, the strain and fatigue in her voice evident.

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

"Ahh, but where's the fun in that, Genira-sensei?" Tetsuo laughed, as the wind sliced through his hair. "Don't worry, I'll take care of it," he grinned at her. An instant later, Tetsuo's bird began to climb higher and higher into the air, until he was at least 60 feet above his comrades.

Looking down at his teammates, Tetsuo nodded without turning around. "There, that should keep your bleating out of her ears, don't you think?"

[Catch]

Miharu

The captives had been bound and sealed, loaded up onto the still-strange ink-and-paper birds, and Miharu's mind was already elsewhere. Her task, the hunt, was complete, and she was content to let the other genin clean up the mess. Satisfaction would have been an appropriate feeling, perhaps even irritation that she had done all the work, but Miharu was simply ready to leave. She waited patiently aside from the bustle of loading the captives, idly watching the clouds floating in the blue above, her feathered companion swimming alongside them, ever vigilant, as she had trained him. As she had been trained.

At Genira's signal to go, the girl dutifully climbed onto the bird-thing carrying the muscular man, settling on the creature's back with more ease than before. As the group ascended from the ground, leaving the village below, she almost smiled as her mount rose to meet with Aozomaru, the tawny hawk lazily riding a thermal above. It was comforting to share the sky with her one friend, something she would relinquish with regret. Miharu felt as though she belonged here, not bound to the earth or a cage. The trip back to the Kirigakure caused her heart to sink in a familiar way, as once again on the ground, she would again be a prisoner, despite that she brought another with her.

At least he has committed a crime, she thought. At least he deserves his cage. It would be more comforting that way.

[Dark_Prophet]

(Soundtrack (http://208.53.158.138/soundtracks/front-mission-4-plus-1st-original-soundtrack/hdnexkishy/111-clear-skies-over-europe.mp3))

Genira turns her gaze back straight ahead, staring off into space for most of the trip. The tension is palpable, the mist thicker and more oppressive, the sun only a faint glimmer of light behind it; the usual backdrop of Kiriagakure. Soon, you leave the forest behind, and then cross over the ruined bridge, finally following the mountain path up to the village gates.

After several hours of flying in relative silence with only the wind whistling in your ears, your party is greeted at the gates of the village with the gatekeeper's query and suspicious eyes of the guards. "State your business and submit your identification-" The lead ninja, a tall man with dark brown hair and the tan skin of mist starts, then seems to take a closer look at Genira as she raises a eyebrow, and stops in surprise. "Oh, its Team Genira - go on through." He waves your team through, as the guards all relax.

"Take us to the Mizukage's palace, Tetsuo." After several minutes of soaring above the rest of the village in the clouds of mist, it comes into view, and the birds take you down to the gateway garden. As everyone dismounts, she directs everyone but Nishi to carry a rebel, presumably due to his injuries. In the meantime, the Jounin heads over to the edge of the bridge, and converses quietly with the black clad guards, one of whom runs off to the palace. After a moment of waiting she returns back to all of you with a weary smile. "Well, that was quite a first mission, wasn't it? What do you think of the village?"

(And everyone take 3,000 xp.)

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

With a lack of his usual...good cheer Nishi boards the pen and paper birds behind the girl who had done remarkably little in the battle against the three rebels. How could he be cheerful though? He had hardly done anything at all against them and had only succeeded in making himself look the fool when he had been knocked unconscious by that oaf. Of course he did smile when he looked down at the ground below, it was a rather pretty sight after all so he might as well enjoy it while he could...

All too soon they were back in the village and Nishi hopped down off of the creature and observed quietly as the prisoners were let down from their respective mounts when his eyes noticed something. At first he just put it off as a trick of his eyes but then they brightened some. Nodding to Genira-sensei he smiles for the first time since the village. "It didn't seem like much of a first mission sensei, not very hard though I guess I don't have room to talk." He paused then to let out a little bit of a half-hearted laugh but then he shrugged. "And the village was very pretty to see from above. I'm surprised more people don't try to fly more often."

At that he cast a side long glance to Miharu and sidling up along side her subtly. "Are you the ones who made the claw marks in Soma-san?" There was something different about the way he said it. While it had the same note of wonder that it had when all of them had first demonstrated what they could do it had a...truer note to it. As if Nishi found what she had done truly remarkable and not just something polite he said to go along with his interest in what he had seen. Almost like respect...?

[Golda]

Yuriko's expression remains impassive as ever during the flight back to the village of the mist, yet inside she is both excited and deeply ashamed. On the one hand her first mission was a success. She obeyed all orders, healed a fallen team mate...yet she failed to execute a simple jutsu, a jutsu she had performed dozens of times before. Mother would not be happy about this.

Yet despite the inner turmoil Yuriko seems happy to return to the village again. Home might mean having to face mother again, but it also meant that she had survived her first mission. Disembarking, she follows the rest of the group quietly, till Genria-san asks her question. Waiting patiently till after Nishi replies, she says, "The mission was a success and there were no causalities." She says this as if there is simply nothing else that could be said on the matter.

Yet she does take interest as Nishi moves over to Miharu. In a mirror of the androgynous genins move, Yuriko sidles up next to Nishi and casually says "Yes, Miharu-san was the one who clawed Soma, yet what intrigues me more was your surprising...is transformation the right word, Nishi-san? What was that?" Her tone is friendly and casual, sounding far more human then the matter of fact way she addresses the jonin.

(yes thats right folks, i'm back. sorry for the absence, life's been screwing with me a bunch. and you know what they say, when life gives you lemons, you bio-engineer a plague to destroy all the lemon trees on earth. take that, life!)

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi's surprise when Yuriko sidled up alongside him and answered his question was plain on his face. For a moment he did nothing more then blink owlishly before the childish smile returned to his face and he gave a short bow to the girl. "Ishashiken-san, I never thanked you for helping me did I? Thanks!" By the time he looked back up it looked as if he had gotten over the surprise of a team-mate approaching him for conversation and shrugged his shoulders noncommittally to the question about his bizarre transformation.

"I suppose that transformation is as good a word as any to describe that. It's...why I was chosen to be on a squad of extraordinary people like yourself and Hayame-san, it makes me a better swordsman though Yumi-sama tells me I should learn to control myself better in battle. 'A swordsman in control is a swordsman who has won.'" He nods with the last bit of wisdom he was taught, smiling widely despite the lacking explanation for what had happened and just what caused it. Why should he really explain it though? It only seemed to get him in trouble and he didn't want his new team-mates taken away so quickly. "Ohh...if you want to know more though you'll have to explain how your gift work first. Something for something, that's fair right?" At that he glanced to Tetsuo and Miharu as if to confirm it was. Apparently even trade-offs weren't something he was good at judging...

[Dark_Prophet]

(Annnnd this game is nooot deaaaad! Soundtrack incoming)

Genira raises a eyebrow at Nishi. "Easy, huh? You'll need to work on covering the holes in your defenses, since we don't have a proper medic, and we can't afford to have you out all the time - I'll speak with Yumi about that. You'll want to work on your technique mastery as well, Yuriko."

She assumes a more formal, commanding stance, directing her voice to all of the team members. "At any rate, give the prisoners to the guards - the Mizukage wants to handle them himself. He also wants a audience with all of you to hear your...reports of the situation." The jounin takes a deep breath, turning to walk towards the bridge.

[Catch]

Miharu

An ocean of trees passed below Miharu as she and the rest of the group made the return journey to Kirigakure aboard Tetuso's handiwork. The steady wingbeats of the paper creation lent a strangely-natural grace to the creature and still unsettling was the thought that what kept her aflot was nothing more than paper. Still, flying was exhilarating and her spirit felt light enough to glide without the great bird beneath her. All things fell away amongst the clouds, as if her cares had too much weight to reach this high. Nothing mattered, and Miharu reveled in it.

Time passed without her recognition and sharp eyes spotted the snaking walls and dotted homes of the village as they crested the horizon, the ever-present mist like fog rolling over the verdant sea. The birds sank and so did the girl's heart as Kirigakure drew nearer. Miharu could feel the jesses again, the tether that bound her to the village. She had been loosed to test her wings, and now that her prey had been taken, she was returning to the mews to be hooded once again. The feeling weighted heavily on the girl, yet it felt so natural and familiar.

A well-trained raptor returns without being called, she thought bitterly.

After the group set down in the palace square, Miharu hefted the unconscious man as directed, his bulk barely burdening her wiry strength. She spared not a glance for her teammates, letting their words drift past her like the wayward breezes they were--ever-present, but weightless and empty. Miharu learned more with her own eyes and ears than she ever did talking. People kept secrets, evaded, distorted the truth and often talked of everything but what she wanted to know. Words lacked value when they were tossed about like the wind, and she paid them as much mind.

Better to watch, she thought. Actions never lie.

Trotting across the courtyard to transfer her captive to the waiting guards, Miharu slipped past the group, ignoring all the empty chatter. The one called Nishi was strangely interested in her, which was uncomfortable at best, and she gave him nothing but a vacant look. She was almost thankful that the other girl intercepted the boy, were it not a barely-subtle ploy to plumb him for information. For all their notions of manners and tact, people were amusingly self-interested and all too quick to use people. If the girl really wanted to learn anything, she would open her eyes.

Leaving the three to their discussion, Miharu followed Genira across the bridge to the Mizukage's palace. The sooner she delivered the prize, the sooner she could take her leave of these people. Her stomach rumbled faintly, and an afternoon hunting with Aozomaru would serve to soothe her tension. The hawk screeched overhead, having made his rounds of the village, and she almost smiled at the sight of the tawny hawk. It was comforting to know that some creatures needed no words at all.

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

After mounting to a comfortable height away from the others, to keep Sagata from annoying Genira, Tetsuo essentially enjoyed the ride home. With the wind ruffling his hair and sunlight glinting in his blue eyes, he looked completely at peace. Inside, however, Tetsuo was slightly troubled. The mission was a success, but the team, well, wasn't. As he went over the mission in his mind, Tetsuo tackled everything with a logical view. Nishi had gone off by himself and nearly destabilised a situation, Miharu had failed to alert the rest of the team to the hiding men, Genira had basically lost her mind, and he himself had almost lost control of the situation. The team needed work. Badly.

Silently, Tetsuo acknowledged his jounin's request and had the birds make a beeline for the palace. As the mist slowly enveloped him again, Tetsuo savored the last hint of undiluted sunlight before enjoying the familiar cool air of the Mist village. Bypassing the guards quickly, he had the birds glided, gently to the ground, their wings cutting fine lines through the mist.

As they landed at the palace, Tetsuo dismounted and smiled a grin at his companions, catching pieces of their conversation. "Easy, I suppose, but that might just have been luck, don't forget. This was literally our first experience together, and we've got to work on a lot of aspects. Still, not bad for a first day's work, huh?" he laughed. "Now, time to get to that meeting, huh?" With those words, he led Sagata to the waiting guards, and turned towards the bridge, striding forward. He had a couple of questions to ask as well. His eyes caught the figure of Miharu as she too approached the Kage's palace, stoic and silent as always. As Aozamaru's call pierced the air, she glanced up, before continuing on her way, as did he.

[Dark_Prophet]

The prisoners safely delivered, surprisingly enough, with no squirming or resistance in Sagata's case, Genira leads the team over the remainder of the bridge, walking in silence past another line of sentries at the end of it, who salute, moving to open the enormous double doors with water and wave patterns.

The Jounin leads you inside to the entry hall, which is dimly lit against the pervasive mist by lanterns held from the ever present guardian demon statues - and lacks most decorations present in the rest of the village. There are sentries here as well, but unlike those outside, they make no sound or indication of acknowledgment, appearing almost as the statues themselves. As you go deeper into the complex, you realize that this level decorations is the norm inside the vast palace - you pass closed doors and open windows that look out across the pond at the rest of the village, hidden by the mist as it is. Genira continues on without so much as a word, seeming to know the place like the back her hand.

Finally, she stops in what appears to be a lobby, with only one entrance - the path you just came in - and a ornate, sliding door emblazoned with the Mizukage's emblem. Carved, wooden benches rest all around the room.

Four people sit in them across the far wall - a tall man in floating black and blue robes with blue glasses reclines in one of them, while the three others sit on the next bench, appearing to be a ninja team. The first team member is a slim, gaunt, and pale man in a skin tight, slightly blue infiltrator's outfit, with his headband tied around his waist in a belt, his brown hair falling loosely across his face. The second is a average height man with a hooded modified Mist medical nin's uniform, his red hair cut short and in a utiltiarian fashion, a light blue bag across his back. Like the first, he merely looks over the arrivals. The last is a frail woman with dark hair and laughing eyes who wears black robes, with the only blue being the headband around her neck. A crow on her shoulder preens itself, and both turn to look at the newcomers, a wide, malicious grin forming as they see Miharu.

The first makes no movement or reaction to the newcomer's arrival, his pale green eyes merely watching them, the second nodding to them, the third just grinning widely, while their team leader stands up, grinning broadly as he adjusts his glasses. "Why if it isn't Team Genira, back from their first mission! I heard that you captured some of the rebel ringleaders that had been causing trouble - well done. You might as well have a seat, because Team Akamatsu is getting their debriefing over their...success." He nods to the door slyly, where you can hear hushed voices, with the occasional raised note here and there.

"Right...this is Team Gawa, for those of you who don't already know." Your jounin smiles, and sits down across the room from them, conversing with Gawa. "So, how did your caravan run go?"

(So, we're finally getting this thing moving again. I'd like to check everyone is good to post regularly - I don't want this die the horribly common PBP death that most games seem to. *grin* Oh, and people roll me Listen for the conversation on the other side of the door for those who are trying.)

[Bariko]

Tetsuo

As he entered the... was austere the right word?... hall, Tetsuo was concentrating on the questions he had for the Kage. The other team got a cursory glance, with a smile and nod, but were hardly afforded the full extent of his concentration, though he took note, disapprovingly, of the crow clan genin's... unsavoury smile at Michiko. But he couldn't worry about it at the moment. There were too many details, too little information to make a proper decision. So many loose ends, and not a thread to be seen. He ran a hand through his hair, and got about halfway before the other team's jounin spoke up.

Unbidden a grin broke over his face as Tetsuo dropped his hand. "Gawa!" he grinned, as he walked over. "How are you? So, this is your team, is it?" Tetsuo cast another look over them, taking stock of them. "Need me to do you a group portrait?" he chuckled. "How was your mission? Uneventful as always, I assume?" The easy smile that was on Rio's face was one of friendship and familiarity. It was apparent that the two were friends, and Tetsuo was distracted from his pressing concerns and questions for the debriefing- for now.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

For once Nishi quiets down as they enter the Mizukage's palace, looking about thoughtfully even as his mind ticked away with their own private thoughts. About where he was and who exactly was in here. About what he might be able to do to ease the burdens of some of those important to him, though it'd certainly be a fatal thing to try. And then he'd cause trouble for his mother and Yumi-sensei...not to mention what might happen to Tetsuo, Miharu, and Yuriko for such a thing.

Later then...

One thing that almost perturbed the eternally gleeful expression on his face though was the grin on the crow-holder's face and the idea about why they looked so. How...rude.

"Ahh? Why has such a dirty animal been allowed into the Mizukage's palace? I'd think the guards would keep a crow out of these chambers since they represent bad luck and filth." Nishi wonders aloud, and in a loud tone of voice at that. It was a bit of an...obvious verbal barb but he said it with such innocence to it that it was difficult to determine if he meant it as an insult or not. He was good at things like that. More importantly it'd draw attention away from Miharu and to him, which he was used to.

[Dark_Prophet]

Gawa grins, and waves his hand, beckoning Tetsuo over by him and Genira, his loose purple robes flowing with the motion. "Well, of course the mission was easy - this is my team we're talking about. Just escorting a caravan down in Onaku which was carrying some special cargo. Managed to get some interesting things out of one of their people-"

The dark haired woman interrupts, by looking at Nishi and then laughing raucously, the crow cawing along on her shoulder. "Ha ha ha ha ha! You - calling Karana a dirty creature. I take it you don't know a nin-crow when you see one, kid. At least she doesn't go into crazed murderous rages, right dear?" "Caw caw caw...caw!" The crow bobs its head, its head moving towards Miharu and Nishi, a sly grin forming on the female ninja's face as she laughs all the more. "Good thing no one here's like that."

The rest of her team smiles a bit to themselves, obviously enjoying the joke, but quickly suppresses it, as the voices from the Mizukage's office pause for a moment, then continue again in the background. Gawa sighs, flicking out a hand lightning fast that stops her mid-laugh as he straightens. "Hirasa, thats enough. No need to goad them like that - you'll upset the Mizukage." He sighs, relaxing his stance back into a knowing, expose one.

Your own Jounin casts a baleful eye back on Nishi, remarking quietly. "At least crows can be useful and noisy, unlike some people who are just noisy and then get knocked out before they can do anything."

(So, we're not dead yet? Right? I just got word that Catch might be on hiatus indefinitely or the other stuff, but, yeah. Everyone roll me Listen if you want to hear the stuff in the background ^_^)

[Callos_DeTerran]

Nishi

Nishi giggled along with the members of the other team, even though the joke was at his own expense, and his eyes glittered when he finally stopped and looked right to the woman with the crow. "Yes, it is good that there's no one here like that. Otherwise they might be set off by such subtle humor."

As they, the other team, were asked to be silent by their sensei Nishi did as well to prevent his own from having to speak up to him. Though it didn't seem to stop her and his cheeks burned at the reprimand he had received. "Aww, Genira-sensei you know I didn't do something like that on purpose. I would have been more then happy to kill those men for you."