Team Kuro: Flight to the Land of Sound!

[ZeroNumerous]

Valley of the End

A biting chill over takes the air as Sayuri rather blatantly disrespects the elders of Konohagakure. Neither Shin nor Miya feel the cold dank wind that seems to wrap up their kunoichi companion, but that doesn't stop the hair on Sayuri's neck from standing on end. Each of the three genin--well.. two genin and one chuunin--stand atop the Valley of the End with different reasons in heart. The Exile, the Avenger, and the Hunter all search for their purpose atop the statues of long dead shinobi.

Whilst scouting the landscape around him, Shin notes several movements in the trees on the Oto-side of the Valley. Two of them prove to be birds winging away to find food for their young, while three other movements are unaccounted for. An animal scurrying through the trees to feed it's young wouldn't create the serpentine path marked by shaking trees. The young Ash-nin can only assume it is someone, or someones, leaping through the trees to the dreadful Land of Sound.

A separate chill passes over Miya, as she feels the urge of her blood calling to another that carries it. At least two of them--one much closer than the other--stand within her extraordinary senses. The furthest one moves further away, as it bounces toward Konohagakure.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

The Valley of the End...there was much history here and not just for the village of Konoha but for the clan. For once her sullen silence faded to one more of wonder and respect, the first time such a feeling had swept over her and not merely been faked. Miya's eyes weren't on the first Hokage though...they were across the Valley on the statue of the founder of her clan...Uchiha Madara.

There is an example of all that I should be...He brought the Uchiha into Konoha and fought to give them position and prestige. If it wasn't for him then I probably wouldn't know all that I do know about jutsu and chakra. The hawk who chose to soar above all others...

Ignoring the other two as she had been ignoring Shin ever since he had joined up with them, the girl straightened and gave a stiff formal bow to the statue across the Valley from them. The chill breeze made her sway about as her eyes closed, the siren call of her own kind urging her back towards Konoha and...someplace else. Closer. Very close. Finally she shook her head. It was probably nothing after all and instead she spoke abruptly.

"Plain featureless masks that are usually stylized after an element. Go ahead and vandalize this statue, but don't even think about doing it to the other." Miya said hoarsely, eyes flashing when she looked to the first Hai-nin that she had met with a hidden threat about what might just happen if the other statue was harmed. Then she swiveled her eyes to the boy...the other. "Do you have a name or as you as nameless as her?"

She didn't reveal what she had felt. Not yet anyway...there was no point to worry them if there was no cause to worry...they were going to the former land of Orochimaru after all...there was plenty to worry about as is.

Intimidate check...no threat of actual violence, that vandalizing the other statue is a mistake: [roll0]

[Faithdreamer]

[roll0] - Resist Intimidation (I'm actually level seventh but twenty three is still more than twenty two. The error was my mistake I'm really sorry. I'll be more careful.)Sayuri

She lowered her eyes to the Uchiha’s feet before looking across the valley again. Even when she hugged herself as tightly as she could it didn’t help. Thinking, analyzing, planning... slowly... because she felt everything so well she couldn’t think.

Finished with her thoughts by the time Shin had an answer the small silence and the listening let more worry in. Sayuri was Curious. She set the big pack she brought to Konohagakure on the Hokage’s head in favour of her small pouch. It was a lighter weight to carry. It helped a little. She wasn’t looking at Miya when she spoke.

“Would something awful happen?” Innocence..?

Inside the big pack Miya would find several wet but still very exquisite clothes. Probably better made, way more expensive and comfortable than anything she’d ever worn, maybe. If nothing else fit for a princess. There might be something in there she could wear. Shin too, if he was the type to look like a weird Ronin.

[Rejakor]

Anti-Intimidation Check:[roll0] - looks like Shin is scared by the little Konoha Kunoichi.

EDIT: Sorry about that. Internet died, and ate my post.

Shimura Shin

Shin turns, stepping away from the lip of the drop, somewhere slightly off to the side of Miya and Sayuri. He looks at Miya, discomfort registering behind his mask of emotionlessness. "My name is Shin, hai-shinobi of the Shimura Clan." He pauses, courteously. "And you are?" Through this, he keeps his eyes on Sayuri, like he has a question he wants to ask but doesn't really know how.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

Despite the fact the larger pack had been laid on the ground and was apparently open for her to go looking through, Miya did nothing of the sort. It was the time for frivolity or dress-up, not with the hint of danger in the air and of the possible threat to her ancient ancestor.

"Maybe, it's bad luck to desecrate a memorial to the dead. So I've been told anyway." The way she said it was casual but the not-so-subtle hint that it was more then just what she had heard made the statement more ominous. Soon though she twisted her attention away from Sayuri to Shin the hai-shinobi of the Shimura clan, giving him a dazzling smile. "A straight answer, how very non-mysterious of you. I am Miya of the Uchiha clan."

And then she was looking back across the Valley though and her slightly care-free smile dropped away. "But I don't think we're alone though so you'll forgive me if I don't stand on the formality, okay Shin?"

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

In her pouch she had a coat and an outfit just like this she was saving for later. Expression snuck underneath her jingasa, a secret smile at the gleam of a white tiger’s bare teeth.

“White-Tiger-Miya-chan!” ‘Meeeeee-yah’, Sayuri swirled in a circle and flashed her accomplice a Tiger hand sign.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

There was only really one first instinct to Sayuri flashing her the Tiger hand sign, and it was to respond with jutsu in kind but she managed to pull herself up short and simply glared instead. "Haha, very funny."

That was all she said before stepping past the hai-shinobi and peering across the Valley of the End to the Land of Sound on the other side, one hand coming up to shade her eyes. Closing her eyes the genin focused her chakra towards her eyes before opening them slowly once more. This time it was the crimson gaze of the Sharingan peeking out from underneath of her hand, one comma in each eye swirling in a lazy circle, and she still looked down at the other side and muttered to herself.

"Figures...There's about thirty animals and shinobi on the other side of the Valley right now. Considering we actually want to go over to the other side what are we going to do about them? If we stand up here much longer then they might decide to take matters into their own hands..."

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

“It’s none of our business.” She leaned back on her big bag and closed her eyes with a soft sighing sound. “Get ready Shimura-san.”
Her eyes fluttered open one by one. Sayuri stood up carefully and walked over to a good spot on the grass. She arranged her feet as soon as she was satisfied and took up a stance they’d both find a little unfamiliar. It looked more like the start of a dancer’s routine than any Taijutsu form. She fanned her arms across her body and did an impromptu bow.
“I should have brought a blindfold. A girl wouldn’t have beaten you that way.”[roll0] - Taijutsu

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Shin looks quizzically at Miya, and nods. Dropping from the statue onto the grassy area Sayuri is, he pauses for a moment, and then sighs. Turning to Sayuri, he looks at her, face totally open for a moment, and then clouds his emotions before asking, hesitantly. "Sayuri... Kuro isn't out here anywhere, is he."

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

The Kyusuki daughter did not change her stance. “Everyone is jealous Kuro-sama has warrior spirit!”
Her smirk lasted for half a heartbeat while she scrutinized Shin. It looked very much like she was wondering at something. For an instant there was amazement written all over her face. Then it was back to being polite.
“No. Why does that bother you?” Sayuri fingered a Shuriken and played it between her fingers.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

"Who's Kuro?...And what on earth are we going to be doing about the ninja on the other side of the valley that, last time I checked, was foreign territory that we were about to cross into?" She asks impatiently, hands on her hips as she closes her eyes for a long moment and lets the chakra flow to her eyes cease. Best not to get drained of chakra at the moment. Besides...no point in revealing ALL her secrets yet and with that she turns about to look at the two.

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

Her accomplice was kind of irritating. “We’re all tired from our walk. Let’s rest a while Uchiha-san.” She glanced at Shin right when the Shuriken stopped swirling between her fingers. A sharp, harsh end that didn’t belong, her other hand was inside her belt pouch for some reason.
They weren’t in any real hurry to go. She wanted to see how Otogakure felt before she intruded on something. They might even be ‘polite’ or ‘friendly’, it wasn’t like they’d any bad blood between them..?
Said the exploding tag in her concealed hand, “Snow Monkey!”

A good shuriken throw shouldn’t leave a blurry trail.[roll0] – Shuriken!
[roll1] – Damage (Her damage is -1. Shin suffers no injury.)

[Rejakor]

This is what I get for not posting last night, I guess. So, did Sayuri throw a shuriken at Shin, or what?

[Faithdreamer]

Yes. A shuriken has been thrown at Shin but only with intentions of 'training'. Definately not the 'hurt poor Shin!' kind of Shuriken.

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

A shuriken comes flashing from Sayuri's hands, swinging wide to slice at Shin's eyes, but meets a hand half-way there. Shin is shocked for a moment, the black-bladed shuriken sunk into the outstretched palm of his right hand. Turning, he faces Sayuri. Tugging the shuriken out of his hand, his eyes harden, into black. Only one sliver of Shin remains, as he tugs the shuriken out of his hand, and slides one foot forward, one foot back. "Why?" It asks, pleading. The shuriken hits the grassy ground, flecked red with Shin's black blood.

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

Quizzical, too clever for her age; “We’ll stop, Shimura-san, if you don’t feel well.”
Like a ‘frightened samurai’, she was thinking about a story she read about a swordsman when she turned her back on the Shimura boy. She took another shuriken from her pouch and stashed it in her clothes so she could get it later.Sleight of Hand – [roll0]

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

"Stop?" Both the beast and boy are momentarily confused by this conversational ploy of Sayuri's, minds churning to find an answer, finally just narrowing eyes, still wary, blood dripping down his cut hand. Shin winces, and then turns his eyes on Sayuri, steadily. "Sayuri..." He blinks a few times, colour running out of his eyes, and re-focusses. "We are going to find Kuro-sama. And... make sure he is okay. That is..." Shin struggles with the words for a moment. "That is... more important. Than that." He gestures in the general direction of the sound-shinobi, his eyes never leaving Sayuri's, something of the coolness, and something also of a desperation entering them.

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

To put it lightly, he looked eerie and evil. Maybe her posture wasn’t a trick. She had an answer before he was finished. Just to be safe she slid backwards closer to him.

“Brainless Shimura boy, Where he is now Kuro-sama is better off.”

Sayuri went to the Shodaime Hokage’s head and gestured at the Uchiha. She seemed to be listening intently next, but she may even have been trying to calm herself after the argument Shin was trying to make. On a good day people said it was hard to tell. One hand was on an explosive tag, the other was clawing at the statue across the valley. It might be taunting Miya-san.If I’m able to use Chakra Tsumazuku Kousen no Jutsu to attach chakra strings that can hold me up to that statue I’ll hop off the edge and climb up the cliff to the other side with Kinobori. Before it’s a problem I want to try avoiding the water.

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Shin warily watched as Sayuri climbed up to the head of the statue, inscrutable. She still held that tag, and the way she was waggling her fingers... Shin's eyes narrowed. "Did you think I was giving you a choice?" The beast hisses.

Sense Chakra. [roll0] to identify technique.

[roll1] - Spot, to see handsigns or chakra strings.

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

“Too bad Shimura-san, you can’t listen. Uchiha-san, yours should arrive soon.”

That must be why he was acting like an idiot, his mission was his own. The Leaf Village would send Hunter-nin after Miya-san just like the Shimura was after her. Of course he wouldn’t get it. The other Genin really were trashy.

Leaving without permission made her an exile. Usually villages would attach death warrants to runaway Shinobi. Haigakure – her life – had no reason to with such a small number of ninja. But Makar-dono was a very severe man.
She wasn’t going to waste her breath telling Shin Kuro-sama knew what he was doing. He wasn’t chasing after her while she walked to Otogakure. He’d be safe in Konoha hiding while he rested and stayed out of danger. Oto-nin wouldn’t find him and wouldn’t hurt him that way.

If he’d let her go across the water, she had nothing else to say to him.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

Things...weren't look good. If things continued as they were then it certainly seemed as if this Shin might downright attack Sayuri and if it came to that...which did she support? Did she really want to go into Otogakure or did she want to chance returning to Konoha? At least this Shin kid made sense, it just seemed that he was too...focused on this Kuro character then he was on anything else and seeing how she didn't know anything about Kuro...

With a shrug Miya moved closer to the bizarre girl. What had she said about hers arriving soon? Ah well...there'd be time to determine things like that later. Right NOW she had to determine a way to cross the valley for when they decided to do so. Otherwise there wasn't truly a choice in who to follow.

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Shin stands straight and tall from his crouch, moving with an easy grace. His eyes clear, the cold hard pale blue of the perfect shinobi watching Sayuri easily. He starts walking towards her, deceptively slowly, each step seeming to only lightly caress the ground. "Sayuri-san," He says, his voice soft, "we have a mission, to find Kuro-sama, your brother." He blinks those pale, ice-blue eyes again, soft and focussed on Sayuri. "We should find him, before we do anything else. He was horribly hurt, and knowing him, has probably thrown himself into another battle. He could be dying, or horribly injured, or trapped." He takes another step forward. "Please, Sayuri?"

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

Flashes of insight behind her eyes, glossy vibrations of tears dry too soon. Enthrallment looks ridiculous on anyone. Mesmerised by his unobtrusive sway so much like a tree, drinking in the idea of lazy fluidity and the gentle way he’d say he loved them when his blades fell asleep in their bodies without his even appearing to notice.
So much she’d never say was naked behind her expression for an instant no one would ever understand. She says levelly, “Kuro-sama is fine.” She knows she’s right. What if..?

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Endless streams of numbers run behind a thin shell of innocent eyes, that blink. Shin steps forward, imploring Sayuri with his soft gaze. "Of course he is. He must be. But why not make sure?" His eyes beg Sayuri to understand. Smoothly, he moves forward again, to take Sayuri's hand, not a movement wasted. "It won't take long. We'll find Kuro, and then..." Words follow, many could, promising everything, promising anything. Deep below, the ice war rages.

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

Fingertips brushed together. Medical Ninja would make the best murderers. She hadn’t been training with Icha Icha Tenmai and she could already tell. Her heart was too soft. It made her hands so gentle. The Shimura child touched things with a supple crushing grip he thought was tenderness. Sayuri shook just a little underneath it... if he knew what her other hand would be doing.

Sleight of Hand – [roll0]
Palpation they won’t really be able to feel. I want to put the exploding tag on him.

[Rejakor]

Opposed Check:

1d20+6 ; Heh. Sayuri isn't as fooled as the shinobi would like to believe. :smalltongue:

[Rejakor]

Fscking dice roller!

[roll0]

EDIT: ... *facepalm*

*starts rolling up a new character*

[Faithdreamer]

Try not to think so far ahead you don't know if anyone will die.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Shin does not notice the exploding tag. Miya, on the other hand, clearly sees the other shinobi slip it into Shin's pockets.

[Rejakor]

So... Sayuri stands there and has no reaction other than palming an explosive tag onto Shin?

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

“Shimura-san try quieting down a little.” A small step to the side gave her personal space back. The speed she darted across the grass should make him believe exactly what he wanted to.I thought it would be fair to give you a chance to react too in case you were planning something similar. Like getting close enough to start a grapple because you know Sayuri is very little and not as strong as you are.

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Shin stops, adroitly, hands seemingly at rest but obliviously tensed for combat and cool eyes resting on Sayuri's. "So you agree, then? You'll come and find Kuro-sama with me, before you..." The perfect shinobi seems at a loss for words, even though he understands exactly what Sayuri is doing. Because there are some things you don't speak about. Through the sympathy and care in his tone, a real thread of fear and hope lurks. Shin lets the edge of a smile curl up onto his too-still features. "One last time?"

No, no. After all, 'only a fool uses a hammer when a pin will do' - Kamayuchi, the seventh great warrior sage. This Shin still thinks that sweet reason will convince Sayuri-hime - ha! Hahahahahahahaha! That poor, helpless fool! AHAHAHA AHAHAHAA AHAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

“You’ll find Kuro-sama in Konohagakure.” She resumed her trek across the waters of the valley of the end.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

Eyes widened, just barely when she saw just what it was that Sayuri had done. Just...what was she supposed to do? Was Sayuri really going to set that off on the guy and should she do something in either case? Obviously the two knew each other to some degree and knew what they were talking about...but slapping an exploding tag on someone was still heavy business. Trying, and not too skillfully, to shuffle up besides the boy unrobustly, Miya slipped one slender hand into his pocket and yanks out the exploding tag.

Rather then risk holding unto it the Uchiha crumples it up and tosses it towards the edge of the First Hokage's statue to send it down to the bottom of the Valley. Once then...well things became complicated. Follow Sayuri, and discover why there was an Uchiha in Oto-land or discover who the one they were searching for was...and maybe go back home. In the end she turned a hard eye to Shin.

"I want to know what's going on here. Your talking about some guy and my village here, I think I deserve this much."

Untrained Sleight of Hand. [roll0]

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

A faint prickling sensation. And Shin is gone. Stepping to the side a few steps away, his shinobi eyes narrowed, Shin is turned so both Miya and Sayuri are in view. He raises an eyebrow in Miya's direction, and his hand hand slides delicately into the pocket her fingers were just caressing. Removing the tag, he raises an eyebrow at Miya, tearing it in half down it's length, and dropping the two pieces into his shinobi-pouch. "Deserve, Miya-san?"

Sleight of Hand 13 does not beat DC 20. Therefore, object is not palmed. Shin still has to roll to notice. [roll0]

So, Shin notices. Is there any visible different between Haigakure explosive tags and Konohagakure explosive tags?

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Still looking at Miya, Shin casually sticks his hands in his pockets. "Perhaps you'd care to explain why a Haigakure explosive note was in the pocket you were reaching surreptitiously for?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

"That's not the way this goes Shin. I'll tell you why an exploding note was in your pocket once I know why I was dragged all the way out to the Otogakure border and who this Kuro guy is. Then I'll tell you." The Konohagakure girl said firmly. Finally there was a bargaining chip to use and she would be damned if she gave it up without getting some very much needed information in return.

But if he still suspected that she'd been the one to do it, and more importantly acted like Sayuri seemed prone to do with her 'friends' then she might just end up having a shuriken been thrown back at her. The Sharingan would help with that but she'd rather avoid violence all the same. For now anyway...from the looks of it she'd be heading across the Valley once she figured out how to.

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Shin turns after Miya's outburst, eyes calmly recording it, and calls out to Sayuri's back. "Or perhaps I should be asking you, Sayuri-san, of the clever fingers?" Shifting his glance back to Miya, Shin lets a little more blankness leak into his expression, now resembling a slowly crumbling dam. "Oh, that's simple. We were sent on a mission by our village to find and retrieve our team leader, Kyusuki Kuro-sama, who left hospital to chase after another genin team leader, Makatsui Kurina-san, who disappeared from the village after we fought off a rogue haigakure chuunin, by the name of Kanamaru Matasu. As for why Sayuri wants to go to Otogakure... I guess you would be better asking her." His expression a mixture of blankness and false calm, standing there, for all the world at his very ease except for the faint blur of irritation and urge to be moving written large across his whole thin frame.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

"I have a, slightly, better idea. Why don't we ask the Oto-nin that are here if anybody else has passed this way or not? They must be a border patrol if they were just waiting here so as long as we don't progress too far into Otogakure territory we should be fine."

It...well...seemed like a reasonable suggestion to try and follow but there was a strained look on her face. Why wouldn't there be? She was talking about trying to approach foreign ninja to talk. So, after taking a nice deep breath to calm her jangled nerves, the Konohagakure nin steps off of the statue and walks down off it until she is officially in Oto lands. At all times she keeps her eyes wide open and looking around for attack but she also keeps her hands up in the air in visible sight the entire time.

No point in giving them an excuse to attack her after all...

Ready an action to shunshin backwards if attacked

[Rejakor]

You are currently standing on one bank of a large chasm, which is filled by a river and a waterfall. On either side of the chasm are huge statues of the... First and Third? Of Konohagakure? Or is it First and Second? Geh. Anyway. Not really walking territory. I'm going to assume you walked out onto the furthest point (stone head of the First) with both arms up, indicating willingness to talk to the Oto-nin who now know they've been spotted on the other side of the chasm.

Shimura Shin

"Oto-nin...." Shin.... twitches. A couple of times, like a nervous tic, something flashing across his face far too fast to be recognized. He turns and coolly regards Miya. "Miya-san. If there are more than 30, that indicates more than a patrol. A 4 man patrol is usually considered sufficient, or at most three squads of four shinobi each on a patrol. For there to be 30 that you can see.... and possibly more in other places along the border indicates either a fear of invasion from Konoha, some kind of major event, or an invasion. As such... I doubt they would willingly speak to someone so prominently displaying a Konoha headband. Although they have doubtless spotted us, it may not be too wise to place yourself in such a visible location." He gives her a short bow. "Now if you will excuse me for a moment." Focussing for a moment over a chakra-focussing hand gesture, Shin turns and steps past his own shadow as it falls across him, seemingly disappearing as the line of it falls past his body, and stepping out from a tree's shadow behind the slowly disappearing Sayuri as she walks down the riverbank towards a safer crossing point.

"Sayuri-san." Shin's voice trembles for a second, wavering, before he regains complete icy control of it. "Are you really going to join the Village of Sound?" That is all there is to the question, nothing remains unsaid, no censure or secret words. He sounds oddly vulnerable as he speaks, despite the perfect forming of each syllable and the cadence between each, someone who has realized the silence is equally important to the sound.

[ZeroNumerous]

Oto-nin

In a flash, two ninja--one female and one male--appear before Miya in a blur of movement. Both are wearing a heavy metal gauntlet on their left forearm, which is peppered with strange holes. The female of the group--a young woman wearing a gray tunic, matching shorts, and sporting the Otogakure headband across her forehead--is the first to step forward and speak. "And what, pray tell, is an Ash-nin, a Leaf-nin, and a Missing-nin doing in the Land of Sound?"

[Rejakor]

Eyes focus on the oto-symbol.

[roll0]

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

“If you think like a Shinobi you won’t have so many problems.” She was in the middle of connecting her Chakra strings around a good spot.

[Rejakor]

I'm going to assume that Shin and Sayuri are out of earshot/easy talking distance from Miya?

Shimura Shin

Ever so softly, Shin let a hand fall on Sayuri's shoulder. His eyes hard, his face harder. "If I think like a Shinobi... then I should already have tried to stop you, and take you back to Haigakure, or on to Konoha." His tone is soft, yet filled with emotion. "I doubt you received permission to go." Although that last might be taken for sarcasm, there is very little room for merriment in Shin's voice. None at all, in fact. "That I haven't... is because you are my teammate." Shin quivers, some kind of struggle going on. "Please, Sayuri, just tell me. Are you going to...defect... to Otogakure or...?" That hopeful silence seems not very hopeful, but Shin, whatever his thoughts on the matter, is poised like an arrow about to be shot from a bow. To do what? Probably not even he knows.

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

Her usual condescension fluttered; through the hate swimming over her chakra a pang of gratitude. She took her hat off and gingerly sat it on his head. “Shimura-san...” Sayuri looked up at him. “You’re not a very good Shinobi.”

He wasn’t entirely forgetting his manners. She massaged her hand onto his shoulder, woozily leaning back on her feet. A heartbeat later too slowly she stepped over the edge of the cliff and trusted the strings to hold her above the water while she fall toward the other side of the chasm.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

When the Oto-nin came flying towards her the girl stopped in her tracks and waited for them to stop and speak their piece before saying so much as a word. Miya's eyes drifted back and forth between both of the ninja and eventually settled on the boy when she finally spoke.

"I am not doing anything here at all. I just came over to try and figure out if our friend passed this way or not. He's an Ash shinobi, I'm not sure what rank but if you could let me know then we'll cross back over the border and get out of your hair. We didn't come for any trouble.

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Hand reflexively clenches. Tiny forward motion, not halted at all by suddenly limp legs, falling forward inches from a motionless Sayuri. Arching on invisible strings, grabbing to hold on. Moment of surprise.

[roll0] - Grapple to Hold On. If fails, Tadayou to land on the water. In a kung fu pose. Because Shin can.

Tadayou(-10 already included) - [roll1]

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

“Fool! Let go!” She lost her concentration and without the strings to control her fall Sayuri sank until she hit the water.

[ZeroNumerous]

Oto-nin

The oto-nin frowned heavily as Miya's question weighed on his mind. The female oto-nin leaned over and whispered something that the young Konoha-born kunoichi is unable to pick up. "Well, it looks like your friends went back without you. But to be honest, no. We've only seen a couple of missing-nin lately--one chasing the other to Otogakure."

[Rejakor]

SPLASH

A Shin hits the water.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Oops.. I totally forgot to resolve that.

Two small ash-nin plummet from the heights of the First Hokage's statue, dropping into the freezing cold waters below with a loud thwack. Neither genin was quite prepared for the drop, but thankfully the water sort of broke their fall. Other than a bone-deep numbing pain across the entire body, neither genin is harmed.

The water is calm today, though the waterfall that separates both statues makes it a bit turbulent where the little boy and girl hit the water. More important than that, however, is the exceptionally cold temperature of the miniature lake both ash-nin now found themselves in. If they didn't get to shore soon, they'd start freezing to the very core of their being.

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Placing both hands on the water's surface, Shin struggles as he tries to pull himself from the freezing water.

Tadayou - [roll0]

DC 15 for choppy water?

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Shin pulls himself up onto the water and finally proves successful in standing on top of it. Sayuri, on the other hand, remains freezing and wet.

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

What was one painful breath worth? Frozen hands groped up her spine. It was all she could do to thrash on the surface of the water. Gulping passed another mouthful of water she found she didn’t have wits enough to scream. She was going to drown! Shimura-san!

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

A hand clasps wrist. With a faint grunt of effort, Shin hoists Sayuri from the water, holding her up above the water with legs spread a little to accommodate the new weight. "Well, that was foolish."

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

She managed an incredulous, incredibly venomous stare.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Miya

Miya made sure to keep her face...empty of emotion as the two oto-nin tell her so very little about the travelers. What sort of useful information was that? Instead she took a deep breath and said very calmly. "Could you describe any that you have seen and what directions that they went? It's important that I know so I can follow any leads. It'd be a big help and I'd appreciate it."

Why did this have to be so annoying? It'd just be so much easier to just...deal with them but she had no idea how many there were or how strong. And then there's that feeling too... No attacking was only a last ditch effort especially now that her...'companions' had abandoned her up here.

[ZeroNumerous]

Oto-nin

The sound ninja describe a twenty-something female chasing a twelve or thirteen year old boy--both were wearing ash-nin headbands with damaged ash-nin symbols. Beyond that, the oto-nin have nothing else to add.

The Lake

The cold water takes it's toll on both genin, sapping their strength and energy to continue. The water's edge is a good hundred and fifty feet away, but Shin would have a hard time dragging both himself and Sayuri that far away.

DM
Shin and Sayuri take 5 points of damage from the cold water.

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

Unfazed by the chill – it was always, always cold – she was staring at his face. Sharp lines, wide eyes that looked like they were black pools of jelly, he was a frame of bones stretched over skin with callously warm-hearted white teeth; they smiled like a white skull had all the love in heaven. If she saw so much, when she looked at them did someone hiding in the black stare back inside of her?

The Kyusuki-hime was just right. Innocence usually knew better. “You need to set me down, Shimura-san, now.”

Swirling fire behind her eyes didn’t like this feeling. Sayuri didn’t understand it, she knew enough by knowing it was bad. She wouldn’t have any trouble concentrating her own chakra. His grip was hurting her wrist. Tadayou – 10+10 = 20

[Faithdreamer]

Concentration – [roll0] She’d walk over there to the shore as soon as he let go. Don’t shiver so much… trembling because she was cold or scared?

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Shin lowers Sayuri until her feet hover over the water, and once he is assured she can balance on it, lets go entirely, although a touch too slowly. Letting his arms fall slowly to his sides, he spares a single glance for the slope behind him and the oto-nin it contains before looking back at Sayuri. "Sayuri-san." His eyes look into her own, oddly calm and peaceful. He smiles. "That was fun." It appears that he honestly found falling from a cliff into deep icy water fun. He takes a tiny step back, taking a moment to flick a couple of strands of wet hair away from his eyes. It almost seems like he's... waiting for something.

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

At the cliff side, back still chilling whatever warmth the Shimura child wanted, she sorted through her belongings. What was left inside? Could she still wear her precious coat?

Anxious tears and water were the only things left on her face – droplets of water.

[Rejakor]

Shimura Shin

Shin sighs, and shakes his head, little droplets of icy water raining down to patter on the swiftly flowing river. "Sayuri... are you really going to... go... to the Sound?"

[Faithdreamer]

Sayuri

She was soaked to the bone. Slowly, so very slowly, she fought herself until she was turned around. She’d dropped her things on the ground. She put one shaking finger to her lips and gave him a very mean glare. She said it with a stutter-rasp, “Shimura rat. Think of others next time.” She hadn’t knocked him into the freezing water and ruined him. She slid her feet millimetre by millimetre until she was clone enough. Inexplicable as ever she wrapped her arms around him. He was the warmest thing nearby. But the Shimura child was a dummy – she knew he wouldn’t see it like that.

She could bet her clothes on him knowing a child hugging her senior (and smarter) Shinobi.