Haikyo watched as everything unfolded, his jaw clenched so tightly that he could barely even feel his mouth anymore--numb from the blood being pushed from his gums by the pressure. He was still crouched over Juugou's fallen form when Sai began to throw the smoke bombs around the room. The man had been hit by a vicious fire attack by the tiger that had accompanied the b*****d who did this, and as they began to flee, Haikyo watched as Sai approached on the way to the back entrance. Sai grabbed Haikyo by the arm to pull him up--but the grip was weak, and the man's strength was so faded that Haikyo knew there was no way he was in any shape to be helping anyone any more than he already had. So, instead, Haikyo narrowed his eyes and grabbed Juugou's body--picking the smaller boy up with one hand, by the back of his shirt. He would not let the boy be burned alive like so many innocents had on that day. He could still feel each new soul--each new dead life--filling his body.
As they ran, Haikyo caught up to Sai, quite easily--the man was slowed considerably by his massive wounds. Haikyo had been hit, sure, but he was the least critical out of any of his allies. He had been built tough, and hadn't been targeted quite as strongly. He heard an ear-splitting crack as the ceiling beams began to splinter, and then it all came crashing down. It started in the hallway behind them, the beams beginning to collapse downward in a domino-like effect as it got closer and closer.
He heard it first--the sound coming from directly overhead, and he knew he had no hope without both hands. He gripped Juugou's shirt tightly and with all of his strength he hurled the boy out of the back door, apologizing quickly before he did it, in case Juugou had not been unconscious after all. Sai was right in front of Haikyo, almost out the door as well when the beam fell toward them. Sai would have no chance in his state of blocking such a heavy projectile, so as soon as he had thrown Juugou, he raised his arms in a cross over his head and the burning beam slammed down against his arms. The weight of it, and the sudden impact, blasted Haikyo down to one knee, instantly. His flesh smelling like home-cooked food as it was roasted beneath the embers of the beam.
With a roar of effort he lifted and pushed the beam off to the side and it clattered to the floor, but as the beam fell beside him, more debris began to fall, pieces of wood and ceiling pelting him as he jumped out the back door as well, landing on his back and breathing heavily as he looked to the others. He immediately rolled over and crawled to Juugou's position, looking the boy over and gently slapping his cheek. "Juugou, are you okay? Come on, man, talk to me, please." Haikyo stated, trying to remain calm, but his worry for the younger genin taking over. Sai would be fine--that he knew he didn't have to worry about...though the man had taken substantial burns to his body as well. The skin was flaking away from Haikyo's arms, but it wouldn't be all too bad. He looked over his shoulder toward Sai, then. "And you...are you okay, Sai? Honestly, spending some time with you...has really made me feel bad for you. Your life sucks." Haikyo stated. "I've never seen someone that so many people wanted dead so badly." He grumbled, turning back to Juugou.
[ooc: ]
Quote:
Battle Word Count: 4949 New Word Count: 618
ssAntonio
Capt Kool-Aid
DenShazo
Posted: Sat Mar 18, 2017 1:19 pm
Raven62
DenShazo
He wanted to collapse. His chest burned with over exhaustion and smoke inhalation. Each breath was excruciatingly laborious and he just wanted to fall down and let it all be over. Just stop fighting...
~*~
"Never better, how's the kid?" Sai rasped with some difficulty. His eyes were trained on the burning building. Searching to for signs of the next assault. "It's not even lunch time yet, the party is just getting started." He replied with a bemused grin, chuckling softly as he did. The chuckle quickly became a rattling cough.
~*~
...There were parts of his skin that was completely burned off revealing the oozing flesh beneath. His clothes were mostly gone and what had remained was practically melded with his body, it would be a painful process to take it out. If he took it out.. if he bothered to continue standing. He didn't have much reason to continue. Every day was another battle to survive and what for.. his wife was dead. So was his brother. His best friend. All of his students... He was unsure of his own son and daughter lived, and he had to kill his own nephew... maybe it was time for an end. To die.
~*~
A cool breeze flowed through the town, fanning the blaze that was steadily growing. Sparks were being carried off and soon it would set nearby businesses and homes on fire as well if left unattended for much longer. Sai watched this with a careful eye, standing tall beside the two boys. Sighing, he shook his head and looked down at his new companions. "We should get out of here before he attacks aga-" The man trailed off as a black crow flapped it's way through the smoky sky to land on Sai's outstretched, he kept the grimace of pain from showing on his face. "Hunh.." Carefully he pulled free the rolled scroll from the crow's leg and read its contents, thankful that the bird immediately flew off as he did. "Seems as though.. my report to the higher ups actually got some traction. They're sending.. us on a mission to the city of Aren. Funny story about that, Haikyo, that's where this dagger is from." Sai said with a grin, handing the dagger back to Haikyo hilt first... It was going to be a long few months, the boy would need it.
Raven62
DenShazo
Come Play
Hope you didn't mind me taking liabilities with your character. If you dislike the direction I'll edit it to be Sai instead.
3 Months Later
The carriage thumped and bounced as it traveled over the cobbled streets of Tanzaku City. The city was lovely as ever and the streets bustled with the daily activities of the peaceful people who lived there. The events three months past had been a tragedy but like all tragedies, the people moved on. The deaths had been mourned and the source of the fire had been determined to be accidental despite the direct reports of a man and a flaming tiger.
The hotel still stood. It's blackened frame and scorched lawn making for a striking difference against the beautifully old architecture that surrounded it on all sides. The entrance was blocked off with tape and two shinobi in flak jackets stood there, there was movement on the inside, likely the investigation was still going on. The carriage continued on pass without a pause..
It was a large carriage being that it took up almost half the street and required three horses to pull it's weight. It was designed with a warm oak wood as it's frame and delicate gold plating at it's hinges and handles as well as various decorative spots. The man who led the carriage was similarly dressed in a black uniform that sported gold tassels and buttons, the company insignia embolden on his chest. Latched to the top of the carriage were several sets of luggage. The inside was spacious with velvet seats and cushions that were all a deep rose red.
It was in the comforts of the carriage a shinobi team had lounged for the last week of their journey from the city of Aren. The comforts had been provided by their newest comrade, Nisha Azuma, though whether it was out of a sense of generosity from the girl, a chance to flaunt her wealth or simply because it did not bother her not to do it.
It was something Sai had thought on for the latter of the ride. Sometimes he couldn't peg a person immediately and the mystery of it drove him to want to question the girl but it would have to wait. For now he would continue to lay on the soft cushions, his eyes close and arms and legs crossed... He had no intention of ruining a good thing.
~*~
A few hours previous... the group had been intercepted on their travels back to the village. A messenger shinobi, a spry elderly woman, had rushed to bring them new orders. The group as it were, was now a newly formed cell with Sai as the team's leader. They were to go straight to Tanzaku City where they would receive further orders later that week.
ele360
A soft whirring of a machine would reach your ears, gently tugging at your consciousness. Your sleep would be broken, a familiar dream stopped too soon, a sense of loss coming over you. The ending of the dream was the best part and now you wouldn't be able to remember it... you wanted to remember it.
"-ama"
You open your eyes but a white light blinds you and you immediately shut them again with a sense of regret as you feel your eyes sizzle uncomfortably. A sense of weakness in your limbs comes to you as you try to move and find that you can't.
"-lease, give your body some-"
Your memory is fuzzy, you can't seem to draw on any of it and your mind feels heavy. Drugged. It is a simple conclusion. You open your eyes again and see a beautiful, young woman panicking over you. Her lips move but you can't grasp the meaning of what she's trying to say.
"-oon, too soon! You need more re-"
Her hands are pushing against you. You can smell the soft but fruity scent of perfume... Miyumi. No, she had died many years ago. Your heart aches over the loss but your attention goes back to the woman. Her hair is in disarray and her white lab coat is covered in stains. She's not very strong but she's managing to keep you forced down. Her head turns and she calls out to someone else. A door you had not noticed before opens and two large men enter the room.
"Everything is going to be alright, this is just to help you sleep."
This time you hear her clearly and you feel a bit of your strength coming to your limbs. The two men are on either side of you, holding you down firmly. The woman has a syringe in her hand, a green liquid fills it. You are not ready to go to sleep but she is bringing the needle's point to your neck and pushing it down...
your body loses it's strength to resist...
the world begins to go dark again...
The sound of laughter reaches you and you open your eyes to find yourself laying on the beach, the ocean lapping softly against it's shores. Miyumi slumbers softly on your chest, her belly swollen with your unborn son. You bring a careful hand to caress a hair from her face so you can watch her peaceful expression. She's drooling in her sleep but it brings a smile to your lips. "Ha! Ewwww man, get a room!" The voice is playfully loud and Miyumi stirs, a hand sleepily rubbing at her face as she glares at the intruder but you don't need to look. You had felt Sai a mile a way and his childish antics left nothing to surprise. The grinning idiot falls beside you, his dyed pink hair flopping into his face, he rarely cuts it nowadays. "C'mon man, get your s**t together!" You frown. This isn't how the dream is supposed to go... Tsuki is supposed to come next and pull Sai away for a moment as their parents arrive to congratulate Miyumi and himself on their son. But the smiling face before him, his brother's face is pained.
"C'mon man, get your s**t together." He repeats. The voice is loosing its softness and the pained expression is making the smile into a grimace. You frown deeper... Sai seems much older now, his bright eyes darker and sorrow flits across his expression despite the mask of happiness he's trying to put up. "You've been asleep too long, brother." He grunts. "It's time to wake up and go home... Sorain."
~*~
The broken neck of the woman is kept straight by your firm grip that keeps her dangling off the ground. The two men lay face down, pools of blood forming beneath them. Releasing your grip she crumples to the ground dead and you stagger towards the ground... the door out of the lab room is still open...
Quote:
Sorain Orasakai is currently inside a lab room fulled with equipment that he recognizes to be his own inventions but noticeably different models. The only door exiting the lab room is open but soon it will close on it's own and reopening it from the inside will cause the alarm to go off unless you have the passcode.
GM Roll 1D4 Score of 1 Fail to make it to the door in time and trip the alarm. Score of 2 to 4 You made it out the door before it closes.
Beyond this door is a long hallway that stretches out to either side. Three doors are to your left and two doors are to your right. Either end of the hall way has a set of stairs.
ssAntonio Captain
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DenShazo Vice Captain
Offline
Posted: Sun Mar 19, 2017 1:17 am
Raven62
Come Play
ssAntonio
Juugou didn't know how long it was before consciousness began to return to him. First there was unbearable heat and pain across his chest. When his eyes slowly began to open the silhouette of the assassin with his arm still ablaze loomed before him in a roiling sea of red, orange and gray. As the Aburame's vision swam he could hear a muffled voice call his name at least twice before he realized it was Haikyo. The older genin was at his side, cradling him from further harm. All around them the fire raged and growled like some caged beast attempting to consume them all, then more gray and black clouded Juugou's vision. He could then hear another voice, Sai's, instructing Haikyo to do something urgently, and that's when Juugou felt his body being hoisted up off the ground. As the boy swayed dangerously while dangling from the Yomi's grip on his shirt the structure began to collapse. It didn't register to the Aburame what was going on at first, but he began to feel the bursts of hot air as each beam fell closer and closer to them. Just as he thought it was all over for him and Haikyo, the older teen whispered an apology before tossing him out the back door. Juugou sailed a short distance through the air and rolled to a stop after hitting the ground, which dazed him and agitated the fresh burns on his chest.
It was hard for the boy to get up due to the pain radiating all over his body so he was still in the same place when Haikyo ran over and asked if he was okay. The Yomi posed the same question to Sai who was standing nearby, but the pink-haired man quickly deflected concern back the the Aburame. At this point he felt it was better to respond rather than foster unnecessary worry. "I'll be fine." he said with some difficulty, "Though this is definitely going to leave a mark... So much damage won't be able to be repaired fully." he added, more to himself than his companions. Juugou looked up and got a really good look at Sai. "But what about you, Sai?! You're practically naked!" The pink-haired man would ignore the rhetorical comment and continue standing like a sentinel before shaking his head and suggesting they move from their position lest the man attack again. As this was happening a crow similar to one that had approached him earlier that day winged down from the sky to land on Sai's arm. Juugou could only imagine how much it hurt when the bird hooked its claws into the man's flesh as it perched and waited for the scroll to be removed, but the pink-haired man showed nary a reaction
~*~3 MONTHS LATER~*~
It had been a few hours since they had crossed the Fire Country borders. When the carriage containing Sai, Haikyo, Nisha and Juugou stopped at a toll, an old woman approached the group. She had apparently been rushing to inform them of their new assignment, and it turned out that all four of them would be in a team together with Sai as their captain. This made Juugou feel even guiltier that he was riding in the carriage sitting directly across the girl he had failed to save in Aren directly after the Lifeless had stormed the trial room. So he spent the rest of the ride avoiding eye contact with her until they arrived back at Tanzaku City.
Despite the incident three months prior that had left many grieving and many families broken, the residents were going about their lives cheerfully. The hotel was still standing, but was now a blackened husk that was still being investigated by hidden leaf shinobi. The sight of the place made the scarred flesh on Juugou's chest itch. The young medic had managed to get his hands on some fish skin and layered it over the burned skin to help it heal faster with the aid of his insects. Despite his best efforts there was still a degree of tightness in the area when he stretched and the texture was slightly different to the touch. The boy sighed and closed his eyes behind the shades, opting to nap for a bit until they got to wherever they were going.
Posted: Mon Mar 20, 2017 10:30 am
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Haikyo was surprised by the fact that Sai was so nonchalant about the whole thing. He was replying in the same sort of arrogant fashion that he always did, even as his skin was peeling from his body. Haikyo had thought the smell of burned flesh had been coming from his own body--his arms that had been burned through to the muscle...but no, it was most definitely Sai. His body was burned almost beyond recognition. It took a while, while they lay there, but Juugou finally responded, letting him know that he was alright. Haikyo breathed a sigh of relief, and he placed a hand on Juugou's shoulder as they sat there, avoiding any of the damaged areas. Sai seemed dazed--almost too much so to keep himself standing in the viciously burned state he was in.
Haikyo was about to go to to see if he was managing...if he needed someone to keep him upright, but then the bird landed...and he told him something that he needed to know. The dagger...came from Aren. Perhaps they could find some answers there...perhaps he could prove his father's innocence. Maybe someone would know him, there. Could identify him as the owner of the blade and lay this all to rest. He looked between the two of them and he took a deep breath. When Sai actually handed the dagger back to him, he looked shocked at the man. He had not expected him to do so before they had proven anything...but the show of trust and respect did make Haikyo nod to him and smile, ever so slightly, the feeling of camaraderie growing.
~~~~~~~~~3 Months Later~~~~~~~~~
Haikyo was beginning to go mad. He looked out the windows of this rolling palace, and he bit at his lip eagerly. They had reached the city of Tanzaku finally. It had felt like a small eternity--even with the breaks they had taken along the way. The long hours on the road were spent in a sort of 'comfort' that Haikyo had never in his life experienced...but it felt unnatural. The wind did not touch your face in these odd vehicles...you could not smell the outside world or hear the beautiful ambiance. Instead, these things were replaced with the smell of travellers who long since needed showers, and the sound of either idle chatter or snoring as they tried to rest after their trials and tribulations within the city of Aren.
At the very least, after they had dealt with the situation there...they had opened their markets to them. Something that had allowed Haikyo to look around and really begin to outfit himself as a ninja. He no longer wore his tattered robes--he actually looked the part, now. He was more than he had been three months before--he could feel it in his bones. The chest armor that he had purchased clung tightly to his body, but moved effortlessly, allowing for free motion in combat. Then there was the gauntlet he had purchased--the metallic device that wrapped around his hands, giving him a striking surface harder than his knuckles--and with a hidden triggered surprise as well. The greaves were standard, sure, but they would get their job done as well. His most precious, however, was the vambrace that he had discovered--the man at the market had only a block of the wood left--likely would have burned it or discarded it in some other fashion. But when Haikyo had approached it--he had seen exactly what it was...it was wood from the world tree...from Yggdrasil herself. The man, after much confusion, agreed to have it fashioned into the vambrace that now hung to Haikyo's opposite arm from the gauntlet. It would protect him, he was sure, in these trials to come. It made him feel more connected to his people. The Quiver that he had purchased currently lay by his side, and he looked over the simple design of it, pleased with the purchase.
His eyes caught the burned husk of the hotel that they had entered into before...and immediately the image of Juugou being lashed by those flames entered his mind again. He had uttered a threat that day--and he had meant every syllable of it. He was going to find that man...and he would make him pay for what he did. Perhaps in this time the man had gotten stronger too...perhaps...but it did not matter. Haikyo was a man of his word--and if he did not find him and put the man to death...the souls of those poor people in the hotel...they would haunt him forever. Even now, he could feel their rage building inside of him, and he had to tear his eyes away else be consumed by it.
"We're here now right? We can get out of this rolling mansion, yes? Oh great, that's wonderful! Allow me!" Haikyo stated with a bright smile as he thrust open the side door of the compartment, jumping out of the carriage and shutting the door behind him as he fell to the ground below. He landed on his feet with a bounce in his step, his sword sheathed and now slung across his back--his shield laying on top of that. He walked alongside the carriage, sucking in the fresh air and grinning.
Living in comfort might be some people's cup of tea...but it made him feel too...priviledged. It was strange. He had always needed to work for his results. You want to get somewhere. Work for it. Walk your a** there until you can't anymore. If you wanted money, you worked for it. If you wanted a giant carriage to luxuriously pull you everywhere...well, he certainly hadn't done anything to deserve that. But with his feet on solid ground--and his body not being tossed by the bumps (even if they were cushioned by those plush pillows) was a vast improvement. He might spend his travels, from this day on, sitting on top of those vehicles.
Either way...so much had changed in these last few months. It was almost frightening. He couldn't even remember being the boy he was only months ago. He had gotten so much stronger...in such a short time, it was hard to believe. But now...now it was time to see just how much stronger he had become. When he could...he would make a slip from his team. When there was a lull in their training.
He was going to find the man who killed all those people.
It was a strange feeling being with a team, after leaving for Aren alone she was returning with a team, before leaving form Aren, Nisha had orders from the office center to meet up with a team that had also enter the city and return with them rather then returning alone, before the meet up with the others, Nisha had spent sometime talking with one of the carriage companies about getting a carriage for the trip back to the Fire Country in particular to Tanzaku City and had talked the owner down to a few ryo for one of the better carriages, this was only possible due to the chaos that had occurred during the conflict that had happen within and around the Holy Citadel.
During the meeting with the team she had been surprised to meet Sai who she had followed out of the tunnels under the citadel, then there was Juugou who she had escaped from the trail room together with, but she had ended up in the tunnels under the citadel while he had ended up in the secret escape tunnels, and the final one was Haikyo, who she hadn't meet but seemed nice, but had gotten stir crazy from the prolonged trip from Aren to Tanzaku city in the carriage. Nisha still felt a little awkward in the team, but it always took time to get into groove with new people and it had only been a few days together so far.
As they traveled though the city Nisha cocked her head and looked out one of the sides as they passed a burnt hotel and wondered what had happen as she noticed the Leaf Shinobi stood to either side of it and seems to be investigating what had happened. Thankfully the carriage she had gotten had been already set to drop them off in Tanzaku city and was pulling over to drop them off with their things, it was up to them to make it the rest of the way from here, thankfully the mission they had received along the way was in this city as well so they wouldn't need to travel much to get to it, but Nisha wondered what kinda of place she would need to arrange for them while they stayed here.
Nisha exited the carriage and went around to speak with the driver, handing her a small bag of coin as she smiled and wave to him as it drove off once everyone had collected their things from it, Nisha had sealed most of her equipment and luggage within a scroll she was keeping her her bag, her her back was the silver Atuim shield she had gotten and a elegant looking blade on the right side of her body, she still hadn't found the best drawing location for her yet so it moved every few days. "So what are we doing now, and if we are staying long do you want me to find a base of operation?". Nisha said with a smile to the team as they gathered on the side of the road after getting off the carriage, looking at the other members waiting for a reply.
ele360 rolled 1 4-sided dice:
3Total: 3 (1-4)
Posted: Fri Mar 24, 2017 4:24 pm
ssAntonio
Searing flashes of emotions distantly tied memories that he couldn't quite grasp, people he didn't know, a home a couldn't remember, a love that was lost or worse, one that never existed in the first place. As the first reminiscent of consciousness began to take hold within him, slowly he emerges closer and closer to the surface the only thing he could feel was an unmeasurable sense of loss, a loss that would be forever be his very first memory. But for who, and why?
"-ama"
You open your eyes but a white light blinds you and you immediately shut them again with a sense of regret as you feel your eyes sizzle uncomfortably. A sense of weakness in your limbs comes to you as you try to move and find that you can't.
His eyes peel, allowing the light to rush in, he squints but it does nothing to stop the blinding heat from sending him back in recoil in fear. What could be beyond the light? What was happening to him? Who is he? Prolonged confusion leads to panic, panic gives way to anger, anger creates adrenaline and soon perception of self is trumped by preservation of self.
"-lease, give your body some-"
His eyes were open now, he could see her, even with distorted eyes she was angelic she was the first living thing that he'd ever seen for hed not yet even seen himself. Shes speaking to him, but he can't understand her. Sounds turn to words, but meaning can not yet be processed.
"-oon, too soon! You need more re-"
"Everything is going to be alright, this is just to help you sleep."
As she continues speaking to him the softness in her voice can be detected, though he still isn't able to make out what she is saying, for the moment he begins to consider that perhaps there was a chance that he hadn't just woken up in hell. The last thing he could remember was...dying, the first thing he could remember death, but not his own. When she reaches out for him, he does the same before even realizing it, "Mmm...Mahi...ha,,Miyu-k" he fought for the words, to find her name. So many facets of emotion, so much love and so much pain. Who was she? Why did he have memories of two different hers, several different children, how could any of it be real? She was there in his mind and in his heart, but he couldn't gasp her close enough to maintain the memory and soon enough it begins to slip away, until all that is left is the absolute certainty that who ever she was..she was dead and with that realization what ever steam it as that propelled his body into motion had been depleted and without another attempted word he submits to being chained and tossed back into the dense dark sea from once his consciousness had previously emerged.
"You've been asleep too long, brother." He grunts. "It's time to wake up and go home... Sorain."
"Sai??" Sorain looks down and sees that he standing in a pool of blood that isn't his. He glances back up and see a woman he doesn't recognize dead in his hand. He slowly lets her go and allows her mangled body hit the ground, he stares forward at the wall, not wanting to see her laying there. Eager to be as far away from this place as possible, Sorain turns his attention to the only exit in sight, he doesn't understand how he knows, but he gets the feeling that if he doesn't leave right now he might never be able to. Without holding anything back, Sorain dashes for the exit, exasperating himself to get out as soon as physically possible.
The broken neck of the woman is kept straight by your firm grip that keeps her dangling off the ground. The two men lay face down, pools of blood forming beneath them. Releasing your grip she crumples to the ground dead and you stagger towards the ground... the door out of the lab room is still open. He heads out and makes the first right, he would stop at the first door and attempt to open it, intending to try every door until finding a way out of this place.
Sai grunted with displeasure at the rays of light that filled the carriage. With a careful arm covering his eyes, he sent a glare at Haikyo's exuberant exit. 'Was I ever that annoyingly cheerful..?' Gingerly he uses the wall of the carriage to pull himself to his feet before moving to stand before the portal of the vehicle. "Behave yourself, Haikyo, you're being rude. Wake up, Juugo, we're here." Throwing a booted foot at the cushioned seats, Sai gave the other genin's a cursory glance before climbing out of the carriage himself and moving to help retrieve the luggage from the top of the vehicle.
Once all of the group's belongings had been collected and Nisha had sent the driver off with her payment, Sai stood before them with a frown stretched across his features. "Hum..." Unlike the rest, he had not adorned all of his weapons and new gear. Most of them were locked away in a large, oak wood trunk that he laid at his feet. Instead he had chosen to only keep his dagger strapped to the small of the back, hidden beneath his new cloak. "That would probably be the best idea, Nisha. We arrived a few days early, so we shouldn't be expecting contact until the end of the week."
With a sigh he sat down on his trunk and crossed one of his legs over the other, leaning a elbow onto it for comfort. "I say that gives us three days, not including today. If you could find us a space that we could occupy for roughly a month, the less questions you have to answer the best. Try to find something that has a large, open floor plan and preferable is two or three levels with a basement. If it could be near the center of the city, that would be for the best, it'll be less suspicious if we seem affluent enough to be closer to the Daiyamo. Also it'll provide more routes for us to come and go and with the larger amount of guards in that area we're less likely to be tailed..." The man trailed off, his gaze going pass the trio to focus on something in the distance. He was trying to think of what other possibilities they would need to prepare for, it was an uncomfortable thing to work with the unknown and it never helped that the Leaf Village didn't care to work with him. It was an understandable prejudice they held against him, it may have been thirty years past but nothing would erase the fact that he murdered both their Hokage and her attendant. The fact that they even bothered to work with him spoke volumes towards how far Sai's connections reached... and how many bridges he had to burn to reach them.
This situation was not sustainable...
"Juugo will stay with you but at a distance, we've already brought enough attention to ourselves. Also, don't go closer than fifty yards to her, keep a bug on her and once she settles on a location report back to us. Haikyo and myself will stay with the luggage and we'll move it ourselves there, you keep to the shadows for now. We'll talk more later but for now, dismissed."
Sai would wait until both Juugo and Nisha had left to follow his orders before turning to Haikyo, "So what did you manage to accomplish in Aren?"
ele360
First door you push against is locked. There's a chance that you could break it down but you can hear the sounds of panicked movement on the other side of the metal portal. The second door opens to your touch and you find yourself staring into the contents of a dark, cold room. The light of the hallway bleeds in to reveal it to be a frozen storage room, cool mists curling out from the opening to curl around your bare feet... you notice it doesn't bother you much despite knowing it must have been incredibly cold.
You can hear the first door beginning to open. A stairwell is a short distance further, it leads to a higher level. There are mere seconds before the person in the first room comes out to see you if you continue to stand there before the frozen storage room.
Do you enter the storage room? Stand your ground? Or make a run for the stairs?
Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 3:21 am
Raven62
ssAntonio
Come Play
The underlined text will be heard directly in your ear.
Juugou woke up to the sound of Sai's voice telling him they had arrived. The boy raised his head slowly and looked around, noting that he and Sai were the only ones left inside. The pink-haired man moved to exit the vehicle and Juugou followed suit while blinking his eyes to wake himself up. Once outside he helped arrange their luggage so it was organized in a neat pile on the sidewalk. In that time Nisha had returned from her dealings with the carriage driver and asked what their current plan as of now was, adding that she could find a base of operations for them. Sai pondered for a brief moment before acceding to the kunoichi's suggestion.
The team had apparently arrived a few days early so they had plenty of downtime before they received their new orders. Sai at on his trunk with a sigh and made himself a bit more comfortable before continuing with his instructions. Nisha was to find a large place with an open floor plan, with two or three stories and a basement located as close to the center of the city as possible. This struck the Aburame as odd because if he remembered correctly the Daimyo of Fire Country had a castle in that general area. What sort of assignment are we going to be getting that requires so much setup? The more Sai explained the details of their preferred accommodations the more perplexed Juugou became. The pink-haired man was weaving plenty of measures and countermeasures as he spoke, which spoke volumes about his careful nature. As young as he appeared to be, a lot of what he spoke of sounded like it came from experience.
Juugou was surprised and a little dismayed when Sai assigned him to be her partner on this venture, but he didn't object to it. Hearing the reasoning behind the pairing and how it was to be carried out eased the Aburame's discomfort slightly knowing that he would not have to be in contact with her for most of the time. The briefing was adjourned in short order so Juugou got to work, stringing a short set of seals. Two kikaichu emerged from the back of his right hand; one attaching itself to his right earlobe while the second attached itself to Nisha's left earlobe. "This is my Resonating Insect Jutsu." he explained, "It works in a similar fashion to communications equipment. In order to activate it you just touch it with one finger," the Aburame paused to do as he had explained, "and anything i say will be relayed directly to the inner ear." he finished, removing his finger from the bug in order to end the effect. "Doing this takes a bit of chakra to use each time so i would advice against over-using it. On that note i guess i'll head out. See you all later at the location!" Juugou walked away, heading towards the center of the city but veering off on a path that would take him slightly away from the wealthy areas.
DenShazo Vice Captain
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BlankCaption
Intellectual Smoker
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Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 2:54 pm
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Haikyo had been more than happy to get out of the carriage, and he had not spared anyone's feelings on his exit--which he did not realize had been rude until Sai mentioned it to him. A pang of guilt immediately hit him in the gut, and he knew he would have to issue an apology to their new team member. When she had gotten out of the carriage, herself, she seemed less than perturbed by the fact that Haikyo had rushed out of her rolling palace. She jumped right into it, asking if they needed to find some sort of base of operations. It made sense, sure, but Haikyo would never have really thought about it. He would have likely just ended up trying to find any hotel he could sleep a night in for a fair price. However, when Sai went into all the details of what he wanted from Nisha--where he wanted to stay--Haikyo was almost instantly baffled by the thought process that went behind it. Sai, however, had decades of experience under his belt, so it only made sense that it would be this way.
Haikyo listened to the instructions carefully, in case he was going to be sent to help her seek out these accommodations. However, as Sai continued, he mentioned that Juugou would be the one to go with her, and Haikyo sighed inwardly. He wanted to catch up with the young boy--to see just how far he had come in the time they had been apart. He had only seen him for a brief moment when he had saved him from the damn wardrobe that crushed him in Aren. But, orders were orders, and Sai was the one most fit to be giving them. It only made sense. But, Haikyo watched as Juugou fit himself and Nisha with bugs that could be used for communication, but looked like clever earrings instead. It was quite interesting, indeed. This seemed to be only a taste of what the boy must have accomplished in the months they spent apart.
Haikyo walked over to Nisha before she would leave and he nodded to her, placing a fist in an open palm and slightly bowing as he looked her way. "I apologize for the way I exited your vehicle. I appreciate the offered transport, very much. It saved time and effort from our journey, but I am afraid confined spaces in motion do not agree with me. Something I have only just figured out. If I have offended you in any way, I hope we can make amends." He stated, releasing himself from the bow, and raising to look in her eyes once more. "I look forward to working together, and getting to know you better." He said with a curt nod. He wasn't one for smiling all the time, especially during such an apology, but his disposition would still be warm.
After Nisha left behind Juugou, and Sai began to talk to him once more, Haikyo was reminded of his failings in Aren. He heaved a sigh as he looked at the man and he shook his head. "I accomplished almost nothing. I was almost killed by a shinobi--some blood manipulating monster. He used one attack and it almost completely destroyed me. I was captured and tortured by the priest b*****d that you got my knife from...and then I was killed by a falling piece of furniture. It was no success to boast of, this is to be certain. However...I learned more about myself. I learned my limits, and that I can keep a secret, even when someone is trying to carve it out of me...or crush it. And with these learned limits...I have also improved upon them. Since the battle we had in the hotel, here...I have considerably grown my strength. I was forced into many more combat situations during my experience there...and I have benefited from it greatly. How about you? What were you doing in Aren? What did you accomplish?" The part about the hotel would be said in a very hushed tone as to not draw attention about that particular aspect of their conversation.
[ooc: ]
Quote:
Battle Word Count: 4949 New Word Count: 5569
ssAntonio
come play
DenShazo
Posted: Sun Mar 26, 2017 11:37 pm
ssAntonio
For an instance Sorain considered nudging forward into the storage room, desperate to perhaps stumble upon anything that might give him answers as to what was going on, but when he hears a nearby door opening he puts that prospect to the side for now. and instead decides to go with the option that was least likely to land him back in that room, strapped to a table and sedated back into oblivion. Turning to his right Sorain continues his sprint towards the stair case, making no effort to quiet his steps or disguise his presence, his only concern was salvation from this place.
tl:dr Nisha brought a poor building that needs work rather then a better one that would be better for the team, due to her greed, and likely will cause troubles in the future.
ssAntonio
Raven62
DenShazo
Nisha stood off to the side of the group a little, as the others collected they items together, while she waited for a reply to her question, looking at the different members of the team still figuring where she fit within this team, still unsure about her placing, but she smiled and looked at Sai as he spoke up in reply, she shifted her attention to listen to him, when she had asked her question she was thinking maybe a inn for a week or so, but a month, and something of that size was going to cost a lot depending on where, and with him wanting it somewhere with the inner part of the city was going to drive the price up all the more, her heart sunk a little as she began to think about how much it would cost long term, and signed audibly as she looked at Sai and thought about how much it would cost long term.
"Ok I will look into that, this is Tanzaku so finding a place like that shouldn't be too much trouble but it isn't going to be that cheap given the location you would like, but I will find a place and reply before taking the location unless it is something really good". Nisha said in reply as Sai seemed to look beyond the team and off into the distance as if looking at something from the pass, a look she had seen it a few times on people what she had come to learn from talking to them that this it was a look that came from mistakes of the past, it wasn't polite to ask about that stuff but if he wanted to talk about it at some point she would be happy to learn. Turning to Juugou and looking at him as the two of them would be working together on this assignment and smiles brightly at him as he spoke to her and then began to string some seals together before a pair of bugs appeared and attached to her earlobe, she pet the little bug as it sat on her before moving off into the city.
After Juugou leaves, Haikyo come up to Nisha and apologized to her about his behavior, as she looked at him she noticed that he was about the same age as her brother, and with that thought going though her mind wonder why he was doing this, she hadn't been upset or even cared the carriage was a bit stuffy anyway, and while on the trip she had wanted to get out more and explore the world but didn't bring it up as the others seemed to be relaxing, as Nisha watch Haikyo bow to her with his apology she almost called out. 'What are you doing Nii-san'. Nisha catches herself before saying it aloud and then she nods and looked over at Sai and Haikyo waving goodbye as she ran off into the city a little embarrassed at herself, it wouldn't be until later she would realize how rude she had been to Haikyo.
Moving into the inner section of Tanzaku, looking around for empty houses or housing office, as she wondered around the inner parts of the city she had found a few of closed stores that were a little on the small side of what Sai had asked for, within the inner part of the city finding an empty place and then asking who owned it and then talking with them was one method, the other was to find a housing office, a place that would handle the properties of area for the owners taking a cut or own the land themselves and leased it others, she ended up finding a housing office before any empty house that matched the requirements Sai had set, before entering Nisha brushed her hair turning it brown and let jer eyes become white like those of the Hyuuga clan, she entered the housing office and walked around the building checking to see if it had any openings posted, and waited for someone to approach her rather then going to them, after a few minutes a young lady came up to Nisha and stood for a moment before beginning to speak. "So what are you looking for?, you have that look of someone who knows what they want and haven't found it". The woman said to Nisha and then looked at her, with warm eyes and a bright smile, but behind that it was clear she was reading Nisha's motion as she entered the store and had moved around, before she came up and started speaking.
Nisha moved and looked at the women next to her with a similar smile, the smile was something that Nisha had learned while spending time with her father it was the merchants smile, polite, nice, but it was used to hide behind, it was the smile Nisha had most of the time, it was a little unsettling when exposed to it for a long time. "Hmm well to be honest I am looking for something with two stories one for a store or warehouse and another for living if possible and an open layout so that I could change if I wanted and need". Nisha said with a sign as she, looked over at the women and introduced herself. "Minami Hitomi, I want to buy a place of my own". Nisha said with her smile as the woman watched her, then shifted a little in her place before moving back to a desk in the office motioning for NIsha to follow her. "Nice to meet you Minami-dono, I'm Li Ayame, well I do have thr ah two places that fit your wants". Ayame said cutting herself off changing from three to two, but both of them clearly knew the other had heard and it was going to come up, Nisha was now really interested in the third property to cause the sudden shift, but sat across from Ayame as she show her two property portfolios.
The first one was a two layer building just as Nisha had asked, it had been a convenience store with a front end shop and a back end office and warehouse, with a small apartment on top of it, it had been closed due the people who owned it had retired when the stores business slowly died as the inner part of the city up scaled with the times, and cost a little over a 1200ryo. The second was a an old tavern a long time ago, it had three stories all together, the ground level was the main drinking hall and dinning area, like the first place the top layer had been a living area for the owners or could be a hotel, she wasn't really sure, the third layer was underground, it was an old storeroom designed to keep things cold, but it was outside the inner city and almost completely outside the city when she thought about the layout of the city, it only cost 1000ryo in total, while looking them over she signed and looked at them she looked at Ayame. "I like the first one it fits my needs, but the second one just seems to call me, you know that sense of adventure from long ago". Nisha said with her smile, and took a deep breath as she looked at Ayame. "Do you have any other places I could look at". She said looking at Ayame and then Ayame signed and got up and got another file bringing it over, and handed it to Nisha.
"This is another property we have but it does have some troubles, mainly it has need of some repair. Nisha looked at the portfolio not noticing that Ayame had been hiding something else with her body language, but after seeing the price of the property it ignited her greed, only 500ryo, something was clearly off, but part of her really wanted it, as she read more, the property was within the inner city, and had three layers, it had been a warehouse so it was a little larger then the other place, due to that the ground level was basically just a large open area that could be remodeled, and a small section that was an area set aside for employees and a staircase the lead up to the second floor which was a like the others was setup as a living area or employment retirement area, and had several rooms, and like the tavern had a small underground store, but could be explained if the owners were willing to take the time to do it.
As Nisha looked at it she could tell something else was wrong with the place but her greed was telling her. 'I want it, I know something is wrong with it, but I, I want it, but something it wrong can I get it cheaper'. Nisha gained a different smile as she looked over the portfolio, her fingers tighten and she breathing slows calming herself as she does so, she then looked at Ayame and forces her merchant smile, the tinge of greed hidden behind the pupil-less eyes as she stared at her. "Clearly you aren't telling me everything here, but the building is safe it is just a little damage and I can fix that if needed, so that is fine, so how about 100ryo as I need to account with the costs of rebuilding and no questions from ether sides". Nisha said to Ayane a slight coldness to Nisha's voice that wasn't normal, she knew she could get this building for less and was bartering for it, Ayame looked at Nisha and noticed the changes, but thought to herself. 'No one has sold that place in forever, and even if she sells it back I win, but I need to at least make a profit, just getting rid of it isn't enough'. Ayame put on her business smile and tilled her head she had heard Nisha offer and was taking the no questions, that way she wouldn't have to speak up ether. "Now now, Minami-dono, may I call you Hitomi, I can't go so low I need at least enough to get something out of this, and while the building needs work, it is in prime location, I can't let it go for less then 400ryo".
After an hour or so within the office Nisha walked out with less money but as the owner of a building that needed some work to get back into shape and some history that will likely have to be dealt with at some point, but Nisha owned something, it was hers, only after leaving did she remember that she was on a mission and that this place was going to be for the team, but it did work for that too, it also just happened that her greed had taken over and ended up like this, this still worked, but some work would be needed to make it work fully, NIsha touched her ear and spoke softly with a sing song tone to her voice. "Hey Juugou, I got a place it is going to need some work to clean it up but it fits the needs, I am going to check it out, before reporting back, can you come along too to get your opinion". Nisha finished speaking and moving off, at a brisk pace before arriving in front of the building she had gotten, it was a little ways off from the main street and had several overgrown plants and trees around it, it was an older looking building that would need painting, some cleaning and seemed to have some broken windows and broken bits to it, Nisha took a moment to search it with her Byakugan finding it was fulled with some trash and had some .
Posted: Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:30 pm
Quote:
Awareness: 1200 - ******** that never being surprised attack again.
Raven62
DenShazo
Come Play
Sai chuckled softly, "My accomplishments? Beyond recovering my knife back from the insane a** hole that took it from you?" The man gave Haikyo a challenge grin before shifting over on his trunk to allow for the boy to sit beside him. "Hum... Well let's just say, I spent a good portion of my time recuperating over the last three months and thanks to that my body is back to it's old form."
Smiling he turned his attention towards the path that Juugo and Nisha had taken. The duo were long from sight but he still watched the crowds that moved regardless, his smile slowly fading. "I'm still far from my true strength but it's a big step in the right direction. Assassins of that caliber should no longer be an issue for us..." The man turned his gaze to Haikyo, watching the boy intently for a long moment. A heavy sigh broke past his lips as he unsheathed the dagger from his back and held it on his lap, point safely directed away from either of them. "Always remember this: Power draws power. It's inevitable, the more power you have the more you'll attract others with power and whenever there is a convergence... death always ensues.
We'll be leaving her soon. There are a few rumors I want to follow and I'll be taking you with me. And I still intend to speak with your father." The man decided to omit the fact that he had found the owners of the other daggers and now knew for certain that the dagger Haikyo possessed indeed belonged to his own son. "I don't plan on returning to Fire Country, I'll be returning back to my home and clan. It's been too long since I've seen what's left of my family... you should come with me, some rest will do your graying head well." He chuckled, pointing out the silver hairs that were now growing from Haikyo's temples.
ele360
The next floor would be hidden behind closed doors, a small panel window revealing only a dark and desolate floor behind it. Continuing farther up the stairs it would be another three floors before Sorain reaches a floor whose doors were open. Beyond them would be two guards who stood blocking the entry way. However their backs were to Sorain, unconcerned for what was behind them, their job was to prevent people from entering not exiting.
On the other side of the guards was a bustling hallway of doctors and patients. For the first time, Sorain would notice his own lack of clothing, only a medical gown to keep him modest. No one had noticed Sorain for the time being and the stairs led to a higher level...
What do you do?
ssAntonio Captain
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DenShazo Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 3:06 am
Quote:
Awareness: 680
Raven62
ssAntonio
Come Play
As much as he would have liked to explore every nook and cranny of Tanzaku, Juugou kept himself from getting distracted and followed Sai's directive of sticking to the shadows. The side streets and alleyways around this part of town were mostly clean and spacious enough to allow three adults to walk abreast with some room to spare. Despite this, Juugou dispatched a dozen of his insects to patrol the surroundings so that in the event an assassin decided to try and sneak up on him he would be alerted way before they had a chance to set up.
After about a half hour of walking in a semi-circle around the center of the city, Nisha's voice lilted in his ear. The girl had managed to get a place and wanted his opinion before she reported back, however it was apparent that she misunderstood the instructions. Juugou leaned against the wall of the alley and placed his finger on his earlobe before inclining his head. "Nisha, Sai told us to stay apart. I'm supposed to report back when you find the place. Just stay put for a bit and i will share my opinion when we are all together again okay?" Ending the connection, the Aburame would proceed to retrace his steps until he came upon the main street.
In the distance he saw Haikyo and Sai sitting next to each other. He was out of range to hear what they were talking about, but they seemed a lot closer than they did when he first ran into them at the hotel a few months ago. What's up between those two? he wondered, raising an eyebrow. However he didn't want to keep Nisha waiting so he walked over slowly, waving to them so as to not intrude in whatever conversation they were having. "Nisha has found a place and is currently waiting there for us. From what i can gather from her report it seems like the place may have some repairs in order. Shall we be going?" On his way back Juugou had been commanding the insects he had dispatched earlier to form a chain leading to Nisha's location so it would be faster getting to the prospective base.
Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2017 5:57 am
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As Haikyo had bowed to Nisha, and apologized to her. Even as he had offered his encouragement in them working together...she didn't respond to him at all. He had been there, right in front of her, and she merely walked away, waving back at them, as if Haikyo had said nothing. His heart sank as he realized that he truly must have offended her more than he had thought he did. Perhaps his teammate hated him before he had a chance to get to know her. A shame. Perhaps he could mend that bridge later.
When Sai shifted over to allow him to sit beside him, Haikyo did so without really thinking about it. He had grown fond of Sai, strangely. The man was boorish and cruel...but he was intelligent and held experience beyond Haikyo's comprehension as well. He might no longer be a good man...but a mentor...perhaps. So, as he spoke, Haikyo listened, keenly.
"Honestly...it is good to see, Sai. That last encounter we had...before coming here. I'm just glad to see you in one piece. That man, though..." Haikyo's fist immediately clenched, his fingers white with the pressure. As soon as he thought of the sudden appearance of the man, Haikyo's inner souls were immediately summoned. Though they could not be seen, his souls peered around him constantly, ready to alert him of any danger.
As Sai spoke about power bringing power, Haikyo's hand slowly released, and he nodded to him. These things were true--and they were things that he had not been taught by his own father. These lessons were things he lacked, mentally. They were disciplines and basic knowledge that he merely had never learned. "I understand. I will be careful. However..." His eyes hardened, like onyx, and his teeth clenched, causing his already strong jawline to press outward. The cool fury that lay behind his eyes was different now. He had changed. Death and torture had done something to him. For the better or worse. "I will never be someone's plaything again. On our way home, I tried my best to meditate on my soul--on my previous lives. I've learned much. I am prepared." He stated, his demeanor slowly draining back to his normal, calm, disposition throughout the conversation.
He nodded along as Sai spoke of going to talk to his father, and of going to Sai's home. He would gladly go along on those journeys. But when he mentioned Haikyo's grey head, he screwed his face up in confusion. What did he mean? "I am afraid I do not know this expression?" He stated. At that point Juugou was walking up, and Haikyo immediately grinned in the boy's direction. "Well, there we go. Plan's falling together." Haikyo stated, with a smile, getting up off of the trunk, and waiting for Sai to follow suit, before he would pick it up and place it on one of his shoulders, grabbing a couple of bags as well, in his other hand. His physical strength had grown immensely over the course of the last few weeks, and he had yet to test himself...he wanted to know.
How strong had he become?
"Say, Juugou. We were just talking about Aren...thanks again for saving me back there. I was a goner without you. What did you end up getting done there? We discovered that, Sai essentially just managed to defeat the big bad bishop, and I managed to...well, almost die, get tortured, and then actually...really almost die. Your experience any better? He said with a chuckle as he prepared to head off in Nisha's direction.
Awareness: 438 - The rest of the bonus she get here don't apply to normal awareness
ssAntonio
Raven62
DenShazo
Nisha had not replied right away to Juugou as she had been caught in her own mind for a moment as she made her way to the building checking it over with her Byakugan once she arrived, after checking though the building and seeing what needed work, she remembered she hadn't replied to Juugou so he had likely reported back to Sai and Haikyo, she signed as she remembered Haikyo and how she had felt awkward and ran away before speaking back to him she would need to apologize once they meet again that was rude of her and they had just meet this was a really bad start to their potential friendship.
With a touch on the little bug on her ear Nisha contacted Juugou as she had not communicated properly her plan it seemed when speaking before. "Sorry Juugou, I don't think I communicated my idea to you properly, the last time, I wasn't asking to to get next to me, I was saying I am going to check the building out before replying to the other and for you to keep following me and scouting the area around the building, so you can find the best way for the others to sneak in or if we need to setup a way for me to get them inside, while I was checking the building itself, so I know what things I need to setup to repair it or clean the place, and so we don't end up separated and one of us ends up alone". Like Nisha was at the moment as she had not replied back faster and had not been able to communicate her plan effectively to her teammate, she was used to working alone and had not thought about that before, as she looked over the building again she thought about what sort of items would she need to get this place back into shape.
