Starring:
Okochi, Kasai and Chiru, Naoya
Date: September 12, 2016
Summary:
A D-rank mission involving the escort of a single puppy to the groomers. Little did Okochi, Kasai and her twin sister Chiru knew that this puppy was actually a confiscated ninken dog… owned… by a Maneshi!?
"A Dog is a Cat's Best Friend"
Kirigakure
Being a shinobi is about making sure to complete mission parameters in a timely fashion. If the mission parameters are not acheivable, then salvaging the situation is also important. Missions, Missions, Missions. Okochi was assigned, Perhaps by Naoya, to guide a student with her on a D-rank mission to show just what kind of things Genin are usually tasked with. This mission was a top-tier escort mission, and top ryo was paid.
"I found Mr. Koko, muddy and dirty a week ago." Said a soft speaking woman wearing many colors, likely of nobility. Kasai, Chiru, and Okochi were likely outside of a house within the more upper-class residential section of Kirigakure. "Mr. Koko means quite a bit to me, but he needs to be cleaned up. Floofed even! So, if you could, there is a master pet groomer on the other side of the city. If you could make sure Mr. Koko gets there, it would greatly please me." Mr. Koko, of course, was an old mutt that was currently covered in dirt. Likely a stray of some sort. The dog barked, and the woman giggled uncontrollably. "Remember, if Mr. Koko is not fluffy and returned to me, I pay nothing. A contract is a contract."
This wasn't the first kind of mission that Okochi did not like was assigned to her. She had partaken in a single C-rank so far, but seemed to be partaking in innumerable D-ranks. "Sou… I understand…" Okochi said as she tugged her hood over her eyes. "Does… Mr. Koko have a leash?" - "Absolutely not. Nor a collar until the mud is cleaned off!" Okochi would sigh as she walked over, and picked the young dog up. Mud, everywhere. It was certainly flaring her anxiety, because dirt was unacceptable. Okochi turned towards the two twins and nodded her head as the dog barked, cutely to add. "This task may seem mundane, Kasai… Chiru, however all missions have importance. All missions bring income to the village that supports us, and trained us into what we are and will be… … …" Okochi closed her eyes and sighed. The dog's smell was… absolutely… … terrible. She wanted to cut her tongue out this very instant, to keep from smelling it any longer.
Kasai and Chiru look up to listen to the noble lady explain what they were about to do, but an uncontained grin is worn on their face as most of their attention remains on Mr. Koko. They reach out to pet him at the same time, not seeming to mind the mud on him as he leans into the touch and wagged his tail. "Mr. Koko will get his bath and he will be floofed to the finest degree." Kasai agrees with Okochi cheerily and she and her sister watch as Okochi has to gather up the dog by hand. They try to touch him less then, to try to keep him from squirming against Okochi too much, but they still sneak the ocassional pet and scratch. Their eyes end up on Okochi to listen to the lesson part of the task at hand and they nod their heads simultaneously to show that they understand. "Yes Okochi-chan. But this kinda mission seems fun! I hope we get a lot of them too when we graduate." Kasai says, and Chiru nods her head in agreement until Kasai muses, "I wish they would have wanted us to clean him up though. But I guess a groomer is as good." Chiru giggles softly and says, "I dunno if Okochi-chan would like that very much."
In regards to the twin's hopes… "… You will." Is all Okochi managed to say to the twins before she officially gives the pet's owner addition reassurance. "Your dog will be well groomed and returned within a half day." - "Dog?" The woman asked, insensed. - "Hai, Dog." Okochi said, pointing out the obvious and not realizing her error. - "… Dog?" The Woman further growled, fire in her eyes. - … … … … "Mr. Koko…?" - "Very good! See you this evening!~"
Okochi turned to walk towards the street, leaving the woman behind. "Kasai-san. Chiru-san. I have a question for you two. Our mission parameters require us to take the dog to the groomer, however, it might be a good idea to take the canine south to the sea to clean it initially for easier transport." Okochi says as her eye twitches beneath her hood. A sudden urge to itch her nose was making this difficult. Her arms and hands were getting messy, after all… She'd… Get the mud on her face if she itched right now. This is clearly the kind of difficulty facing genin. "Would such a measure fall outside of mission parameters, or is it an acceptable bending of the rules?"
Meanwhile, the woman would enter the study, as if she was actually expecting this. After all, this mission wasn't entirely unscripted. The woman would walk over to the brush, retreiving it. "Very good. I'm happy to support my country's military in any way possible." She put her brush to the contract, fully expecting to pay the menial sum for the simple task. "That dog wasn't originally mine. He belonged to an urchin who couldn't manage to feed himself much less his dog. He parted with it on… uncertain terms. I'm sure it is nothing, but perhaps you should keep an eye upon the three? Just in case the boy doesn't come to reclaim his pet…"
"All the way out to the sea? That seems like a pretty long walk outside of the village…" Kasai and Chiru ask, frowning curiously to themselves. "Yes, that's too far away, I think…" Chiru mumbles, though she does look around the streets they walk down before she suggests, "Sometimes barrels are left out to collect rain water…to keep it off the streets from the roofs. And I think there was rain recently. I guess if we wanted we could dip him in one of those to try to get the worst of the mud off if you waned to Okochi-chan." Kasai bobs her head at Chiru in agreement with that before grinning to herself as she folds her arms behind her head to walk with a more relaxed demeanor. "Yeah, maybe the smell from that won't be as bad. And the groomers will have less work to do so they'll probably be real grateful."
Bowing his head slowly, Naoya moves a hand forward, waving it over her signature he works to allow it to dry evenly and without much delay. "You can rest assured, they are being watched. The canine will be well taken care of, should any harm befall him, actions will be made. As for the young ones, the one who accepted the mission isn't alone. The village protects its assets." Looking back down towards the scroll, he corks the ink bottle and places it into his pouch though the pen he wraps in a separate cloth before storing it and the scroll into a vest compartment.
Standing up, Naoya glances to the side before bringing his hands together forming the seal of the ram causing his body to become cloaked within white clouds for only a second. Once the clouds fade into nothingness, there was nothing left save for the faint impression of where he had sat, in truth he settled his feet onto the manor's roof. "Now now.. an additional annoyance that needs to be dealt with, might make for an interesting test subject or a fresh student." Leaning forward, he would kick off from the building to land on another rooftop before continuing, shortening the distance between himself and the trio.. though musing of dunking the mutt into the ocean visibly causes Naoya to wince.
Okochi would think about it herself. Perhaps throwing the pup in a pond was a more viable option. The point of her attempt at driving home a lesson was inefficient. "Sou… Too far… Perhaps you are correct. Another example might be in order. Rain barrels might be a good idea, if people did not often drink from them. Whether or not we find a place to clean the dog wasn't the point of my question. I simply wanted you to know that although we have a beginning, and an end, that we as shinobi are often required to fill in the 'middle' as long as it makes acheiving the end more efficiently… … …" Okochi would frown a little as the dog started to bark, getting restless and wiggling about in Okochi's grasp. "Perhaps I did wish to clean some of the dirt off the dog for my own benefit, however." It was Kirigakure, and they were in the Land of Water. Water should, as a result, be everywhere.
The reason the dog struggled in Okochi's grasp wasn't because he was excited for no reason. It was, that the dog sensed a familiar person nearby that he loved very much. Indeed, it was in the brush that the young urchin tailed the genin and the two students. "I'm coming for you Chiha." He whispered. "I'll save you from them… We'll be together." The boy's fingernails, rather thick and sharpened, dug into the ground as he walked on all fours, finding a different position. Difficult to see, but not to smell. Unfortunately for Okochi, her senses are distracted by the scents of a bunch of people walking around the streets. Another scent was just another face in the crowd. Perhaps though, Kasai and Chiru noticed something off?
"Ohh! We see…then…yes! I think bending the rules would be okay so long as the doggy got to the groomer like it was supposed to. We might even get it done faster cause the puppy is less smelly while we carry it." Kasai and Chiru would both start to sniff the air curiously and though their noses briefly lean towards the dog as if to double check that it was not in fact the source, that does not seem to satiate their curiousity. Their attention starts to drift away from Okochi and the lesson as the need to find what struck out as odd to them grew stronger. Chiru blinks and tugs on Kasai's dress before pointing out the dirty boy on all fours that they manage to glimpse following them.
They sniff in his direction and nod their heads before they mumble amongst each other, "That's definitely it." Kasai confirms before asking Chiru, "Why's he walking like that?" Chiru shrugs and says, "Maybe he hurt his back…" Kasai shakes her head and says "Maybe but we gotta mission to do," but both of the twins keep an eye on them long enough to be sure that he wasn't just passing by oddly. "Hm, weird. I think he's definitely following us." Kasai tells Chiru, and Chiru frowns to herself, "Maybe we should talk to him then, he might want help from a strong shinobi like Okochi-chan!" They both turn and trot over together happily in an attempt to meet the urchin head on, "Hi!" They chime together, before Kasai asks, "Do you need help? We're doing a super important mission right now, so Okochi-chan might be busy, but we can help you if you want. It's what any future shinobi in training would make time to do! Just like Okochi-chan said about filling in the middle ourselves!"
Coming to a pause above the quartet, Naoya closes his eyes as his lets out a sigh, seeming to relax somewhat. Upon opening his eyes again they were brighter, returning to an amber tone though he keeps his distance from them, choosing just to watch. Using the angles to his advantage, he attempts to block most lines of sight save for a few slim angles. "Hmm.. Feral, urchin. I wonder though.. that stance is something I've seen before, unpolished but maybe. I'll have to see." Even though he was not looking directly through the brood's senses, the spiders continue to shift around the area, several small teams would shift along the edge ways of the streets, attempting to sift through the scents to get more information on the boy.
Okochi would take pause as the twins note something in the bushes… This was something she needed to keep track of, and the dog's smell is making her serpentine senses reel. "… Anyone who is attempting to hide has an ulterior motive for doing so. I pray, be careful you two. Not everything is as friendly as you think… … …" Okochi would sigh as they not only rush into the bushes to stop the child, but even attempt to make friendly contact. "Y-you two… are… really naive…" Okochi says, deciding to let it go. Just… let it go.
The child in the bushes was Kasai and Chiru's problem now. He was… quite a rambunctious individual, but the boy wasn't canine in feature. He was… More feline in feature. "What do you want? … Actually, I do need some help. That girl with the hood has Chiha! His name means 'Blood Fang'. He's my Ninken… I'm.. I'm Maneshi Rofuku, and I want my Ninken back! Will you help me get my Ninken back? Please… That old lady took him away from me… I don't have anyone else!"
Naoya determined everything the boy told the girls were correct. Pet clans… have unique scents that make them more identifiable…
"That's Okochi-chan! We are doing the mission together, so…we can't help you get him back from her. And we'd have to stop you if you tried taking him from her." The twins tilt their heads then turn around to look over at Okochi curiously to try to find a solution. "Maneshi." Chiru sounds out carefully before she asks Kasai curiously, "Have you ever heard of them?" Kasai shakes her head, but does say, "No, but ninken are when animals partner up with people! Like you and me sort of I guess except we aren't animals…at least that's what I remember from class. There aren't a lot of people with ninken around here…" They hum together and ask Rofuku, "That's Mr. Koko now, why'd the old lady take him away though if he's yours? If you want, you can come with us while he gets all nice and clean. And when we get back, we can talk to the nice lady about fixing this." They each offer a hand to Rofuku and wait to see whether he accepts the offer of a potential compromise.
Rofuku recalled his last attempt to get his friend back… // // "Please, missiz Otofuki… You can't just take him away like this…" - "If this pup is truly your best friend, young man, then you must be responsible and give him up. The poor dog is starving." This all said as he recalls the scratching of his dog trying to get back to him. // // "No… I can't… She won't. She won't because she's an evil person! Don't get in my way!" The Maneshi would attempt to swipe his claws at both twin's palms, before dashing in an attempt to relieve Okochi from his pet. "I'M COMING CHIHA!"
All the while, Okochi would find the dog being incredibly difficult, wiggling around in her grasp endlessly…. She couldn't react to the boy nearing, but she had two serpents that weren't about to let anyone aggressively come after her. Yamaru opened his maw as he raised his head and attacked the boy as he neared, the snake unhenging as a twintail…
[NPC System]: Maneshi Rofuku roll(s) Cat's Scratch vs Kasai from 5 to 20 and get(s) a 13. - Rolled by: Okochi
[NPC System]: Maneshi Rofuku roll(s) Cat's Scratch vs Chiru from 5 to 20 and get(s) a 18. - Rolled by: Okochi
[NPC System]: Maneshi Rofuku roll(s) Ramming Speed vs Okochi from 10 to 30 and get(s) a 24. - Rolled by: Okochi
RPCOMBAT: Okochi counters with SHARP…25
RP: Kasai transforms into COMBINED-STRENGTH-I.
RPCOMBAT: Kasai counters with PHYSICAL…10
RPCOMBAT: Kasai defends against with a DODGE…9
RPCOMBAT: Kasai took 50 damage.
"She's not evil though. And hey, quit that! We're triyng to help you." Kasai says, reaching out to try to swat the boy's hand away only to still be caught. Chiru similarly tries to avoid it, but ends up getting her arm scratched. "Ow!" Both of the twins say, hissing from the pain as they both cling to their hand and arm. They frown to themselves and glance aside at each other before their attention shifts onto Rofuku, with narrowed eyes. "Well, we did offer, Chiru." Kasai muses quietly and Chiru nods before deciding, "We did, we were very nice about it too. It's his fault what happens next." Kasai nods in agreement and echoes softly, "Yes, it's his fault." They both reach out to hold reach others hands as they both come together into a single person, with the added oddity of two extra arms sprouting from their shoulder blades. They try to run at Rofuku and both sets of arms attempt to reach out and grab him to hold him in place, "We told you." The single twin says, their two distinct voices coming together as if they were still speaking at the same time, "We can't let you go after her."
COMBAT: Kasai attacks target 1 with YANK with a roll of: 14
COMBAT: Kasai attacks target 1 with YANK with a roll of: 12
[NPC System]: Maneshi Rofuku roll(s) Cat's Grace vs Sharp (25) from 10 to 30 and get(s) a 24. - Rolled by: Okochi
[NPC System]: Maneshi Rofuku roll(s) Cat's Grace vs Yank (14) from 5 to 25 and get(s) a 5. - Rolled by: Okochi
[NPC System]: Maneshi Rofuku roll(s) Cat's Grace vs Yank (12) from 5 to 25 and get(s) a 24. - Rolled by: Okochi
With the 'talk' breaking down into a public brawl, Naoya lifts up a hand, motioning around the area below. The brood heeds the subtle command and begin to spin their webs around the ground at first it was just a few stay strands between buildings but as later upon layer was formed. Several sections of the fresh webbing were two meters across and a third of a meter of supportive web, clearly made to restrain something large and weighted. The spiders would stay to the sides of the roads and to the side, staying a fair distance from the actual fight.
"Such an annoyance, that isn't the fighting style of the Inuzuka.. That traveler moved similar through. How odd." Moving his once guiding hand to his face, Naoya creates a mask covering from his nose to his throat from silk, partially hiding who he was. "She has two duties.. she is failing one, will she abandon the second?" is softly asked as he crouches down, almost as if preparing to pounce onto prey. "Those two aren't fit for conflict just yet.. why are they trying so hard? …Other than that."
How was Okochi supposed to succeed in her first duty? The twins were a hand-full, and Okochi had… Issues when it came to touching or being touched. Mental issues, even. They got hurt, which was a mission failure. She would likely be scolded for this. However, there was one thing she would not fail so easily. As the serpent intercepted the boy, bringing him to the ground and penetrating his skin with fangs, the twins came in, displaying a very odd technique. They… Fused… Impressive. The boy seemed to be pinned, by both twins. "I cannot blame you, child." Okochi said as she approached, crouching down to get upon his level as his dog squirmed in her arms. "If I were to lose my own precious ones, I would act the very same as you. However…" She paused as she stood up. "I would have sought a different sort of approach. The one you are attempting… Will not get you any closer to your goal. There is something you could do. If you lack the means to feed this animal, then there is a place you could go." Okochi looks to the fused twins. "The same place they went."
Time was wasting, and thus Okochi stood up. "I will take care of your wounds after the dog has been delivered to the mission target. You can let him go, Chiru… Kasai…" If he attacks them again, however he might be in for more pain. The boy did seem to just sit there, hopelessly, not understanding Okochi's cryptic words…
All four arms lock around Rofuku when they manage to find a grip on him and even if he were to struggle at first, they would not yield. While they do stay quiet as Okochi speaks to the urchin, the one set of eyes remain locked on Rofuku in case he were to try to make a move to escape them to strike their friend. Eventually she does allow her head to nod in agreement with Okochi on the thoughts of where he could go if he needed help. "They offer meals at the barracks." The twins say in their harmony, "We even got sweetbread with one of our meals when we did a good job." When Okochi calls for their release, they eye him and eventually all four hands and arms slide away. A foot comes out of her stomach and dress as the fusion is gradually broken apart as the twins separate into two living beings once more. They both smile at Rofuku once more, before going to trot back over to Okochi's side.
RP: Kasai reverts to her normal state.
Shifting slightly, Naoya sits back onto his heel while a forearm rests across his thigh allowing himself to begin to relax. "Good good.. They managed to hold him down though.. blending to that extent is something new. They will need further inspection." Looking away from the incident, he slips a hand into his pouch, drawing out a small, seemingly new note book to hastily make notes into it. Tapping the end of the page a few times, he eyes lift and turn towards the boy still on the ground, "He is an oddity, I wonder where he learned those shifting movements. That isn't his bound pet, the movements, the breed is all wrong." Moving to his feet, Naoya walks off to the side, away from where the gathering would easily see him and hops to the ground between two building. "Time to collect.."
"Sweetbread…? What is sweatbread?" Okochi asked, with a social curiosity. She usually eats rice and tomago, day in day out. Such were the burdens of the way her mind worked. "Bread that is sweet? Is there a purpose as to why it is?" The reasons for the way food are is just a another burden in her mind best suited for important information. Okochi would hold the dog tight to her chest, as they certainly made their way towards the mission destination, deep into Kirigakure's market district likely. Yamaru, one of two serpents that composed the long twintails of her hair, would slowly start henging back into a simple lock of hair as it returned to a nice cornsilk yellow color.
Meanwhile, the Maneshi who attached himself to a plain dog rather than a nin-cat would remain laying on the ground and sobbing. "I'll… I'll do anything… for… Chiha…" The boy had kept his life, even despite his failed attempt to keep his dog. "I'll… I'll join the academy, if they'll let me keep him…"
"It's bread, that's sweet! With lots of sugar and it's nice and fluffy too." Kasai says, wrapping her arms around herself to hug herself and swish in place. Chiru giggles and tells Okochi, "We'll do good again in class so Naoya-sensei can give us another password and we can share some with you! When the purpose is asked for, both twins frown to themselves as they think about it, "To taste better?" Chiru suggests, before shrugging, "I guess there's not a real point, point to it other than that." They look around confused when the sound of crying actually hit their ears and they both walk over to Rofuku to hover over him. "Hey, stop crying." Chiru asks the boy, as Kasai extends a leg to gently tap it against the boy's back. "The lady'll let you keep him if she knows the academy will help you out!" Kasai chimes in afer that, "And if you're in the academy, we might be in the same class! That'll be fun, right?"
'Broke the mood rather than the body.. yet can't understand what they did… Yes, much.' Walking from and side street, Naoya waves a hand shortly behind himself which causes the spiders to begin assaulting the very webs they had shaped, one layer at a time. Seemingly not minding Kasai's prodding of Rofuku, he moves a hand down to the boy's neck giving it a light tug while lowering his head close to the boy's ear.
"Now now, you are fortunate to not be a true outsider, even though you are almost feral.. Even if you had Chiha again, you would loose Chiha as you will be nothing but scraps though that can be changed if you are worth it." Sitting up, Naoya glances towards Chiru then to Kasai before raising his hand, pointing in the direction Okochi was already moving. "Then again if this is all that you are, then you can stay laying there, crying and begging. This isn't something that can be ordered.. only expected," is continued in a soft tone. After a moment of silence, Naoya pushes up and off the ground fully, standing up beside the boy, as if waiting for something to happen.
Kasai and Chiru look up at Naoya and smiles brightly at him, "Naoya-sensei! When'd you get here?" When he simply points his finger over at Okochi, they both look over to her. "Oh! Coming Okochi-chan!" They both say as they go to run after Okochi, the crying boy quickly forgotten so it seems. They fall into step on either side of Okochi and the muddy puppy dog, reaching up to pet and scratch his fur as they walk over to the fancy groomers. "I like Mr. Koko better…" Kasai decides quietly to herself, but Chiru shakes her head, "I dunno…Chiha sounds pretty cute too." Kasai hmms and nods thoughtfully, "You only like it cause it sounds kinda like Chiru." Chiru pouts and shakes her head, making Kasai giggle before musing, "Maybe they'll combine them so they can be Koko Chiha. That sounds kinda neat.
"If you are worth it. Currently you don't seem worth more than a half a loaf of day old bread.. Stand!" Is said with a raised, slightly annoyed tone as the boy continues to choke out words of his story. Unlike the compassion of the twins, Naoya lacked the look com compassion or of pity. Glancing to the side, he watches as Chiru and Kasai hasten their pace trying to catch back up with Okochi though he still nods in their direction even with their backs turned towards him. "As you are right now, you don't deserve Chiha nor do you deserve a partner. You shall follow me.. I will see if you are forth the effort to train you, to bathe you.. to give you a chance to be worthy of a ninkin." Shifting his gaze back towards Rofuku and holds out his right hand expectantly, offering to help the boy stand. The young girls on the other hand would not go unwatched as she returned on their route, if they studied the location of the groomer, they would be able to notice several abnormally colored spiders moving into place before shifting their pigment to make it more difficult to see them without close examination.
With Kasai and Chiru finally in tow, Okochi can finally take the last mile relatively swiftly. RELATIVELY swiftly. The extra scritches do put the dog to ease as they eventually come to the grooming house. "This… Is a D-rank mission. A genin must perform this kind of routine labor daily. It seems menial, but every mission holds a purpose. I hope you both had… fun… and I hope you were well informed… Also… Kokochiha sounds like a a suitable name. I agree, Kasai." Okochi would walk into the front door, only to be greeted by the groomers.
"Good Evening! Is that… The scheduled hound? The cage, it is over there. What a dirty mutt!"
Okochi would place the mutt into the cage, who barked happily. The dog seemed to be transfixed on the twins, bouncing around and clearly wanting more scritches. The one who held him gave him none! What a terrible person. Either way, the mission was done for the meantime. Okochi looked over her coat and sighed. Mud. It flared her OCD to intolerable levels… "Cleaning… I must get clean…" She whispered under her breath. Meanwhile…
The boy would stand fully and straight when Naoya ordered him to and offered his help. He wasn't scared, because the streets do not raise children who are weak of mind… only of ethics. "If… If proving myself is waht I need to do… Then… Let's go…" As quickly as possible. The animal clans are wired to be attached to an animal, for that is the tool their blood provides them. Have you ever seen an Inuzuka without his dog? It is a sad, sad sight!
"Menial? We get to walk dogs! That's fun to us." Kasai and Chiru with a bright smile. "If there's more missions like this one, we can't wait to do all kinds of missions like this!" When they enter the groomers, the twins wave at the man running it happily before helping Okochi get the dog into the cage to wait for the grooming. The twins grin at the dog and wave at him, "We'll be back for you soon! Don't worry! Now be nice and let them get you nice and clean." They look back up at Okochi and giggle as they skip to the door, "Too bad they don't give baths to people here too, they'd get a lot more customers then!"
When the boy began to move with him, Naoya shifts his hand, placing a hand on top of his head, patting it faintly. "Once you have worth, you will have Yen. Once you have Yen you will have your own dwellings. Within your own dwellings you can advance beyond stale crumbs." Moving his hand away, he takes his time leading the boy to the northern district of the village, taking him not towards the academy or the barracks directly but to the administration building to confirm identities and register classing shifts. "Once your training begins, you may be introduced to a litter of chosen partners to see how you harmonize with others or with groups. It will be a few years before you may gain ownership over 'Chiha' again, though in that time you may become a regular face to that client." While the paperwork was being worked on, the Jounin would start to explain the shinobi system to Rofuku including rank, mission clearance and expectations.. something that would take much of the remaining daylight to do.
