Starring:
Eiko, Kitaru, Mizumi, Naoya, Ren
Date: August 2, 2016
Summary:
Naoya loosely uses the village game 'Hide and Seek' to test the student's trap creation and hiding skills, the Rice 'Gang' attempt to interfere with interesting results.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Academy Lesson: Hide, Seek and Arrows"
Land of Water, Kirigakure
With noon approaching and the frost fading from the surrounding landscape, Naoya orders the study body before him to stand and follow after him. Not explaining the reason, the young man would lead the students through the halls of the academy. "Until you are dismissed, the location I stand is the same as within the academy as long as there isn't a civilian within ten meters of me," is explained calmly while leaving the building.
Lifting a hand, he motions to the left and to the right briefly as he spoke. "This lesson is going to be unlike the others.. you could say it is the lesser village game called 'hide and seek'. Rather than simply cowering, remember your place. If I reach you after I finish counting, you will be punished." Bringing his hand over to the side of his head, he taps beside his closer eye, adding on "I will be only looking for you through my senses, no others 'this time'. If I find or feel one of you are doing little more than cowering, your punishment increases three fold. Is that understood?"
Beyond the final question, Naoya doesn't address the student body as he heads north and takes the students along a twisted foot trail until he settles in a slender clearing, smaller than the space the academy building would occupy.
Eiko definitely wasn't even aware of a game being played. She wasn't currently attending after all, and she certainly wasn't going to step in the way of Kirigakure's 'weapon making' in fear of being buried alive in the graves she was forced to dig not a few days past. She was actually waiting on the other side of the wall, able to hear Naoya make a firm order backed with punishment as she leaned against the wall. She wasn't alone, but was joined by Touketsu Saborou who was sitting nearby. "I'm glad I'm not in the academy anymore." Saborou said, with his short unassuming brown hair and plain black eyes. His warpick rested upon his lap as he brought a barebone bread ration to his mouth.
Eiko's eyes were narrowed, because there was actually someone in the gang that was in that group of students. "Hey, Saborou…" - "What? I'm eating" - "Hibiki is actually in that group of students. Are we going to help him or what?"
The Rice Bandits, if it could even be called anything more than a couple of kids trying to entertain themselves in a place with little entertainment, look out for one another. When Eiko started it, she made sure everyone took that oath to help one another out regardless. This wasn't team-work, but it certainly had a good start. Hibiki is a newer student at the academy, sort of… a non-courageous fellow. He had green hair, and green eyes, but was otherwise an unmentionable. He wasn't shinobi material, and it was amazing he had survive so long. It might have had something to do with a great memory though. Either way, he was already failing at keeping himself from cowering. "U-Understood Sensei!" He would reply, hopefully along with the other students who were given this task.
"Eiko snapped her fingers. "I've got it. I know exactly how we'll help him out. The Coffins in our graves. We'll just… bury him, and dig him up later. Great idea, right Sabu-kun?" - "It's a stupid idea. You're stupid, but that sounds entertaining!" Eiko unleaned herself from the wall, and gave her comrade a push. "You grab Hibiki as soon as the game starts. I'll be waiting at the grave. We'll pop him in and bury him. Then, after the game ends, we'll both dig him out." They've certainly become quite good at digging.
The Rice Bandits. A group of kids that seek to be outside of the lines that the Academy instructs. Mostly. Kitaru has taken an interest in Hibiki, one of the three for this 'gang' that was dealt with the other day. Kitaru would move as directed, watching Naoya attentively. Musing to himself at the instructions given, he'd nod lightly. "Hai Sensei." The area was scanned that they moved into, a space smaller than the academy, but open. This would be different. Shifting on his feet, Kitaru pulls that Sphere close to him, the ball of wood and steel coming to a stop next to where he stood. If one is here, the others would be here, right? While it's Naoya.. even if no insects.. it might be a useful tool. Kitaru waited, patiently, for Naoya to say begin.
"Good good," is answered back when the students chimed that they understood. Moving his hands in the air around himself briefly, Naoya motions towards the forest around them before turning around to face the students behind himself. "You should know the rules of the simple game, and you should know what it means when I count.." Closing his eyes, he takes a breath in slowly and raises his voice suddenly. "Twenty.. Nineteen.." Lowering his hands down to his waist line, Naoya hooks his thumbs into his waist line, his posture becoming rather relaxed for once but the numbers continued to lower every other second.
While Eiko was not a student, and that Hibiki wasn't one for long rumors, somewhat outlandish ones would creep along through whispers or light talk between others thought the village. Several of the students during the last six months have tried to murder the very person they called sensei, some discreetly, some in front of the class. Not one student went missing though, and even stranger no matter the rumor, no one, not even the medical center would report a wound or cut on the Jounin. If the rumored assassination attempts were true, they lacked evidence that most would be able to find. The Rice Gang would notice, even though the Jounin had lead the students away from the academy, no other instructor went with them, nor any assistants, leaving noone to monitor which students got lost or who might also of followed the students.
It must have been that every one of the students ran as fast as they could, many with smiles and some with the look of fear upon their face. Hibiki was one who feared, and rightfully so. Even though he was a boy who enjoyed the facts more than rumors there was no doubt that Naoya, the very one he just called sensei, was seen as almost immortal. No student has been able to touch him anyways, and his methods were cruel in the eyes of a young student unwise to the ways of Kirigakure. Perhaps in part that was why he was starting to drift from the academy himself.
As he moved outside, a rough hand grabbed him in short order. Saborou of course. "C'mere Hibiki. We're going to hide you so well, that you might as well be considered dead. Hehe." - "Wait… dead!?" The kid was dragged off in the direction of the gardens. He wouldn't have long, after all. Naoya only gave them twenty seconds, and as soon as those twenty seconds were up he would be there without a doubt.
It took minutes to get to the boneyard garden, and Eiko was waiting for the other two with a piece of grass hanging out of her mouth as the shovel was held fast in her arms. "Quick, Hibiki. Get into the coffin!" - "What!? No… I am not doing that Eiko… That's… That's terrible." The boy said as he was dragged by Saborou. "Why would you even think such a thing!?"
Eiko took a deep breath. "Risk brings reward, Hibi-kun. The deeper underground you are, the less chance you'll be punished… We're doing this for you, idiot!"
Saborou chuckled. "We're not going to leave you there… We're not even going to move an inch from this spot!"
"… If you promise me… I… I will." Hibiki's weaker demeanor moved her quite a bit, because it reminded her of Mizumi. Weak, and not brave, but still inspired to try to make something of themselves. It drew out the black sheep's protective personality. She needed someone to invoke that in her, given how she couldn't face joining them in the academy. Hibiki slowly,dropped into the coffin, eyes closed as he prepared himself. Saborou slipped the top of the box overtop, and Eiko began to bury him…
20. The pause for a second exactly said 40 seconds. When Naoya started counting, Kitaru moved, as did the Sphere, heading away from Naoya. The puppet and puppeteer separated. It seems that the gang was seeking to assist. There was no rules about it.. At least none that Naoya officially stated. Team-work was encouraged, right? Kitaru would shadow the others for a few moments, watching Saborou head Hibiki towards the gardens. Hmm.. Kitaru judged his time, shrugged and decided to follow. It was interesting to see how this would go.
Closer to the garden, Kitaru hides himself within the shadow of one of the bone pillars. However, it's Naoya that comes stepping out, potentially in the middle of them trying to bury Hibiki. He would walk with a smooth rolling gait up to where they were at (within 500 yards of Kitaru) to glare at them. "Just what, exactly, do you think you are doing?" Kitaru was careful to keep the voice accurate. He didn't have the small personal tics yet.. but he suspected that the 'gang' knew Naoya even less than Kitaru did. "This isn't hide and seek! You need to report to the clearing. NOW."
"Fourteen.. Thirteen.." continuing to count, Naoya didn't move from his position, seemingly unaware of where one of his students were being lead off to. "Eight.. Seven.." Kitaru's retreat likewise appears to have slipped the Okumo's attention as well though by this time none of the students gathered were foolish enough to stay in the open, each one would be retreating but not all were hiding. The reactions were splintered, some huddled in pairs working together to establish camouflaged cover, while others worked alone setting out snares and booby traps.
The students more sensitive to chakra would notice that Naoya, while he said he would watch them with his own eyes, was radiating with chakra, linking himself to spider after spider, though one of the first external connections were a kilometer away. "Zero.." is said calmly but he still did not move. Opening his left hand, briefly, he twists his fingers only to cause his white glove to darken to a husk brown tone. Extending upwards and downwards half a meter several spiders begin to link several points along the shape, forging it into a bow, somewhere between a longbow and a short bow. "Let's see how many of you have already failed.."
Moving his free hand up to his lips, he draws out a dark toned arrowhead before a shaft followed it along with a pair of solid fins that were bent towards the end. Taking his time to notch the bolt, Naoya began to take his time, testing the limits of the freshly created artillery weapon. "I wonder if I could reach 'them' from here.." is softly mused to himself as he gave the students around him a short time longer to establish themselves.
Cheeky. Neither of the two former students were actually wise to the ways of henge at all. They hadn't even managed to cover the entire coffin before 'Naoya' appears. Saborou was the first to see the shinobi that bore the likeness of one of the most feared instructors in the academy. He visibly swallowed, "H-hey… I'm… I'm not a student! I don't need to report to nobody! Y-yeah. I mean… G-gomen, sir, we're not students. We're just doing. community service! Ehehehe…" Eiko was visibly digging faster, as she looked a bit worried herself. "Ah… W-why would we need to report to the clearing?"
Saborou, "Y-yeah… B-besides, it is hide and seek! That's what you said! W-wait… Eiko, he did say that right!?" Eiko was the one who was closest, and as a result she confirms. "I'm pretty sure he did! N-no… I'm positive…"
All the while, poor Hibiki was having trouble dealing with the confined spaces. Hearing Naoya only made him even more fearful.
Mizumi was a member of the student body, and thus she was following Naoya as he led them to the group's next session. Of course, the killing command was still in play, but she wondered if anyone would even try during a game of 'hide and seek'. The rules were simple. Don't be found. Of course, that was a bit of a disadvantage for the young Shirayuki, who seemed to make every movement twice as loud thanks to the staff she carried with her at all times. The young Shirayuki sighs inwardly at this lesson, knowing she'll likely end up punished, but she would at least give it her best shot.
The best part about not being the center of attention is probably that she gets to look at everyone from the back. Green hair and green eyes are just enough to be noticeable in the crowd, even if the owner of both is average or below average in every other way… Mizumi examines the individual, remembering him from the grave digging incident. So… He was actually a part of Eiko's gang. That would explain why he seemed to disappear whenever the Academy let out for the day and students were allowed some semblance of free time. Even with Naoya's imposed restriction on their movements.
As Naoya continues to count, Mizumi notices that it will take twice his number, which is probably a good thing for her. The girl is quick to move, looking around for Ren by casting out her senses. The first major point is Naoya, whom she doesn't follow because he wasn't who she was looking for. Her senses skim those around her, eventually resting on the familiar chakra of Eiko. A small frown, but then Mizumi continues her search for Ren. '16… 15…' she hears. Mizumi starts to actively move now, especially seeing as another friend, Kitaru, seems to be leaving. She passes by Ren's spot, tugging him out and murmuring, "Eiko…" Hopefully that would be all the Shimizu needed to be prompted to follow her. Then Mizumi walks, her staff lifted so that it does not click against the ground like it usually does. As they approach the gardens, Mizumi slows when she sees the figure of Okumo Naoya…
Furrowing her brow, Mizumi tugs Ren again, moving off to the side where he might not see them, and she investigates the matter with a sense that is more than her eyes. Closer inspection actually revealed it to be Kitaru… And Mizumi couldn't help a small smile at the trick. Opening her eyes, Mizumi looks back to Ren and signs to the Shimizu that it's Kitaru in the gardens, not Naoya. Naoya was still back at the start point.
Ren was also a part of this so called student body. Was it really every student though? Doubtful considering, but it wasn't as doubtful that a good portion of them were there. He was not particularly going to be good at hiding, but at least he could keep moving. He hoped Mizumi could as well to keep her safe and such. He figured they might actually be meant to use this opportunity to attack him. And the thing is that he started this.. No one would have things planned so it would show how good they are in the moment. He and Mizumi could try something at least.
Ren was focused on planning something more so then he was on Naoya's counting so he didn't notice the extra second between numbers. He started moving, but would be dragged in the other direction by a sudden Mizumi. "So? She isn't going to help us hide. She also won't help us with what I feel we should be doing. Planning an attack on Naoya." He states quickly and only once they were out of hearing range of most normal shinobi. Naoya's might be better of course. "But I guess you don't care and are heading there anyways huh?" He stated/asked with a bit of a frown. Most of the things involving the gardens would fly past in his mind. Kitaru was there rather than Naoya so maybe they could actually get someone to help them with a plan. If Mizumi cared about that… "Mizumi.. We shouldn't bother with this… Seriously. It is a waste of time for us, and an easy spot for us to be found. If you plan for us to hide then we might do a better job henging into civilians and acting like we are doing daily things. If we do my little plan of maybe hiding and setting up traps we could attempt to catch Naoya. Though we need sorta non-lethal ones initially I assume.. Just in case another stupid student gets caught…" He pondered that a moment… "Maybe we should catch students…" He grinned, but it seemed to be partly a joke.
While the three seemed suitably concerned about 'Naoya' showing up in the garden, they at least had enough Kiri in them to ask questions. Well two, one it seems was being buried in the box. Naoya would stare at them with that cold intensity that only a high level jounin.. or a puppet.. could pull off. "Did I say this was a chance to ask questions? I said get back to the clearing. Now. Before it becomes much worse for you." Naoya would point at the hole they were filling in. "Get your friend out of there too. He's in trouble just as much as you are."
Kitaru was having to switch between senses. The sphere, henged as Naoya and his own senses, it could be disorienting, but the henge wouldn't show it at least. So it was between one of the switches that he spotted Ren and Mizumi? Blast, this was probably going to fall apart shortly. The 'Naoya' would stalk off away from the trio, expecting to be listened to of course. Although once 'Naoya' gets out of sight at all from the trio, he'd vanish, the puppet hiding out of the way. Kitaru had a small headache from the back and forth, but it felt worth it. He prepped his bracer, in case this amount of students in one spot pulled in trouble and would tick off the last few seconds in his head. Naoya would be on the move now. He needed to see if the distraction worked.. as well as hide.
Closing his eyes, Naoya takes in a slow yet deep breath before parting his stance, bending his knees slightly to lower his center of balance. Rolling his shoulders, shifts focus onto his left supporting hand as he takes aim slightly to the side seemingly aiming into the forest before suddenly pointing sharply skyward. Releasing his fingers, the bow twangs loudly as the chitin bolt lurches forward, flying a fair distance from the clearing that the majority of the class though it wasn't a warning shot not was it a misfire.
It would only be roughly a handful of seconds after 'Naoya' left sight the target of the distant shot is revealed.. Saborou. Unless he manages to avoid the sniper like shot, the chitin bolt would burrow itself within the young boy's lower abdomen. While others might be able to see the bolt itself, the toxin that laced its edges would only be known and felt by the boy. "Now class.. those of you standing in the open or hoping to simply outrun me should realize by now that plan, that 'hope'.. will get you wounded. As for hoping to exhaust my supply of tools, I wonder if you can. I have not tested this tactic for longevity before."
Moving his fingers to his lips once again, the young Okumo hisses faintly until a chunk of Chitin slips past his lips, soon beginning to shape the still hardening material with his lips and tongue to produce another tainted arrow to notch onto the bow. "Class, I can only fire one of these every fifteen to twenty seconds. You should be warned, the more I practice, the faster I'll become though I'll get more and more tired, use this knowledge wisely while we play."
Naoya was well known, but it wasn't personal knowledge that many people knew him for. He was known to be quite fearsome, and as stories change and eventually become inflated as they pass from person to person through whispers, his legacy became quite monstrous when it reached the ears of the young children.
"I'm positive Saborou." Eiko was scared, but she remained firm. Her 'comrade' did not.
"Fletch this, Eiko. It's not worth getting eaten. It's not worth it." Saborou dropped his shovel, and bolted. There was clearly fear on his face. He seemed to have dropped out of the academy because he himself was a bit of a scaredy-cat. Some people might have the family backing, like Saborou had, but their mind was weak where their body and upbringing was strong.
Eiko, however, stood firm. She wasn't going to abandon a comrade. It wasn't about honor, or stupid principles like that. Eiko did not leave behind those who put their faith in her. "I'm not leaving." The grave was covered, and Eiko pierced the ground with it before crossing her arm.
It is in danger that an individual shows their true colors, and Eiko remains despite of the dropping odds. "Ain't no one here in the academy. "Not Hide and Seek, yah? Well, guess what. I'm not hiding." Eiko drew a sprig of wheat from her outfit somewhere and slipped it into her mouth. Eiko left the academy because she was too stubborn. Not because she was weak of mind. "Don't you have better things to do, ya? Hunt for some actual students?" Guess he did. He promptly left soon after her stand.
Sabarou did not make it far, however. He made his escape, but before he could get out of sight, he found himself the target of an arrow. Moments later, an arrow buried itself into him. The sprig of wheat dropped from her mouth as she turned, mouth hanging agape. Eiko rushed over immediately, the henge was not dropped. It was Saborou, her gang member, that was dead. The arrow was definitely Okumo. Thus, the idea that Naoya killed one of her own, was drilled into her head. "Saborou! Saborou… He's not breathing…" She doesn't know any medical ninjutsu. She only knew how to kick ass. What was she to do!? The lifeless body sitting there caused Eiko to clench her fist as she rested a hand on the 'dead kid's shoulder'. "I'll kill him… Naoya is dead."
Meanwhile, Saborou was tucked out of sight. He wasn't sure where he was given the sudden change in position, but he was so scared that he remained silent. Which wasn't good for Eiko, because at the first sight of Naoya next, Eiko was going to attack. Relentlessly.
Mizumi frowns slightly when Ren doesn't seem to want to follow Eiko. The girl hesitates a moment on her way to the Gardens, but she doesn't completely break her stride so that they would still make it properly on time. As Ren spoke, she would respond in kind before they reached the Boneyard Gardens. "I know… I don't care that she won't help us hide, though, Ren-kun. I want to know what she's doing…" Mizumi would then say, "We'll plan now, I suppose. Henge into villagers. I don't know if Naoya-sensei will notice that we did, but if he's not using his brood, then we stand a better chance of not being detected." She makes a hand-seal to gather a minimal amount of chakra to both cast and maintain the visual illusion.
As she moves, she would also force her brain to think of something other than her desires. Ren was at least keeping her a bit more on track than what she would have were she alone. She was grateful for that. "Do you think we could form some kind of net? Maybe I could use water manipulation to do it, even… I actually think Naoya-sensei was partly healed from the blood attacks," she admits, "because of the Shimizu's blood's properties. So if you have any actual weapons, Ren-kun, you should use those…" Then she pauses for a moment, thinking over the intended joke. "That might not be a bad idea…" she says with a slow nod. "It would at least draw his attention and remove some competition. Should we maybe start with Kitaru-kun?" She offers Ren a small grin that was more than a bit mischievous.
It is then that there's a bit of a whistling from the air, and a chitin arrow would come down upon Saburou, only for the puppet known as 'Sphere' to whirl into place and take the hit. "Che…" Mizumi shakes her head a bit and would *POOF*, her existence turning into that of an older lady with a cane. A woman who looked to be about 40 or 45 that would start making her way north. "A pleasant day spoiled…" she mutters under her breath, obviously meaning the arrow striking down what looked to be a Student then puppet. "We've got chores to do," she would say to her companion, even as she slowly made her way away from the Rice Bandits and Kitaru. Something had bothered her a bit, apparently, so she didn't want to waste time. To Ren, she taps something out in their own code that would say, 'Traps?'
Ren shakes his head. "Doesn't matter. She obviously doesn't want to deal with me, so I would be happy to oblige… Maybe make it so she doesn't have to deal with those 'friends' of hers either." He stated with a bitterness. "Alright. Will do that then. Should be better than just doing this for certain. If he doesn't already know where we are." He stated and looked into the gardens as he waits for Mizumi to henge first. She brought up the plan for a trap first though. "We could I suppose, but with a net of sorts I don't know how well it would work. For him to not see it I think it would have to be too small to be… Net-worthy." He frowned.
Anyways Ren just would nod to using a weapon though he didn't have any on him. Not besides the ring on his hand. "Start with Kitaru? I don't know if getting one of them on our bad side would be a good idea. People who can't strike back are likely better options. Though Kitaru is for sure a bigger threat to our chances of being last ones standing." He paused. "I wonder if trying to rally a group of students together for one big attack would work…" He mused the idea. Not much longer the henge idea would happen it seemed, and with her becoming the older lady in her 40s, Ren would henge into a man who seemed only a year or two older than her. That would leave them able to act as a married couple instead of two villagers who happen to be in same area. "Indeed." He pondered a thought. "Yes. Which chore should we get to first?" He asked of Mizumi. Basically suggesting to her that she could figure out an idea of sorts. She was the more….book smart one.
It seems that this is not far enough out of range to be out of range for Naoya. Very interesting. With the Sphere out of the way, the bracer had been activated. It was a sound, or something that had Kitaru glance up, the surprise taking exactly 1 second to register what was coming in. That was only one of three that he had if he was going to help the other student. Stepping into the open as he'd need all the pull he could, those strings snap out, re-engaging the Sphere. Two seconds. Kitaru did a hard pull, the image, then body of Saborou taken, that swap was swift, the heavy THUNK of a chitin arrow impaling wood the only potential give away of the puppet. Not that Eriko seemed to notice. She was upset, potentially rightfully so. A glance at the tree said Saborou was safe, only after Eriko did the dramatic stance of going to attack Naoya, did the henge *POOF*. A section of the Sphere that was still wood, looked to have the arrow jammed into it. Kitaru studied it for a long moment, then glanced at Eiko. "While you two may not be students, you are young enough to be considered in the game. You were lucky this time. You go off half cocked like that, you won't make it." Kitaru mentally started counting as he'd stride over to the Sphere. First a check for poison, then he'd work to extract the arrow. "We have 20 seconds if he keeps the rule of the game simple for now. Your… gang.. member.. is up in that tree. If you want a chance, you need teamwork.. actual teamwork."
A faint smirk appears on his lips as his left arm lowered though he continues to face that direction. "That's a bit odd. Now why would it.." cut off mid questioning, Naoya jumps off to the side suddenly a Kunai flies by close to his ear into the brush in front of him. Turning around, he takes aim with his bow only to lower it to aim at the ground.. there was nothing there to shoot at beyond some length of string. "Traps and misdirection, I'm glad at least.. 'two'?, of you understand." In the middle of the statement his voice turns questioning before beginning to prowl, looking for clues left by the students hinting which direction they fled in.
"I have said I would only use my eyes, though you should know, if you leave over a kilometer my bow will find you. Flee over two kilometers and I may drag you back by an arrow through your thighs." Crouching down, Naoya brushes gently at the ground as he finds something interesting.. a trap four two inches down into the ground littered with caltrops and two wires connected to a pair of bells to act as an alarm. Kneeling down, the young man began to sniff at the air suddenly, beginning to collect a scent from around the trap before heading forward. "Be careful when you lay a trap, take too much time and you'll slow down more than you slow me down. Too hastily, I might catch your scent and follow your tracks."
It was when the orb appeared in Saborou's stead, that the knelt Kaguya's heart skipped a beat… It wasn't Saborou… It was a familiar puppet. Eiko was very, very relieved. "It… It was… a replacement." Eiko fell back onto her back and took a deep breath before promptly raising her legs and thrusting herself onto her feet. She looked at Kitaru for a moment. "I'm going to ignore what you said, cause you did me a favor… I've already hidden one of my friends in the ground, and if Saborou is safe… Well…" Eiko would raise a thumb up at Kitaru. "… You're welcome to join my gang any time… Right now, though… I'm going to take down those arrows at the source. You can follow if you'd like, friend, but I'm getting a little sick of being a shinobi playtoy…" Here she thought by leaving the academy, she would be free of this. Apparently, not. "Seeya!" She waved before she began to run back in the direction of the school. Naoya would likely sense an incoming…
Saborou would jump out of the tree, still looking dazed as he moved over to Kitaru… "You did that? That was definitely a henge-replacement something? … Well… You aren't a complete asshole. Still… I'm out of here. I'm going to go be a farmer or something…
"No, that won't work. Not unless all of us catch him by surprise in one fell sweep. And Naoya-sensei already knows some of our tricks, so it'll be hard to catch him off-guard again," Mizumi would have said to Ren when she heard his musings. Then she would just slip into her role. "I think I left the shopping list… If we go and get it, it might be for the best." She had some leftover equipment from their attempt on Naoya's life. They would help when it came to the trap, if they decided to lay one down. Whether it be for Naoya or for other students, though, it had yet to be decided. Mizumi doesn't look behind her, focusing on the trail in front of her. She does, however, cast her senses backwards. Kitaru. Likely talking with Eiko. Saborou, fading from her vision. He was already weak, so he must have run away. And then Eiko's signature seeming to draw closer. Would it rush by her? Or would she stop and speak..? She and Ren didn't look like themselves, so it would probably not be the latter.
"Oh! I forgot, it's Sakudo's birthday tomorrow and we're throwing him a surprise party tonight. So we'll need to get something that can go off at a moment's notice… Nothing too loud, because you know how skittish he is. Do you think we have any sparklers?" Mizumi would consider items aloud, hoping that Ren was able to figure out what she was talking about within her words. "I am thinking that streamers might be a good idea. I know they can get everywhere on you when they fall, but they're really very useful… And if we're able to tie them together, it might be easier to clean up."
Ren nods to Mizumi as she stated that in reply. "Really?" He pondered the thought for a moment. "Maybe it will, but anyone could be taken down when fighting heavily superior forces right? I mean there are at least a hundred of us out here still right?" He asked of Mizumi as he didn't even know for sure… At least Mizumi could check… Not that she should though since they were trying to keep up disguises. He raised a brow towards her when she started speaking in riddles. "Oh? Yeah I think we do need to go get it. We wouldn't want to forget anything." He nods towards her and looks around before starting to walk along as if he was in the role he had.
"You forgot?" Ren chuckled a bit and just inclines his head for a moment. "Yes I didn't know what to get for it, and here I thought you were all ready to go. I suppose we have to get a few last minute things." He rubbed at his chin in thought before nodding "I do think we have one or two of them, but we obviously should get some more yeah?" He agreed with her in getting more before raising his brow at the other part. It took him a moment to understand and only when talking of tying them together did he catch on. "Oh! Yeah. We don't want to leave too much of a mess and want the cleaning up portion to be over quickly. The quicker it can be finished the quicker we can move on to the next day right? No matter how useful, they can be a pain if not managed properly. More a mess than anything." He nods. "So yeah. Tie them together. If we can I mean."
Kitaru sighed as Eiko rushed off to her destiny. Pity that. He mused contemplatively as he'd finish delicately removing the arrow, avoiding any potential cuts on the chitin. It would promptly get stored in the Sphere for later research. All fair in hide and seek, right? Kitaru glanced towards where the other two he had noted were at.. only to find them not there.. and two older people wandering off? Hm. Kitaru shook his head a little firmer and was about to start walking away when Saborou got down. "That may be best. Less likely to to meet Okumo then." Shrugging, Kitaru starts after Eiko, storing the Sphere as he did and would trail behind in such a way as to avoid coming into actual sight with Naoya. He frowned for a moment, then hung back. While Eiko may not be in the game, he is and he was not going to be the first one seen. Instead he'd search his surroundings for other students, time to start finishing this.
Keeping himself busy with the class, it seems Naoya's brood lost interest with Eiko and Kitaru once they began to draw near once again. The pair that stayed a fair distance away might notice that as they traveled small collections of chakra networks would attempt to stay out of their line of sight but continuously follow them. Closer to the Okumo a shrill cry could be heard as the Okumo grasps a bush only to pick it up from the ground, causing the false appearance to poof back into that of a student. "I told you, those that simply hide will be scolded. Should I make an example out of you?"
Shifting his weight, Naoya hardly launches the student forward with an arching throw, leaving the student almost upside down and moving, from their view backwards at a high speed. The young boy groans when his lands and crumbles to the ground, the wind knocked out of them though they landed on a bush, comforting their sudden landing, though it likely spooked the pair hiding near that point. "Several of you have already earned points, several of you have already left me annoyed. Three of you.. I'm not sure of yet, you lot interest me."
Taking a few steps forward, Naoya broke stride and pauses mid step.. while he was talking he let himself become slightly distracted and he could feel the tense wire under his foot. "Now this I didn't expect.. This isn't a dart trap, a deadfall?" The longer he took, the more complicated the traps were becoming, though some others were overly complicated and trapped the trappers, Eiko and Kitaru would have to be careful if they entered the battle zone through the forests and not the clear path.
The brash untempered Eiko, full of that terrible Konoha blood that is so hated in Kiri, travels alone to show her how much she enjoys it when someone attacks a comrade of hers right in front of her face. Only one Okumo could have thrown that arrow, and it had to be Naoya. After all, he did bother her and Saborou about returning to a field… Then he shot an arrow! The issue was… Where? She had no real sense of direction… She went to the field first, because that is where he said to report. No Naoya. That struggle to find a spider came to a climax when she reached the trees surrounding leading up to his position.
The amount of traps surrounding the Okumo's position were quite a few, and on her approach, she happened to trip one. "Hn? Eh!?!" She nearly fell forward, instead she leaped forward, landing on her hands, which kept her suspending straight up and down for a few moments. Where she would have fell, three Kunai came out from launching apparatus that were triggered by the trap wire.
Eiko did not linger, and instead vaulted back onto her feet and continued to her death-march to the scariest man in the Academy. When she broke through the trees, finally within sight distance of Naoya, Eiko made an effort to tell him her grievances. "HEY YOU! You attacked my buddy. I'm going to return the favor! What was your deal with the students that everyone was talking about? We can attack you whenever we want, and if we kill you, we get your rank… Right? Well… For the next ten minutes I'm rejoining the academy! Eat this!"
Eiko promptly focuses her chakra into her legs, allowing her to vault forward in a spinning kick, seeking Naoya's chest. This maneuver was followed up by a sweeping kick meant to try and sweep Naoya off his feet. By the grace of some higher power, it might hit. Either way, Eiko uses the basic principles of tree walking taught through practice as she launches herself off the ground, flipping once as gravity takes her down. Chakra visibly glowed at her feet as she focused quite a bit into them. The reason, likely, to make the falling impact that much more impactful…
"Too many people in the party can get messy," Mizumi would say with a small frown. "Not everyone is familiar with our home, after all." The old woman slowly makes her way in the directions of the Academy's Barracks, part of her wondering if Naoya would attempt to attack her and Ren. "Do you think we can make it to the market?" she would ask the disguised Shimizu. "It seems a bit far for these legs… But the party is really important, too…" She sighs softly, conflicted.
Eventually, Ren and Mizumi would be at the barracks. The girl would grab several items of import, partly wishing she knew some scroll mastery so she could store them away. Maybe someday… Under the 'safety' of the barracks, she would lose her henge. "Should we trap the other mice so the cat can play, or should we try to catch the cat for the mice to roam free?" she asks of her friend with a raised brow. Also, Ren-kun, you have kunai, right?" She had a feeling they ought to keep moving, so she stepped out of the barracks even as she idly considered. A few moments and she would have her senses cast out for those nearby. She wasn't quite where everyone was, but she was close enough to get a sense of where the most people are, right?
Ren raised a brow towards her. "I suppose that is true." He frowned and continued onwards in a slow walk to keep at Mizumi's pace. "To the market? It might be good for us to make it there, but today of all days might just be a bit crowded. We wouldn't want to run into any people and end losing track of time huh?" Or just be around them in general considering they can't fight Naoya if he showed up….. But…he also can't openly attack them. Grab them and carry them elsewhere yeah, but not attack. "Hmmm. Up to you." He said with a smile as he was also conflicted!
When they arrived at 'home' he would help her grab things, one he seemed to understand that want for scroll mastery even if he didn't want it too much. Her question causes pause, but it doesn't last too long. "Well I think if we focus on trapping the mice we may never get the cat today, but if we grab the cat for today it would probably be ale to hunt any other day for mice if it wanted." He nods to her as he made his decision it seemed. Focus on the 'cat' "I have a few why?" He asked as he started following her. Assumedly they put their henges back on. At the very least they made confuse in a crowd so a last minute decision leads him to the market. "You know what. We probably should head to the market to make sure we get a last few bit of things." He nods to her before waiting for her to lead onwards. Easier for him to match her pace if she begins the walk.
Mizumi would nod slightly to Ren when he says that it would be best to focus on the cat. With her Henge back on, she would begin talking in riddles once more. "When we cut the cake, I think we should do it in a unique way. After all, he's a shinobi. Shinobi do interesting things like that, right? Cut things in a strange way? If we maybe set something up so that the cake could be cut down from afar, then we would have a very interesting party on our hands. One everyone will definitely enjoy."
They were making their way to the market, steadily moving until they reached it. Once there, Mizumi would take Ren to purchase a number of supplies that will not be mentioned in this pose. They were very odd, though. A collection of odd things that really had no true reason for being at a party. She also bought things meant for a party like candles and cutlery, of course. Did she have a large enough budget for this?? … Maybe. Probably not. But pooling the resources together can do wonders for one's buying power, and she /did/ have /some/ Ryo saved up from various chores (not missions).
Ren nods to Mizumi in his henge. "Well of course. We don't wanna be like everyone else. That would just not be wise I feel. We want to do different. Something new would work well I hope." He smiled towards her and slowly walks along. "They do… So cutting it…. I am having a hard time coming up with something unique when it comes to that? Is it being far away really enough?" He asked of her before looking at everything she was grabbing. He pitched in of course. They needed whatever they could get. "So. Where were we planning on setting all of it up at again? The spot that we could surprise him the most right? Home is too obvious. YOu don't convince someone to head home and not expect them to think SURPRISE." He asked of her and then stated.
While Eiko rushed the forest, Kitaru was much more reserved. She also has to deal with the traps the students put up. Kitaru launches upwards and takes to the trees, using the Sphere as necessary to scout and avoid traps. While Naoya's arrow pierced the shell, none of the traps the students did so much as dented the Sphere. Kitaru shakes his head with a silent sigh. Getting closer, Kitaru watches as Eiko with her head of steam becomes a 'student' to attempt to take down Naoya. Kitaru rolls his eyes and waits. This was going to be short and brutal. Naoya did not suffer fools that Kitaru has seen. Glancing around, he keeps back enough to keep tabs on the clearing but not to be in sight. Even if the contact is brief and violent, it's a use of Naoya's focus. This gave Kitaru an idea and the Sphere would start shifting in a wide ring around that clearing. It would pause here and there, planting things, objects that Kitaru could trigger with the puppet strings. While it reduced the tools the puppet had.. it made there be a wide area that Kitaru would be able to strike from. Now, to see if the preparation would work.
While Naoya wouldn't use the brood to expand his awareness to unnatural limits within the forest, the sound of Eiko's shouting gave her position away more than the traps did. Standing upright, the young man turns towards the girl, his head slightly off to one side as he watches her. "I thought I could smell you once again, though you didn't seem to have the bravery submit yourself to Kirigakure. Yet now you want to be one of my-" Bringing his arrow wielding hand upwards, he quickly uses it to block her initial kick.
Taking a step back before hopping, Naoya's amusement fades as Eiko sweeps the air and grass below where he briefly hovered in the air. Once he lands, he steps forward while she twists within the air, thrusting an arm forward to grasp at her neck interrupting her forward flip to not slam her to simply grasp at her. "..Students? It's time for you to be scolded then.. You aren't ready to be a real student yet. Sit in 'timeout' like a good village girl, return when you actually are worth my time!" As he raises his voice, his arm erupts with silk, quickly trying to bind her form if she managed to escape his grasp or not. Ripping his hand away, he doesn't release his bow to strike her, instead he pivots on the right ball of his foot while drawing back his left leg. Uncoiling it suddenly, the young man forces chakra through his leg to kick at her lower ribs at full force, aiming to kick her into one of the close by trees.
Relaxing slightly, Naoya lowers his striking leg back to the ground before rolling his right shoulder. Whipping his right arm forward, a glint of a blade could be seen as a shuriken is whipped forward at an arc, aiming to cut away her bowed and tied together bangs. If the cut was successful, her would have a large lock of her ebony hair in her lap for her effort. "You've been permitted to your little grouping. If you remain foolish, I will revoke that permission, I also wouldn't use a warning shot for interfering with this student exercise a second time. Is this clear 'rice thief'?" With his attention narrowed onto the young Kaguya before him, Naoya no longer looked for traps nor students, giving the class further time to prepare if they weren't simply enjoying the showing on someone else and not enduring it themselves.
Swiftly being plunged into the side of a nearby tree, she would quickly drop to her side in short order. Surrounded in steel-like fibers, she was admittedly stopped in her tracks. Furthermore, as she struggled, a shuriken precisely cut the braid that was actually somewhat important to her. A momento of her mother. Her eyes furrowed. "Y-you… quiver…" Eiko said as she struggled for a breath of fresh air. His kick had the added effect of knocking the air out of her lungs. Her lips bit down as she looked away at her failure. She hadn't even a chance to fight him properly
However, her purpose had been fulfilled. At this moment and time she acted as a tool. A tool employed either by luck, or by the cunning mind of Doihara Kitaru. It certainly had been more effective at distracting Naoya than any of the traps that had yet been set up by the other students. Commendations are in order?
Mizumi taps her chin. "The forest," says the old woman. "Northern areas. You know he loves spending time up there, after all… I think it would be the perfect place to set up his party." The older couple would make their way to the place Naoya and the other students were located. As they moved, Mizumi fiddles with the decorations so that she can get things pre-setup. "We need to get all this done quickly since we're short on time…" she says with a small huff. "If you could tie some of the streamers and confetti together, that would be very helpful. I know it'll be difficult on the move, but we need to do our best to make sure this party starts on time."
Ren nods in return to her words. "That is true. He does enjoy it. I guess it does make the best place to set it up." He smiled and would follow her to the location of others working with her on things along the way. "Hmm? Oh of course I could." He said before starting to tie some of those together. Of course like she thought it was annoying to do on the move, but he was slowly making it work. "How much do I need to tie together? Just all of in one big chain or multiple smaller chained together grouplets?" He asked of her as it was important for him to know. Of course either one had different pros and cons so it wouldn't be bad either way.
Mizumi was working on something a bit different from Ren. Her fingers were tying strings to a few kunai, and she was walking and also using a stick to walk, so that just made it even more difficult. Fortunately, she could use water manipulation to make the task a bit easier. The girl gathered a few resources and, with barely any chakra being used, she would control smaller tendrils of water to work on the knots that would form the beginnings of the trap. "Whichever you think is best. I think that a lot of smaller bursts would be more fun even though one large thing is easier to clean up," she tells Ren.
Ren pages Mizumi and Naoya: Ren watched Mizumi a bit as she worked as well. She was impressive at times compared to what she started as. She has grown a bunch and he was just glad he was there to watch it happen. Though he still had to focus on his so he got back to it. Once she spoke he grinned a bit even in his henged form. "Oh well obviously we have to go for the more fun route." More clean up can be avoided when the level of fun isn't on the line! Otherwise it is obviously fun all the way! "So. I think I have a few already then." He would say after a bit longer of him walking.
The response by Naoya was expected. Short. Fast. Brutal. Efficient with punishment without being over the top. A completely cool and effective Kirigakure shinobi as anyone could possibly have.
In short, calculated exactly to the moment when Eiko was still in the air from the kick, that she reached 10 feet 1 inch away, would Kitaru strike.
The puppet, Sphere, the metal plate side towards Naoya, was henged as Kitaru. Showing up next to where Eiko was pinned, a kunai got drawn and used to slash the silk. It might take a bit.. but it was mostly for that lure. Kitaru used that action to be able to do the hand seals needed to set into motion two genjutsu. The first, simple, was the sudden serious desire to kneel. That was pushed at Naoya, forcing him to have to pay attention, or drop to his knees, leaving himself open. The follow up took a bit more power, more focus, however, if it succeeded, reality for Naoya would slow, slow.. then stop. Settling into a solemn moment of quiet. A classic jutsu of his father's, certainly, however it was still an effective tool.
Once the silk was cut or Kitaru finished the jutsu back to back and had a portion started for Eiko, 'Kitaru' would vanish back into the woods. With the focus drawn forward, the three sides of launchers was reached. Kitaru pushed himself to that limit of ability, reaching out with 3 separate threads, two already taken with the Bracer and Sphere. Each line of launchers started. The first was a set of senbon from the left, a 45 degree arc that had about 8 of them launch together. Exactly 1.23 seconds later, the second set fired, a set of shuriken from the right, another 8 and this time tinted with that hint of poison. The arc was wider, an attempt to herd no doubt as 2 seconds after the first launch of senbon, the third group fired. This was 12 kunai, that same tint to it of the poison and they would be from 'behind' Naoya. A 90 degree arc that if he followed the path outlined by the other two shots to 'dodge' them, perfectly struck the spot he should be at.
Plans are good.. but also easy to go awry, afterall.
"Step away from the child.." is said firmly, faintly hinted within his tone was annoyance from the very beginning that Eiko was being freed. Stepping forward once at a hint of stubbornness or rather defiance from Kitaru causes Naoya to pause with his eyes dilating. Twisting his left twist slightly, the reason would be clear a second later, blood. Blood drips from the young Okumo's fingers as a palmed kunai cuts into his hand, bringing his mind to focus, a more crude form than what he usually displayed. "Do you really think this is the time for play? Fine, have at it.." Shifting his weight, Naoya poises to hurl the now bloodied kunai towards the boy but then his movement lags without anything directly limiting his movements.
While still poised, Naoya doesn't move or react until a series of senbon pierces into him, and unlike a few previous attempts, the series visibly draws blood but that also causes slight movements to be made. Narrowing his gaze, Naoya focused onto the now freed girl and the empty space beside her. The series of shuriken and kunai would hit their mark but unlike the first there was no blood. One of the shuriken would be buried low and into his throat at a superficial view but upon turning to where he began to guess where Kitaru actually was, something was in the way.. webbing. A thin and somewhat padded layer of webbing covers the Okumo from around his throat and likely under his clothes, though it acted as if hardened body armor, not letting it bearer be notably afflicted with the poison laced weapons.
"Spider Augmentation Taijutsu, Silken Armor.." is slowly said as Naoya turns to face Kitaru directly, having not yet removed any of the two dozen* projectiles from his body. "Sometimes you can't avoid every strike, when that happens you must prepare a way to endure what should be a fatal wound and continue forward." Quickly lifting his left arm, a chitin bow is leveled towards Kitaru while the prepares arrow slips from along his right forearm to his hand to be notched quickly as he takes aim at his new target. "'Tag'," is said with a raised voice, making it clear for the other students to hear that he has found one of them before releasing the snap shot towards the left side of Kitaru's abdomen.
The wind was still knocked out of her lungs, but the sudden loosening of the silken string that kept her bound. Newfound freedom, and perhaps another attempt at attacking. It appeared that the one who had freed her was in fact Kitaru… As she recovered from Naoya's assault, bringing herself to her feet, she suspected that if Kitaru was willing to stick his neck out for her that she would be willing to stick hers out for him.
The time it took for her to return to combat capability was short, not enough time to actually be useful to Kitaru's defensive maneuvering, though she certainly wished she could, her lungs still needed time to recover. "Well… This is just great… I didn't expect you to follow…" Eiko said as she focused chakra into her legs. Her breathing regulated once more, she dashed at Okumo Noaya almost foolhardy. "That gives me another chance!" Another chance to fail, likely. Her dash was halted moments before she reached him, and rather than start her series of kicks from the head downwards, she started from the ground up. "Sweep." She said as she did the very same towards Naoya's leg. "Middle." She grunted as she attempted to strike his side. "Top!" She growled, as she struck a punishing blow to the side of Naoya's neck. "Kirigakure Strong Fist: Ascending Waterspout." She would make the spider eat her kicks, and wouldn't be satisfied until she hit him once… Only because he aimed his arrow at someone who wasn't even a part of his game.
It is when they reach the forest that Naoya is supposed to be within that Mizumi lets the henge drop. She had finished what she desired to do with the kunai in her own supplies, and she glanced back at Ren to make sure the same was true for him. Her staff was adjusted so that she would no longer use it to walk, thus avoiding the small tapping noise that could alert others to her presence. Her voice drops to lower than a whisper, and she'd move closer to Ren if need be to say, "Naoya-san is that way… We need to set things up properly. Put your item somewhere and I can track you and place my own object in the appropriate places…"
She pauses for a moment, doing a slightly better scan of the area. It was hard to find where Naoya was due to his low chakra usage, but he was there. Kitaru was somewhere near him as well… And Eiko? Why… "If you see Kitaru-kun, let him know of our plan," she says simply before moving off and leaving Ren by himself. It was up to him to lay down his own trap. But was he the decoy? Or was he the real threat?
Ren would watch over Mizumi a moment with a frown. He dropped his own henge when she did and sighed a bit. "I feel like the longer we take the more likely we are to fail this. Like he is able to get more prepared you know?" He whispered to her but just finished off what he had before nodding. "I will. Just keep an eye out." He would move over to a spot between two trees and he walked up the side of it to set up some things in the tree. Good thing students knowing tree walking isn't common! His focus would be on the traps and he would let Mizumi work around it. A nod would've been given to Mizumi at the mention of Kitaru, but unless Kitaru stumbled upon him he would continue setting up his traps. The location was a maze of trees so better chance to trip things he hoped.
Kitaru was of course expecting a reaction. An attack like this would get a response. While Naoya said 'tag' and drew on Kitaru, he moved, already in the process of a dodge when the arrow is released. Seconds. He'd only have seconds to figure out how to handle this. Replacement usually worked, but this is an arrow from Naoya. Eyes narrowed, Kitaru twisted his hand as he'd hand seal, a tug, the *POOF* and that sound of the arrow deflecting off of metal to slam into a tree behind where Kitaru had been standing. The smoke cleared and the puppet, Sphere, with a shallow slash mark pitting it's metal plate, shows the truth of the shot. Kitaru? He had gotten swapped to where the Sphere had been.. over by Eiko.
Kitaru starts to gather chakra to begin another attack.. only to cut off when Eiko launches herself at Naoya. Kitaru pauses, then goes into hiding with a frown. The Sphere would also vanish, back into the woods to be a backdrop of noise rolling around. Kitaru was setting up more things it seems? Of course with a 'civilian' within 10 feet of Naoya, he doesn't attack. That was the rule that Naoya put in place.
A faint chuckle escapes Naoya as Eiko moves to intervene and protect her rescuer* and failing. A slight amused expression appears on his lips as she seems show regret but that expression only widens when a metal scraping sound is heard from where he had saw Kitaru. "Oh? Improving or are you just not ready to die yet little Doihara?" Before he was able to begin tracking Kitaru properly, he steps back twice quickly avoiding the sudden low sweep attack, "You know.." Stepping into her sidekick, the Okumo doesn't seem to defend himself, but when she impacts his side she'd feel as if he kicked reinforced chain-linked armor. "You should stop.."
With the final kick, Eiko's high kick Naoya does something different, he moves his right arm up close to his neck while his left arm moved to support it. A moment before the kick lands, the Okumo draws out one of Kitaru's kunai and moves the blade in the path of Eiko's kick, bracing his wrist with his left, bow arm. "..announcing where you'll attack. You leave yourself exposed." Stepping back quickly, it would be easy for those watching Naoya to see silk snake around and coat the grip of the weapon and knot several times under the surface.
Whipping his arm out and to the side, the kunai lags behind, becoming a weighted whip. "Top!" Rather than attacking her throat, the whip strikes shallowly at the girl's calves. "Middle!" Curving upwards, Naoya strikes upward, punching at the air slightly above his head's height, carving the whip upwards, attempting to cut alongside the young girl's face but not to cut her eyes or nose.. "Slaughter!" is shouted loudly as his arm rips downwards, bringing the kunai with it, taking aim at Eiko's upper thighs that would hopefully leave her bleeding heavily and making it difficult for her to continue walking, but it wouldn't be a life threatening if treated within the hour.
"You say you wish to be a student.. then act like one. Learn. Currently, someone almost a Genin saved your life, and the life another thief today alone. You, twice now, hunt his 'prey' and got in the way of the hunt of the two dozen around us." Yanking with his wrist onto his kunai, Naoya grasps the tool properly to use it to point towards Eiko's face. "Do you want to be more, or do you wish to be nothing but a child that will likely be beheaded before achieving anything respect worthy?" The amusement in his face drains, twisting into a snarl as he barks the order, "Answer me!"
Midst her final attempted kick, the Kunai comes down upon her legs mid-kick. A smattering of blood would grace the green grasses along with the pain yelp of a young girl. It was when Eiko landed that she had realized that her face had also been cut. The speed of a Jounin is one not to be trifled with. With the muscles of her thigh and calf well cut, there was going to be little movement from Eiko. Even if she may try to get back up, each time she would fall to the side, grunting each time she tried to move.
Even with the pain she had enough resilience to verbally spit on Naoya. "I want you dead." Eiko said as her arm wicks the blood running down the cut upon her face. "There are too many shinobi like you in this place. You're the reason no one smiles in this city." After verbally spitting, Eiko actually spits upon the ground by Naoya's feet. "You'd better hope they lob my head off, cause the longer I'm alive the more chances I get to put you in the ground."
Mizumi can only shrug helplessly to Ren. "It's my fault that we're even taking this long… Gomen… If I hadn't wanted to see Eiko-chan…" The girl trails off and would just start to move. They had to move quickly. Her senses expanded outwards, checking on the location of traps and students. It was where the students were not that she sought to be, as she figured that the students would want to be near their traps to trigger them. She also chose to take to the trees, as she noticed Ren higher off the ground and thought that was a good idea. Plus, it was easier to avoid the traps that were laid across the ground like pitfalls and other triggers.
It's when Mizumi reaches a point opposite Ren that she brings out the kunai she had been working on. The strings had been woven together so that she could manipulate the kunai attached from afar. Whatever maneuvering she planned to use would be clumsy because she wasn't a puppeteer, but it would get the job done. She needed to aim these carefully so that they hit their target and not her friend…
Ren was working on his trap still, but he was curious how exactly they could make it work. If Naoya was prepared any it might not work right? It wouldn't pierce his skin if he was hit by sharp objects… Or it might just be deflected if he suspects it. Luckily he might be distracted a bit from the main attacks right? He was trusting Mizumi just as much as she might be trusting him. Either way he would just go about making sure he had multiple nets set up that would hopefully grappled different limbs on their own. A shinobi trapped under one normal net has a better chance of escape when all his limbs would be together… Hopefully Mizumi would agree?
Complications.
For one brief moment Kitaru tried to weigh rather Eiko was worth the complications she is adding into the mix. Snarling a perfectly good attack vector, now a potential avenue of surprise was lost. At Naoya's comment, Kitaru would have his voice emit from the puppet further away and to the side, although clear enough to be heard at least. "I would like to think both, Sensei. Improvement in adaptation to adversity as well as continuing to stay healthy. Papa-san gets upset when I mess up a tux. Mama-sama thinks it's amusing. Neither like when it's my blood that's staining it, however. So I am attempting to avoid such."
Kitaru would move again, shifting between the trees even while he'd keep that Sphere in motion. It was important to keep in motion, that arrow had been close and he rather not give such a clean shot to Naoya again. The puppet was resetting traps as well as laying down a few more. The sense of emptiness was coming quick with it though, meaning Kitaru needed to make his shots count.
"Good answer," is said with a raised voice but Naoya never looked away from the girl before him. Staying quiet while Eiko shouted up at him, he waits, seemingly listening intently to her. Walking forward a few steps, he stops only once his right foot resting along her lower ribs and on top of her diaphragm. Leaning forward, lowering himself slightly, he applies his weight onto the downed girl, but his voice stays just as loud as it has been to Kitaru. "Each and every one of you students listen to her closely. This.. This is how outsiders see the Jounin of this village. This is how outsiders will see you after you graduate."
Tilting his head off slightly to one side, Naoya slowly twists his foot, grinding his heel slightly into Eiko. "Even the weakest ones will fear you, they will despise you. They will shout how you are nothing more than monsters and killers.." A soft smile spreads across his lips but soon it widens as the silence in the air hangs until his teeth are fully bared. "They aren't wrong. Don't mistake yourselves, we are the champions, the soldiers of this village, no other. We don't wear fake smiles and greeting to those we are not loyal to. To save emotion for those we trust our lives with.. and no other."
Moving his heel from her chest, he kneels down and moves a hand to her throat, not choking her but soon begins to bind her whole body within silk unless she fought strongly enough. "Even as the outsiders hate you, if you are tasked to it, you are to save them. If you are not tasked with it, do not kill them without permission. They hold uses, even while annoying." Should Eiko be fully bound, Naoya would lift her up and bind her high along the tree before walking away, leaving her head fully exposed, but everything from the neck down snuggly bound. Walking away from the young girl, he speaks up while looking around the forest slowly, "Class ends within the next twenty minutes, if you haven't impressed me yet, you should work on them.
The bundle of silk-wrapped Kaguya struggled against the trappings that restricted her movement and ran red with her blood. Though she might have continued to curse Naoya beneath the bindings, her voice would be muffled by its positioning around her mouth. The bindings did not keep her from hiring his retort, and the lesson she brought to the class would be heard. The abuse she takes from his foot pinning her chest to the ground only lead to further struggling, though Naoya's silk held like steel, and she was soon enough carried away in short order.
Mizumi tunes Naoya's little speech out. Of course, a part of her is still listening; one should always heed the words of those who lead them. But most of her attention is focused on the trap. Getting it correct; choosing the angle properly… And readying a few kunai that are not entangled in whatever web she was laying down. The girl glances up, watching for Ren and awaiting for him to get everything set up in full.
Of course, in looking for Ren, she also gets to watch Naoya abuse Eiko. Mizumi doesn't really know what her feelings were on the matter, though said feelings were being particularly jumbled thanks to seeing an old friend being treated so badly. However, things were not quite settled between herself and the Kaguya, so Mizumi chose to wait and see what would happen. She wasn't sitting idly, though. Instead, she was slowly moving to make her way towards Ren, eventually meeting up with him where he had chosen to set up his own trap. A small tap on the shoulder would be what alerted him, though the tap was from water being extended. Mizumi holds up a kunai, gesturing slightly for Ren to move, and then, once she felt Eiko was far from Naoya enough that there was 'no civilian in a 10ft range', she throws it at Naoya.
If her target was Naoya, one would say the shot was a complete and utter failure. It wasn't too bad, though, considering her target was a string that held the kunai she set up. That initial launch from her triggered the trap she set, which would launch several at Naoya. Those kunai would also be a bit of a misdirection, as their target was the item Ren had set up: a net that would drop down upon the Okumo and trigger whatever surprises Ren had set in store.
Ren had to tune out the speech as well as Eiko getting abused or he wouldn't have been able to focus. It was bothering him with what he was doing, and all he could do was work harder to make this work. His trap would be finished not long later and would just with a tiny jump, nod to Mizumi.
If all went well his trap would get set off and nets would try to bind his limbs in place before a few dozen senbon would rain down at Naoya. Ren wouldn't show himself yet but oh how he wanted to so that he could say words of his own. That would likely be dumb of course which is why he didn't do it.
The task of a puppeteer, at least a good one, is to be able to split attention but still be full focus all at once. While Kitaru is no where near his father's ability in controlling multiple puppets and focusing on multiple objectives all at once all while showing none of the strain it gives, Kitaru is still able to easily pay full attention to what Naoya is saying and the lesson taught. Eiko was foolish. Kitaru freed her and she wasted it. Pity.
There was a flash of metal, a kunai lashing out from elsewhere in the surrounding area. Although it didn't look like it was going to strike Naoya, there was obviously a reason for it. Kitaru immediately went into motion. Flashing through handseals that also has the puppet Sphere set off it's traps, that volley of poison kunai would be launched at Naoya right behind that illusionary strike, once more Kitaru seeking to slow down reality for the jounin, grinding it to a halt while the perception stilled, reality would be the striking of kunai from himself and others, as well as.. nets? Interesting choice. Kitaru could only hold the illusion for so long and the number of strikes would eventually pierce the illusion, reality catching up in that flash of fast forward replay. Kitaru presumed it wouldn't be enough, however team work, an attempt to use weakness to enable a stronger strike.. that is part of the lesson too, right?
Opportunities are often rarely wasted and when Naoya only needs to slightly first to avoid the first of several kunai thrown, noone seems to respond. With the trap triggered, the Okumo manages to avoid several of the blades before his movement becomes sluggish until they quickly stop all together even as three kunai impale his side. With the Okumo already for the moment paralyzed, the netting further binds his movements should he recover, leaving him locked in blade for the senbons and tainted kunai to continue to visibly draw blood from the Okumo. This sight of weakness was all the other students would need to act, from the sides of Mizumi and Ren, and even from behind where Kitaru or Eiko were poised, further kanai were launched sparsely, though other more zealous attackers attached explosive tags to bundles of stone and caltrops, creating fragmentation grenades while others performed unstable ninjutsu strikes of water, lightning and even wind and earth.
The target of this barrage was the single Okumo who didn't realize what he had underestimated until the events played out in rapid motion for him, ending with him finding himself singed from lightning strikes, muddied, bruised, gashed and notably bleeding, worst of all knocked from his feet and onto his side. It had only been a few seconds for chaos to be born but once he regained his focus his clothes writhed, a chitin arm moves up to cradle the side of his head while a dark brownish martial encases each inch of his flesh, leaving his face more fit for an Oni than a human. "That.. Pain, true pain.. I didn't think that you would.. manage that," is said with a weak voice, it could be heard how damage his throat had become in the assault. A fourth arm moves to the ground while a fifth moves to one of his knees, pushing himself up from the ground. Once he returned to his feet, a sixth arm could be seen resting behind him, on the hilt of his sword, prepared to draw it. "I don't know if I should.. grr.. praise you lot.. or praise only those.. that started being.. 'proactive'.. on this 'attempt'."
It was difficult to tell the Okumo's expression as his lips were at this point armored though the steady chuckling building up to a rumble in his chest hinted at amusement, while his unblinking stare was filling with restrained bloodlust. "Class.. is over," is said with a clearing tone. "Save for one, not one here has failed. Several of you have increased what marks you have.." Turning his head, Naoya forces up and spits out a fragmented senbon that had been trapped within his body, coated in webbing to keep it from causing further internal damage. "Much better.. The little ones are quick to make sure this body is whole again." Moving one of his true hands to his mouth, he wipes over it before murmuring in a lower tone 'I'm starting to get hungry.. They caused that much damage? We will have to be more careful.. Yes, you can stay active to prevent 'that' again..' While the Okumo's body was now armored, the class could see their efforts displayed on his tattered apparel, which now more resembled rags than something befitting an instructor, much less an Jounin.
Mizumi noticed a bit of a surge of chakra in Kitaru nearby, and she blinked, furling her brow and wondering what he was planning to do. She had a feeling that Kitaru was going to help because they were on the same side, even if only technically. Then the kunai came out, and she would nod once in approval. Good. He was helping. The girl then turned her attention to Ren, to whom she offered a small grin of encouragement when she saw the senbon raining down upon the Jounin. Good touch… One she didn't expect, but she wasn't sure what Ren would do when she let him have such free reign. Then again, he probably didn't know the extent of what /she/ had done on their first Kill-attempt.
All that happened within a matter of seconds between when she threw her kunai and when Naoya was entrapped by the netting. As soon as the net fell, she would keep her eyes trained on the Okumo Jounin, watching him carefully and awaiting an attempt from him that would lash out at both her and her Shimizu friend. It didn't come, though. Instead, the other students all seemed to surge up and strike at their sensei. Mizumi assisted with some water needles, but they were a bit slow and one of the last attacks to hit. It was … unexpected to see so many students doing this action against Naoya together. It wasn't unwelcome, though. It was just surprising considering the number of students that enjoyed tormenting herself and Ren.
Oddly, Naoya fell to the multiple blows. Apparently it was too much to handle. She would grin slightly when she hears some of his words. 'Praise'. Whichever the case Naoya was planning to do, she would be praised, along with Ren and Kitaru, nevertheless. It was a good feeling to have impressed her sensei… Even if she didn't want to try and prove anything to him. Mizumi would slip from the tree, now moving to approach the fallen Eiko (and likely with Ren at her side). The girl would crouch down beside the Kaguya, considering her silently before eyeing Ren and raising a brow as if to say, 'Now what?'
Ren obviously did not see the surge of chakra. Didn't matter anyways as he was standing on a tree off to the side now as he waited for it to be set off. He had chosen the Senbon because even if he had spiders on his skin he hoped they would have a better chance to pierce skin and such. Once the senbon started raining he likely tossed a single kunai he had on him. He might have one more, but that would be saved. As he watched this all happen he noticed more students joining in. Of course they would once they started something. Trying to take credit for what they did likely. He wouldn't be surprised to hear some bragging later. He avoided using his blood just in case it was to heal him. He figured he could prevent it with some focus, but he didn't want to risk it.
Uh oh. He actually fell, but he did not seem to be as calm as before. Or at least he was calm but there was something else there. But he seemed to be praising their work at least somewhat. Well they were done it seemed at least now so Ren would quickly make his way to Eiko's side now. Probably getting their before Mizumi. "Eiko you idiot." He said and looked at Mizumi as she approached. "We just make sure she is alright." All that was visible was her face and he didn't care to waste time so he cut a bit into his arm and would basically force feed her his blood. It was something he could do now after the incident with Naoya and Mizumi. "Drink. Now." That would hopefully heal her wounds at least. His eyes turned to face Naoya and he sighed a bit as he just shook his head and looked back at Eiko. "Where do you want us to take you. Because I won't be begging Naoya to unwrap this. And I doubt you will."
"Teamwork." Is called out from the surrounding forest. After Naoya states the class is over, which means the attacking is done.. mostly as that means his brood can be in play again, would Kitaru come out.
"Teamwork is a lesson that everyone should know. A puppeteer innately has teamwork in their method of combat. However, as was shown here.. teamwork can take down any target, any foe. Enough strikes, knowing how to strike, went and what weakness may be there, is key. This should be forefront to everyone." Kitaru looked over at Mizumi and Ren, who was dealing with Eiko. Kitaru sighed softly as the Sphere, gathering up what it could have of its now used tools, would roll to a stop next to him. Kitaru bowed to Naoya. "Thank you, Sensei, for allowing us to see the strength of teamwork. I know that it worked due to the limitation you set in place. I appreciate the opportunity to see the results." Of course Kitaru wouldn't explain what limitation, nor what exactly was done that made it so everyone was able to strike. Instead, he'd just lean against the Sphere, recuperating from the effort he did put out, winded, but in the end not too worse for wear.
Walking forward, Naoya passes by both Mizumi and Ren, stretching a pair of armored arms out, one grasping Eiko by the throat, the other grasping at the webbing near her upper stomach, moving together to pull her from where she had been placed. "While the worry you two show this thief is respectable, I hold no intention of letting her die.. she will serve as a good tool." While he could have left quickly, the Okumo lingers, letting the Shimizu continue to treat her, near that time it would be clear that while he did hold the bound girl's throat, he wasn't strangling her. "This thief has interfered with a Academy lesson, not once but three times in the same hour. She had assaulted a Jounin of this village and even when mildly punished continue to insult and slander one of this village's shinobi."
Turning his focus from Eiko to Mizumi before settling onto Ren, he asks the boy "With these crimes, do you believe she will be permitted to go unpunished? It can be arranged that you can use her to practice more advanced treatments on, though this will be a choice, not an order this time." Once the blood stops flowing between Ren and Eiko, he turns to look at the girl and placed one of his dominant hands onto her head, covering her eyes for a moment before pulsing chakra through her figure, getting a sense of the extent of the damage and of the poisons within her system. "Yes, you did quite good work, she will be healthy physically quite soon, fatigued, but healthy." Using a third hand on the same side a the first pairing that held her, Naoya would carry Eiko similar too someone would carry luggage as he walks towards the small clearing.
The class would be given time to collect their tools, retrieve what little remains they had with the main purpose of not letting commoners fall victim to traps or blades used during the lesson. The trip back to the academy would largely be a quiet one though even after the day came to an end, Eiko had not yet been released from the Okumo's custody, nor did the Okumo leave at his usual time. Several of the instructors of different fields, a pair being Jounin though several more were Chuunin, were called for an impromptu meeting but the details were never discussed with the student bodies.
