Starring:
Date: April 16, 2014
Summary:
This scene is the start of the Black stone of Shinegakure arc. Team Hiei are charged with retrieving a priceless gem from a museum in the land of grass.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Black Stone of Shinegakure - #1"
Land of Grass
Hiei's team was requested at the mission briefing center. It was a rather simple mission so no one was too fussed up about things. Find and retrieve. An old man clad in black robes was waiting on them, leaning on a stick. He explained (very slowly, given his age no surprise) how his family had a black gem as a family heirloom. But how it was stolen during the great wars. Now he found it's location in a museum, but they refused to return what was theirs. He also had pictures tested for authenticity of the gem adorning a grave. With a young man next to it, presumably him, it does look like him somewhat. So the mission center decided to give the green light.
This museum was in the land of grass. How Hiei's team got the gem was up to them. Be it through diplomacy or sheer force. But the mission center urged discretion and warned that Kumo rather avoids swishing off the land of grass. The old man insisted on travelling with the group. Though the mission center eventually convinced him to instead wait in an apartment in the village. The payment was considerable and fitting for a c-rank.
The trip to the Land of Grass was uneventful. At least it was for Hiei. He had ridden his warhorse Snake Eyes the entire way and even though it was a long trip from Kumo, he felt pretty much fresh as a daisy. He didn't understand why most shinobi wanted to run everywhere. Dribble that. But as they arrive at their destination, Hiei lets Ryouji in on the plan. "Alright. We both know I'm no diplomat, so that's out. What we're going to do is pretend to be diplomatic, get them to let us in the museum so we can see what's what. Then we go back later, under the cover of darkness and just take the passed thing. Besides…we're kumo nin. We come from a long heritage of stealing stuff..including jutsu. This shouldn't be that difficult."
Ryouji has switched out his swords and done a complete clothes swap going with blood red slacks and a white shirt with no identifying features. The clothes are a bit on the high end, but fitting for someone like a diplomat's assistant. The black jacket fits nicely with the outfit too. He walks along with Hiei, glad that business is starting. He stuffs his hands in his pockets and says, "If it's a museum, wouldn't people be coming in and out of it? Couldn't we just blend in with the tourists and blend in with the people and then come back to rob it later?"
The museum is cozy and small. Family run and situated in a small village. One floor is all it needs, housing some paintings Hiei might appreciate. A few gems and artifacts, and then there's the gem as centerpiece in the middle of the building. There seems to be just one guard at all times, two guards total working in twelve hour shifts.
The museum has a few guests in and everyone is welcomes personally by what seems is a very respectable and friendly owner. Happy to tell all about each and every piece in the museum! Hiei and Ryouji receive the same friendly treatment. Every piece gets an introduction were they to ask. The man seems very knowledgable on painting and is even a painter himself. Showing off one of his own pieces, which is very nicely composed!
The gem however is just presented as a beautiful gift from the village hidden in the grass. Where they got it from he doesn't know. He does know it's like catnip for sensory types. They love being close to the thing!
As Hiei takes Ryouji's advice and just mingles in with the crowd, he has to admit that the genin was good at thinking on his feet. And he even tells him so. "Good call on this one, kiddo." He pats him on the shoulder and goes back listening to the curator. That is, until the gem in question assaults his senses. Leaving the group, he meanders over until he's standing in front of it. He sways a little on his feet as his eyes close. "Oh..wow.." His shoulders droop and his desire to possess the gem intensifies. He's not even thinking of returning it to it's original owner. Glancing around he curls his hand into a fist and punches through the display, intent on taking the gem out.
Ryouji is glad he left his protector at home, but his sword was left behind. He even found a way to lengthen his hair when Hiei wasn't looking while traveling. It's length is mid back and looks all 80's heavy metal rock band. The only gear he has on is a basic hip pack was taken with him. He looks shocked and calls out, "What are you doing?!" He resists the urge to call out 'sensei'. Best not to identity them both any more than what is needed. He takes a few steps back with the others that are sure to be around when Hiei punches the glass.
The curator holds out his hands while sirens begin wailing. "Everyone remain calm. This happends, it's no biggie.." The man calmly waves over the guard who tries to quickly slap a seal on Hiei's person, anywhere would do. Which quickly negates the effect of the gem. "It's okay, this happends.." The curator says again, holding out his hand.
"Don't worry, just give me the gem back and we'll put up a new display. Again, we had this happend before." The man chuckles… "Quite often in fact." He admits, not even seeming to mind or inent on having Ryouji and Hiei pay anything back. "You okay? got some talent there kid… Considered becoming a Shinobi?" The man asks dead serious. "I hear the land of grass still looks for capeable people!"
Hiei blinks and was planning on fighting everyone in the building to take the gem away, "It's mine. Anyone care to try to take it from me?" Hiei even goes so far as to bare his teeth at anyone who comes close. But guard manages to slap a seal on him and his eyes clear up and he looks a little confused. He shakes his head. "What the court was that?" He asks before handing the gem back to the curator. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me." When asked about becoming a shinobi, Hiei shakes his head. "Oh no. I could never become a shinobi." He looks over at Ryouji and shakes his head slightly. He really didn't know why he did that.
The curator waves him off and shakes his head. "Well, maybe it is something for you. You do look strong. I recommend giving it a shot!" He quickly runs into the back and soon arrives with a new display. "Anyways, I do hope you enjoyed your tour. Is there anything else you need?"
Ryouji was backing up with the people and as soon as the curator calmed people down he started milling about. But he does catch Hiei shaking his head, which he does as well, but more like scratching an ear. He keeps an eye out for any alarm triggers or switch off controls. If the alarms were manual or triggered by the breaking glass. And any other ways in or out of the room, skylights, multiple doors, that sort of thing. All while looking at anything interesting in the room or general wondering.
The curator waves him off and shakes his head. "Well, maybe it is something for you. You do look strong. I recommend giving it a shot!" He quickly runs into the back and soon arrives with a new display. "Anyways, I do hope you enjoyed your tour. Is there anything else you need?"
There's several ways out. A front and backdoor. Windows in the roof to let in sunlight. Windows in the walls sporadically. Truely, this place is one security nightmare! That said, the nin that moves was quite fast, probably high chuunin level!
Hiei flashes a smile at the curator and wanders back over to Ryouji. He speaks low. "I'd like to say that I did that on purpose to check the security system, but I'd be lying. That stone was calling out to me. That thing might be dangerous..all the reason why we need to get it away from here. Let's leave with the crowd and go back and plan how to get this thing."
Ryouji nods and heads out with Hiei and starts speaking when they are alone. "I made an exam of the room, it's a security nightmare. I suggest going in through the roof, a bit cliche, but it works. We should also not go in through the window. We could cut the roof in? Maybe, but might make a lot of noise. I'm sure they have all windows and doors wired with alarm seals."
Hiei listens to Ryouji talk and finds that his advice is sound. Sometimes it's the Sensei's that learn from the students. "Perfect plan. I can melt the glass with fire jutsu. There's a good chance that it won't trip the system. It's probably designed to go off if the current is broken, like opening the window…or breaking it. But if we burn a hole just big enough for you to get through, we'll be good. I'll suspend you from the ceiling with ninja wire and lower you down slowly. Once you get to the case holding the gem, you can attempt to disable the alarm. I don't think it's a good idea for me to get really close to it."
Ryouji gives a little smile at that, "You did go a little…nuts, sensei. But yeah, the seal is probably around the edge of the window, not in the glass itself. I don't suppose we have a way to knock out the guard that'll be in the room? They looked tough. Also, I'll need some swords. We got a few hours before the building locks up. Been wanting to pick up some swords before we left the grass country anyway. They have good weapons."
As the two spend their day night falls. The guards just shifted their shifts, the fresh guard relaxing in the office after doing his first lap through the museum. The darkness covers their approach, but the lights were left on in the museum, making them terribly visible! But also making break in slightly easier.
Hiei appears back at the museum, dressed in all black with a mask on his face that makes him look like an actual ninja. He has his swords strapped on. (Which he has left on Snake Eyes the first time) and he uses tree walking to go up the side of the building to get to the roof. Peering in the window, he waits to see what kind of route the guards take and how long they're gone from any given area before they come back.
Ryouji comes back to the museum at the prearranged time as well. After a trip to a weapon shop, he bought several swords, all length of the normal katanas that Ryouji has trained with but with no guards on any of them. There are several sheath strapped to a square pack on his back now. A pair poke out over each shoulder and a third pair of swords are mounted horizontal, six swords in all. despite all the swords, they all look comfortable on Ryouji and still allow ease of movement. To add to the disguise more, he bought a small animal mask with red wavy lines across it. Ryouji bounces from roof top to roof top since he lacks tree walking and climbed up earlier. Then lands lightly on the museum roof next to Hiei.
The guard shows his experience and alternates his patrol time between five and ten minutes, occasionally making it twelve and occasionally making it three. No wonder the place is a security nightmare. It's security itself is a pro!
He just leaves again, grabbing a snack from his jacket, an opperunity presents itself!
Hiei nods to Ryouji and then performs a handseal. He whispers. "Fire style jutsu." He places his palm over the glass and after a moment the glass melts until there is a hole large enough to lower Ryouji into. He secures a line and then ties one end around Ryouji's waist. "This the best time for us to do this. Try to be quick and silent. If anything happens, I'll come in and back you up.
While the mission impossible music cues the guard seems entirely unaware of what's going on for now. Wearing all black kind of losing it's point though in the well lit room! Ryouji gets his eyes on the guard in his little shed in the back. If the man only looks to the right he's toast! Luckily for him though the guard doesn't notice yet and is perfectly happy munching at his snack!
Hiei lowers Ryouji down slowly. Both so that the line stays stable and so that he doesn't make any noise. He keeps watch on the guards himself, hoping that his student doesn't get spotted too easily. He doesn't talk for fear of making any noise that might give Ryouji away. Once the genin is close enough to the display to work on it, Hiei ties the line off and walks through the hole. Using tree walk, he stands on the ceiling watching Ryouji work.
Ryouji does not have anything that would melt through the glass like Hiei's fire style, but his swords will work just as well. He reaches up and grabs the green wrapped handle of one of the swords and engages his blood line limit. His body flickers slightly, but only his arm moves. The straight blade slices across the top of the display, hoping to slice the hinges and lock. It's quick and skilled with a praticed hand from years of study in kenjutsu.
RP: Joker rolled a 5 with 1d10 die.
Actually cutting the lock and not breaking the glass did the trick of not tripping the alarm! The guard yawns and - almost - looks over, but then looks the other way, putting his arms behind his back! Phew, dodged a bullet there! Now they have the opperunity to slide the display off and nab the thing!
Hiei continues to watch from the ceiling and in peparation for the worst, he slides a sword from the sheath on his back and holds his close to his body. The moment that guard notices Ryouji he was going to get a shocking surprise.
With a drop of sweat hanging from his forehead, Ryouji shuts down his blur and sheathes his sword. He stares at the guard as he yawns, holding his breath. But as he looks the other way, Ryouji slowly lets out the breath. He reaches down and lifts the lid with one hand and with the other snatches the gem, pocketing it in his hip pouch right away, then closes the lid making sure to be quiet and gentle with it.
«GM» Joker says, "If I roll a 9 you trigger the alarm pulling it up/putting it down, if I roll a 10 the guard looks. If I roll an 8 you nearly drop the gem and we'll reroll to see if you actually drop it."
RP: Joker rolled a 2 with 1d10 die.
Despite the nervousness Ryouji pulls it all off clean. Now with the display case back in place and a gem in his pocket. Outside of the glass the vibrating effect is a lot stronger than it was inside the glass though!
Hiei sheathes his sword and then hops back out of the skylight. Taking the line in his hand, he pulls Ryouji back up before there is a chance of him being spotted. However, the closer Ryouji gets to Hiei the more powerful the pull of the gem affects him. By the time the genin gets to the top, Hiei holds him up by his shirt. "The gem. Give it to me. Now."
Hiei can hear the line wail as he pulls up so fast! But thankfully it holds.
Ryouji gets held by the shirt and gulps, "Hiei-sensei. The gem does not control you. I know it's powerful, you said so yourself. It calls out to you. I can't hear it so it has no hold over me. The logical thing to do would let me hold it, Hiei-sensei." He snorts and says in the same tone as Hiei used during his academy days in the training dojo, "Fight it sensei, we have a mission to finish." With that, a kunai appears in Ryouji's hand and slices upwards tearing at the shirt while Ryouji kicks out against Hiei so he won't fall back down the window.
Meanwhile the guard is entirely unaware the gem is missing. Luckily for the pair their ruckus on the roof was missed too! The guard only taking a moment to listen closely before dismissing it as 'probably the wind'
Hiei shakes his head. But he wanted the gem so badly. Just being near it was like heaven. As Ryouji cuts his shirt and kicks away from him, Hiei's body doesn't move. He simply stands there staring at the genin. He closes his eyes and tries to focus. "You're right..go. Take it and go. Return it to it's owner and then tell him to send payment to the village. But you have to go now. I don't know how long I can hold myself back."
Ryouji starts running at the first word go. He takes off running and leaps off the edge of the building and lands on the next one. Ryouji does not look back, if he did, he's afraid he'll see Hiei right behind him. It's good motivation to kick it into high gear. He draws on a large amount of chakra before hitting a slope on the roof. Sliding, he leaps off, grabs a clothes line sending shirts and panties flying everywhere, but lands safely on a vendor's tarp. He bounces off that before it collapses but hits the ground without losing a stride. Now that he's on the ground and in the open, he turns on his reizei blur and kicks up a small dust cloud in his wake. Once he reaches kumogakure, he heads right for the apartment. Who is he to argue with orders? He knocks on the door and waits for the old man to answer.
Eventually the door opens. The old man answers it and gasps… "Ah, you have returned!" He says, looking a little worried. "Did you manage to find my gem?" He asks. Looking at Ryouji. "What happened to your companion?" He asks in a typical worried old man's voice.
Ryouji shakes his head, "He's affected by the gem. He almost tried to kill me." He holds up the tattered remains of his shirt. "Or at least rough me up. But…" he digs into his hip pouch and pulls the gem out, "…mission completed. He fought the effects of the gem long enough so I could get away." Then looks down either hall, half expecting Hiei to come charging down it. Ryouji says, "Do you know why some people are affected and others are not?"
The man looks at Ryouji and nods slowly. "Yes and no. It's an heirloom." The man explains. "All I know is that those attuned to it are attracted by it.." He explains, grabbing and holding on to the gem tightly. "Finally it's back with me. Thanks.." The man tells Ryouji, putting the gem in his own bag while heading out of the door. "My payment's already complete. Do you need me to do anything else?" The man asks, while pointing at the gates. "And mind accompanying me to the gates?"
The further Ryouji gets away from him, the less he feels the effects. While Ryouji Reizei sped his way home. Hiei goes home on Snake Eyes. Slowly so that the genin has time to finish the mission. Hiei didn't want to see the blasted gem anymore. Eventually, he'll enter the village and check in with Ryouji briefly before heading home.
Ryouji says, "Sure…" and walks with the old man. "Now I understand. Those that can sense chakra no doubt." He's glad he didn't take his training that far yet. "And I'm taking a guess that you can sense chakra too? Still, the village says you get the gem. Can't argue with orders." He smiles as he approaches the gates, hands behind his back. "Well, if you ever need other services from the village, you know who to contact. It was a pleasure doing business with you. Have a good day." Then he stands by the gate and waits for Hiei to come back while examining his swords one by one.
The man chuckles and smirks, suddenly his voice turns into a female one. "I guess you can say so…" She says, as the old man's body suddenly splits open in a gruesome display, left there like an empty husk. A wicked looking woman with long black nails, black lipstick, long eyelashes and skull ear-rings suddenly appearing. Snatching the gem from the shed body. "Gosh that sticky old man.." She says in a wicked voice.
"Tell your teacher the Shine-kage sends his regards and gratitude." She giggles and waggles her fingers. "And tell him that if he has any complaints he can take them up with Matsumui" The deception artist from Iwa, now the Shinekage's right hand waggles her fingers. The fact she kept her chakra signature hidden from the sensors in Kumo was a feat in itself! Especially since she did for days. "And don't worry, the payment has been completed in full. We're not unreasonable~" She giggles and poofs in a shade of green smoke.
