Starring:
Suterusu, Chitose, Miku, Satoru, Karakuri
Date: March 2, 2013
Summary:
The stakes are raised on a d-rank mission to clean up candy wrappers when Suterusu threatens to suspend the slowest genin upside down in the training yard.
"Candy Wrappers and Wire"
Sunagakure Village Center
The village was a mess. half-eaten chocolates, now melted puddles of ick on the street, wrappers fluttering all about within the turbulant winds, it was quite displeasing all in all. Since this was the case, it was time something was done to clean up the place. That figure got assigned a few genin to get it cleaned up. Not that everywhere would be cleaned with one group, but at the least he could get started on the main square. That said, Chitose, Miku and Satoru were told to show up promptly at the main square. Once there, the figure was already there, in the open even. Impressive, right? Well maybe. He was also up on a roof over there.. and in the alley over there.. and yeah, it does indeed seem that he has those clones already working on the papers. He'd stand silent, waiting for the three to arrive for that clean up mission, before the orders would begin.
Showing up at scene of the gross, Chitose sighs as she arrives, "Really?" She then shrugs, "I guess not every mission can be glamorous or scary." She then blinks as she lifts up a wrapped with something besides candy in it, "Well…this might qualify as scary." She winces and then goes to collect a trash bag to put her part of the trash in before shaking her head.
Miku had never seen the village so messy, though, she had not been in Sunagakure very long. Apparently, at least from what she knew, it was the results of the festival that had occurred earlier. As she walked towards the meeting place she had been instructed to go to, Miku frowned. She had a bad feeling that she was going to have a hand in cleaning it up. She was not wrong.
When she arrived, she made note of the various clones around. There were enough that she was impressed. The person they would be working with was talented, at least. At her side, Miku's puppet Hitoshi walked along with a passive expression on its lifeless face. Hitoshi wouldn't be as useful as an army of clones, but after she figured they would be cleaning, she moved towards a pile of garbage and began shoving it into Hitoshi, using the puppet like a garbage can to help carry things. Garbage duty. Not what she had imagine when she wanted to become a shinobi.
Satoru grumbles something about pigs suddenly seeming like glamorous work as he arrives. However, he straightens up as he spots Suterusu. He looks over at Miku, frowning at the crazy puppet girl slightly. Then, realizing Chitose has already started, rushes to grab a bag himself and get started. "So, uh, I was thinking we could make a circle, and just move outward together. That way, we all know what we're supposed to pick up and get everything." He then looks over to Suterusu and adds, his voice cracking, "If that's alright with you."
There was no response for a long moment from that silent figure, the red eyes staring at Satoru for an even longer moment. Finally that soft crooning tenor would whisper out to them. "Agreed. Spread out in a line and work together. Be fast as the wind makes the things move about. The one with the least gathered I think will have to spend some time suspended upside down in the training yard for the failure." A nod given then, he'd take up a garbage back and join the others in starting to collect trash. Of course, two of his clones were also gathering garbage, the third on the roof watching over all of them as was his habit. Even in the safety of Suna, he was prepared for a potential attack. "Of course.." That tenor which was hard to tell male or female from how it crooned, "If I have the most.. then you all hang in the training field.. so I do recommend hurrying."
Even as that is said, the girl simply smiles. Chitose moving just as she normally would, collecting as she goes. Her garbage bag becoming fully even as she works. She might not seem to be moving very fast to a casual glance but her speed is backed by simple intelligent design. She had already chosen one of the messiest areas when she started. She knows that work is work…might as well pick the worst job and stay busy.
So it was being turned into a competition. Miku was not a very competitive person when it really came down to it, however, she also wasn't a fan of being tortured. She needed to find a way to at least outdo one other person and to stop the strange figure who was overseeing them from getting the most. The logical thing to do would be to intercept everything that the tried to pick up while she herself collected as much as possible by doing so. No - that wouldn't work. She had a feeling. So, she just continued picking things up as she made her way to join the rest of the group.
Satoru swallows thickly as the figure does not respond at first, shuddering from the tension. Finally, he exhales audibly as Suterusu agrees to his plan. He swiftly falls into formation. Satoru clenches his jaw as figure announces the punishments for being last. He looks over at Chitose and says to her, "Sometimes, I don't get how you can take everything in stride like that." He glances over at the falcon on his shoulder. "Baizo, fly up and keep an eye out for anything that drifts into areas we've already cleaned. Bring it to me."
And then he starts in on the trash, attempting to bag items as quickly as possible while not missing any spots in his assigned area.
Karakuri walked out, wearing robes and shrouds which is normal to the sand dwelling people of the village of sand, various scrolls seen about him as he glances to the goings on. "Whats happening?" He asks curiously as he watches everyone with golden eyes, face hidden by shroud and head covered with a turban with his forehead protector a part of it.
That figure would pause as part of his own pickup effort to look to Karakuri. For a long moment the figure studied the one in the turban intently, red eyes unblinking before his half-bag was offered to Karakuri so he could go get another. "We're picking up after the festival.." That soft tenor, hard to tell male or female exactly, would croon towards Karakuri. "You're now part of the pick up team. Gather as much as you can, as quickly as you can. The one with the least amount gathered will be hung up in the training yard via wires. for the night." The figure obviously expected the other to simply.. join in. As after the bag is taken, he'd go to get another bag to continue cleaning up the area.
After she finishes up her own area, Chitose smiles as she pushes the last bit in. She's dirty but she's not unused to dirty. She just nods and shrugs at Satoru, "I've seen quite a bit in a short time…it puts things in perspective." She chuckles before walking over to another pile, which is near to one of Suterusu's clones. Quick eyes might notice a metal glint in her hand but those not paying attention probably would have missed it. Either way, the bag that Suterusu's clone was holding tears and breaks. Chitose blinks and then chuckles, "Well, that sucks." And she just gets down on a knee and immediately starts pushing the garbage into her bag, "Here." She nods, "I got it." She then fills her first bag.
Karakuri accepts the bag. "Can Jutsu be used to pick up trash?" He asks curiously as he would look to the figure, beginning to pick up garbage in the mean time. He glanced to the various others present and he waits for the figure to yay or nay the idea of using jutsu, his backpack of scrolls set to only hang on one shoulder.
The collection of trash was progressing at a rather unimpressive speed for Miku. She had no particular tactic or even skill for picking up trash, and she hoped that the figure, whoever it was, would deny the use of jutsu, because if they were allowed to use it, she would be falling further and further behind very quickly. She merely looks to her puppet and sighs. Perhaps things would work out.
Baizo takes to the sky, as requested. The falcon is hardly ideal for picking up large amounts of trash, but does a good job chasing down rogue pieces of paper and plucking them up. Satoru, meanwhile, is moving as quickly as he is able, actually exerting himself to pick up as much trash as possible. He shrugs at Chitose's reponse, "If you say so. Me, I never plan to get used to the thought of razor wire."
Satoru chances a look over at the crestfallen Miku. A smile flickers on his face.
"No resource is denied for a good Shinobi." Would be the crooned response to Karakuri. Meanwhile, the clone that just lost most of his bag of trash to Chitose simply shrugs.. and vanishes. Well, Chitose suddenly pulled ahead it seems! Either way, a sudden harsh wind blew in from the direction of the appartments, bringing with it a whole new layer of those papers! The figure would make another clone, which picked up a bag to start cleaning, seeming as calm as ever about the task. Anyone who spared a glance at the recent paper that came in would note that quite a few seemed a bit more.. risque in terms of notes on them. Definitely not something that should of been left to blow about in public!
"In that case." Karakuri says as he pulls out two scrolls, unrolling them and the symbols glows. The first to come out is a massive metal being, the armor the type used by those heavily armored samurai called the Kuroyari. A large shield was on it's arm the edges of it bladed as it stopped about. The next looks to be more weapon then human, the very limbs of it seems to be blades, it moved almost as if it slitered, blades clinking and slashing the air with each movement.
"Let us tell a grand tale, Masamune the defender, and Muramasa the killer. Both shall slay the trash of this area." He says as his fingers begin to move and the puppets come to life, The armor holding the bags and the weapon puppet stabbing and gathering paper with blades and hooks, depositing it into the bags, the weapon puppet moving and getting trash with it's various weapons.
A blink at the addition that karakuri brings and Chitose shakes her head. She continues to act passively, just being a studious and good little genin, cleaning up as she goes. Even as she continues to gather up with a brand new bag, having already filled one. She hmms as she watches this new addition though, pondering the puppets and then continuin on her work. She, at the least, doesn't seem to mind being dirty though as she uses her arm to shove whole amounts of papers into bags.
Satoru growls loudly as more trash blows in. He takes a few steps back, going over an area he already went over once to try and keep it clean. He happens to pause to look at one of the notes as he picks it up. "What does that mean- oh!" Satoru is plainly embarrassed. However, in a subtle motion, this particularly trashy piece of trash manages to find its way into his pocket rather than his trash bag. And then the boy is on to more cleaning. Every now and again Baizo will drift down with some additional pieces of trash.
At the arrival of the new boy and his dramatic puppet show, Satoru can't resist looking back and forth between the two puppeteers and finally making a rude comment: "Have all puppet people lost their minds, or is it just the two of you?
That figure would eye the group as they worked, the comment from Satoru had him staring at the Hayato for a long moment. "This.." That soft tenor would croon, dripping with venom, "Is the only warning.. You respect your team mates. Or the wire I hang you up with will be razor wire instead of just wire." Red eyes almost blazed with a certain hint of rage as he'd stare at Satoru for a moment. "Understood?" After a few moments more beyond when Satoru responds, he'll stare at the kid before returning to his work. The papers with the naughty notes just put in the trash much like the rest of it. That wind swirls again, causing papers to fly up into the air, making it harder for those ground bound to catch them. Then again, the puppets seem to be doing a pretty good job of stabbing and 'killing' the trash of the area.
"I dont think I am so bad. My father creates a puppet for every person he kills, so that way in death they serve him." Karakuri says as his hands move, fingers dancing as the puppets seem to be moving as if they were normal people. Well Muramasa moved slightly faster and once his blades were full he cleaned himself off in the trash bag Masamune carried, the heavy puppet clunking and picking up things about him. "Mom's puppets are more complex…every piece of it can be used as a weapon so even if it is destroyed and torn apart, it will still be battle worthy." He says as Muramasa reveals it can be used quite easily as a flying tool, floating up with a spin as more blades and hooks catch the trash. "My puppets tell stories."
Another look to the others and Chitose merely smiles. It seems, repeatedly her path takes her near to whereever Suterusu or one of his clones are. Either way, she acts every bit the part of a helpful young genin. Then after another round up, she offers to help Suterusu with one of his bags now that is nearly full. If allowed, she ties it up completely and then walks over to the pile, slide sthe entire bag into another bag and adds it to her own pile. If not, she'll just continue picking up trash.
"Understood!" Satoru replies quickly, voice rising in pitch. The threat of razor wire somehow gets more scary each time he hears it. He then nods Karakuri, murmuring insincerely, "Stories are nice." Apparently a compliment at low volume here and there is his best imitation of respect. He calls down to Baizo with a whistle as he moves back toward the bags. When the bird lands on his shoulder, he asks, "Can fly around holding the bag? Use it like a net to get some of these flying pieces of paper?" The bird screeches. "Well obviously, if it was easy I would have already done it myself." Screech. "Would you just do your best?"
Satoru looks over to Chitose's pile as he continues to work. How is it so big already? He looks over at his own and swallows.
That figure and the clones didn't resist Chitose's 'help' as her pile would get bigger. He wasn't going to be hung up. The rest of them didn't seem to catch on to her trick, preoccupied with the birds and puppets and such. They've finally managed to clean up the rest of the area so that there was at least no more flying papers. Chitose was obviously in the lead, Karakuri coming in late would have the least.. but was also void from the punishment due to that latestness. So that left Satoru and Miku. Which one had the least? Time to go check and see..
Satoru swallows as the judging starts. He shakes his head at Chitose's pile. He wonders how she possibly collected so much trash, but it remains an unsolved mystery for now. He then looks over to Miku's pile and then his own. The two piles are close enough in size that Satoru can't be sure without counting both, but he worries that his is smaller. He starts to shake briefly, then steadies himself with a ragged breath and a clenching and unclenching of his fists. Maybe if he had just spent a little less time talking…
A final nod was given as the figure went over the piles. Interestingly enough? his was empty. "It's a draw. Chitose got the most.. but the rest of you are safe." That tenor would croon, his attention returning to the genin and the stuff they had gathered. A small nod was given. "you're dismissed, I'll turn in the report. Keep up the good work, so I don't have to hang any of you up." Red eyes turned to Satoru then, all but glaring. "Especially you. Hayato-san." With that last warning hovering in the air, he'd turn away and.. vanish, melting into the ground as if he had never been there to start with.
