Starring:
Date: August 19, 2014
Summary:
A mission of mercy goes wrong and Ishino goes to find out why
"Ceda and Mau"
Two villages in the north
The mission had been a simple one. Take a team of genin to a neighboring village and help them with thier medical requirements. In the absence of the Mizukage the northern villages of Ceda and Mau had come to blows. It wasn't clear in the reports what had caused the clash, only that Ceda was calling for medical aid and Mau was silent. Akane had volunteered to take a team of 3 genin medics with her to Ceda to render aid or so she told the genin. Her secondary mission was to assess the threat from Mau. The trip should have taken a few hours on foot to reach, possibly a few days to set up the proper medical requirements and report back. However, a full 36 hours had gone by with no word from the team or Akane. No reports, no genin, no contact at all.
Akane is missing. At exactly the end of 36 hours, Ishino put in that he was going to recover his wife. The schedule already changed to accomidate a two day trip for him. Everything was packed, scrolls included and Ishino was off, the 4 hour trip by foot was done in 2 via HARPS… Yeah.. Ishino wasn't subtle. At all. Reaching the edge of the village, he swept the area with a look, pondering what's going on for a moment before he'd finally open HARPS and hop out to land in front of it lightly. The unit would crouch the old man leaping off the back of it to land beside Ishino lightly. Together, in unison, they started for the front gate of the village… The seven swordman had arrived.
Ceda was surrounded by a fence made of logs and for a smallish village it was pretty well fortified. Of course HARPS would have llittle trouble sneezing the fence down. However, it wasn't hard to hear or feel HARPS comming so warriors and guards for Ceda were outside the gate when HARPS came to a stop. Six to be exact. All of them stared up at the massive puppet with large eyes. They had of course heard of the Swordsman that utilized puppets from Kirigakure, they just had not believed the stories of his largest puppet. One of the men stepped forward as Ishino and TK leapt down. He looked nervous but he kept his weapons within easy reach. "What business does Kirigakure have here?"
Ishino carefully tugged on his suit. The outward look of him casually correcting an almost imperceptable flaw in his look. The actuality was of course a finger touching the seals lined along the inside of the suit, verifying what he had available as he'd study the six men. For one brief moment, he thought about ending them. The paperwork wouldn't be as bothersome then. "Greetings. I am Doihara Ishino." He sweeps into that elogant western style bow to the man with that easy smile. The old man with him, TK in the henge, would give the much more standard formal eastern bow. "I'm actually here due to the fact that my wife was coming here to aid your village." Ishino straightens up as he'd casually check his cuff. "Considering she hasn't reported back yet. Nor the genin.." Red eyes locked onto the man then, that seriousness and maybe a hint of rage that was being contained seen in that look. "I want to know where they are at. Promptly. Before I get upset. Agreed?"
The man watched Ishino as he adjusted his suit, completely blissfully unaware that he was checking his arsenal conveniently hidden in strange western clothing. However, Ishino's words made the 'leader' lift his head a bit. One would have to give the man credit that he did not simply panic when Ishino mentioned his wife had gone to aid Ceda and hadn't returned. And Ishino's comment about finding her befor he got upset made one of the men lean over and whisper to his buddy that he thought Ishino already appeared upset. The man listening kicked him in the shin for the comment and pretended nothing had happened. The leader closed his eyes a moment at the stupidity of his men and shook his head.
Finally he bowed to Ishino, sloppily, but he tried. "Doihara-sama, One of the Seven. We found some youngsters. Perhaps they are of whom you speak?" Behind him the men looked uneasy.
Ishino raised a brow. He stared at the man for a long moment in contemplation. Then his attention turned to the men, specifically the one who spoke up as he'd lift his hand and point at the man. "You." Stepping forward, the leader was all but ignored. The old man coming up to stand beside him as Ishino would face off with the man. "I will admit. I am rather upset at the moment. I don't like my wife going missing. I'm sure you can understand that." Ishino leaned in a little then. "Tell me what happen. Honestly. Before I kill you all and go find out what happen on my own."
The idiot who was singled out paled visibly and the leader glared at him directly. But Ishino's casual suggestion that he was going to kill them all and investigate himself was enough that the guy very nearly fainted. One of his brethren caught him by the arm and raised a hand. "Doihara-sama, Lord Swordsman, Two youngsters from Kirigakure are in our healer's care. Please, we will bring you to them." The leader simply stood there for a long moment then nodded and motioned. At his command the gate was opened enough for ishino and the men to enter the village itself. Assuming Ishino would follow them, he and TK would be led to a simple shack off the ground by about 36 inches. Simple mats served as beds and sure enough there were two genin surrounded by several other people.
There were a few people who looked like they might be sick but the majority of the patients had serious injuries clearly brought on by a battle. The genin were severrely injured and one looked on the brink of death, his face ashen and a bloody bandage around his head. The other appeared to be asleep.
Ishino went with them as they finally decided to respond appropriately. Moving through the village, Ishino kept alert, as did the old man, studying his surroundings. As they made it to the medical area, Ishino quickly would look over those who were hurt. Studying the one that was close to death, he'd let those tending return to the genin's care as he'd check over the other genin, verifying they were indeed alive and just asleep or not. From his position next to the genin, he'd speak again. A lot of the warmth that had been in his voice was gone, although there was that certain politeness still infused into the words. "Where's the other genin and Akane?"
The healer tending to the patients watched Ishino enter the little shack and paled a bit. When the Seven got involved in something there was going to be blood he just knew it. The six warriors had dwindled to two standing at the doorway of the place. Both looked anywhere but at Ishino. Terrible liars these Cedans. Silence reigned in the shack until the healer spoke. "Akane? The shinobi with hair of blood —"
"SILENCE old man!"
All heads turned toward the warrior leader who stood there glowering at the old healer. He was clearly angered by the attempt to answer and the reveal that even if they didn't know Akane was Ishino's wife they did know Akane. The old man shook his head and scolded the warrior as if he weren't afraid of the backlash. "The young lady and these poor children were caught up in a raid. I have cared for these two, but in the battle the Blood-haired woman and the other child disappeared. It is possible they are in Mau. It is often they take more than supplies in thier raids." He turned to the warrior and gave him an angry look. "And why are we lying to Kirigakure now?"
"Because he saw the puppet I came here in." Ishino stood up. He smiled politely to the old man. "Yes. That is Akane. She also happens to be my wife. So the Mau took her. I'm not surprised." He'd turn away then, walking closer to the leader. Stopping in front of him, Ishino looked him up and down a moment. "The only fact that you are alive, is because she's alive. Otherwise this whole place would be leveled. You lie to me again, I'll be using your entrails to fly Kirigakure's flag over the front gate." Ishino turned away to step out of the 'hosptial' area then. Hands going into his pockets, Ishino stared in the direction he knew Mau to be. Silently he was counting down, ten to one, to keep calm. They were protecting themselves and he was seen as a threat. There was obviously more going on here.. and it would be dealt with. Just not by him. Not right now. Ishino started walking for the front gate then, the old man falling in step with him as he turned contemplative. Something was obviously going on.. but what?
The healer raised an eyebrow at the puppet reference but let it slide. He had heard of the rumors of HARPS but hadn't thought them accurate.. until now. He had no need to see it for himself to prove it was hugge and intimidating. Then again the leader was a coward too. "I will continue doing what I can for these two." He promised Ishino before turning to do just that.
Meanwhile when he got back to HARPS he would find children galore (and a couple teens) surrounding it in awe like it was some strange animal. A little child had the guts to reach out and touch it then ran back to her friends giggling like she'd just touched a domesticated elephant. One of the teenagers, a girl, noticed Ishino's presence and grabbed a few of the kids, pulling them back and out of the swordsman's way.
Ishino smiled politely to the kids. The unit shifting it's hand forward to hold it out for Ishino to step into, the cockpit opening up to allow him access. "When I come back, I don't mind if you guys get a ride. As long as Akane is alive, there won't be any issues." Of course.. if she was dead.. they all died. But Ishino wasn't going to say that. Instead, he'd slip into the unit, bringing it online and having it straighten as the cockpit closed. Shifting, making sure there wasn't anyone around the feet, Ishino, in HARPS, went around the village's wall and started towards Mau. He quickly went through a check of it's weaposn. Looked like everything was loaded and ready.. now.. did he ask.. or did he knock..
The teenagers had the wherewithal to get the kids back as Ishino moved and of course several of the kids were excited by the prospect of a ride when the man returned to the village. They were oblivious to the implications of Akane's being dead and what that meant. Mau was not far from Ceda in HARPS and it took Ishino very little time to get there. He would find that Mau, though larger, did not have a fortified wall around thier village. The warriors were alerted by HARPS footfalls before Ishino arrived, but they were only in a defensive formation. When the puppet was close enough an older man stepped forward as if to greet it. But several warriors surrounded him and held thier weapons, ready to die for apparently thier leader.
Ishino in HARPS stopped a short distance from the group. Both shoulders on HARPS opened, massive launchers unfolding to come up, lock in place as that hum started within the unit. Both arms come up with those senbon mini-guns coming up and locking into place as they'd all get oriented on the group. "I'll make this pretty simple." Ishino's voice was amplified from inside HARPS across speakers in the front of the shoulders. "Give me Akane and the genin from Kirigakure."
As the launchers came up and the guns presented themselves the line of warriors aorund the elder thickened quickly. If this village had one thing it was loyalty toward it's elder. But the old man patted his warriors ont he shoulders and stepped through them to speak with Ishino anyway, calm as could be. His clothes were ragged and he walked with a limp and a walking stick, but he was still brave enough to face Ishino.
"Akane? Ah yes the woman. She is kindly helping our injured." He spoke in a political sounding voice so it would be impossible to tell if she had done so willingly. "You do not need your weapons here." He motioned and reluctantly the warriors backed up and lowered their weapons.
Ishino narrowed his eyes at the man. As the defenders backed up, Ishino would finally flip the switch that disengaged the launchers, having them fold back into place along with the guns. From there, HARPS crouched, the top opening to allow Ishino to hop out, that old man coming along right behind him as HARPS sealed again. "Helping your injured. I heard she was taken in a raid." Ishino folded his arms over his chest, studying the old man. "You're going to take me to her, now, right?"
The old man watched Ishino hop out of HARPS with raised eyebrows, clearly impressed by the giant machine-thing. "A Raid? I would not call a clash between the villages a raid." He motioned for Ishino to follow then simply turned and started limp-walking into the village as the crowd parted around them. "There was some confusion on the battlefield and we ended up with Akane and a child. Both were injured in the fight but they live." He continued walking to a large tent set up in the center of town. Ther were armed guards with enough physical strength to easily subdue Akane should she try to fight them physically. They eyed Ishino but stepped aside and let hima nd the old man through.
Inside the tent was a similar set up as in Ceda, many injuries being treated by not enough people. At the bedside of one man was Akane, her bright hair falling down behind her and barely held in place by a string. Her weapons had been completely stripped as had her pouches. She did not even have her jacket on. And she was wounded. Still, her focus seemed to be on the patient in front of her. She was concentrating hard but healing slowly andlooked exhausted.
From Ishino's side came a young voice "Doihara-sama!" The genin had her arm in a sling and a bandage on her head and just generally looked beat up but she was alive and alert.. and guarded… As soon as the kid spoke the groard slammed his staff on the ground and the genin flinched back, looking up at him.
Ishino walked into the room and looked around. He did not like what he saw.. His attention turned to the guard with the staff. Eyes narrowing as suddenly, a flash of movement and the guy's staff was torn at by a gremlin, catch in those wicked teeth as the inner teeth engaged, a woodchipper would of been proud as it'd basically.. consume the stick. Another gremlin showed up next to the genin to make sure they were ok as the third one, in that usual outfit, would drop from the roof, hopping lightly to stop next to Akane. It looked at the one she worked on, then at Akane herself. "I'm glad you didn't kill them. I would of hated to have had to destroy your village along with theirs. I do, however, recommend that you release them. Immediately. Failure to comply will make me take steps to extract them." Ishino's attention turned to the leader. "Akane will also need her gear back. As will the genin. Understood?"
The genin jumped just as hard as the guard when the gremlin came out of nowhere. But the guard watched the gremlin consuming the staff with horror whereas the genin thought it was the coolest thing she'd ever seen. She stood up and kept close to the gremlin as the guard backed away and the old man frowned. Akane, meanwhile looked up at the commotion, blinking, her exposed eyes went wide and then she looked relieved. The old man just raised his eyebrows at the whole staff incident. He had a single moment where he was clearly contemplating the scene and the implications. He came tot he inevitable conclusion that it was probably best to obey. He motioned and nodded and the guards backed up. One went to Akane and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her to her feet. At first it looked like a bit of mistreatment but Akane grabbed his arm tightly as she was lifted, exposing a leg injury to top it off. Once on her feet the guard let her go and she moved quickly toward Ishino.
Forest green eyes watched her husband as she came closer, nearly tripping as she put too much weight on her own leg. "Koi! Shana and Levi?" She knew where the third genin was but the other two who were still in Ceda had been lost int he battle.
Ishino shifted, the gremlin growling very mechanically at the guard as he'd host Akane up, to take the man's place in helping her walk over to Ishino. Ishino hugged her lightly. "Koi. One is critcal. The other was asleep. They're working on the one. We need to go." Ishino glanced at the leader. "Her gear. Now." Ishino motioned for the genin to come along, the gremlin moving as a guard of the genin as well. "Koi.. think you have enough to heal your leg at least? I came here on HARPS and I'm afraid the ride will not be pleasent with that wound.."
Akane hugged Ishino back, allowing herself a single sigh. She knew this wasn't over yet. She pulled back long enough to hear the condition of the other genin and flinched. The gremlin completely freaked out the guards when it growled at them for manhandling Akane but they offered little resistance. The genin moved close to Ishino and Akane as well as Ishino asked the medic about her leg. She shook her head a bit. A villager brought her her weapons and hairsticks and pouches which she put on quickly but simply reached into her pouch and pulled out a syringe, injecting herself in the leg with it. "I won't feel a thing but if one of the kids is critical I want to use what I ave left for that." She was tired yes but she wasn't going to give in on this one. She looked at the old man and scowled darkly. "Your people had best stay put. The Council of the Seven is clearly not happy with your conflict. I expect they will see to meetings between your villages." She spoke in a tone as if hse knew what she was talking about. Ishino alone might note the tension in her voice suggesting hse was nervous. The people wouldn't stop the three from returning to HARPS, but they did follow and like in Ceda there were children surrounding the massive puppet when they got to it.
Ishino walked with the others to HARPS, the machine putting down a hand for genin and Akane both to sit on. He'd shoo off the kids absently, not nearly as friendly.. Akane was hurt. There was going to be payment due. Once they were situated, Ishino would leap into the machine, starting it up and turning away from the village. He quickly carried them back to the other village, the machine leaning over the wall to settle Akane and the genin as close as possible to the medical facility. Leaping from the unit himself, he'd land lightly. "In there Koi." Ishino looked for that leader.. of course they'd know he was coming, the HARPS being hard to miss. "You. If you so much as allow a single hair on her head to be harmed, I will personally kill you. It will be long. It will be painful. Understand me?" If looks could kill, that blazing red gaze would of already slaughtered the man. Once he made sure Akane was ok, Ishino moved back for HARPS. "Now. Payment is going to be made."
Akane climbed up onto the hand of HARPS and then pulled the genin up after her before wrapping her arms around her girl to keep her steady. None of the genin had been older than 12 and Akane was concerned about the one Ishino had said was 'critical'. So when Ishino set them down again close to the medical shack Akane was hard pressed to keep still as Ishino came down and arranged a guard for them. The indicated man paled visibly and nodded to ishino's instructions, quickly moving to help Akane walk to the medical shack where she would be too distracted by the downed genin to realize what Ishino was about to do.
