Starring:
Hanami
Date: March 11, 2016
Summary:
Hanami spends her boredom wandering around Kumo and finds herself in the rougher part of town where a young pickpocket girl tries to rob her.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"City Wanderings: Runaways"
Kumogakure
Hanami was stalking through the city. Because she had nothing better to do now. Then again, much the same as the last several months so being forced to stay here wasn't too different. So through the city she went; down one street, up another. No destination in mind, no goal. Just walking.
Hanami ends up in a quieter part of town. Or at least, a part of town where there's less foot traffic though maybe not quieter. Some would consider it a riskier part of town, though she didn't really care. What was she going to do anyway? So on she went through the rougher part of town. No trouble yet though.
There was someone in the shadows. A young, female someone. She was following Hanami for a short time now, keeping hidden in the little nooks and crannies of the city she knew pretty well. Especially around here. All she knew about Hanami though was that she was a mark, shinobi sure, but didn't mean she couldn't steal from the girl. Her fault for coming to this part of town. And she needed the money anyways. So on she went.
Hanami eventually got a hint of something amiss, more so than usual for this skivvy part of town. She kept walking though as if nothing was amiss. No point in being completely stupid; if someone was coming after her best have a heads up. So she casted her senses out upon the wind to get an idea of what that someone may be.
RP: Hanami joins the roleplay.
COMBAT: It is now Hanami's turn.
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a WIND-SENSE…32
The girl was ready to make her move. Hanami had wandered through the area long enough. Time to get in, grab what goods she could, and get out. Those pouches had to have something worthwhile. Holding the short club she moved up silently and swiftly, intending on clubbing the girl and grabbing the loot then booking it.
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Stealth from 1 to 20 and get(s) a 17. - Rolled by: Hanami
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Clubbing from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 25. - Rolled by: Hanami
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a WIND-DASH…42
Hanami senses the girl coming behind her and picks up the disturbance in the air from the club swinging at her head. She moves with a little burst of wind, twisting and staring at the girl, "Excuse me. Were you trying to club me? And what, rob me? You're a kid?" She folds her arms across her chest, staring down at the younger girl.
The girl, Rai, stumbles a bit when Hanami moves out of the way of her club causing her to just hit air. She looks up at her, trying to be fierce. She ignores the questions and just swings for Hanami again. Had to get the money somehow, and today was slim pickings.
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Clubbing from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 21. - Rolled by: Hanami
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a WIND-DASH…36
Hanami just sighs, darting out of the way and behind the girl. It was then that it clicked. Seeing Rai's face as she moved out of the way of the clumsy attack. "Wait…I know you you little mowgli. You're the street urchin that tried robbing me of a package while on a mission a long time ago. Guess hoping you'd turn around was a little too much huh?"
Rai swears when Hanami dodges her attack again only to end up behind her. Spinning quickly so as not to leave her back exposed she blinks, "Like I'd know? I could care less if I tried to rob you before, all that matters is right now." Then she rushes in swinging rapidly with multiple strikes.
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Clubbing from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 23. - Rolled by: Hanami
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Clubbing from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 24. - Rolled by: Hanami
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Clubbing from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 22. - Rolled by: Hanami
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a WIND-DASH…41
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a WIND-DASH…48
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a DODGE…36
Hanami sighs and dashes back and forth, easily dodging the first two swings. The third though she moves right in Rai's face and with a couple quick hand movements, smacks away the short club disarming her. "That's enough. Stand down pollyanna."
Rai yelps as her club is smacked away and she scrambles back a couple feet. When Hanami tells her to stop she looks troubled and frowns. There's no way she can do that, she knows that. What would she do if she couldn't pay…her. And the others, if they hadn't been able to snatch up enough goods they'd be in trouble. So despite the odds being against her, Rai darts forward trying to grab at Hanami's pouches. If she can get the loot and get away it'd be better than trying to knock this shinobi out.
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Snatch from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 27. - Rolled by: Hanami
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a DODGE…27
Hanami sees the girl steel herself and knows she's about to try something. When Rai moves forward she steps back to avoid whatever attack this may be but the girl does manage to grab one of her pouches. Before the girl can think to try and rob her Hanami quickly swipes her hand down to deliver a hand blow to Rai's wrist, "Enough of this." In the length of a breath she charges wind chakra and blasts it forward to knock the girl back. She follows it up by charging forward and slamming the girl up against the wall, pinning her forearm against the girl's throat.
COMBAT: Hanami attacks target 1 with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 21
COMBAT: Hanami attacks target 1 with GALE-PULSE with a roll of: 21
COMBAT: Hanami attacks target 1 with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 23
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Dodge from 1 to 30 and get(s) a 1. - Rolled by: Hanami
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Dodge from 1 to 30 and get(s) a 23. - Rolled by: Hanami
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Dodge from 1 to 30 and get(s) a 1. - Rolled by: Hanami
Rai cries out as Hanami strikes her wrist, feeling a sharp pain she jumps back. Part luck, part skill she manages to just avoid the blast of wind but before she can count herself luck Hanami is charging her. Her breath explodes from her chest when she's slammed against the opposite wall, pinned. Her eyes are wide, fearful now at the situation she's gotten herself into. All she can think to do is try and kick the girl and get free.
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Physical from 1 to 30 and get(s) a 14. - Rolled by: Hanami
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Physical from 1 to 30 and get(s) a 25. - Rolled by: Hanami
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Physical from 1 to 30 and get(s) a 18. - Rolled by: Hanami
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a DODGE…38
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a DODGE…34
RPCOMBAT: Hanami defends against with a DODGE…32
Hanami shifts her body back and forth, avoiding the thrashing kicks of the girl. Her eyes hard and voice cold she presses her arm against Rai's throat briefly, "I said enough. What the dodger do you think you're doing you little potter. You clearly stand no chance, you're not going to rob me nor do I really have anything worth robbing in the first place. You're a child, what're you doing out here like this?"
COMBAT: Hanami attacks target 1 with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 25
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Escape from 1 to 30 and get(s) a 27. - Rolled by: Hanami
Rai is more afraid than she'd admit, staring into the fierce eyes of the other girl. All she can do is cough, the arm to her throat making it too hard to really speak. What would she say anyways? But she squirms and struggles, managing to slip out and fall the ground. Scrambling backwards she wont take her eyes off Hanami, "N..n…none of your business! And what I'm doing is trying to live. You're just lucky I'm having an off day or you would've been in much more trouble!" Yeah, bravado. Nice try.
Hanami grumbles as Rai slips free from her pin. She bears down on the girl as she speaks, "It's my business when you're trying to attack and steal from me. Where's your home, your parents?"
Rai flinches, expecting Hanami to strike at her again like before when she bears down on her. Instead it's more questions. She peers at her. Maybe if she talks…maybe there'll be a chance to get away. And find a real mark…yeah. She tries to summon a defiant stare, "I do what I have to, to survive. What else am I suppose to do? And I have no parents okay? My home is where I can find a comfortable place to sleep, so there!"
Hanami stops, Rai's words don't exactly surprise her but she still can't help feeling a little sad despite her annoyance at the girl. "There's got to be someplace you can go. Something better you can do than stealing." She's not really sure what, but there's got to be something. She studies the girl intensely.
Rai can't keep up the defiant look for too long, flinching she looks away, "Yeah, I have a place with…with others. But no, no real home. And what would you have me do, to make an honest living? Do yard work for a few pennies? I need to eat, the others need to eat to."
Hanami pauses, "Others? Other kids like yourself? Come on now, work with me here. I'm trying to help you. Trying to give you an option. You're a tough kid. So tell me your name, how about that? I'm Shinatobe Hanami."
Rai blinks up at the older girl. Still not entirely sure what Hanami was up to but she responds slowly, "Yes, other kids. But now I'm going to be in trouble. Why couldn't you just be less difficult and let me rob you!" She scrambles to her her feet, eyeing Hanami.
Rai blinks up at the older girl. Still not entirely sure what Hanami was up to but she responds slowly, "Rai. Yes, other kids. But now I'm going to be in trouble. Why couldn't you just be less difficult and let me rob you!" She scrambles to her her feet, eyeing Hanami.
Hanami frowns as the girl Rai responds and gets to her feet. Before she can possibly get away she moves forward and darts a hand out to grab Rai's wrist, "You and your friends need to stop this, put an end to this misbehaving and running wild in the streets."
COMBAT: Hanami attacks target 1 with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 14
[NPC System]: Rai roll(s) Dodge from 1 to 15 and get(s) a 12. - Rolled by: Hanami
Rai can't help gasping when her wrist is grabbed, the same one Hanami had struck earlier and was still throbbing. She tugs and pulls, "Just let me go, what business is it of yours if I want to steal huh? None of it is yours I tell ya!"
Hanami keeps a hold of the girl, her lips pressed together in a thin line, "It's my business because for better or worse this is my village and I can't just let an orphaned sawyer like you running around it. Think because you're an orphan it makes it okay to just do bad things, to hurt people? I got a better idea. You seem like you probably have some potential. So use it, make something of yourself and /get the heidi out of this live of crime/!" She roars at the girl, right in her face staring.
Rai lets out a whimper against her will when Hanami yells at her, looking that way. "L…like what? And what would it matter anyhow, there's no chances for orphans."
Hanami gives Rai a hard look, giving her wrist a tug, "Try the academy. Put those skills to good use, training. They can find you somewhere to stay. Your friends too." Okay, so maybe Hanami doesn't exactly know, but seems likely? Better than living on the street.
Become a shinobi like this girl Hanami? No…couldn't happen. Could it? Rai looks confused, "I…I couldn't. The others…we need to…they rely on me. They can't all become shinobi. And if Madame gets us…"she trembles then stills herself, "No. No…that's just a bunch of empty words." She's trying to convince herself more than anything.
Hanami shakes Rai's arm, and subsequently the girl herself, "Don't be daft. Of course the academy would take you. It'd be work, but you're tough so it shouldn't be a problem. And wait…who's this Madame?"
Rai keeps her lips sealed initially, but a shake from Hanami gets her to spill the beans, "Madame is…she's the one who cares for us now. She gets us food, gave us a place to stay. Just as long as…as long as keep bringing her goods or money." She wilts, oh annie. How was she going to face Madame now, empty handed as she was?
Frowning, Hanami listens. You mean this…woman. She gets you and others to steal for her? What happens if you don't give her stuff?"
Rai looks down, "Nothing good. She has people, they hurt those who don't turn in loot. So just let me go, okay? Let me go and you wont see me again, I promise. Forget all about me, what I said."
Hanami shakes her head, though her hand slips from Rai's wrist slowly, "I can't…not now especially. You know, I'm practically an orphan myself. Lost everything when I was younger and only by the goodwill of my relatives did I stay off the street. So I get some of what you're going through right now. Especially that anger inside. I see it in your eyes, angry at the world right? So use it." She bites her bottom lip, "As for this Madame, what more can you tell me? Where does she live, what does she look like?"
Rai stops, massaging her pained wrist as Hanami speaks. So maybe there was something more to this girl than she thought…But still. Does it really matter? "I…I don't know okay? She stays behind a curtain, never seen her face. We leave the loot and go. She summons us…to a room where we live. But she has…people. Thugs. You might be shinobi, but still. Just stay away…"she pleads in the end, unable to keep the tone from her voice.
Hanami shakes her head, "I'll do what I wish, what I think is right." She looks past Rai for a moment before her eyes focus back on the girl and she stabs a finger in her chest, "Now move it. If nothing else, I'm getting you to the Academy. Turning you over to them to deal with. Better than letting you run wild and get into more trouble. Now move! This life of stealing and attacking people is over for you one way or another. And the other way involves me being not so nice. Move!"
Rai doesn't know what to do, stumbling back as she's prodded along. Turning she keeps moving at Hanami's directions, "B..b…but I can't…I can't be a shinobi. And what about Madame…she'll find me. She'll hurt the others…"
Hanami keeps leading the girl along through the streets, "Leave her to me. We'll see about your friends after I settle things with the Academy. It's none of your concern now." She'd make sure the girl got herself into something better. Least she could do, instead of leaving her out on the streets like this.
Eventually Hanami gets Rai to the Academy and turns her over to a teacher there. She's not too familiar with the teachers, just one or two in passing from Sakuya and Michiko. She gives the head of the school, once they're brought before the person, a brief account of Rai and what she knows of her past. The head of the school wasn't too happy, but the prospect of a new shinobi and maybe others to help with the way Kumo has been isn't something to be ignored hastily. Hanami promises to come back and help get Rai and any others of her friends that want to join settled. Once they're retrieved of course. With that Hanami says her goodbye to Rai, promising to come back the next day. Then she heads out, exhausted from the whole ordeal. "What a mess…I don't want to deal with this right now. But if this woman is using orphan street kids to steal for her…that can't go on under the noses of the shinobi. Especially right here in Kumo." She'll have to think more about what to do, but for now she needs her rest. This whole thing sucks.
