Starring:
Moriko, Naru, Ryo, Atsuro, Taiki, Itami
Date: March 5, 2012
Summary:
With the recent event of Sabaku being kidnapped, Itami needed to round up some support for getting her back. With Konoha ninja being framed for her kidnap, this gave her the perfect chance to call back any shinobi and have them quickly rounded up so she could speak to them about the situation. Of course, this couldn't be accomplished without a bit of pressuring, first.
Poster's note: Profanity filtered in obvious places.
"Get That Girl - Pressured Recruitment"
Unknown location
Itami was infuriated with the kidnapping of Sabaku and she had some anger to take out on a number of the Konoha shinobi that have been rounded up and brought to administration to be questioned. To think that they would even try was outrageous, but then again, there were some Sunagakure shinobi that were going to earn their fair share of her anger for not being more attentive. Now that things are on lockdown, she can handle this situation with a bit more control.
In contrast to her anger, the day was fine. It was hot, of course, but there was no wind to make the heat feel unbearable. Luckily, the admin dome was cool and pleasant, so no one would have to worry about burning up inside.
Stepping outside of her office, doors flying open, she looked over a number of shinobi before gesturing them all inside and closing the door behind her once they've filtered in. It was slightly crowded, but more than enough room for breathing. "I'm disappointed," she started. "That some of you would participate in the kidnapping of a combatant here." Her voice was stern and she looked over the whole group with a scrutinizing gaze, making sure to capture everyone in it. When she finished she turned to go to her seat and sit down. "I'm going to be forward with you all. I intend to figure out who was responsible for this, so someone better start talking and let me know something."
Taiki walks in with Shinobu limping along beside him. The dog is bandaged around the chest and legs, and looks in slight pain. Taiki himself appears to be uninjured, but not a happy genin at all. Taiki's expression mirrors the worry and anger that is burning inside of him. He didn't say much to the groups as they were dragged back to Suna, save a single protest about how Shinobu was on recovery leave that apparently fell on deaf ears. This only served to make Taiki even angrier, causing him to bite his tongue when he's accused of kidnapping. 'Honestly, any fool would see we have own own problems if they had bothered to just look,' he thinks to himself as he looks at the councilwoman incredulously. He doesn't say a word aloud however, instead he looks to his chuunin sensei and scowls deeply, his fists tightening almost enough to draw blood from his palms. Almost, but not quite, though his hands are chalk white at the moment…
Moriko, of course, had stayed till the end and hadn't emptied out her things when the whole summons comes up and she's all but frog-marched to the dome? She frowns as she glances around curiously, then notices Taiki and other Konoha nin. Mo frowns again and moves toward Taiki beforfe whispering. "Am sure it will all work out in the end, just keep your head up and answer the questions they ask as honestly as y'can." she says and winks before offering a bit of a smile.
She glances around then her gaze settles on Itami. "Who was kidnapped precisely, and when and where exactly did it happen?" She asks curiously, hoping to try and get a little information on the situation. "Also, and how can I help with this?" She finally adds.
Ryo had been rounded up by the Sunagakure shinobi. He went willingly. He had no desire to cause an incident between his nation and this one. When suggested that someone step forward and tell her something, he does. "With as much as I do not understand about your nation. I would like for you to know that I have found the hospitality up until this point pretty good. Sure at the start it was a little shabby… But after a few mud baths and some of that really hot chicken, things got better. We even bonded. You showed Taiki some skin and later we laughed about it. Now you accuse me of kidnapping? What kind of paint is this?" he asks.
By now, plenty of Suna officials have gotten an earful from Atsuro about this incident. Specific phrases used include 'pile of canvas,' 'flimsiest case ever,' the classic 'idiots who haven't got the slightest idea how to conduct an investigation,' and many more which are too obscene to detail. Evidently everyone is as bad at listening as they are at investigating, so he hasn't exactly nipped it in the bud. Hopefully Itami will be better.
He walks into the room, arms folded defiantly. When Itami asks for them to talk, Atsuro talks. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he says, "And neither do any of my students." He glances around the room to see who else is in here, briefly making eye contact with Hitoshi and Taiki. "One of which you apparently decided not to interrogate, and I doubt you have any more of a case against us than you do her."
Naru didn't quite know what was going on, all she really knew was she was sorely irritated at the events that had happened as of late, her eyes watch carefully as the shinobi before them began to bark at them as if they were truly doing something wrong. Of all people, this was the group she was around with the most for the most part, causing her to squint her eyes at Itami with a rather irritated and angered expression. "Are you out of your mind? You are holding all of Konoha hostage because you are missing someone? You can't assume every shinobi you speak with has anything to do with kidnapping someone, first of all Konohagakure has zero motive to do so," Naru spoke out, angrily as she too had her knuckles clenched tightly. " How about asking for help rather than taking things in your own hands?"
Itami winced at Ryo and had half a mind to do something to him, but she had to maintain herself and instead answered Moriko's question. "Sabaku no Hana was a combatant that was kidnapped from Sunagakure not too long ago by Konoha ninja. So I took it upon myself to have them all rounded up and questioned here in my office." She pulled out a file from her drawer and held it in the air before dropping it on the desk. "As far as I'm concerned all of you are suspect until I can figure out who was responsible. So, yes, I /am/ accusing you of kidnapping or at least being associated with those that took part in the crime," she shrugged. "Right now, you're barely in the oil, but if you'd like to take a dip until you're wading in it, feel free to test me," she pointed out to Ryo. Her eyes cut to Atsuro as he defends his students and she shook her head softly.
"If Konoha had zero motive to do so, Konoha shinobi wouldn't have kidnapped her. I fail to see how that doesn't make them suspect," she smirked. "Taking things into my own hands is what I'm supposed to do. This is my village that was violated by some of your people. I don't feel I'm in the wrong for asking you all what you know about the situation."
She went quiet and waited for the group to respond, though she thinks she already has her real answer from the way they're reacting.
Well, Taiki was sore to begin with, but being accused of kidnapping with just a folder being waved around seems to be that final straw. "I see…" Taiki all but growls, looking at their accuser. "You know, I don't know what is in that envelope, but as Atsuro'sensei says you have nothing on us personally. Just like we don't have anything on /you/," Taiki says. This may be impolitic, and it is evident that the genin is trying to be as politic as possible, but he's just about had enough. "Go ahead and lay down Shinobu, no need to worsen your wounds any more than the Shinobi who dragged us back here probably already has, despite the fact I told them he's on Medical leave."
Taiki looks at the others and then back at Itami. "You think because we're all…" Taiki stops and bites his tongue for a moment to avoid cursing. That would be /really/ impolitic. "Upset… because we've been dragged back here, right? Well Councilwoman'sama, you are very far off base. First of all, you may want to consider the fact that one of us is rather seriously injured. If you have, did it even occur to you to ask why? Well, that's because we were attacked on our way back from the exams… and my ninken and I were the targets… so I'm sorry if I'm a bit… upset, for being dragged back here to answer your baseless charges, at least where any of us were concerned."
Taiki then shakes his head and smiles, but it is completely without warmth. "You want to know something funny, Councilwoman'sama? The shinobi who attacked us… we have no idea who they were or where they were from, because there wasn't anything to identify them on the body of the Jounin that was leading them." He then shrugs and adds, "Do I think you or anyone here had anything to do with it? Not right now. But it seems to me like we have a couple of odd coincidences here, no?"
The answer makes Mo frown a bit. "If there was a Kidnapping and Konoha was involved this is the first I've heard of it. Are you positive it was Konoha-nin who did it? Were any of the nin that committed this act captured? What's the evidence?" she asks curiously. "Any fine detail that can be told can be used to help identify who exactly it was, then we can go there, and maybe help find the kidnapped nin." She says as she places her hands on her hips. "Also, with your questions here and whatnot, have you considered that they may be trying to frame Konoha whilst doing their deed?" She asks curiously then glances at Taiki and then the dog.
With a glance at Taiki and dog, she moves closer. "C'mere, let me see what I can do about those wounds." She mutters, then starts digging through a hip pouch, looking for some medicines. "It's definately within the realm of possibility, someone wants you to think Konoha nin are responsible for this kidnapping. Still, as it stands, I am fully willing and able to help you track the kidnappers down and capture them, specially if it can spell the end of this whole fiasco."
Ryo grinned as Itami offered him a dip in the oil. "You dragged me in here. No one saw any of us do it because no one here did it. But you want to keep handing out threats, do your worse." The young nine year old states, his eyes locking onto Itami. He then turns his head towards Naru. "Since I'm guessing they will release you before me Naru, tell auntie Fuyu that I'm here against my will. I'm sure she's going to be really happy." He then turns his attention back towards Itami. He knew full well that if someone from Konoha had done it, it would have been ANBU. "Not sure why your wasting our time, unless your planning to hold us hostage."
Puh-lease. "Don't brush in my ear and tell me it's raining. The only way you could know for sure that they were 'our people' is by positively identifying them," Atsuro points out, "And if you'd managed that, then this is a pretty poor way of finding them. What, did the kidnappers yell out 'We're from Konoha! Blame Konoha!' when they were leaving?" Other people seem intent on offering to pool resources, but Atsuro is a little to sore about this whole thing to do something like that. He glances over to Taiki. "Easy there, kid." He nods to Ryo as well. "You too, Rembrandt."
Naru only kept herself thinking on the subject at the moment, she listened to what Taiki had to say, and even more so leaning on what Ryo had spoke abotu also. it made perfect sense, taiki wasn't the one that was pointing fingers at the Sand Shinobi, and at this point they seemed to be quite easy to put the blame on with this sudden beligerence. " Fuyu-sama would have a field day with you if she knew you were keeping genin to get information from we don't know anything about this incident, and keeping us under chains won't help at all. Ta-kun is right, Its best to get more information before you start to point fingers…"
Itami fiddled with the file on her desk and began to open it up while they were all speaking. It wasn't really much of a big file at all. In fact, the only thing it had inside was a letter from Sabaku inside it. She pulled it out and skimmed over it, then set it on the desk in the open. "I don't know who attacked you, but at this point, that's not for me to care about or consider," she replied back to Taiki. "There are some coincidences, I can admit to that much." She glanced at him and then to Moriko as she spoke. She chuckled, "There's evidence, of course, but I don't think I'll be needed to provide any of that to you all, except this piece right here…" She gestured to the letter.
"I'll hand out as many threats as a stroke well please. No one isn't going to do anything to help you," she then looked to Atsuro, "The kidnappers did enough to tell us that they were from Konoha. I…just want to get to the bottom of it all," she offered in a sickeningly sweet manner. "Fuyu-sama seems to be quite popular amongst you all. My goodness, it's almost as if you all can't defend yourselves. I find it positively amazing that you ever particpated in the exams at all," she taunted and sighed soon after. "Fuyu-sama, tsk, tsk. What a bunch you have…" She chuckled. "I think I've seen enough now," she smiled. "I've drawn my conclusions on the matter…." She rose up from her desk and walked around it to sit on the edge. She gave them all one long look.
"I find you all guilty…"
She let that hang in the air for a few moments, allowing some silence to draw in. She turned her sights to the letter and continued, "Of not knowing of what the hell is going on in your own country. I mean, coat," she shook her head. "Do you all ever question anything?" She laughed, finding some amusement in the situation.
Clearing her throat, she went on to say, "I see you all are very defensive and that's told me enough to know that you all really aren't guilty. I knew you weren't anyway…" Her eyes lifted to the group once more. "This letter here…was one given to me by Sabaku no Hana, the combatant Sunagakure is looking for. If this combatant isn't found, it could mean danger for you all in the worst way. The Land of Fire will fall into a civil war. Why? You all may be wondering. Well, I can tell you that. This letter was signed by Toyotomi Hiroko, the Fire Daimyo's niece."
"Considering you could be blamed as much as anyone else, I'd reconsider that, Councilwoman'sama…" Taiki sneers. Okay, the Genin is seriously about to lose it. Playing mind games with him may not have been the best of ideas. He only grows angrier as Itami speaks, and when she finally says something about "I find you guilty," something in Taiki snaps, hard. He suddenly kneels forward and down, his weight now resting on his hands and his feet, his face in a hate-filled snarl. The Suna shinobi escorts really should have warned Itami…
Mo facefaults at that whole thing and frowns "NOt everyone knows about everything within their government or hard wing factions…" She pauses as she notes Taiki then quickly is moving up to put a massive knot on the boy's head, the young jounin putting more than just a little force behind the thump to the back of Taiki's head whilst a vein bulges on her forehead. "Sit boy!" She calls out, then looks to Itami "As I was saying, some more info would be useful. I doubt all elements of Konoha condone such actions and Konohagakure might even be willing to lend quite a bit of aid." She says, going from semi-angry to a rather restained pleasant in an instance, then of course she smiles cheerfully afterwards.
Ryo raises an eyebrow as Atsuro calls him a dumbass. His mentor in corruption. The thorn he almost idolizes. The Inuzuka who had stolen Ryo's halo and replaced it with demon horns. Then the boy watches as Taiki seems to go nuts and Moriko puts him down. He shudders a little and takes a step back. He did not want to be the next one that was forced to sit. He looks towards Naru with wide eyes. His eyes travel back towards Itami as she makes mention of who Sabaku is. "I do not have time for this. Someone else fill me later. I'm going to go practice my kenjutsu." He looks towards Itami, "They will be giving my weapons back yes?" He then walks towards the guard. The boy was leaving.
What, seriously? Atsuro sighs loudly. "Like we don't know about that? Okay, I'll give you the letter, and it seems like you're saying that this girl is actually the niece. But seriously— " Whatever he was planning to say is cut off by Taiki suddenly going nuts. Even louder sigh. Luckily, the jounin woman immediately dispatches him. But that's still not quite enough assurance for Atsuro. He dashes across the room and gets on top of Taiki, holding a knee and a hand over him and putting enough of his weight on him to ensure the boy can't get up (assuming Moriko didn't take care of that). "Well, Taiki," he says, "Now you really do work under me." Ba-dum psh!
Naru felt her heart sink as Itami spoke about them being guilty. The hairs on her neck stood up, causing her to tighten her fist even more, she knew she definitely wasn't in any part of this. Sure she had fought Sabaku during the second trial of the exams but that wasn't anything worth talking about. She frowns and takes a slight step back, seeing that Taiki's anger had finally surged causing a the medical nin and Atsuro to sbudue him. Frowning she carefully watches over Itami, watching as the lady mocked her for her rhetoric about Fuyu, naturally that is who Naru would talk about, she disliked her current Hokage and for the most part didnt recognize her as such. "What would a Fire Daiymo have to do with Sabaku?" Naru finally spoke up, pushing away her pride and anger, much like Ryo, Naru wanted to go ahead and leave, she had been in Sungakure for too long, but this information… Could be useful in the future.
Itami was about to continue, but it appears she's pressed too many buttons and made Taiki angry. When he dropped down, she braced herself for some impact, but the situation was handled quickly enough. She placed her hands in the air and said, "Looks like we've got a Van Gogh over here." Alright, enough button pressing. Onward to the news. "I understand that much, I just thought that I would pull some legs and maybe include some arms in that too," she chuckled in response to Moriko. "You all aren't being accused of anything, really. All joking aside, this is a very serious matter. I'll repeat myself. This could potentially thrust the Land of Fire into a civil war. For a while now, it appears that the Fire Daimyos have been systematically killed, but things have been hushed up. It's only now that news seems to be surfacing about the matter and it's written in this letter." She points it out once more.
As Ryo leaves the room she continues the interrogation turned meeting with the rest that are still left. "As far as I know and as Hiroko is concerned, this is something that is ongoing. So, not only is the current Daimyo in trouble, but Hiroko as well now that she's been captured by some Kirigakure shinobi," she explains. "That's what the Fire Daimyo has to do with Sabaku. Sabaku is his niece. She hid herself in an effort to be protected from these killings and came to me for help. So, she stayed here and participated in the exams, hoping that she'd figure out more about what's going on. What I need you all to do is help me with this since she's an important individual to your country." Her eyes scan the group once more to see what they think on this matter. It's a lot to take in, she knows, but they'll have to if they expect to keep war from happening again.
"If we don't act now, you guys will be forced against your own land to protect and it may be a war that you all might lose if it ever gets that far."
Taiki's face hits the floor first, hard enough to break his nose and send tears out of his eyes. Not to mention the huge three-level popknot that appears on this head from the impact of Moriko's fist. Then Atsuro jumps on him and pulls his arm back rather painfully, causing Taiki to "YELP!" painfully. There's not much more that he can do at the moment, he's been effectively subdued and forced to listen. That it was all a joke at first would feather Taiki off even more, save that he was truly incapable of anything else than twitching and whimpering. Shinobu, who was feeling a bit better, crawled over to Taiki and started to lick his face, whimpering softly to the Genin. That more than anything is slowly calming Taiki down. So he listens, listens and twitches, altogether unable to do much else, other than be scared.
Mo stares and shakes her head "Gonna have to fix that too." She mutters, then with a sweet smile she reaches down, her hand glowing green as she 'casually' sets the boy's nose and fixes it in quick fassion. She then glances to Atsuro. "Got this taken care of?" She asks, motioning to Taiki, she then looks back to Itami. "Got the info, now just a matter of working toward acting on it." she says and mutters as she gets to her feet, hands going to her pockets. "I got packing to do."
Figuring that Taiki's learned his lesson, Atsuro gets off him and rests a hand on the boy's back. "Sorry, kid. But we can't let you assassinate foreign officials on a whim. I'll take you to the hospital as soon as I can." manages to keep listening to Itami. "So you knew what was really going on, but you decided to make a big deal about it? So you could… what, exactly? The only thing you've really accomplished is making…" He pauses as a lightbulb goes on in his head. "Ooooh. Well, then." He carefully picks up Taiki, trying not to hurt him any more. "Let's get you to a doctor." He gestures for Shinobu and Taizen to follow. "So," he says to Itami, "You know how to contact us, or whatever. Later." With that, he's outta there.
Naru was surprised to hear further information, but finally things began to click and make sense. She didn't say much at this point however, she simply remained curious on what they might have to do in order to stop this battle, it made it feel quite a lot better than before, causing her to more or less shrug off Itami's poor way of information gather. "I'll look into this," Narusegawa simply says, a slight bow of her head which showed she was firm with the idea, for now though she simply turned on her heels and began to walk out he door, there was a lot going through her mind but for now she wanted to follow along with Taiki, mostly to make sure he was okay. there was a lot of pressure as of late…
"Good. Hopefully, you all will do so. I will be here trying to get individuals organized to seek her out," Itami offered to Moriko as she placed the letter away back in the file and slipped it away into the drawer. "…Ah, yes…so now you understand…" She remarked offhandedly to Atsuro, just barely closing the drawer on the desk. "I do know how to contact you, yes. Have a safe trip home!" She called out, though she's unsure since they mentioned being attacked. Might as well get some ninja investigating that. "Don't look, just do," she finalized to Naru, an urgent tone present in her voice. When they all filed out of the office, she sighed and shook her head. She needed to act or else things could truly be problematic. She only hopes that they'll do what they must in order to stop all this.
