Starring:
Date: August 24, 2016
Summary:
A routine assassination mission involving a former member of the Daimyo's cabinet whom leaked essential informaition to third parties. His death had to look natural, and be reasonable. A heart attack.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Heartfall"
Central Land of Water
A D-rank mission in Kirigakure is not all about catching child theives and snatching some old woman's dog. Sometimes, a D-rank mission can involve death as long as the individual in question is unable to defend themselves. Such is the case of a former member of the Daimyo's junior staff, whom had recently been asked to resign due to activities that compromised the integrity of the nation. Ashigaru Senada was a man who had access to a plethora of the Daimyo's secrets due to his position as a junior secretary. Given he was an old man in search of making a little extra cash before his death, he risked his life sending those secrets to the highest bidder. He earned his death, and there would be no reason to spare him for being a traitor to the land.
His residence was on the mainland, central and in a more hill-ridden section of the Land of Water. He had himself a small manor on the top of one such hill overlooking a vast swathe of farmland that he owned and did not operate, yet was still overgrown. The manor itself looked as if it was built to keep bandits out, having thick walls lined with brick. There was a reason that Mizumi, Okochi, and Hibiki were hand selected for this mission. The cause of death had to be as a result of a 'heart attack' during a sleep. Mizumi and Okochi both specialized in the studies of the circulatory system and nervous system respectively, and Hibiki had a special skill that would allow him to break through the fortifications in a silent way.
The Chuunin overlooking the mission remained crouched in the overgrown unused farmland below the hill, and drawn out in front of him was a map that detailed the topography around and inside the house. "Are we clear?" The Chuunin asked. "The death must look as if he died of a heart attack. It -must- look like an accident. It has to fool a non-shinobi medical specialist. That also means we can't have you breaking in through the front door or breaking into the upper floors. That will make it obvious that a shinobi was the culprit. Are we clear? Hibiki, you're leading the mission. I've been told you have an ability that can bore through concrete, which is good. The entire structure is reinforced with it. Remember, be stealthy and make sure the old man dies naturally. Any Bodyguards can be dealt with as long as they do not wake the old man in his sleep. Mizumi, we've supplied you with a short-acting anesthetic that will keep him asleep while Okochi applies her specific medical knowledge to making his heart shut down. I think that will do it."
Okochi was knelt in the tall grass near the Chuunin. "Sou… Hibiki, if I may make a recommendation…" It was more like… Adhering to a strict routine she had developed for all missions that would cause her uncertainty if she did not accomplish. Sort of, run of the mill preparation tactics that she felt were necessary in all missions involving assassinations such as this. "Before we enter the house in the way specified by our Chuunin lead, may we sweep the perimeter once to look for possible stealth entries?" As she knealt, she stroked one of her two insanely long 'locks' of hair that pooled on the ground. It was likely that there were guards in the building, and her senses would pick up what Mizumi's couldn't. It was likely that these guards were basic fodder and had no trained chakra network.
Hibiki looked between everyone here for a moment. The Chuunin and the other two along with the mission. "Yes. We are clear. It is a stealth mission and our job is to get in and out without any alarms or such be sounding or the guy warned. And we have to make his death look like an accident." He said slowly and then just shrugged. "I do. Though not quickly. Concrete is stronger and is more likely to take a while. At least at my level." He just shrugged once more before facing Mizumi and Okochi. "Well since I am in charge I suppose I should make sure you two tell me everything you can do real quick." He frowned before turning to face the Chuunin "Unless you have a way for me to see it in detail."
Then Okochi approached him and he looked right a her with a frown. "Umm…I don't know. I think it is a good idea to look around though I suppose, and it is likely best I don't use my ability if we can avoid it because it leaves an obvious trace. Well if an unatural way." He paused. "Yeah lets just figure it out along the way. A stealth entrance should work well if we find it but lets not take too long." He started leading them onwards. "Oh and Mizumi-san. Sorta cover our flank yeah? Make sure we aren't caught off guard." He said quickly. "Now lets go."
Mizumi had just 'graduated' from the Academy, alongside five others. After establishing a home in Kirigakure, the girl spent the night. She didn't think she would get a mission so soon, but when she woke, a messenger hawk was perched upon her window. … Administration works quick. She opens the scroll, reading over its contents and packing that which she feels would be useful. Her staff, that she feels would end up strapped to her back, a few tools like kunai, senbon, and Shuriken, a small notepad and pencil, and a basic knife that one would find on a bandit. After everything was packed, she headed out to meet her team.
Said team was made of familiar faces, not all of them friendly. The young Shirayuki narrows her eyes a bit at the group, wondering what they did… She knew very little of each. The strange girl held snakes, the strange boy enjoyed beasts. That was all she knew. This was going to be interesting, she supposed. It was an easy journey, hopefully. Mizumi would keep up as best she could, but the team would find that occasionally they needed to slow their pace so the frail Shirayuki could even keep up. With her staff strapped to her back, she made little noise. All for the best.
Now upon the hill, Mizumi looks down upon the farmland and then she looks at the map. "Clear," she replies. "I can inspect the body after Okochi-san acts, even. A second pair of eyes might realize where the other went wrong," she offers. Mizumi would then purse her lips a bit. Bo breaking into the upper floors or through the main door… Hopefully that was easier done than said. "Hai…" she murmurs, examining the house from afar. Her eyes would not be the ones looking, though. Rather, she was seeking out the faintest traces of chakra. It was difficult, to say the least, if none truly held chakra, but all beings had some to keep them going. It was for that pinprick of talent she searched.
Okochi caught her attention first, with her recommendation. It admittedly sounded like a sound idea, even if it resulted in nothing. "We could sneak in through an open staff door, perhaps, if our target has such a thing…" she offers. Of course, it was all Hibiki's decision, and she would nod to whatever he ordered of them. When asked if her abilities, she would frown a bit. "Sensory. Minor medical abilities, but nothing too … concrete. I read a lot more than I've experienced, I suppose." And she leaves it at that. The signal to move went off, and she would follow quickly, only offering a nod to show she heard Hibiki's orders that were shot in her direction.
[NPC System]: Building Foundation roll(s) Weakspot Analysis (Stealth, Perception Only) vs all from 5 to 20 and get(s) a 14. - Rolled by: Okochi
RPCOMBAT: Okochi defends against with a PERCEPTION…11
At this distance, stealth was not really important. It was dark, and there were no shinobi guarding the house. Okochi's black coat would be stealth enough until they had to be quiet. Her Analysis of the house actually brought little to the table. Though, there would be one thing clear to all the genin. The doors were all locked tightly for the night. There were only two entrances, and they had guards stationed in front of each. Not advanced guards, but armed guards nonetheless.
It would be important not to alert their presence. Okochi was hoping that Mizumi's plan had merit, because it would have meant that there were actually few guards in the place. As Okochi stays low, remaining at the bottom of the hill and navigating the circumference with Hibiki and Mizumi, she would not find any place suitable for breakthrough. After all, the Chuunin did require that they did not go through the fortified windows or front and back doors. Even if they had the skill to kill the guards at the doors silently, they would risk leaving secondary indicators of a struggle. They couldn't engage anyone unless they absolutely had to. "I did not find anything of useful note. The mission parameters are making success… Difficult…" Okochi looked to her comrades, patiently, hoping that perhaps they had found an alternative.
RPCOMBAT: Hibiki defends against with a PERCEPTION…22 (Success)
Hibiki was walking along silently as he waited for things to be found. Hopefully. These locked doors though were a pain and then the others were being guarded. Well aorta. He looked at Okochi and Mizumi for a silent moment. ~Boy! Back to those bushes over there. Up by one of the walls. I am sure you could sneak in from there.~ 'I am trying to see something.' He started walking to a tunnel he saw overgrown by grass. "Interesting. I don't know if we need to enter another way if we can go through this." He gestured for the others to look. "But it might make a better escape route. Avoid getting caught here and such." He said quickly. "Anyways. I think we have an easy way to do this now." He gestured for the two of them to follow them stealthily as he headed quietly towards those bushes. ~We have to break through here yeah? How do you plan to hide it on the inside?~ 'Uhh…'
RPCOMBAT: Mizumi defends against with a CHAKRA-SENSING-TECHNIQUE…46 (Success)
RPCOMBAT: Mizumi defends against with a PERCEPTION…13
Mizumi wasn't really trying to be stealthy. She was trying not to be too noticeable, but she didn't mind a small swishing of grass or startling a frog, if that ever happened. She tended to search, but her eyes were not a good reason that she took on this job. It was her sixth sense that told her of the locations of the guards. It took a few minutes to make sure she could notice a true pattern and align it with the mental map of the area that she held in her mind, but once she was mostly certain, she walked to join Hibiki and Okochi.
"I can't say if the windows are a good entry point, but I have a bad feeling about this tunnel," she says upon noticing it. "The tunnel probably leads into the basement," she notes, studying the house. "There's a guard, though… Somewhere in there. I don't trust moving through this tunnel unless we were something else." Mizumi would gesture slightly, then. "Five others are present. Two in the back, two in the front. And another 'floating'. I think he's before the master's bedroom, which means we need to figure out a way to distract him as well. Unless we can enter our target's room without passing that guard and alerting the house."
RPCOMBAT: Okochi defends against with a HEBISUUHAI-SENSES…14
In summary, Hibiki had found two possible entry points. A wall behind bushes that he could bore through, or an underground tunnel that provided an entry point that did not express a sign of breaking and entering if they entered through that venue. However, Mizumi has pointed out that there is a guard, who could possibly be an extra added threat. If the alarm is raised, the genin could become overwhelmed. The fewer chances the better.
Okochi remains crouched as she awaits for Hibiki's orders. Team leader and all, but as she waited she and her serpents were sensing the vibrations in the ground for movement. There was a lot of movement, but it wasn't from human beings. A deer a hundred yards off was eating grass, but there was no movement coming from within. "Shirayuki-san, Yamashita-san. All targets are motionless. It seems they are remaining in a fixed position. It's your call, Yamashita-san. Where do begin the first phase of the operation?"
RPCOMBAT: Hibiki defends against with a PERCEPTION…12
Hibiki just shrugged a bit. "I see. So there is a guard down there. One we will likely have to deal with if we want to escape that way. Hopefully we can just get out the way we come in as I think we are gonna make a hole in the wall over there." He gestured for the two of them to follow quickly and quietly as he did just that to make sure any nearby guards(If they were nearby) wouldn't notice as he got into the bush. Quietly he spoke. "Climb in and hide quickly." He then began to form handseals and would formed acid within his hand. Then he quickly put the hand of acid on the wall and spread it around a bit. He slowly continued to form a bit more to make a hole just big enough for them to comfortably fit in there. It would take a good bit, but it would eventually melt away. "Alright. Follow me."
~Be careful. There might be more than guards within the place. Look at every little spot as you climb out. I won't let you get me killed for even two months.~ 'Okay. Fine.' He turned to face the others. "Keep an eye out for more than just guards. We don't know how prepared he may be for traps and such." And so he began to climb through all the way and his eyes would be shifting around the room as he attempted to spot anything else. If there was something else. Truthfully this could all just be a test, but even then they had to go in as if it was real.
RPCOMBAT: Mizumi defends against with a PERCEPTION…11
RPCOMBAT: Mizumi defends against with a CHAKRA-SENSITIVITY…25
Mizumi chose that moment to gather her chakra a bit more than usual, just in case there /were/ traps that Hibiki speculated about. She would keep an eye out for any guards, making sure to just track where the few chakra signatures happened to be. It was easy to get into the bushes and hunker down, and she would watch Hibiki with a canted head as he made a hole in the wall with his acid. Interesting. She can see why it would take a long time, though, at this rate. Thankfully, the acid eventually bores through the wall. "Of course," she says simply, slipping into the newly formed entrance.
[NPC System]: Doorway Guard roll(s) Perception from 5 to 20 and get(s) a 20. - Rolled by: Okochi
[NPC System]: Okochi (Cause Stealth isn't working for some reason) roll(s) Stealth from 6 to 21 and get(s) a 16. - Rolled by: Okochi
Okochi was impressed every time she saw Hibiki use that useful little ability, for slowly the wall dissolved past wood and concrete, leaving a hole that could be crawled through. She was likely the second to come through, and unfortunately she wasn't quiet enough. It seemed the simple shuffles of her entering into the hole caused the guard to raise his head. "Hn? What was that?" The guard was just down the hall and around the corner. If he moved into the hallway and looked right, he would see all three shinobi. Hearing the voice, Okochi had to sacrifice a hairpiece in order to save the mission. She hissed silently, speaking in the tongue of snakes, before one of her serpents dropped from her hairline. The left one being Yamaru this time, a far quicker snake. He would slither down the hallway at full speed until he got to the T intersection. "Hn… Oh… A snake… That's not good. C'mere little buddy…"
The guard as a result, would look to the left rather than the right and start following the snake into the kitchen. "C'mon. If the others see you, they'll eat you, little buddy. I'll just set you outside… Gosh, you're a fast one, little buddy…" - "Is everything alright in there?" One of the guards called from the outside, hearing the door guard's footsteps. "Yeah, buddy. Im fine. Just… Getting some water…" He hushed his voice and continued trying to follow the black snake… attempting to get it without touching it.
Okochi would nod her head to Mizumi and Hibiki. "C-clear…" She said with a deep sigh in a whispered tone. The door was, of course, now ungaurded. Yet, they only had a few moments to set up and end the man's life in the prescribed way. Inside the room, the man was actually fast asleep in his bed. Sleeping deeply…
Ehhh. Hibiki wasn't exactly quiet either. He didn't pass based on how good he was at hiding anyways. He sighed as he heard the guard speaking a bit. He heard them but luckily it seemed Okochi was handlingthings and had a snake cause a distraction for them. "Good job Okochi." ~You idiot. Here I thought you were going to have this mission failed already.~ He seemed to laugh at that fact before going quiet. 'Ugg. I don't think I care. We hopefully could've handled them.' "Alright well while that one snake is keeping them busy lets move. And stay careful still." He lead them up towards the door that the guy was guarding. It would be quick too hopefully. If the door was locked then that would cause a bit more trouble. "Okochi. Just in case the door is locked…. Would the other one be able to get under the cracks that might be in the door and unclock it?" He asked. "And Mizumi. Keep an eye on the guard. Tell us when he might be returning. Give us time to hide if we need to." Obviously she would still be set to that even if they could get in, but she would also be set to providing the anesthetic to keep him asleep. His part would just be waiting for them to kill em!
RPCOMBAT: Hibiki defends against with a PERCEPTION…15
Mizumi followed in as the last person through the hole, only to be forced to stop when Okochi and Hibiki made some noise. She did too, but she was more outside than in, which is why the guard didn't really have a chance to notice her. It is thanks to Okochi's quick thinking that Mizumi was able to breathe without pause, the girl simply nodding a bit. "Hai…" she murmurs softly to Hibiki, casing her senses out quickly and closing her eyes. As she extended her senses, she would also gather a bit of water from the atmosphere…
Arriving with the others in front of the door, Okochi found that the door was locked. The twist of a wrist could have easily told such. Okochi, down to one twintail, would be asked to resign the other in the name of getting through the door. Okochi's eyes widened a little as she began to speak in a tongue that neither of her comrades could understand Serpent-speak, with very specific instructions. In moments, her serpent would drop to the ground, and would inch it's way beneath the crack of the door, flattening it's body a fair amount. Okochi thought Hibiki's idea was a brilliant one, and it worked without a hitch. The door slowly opened as the snake was seen coiled around the latch on the other side, and Okochi spent no time bringing Yimaru back to restore one of her twintwails. "Ready." She whispered.
There it was, the man sleeping soundly. Okochi would take a deep breath as she lifted her hands and placed her fingers against her forehead. During the academy, she seemed a little bothered by the sight of blood. It was an aversion that was rather… Non-shinobi, something that as a student of medicine ought not have. Yet, it only furthered her specialization in another part of the spectrum. Nerves. A 'non' blood alternative. So she learned about the pulses that regulated the body, and as it happened she also had a primary affinity that matched. Lightning Release. She has, for a long time, toyed with nerves enough that she could honestly say she was ready to toy with this man's heart. Mizumi need only put the man in a deeper sleep, so that her voltage would not cause… any screams…
Hibiki saw that the door was locked and nods slowly. Dang well in that case…. He looked to Okochi and she went right to work dropping her snake to the ground and the snake went inside to open the door for them. He was surprised his idea actually was used and worked. Good thing he didn't have to burn the door knob away. Anywho they quickly moved inside and he would gently shut the door. ~Make sure to cover his mouth even when that stuff is in his system. You never know. Or we could just mel-~ 'We are supposed to make it look like an accident!' ~Aww. But… Might as well have fun when you are given permission to right?~ 'I was given permission to make it look like an accident!' ~Still no fun.~ "Hurry up with this. We don't have too long. Also get something to cover his mouth with during it as well. We don't want to have any risk. Probably just put a pillow over his head or something." He whispered to the both of them and he would stand off to the side waiting for things to begin. He would help if needed, but he figured he should keep watch. He was listening for the guy just in case Mizumi missed em.
Mizumi makes a handseal, and then the vial of anesthetic is poured into a bit of water. The water would be shifted a bit to create a mist that was trapped in a bubble, and said bubble would travel to cover the man's nose and mouth. It was a bit … difficult, but it was the best way she felt would keep him quiet while also giving him the anesthetic. Mizumi had to shift her attention primarily to her water manipulation, pretty much ignoring her surroundings. "Hibiki-san, keep watch…" she whispers, voice strained. She really had to concentrate to get the water properly adjusted over the man's mouth and nose.
RP: Mizumi uses WATER-MANIPULATION.
Okochi swallows as she approaches the man on the bed. She has to be precise, or he doesn't die properly. His heart was already aged, ripe for stopping, but if she touch him wrong, he might get singed. Once Mizumi had the man anesthetized, she drew the covers off him, and unbuttoned his shirt so his chest showed. Her hands would go into three seals, ending with the seal of the monkey. After the jutsu had been intiated, she rubbed her hands together to distribute the electrical charge upon them. Then, she flicked out the pointer fingers of both hands. "Electricty to the right ventricle. Direct it to the right atrium." She placed her fingers in specific locations, and the man's body jumped as electricity quite literally reversed the polarity of his pace-maker. As if struggling with a heart-attack the man struggled and struggled, before he stopped struggling soon after. He was officialy dead, and Okochi would soon button his shirt back up, and pull the cover back over. "Stage two is complete." She wispered.
Hibiki watched the other two work. First it seemed Mizumi had a trick up her sleeve for keeping him quiet. It would work so he would keep watch. Then Okochi did her thing with zapping him and making his heart stop. Wasn't that long and…. He was dead. Good. Now to get out of here. "Okay so I don't know how easily we can get out the same way with this guy that is likely coming back to guard the door. So either we make it quick towards the hole or try to head to the basement tunnel and get past that guard down there." He asked quietly of both of them. "Either way… MAKE IT QUICK." He said in a quiet voice but his tone showed that he wanted quick answers from the both of them. He was leading, but this wasn't a combat mission. He didn't pride his skills in sneaking around so he had nothing to lose from asking them, and so a majority vote would decide there path. Especially if what they said made sense(Though a very reasonable argument would probably out weigh the majority.) Also he still looking…
RPCOMBAT: Mizumi defends against with a CHAKRA-SENSING-TECHNIQUE…36
Mizumi would retract the water and slip it into a small pouch on her person before she would slip away from the man to follow after Hibiki. She refocused her attention to figure out where the guards are currently, trying to figure out if any were coming back anytime soon. She also looked around a bit, but that was secondary.
It seemed that the guard was no longer distracted, and was arriving soon. Yet, they still had a chance to escape if they were quick. With the man dead, the final step was to leave without drawing attention. Oko would silently move towards the door and out into the hall. "Let's just exit through the wall. Don't make this complicated." Oko states, and that is where she was going to go. "Shut the door on the way out." She made sure to tell, "Lock it, as well." That was just a reminder to the last person out. Okochi swiftly and silently moved down the hall, moving out of the hole and resting her back right beside it. Her allies needed to be quick, so she could call her snake.
"There ya go… Into the grass. Alright. Time to get back to work. See you around, little buddy…" The gentle-hearted guard, scammed out of his job by a shinobi snake, would start returning to his door now, walking through the front entrance. If everyone did not get out now, things would get a little problematic.
Hibiki looked at Okochi and just shook his head a bit. "It was just in case. Would be hard to go there if they were blocking the way." But whatever. He decided to head on out leaving Mizumi to be the last one. "Oh and Mizumi. Use water on the door when you close it. Make sure there is no clicking sound for it shutting." He said quickly before following Okochi right out the place swiftly. He didn't waste time, but he would sorta wait to make sure Mizumi was on the way before exiting. He wasn't gonna let her get caught out alone if at all.
A thin layer of water would muffle the door's latching noise and then Mizumi would slip out after locking it, the girl moving after Hibiki quickly but quietly. It was a good thing that Akane had fixed her legs, really. She would have done terribly on this mission if she had to use her staff to travel. The girl would then slip out the hole that Hibiki made earlier, giving him a small nod of appreciation for waiting, but also frowning a bit. After all, they could have been caught…
"Fair, Hibiki. Very fair." No one doubted his judgement, "My heart is pounding… I just wished… To take the nearest exit." It did not look like it in her eyes, due to a trained expression of neutrality in her face, but her heart was indeed experiencing an andrenaline rush. Just as Mizumi moved out of sight the guard moved around the corner to resume standing where he was before, hands behind his back. Mizumi had made it just in time. Now all three were behind the bushes, resting for a few moments before finally returning to the mission extraction sight. "I… I can't believe we did it… These things never go smoothly." At least, they never do in the academy. Yamaru, the serpent whom had distracted the guard earlier, bumped into the sitting Oko's hip. She promptly took him and settled him back onto her hair. "Let's head back to our Chuunin escort…"
Hibiki looked at her and nods. "I get it. But sometimes nearest isn't safest or easiest." He said quickly and with a frown. "Anyways lets move on now." Now that Mizumi was out at least and the snake had returned. "We are talented shinobi. Of course we would suceed like that. I didn't have doubts." He said quickly and then lead them back to the Chuunin hopefully without incident. Mission hopefully complete and completed well.
Thankfully, the group succeeded. Phew. Mizumi would breathe a small sigh of relief, straightening a bit now that they were largely in the clear. Mizumi would glance at the other two. "It did go very well…" she would say with a small frown. "I'm glad, though. First mission is a success, ne!" Mizumi chuckles just a bit, but she would continue forwards. "I locked the door… Shut it quietly… And hopefully no one is the wiser on what happened in there."
