Starring:
Onimitsu, Fuuta
Date: February 19, 2013
Summary:
An unknown benefactor sent Onimitsu a missive in regards to a black market salesman connected to the Yoshimitsu’s past. Distrustful, the aid of one Yoko Fuutama is requested before the duo investigates. (side note: This scene was time bubbled due to multiple delays.)
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Soul of Iron - Hunting"
Ward 9 of Fumma Alley
Ward 9 [Fuuma Alley]
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Blending seamlessly with the surrounding shantytowns, the grinding electric behemoth of Fuuma Alley welcomes you with neon light and the stink of humanity. Raised tracks carry trams, freight, and sparking power cables over the wide streets between the ordered city blocks of disordered buildings. The expense to light the city under the shadow of sick-colored smog is as staggering as the electricity is sporadic. The apparant secret of Fuuma Alley's booming industrial sector is that there -is- no industrial sector, or rather that the entire town seems to have been zoned for industry. Smokestacks of power stations, mills, and factories can be found on every block. The tramways travel right through some of them, weaving through the second stories of buildings like a bizzare second city over the first. Bars, merchants, and tenement houses catering to the factory workers operate right across the street from the workplaces, or next door, or in a converted mill building, or have been converted into mill buildings themselves. The dams dividing one class and business from another have broken and everyone and everything mingles together in easy reach.
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Onimitsu could scarcely believe his eyes, er, eye upon reading the missive that reached his hands the moment he set foot upon the docks that would transport him to the Land of Water. Even after reading it over for what felt like countless times over the armor-toting shinobi -still- could not believe what was written. Even so, he caved in to what the words suggested and set off by boat, caravan, horseback, then eventually just by foot to the Land of Rice for the sake of grasping at one final hope. However, he did not travel alone thanks to his nigh permanent companion nagging him to make sure that Fuuta tagged along for the quest. Nor as the weeks flew by did he regret the decision… mostly, in any case.
"How are you holding up Yoko-san?", Onimitsu asked off-handily as snow sludge gave way to the well trodden gravel of the entrance to Ward Nine of Fuuma Alley. Despite pressing that they should arrive as early as dawn at the Ward, the streets were still quickly becoming flooded with people either returning home from the night shift or beginning the day anew.
The trip wasn't silent on Fuuta's part. While Oni trotted along quietly Fuuta ran his mouth speaking endlessly. However after having traveled on horseback Fuuta had become quiet. Since then Oni could consider it a blessing. Still once they arrived at Fumma Alley Fuuta began to get some gab about him. Although he didn't say much. "I hate horses." Fuuta comments glancing to Oni "Other than that. The usual. GREAT." Fuuta was never down for too long. He had too much of an ego to remain bothered. It seems to be dawning soon and people were bustling about the ward. "I gotta say Oni you are an early bird. It's always dawn with you." Fuuta notes placing a hand on his hip.
Onimitsu chuckled. "As it should be for any shinobi whose had the proper training to last with less sleep and remain awake with 'true' vigor." He stated, then folded his arms across his chest idly. For a time besides the need to avoid the impatient passers that swept through and around the duo it would seem the swordsman was prepared to lapse back into comfortable (from his point of view) silence until they carried out their little mission. Fate however is a fickle mistress.
"Yoko-san… Knowing that we are not here for an official mission and… considering the likely hood of failure over success… why -did- you accept my request?", Onimitsu asked warily.
Fuuta snorts "Haven't you ever heard of beauty sleep? How do you think I maintain my handsome appearance?" Fuuta poses not waiting for an answer before he continues. "Luckily I can always find time to sleep." Fuuta looks around the alley wondering what it is exactly that he and Oni are doing here. He'd agreed to accompany Oni despite not knowing the facts but that still didn't mean he didn't have his curiosities. Fuuta's eyes pan over to Oni as he breaks the silence for once and asks a rather odd question.
"Why for that reason. It's challenging. A great man like myself can't pass up a good challenge. Plus I don't mind assisting a friend." Fuuta states rather plainly. "If we fail we fail together. But we're not going to fail. The GREAT Yoko Fuutama doesn't fail." he says with a grin.
Onimitsu sweat-dropped then shook his head in exasperation. In opening his mouth to speak, a soft bout of chuckling ensues before he regain full control again. Fuuta was really one weird shinobi.
"…Wierd… *groans*… We must end this quickly." Onimitsu muttered, abruptly letting an aura of malevolence flicker about his form due to a certain memory about a certain pair of twins being nudged. With a weary sigh the aura fades away… but, not without leaving its touch upon the atmosphere completely for awhile longer. "This one most certainly appreciates your assistance nonetheless and ask now that you aid in keeping an eye out from here on out for the peddling of weapons from here on. In particular of course, 'strange' swords." Onimitsu stated mysteriously before casting his eye about to the area. Given that how sporadic things seemed to be spread such a success in locating their target is made easier said than done.
Fuuta inclines his head at Oni's words. "Weird? What?" he says looking around thinking perhaps Oni has noticed something he hadn't. A strange thickening of the atmosphere brought Fuuta's eyes back upon Oni. "You're weird Oni." Fuuta remarks rubbing the side of his head. An inquisitive look was given towards Oni after the laps of aura. Oni's instruction however banished the look upon Fuuta's face "Sure thing." he says. His curiosity piqued now Fuuta does well to keep an eye out in the hopes of deriving a hint as to Oni's aspirations for this campaign. 'Strange' swords seemed oddly vague but knowing Oni it could be just the opposite.
A few minutes of searching turns up nothing unfortunately. An hour devoted to the task is would have equally been as depressing if not for Onimitsu spying from the corner of his eye a small one story shop nestled between a couple of giants by comparison. Faintly from the grease covered windows and even more so from the cracked open door, a lantern light could be seen. Beyond this it is rather unkempt, nondescript, and overall just not worth much attention. What really grabbed Onimitsu's attention however was the mummified package strapped to the back of a potential patron as they drifted in without so much as a glance back. Due to his eye being focused on the package itself Onimitsu paid little mind to the patron himself, but perhaps Fuuta might have noted something more…
"… This way Yoko-san." Onimitsu commanded lightly and two fingers motioning for the younger man to follow in the swordsman's wake.
Once inside it becomes more than evident that they found just the place the enigmatic elder man was after, if not perhaps something close to it. For scattered about in seemingly random arrangements of barrels, hanging from the ceiling itself, clustered against the walls, and just overall just about everywhere with very little space for a grown man to walk, is a crazy assortment of regular and weird swords, swords, and more swords! Plus, a few weapons that even Onimitsu doubted were actually swords. As for the package bearing man himself he is nowhere to be found initially. Nor for that matter is the sales counter.
Fuuta turns to Onimitsu glancing at the small unassuming building Oni was facing. It didn't seem out of the ordinary in the slightest. Perhaps that's what has attracted the bulk of Oni's scrutiny. Fuuta follows the armored shinobi glancing to the man entering the building. The package on his back didn't seem out of the ordinary save for the fact that it was mummified.
Once inside Fuuta witnessed an assortment of blades both of notable and strange craftsmanship. "Huh….so many odd blades and weapons. Makes you realize the vast multitude in which a person can be killed." Fuuta states. As a tool master Fuuta can't help but take an interest in the ingenuity of some weapons and their design. The lack of a counter or the man who entered before them did come across as odd to Fuuta. "Well then. As far as 'strange' goes I think we've got it."
"Slay… or torment." Onimitsu stated as soon as his eye affixed themselves on a particularly wicked looking blade. Some type of scythe-spear combination or something? WHATEVER the case may be with the disturbing looking weapon Onimitsu chose not to his eye linger for very long over its form, or for that matter his mind. The latter unfortunately had a certain wicked little sprite of sorts whispering casually in the swordsman mind. Eliciting shudders, the paranoid wandering eye, and more cautious steps being taken as he meandered deeper into the shop.
Karma at which point, or perhaps some far off heavenly Kami that saw fit to grant Onimitsu a favor, seemingly rewarded Onimitsu for his paranoia by tuning him in to the muffled sound of whispers further ahead. Only for a fraction of a second did Onimitsu hesitate before proceeded quietly closer. Hopefully with Fuuta in tow and quick to mimic Onimitsu's actions.
"I told you before, I do not know where he has gone. I just—"
"Don't care… must end it… that man…"
Fuuta shudders in agreement with Oni as he observes the design of a few more weapons. With his attention fixated on the weapons themselves Fuuta didn't notice too much else. There was little room to move around and explore but Fuuta managed to get a closer look at any item that caught his interest. "Huh kinda wish I had a bigger pouch. Hey Oni….Oni?" Fuuta turns around to see that Oni was creeping forward towards something. Fuuta's eyebrow rises in puzzlement but it was all the more reason for him to follow. He'd trail behind Onimitsu but not too close. He wanted to give himself enough time to react.
As luck would have it a sound, though faint, startles Fuuta. His head flies up in response and he spots just in time a falling rack of blades overhead he and Oni. "Move it!" Fuuta says as he dashes forward evading the bladed rain.
Onimitsu heard the call all too late unfortunately. As a result, within the scant few seconds that followed the former chuunin leap just in time to have the lower half of his body slammed into and pinned beneath the odd assortment of weapons. Mercifully the fates however deemed that the fallen man would not suffer any injuries from the surprise attack just yet; but, only so long as he did not shift to erratically around to free himself.
"Rust it! Wha-what the heck!? Wait! Hey! You can't—"
"I can and will, you sorry anvil!"
Onimitsu struggle instantly came to a stop as soon as the argument reached his ears. From his view point only the back of the merchant — an elderly man with uprising speed, slicked back greying black hair, and trussed up in red — is visible just before the man disappeared into a door just behind the now visible counter. The customer himself — presumably a he in any case based on the sound of 'his' voice — is practically a blur of motion from Fuuta's view point as he whirled about to dash headlong towards those last few meters down another door at the opposite end of the entrance.
"Kuso.. After them Yoko-san!", Onimitsu called out, then resumed his struggle for freedom once more.
"Forge it." Fuuta remarks watching Oni get trapped under the rack of weaponry. The departure of the old man was too speedy for Fuuta to even attempt to pursue however the customer was not. Still even with his string reeling technique Fuuta couldn't catch the man. He curses as his attack fails. Onimitsu command gets a look from Fuuta. "But…" Fuuta watches Oni work to free himself and smirks "You don't have to tell me that!" Fuuta snaps and chases after the fleeing customer. Technically this wasn't a mission so if Fuuta wished to get reckless he could do so without worrying about berating the good name of Kirigakure. He charges a bit of chakra as he soon figures he'll need it.
Onimitsu bit back a retort. The "mission" came first and there was no way that the divine or earthbound would be allowed to impede his success further. The very thought that any would -attempt- to only made the former chuunin angry enough to practically roar as he hefted the rack of his body, then stumbled back onto his feet to give chase at the merchant.
Uncaring and unaware of the gradual build up of chakra being drawn out of him by Yoshimitsu in preparation.
Meanwhile, Fuuta is forced to either to think on his feet or risk a sever head because within moments of chasing the patron through a back supply room and into an alleyway, a katana is swept about to decapitate him the moment even a glimpse of him is spotted charging out of the doorway.
Regardless of his success, the patron spares no more than a minute at best in trying to cut Fuuta down or at least SLOW him down before turning about to try and flee further down the alleyway in defiance.
Upon exiting the door Fuuta is assaulted by a katana which threatens to decapitate him. He slips under the blade narrowly able to see his own reflection briefly in the cold steel. Fuuta growls "Now it's personal." he remarks before veering off path. The feeling customer would lose sight of Fuuta and figure that they'd lost him. In all actuality though Fuuta had merely used the surroundings to his advantage. Heading off the culprit cutting his path short was Fuuta. A haughty look on his face. "That's far enough my friend." he says with a vicious grin. Little did the man know that this Fuuta was a clone. A tool clone made to attract his attention while the real Fuuta would flank him from behind and corner him with a kunai at his jugular.
Freedom. Oh how the merchant could just taste freedom just a few meters away. Freedom GUARANTEED by losing his pursuers not only within the morning crowd that was quickly thickening BUT also within his very home territory of Fumma Alley. And while it might cost him close to an arm and/or a leg just to ensure that the trio responsible for abandoning his shop in the first place never step foot in Fumma Alley again, Lord Hachi Hachi (and yes he really went by that title) was willing to pay that and more if only for revenge alone.
Although… a nice nap right about now was starting to feel much more important then anything else right now. Nice, short, calming nap on the cold, grime covered stonework of the alleyway ground.
"*pant*.. *pant*… One down.", Onimitsu muttered as he weakened his grip on the merchant's pressure point in order to focus on keeping the man upright a little longer. Then secure him over his shoulder as he turned back to see if he could catch up to Fuuta now.
Once more back with the patron and the Fuuta twins, said patron narrowly managed to avoid a mortal blow from the clone, but still suffered a wound along his neck. And though instinct demanded he try to cover the wound with his hand, the patron fought if off by focusing his thoughts purely towards ending 'Fuuta'. To that end he swung the package around into position leering, and after a brief second the top of it shredded under a hail of senbon launched from it. Incidentally, the turn saves him from Fuuta's attack from behind. Should the clone be destroyed under the hail, the patron immediatly starts hunting for Fuuta with the intent to deliver the same fate to the wily shinobi.
Fuuta's deathblow missed and it was probably a good thing that it did. He let his anger get the better of him for the moment but he's calmed down now. Fuuta, as well as his clone, close in on the man. "Don't try anything foolish. It'll be the death of ya man." Fuuta warns the thug. "Now let's skip the cliches and get to the part where you tell me what you were doing in that shop. What did you steal? Why did you steal it and…." the guy didn't seem to be fond of listening though. The barrage of senbon shower Fuuta and the clone. Both are encased in smoke though to hide their movements. Fuuta, the real Fuuta, manages to escape harm. The clone however is done for but not without some use. Fuuta's tool clone laid down some makibishi in the smoke. Should the thug try and escape he'd find a sharp pain in his feet. Either that or he'd have to tread cautiously which would give Fuuta just the opportunity to subdue the man with some shinobi wire.
Between the smoke obscuring his vision and pain flaring up along his neck, the package bearing man ends up taking that wrong misstep into a nest of makibishi. Howling, the man yanks his foot free and tentatively tries to place his feet elsewhere, only to be forced to leap away upon seeing the smoke beginning to part ahead of him due to Fuuta's wire trap.
Sadly leaping before thinking puts him right amongst a nest of more makibishi; but at least this time he lucked out as far as where his feet landed. After a risky glance down to the weapons at his feet followed by one cast back at the back still in hand, the man mutters something darkly under breath before shifting the package forward. It is dropped, splintering the ground beneath it. Of course none are given any chance to marvel at this feat without risk being turned into a human pin cushion by another barrage of senbon, poisoned tip and launched with even greater speed and force now that the 'canon' was being focused.
Meanwhile, Onimitsu has just managed to get closer to the battle field; but, upon recognizing the wave of needles being that didn't hit Fuuta fly into the sky he pauses to watch. ". Too dangerous..", He murmured before adjusting his prisoner, then binding him to a nearby water tower.
Fuuta watches on as the thug finds himself trapped. Fuuta snickers performs a few hand seals "I've had enough of this." He states. When the package is dropped its obvious weight and density catch Fuuta's attention but only for a second before the senbon rain upon him. Fuuta appears to have been impaled and turned into a human pin cushion. That is until a clone comes up behind the thug. The clone bursts with acid leaking it onto the battlefield. Fuuta had used his rubber clone to shield himself from the attack and then countered with another clone. The thug would be hard pressed to evade the clone given the situation.
Just from a look in his eyes one could tell the thug was grinning behind the mask. That, was a mistake with a dire cost. Said cost would not reveal itself until he felt the presence of something behind him, then in attempt to desperate attempt to defend and attack all at same time, took hold and swung the arsenal around. Unfortunately, he was just two slow to prevent a good portion of that acid from splattering past his defenses and wreaking havoc upon his face, arm, and chest. The howl from earlier was nothing compared to the cry of agony that left the man's mouth as fell to his knees. Though the makeshift mask is torn free his undamaged hand kept scrubbing at his face to try and get rid of the acid.
With his arsenal slowly melting away and his mind devoted more on trying to rid himself of the pain, the battle looks pretty much over. Which would come as a surprise to Onimitsu once he FINALLY arrived at the scene, eye narrowed as he quickly assessed the damage done by the combatants. Once that's done his attention finally turns to Fuuta; only to be averted a few seconds later by the sound of a large cluster of people charging towards the general locatioin. The local 'police'.
"Fuuta-san! It is best we retreat." He calls down from his roof top perch, then peered at the still struggling man. "We already have what we came for, so leave that one be this time." Without another word or so much as a backwards glance, Onimitsu races back to grab the merchant and get going while there's still time. Rather or not Fuuta chose to listen or not is another matter…
Fuuta can see his tactic was successful and approached the man now. He knew the acid wouldn't be the finishing blow. Fuuta had a kunai in hand. "Can't say I didn't warn ya. Good struggle though, relax it's aalmost-" Onimitsu's arrival catches Fuuta's attention along with the footsteps of a larger crowd. Fuuta blinks and sighs "Kinda got carried away didn't I?" He nods to Onimitsu. "Alright let's get goi…wait. He had something before…." Fuuta looks and spots the bag. He moves to pick it up but finds it very very….immovable. "Ferrous this thing is heavy." Fuuta takes out a scroll he often used to house tools and places it atop the bag. A few hand seals and poof the immovable object has been sealed within the ever so convenient and lightweight scroll. "Alright…now we can get going." Fuuta looks back to the man "Sorry buddy. To the victor goes the spoils." he takes off with Onimitsu not wanting to end up a jailbird.
