Starring:
Date: January 6, 2016
Summary:
The general order of Kirigakure is disrupted when a disorderly breaks the law. The students take initiative to stop them before curfew, but they come with a choice. To give the child mercy, or to save themselves? Perhaps these students of Kirigakure have some morality left in them, a morality that is quickly stripped from them as justice is brought to the child in a gruesome way.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Kirigakure ~ A Student's Moral Compass?"
Kirigakure
It was the late evening, rather close to curfew, that Eiko, Ren, and Mizumi were leaving the weapon shop. Mizumi would likely have her recently purchased staff, and everyone might have been a little hungry. Well, Eiko was a little hungry anyways. "So, I guess we don't really have enough to go out to eat do we?" She asks, with a sigh. They really don't feed everyone enough at the academy. Not that eating out was actually a thing. Wasn't their a rule against eating more than your peers? At any rate, that hope was shot. The sun was fading over an orange sky which made it clear that there was a temporary repreive in the mist at this very moment. So far, there were few people on the streets. Certainly no shinobi anyways. Nothing was exactly out of place right now. Everything was… average. "Nevermind. Guess we'll… just go back to the barracks…"
Ren stood there silently for some reason. He just seemed grumpy maybe? Probably not grumpy, but a lesser version of it. He just nodded along with whatever Eiko and Mizumi said because he was just happy to have someone that didn't look at him like he was evil or something. They were his friends though so they wouldn't ever treat him like that would they? Anyways he wasn't actually hungry like Eiko was. He was sadly used to not eating much. He sighed at mentioning going back to the barracks. "I would rather go somewhere else, but yeah….okay." He sighed a second time and just followed Eiko.
"…" Mizumi is silent, the only sound coming from her is rasping breath as she gets used to her new staff. There's also the *thunk* *thunk* *thunk* against the stone paths as she moves the staff forward and then takes steps forward. Move the staff, move her feet. It was tiring… Even for the shortish journey from the shop to the barracks. "I'd… rather… rest…" she manages to say, following her friends. She almost felt like she couldn't continue, but this was a form of physical training. She /had/ to get stronger. She /had/ to. She wouldn't allow herself to burden her friends.
Eiko would sigh at Mizumi. Poor girl She was always taking breaks, but it wasn't -her- fault. Whatever screwed up diety put her on this planet like that… It was their fault. Eiko would turn towards Mizumi and stare at her a moment. She wasn't looking down on her comrade at all. Not trying to. She just seemed like she did. "Mizumi… I…" She takes a deep breath and sighs. "Mizumi… …" You really could see the conflict in the other girl's eyes. "Alright… Let's take a rest. We still have time." Eiko would walk up and guide Mizumi so she could sit up against a nearby building off to the side. "You know what happens if we don't get to the barracks before curfew, Ren… It's… Not pretty. Night Watch Duty. No sleeping, or you get flogged."
It wasn't but off in the distance that a noble of the Land of Water, looking far better than anyone else as far as being well fed, dressed, and cleanly, was coming up along the road. It seemed his personal guard was not with him. Which is a real folley. In Kirigakure, there are a lot of desperate people. Desperate children, who are hungry. Why, that jingling pouch of gold he had was rather enticing. It was even enticing to Eiko, whom looked over at the noble with wanting eyes. "… I hate that… Look at him. He's… got money… We don't. He looks like he ate quite a bit not even that long ago." Eiko closes her eyes and sighs as she sits down beside Mizumi. "It's unfair… If they fed you properly I bet you'd get stronger… Hey, Ren! Come sit!"
Ren frowned a bit more. "I don't care Eiko. I rarely get sleep anyways, and I have surely dealt with worse then getting flogged at home." He sighs though and nods to them about rest. His eyes drifts to the noble, but he isn't tempted any like Eiko is. He doesn't care for the money of some rich fool who pays others to protect him. He earned his money by sitting on his butt. Ren would earn his through doing something and he wouldn't let that ever change. When asked to sit down with Eiko and Mizumi he nods quickly smiling a bit and sits down with them.
Mizumi shakes her head a bit. "N… No, not now. I meant… Go back… to the barracks." Though she did finally stop moving and leaned heavily against her staff. The young Shirayuki would attempt to straighten herself, then, and she looks to Ren. "I still can't believe your parents would do that… My parents are both really kind. Though I suppose that comes from being ignored by the whole clan," she comments with a breathless chuckle. Then she hears the jingle of a full purse and she looks at its owner. "He must be important," she supposes. "Only Lords and Daimyos would ever look like that, though. No self-respecting Jounin of Kirigakure would dress like that," she notes. "At least, not within the village." She sits down near Ren and Eiko, likely between both, and just relaxes a bit.
Eiko and Ren, both seated nearby, they all seemed to take a moment to appreciate the noble as he walked by. Eiko was a little bothered by Ren getting whooped by his parents, but she was merely reminded of her whoopings too. It must be a Kiri way of parenting. She seemed to relax alongside Mizumi and Ren, and the world seemed not bad. Well, for them. A few moments after they stared resting, a rather emaciated looking kid suddenly peeked out from a nearby tree. He looked desperate. The kind of child whose mother was his only parent and she was sick kind of child… A few moments later he dashed forward and lunged for the noble's coinpurse. He was successful. One might notice his heart pounding as he ran rather quickly into the alley. The noble, rather plump, was not able to pursue in fancy clothes.
Eiko would stand rather quickly after seeing this… "Oh, man… Did you see that? That kid did what I wanted to do…" But Eiko must have seen an opportunity here. "Hey, w-we should probably go get that kid… Isn't that what… our duty would be?" She asks. She looks at Ren for the final call. The boy would get away if the decision wasn't fast.
Ren blinked a few times and frowned. "I think we should go stop him." He blinked a few more times and then got to his feet rather quickly. "Ummmm….. Eiko. You rush on ahead. You are stronger and quicker. Probably have the better chance of catching and stopping him. I can make sure Mizumi can come with us. If you don't find her maybe Mizumi here can." He would stick a hand out to Mizumi to help her up, and would walk with her listening to her on whether they went a certain way or not to follow this kid.
Mizumi blinks and gathers a bit of chakra to her person upon seeing the kid. She would attune her senses in such a way so that she could sense his chakra signature, then the kid snatched the coin purse and ran. She would keep her inner eye focused on him, trying to follow his path. "Eiko-chan, follow him. He went that way…" and she'd point in the correct direction. "I think he's heading towards the gardens…" she adds, struggling to get to her feet quickly.
Eiko would grin rather suddenly. "Heh, Sorry Mizumi. My senses aren't as good as yours, so… I'm not leaving you behind." Even before Mizumi gets up completely, Eiko would crouch right in front of her, grab the younger girl's arms, and stand up. "Hold on to me with your knees. We're going for a run!" Eiko would say. "Heh, Ren… You had a good idea. I mean… This was your idea." As in Ren did note that Mizumi could find him. So why not take Mizumi with her? She is the -smartest- Kaguya ever! … This did slow her down considerably, but… That wouldn't keep her from trying. "Come on Ren! Let's go… If we're quick about it, we might get a reward…"
The kid had likely reached the bone gardens, and had dipped himself into the bushes in order to escape detection. It wouldn't be long until Chuunin found him and executed him. Might as well be upstanding students that keep him tied down…
Ren frowned a bit, and even now did not feel like this was actually his idea. Eiko did something different than what he said. "I guess…" He shrugged a bit and moved on with the both of them. He not having Mizumi to slow him down allowed him to stay ahead of the two of them. Even then though he wasn't super quick. "Eiko! Mizumi! Where is he?" He looked on towards the bone gardens. "Eiko.. I can do too much to help right now with stopping the kid and getting him back. So it is up to you." He frowned admitting that. He could maybe use his blood for something but he wasn't exactly good at it yet.
COMBAT: Ren finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Mizumi's turn.
Mizumi would stare at Eiko when she crouched, but she would nod slowly and climb on. "Ren-kun, could you please take my staff?" she requests, imagining that the extra weight didn't need to be on Eiko's back. "Gomen, Eiko-chan… I'm being useless again…" she mumbles in her friend's ear. She would cast her senses out, though, trying to double check that the boy was still in the area.
RPCOMBAT: Mizumi defends against with a CHAKRA-SENSING-TECHNIQUE…21
Eiko would soon carry Mizumi, running alongside her. "Nonsense, Ren… If he tries to escape, just tackle him…"
Mizumi would definitely notice the kid hiding in the bushes. In fact, it was so obvious that Mizumi could have seen it from a mile away. On the other hand, the kid likely knows that Mizumi knows… In fact, the boy would attempt to make a run for it by bum-rishing Ren, whom he takes as not having confidence… or something…
[NPC System]: Emaciated Boy roll(s) Bumrush from 5 to 18 and get(s) a 5. - Rolled by: Eiko
Ren ran out ahead of the others ust as the kid bumrushed him. Funnily enough where the clone was standing was actually an uprooted bone. That meant as the kid thought he would hit Ren he actually hit…nothing and tripped over that bone. Or at least stumbled. Ren would frown from nearby and simply sent out a little bit of blood to hold the kids ankles together. The face on Ren made him seem super angry and as if he would torture the kid for days on end. "Give us the money back…now."
COMBAT: Ren attacks target 1 with NIN-TRAINING with a roll of: 13
[NPC System]: Emaciated Boy roll(s) Block from 4 to 15 and get(s) a 4. - Rolled by: Eiko
Mizumi watches Ren take care of the kid as best he can, and she just looks to Eiko. "Well… That was easy, ne? I'll get down, though…" She would slide off Eiko's back and hopes that Ren put her staff down earlier so she could retrieve it. She wasn't used to it now, but … Maybe she could grow into it. The young girl would also keep her senses trained on the kid while she moved, determined not to lose the young thief now that he's in their grasp.
Eiko would look down at the boy that was clearly -just- knocked down. The boy, whom looked rather scared, dropped the coin bag when Ren used rather basic ninjutsu to stun him. As soon as he hit the groundhe would get on his knees and beg. "P-please! T-this was the only thing I could do." The kid says, clearly looking hungry as north. Was it right to turn him in because he broke the law? He would one hundred percent die if he was turned in, on the other hand… If they let him go, they might get reprimanded. In the end, wasn't it a Kill or be Killed world? Eiko was leaning on executing him here and now, because she knew if they didn't take action they'd have terrible things done to them. At the same time, she couldn't take such actions with Mizumi around. Eiko looked over to Ren and shakes her head. "What do we do?" She asks Ren. The boy isn't lying, he was going to die at this rate… Yet what he did would get him killed eventually anyways.. Was mercy the right option?
Ren frowned and took the coin purse in hand. He then would walk over and hand it to Mizumi who was still on Eiko's back. Only then does the blood move away from the kids ankles. Ren moved his hand to what he had left in money from earlier and brought it to the kid. "Here. Take this. Next time don't steal and try to help work for the money. Maybe if you went up to him and offered to escort him someplace you could of gotten paid for something. Earning the money will always feel better than stealing it." Ren was seemingly not built for Kiri with his kindness shown there. He looked back at Eiko. "That is what we do. Give the kid a second chance." He walked closer and whispered to Eiko. "Though if we see the same kid again doing the same thing…. I will deal with it myself." He seemed to be frowning a bit as if he didn't want it to come to that. "Mizumi. I got your staff right here… Want to try and walk again as we hurry back to the barracks?"
Mizumi looks at the kid and feels bad for him. He was starving… He looked as weak as she did, but at least she was able to somehow get into the Academy. That gave her a sense of purpose. She would take the money pouch that Ren gave her, of course, and she was about to suggest something when Ren just… up and did things. Shouldn't they talk about this?! Give the others a chance to share their opinions v.v; Not that Mizumi disapproved with what Ren just did. Admittedly, she likely would have done the same thing, as soft-hearted as she is. And since this was not an official mission… "Hey, kid…" she would say. "What's your name?" The girl would take her staff back, then, when Ren offered it. "Uhh… Hai. We should start heading back. And you," she points to the thief. "You should come with us for a bit."
The kid would rub his nose, he was… surprised about this. He took the money. Were these people going to be his friends? "I-I'm Sakin, U-uh… R-really?" He asks, as if amazed. He would stand up and smile a little. "Ehehe… I… I can't join the academy though. If I do, who will look after my mom…" At least, that was his excuse. "M-maybe… I will!"
There is indeed a really worried expression on Eiko's face. Perhaps the kind of expression she hasn't shown before. "I… I don't really think this is a good idea…" This is assisting a criminal… This is breaking the law… "Let's go back and give the noble his money, at least…" The fear on her voice was clear. What had her comrades just done? Have… Have they learned nothing? She was barely a year older, surely they knew Kiri… She closed her eyes… What would a big sister do? She'd take the blame… … …
Ren frowned a bit. "Take that… But… Actually…" He glanced at Eiko.. "Have him return the money himself. Have Sakin her tell the noble man that he was just hungry, but after escaping us decided that he should probably return it. Because his mother wouldn't want him stealing and risking death for her just because she is sick. We can watch from the shadows to make sure he does it, and if something happens well… He needs to deal with the consequences." He looks at Sakin. "Does that sound like a good idea to you?" He looked at him with a little bit of a glare. As if he was trying to intimidate him into doing so. "And Eiko. Does that sound like a better idea?" He would look over at Eiko but started walking. They had the money now and could agree or disagree with him. Ren…well he was ready for the consequences of his own actions, but he was someone who wanted to give people second chances personally.
your mom?" The boy would tell her the truth: his mom was sick. She nods slowly and would look to Ren as he revealed his plan and she nods again in agreement, even as she starts to move towards the barracks of Kiri. She had to start moving now or they wouldn't be back in time. "Sakin-kun…" she would start, already pausing a bit. "Listen to Ren-kun's plan, okay? And be sure to apologize to the noble. He might not be happy with you because you stole his purse, but you have to own up to your actions. If you want to be strong for your mom, you can't avoid the consequences of what you did."
Sakin would nod his head slowly. "Yeah… W-with the money you gave me, I… I think I can take care of mom for another week." Not as good as a noble's purse, but… "O-okay… I'm going now… F-follow me!" The boy seemed relieved. He would indeed start walking towards the street with the bag of money. He was going to give it back to the noble and everything was going to be okay…
Or… Or was it? Ren, Mizumi, and Eiko would watch as the boy returns to the street. He would walk out to the noble, who was surrounded by two Chuunin. "S-sorry sir… P-please forgive me… H-here is your Ryo back…"
The noble looks at the kid a moment, with rage in his eyes. "Kill him." The noble would step back as the Chuunin moved in, drawing Kunai. The child stepped back, "B-but… They said if I returned it… If I owned up… P-PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"
[NPC System]: Kirigakure Shinobi roll(s) Sharp II on Emaciated Child from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 30. - Rolled by: Eiko
[NPC System]: Kirigakure Shinobi roll(s) Sharp II on Emaciated Child from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 25. - Rolled by: Eiko
[NPC System]: Kirigakure Shinobi roll(s) Sharp II on Emaciated Child from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 44. - Rolled by: Eiko
[NPC System]: Kirigakure Shinobi roll(s) Sharp II on Emaciated Child from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 31. - Rolled by: Eiko
Within moments, the child was bleeding on the road. In front of other people in the road so that they would know that there was a lesson to be learned for those that went against the system. The noble however, looked upon the three students and nodded his head. The two Chuunin would approach and ask the following question. "Are you three accomplices to the child that robbed this citizen?" One with a mask asked.
Eiko felt that only terrible things would happen if Ren opened his mouth, so she quickly did so for him. "No, sir. We lied to him and convinced him to return… So that he could… He could be punished for his crimes." Eiko seemed to swallow hard, but the Chuunin accepted this. "Very well." The Chuunin said this very coldly, and left to pry the Ryo from the dead child's hand, before returning it to the noble… Eiko… Eiko knew that they had dodged a bullet…
Ren grew seemingly angry at what he witnessed. He knew Kiri was cold blooded like this, but to do such a thing. Eiko spoke before he could do anything and the whole time he looked away from anyone and just stared off into the distance. He didn't agree with not giving people a second chance. A second chance is at least something that should be given. No more then that even, but… Ren watched them take the Ryo and give it back to the noble and he clenched his fist. He calmed after a small moment though and just without a word started walking towards the barracks.
Mizumi wouldn't speak. She would look on without any emotion at all. Her face was a mask for the true emotions that were forming within. She would simply bow to the noble to make sure she showed respect, and then she would follow Eiko and Ren back to the barracks… At a maddeningly slow pace. She wanted to hurry back to the barracks, but her body was almost at its limit. 'Just… A few… more…' she tells herself, working hard to keep up.
Eiko would shut her eyes, turn away and walk… Just like Ren. Tears welled up in her eyes as she felt like she had betrayed a future friend. At the same time, she knew what would have happened if they had become his friend. They would have been killed too. There is no room for law breakers in the Land of Water. There are no rules protecting you. There was only keeping on the good side of your superiors. That was it. Do your duty, and you live. Kirigakure…
Eiko would remain behind with Mizumi. She would reach out and take Mizumi's free hand, and squeeze it. "G-gomen… Gomen nasai…"
