Starring:
Date: April 9, 2016
Summary:
A portion of the Land of Lightning has disappeared, and Team Hurricane was sent to find out why, only to discover a much bigger problem… and an opportunity.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Origin of Batgirl - Into the darkness"
Agricultural land in Southern Land of Lightning
Reports come in from the Land of Lightning capital for Kumogakure. A significant portion of land in the agricultural districts have suddenly disappeared from the face of the world, and no one can find it. There aren't any towns that have gone missing, but a few farmsteads have suddenly vanished. Odd thing is, it looks like the entire area was swallowed in darkness, and anyone trying to get into the darkness to see what happened quickly gets lost, only to find themselves coming out an hour later from the same spot they came in. As a result, the Daimyo of Lightning has asked Kumo to send a team of Shinobi to find out what is going on. Apparently, the mission office decided that some diplomacy as well as navigation techniques would be needed, since some of the local farmers were understandably upset that families have vanished. Thus the office recommeded that Team Hurricane would be sent.
Arashi looked between his team here and pondered a few things. "Well lets see. With the reports of this mission. Well doesn't seem like we are going to be using our eyes much if we are unlucky. I hope you all have perfected your other sensory capabilities." Which Arashi hadn't yet and still needed to work on now. "Alright. When we get close I want you in the front Nozomi. You kinda have a way with words that does wonders for getting people to listen." He spoke to them. "The rest of us can just follow suit. Me or Nozomi do any talking directly to them for the most part. If either of you have any thoughts you can voice them to me. From there I will let you suggest ideas or question things of them." He then gestured for them to begin.
Hanami glances around the area while they wait to proceed, listening to Arashi. She gives him a nod, "No problem, lips are seal," she mimes it. Works out anyway, she really wasn't the negotiating type. She was pondering the darkness and whether it did anything else to impede the senses. If the people entered and yet came out the same place it couldn't just be simple darkness. Well whatever it was, they'd figure it out. Good to be out and doing something anyways.
Nozomi nods to Arashi in recognition of his orders. "Hai Taicho," she sings with a slightly jaunty tune. Not really much else for her to say at the moment, at least until they get to the agricultural area.
The trip there takes about a day, but not much happens along the way. About half way through the journey the "missing" area is clearly discernible from the horizon as a huge spot of nothingness seems to expand over a large area. As they get closer to their destination, it appears even larger and larger, looming over its surroundings like a giant black curtain falling from the sky. It is obvious to see why the locals are somewhat panicky…
Arashi looked at all of them, and just followed Nozomi until they got to the area. "Oh. Well wow. That is just.. Well… Wow." He kept walking for a bit. "Alright. I suppose we should ask some people first. Figure out what all has been going on directly from their mouths you know?" He spoke before gesturing for them to lead on. He wanted to see what they would suggest.
As they arrive, Seiko blinks an lifts an eyebrow as he examines the curtain of black over the area. When Arashi makes his suggestion, the Sasaki looks his way and suggests, "I think you should let me go into the sky and see how far up this thing goes. It would also let me see if there are any clearings within the darkness or spots where it may be weak for some reason." If the other two didn't already know Seiko can fly, they do now.
Hanami pauses with the others, gazing at the stretch of darkness. Definitely foreboding. She didn't really have any suggestions but instead quietly extended her senses upon the wind in the direction of the darkness, trying to see if she could read anything from it.
Nozomi nods to Arashi as he directs them and moves off to a cluster of rather angry and distraught people to start talking to them. At first they don't seem in the mood to tell them much of anything constructive, but Nozomi's personable attitude is starting to make a difference. Only thing is, it's going to be a while and she may need others to handle the other angry group approaching.
You paged Hanami with 'You can tell the land inside that blackness is there… sort of. Thing is, it's /really/ fuzzy, as if there's something keeping the winds from giving you relevant information inside.'
Arashi first looked at Seiko and nods towards him. "I think that is a good idea Seiko. Go ahead and check the whole thing. Report back when you are able or have good info." He looked at Hanami and seems to be trying to judge her thoughts. "Keep an eye out Hanami." He then turned and prepared to back Nozomi up. Especially with that other group possibly being an issue.
Nodding to Arashi, Seiko brings his hands into a seal then leaps into the air as what seems to be a tornado forms an aura around him and sends him rocketing off into the sky. Once there he peers down at the area below and around, staring at this strange void to try and pick up any information that might be useful atall.
Hanami swears, grumbling, "Clearly not going to be any good outside of it at least. The land is still there but…it's all distorted. Something with the way that darkness is confounds the very air itself making my sensing kind of fuzzy and all messed up." She glances over as Seiko takes off into the air, seeing the other group of angry people she moves off to let Arashi handle it, peering at the darkness ahead and grumbles a bit, no ideas coming to mind at this point.
Nozomi's continuing to talk to the local farmers, but she's not making much headway. One middl-aged man finally yells, "Are you going to stand here and ask questions all day, or are you going to get my family back?" He takes a step toward her as if to grab her by her kimono, with his hands stretched out. Nozomi, who had not been singing her words but speaking, wasn't carrying a tune inside her head at that time. So when she steps back to avoid the grasping hand, she trips over a rock and falls on her behind. "Figures, they sent a worthless wimp of a Kunoichi. Just goes to show how much we're valued here." Nozomi winces but starts to stand up in order to make a point.
Arashi steps up to the man without paying much attention to everything Hanami said. "The start to getting your family back is the questions we are asking. So don't go grabbing at my shinobi because if you put one hand on any of them without their permission I won't be held accountable for what you get coming to you next. Now how about you calm down and listen to our questions." He offered a hand to Nozomi but it was up to her to accept it. "And sir. These kunoichi could have you seeing stars in seconds. If we were so worthless and we still get the job done then what does that say about yourself? Let her prove you wrong." He then gesture for Hanami to come over. "Hanami. Can't sense anything in the air?"
After spending some time in the sky, Seiko drops back to the ground and walk up to Arashi to whom he whispers. "There doesn't seem to be an upper limit to this thing without sending myself into space. It also shimmers toward the top for some reason. I can't see through it no matter how high I go."
Hanami looks over as the man grabs for Nozomi. She grits her teeth, turning in the direction as Arashi walks up. Stopping herself she waits for the moment till he calls to her. Walking over, decided it probably wouldn't do much good to smack the villager for being a jerk she simply addresses Arashi. "Yeah. Like I said, everything in there is fuzzy, more or less good enough description. But the land is still there. So likely this is more like something of a shroud, and whatever it is confounds anyone who goes in, to guess." She looks to Seiko, "Shimmering hmm? Somehow seems odd."
The man gulps and takes a step back from Nozomie as Arashi approaches. He looks at her for a moment, obviously not believing what Arashi said, but still he won't push it since an obviously competent shinobi is present. "Then get to it then," he snarls, still not exactly happy.
Nozomi shakes her head minutely toward Arashi and gets up, then absently dusts herself off. "Sorry Taicho," she says respectfully. She then turns toward the man who tried to grab her and offers him a smile. "We'll do everything we can for your family sir. It would be better if we knew what we're facing, which is why I was asking the questions." She then looks toward Arashi and sings, "One moment, let's see what I can discover. Her eyes turn from sky blue to ice blue as her nejigan flares to life. She turns toward the darkness, not noticing as the man sees this and gulps. She turns around and sings a few notes, which seem to echo all throughout the area, then quiets and listens for the echo. The new group stops to watch this, while the man pales significantly as he is rather creeped out by the whole eye thing.
Hanami watches the others before looking back at the darkness, "Well, might as well get closer. Doesn't seem to do us much good standing back here." She shrugs and starts walking toward the darkness. She has no intention of going in, would indeed stop a short distance away. As she does she tries to focus her senses on the darkness again since she doesn't have any other options.
Nozomi watches the echos, then seems to blink for a moment as if she recognizes something. "Taicho," she sings with a tone of warning in her voice, "Uh… that darkness… it's powered by sound waves. It looks more like a chakra field to me right now," she says as she takes a step forward. "I can't see through it or in it, but it's… probably very disorienting for anyone trying to step through it."
Arashi frowned. "Hanami take a step back for a moment..just in case. Nozomi.. something is in there. And it is moving fast. This sound darkness thing.. doesn't seem to effect it. What so you suggest to counter this field Nozomi. You know more about sound."
Looking back Hanami raises an eyebrow, "Wasn't going to get that close." She turns though, walking back, "Many somethings, that's what it's made of. Also basically eradicated all plant and animal life in there, at least in my range of senses. I was able to discern a kind of pattern to the interference, likely cause whatever creatures are making that field are flying in one."
Nozomi reaches down and pulls out her flute, then plays a few notes. As she listens to the echo, and watches the sound reflect off of the field of darkness, her frown deepens. "No way I can drop it completely. It's far too powerful for most of my techniques to budge. I might have one way to safely navigate it, but the effects would be localized on me, probably to the radius of a couple of meters. Beyond that, I could not guarentee anything. And I would be too busy trying to dampen the effects to be of any help against whatever is in there doing this. That means that the rest of you would have to defend us against whatever is making this…" She has a few ideas of what could make something like this, but for the moment she's not voicing that opinion. "I mean, my skills with White Noise are only so strong…"
Arashi eyed the darkness. Then he would move the mist again. "Nozomi. What do you want to do. You know more than anyone about this. You get to take the lead. I will follow it and do as asked." His mist would move around.
Hanami just quietly waits for the moment.
Nozomi inspects the field again, then shakes her head. "Okay, get close to me, within a 2 meter radius, and switch to hand signals. You won't be able to hear much of anything," she instructs her team. When they are close enough, she raises her flute to her lips and starts to play. For three, maybe four notes, nothing happens. But then then entire area goes quiet, absolutely quiet. Arashi would detect that the movement in the air of the field nearest to her suddenly clears of any static to reveal a piece of scoured ground about a half-meter deep. Nozomi takes a step closer, and everyone can see the effects now. A kind of tunnel opens up into the darkness, allowing light and wind to assess what is there, which is nothing. Arashi would sense the small things becoming agitated, but then something else happens… movement and killing instinct from behind, not to mention the sudden appearance of a swarm of… Locusts?
Arashi looked at the group and just nods as Nozomi does things. When the sound disappears and then the movement and such happened he would gesture behind them and prepared for a fight with…something.
For now Seiko decides it's best to just silently stick the group. He stays on guard, looking around at the darkness through this unnerving silence. His eyebrows furrow in thought as they move along, whatever his deductions on the situation are kept to himself for now.
Hanami just follows along quietly with the group, staying close of course. Once they start going into the milling darkness she keeps a sharp eye out. Her senses turn up nothing here but the movement and feeling she gets from behind makes her whip around to see what's coming upon them.
The sound of locusts get louder as a veritable swarm of them seams to be rushing right at them from the group of newcomers that were previously walking toward them during the confrontation between that man and Arashi. Indeed, the trio of men are now rushing toward them with kunai drawn. It's obviously an attack!
As Nozomi takes another step forward, anyone facing front would realize that this barrier is about 2 meeters thick. Beyond it is lush farmland, including some orcards. As she stands in the middle, producing the White Noise effect, a tunnel is made through the barrier. The locusts are quick catch up, but the swarm seems to bypass Team Hurricane completely, intent to get inside. However, just as the first ones reach the other side of the barrier, a trio of bats appears. Two start to do something that causes the ones just outside Nozomi's field of effect to collapse twitching, while a small one rushes into the tunnel, obviously trying something…
The sound of locusts get louder as a veritable swarm of them seams to be rushing right at them from the group of newcomers that were previously walking toward them during the confrontation between that man and Arashi. Indeed, the trio of men are now rushing toward them with kunai drawn. It's obviously an attack!
Arashi frowned as he watched. Of course he walked further and then sighed as the men seemed to be attacking. Of course one did indeed hit him, and that sinply made him angry. A cloak of chakra enveloped him. Weak amounts of it compared to Jinchuriki obviously and only those able to see chakra would even notice it but it was there. It allowed him to access his chakra quicker and form his attacks quicker. And indeed it would do so as chains of water were spit out and would try to latch onto two men and hold them down.
Bringing his hands into a seal, Seiko brings up a wall of water to keep himself from being hit by the one attacking him. With that successful, he switches the handseal, causing two fists of wind to burst forth from the wall to attack him in return with a vicious combination.
Hanami was surprised by the swarm of locusts, maybe a bit more when the bats start attacking them. But her attention is quickly taken by the approaching attackers. As one swings to strike her she blurs with the wind, twisting and turning out of the way. During the motion she draws her chakram and slashes at the man's arm with a wind chakra enhanced blade. This she follows up by gathering the wind quickly in front of her and blasting it out in a quick burst at her target, hopefully knocking him back maybe even into the darkness one could hope.
So far the Kumo shinobi are managing to hold their own against these unknown shinobi. Arashi becomes slightly hurt, but manages to catch the Jounin in water chains, while Seiko and Hanami are each managing to fend off their attackers while significantly wounding them. Nozomi continues to provide white noise, which seems to be interfering with the single bat's abilities to attack the locusts. A muffled clicking sound can be barely heard over the din, but the locusts in the tunnel are seemingly unaffected. However, the duo at the end of the tunnel are doing well against their attackers, and suddenly everyone hears a voice in their heads, "You with the sound ninjutsu, in or out. Do one or the other, and CLOSE THAT HOLE!" Nozomi starts to take another step forward toward the end of the tunnel, which starts closing the outer end of it. As it starts closing, a giant locust the size of a small dog jumps in, and starts to attack the bat in the tunnel. The attacking humans, on the other hand, don't seem to realize what's going on as they press their attacks.
Arashi couldn't tell much of what was going on besides what was right in fron of him. He heard the voice though and turned towards Nozomi. He gestured towards the other side and gestured for her to move towards it and the others to follow. He hopped backwards and readied his next attack. And it would be aimed at the giant locust as well, but in such a way to hit it right on the top of it.
As the boulders come his way, Seiko brings his hands into a seal and leaps up, allowing an aura formed by a tornado to carry him upward once more over the boulders coming his way. He smirks slightly from his position in the air, shifting that handseal again to send another pair of fists after the man, first at his gut and then directly under his jaw to try and knock him for a loop.
Watching their attacks be beaten back Hanami continues to move with the group, getting out of that darkness. Then there's the giant locust, quite the sight. But her opponent makes a move, lunging to strike and it seems she's unable to move out of the way in time, taking the strike to her side. It hurts, but it happens she's use to it by now. So she swings her chakram across with a quick slash while forming the seals to gather the wind around her opponent, swirling with cutting speed around and around.
Nozomi obeys and quickly covers the distance between where she is and the end of the tunnel. The human leader and one of the chuunins are taken down rather quickly, but the other chuunin appears to be hanging in there. The last human suddenly appears to change tactics however, as he stops his body flicker in a position to shoot a dragon water bullet at the bat in the tunnel. The bat is hit, and the locust takes another leap to bring the bat down. The swarm is finally defeated by the other bats, but the bat screams pitiously as the Locust attacks it. Between breaths Nozomi screams, "It's coming down, get over here!" She doesn't hesitate to bring the White Noise to a close, to follow up with a minor music chord aimed at the giant Locust. Her face is a picture of determination as she defends the fallen bat!
Arashi aimed his own attacks at the chuunin. If Nozomi focused the locust then he figured he had to focus the other one. Trusting she could defeat the locust." He raised his palms and suddenly a whole lot of beams of storm chakra fired out towards the Chuunin. "Time to end this! Anyone have any ability to heal? Maybe make sure the bat is healed. Even if just minor first aid."
Though he's fairly sure Arashi is capable of finishing the one remaining Chuunin, Seiko wants to be sure he actually does. So, shifting that handseal again, he sends another pair of wind fists toward that last guy to help beat him down.
Hanami watches Arashi and Seiko finish off the attacker after he had dodged her attacks. Looking over she sees the large locust and sends chakrams formed from wind chakra whistling straight at it, aiming for the wings.
And even as the last chuunin goes down and bleeds out on the ground, the Locust's armor seems impervious to the attacks so far. However, with the white noise gone and he barrier closing down again, the locust will not be able to hold out much longer. But the bat's piteous clicks seem to enrage the normally chearful Nozomi, causing her ice-blue eyes to grow even colder. "Die, you thrice-obscured bug!" she calls out before upping the tempo on her music to combine her minor music chord with her newest sound technique that sends a stream of 6 swords at the locust from all directions.
Arashi looked onwards and suddenly moved his arms in a way to aim at the locust. And he pondered slightly whether to lock it in chains or to destroy it with a beam.. Which might not do enough. His decision was to try and destroy it with a beam. He knew Nozomi could probably handle this, but no reason to not help…. Right?
Hanami grits her teeth, hands flashing through the signs as she gathers the wind to spiral around the large locust in hopes of slicing into it.
The armor of the locust must be made of the strongest stuff in the world. Nozomi's sound attacks are just about the only thing that has gotten through it as all the other attacks seem to be absorbed by it. The small bat seems to be in a lot of pain, and losing its battle. The other bats can't seem to get near enough to help without endangering the captured one, and while the barrier is disorienting the locust and causing it damage, it's not working fast enough. "No," Nozomi growls as she prepares a longer series of sound. Using her eyes and her best sound defenses, she steps into the barrier while playing to get closer to the locust. The clash of the sounds become visible as she dives in and her defense seems to counter the effects of the wall within arms reach of her. She quickly switches to another two volleys of six string swords in desperation to attempt to drive the Locust off faster…
Arashi could tell that Nozomi had pushed her chakra to nearly the limits. She wasn't tired yet, but that was just about as much as she could do. Luckily it seemed to be enough. So he walked over to her. "Alright. We need to get that bat to safety. Can you focus on making sure we aren't suddenly destroyed by darkness and lost forver…. Though I figure the bats did that huh? Maybe they wouldn't continue it for a bit since we helped…" He looked at them. "Good job Nozomi, Seiko, and Hanami." He turned and made sure each were okay. "Hanami come over here." He stepped towards her as well and started to wrap her in some bandages wherever she was injured with some ointment placed first.
Hanami looks as Nozomi takes care of the locust. She puts up her chakram when she hears Arashi calling to her, "Hmm?" She looks down at the cut on her side, really isn't that big a deal but it gets bandaged though she's looking at the darkness before them, "She's in there, enough of that we need to fish her out somehow. Or just hope she wanders back out like all the reports say." She shakes her head, "Dim it. There's a pattern to this darkness, might as well try disrupting it. Worse case it'll just fail like everything else." She inhales, focuses, and exhales a quick spiraling vortex to smash into the barrier in hopes of disrupting the flow long enough to create an opening to get Nozomi out.
Not even worrying about the Locust, Nozomi gingerly picks up the bat just as her rhythmic ripple technique fails. The full force of the barrier hits her, actually shaking her up physically with the sudden influx of sound. Darkness quickly envelopes her even as she screams in pain and dashes toward the direction that she remembers her team was. The scream actually changes into a wave of sound that gives her just enough of an opening to escape the barrier before the full disorientation can take effect. She staggers out of the barrier, falling to her knees and panting heavily as she holds the heavily injured bat to her chest. "It's okay… you're safe now…" she whispers hoarsely to the bat in her arms.
Well Arashi was happy she made it out of the barrier, but also wasn't even sure if.. Well how do you heal damage from sound like that. He shrugged idly for a moment and looked around. "Any way to help the bat? Besides possible first aid that is?" He asked of them, and frowned a little bit. "Even.. Though this is happening by the way.. We need to figure out what is going on here.. Still our mission."
Hanami watches Nozomi escape the darkness and nods along with Arashi's words, "Yeah, any clue about why or how this sound barrier thing was erected? Or better yet, how to get it down?
"I can answer that," a voice echoes all around. A giant bat the size of of a mormal mastif flies down and lands before Nozomi. "Let us take him, sound user," the bat says kindly. Nozomi gently lays the bat down on the ground just as a trio of bats come in to take care of the smaller bat. "Thank you for saving Ang's life, brave one. I would ask why you felt the need to attempt to bypass our defenses, but your friend's questions give me all the answer I need."
Nozomi smiles and clutches her side in pain as she looks to the talking bat. "I have another question, if I may?" Nozomi sings respectfully. The giant bat nods his head, which Nozomi takes as a sign to continue, "Why does it appear that the Locust clan is at war with the Bat clan?"
The great Bat turns so he can look at all the team as he answers, "We bats raised the barrier as a means of protection against the Locusts. Why we need that protection is not of your concern, but as the sound mistress observed, we are at war with the Locusts. We are here to search for a source of fruit. We mean no harm to any humans, and those humans caught inside the barrier are well, and tending their lands."
Arashi nods slowly and frowns a bit. "Okay. I understand a bit overall, but is there way for you to allow passage for the humans? It is a hinderence for some, and just overall makes them all.. Confused. Panicked. If they could somehow feel secure even now I think it would be good. Just… Well or we could try to help you find that source. If it would allow you to move somewhere else sooner…" He pondered that thought.
Hanami tilts her head a bit, listening to the member of the Bat clan. "Like he said. If we can help you find this source of fruit we'd be happy to help. And in doing so if the barrier can be removed it would help the people feel more at ease. It's understandable you want to protect yourselves but it's causing a lot of problems for the people who live here, regardless of whether the ones inside here are at ease or not, definitely the ones without are not so."
"We cannot lower the barrier, but we can allow for passage through it. For now, that will have to suffice," the bat replies. "If you can calm those outside down, we can get some of the humans inside to vouch for any who want to enter. Care must be taken though, as the Locust's summoners are aiding the Locusts, and we do not have summoners nearby, as you humans recon distance."
Nozomi listens to both sides for a moment, then says, "Great Bat, I do not know if you would consider me worthy, but if you need a summoner here, I would be willing to sign the contract." She stands up slowly and unwraps her arms from her body and bows to the bat, ignoring the pain. "It would be an honor, and it would make up for the pain inflicted on the little one due to our misunderstanding the situation. If a bridge needed, please allow me to build it with you."
Arashi didn't speak up yet on Nozomi's offer. "That is fine with me. It is a deal I am willing to make for now. And we will help. Now with Nozomi…" He looked at her and simply smiled. "I think no other shinobi fits this job." He looked to the other two. "Get ready to try and see if people can actually calm down enough to come inside and work with the bats on actually being able to move through it."
Hanami nods, "If we can get people to come through that should make a big difference. Might take some work, the people out there can be stubborn but we should be able to get things relatively normal, at least until you can move on peacefully without fear of the locusts." She looks to Nozomi when she offers to sign a contract, "Hmm, would clearly be fitting."
The bat turns toward Nozomi and clicks a few times, then snifs as it assesses her. At the same time, four more bats come flying in, two settling on this side of the barrier, two flying through the barrier to the other side. "For now, they will act as gatekeepers until a way to identify those trustworty enough to travel through the barrier." It then gives Nozomi its full attention and says, "That may be an answer here, but you must pass our tests in order to be consered worthy of being our summoner. Each task will be given after the previous one is complete. While you may accept help from other humans, the only bat that will help you is the one we assign to monitor you to assess your resolve. Is this agreeable?"
Nozomi nods once without taking even a moment to think about it. Perhaps she understood she'd be tested in this. "That is acceptable great bat," she replies clearly.
"Very well. While it is obvious that you know how to mould sound into ninjutsu, it is equally obvious by the less than graceful way you go through our barrier you do not have the same knowledge in genjutsu. Your first task will be to learn how to mould sound into genjutsu. Your evaluator may help, if you can convince him. Do you understand?"
Nozomi pales a little bit at the demand, but is inwardly glad that at least that caveat was given. "Hai, I understand, and accept," she replies.
"Very well. Since your evaluator is… busy at the moment, you can help them until they're ready to join you."
"Domo arigato-masu," Nozomi replies, bowing deeply before walking over to Arashi. HOpefully now he can at least help her bandage her chest, which really hurts…
Arashi listened and nods. "Thanks for letting Nozomi prove herself. And thanks for being understanding of our mission here." He turned to Nozomi when she showed up and grabbed some first aid supplies out. "Here. I don't know if this will help, but this stuff here can numb some of your body and hopefully prevent any pain and.. Well bandages are bandages." He opened the cream stuff that came with a metal thing to spread it in case you didn't want to have your fingers get numbed in spreading it. And of course he we make sure to get anywhere she couldn't plus anywhere she specifically pointed out to be hurting, and would offer her the metal thing to do some herself if she wanted to. He used his hands as he was used to it anyways. Forgot the thing a lot.
