Starring:
Ataru, Nori
Date: April 27, 2013
Summary:
Ataru and Nori are sent on a mission to protect a dam…only they find out that the villagers are trying to blow up the dam because the dam creator is extorting them. Ataru and Nori have to make a decision: fail the mission and save the villagers or perform the mission.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"That damn dam"
A dam in the Land of Fire
Ataru and Nori have been sent out to a small farming village on assignment. They are to protect a dam! It sounds good right? Only, the dam is fairly small, as is the river it is blocking. The river is no larger than a few meters across and the dam is only about 2 meters high.
The client is waiting at the site of the dam for Nori and Ataru when they arrive. He grunts out a furious hello, "You better be damn good shinobi. The last time I hired some wanderers to guard this dam, the locals just about destroyed it. I paid good money to your village to keep this dam up, so I suspect you to do it without any damage." Nori sends out a private message to Ataru's mind as the man speaks, <Did he really just say damn and dam in the same scentence. Haha.> Nori's face remains poker-blank the whole speech. He just nods.
Ataru looks about as they'd approach the dam, frowning, he'd study it, then the man who was upset about something. "Ya'll didn't hire shinobi from Konoha ta protect it.. so why ya thinkin it didn't get protected right? So why are the locals blocked off ya'll gotta dam here anyways?" Kyouki would of course respond to Nori, ~Some people just don't have the proper vocabulary to do things right.~ Ataru mentally sighs, <Kyouki, knock it off. Nori.. come on, seriously?> Shaking his head, he'd cross his arms over his chest. "How many people we talkin and what all they doin?"
The boss spits, "Yer damn right I didn't hire Konohagakure shinobi to protect the dam the first time. Yer expensive." Nori says to Kyouki, <Oh come on, he's doing it on purpose now.> The boss continues to talk, "How should I know why the locals are blocked? Do I /look/ like a local?" To be fair, he does look well dressed. The man spits on the ground again, "Now you think I'm a scout. I'm off in my home when they come for good reason. I'm not getting my dress coat messy, that is your job. All I know is that they were trying to set explosives. At least that's what the other shinobi said before they chased the locals off and then ran off themselves."
~When hostility meets progress, someone is bound to be upset, on both sides of the situation.~ <Kyouki..> Ataru shakes his head. "We're 'pensive 'cause we get the job done, eh? They were settin explosives.. ya dunno what type.. and ya dunno why, 'cause ya didn't bother ta ask em, yer just here ta set it up, huh?" Ataru frowns. ~Ataru, they may be just in their attack~ <I know, There's not enough info.> ~We have to investigate. Nori-san, can you scope out his head?~ Ataru would shoot a look towards Nori, shrug, then look back to the guy. "We'll do our best ta make sure there ain't damage ta it, k?"
The boss doesn't even bother answering Ataru's questions. He just rolls his eyes and storms off. Nori pipes up immediately, "It's just one of those situations where you're damned if you do, damned if you don't." The young Yamanaka breaks into a huge grin. Nori watches as the guy walks off and says mentally, just out of habit, <It doesn't work that way unfortunately. I can only read thoughts directed to me once a link is established. I'm working on getting there, but it isn't there yet." Nori smiles and then shrugs as he stares out over the dam, "So, what we going to do next?"
Ataru stares at the boss, then eyes Nori with a raised brow, voicing a previous thought, "really Nori?" Shaking his head he'd sigh and start walking towards the dam. "We go huntin fer locals ta find out what's up. We also look fer good spots ta bomb the dam and make sure they ain't set up with bombs." Ataru sighs as he'd keep walking forward. ~This is a trap. We're in the wrong, no matter which side we help. Ataru why did you agree to this?~ <It's the life of a shinobi Kyouki. You knew what I was when ya crawled into my head.> ~I don't like it.~ <doesn't mean I do.> Ataru glances back over at Nori, keeping him in the loop now that the connection was established until he breaks it, it seems. "Comin'?"
Nori laughs, "I can't help it sometimes." The boy then listens and nods. He is about to say something when Kyouki speaks. <I have to agree. This stinks bad.> Nori walks with Ataru over to the dam to inspect it. It looks like a good ol' fahsioned beaver's dam with a boulder on top for a spill way. There would probably be a bunch of places in the dam's logs that could hold bombs. Nori sighs, "This might take a while. How about I search for them and you go find some locals to talk to?"
Ataru walks with Nori to the dam, not commenting on the way. Pondering, he'd study it for a moment before a small nod was given. "Sure mate. I'll go quick as I can.. hollar ifn ya need help.. I'll check in every 15 minutes, a'rite?" Getting a confirmation from Nori, Ataru would.. vanish. Well, it wasn't really vanishing, it was just that Ataru was really really fast. A small burst of wind from him taking off and he'd be gone from sight there, seeking locals in the surroundings. There was a certain pensiveness to his actions. He was ordered to do this defense. But what if the dam is destroying things, thus the need for defenders to stop those who are in turn, defending their own life?
Sure enough, down the dry river bed is a small village surrounded by dry fields. There are a few people carrying buckets of water towards the fields, a few people within a local bar drunk, and even fewer people out on the streets. One man in particular is walking from the village up the river-bed with an empty bucket in each arm. He is in his mid-twenties, rugged, and looking tired.
Frowning at finding the village, Ataru would drop from shinobi speed, hide his tag on his leg in a pocket and with hands in pockets, would casually stroll down the river bed whistling. He'd pause, as if first seeing the man, then raise a hand in greeting with a smile. "Yo mate! What's goin on? Ya'll lookin a bit dried there huh? So what happen ta the river?" Ataru looks about curiously, noting the further damage the lack of water is doing to the area. "Seems ta be a bit of a dry spell, ta be sure.."
The man stops as he sees someone coming his way that he doesn't know, "Stranger. Nothing is wrong here. We don't want any trouble. Please move along." The man looks to be pretty spooked. He looks around to see if anyone else is around to help him out, but the village is deserted. He gulps and bows, "Please, the river is fine." He smiles sheepishly and continues to try to walk past Ataru. Odd.
Ataru blinks. Odd. "eh.. lookit mate, I ain't seekin ta cause no trouble either.. was just askin.. but.. well, I'll tell ya straight up, " sorry Nori, "Ifn someone brow beated ya'll inta givin in fer their greed on the water or whatever.. I'm more than happy ta end that injustice… I just need more info mate. And ya ain't gotta worry.. I really doubt there's anyone in this area that would be able ta take me down easily.." Ataru shrugs, leaving his hands in his pocket, trying to be as honest as he could with the man.
The man stops in his tracks and looks back over to Ataru. "I, ano, I…" He seems scared. After taking a long deep breath and studying Ataru, he says, "A man showed up a few years back with some hired henchman. He dammed up the river, asked us to pay him for water for our rice fields, and then slowly increased the price each year. We tried to revolt, and although we took a few of his henchmen down, he hired shinobi. They stopped us from blowing up the bridge, and then left since they couldn't stomach killing more of us I think." He starts to tear up a bit before turning. "We can't afford shinobi to fight for our cause or to pay for the water anymore. All of our cash went to the man controlling the dam."
Ataru's face would harden, before a final nod was given. "Gotcha.. a'right mate.. tell ya what.. ya need ta head back ta town.. tell em the river is comin back.. I'm gonna go have a talk with this guy ta get somethin worked out ta make it so ya'll ain't up a creek without the water, eh?" Shaking his head, Ataru would chuckle and turn away. "It's gonna happen tonight.. just so ya know.." With that.. he was gone. The small burst of air from travel and off he'd go, back to where Nori was at. Dropping into a semi-crouch near him, the first thing he'd probably hear was over that link ~It's the right choice Ataru.~ <I'm going to get in trouble. I can cause trouble for Nori too. Do I bring a friend down?> ~He's not happy with it either.~ <…> ~You know I'm right. This is wrong and it has to be ended.~ Ataru lifts a hand in greeting towards Nori. "Hey mate.. there's a critical flaw in this dam.. we couldn't do anything ta stop it and it busted.. the poor people below who's been havin ta pay a guy who refuses ta even touch the mud fer their water, is just gonna have ta go back ta havin free water 'cause the dam popped. Sorry we failed mate.."
Nori has scoured the dam well enough. He's covered in dirt and mud himself actually when Ataru shows up again. He listens, thinks for a bit, and finally answers, "What about the guy that is paying for this mission? If we don't do something about him, that story could back-fire." Nori may be young, but he too has a sense of right and wrong, and apparently he's not above having Ataru rough the guy up to make sure the villagers are okay.
Ataru chuckles with a shrug. "Who ain't been over here, probably just goin over a report. We happen ta miss one of them bombs and it caused the whole thing ta fall apart. Gonna have ta be careful we dun flood em though.." Ataru frowns, arms folding across his chest. "He came along with hooligans ta rough the people up and build the place.. then it can be some hooligans that knocks it down.. eh?" Shaking his head, he'd eye the boulder at the top. "First thing first.." Flickering up to stand beside the rock, he'd wind up and with a single punch, power through the rock, shattering it so that it could not be used for denying the water flow. Hopping back down to where Nori was at, he'd muse. "A'right.. so.. what we gotta do is take it apart enough ta make it look like an explosion.. but not too fast ta destroy stuff.."
Nori considers things as Ataru goes about punching the rock, "Yeah, but won't the guy just go buy some more shinobi and start the process up again? If he really thinks it is the villager's fault for bombing the dam, won't he take it out on them? Next time he might hire Kirigakure shinobi instead." Yes, they are the boogey-men of the Narutoverse apparently. "I think we need to either make him run away, or if he won't listen to reason…leave." He points to Ataru's fist that just smashed the boulder, "Meet reason." Nori chuckles and then goes about removing wood from the dam, which is already starting to trickle water.
Ataru pauses, before a final nod was given. "a'right.. then.. we'll make sure that happens." ~He's going to meet justice incarnate.~ <Kyouki, don't start.> ~FOR JUSTICE!~ Ataru winces. <Kyouki!> ~This is the reason I was made. I was made by people like those down there!~ <Yer yelling in my head!> ~.. right, sorry.~ Ataru sighs and gets to work helping to pick apart the dam. "It's two stories. First, the dam got blown. second, the guy met some ruffians. Dunno who they are, but they convinced em ta not do it again. Unfortunately, we were dealin with locals wantin their water back.. so couldn't stop the ruffians. eh?"
Nori nods to the plan, "And if we need to, we can probably get one of the locals to step in and say we tried our best. I mean, I might even have to beat you up to make it look like we were beaten." Nori looks like he might enjoy that far too much. Hopefully he's just teasing…right. As they get the water flowing once again and it looks decently enough like an 'explosion' hit the place…Nori says, "Now it's time to go deal with the bossman." Nori heads in the direction the bossman went. In a bit, he's got a sense of the man's life-force (there aren't many people around the dam lands to begin with)…and they make their way out to a fairly large guarded, fort-looking, house. Nori erks, "This might be harder than we thought."
Ataru would help Nori with the dam, then flash Kyouki into existance as he'd henge into a bandit looking type. Once in disguise, he'd motion for Nori to take one up as well. "Ya ain't been with me when I've wanted ta enter somewhere.." Once set, he'd walk towards that wall of the fort-looking house. Screw the front door, he'd simply walk between where there were guards, spin Kyouki up to where the butt is aimed at the wall and with a single grunt, slam the spear into the wall, to make a big enough hole they could get in. Of course, it'd probably also alert everyone nearby. "In." Once in, he'd look to Nori to point out where the man was at.
Nori blinks as Ataru goes and makes his own gate in the compound by punching a whole in the wall. "That works and grabbed their attention." An alarm goes out automatically and the small yard within the compound quickly fills with people. They look like shinobi, which Nori confirms, "We have chakra readings." Nori then points to the bossman as he steps out and sighs. "Kill them," is his comment.
Studying the guys that show up, a small nod was given, the spear he had would suddenly expand, that decorative blade on one side of it growing in length til it was a wicked double sided looking scythe blade. Bellowing in a voice that didn't really sound like his own anymore, Ataru glared at the men. "WELCOME! THIS IS DEATH KNOCKING. ANYONE WHO DOESN'T WANT TO MEET DEATH PERSONALLY.. LEAVE!!!" Ataru would take three steps in, the scythe growing in length within his hands as more chakra was funnelled into it, expanding the reach it'd have. That third step had him rushing forward, anyone in his way would of course be dealt with by a fast slash of the scythe, seeking to dismember and maim as he'd rush for the boss. Yeah.. Ataru has fully embraced Kyouki and is metting out that justice.
Nori sits back and does his supporthing. That means he uses his earthen walls to trip up anyone that gets too close to the rampageing Ataru. Most of the shinobi here aren't more than genin so they really don't stand a chance…but two worthy opponents step forwarx and throw a large firewall in front of the boss. "Tut tut," says one, "Us first," says the other.
Ataru cleared out most of the trash, that mental <thanks> tossed Nori's way with his help. Death was indeed stalking that area and it'd be only a small hop back that the firewall got. His first idea was to go through it, Kyouki pointed out that it'd over extend him, leaving Nori open. Spinning the scythe as it'd shrink to regular size, Ataru eyed the two who said them first. "Fine. Death can always reap two more." He'd launch at them then, that initial strike of the scythe aimed at the one who talked second, only to spin in place as Ataru could, to do a backhanded attempt at decapitation of the first.
Almost as if Nori read Ataru's mind…without actually doing so…the young Yamanaka sinks below the surface. He's disappeared leaving Ataru free to do as needed. The second talker blocks the scythe with a flaming sword, while the first dodges the decapitation by spurting out a massive flame jet out to the side, thus rocketting him clear in just the knick of time. The sword guy swings the sword and its flames arc out toward Ataru. The jet guy shoots a cyclone of fire from his mouth…regardless of if it hits his partner. And then Nori pops up out of the ground next to the boss who squeals in fear.
Ahh.. no more potential issues there. Kyouki would block the flame, indeed, the metal scythe sucked it up the flame, greedily, suctioning it off into the Oni that made up the weapon. Once the fire passed, Ataru grins and as the flash of Kyouki vanishing happen, he'd get to work for real. That sudden burst of speed was phenominal. The rapid flurry of attacks that came from seemily everywhere at once surrounded the two shinobi as Ataru gave them a true beat down. The attacks were everywhere, anywhere they turned as he'd hit them both for an easy 250 shots each. That rapid flurry of blows was beyond what one person would be thought of to be able to do. At the end, Ataru skidded to a halt off to the side, panting softly as he'd watch the men to see if they needed any further encouragement to stop fighting or not.
Nori grabs the bossman, somewhat forcefully, but not really enough to hurt him. Nori walks the path of peace afterall. The two shinobi manage meanwhile, to hold their own against the barage of incoming assaults. Tbey get hit, and how, but they don't fall down. One is on his knees dripping blood…the jet guy. The swordman managed to deflect and parry a few blows, but he is bleeding from many wounds. He is still standing though. They were worthy. Both throw their hands up, "We'd continue…but with that scythe sucking up our flame, what really is the point?" The bossman gulps as Nori holds him up to Ataru. The boss screams , "You two were supposed to be the best."
Ataru's voice was cold as ice as the scythe flashed back into existance in Ataru's hand. Slow steps carried him towards the man. "There is the best. then there is Death." That blade of the scythe would come to nuzzle against the boss man's neck, even the softest of touches creating that chill touch of drawing blood. "It's real simple. Give up the dam. Leave. Or die. If Death hears of you coming back here? There will not be two options next time." He'd press that blade a little closer. "Understood?"
Nori adds, "And I can track you down just as I did now. I can sense you coming too, so don't get a stupid idea in your head about finding others to come after us. We don't deal well with stupid. And lastly…don't work with Konohagakure ever again. We don't need your kind of business. Consider yourself officially blacklisted. If we hear from you…Death won't be gentle."
The bossman gulps and says, "Fine," and even the words draw blood.
Just shy of a shout was mentally thrown at Nori <DUCK> and Ataru moved. That spin again, with hopefully Nori listening and ducking, he'd snap the butt of the scythe around into a wicked smack to the back of the bossman's head to send him stumbling forward. For anyone that knew Ataru and as the shinobi he just beat could attest, that was far from full power, it'd still potentially be a concussion though. "Get." Ataru looked over at the two shinobi too, pointing the scythe at them then. "If I see either of you again, Death will deal the final blow. Leave."
Nori does duck. He dives down underground like a whale. It isn't quick though…so the boss's foot manages to smack him in the face. Whoops. Nori disappears below grade. The boss lands and is out cold, but not dead. The two shinobi meanwhile bow, collect themselves, and hobble off supporting eachother. When Nori comes to the surface to breath, he is rubbing his nose…which is bleeding and caked with dirt. "You're lucky the soil helps soak up blood," he grumbles and then laughs. "Let's go home ourselves,ne?"
He'd smirk towards Nori with a shake of his head. "Duck faster?" Kyouki flashed out of existance as he'd look around, then give a nod. "Let's go." He'd walk out of the fort location with Nori, waiting til they were clear before releasing the henge. Making sure Nori was ok, he'd stop by the village so he could make sure they made it through the controlled flood ok as well. Once it was all set and done, Ataru headed back with Nori to Konoha. Time to face the music of a failed mission. Ce La Vi.
