Starring:
Date: December 31, 2015
Summary:
The team is sent on a mission to investigate and interfere with a local bandit organization and find much more trouble than they bargained for.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"The Bandit’s Manifesto"
Outside Konohagakure, Land of Fire
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~[ MISSION DETAILS ]~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Type: Special Patrol
Lead: Satonezu Eremi
Team: Sarutobi Zankuro, Aburame Etsu, and Akasaka Chiasa
The personnel mentioned herein are to conduct a patrol outside the village in the northern region of the Land of Fire. While on patrol, investigate any caves, abandoned buildings, or likely hideout locations you come across to search for suspicious activity. It is believed that criminals are operating out of the area and threatening our shinobi on their duties. Find these individuals and stop their activities. If possible, bring them in for questioning.
Well, it looked pretty straightforward enough on paper, but she wasn't entirely sure what her role might be in the upcoming mission. If it was looking for things, that surely could be handled by Etsu and her … bugs, could it not? The woman presses her lips together and makes a 'hmm' noise. The only other possibility is that maybe the higher ups want her to get used to more serious work for some reason… "Watch the pros in action, is it?" She initially smirks at the idea, thinking that must be it, and then makes a look of surprise when she realizes that she spoke aloud.
Chiasa glances about self-consciously, hoping no one heard her. Shaking her head, she reaches back to pull her green hood over her head, cuddling into the woolen cloak to shield herself against the bite of frost in the morning air. She's dressed a bit more warmly than usual, her shirt of a thicker material and a scarf tucked around her face beneath the cloak, but the chill does just seem to settle in once you've been out in it for a while.
Well, at least it isn't snowing yet. She casts a dubious glance up at the sky, concerned. The prevailing theme is gray today. So much so that even the sun hasn't spread its golden tendrils over the landscape. Not even once since sunrise. A job is a job though, she thinks to herself. This has to get done for the safety of the village, and for it's shinobi. Her shoulders shift with the faint weight of her pack, feeling the few supplies she brought along shifting within. Unsatisfied with the straps, she goes about tugging at them and retying so the pack settles more securely on her back.
Etsu kept her focus ahead. If she did hear, she didn't mention anything about it. Instead, she was concerned primarily with the mission parameters that were set before them. Investigative patrols weren't anything unusual and were normal for her and her clan to engage in. There always seemed to be unruly sorts that were threatening their shinobi and she took some pleasure in getting rid of them. It's her job as an exterminator. That title wasn't restricted to strictly insects.
She gathered her coat around her, wearing thicker versions of her usual clothes in order to keep the heat contained to her body. It was cold out here and she didn't take kindly to discomfort. "This mission is straightforward, but as we know, we should not treat them that way. We will keep to the instructions of our mission until such a time comes where we may be routed from it."
The day was going so well before Zankuro found himself on a team of his favorite folk in the world. One might think otherwise of his situation, but with things being the way they were between him and Chiasa, the young man was something of a nervous wreck. He hid it somewhat well with over enthusiastic waving and lots of smiling. The level of composure and stealth is practically at Kage level in fact, because who would suspect the reason why he seemed so bubbly yet quiet had anything to do with nerves!
The cold, maybe? Beneath the white cloak he wore a thicker set of his usual mission gear, replacing shinobi sandals with boots, so it couldn't be quite then. Plus, those bearing fire as an affinity are supposed to do well in the cold! "Hai, Azure-chan! Always Alert! Roger Roger! All good! Yes!" He almost goes on to exclaim something else, but manages to catch himself in time. If any look in the man's direction, it would be to see him beaming and giving it his all keeping an eye out on whatever angles not covered by the group.
An exasperated exhale was given into the cold air, the warm breath instantly turning into visible moisture in front of Eremi's face as he trudges along with the rest of the group. The words of the others, intentional or not, passing over him much like the freezing air that encompasses the area. A tug at his black cloak briefly given in response causing chains to clank together as his arms move along his sides, searching for warmth within the protection of his attire.
The scope of the mission was simple, the parameters however, was larger than Eremi would expect for a single team to try to accomplish alone. Rations brought between each members would have to be conserved unless hunting became a possibility. Larger game one of the few options as winter was quickly approaching. "Almost into the northern quadrant now. I'd prefer a blanket of Kikaichu to cover the area, speeding up the process, but I'm not sure how well your insects perform in colder temperatures for long period of times, so far away from their host. I imagine our best bet is for each of us to spread out far enough while still staying within view of everyone else in case something is spotted and others need to react. Then, once a possible 'hideout' is detected, we'll convene before heading in or..trying to lure what's inside, out. I'd hate to wake a hibernating bear while inside their nesting grounds."
RPCOMBAT: Eremi defends against with a SHARPENED-AWARENESS…59
~ Meanwhile, in some cave… ~
"Is that everything?"
"Yes," replies an older man, tugging at the gray bandana covering his mouth. He jots down a few notations on his scroll. "We're ready to start the relocation."
"Very well, I'll go tell, Shigeo-sama," the youth replies. He bounds away and starts to make his way out of the cave where their supplies are located, pulling on his coat as he exits. The boy is maybe twelve at the most, but thin as is usually the case with hard living. It isn't difficult to see from his appearance what lead him to join the group of bandits. The coat is made for an adult man and practically swallows him, and his shoes seem like they've been used a few times, but they're enough to keep his feet from freezing over in any ice.
Despite his raggedy appearance though, he is fast, which is why he was named to be their runner, taking notes between the network of caves to communicate orders and statuses. As for being stealthy though, he isn't trying to be. The boy is secure here in their territory, knowing that there are patrols on the lookout that will watch over him. Once outside, he glances about, orienting himself so that he can get his bearings as he runs. The youth takes off in the direction of Shigeo's, whoever this mysterious figure is, hideout.
~~~
Chiasa glances to Etsu and nods. She seems to be good with whatever they direct her to do, trusting the judgment of those more experienced than she. "Sounds like a good plan." Her eyes glimpse Zankuro and she looks away immediately, not wanting to start tripping over her own feet and running into trees with distraction. She inhales deeply and calms her nerves. Must be serious. Must be focused. Not a time for screw ups.. because of a cute guy… She squints her eyes closed once and resolves to not look in his direction again if she can help it. He's just another ninja on the mission, not the guy who she's going to go see on a date… Nope, not him!
Her head turns when Eremi speaks though and Chiasa listens to him. Yes, finding a bear would be a bad idea! She nods and mentally blocks her girlish fantasies about Zankuro from her mind. This could get serious if they aren't careful. Her eyes move to Etsu again though to see what the woman says about her bugs. Chiasa uses the pause to focus herself, drawing her chakra together to ready it for use.
COMBAT: Chiasa focuses 4633 stamina to turn it into 6000 usable chakra!
RPCOMBAT: Etsu defends against with a KIKAICHU-SEEKERS…56
"He makes a good point. We should split apart. I can keep an eye on Chiasa, just in case. My kikaichu will be fine. I can have them move underground if necessary," she explained to Eremi. "I may not be within range, but my insects can travel far," she reassures the group. "Let's split up as directed," Etsu speaks as she takes a direction and heads off. She assumes the others will pick those that were opposite hers.
Once in position, she sends her insects into the ground to tunnel through and scout out the area. What they come upon is an abandoned cave that appears to have seen some use. She takes what reports are transmitted between her and the insects and keeps it in mind to report on. "Let's go look into this cave…" She spoke while gathering her reserves and using them to cover her approach to investigate this cave further.
COMBAT: Etsu focuses 2074 stamina to turn it into 2500 usable chakra!
COMBAT: Etsu attacks target 1 with CLOAKED-KIKAICHU with a roll of: 45
There is hardly a moment in which Zankuro's head is not in motion in some way that had nothing to do with rest of his body. The team was counting on him to be at least somewhat more focused than the usual, so no making up excuses or misbehavior. Over the course of the last exchange of words between the rest of the team, the Sarutobi gradually lost the nervous air about him. His movements became steady, his search of the area less pronounced, and yet more thorough, and breathing evened as clarity spread throughout his mind.
When it truly sinks in that the group will be splitting up, it isn't concern in his visage as he turned to look over the others. Zankuro smiled encouragingly and nodded curtly in acceptance of the change of plans before breaking off from the group, heading in roughly the opposite direction of Eremi. Once alone in terms of only distance, the Sarutobi made a point of reinforcing his focus through chakra and a mantra. The former of which begins to melt any snow at the man's feet, if only just slightly.
COMBAT: Zankuro focuses 4204 stamina to turn it into 5000 usable chakra!
RP: Zankuro transforms into WILL-OF-EMBERS.
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro defends against with a PERCEPTION…33
"Stay within sight!" Eremi reaffirms toward Etsu, though a moment too late as he only manages to briefly catch a glimpse of the Aburame moving further into the woods before disappearing completely "The girl doesn't listen. Ever. I swear she's got buzzing going on in her head." Speaking to himself, but aloud for Zankuro and Chiasa to hear his frustrations that with a roll of his eye and a deep sigh he turned away and began his own search of the area. An occasional glance given over his shoulder to make sure Chiasa and Zankuro were still within sight.
It wasn't long into his search that Eremi picked up signs of heavy foot traffic within the area. Worn down paths and cracked low hanging branches gave warnings of recent activity. This far away from Konoha and any known settlement within the Land of Fire was typically a sign of enemy movement. Though there's always the slim chance a convoy of merchants found a new path to take. Still, this fell within confines of the mission and with a slight change in direction, Eremi began to follow the signs as much as he could without losing sight of the other two.
RPCOMBAT: Eremi defends against with a SHARPENED-AWARENESS…65
~~~
The youthful boy reaches his destination quickly enough. It wasn't very far within their territory afterall. The bandits have been consolidating and reducing their spread so that they have better control, firmer direction. Whatever this Shigeo character is planning, it isn't just simple highway robbery. He's too organized for that.
Skipping from stone to stone with his thin, lanky legs, the boy slips into the cave and disappears through blackened tunnels. Eventually, he emerges into soft torchlight where guards sit, playing cards. They wave to the boy and offer no hindrance to him. So, he continues on through a few passageways, gaining admittance finally through a closed door.
"Shigeo-sama! They're ready."
The man turns to look at the youth, breaking off his conversation with his partner. "Good work, boy." He reaches forward to clamp the youth's shoulder encouragingly. Then, as though passing down a golden chalice, he reaches back to grasp a lit torch and hands it to the boy. "Go light the signal fire. Hopefully, we'll get this over with quickly and without any interruptions."
As though given the best gift he has ever received, the boy accepts the torch, his lips splitting into a wide grin. "Hai!" With that one word, he takes off, allowing the door to swing shut behind.
~~~
RPCOMBAT: Chiasa defends against with a TREMOR-SENSE…38
The Akasaka woman watches as the others start to follow Eremi's orders, taking off in their respective directions. Splitting up it will be then. She turns and starts walking in the direction that wasn't entirely covered, stopping once she gets beneath the trees to kneel and touch the ground. Her eyes close as she senses through the earth, feeling for footsteps or any kind of odd movement that may send a tremor back her way. Her range isn't very far though so she inevitable rises and continues into the forest, making sure to stay in sight as Eremi had ordered. Occasionally, she glances from side to side, looking for the others. Eremi and Zankuro are easy to keep up with, but she seems to have lost track of Etsu. No matter. Surely, the woman is nearby.
So far, she picks up on nothing out of the ordinary. There is movement at the very, very edge of her senses, but she can't tell if it is animals or foot traffic. Even the busted branches and worn paths are mistaken by her as the doings of natural wildlife. Chiasa has a long way to go before she'll be able to perceive the things that the others do.
Etsu looked further into the cave and inspected it for herself after the reports. With nothing significant to send back other than what was revealed to her, she proceeded out of the cave and took to rejoining the team, signaling them with handsigns once she was within sight once more. She had information to share, albeit very little, but it was something. A cave that's been used? May indicate more activity as they continue their patrol. Oh, if only these people could understand her insects, this would be so much more easier.
In the meantime, she keeps her insects spread out and alert to pick up on anything else that may be around here worthy of note.
RPCOMBAT: Etsu defends against with a KIKAICHU-SEEKERS…38
A sharp whistle pierces through the 'silence' of the forest, emanating from Eremi to gain the attention of those spread out around him. He'd beckon for them to come closer while pointing out smoke rising in the horizon, just above the treetops. All around rustling of trees can be heard, not nearby, but close as branches swayed against the weight of those traversing along them. The jingling of his chains would hopefully get the groups attention once again as he held up two fingers and pointed off in a direction, urging the others to pursue. Before they could object or were even within arms reach, Eremi vanished from his spot effortlessly, quietly. Not even the chains dangling from his shackles giving any indication as to where he had slipped off to.
COMBAT: Eremi attacks target 1 with WITHOUT-A-TRACE with a roll of: 53
[NPC System]: Patrol A roll(s) Perception against Eremi from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 28. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Patrol B roll(s) Perception against Eremi from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 27. - Rolled by: Chiasa
~~~
The boy pauses beside the pile of lumber. He had rushed out of the cave as quickly as he could with the torch, being careful though to not burn himself. He looks around briefly as though looking for something. What? What might expect to find all the way up here on this hill?
Shrugging, he thrusts the torch into the lumber, waiting and tending to it until the flame catches. He waits with it for a few moments more, warming his thin body and looking out over the landscape. He can see the people starting to move about, hear the creak of wagon wheels as the vehicles are hastily loaded down with crates of supplies. All they've gathered.. stolen.. the boy grimaces. He didn't like that they were considered criminals, but it had to be done for Shigeo-sama.
Can't wait around here! The boy hops down off the hill, half tumbling on the way back down to the thick of their hideout to help where he can. He is almost immediately seized and given instructions to run to a post farther out to communicate a message.
~~~
Chiasa's head pops up as she hears the whistle. The woman glances to Eremi, watching his signals. She glances off to where he is looking and notices what he saw. Then he's gone. Chiasa blinks several times. She glances around herself to look for Etsu and Zankuro again before moving off to hide herself the best she can. Which isn't all that well honestly. She's yet to develop any real sense of how to move without tripping over things and just making a ton of noise. She isn't sure if Eremi meant to sneak past their patrol lines or if he means to wipe them out all stealthy like, not knowing the hand signals as she likely needs to. So, the woman just stays put for now in her "hiding" spot, sensing through the earth to get a feel for what's going on instead of inadvertently ruining Eremi's plans.
COMBAT: Chiasa attacks target 1 with STEALTH with a roll of: 22
RPCOMBAT: Chiasa defends against with a TREMOR-SENSE…36
[NPC System]: Patrol People roll(s) Perception against Chiasa from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 27. - Rolled by: Chiasa
Ah, there goes the signal. Etsu made haste to the area Eremi summoned the team towards. Upon arrival, she took note of his instructions and looked up towards the trees. The branches were still swaying from recently being used. She observed Chiasa as she disappeared into the forest to hide and once she was certain she was settled, she took off without any other words; none to exchange since Eremi disappeared anyway. She took to the treetops and cloaked herself so that she could pursue the targets indicated.
RPCOMBAT: Etsu defends against with a CLOAKED-KIKAICHU…39
[NPC System]: Patrol C roll(s) Perception against Etsu from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 16. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Patrol D roll(s) Perception against Etsu from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 22. - Rolled by: Chiasa
There was no such thing as absolute certainty in the Sarutobi's world. So, when he sensed more than a few people ahead, he only went down the guessing route for so long before shifting his focus towards options on what to do about them. Zankuro doesn't even think about it. The moment he hears the whistle several throwing kunai make their way into his hands by the time he turns about towards the source. Once the order is received Zankuro started upon the new course, only to hesitate for a moment.
He grimaces after a quick search turns up a Chiasa in hiding, but failing to comply to the orders. Mostly. Zankuro resolved himself to following the directive in the end. His only failings besides what a quiet misstep might result in is trying maintain a distance that wouldn't place him too far out of calling distance for Chiasa for as long as possible.
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with STEALTH-II with a roll of: 36
[NPC System]: Patrol E roll(s) Perception against Zankuro from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 17. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Patrol F roll(s) Perception against Zankuro from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 15. - Rolled by: Chiasa
Unlike whatever else was causing the surrounding trees to shake, Eremi's approach of the two sentries ahead of himself remained undetected. Moving from one branch to the next with the lightest of touches, what remaining leaves that didn't fall off in Autumn held firm and unwavering as Eremi slipped into the shadows caused by the canopy of trees overhead, helped by the gray of the skies above.
Closing the distance, Eremi sprang from his concealment with a spiraling kick to each of the sentries heads that once connected would cause a thud that echoed through the area. A blow capable of rendering most unconscious, but were that not the case, Eremi was already preparing another onslaught against the two.
COMBAT: Eremi attacks target 1 with LEAF-GREAT-WHIRLWIND with a roll of: 42
COMBAT: Eremi attacks target 1 with LEAF-GREAT-WHIRLWIND with a roll of: 43
[NPC System]: Patrol A roll(s) Huh? against Eremi from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 18. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Patrol B roll(s) Who? against Eremi from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 15. - Rolled by: Chiasa
~~~
He was running away from the main compound toward the patrol lines to tell them the message. ‘Pull in. We’re moving out.’ It was quite a distance away, even as fast as he, it would take him several minutes to reach the first of the patrols…
x~x~x~x
There was something moving in the shadows. They could feel it. One of them picks up on the shape of a cloaked and hooded woman. There isn't much light on this cloudy day, but some of it glints off of her Konohagakure headband as she moves forward to touch the ground, exposing her fair hair. It looks as though she's trying to hide, but.. she just isn’t doing a very good job at it.
He looks around himself, considering. Maybe she's just on a normal patrol or perhaps, she’s looking for clues. Either way, he reaches over to tap his companion on the shoulder and points to Chiasa.
The woman seems to have noticed already and emits a bit of a sigh. She starts walking forward to confront Chiasa, just in time to receive a blow to the back of her head. She crumples as does her companion soon after. Had they been aware that Eremi was nearby, perhaps they would have been better able to defend themselves. But as it is, they just didn’t stand a chance.
There’s a bit of noise from the lines of the forest as the rest of the patrols quickly start to take notice of the events unfolding. There seems to be some kind of alarm among them, but as of yet no one has started to report back. They just simply haven’t had enough time to react. But hands start lifting and pointing at Chiasa as the most noticeable near thing.
XXXXXX
Opening her eyes, Chiasa looks around herself. She could only keep up with Zankuro and barely at that. Etsu, she has no idea.. She grimaces, feeling as though she likely should have tried to follow them past the line, but she just didn’t have enough confidence in her own abilities to risk as much. Her eyes fall on the woman as she departs from the trees and heads toward her. Chiasa inhales sharply. See! This is why she didn?t follow. She can’t even hide while she?s staying still. How would she manage while running?
And, then the woman is down, knocked unconscious by Eremi’s surprise attack with her companion. Glancing about, Chiasa moves out of her hiding spot, giving up the effort. She pauses at the sound of someone exclaiming something and rushes forward to move past the patrol line toward Eremi. She doesn’t even know if making sand at this point would help her predicament. But! If they do start running toward her, hopefully Eremi will be nice enough to bap them on the noggins like he did those other two. Maybe Zankuro and Etsu will get to them first though?
Etsu takes note of the scene below as Chiasa is quickly pointed out by those in the surrounding area. Her eyes scanned the area quickly and she took a path around in the trees to find herself behind the enemy patrols that were responding to the alarm that was spreading around. It wasn't much, but for this mission, it was enough for her to take action. Once in position, she raised her hands to jab them into the guards and transfer a number of nano-insects onto their bodies to spread across their bodies and restrain them with severe pain.
COMBAT: Etsu attacks target 1 with RESTRAINING-BLIGHT with a roll of: 32
COMBAT: Etsu attacks target 1 with RESTRAINING-BLIGHT with a roll of: 30
[NPC System]: Patrol C roll(s) Dodge against Etsu from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 28. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Patrol D roll(s) Dodge against Etsu from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 22. - Rolled by: Chiasa
At home in the trees as any other Konoha shinobi, Zankuro moved through the treetops himself, scarcely stirring a branch along the way. The same cannot be said of all the leaves, but then he was no Eremi!
When a few on patrol stop to spy something behind the Sarutobi, he doesn't immediately react beyond stopping to observe for a moment. What happens next is far too fast for his mind to fully process it all, so the two are downed with hardly more than a surprised look from the young man.
"Baka." Zankuro looks over to the others briefly before focusing on the other patrols that took some notice of the incident. The shift in focus would leave whatever Chiasa spied up to Eremi to handle on his own for now. In the meantime, friend would perceive betrayal in the form of a vicious assault with the only variances in the illusions being either in pursuit of protecting a potential love, or saving an obvious damsel in distress.
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with FALSE-BETRAYAL with a roll of: 24
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with FALSE-BETRAYAL with a roll of: 24
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with FALSE-BETRAYAL with a roll of: 33
[NPC System]: Patrol E roll(s) Will Break against Zankuro from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 29. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Patrol F roll(s) Will Break against Zankuro from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 16. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Patrol E roll(s) Will Break against Zankuro from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 16. - Rolled by: Chiasa
Straightening up, Eremi first looked at the the pair unconscious before his feet, a smile upon his face. Eyes would then shift to the pair near Etsu, writhing in temporary submission, before glancing at the pair not far from Zankuro. Whom seem to be momentarily dazed. Sighing, Eremi rubbed at the bridge of his nose with one hand as the other uncorks the small gourd at his side before bringing it up to his mouth. A generous portion would be consumed before the sake is dropped from his hand and left hanging at his side by a length of rope…
~~~
He was almost there. Like literally, just maybe like ten more seconds…
The young boy stops at the edge of the path, looking ahead of him at the carnage that the Konohagakure shinobi are creating. No! This wasn't supposed to be what he found! He was supposed to find the patrols! Not this!
The color drains from his face and the boy turns. Whatever went through his head to cause him to turn and run only took barely a second to process. He pivoted, slipping a bit as he quickly reversed his momentum to head back toward camp. He doesn't yell or holler about their arrival, but he runs like the devil is after him.
~~~
Chiasa looks around them as the ones left seem to be somewhat incapacitated at the moment. The thing about bandits is that they're rarely actually trained. And they always seem to put the fodder on the outskirts, which is a dumb move tactically. Even /she/ as inexperienced as she is can recognize that. It almost makes her want to do a bit of charity work to help the bandits understand.. No, Chiasa, what are you thinking, you fool? Let them be dumb.
Her eyes lift to Eremi and she looks as though she's about to say something, and then they focus on the youth. He turns to run and she flinches suddenly, "No! Stop! Someone stop him!" Chiasa points in the direction of the fleeing youth, taking in the sheer speed of the young boy with a bit of shock. Sure, she's seen kids fast like that in Konohagakure, but holy smokes! Knowing it's a bit hopeless, she would take off after the kid, hoping to get the full attention of the others. If he gets back to the base before they get to him…
[NPC System]: Young Boy roll(s) Lightning Feet from 35 to 60 and get(s) a 49. - Rolled by: Chiasa
Etsu left the two patrolmen to suffer while the cries for capturing the boy reached her. She looked up to see him taking off like wind away from this place, so she set herself to work attempting to stop him in his tracks by creating a sinkhole. Unfortunately, she narrowly missed him. "Hmph…" She huffed to herself. She was upset that she wasn't able to catch him the first time, but this wasn't over yet. Their presence is known now, it seems. The odds have shifted somewhat, but it isn't a complete loss.
RP: Etsu transforms into INSECT-COLONY.
COMBAT: Etsu attacks target 1 with KIKAICHU-ANTLION with a roll of: 43
The patrol group's reaction had not gone quite as what had been on the script. He could not complain exactly, seeing as the results more or less incapacitated for the moment, but he should really —
"!" Zankuro gaze cuts towards the source of the shout, then to shifting earth from Etsu's jutsu before his eyes finally fall on the boy. A moment's indecision nearly puts the boy out of the chuunin's range of influence. Nearly, but not quite. In a few moments, the mind goes quiet as Zankuro reached deep inside for a nugget of clarity within the storm, amplifying his abilities upon clasping onto it. In another, Eremi may later call a stupid move on his part, but Zankuro still calls out for Etsu to "take care" of the others, and for Chiasa to be ready.
But for what exactly?
In the mind of the boy, an overwhelming pressure would sweep right over him, carrying an air of malice to potent that brushing it off on any level would seem like outright lunacy. As the air soon became to heavy to breathe and legs trudged to a stop from the oppressive weight, a voice would speak to the boy as if it came from someone right behind him. "I believe you're forgetting something, Kid?" If the kid can muster the will to turn behind him and luck, the illusion would naturally lead his eyes to the sight of Zankuro, standing on a distant tree branch. Despite the distance and the vagueness to his form, an impression of the Sarutobi glowering down upon would be still felt by the boy.
RP: Zankuro transforms into CLEAR-MIND.
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with SUBMISSION-AURA with a roll of: 51
Chaos suddenly broke out, not from more sentries, but because a boy showed up and quickly disappeared without so much as a yelp. There were calls to go after the kid and though Eremi would agree, he wasn't reared and ready to go. There was still the remaining patrols to deal with. Though with a single chop to the back of the necks, they were easily knocked out like the ones he had dealt with. "Always cleaning up" He mumbled as he strolled after the others, finding a sinkhole on the way. 'Etsu's work' he thought, continuing on.
COMBAT: Eremi attacks target 1 with DYNAMIC-ACTION with a roll of: 51
COMBAT: Eremi attacks target 1 with DYNAMIC-ACTION with a roll of: 61
~~~
He may be fast, but he's just a boy, and an untrained one at that. All he has is his speed and determination. There's nothing else special about him. The sinkhole is dodged, his feet nearly slipping on the edge of it, but he gets away in time. But then there's this pressure on his head and he slows, looking behind himself to see Zankuro. The boy shuts his eyes tight and holds his hands over his head, waiting for the horrible sensation to pass so he can keep running… So he can warn Shigeo-sama… But he crumples regardless. "No… I'm not.." He whines in protest. No, what could he forget? But still! He can't shake the feeling that he might be, and that guy!
~~~
Chiasa slows as the others start to try and capture him, that tiny bit of sprinting already sending her sides into spasms. She leans forward, her hands resting on her knees as she breathes heavily, willing the stitch to go away. Her eyes move back to Zankuro, Eremi, and Etsu, with some kind of respect. How they handled this.. That's what she should be striving for. Not doubting herself and being mostly useless.
She walks forward to kneel beside the boy, looking him over to see if he's going to be okay. Assured that he isn't cracked or bleeding, she looks back to the other three, her brows lifting as she eyes Zankuro.. warily. What the proclamation did he do… "What are we going to do now? We've found them… obviously.. Just, wow.. I didn't expect mere bandit groups to have patrols like that. This is crazy…" Her head turns to look off in the direction the boy was heading, figuring that their base is that way, or somewhere around there. Either way, they'll likely have to make a decision soon. It won't be too long before someone figures out that there are intruders.
"Way to go, Zankuro. You melted his brain." Eremi would comment as he peered down at the kid struggling with what's real and isn't. "Lost all that weight and nothing to show for it." He scoffs while bending down to grab the kid by the scruff before dragging him over toward a tree, away from the path and tying him up. "We could have simply followed him to where he was heading or caught up to him before he got away, but no. You had to punch him in the cerebellum."
Straightening out, he wouldn't bother to look over the others, instead choosing to survey the scene. Look for a path the kid might have been choosing, ruffed up dirt or noticeable tracks in the direction the kid was heading. "Come on, let's go." Signaling for the others to follow as he takes off into a sprint.
RPCOMBAT: Eremi defends against with a SHARPENED-AWARENESS…62
Zankuro has just taken the same posture as what the illusion dictated, trusting and knowing the jutsu would persist for a short while longer. Regret is shown all but briefly before the Sarutobi's expression hardens in the face of the distracting emotion. It is this facade Chiasa sees until Eremi decided to break it with an embarrassing string of comments.
"O-oi! Th-there's more to losing weight than j-just getting faster! Plus, not all of us are as fast as you and that kid!" He exclaims, conveniently dodging responsibility for possibly doing some serious mental harm. Well, harm enough to scar the kid for life when it comes to konoha or certain faces anyways. But Zankuro's handsome mug was one of a kind, so no real problem there! Right?
No matter what response his words might get, Zankuro would still wind up sighing heavily and murmuring compliance to the new order. Just as he's about to make that first leap however, Zankuro stops and watches Chiasa just long enough to see what she might do about the boy. If they are lucky, she won't try and carry him with them. This was not a relief mission, after all.
"Does he need anything to help his current condition? Smelling salts?" Etsu wondered as she began to reach around in her coat for something to help. "Hm. No time for me to stay around," she kept the smelling salts for now and headed off after Eremi. "You don't point out 'losing weight' to Eremi. This is a person walking around with heavy chains on his body. That's the opposite of losing," she remarked to Zankuro. "You're perfectly fine. Feel comfortable with your body."
Chiasa glances up to the others and looks between them as Eremi scolds Zankuro for the genjutsu. She stays quiet, not wanting to take sides for obvious reasons. Personally, she doesn't understand why someone so young is mixed in with these people in the first place.
As Eremi takes hold of the boy, she moves away and stands back, though worry is clearly evident in her features. She looks briefly back to the patrols that were downed and left behind, wondering what Eremi's plan is and if they'd be able to accomplish it before one of those guys recovers. Her eyes return to the man as he signals them to continue on. She nods and falls in step after a short hesitation and glance back to the kid. Pushing him out of her mind, she focuses and pays more attention to everything around her as best she can, not to search things out, but more so so she doesn't trip over her own feet.
~~~
While a fast runner, the kid is no tracker or adept at stealthy movement. The path he left back to the signal fire and the base is pretty clear to those who might be observant enough, such as Eremi, by the sight of small footsteps in the dust of the road and destroyed brush where he plowed through parts of the forest.
The base itself consists of a network of caves with various entrances. The main entrance seems to be more heavily guarded and the supplies that are being moved seem to be focused on that point. The outer lying caves are being abandoned, however, the supplies moved out of them, people relocated to new posts.
There is likely a better way to accomplish this change, but Shigeo isn't considered to be a patient man. To him, it is worth the risk to try to accomplish the feat all in a day, regardless of how many crumbs he leaves for the Konohagakure shinobi to pick up on.
Whether or not the outlying caves are connected is unknown from the surface.
~~~
The cave system would come into view, hopefuly well before the Konoha shinobi would and Eremi would signal the group to a stop. He'd take a moment to assess the situation, counting the guards, the patrols and those simply carrying supplies. Watching their routines, patterns and routes, he'd take it all in as an attempt to formulate a plan. Remaining motionless for a time before suddenly turning around to the others, "I got nothing…"
"…nothing easy that is." Taking into consideration his own abilities and those around him didn't leave many options. "The plan is to walk right in to what appears to be the main cave. If the guards stop us, we tell them we're the new hired shinobi the boss contracted for extra help. If they notice we're from Konoha and that's who they are against, we'll let them know we hate Konoha as well. If they don't buy it, then we're left with little choice but to fight."
Glancing between each of the three gathered before him, starting with Zankuro "No fancy tricks, no henges and no weird accents." Eyes would shift to Chiasa, "Project confidence, stand up tall and no fidgeting." Lastly turning to Etsu, hesitating slightly, "Don't sell the ruthless, cold hearted killer too well."
Zankuro would stay to the tree tops for as long as such was a feasible path. Between the dressing down and the "incident", the Sarutobi wasn't in much of a mood for chatter. Buuuut seeing as how antagonizing Etsu with silence was bound to blow up in his face, he did flash a half-hearted grin of appreciation her way.
At Eremi's signal Zankuro dropped down quietly to wait along with the rest if he had not already been forced to the ground. The longer they had to wait, the more antsy the chuunin would become, but fortunately things quickly resolved themselves. "Oi…" He murmured, feigning hurt at the barb. Tricks were his thing, so Eremi was basically asking him to act at like… a quarter Zankuro!! He bit his lip to fight back the other complaints and jokes just waiting to burst out, releasing the pent up tension with a drawn exhale. "Can I at least propose one trick? I still plenty of empty spots on my scrolls. So, if you don't mind me sealing up any of the obvious baggage, I'd like to get started now while there's time." He suggested, patting the giant scroll strapped to his back.
Oh great, another stop. Must be where they need to be. A momentary glance indicated as much and she nodded to herself. "Oh fine. That's my best asset, though," Etsu joked in her usual lifeless tone. But, dialing back is something she'll have to do and likely practice. She isn't very good at the whole holding back thing. "I'll try to put on my best face…" She paused and shook her head. That takes so much work and she hates removing her shades, but…
She takes off her shades and stuffs them away. Her eyes were bright and cheerful, something she didn't like showing off often. They totally kill the vibe. "I'm ready to go. I have my insects all hidden and feel fully exposed," she complained.
Chiasa falls in beside Eremi, Zankuro, and Etsu as they near the cave system. She looks about, trying to take in what she can with her untrained mind, wondering what Eremi sees. She can see the people, yes. And some look like guards, but the pattern of it? What pattern? Hearing him speak, she pulls her eyes away and turns to face the group, listening to his instructions. His words are immediately met with a downcast pout, but then she nods, reaching up to pull the forehead protector off her head. The article is carefully stuck inside her pocket and she reaches back up to ruffle her short strawberry blonde locks to make them look more natural, instead of like they're missing something. She looks away as they get ready to leave, looking over the posture and gait of one of the bandit women as she wanders back and forth. Chiasa's body moves subtly as she starts to mimic the woman, gaining a cool, collected air about herself, despite how much her nerves are screaming.
Her eyes fall on the others, looking them over to make sure she isn't overdoing it herself. Acting confident like this doesn't come naturally to her, so it's a struggle. She looks at Zankuro's scroll, wondering what all he wants to seal up. Her hands move about her own person, digging into her pocket to assure herself of the handful of sand inside. Chiasa can't help but smile at the feel of it, remembering that she did at least get that one ability down before the mission. The, she looks to Etsu and emits a snorting giggle at the Aburame woman's words which does a great deal to calm her down. She reaches up to rub her wayward snorting nose and takes a deep breath to calm herself down again, seeming a tad more natural about it.
~~~
So far, everything is going smoothly, or so he thinks. Shigeo stands over a map, moving small pieces around to project the relocation of his forces and supplies. There are a few notations made in other countries, but they are vague. Hopeful take outs? Additional forces? Is Shigeo really the leader here or is there another he answers to?
Occasionally, someone steps into the room to deliver a report and then leaves again just as quickly. Successful goals of the relocation. With each, Shigeo passively reaches to a bit of scrap paper, crossing through items in a list.
Outside his abode, the guards are alert, but not paranoid. They know there is danger in this mission, but no need to a deep alarm yet. They stop everyone going in or out that doesn't seem "official," just as an added measure of security. The guards on the outside of the cave seem to really take this task to heart, stopping nearly everyone as people go in the cave with supplies to offload.
~~~
Eremi waited, making sure they each knew what was expected of them. The ladies seemed willing enough to comply, but then there was Zankuro. Sighing, a hand would raise to rub at the eye hidden behind his bangs as if a headache was brewing. "Do what you need to do, but be fast about it." Giving Zankuro whatever time the man needed before asking, "All set? Good." He wasn't exactly sure what tricks the Sarutobi might employ, but if it led to the direct involvement as to why the mission failed, he was going to punch him.
"Follow me." Straightening up, Eremi moved out of cover and into the opening making a straight course for the guards that blocked the main entrance and if unobstructed, moving directly passed them. His single eye not even bothering to look at either of the guards as he approached. The dangling chains from his shackles starting to make noise once again as if he could possibly control when they do or don't.
Zankuro is only half observant of the others response to the plan, so it is no wonder he did a double take after catching Etsu take of the glasses. It took every single ounce of willpower for him to resist standing up, and practically pouncing on the Aburame. Once the fever has all but completely passed, the young man would straightened out a bit more, adjust his collar, then casually edge his way in front of Etsu. If he can make it that far, then there may be little chance of stopping him, because those hands of his are quick to try and clasp the sides of her face.
And if he is not stopped at /THAT/ point, she is going to have to put up with a bit of cheek pulling before he abruptly releases her face at Eremi's go ahead. Though he stepped away to carry out his plan, the Sarutobi could not stop staring at Etsu with a completely bug-eyed expression. Happy, disturbed, bemused, enraptured — they all had a turn at facial control until blind picking at the scrolls on his chest proved to do more harm to good. "Where the he—AH! There ya are!" He exclaims, and with a quick twirl of the scroll about his form, gone is the shinobi gear, and in is mercenary shinobi Zankuro. He even somehow managed to work in a bit of face paint in the wardrobe, though how the heck that worked is anyone's guess. The point is it isn't a henge~
"Ready Cap'n!" And with that, he is off.
COMBAT: Zankuro focuses 4292 stamina to turn it into 5000 usable chakra!
RPCOMBAT Zankuro took 1200 chakra drain.
RP: Zankuro uses QUICK-CHANGE-SCROLL.
Etsu was happy to have inspired some sort of good mood. She wasn't in a bad one herself, but she really didn't like taking off her shades. After removing her forehead protector and stuffing it away, she now felt like she was ready to go. No sooner than she'd stuffed her belongings and checked herself over, she raised her head to an assaulted cheek. She lifted her hand to instinctively place it after enduring such a pinch. "I will murder you in your sleep," she spoke to Zankuro simply enough. Her eyes didn't make it seem like she'd make good on that threat, but she would. She'd just need to bide her time and wait for the appropriate moment. For now, she follows Eremi once more to the guards.
~~~
The guards outside the main entrance watch as the four strangers approach. There's a lot of people moving around and everything is busy, but the bandit group isn't like hundreds strong. They know one another and any unfamiliar faces will be noticed.
Others seem to notice their uniqueness as well, shrewd eyes turning in the direction of the four shinobi and then looking to one another inquisitively. One of the guards steps forward, stopping them. "Halt! Who are you and what business do you have." The question is given more as a command. The guard puts his hand on his weapon casually, but the threat is there. Surely, if there were new recruits or something like that coming by today, the boss man would have told him, right?
~~~
Waiting is hard for her. Once a plan is made, she hates to wait. It's just how she is. Closing her eyes, she reaches down to rub her rings, reminding herself of the things her father /tried/ to teach her. Thinking that surely they must be ready by now, she turns her head and blinks at Zankuro grasping the Aburame woman by the cheeks. Chiasa blinks and looks away again, not even giving herself enough time to fully grasp what was going on. She looks back to the bandits and takes a few breaths to restore her calm. She doesn't even mentally argue out her thoughts right now. Doing so could jeopardize the mission.
A glance is given to Eremi again when Zankuro calls him 'Cap'n'. Captain of what? At first she thought it might just be a nickname, but now she isn't so sure. Shrugging it off, Chiasa follows along with the others, trying to keep her back straight and a slight smirk on her lips to hide any uncertainty that might try to push through on her features. Even when the guard stops them, she glances to him with a pretended cool, half-regard. No, they're meant to be here. Your halting us is just delaying our presence. That's the mantra she keeps at least, over the raging, screaming demon in her chest.
Walking toward the cave, the possible main entrance, Eremi felt every eye that turned his way. He gave them no regard though and almost didn't stop for the guard that blocked his way, spouting out orders and demanding answers. "Easy there, Chief." Pausing in his steps only long enough to give reply. "We're the new hired help to make sure things go off without a hitch as we start the final phase. Paid a little extra to do the dirty work of getting rid of anyone that might slow the progress or cause disruptions in the boss's plans."
Glancing briefly at the weapon the guard had at the ready before looking back up at the man, a smirk upon Eremi's face. "And I mean anyone…" Leaving the last bit to hang in the air for a while, allowing it to settle in before chuckling slightly, "Now if you don't mind…" Waiting for the guard to move out the way so Eremi and the others can walk into the cave.
"Oh~ I love you too, Azure-chan." Zankuro managed slip out on the sly before the group actually moved on. Yes, he once again played the blind game when it came to Chiasa, or perhaps he really did think it was just innocent fun. Either way, this wasn't really the time to get into a debate over meanings and what have you. Zankuro did not try to put on any real front. His natural attitude when not compromised by the wiles of a very potential female companion exuded confidence, a bit of joviality, and yet a healthy dose of seriousness too.
He met the guard's eyes unflinchingly whenever any one of them looked his way, or outright roll them as if they were wasting his and team's time. When Eremi however made his sly threat about their purpose, well, it wouldn't do for him not to help. Normally the job would be left to Etsu and her aburame-ness, but those eyes and that face…. no. It just wasn't happening. She wasn't apart of some race that had to do something exceptionally crazy to get in a particular outfit. Though, she /might've/ been able to still pull of something being grouped up with men like Eremi and himself. The line of thought sort of left him with a glazed eye look, so the one opportunity to help comes and goes for the Sarutobi…
Etsu sniffed at Zankuro's remark, thinking of how to speed up the process of ending his life, but for now, she had other things to focus on. Like this mission, for instance. She walked off towards the guards, keeping her cool while casually looking about the area. Seems like this camp is none too keen about visitors. She shrugged the thought off and stopped upon being commanded to halt. She lets Eremi do all the talking, seeing as how the words that she comes up with are nothing short of harming this guy. On the outside of her mind, she keeps a mild smile on her face and takes a relaxed pose, waiting for their entry into the camp.
~~~
The guard that addressed them studies Eremi for a long moment and then looks over each of the shinobi, studying them. Finally, he turns back to his companion. "Did you hear anything about these guys?"
The other guard shrugs and shakes his head. He seems to be the one who's more the follower in this relationship.
The first guard looks back to Eremi, seeming to fidget a bit. He doesn't be the one to get blamed if he really is getting in the way. He's already been in trouble once today already. "Okay, go on. Just get straight to the boss. Don't be wandering around until you go see him, alright?"
With his words, the movements of the other people at the entrance seems to relax a bit. People begin carrying on as normal, doing their thing.
~~~
Chiasa's eyes flick to the weapon the guard touches, her own hand moving closer to the pocket with the small amount of sand. She doesn't say anything or drop her mask of calmness though. Instead, she just glares at the guard, straightens up a bit, and looks at him like he's nothing. If that doesn't make him nervous, she really isn't sure what will. When he agrees to let them past, she -almost- gasps. Instead of reacting fully, she simply blinks and follows the others, letting Eremi lead them inside. The walls of the cave close in on them and it gets dark very fast. Chiasa forms a hand seal in the darkness to sense ahead of them as best she can. No one in here is really hiding, but it's more a matter of being prepared. Sensing the people nearest to them, she speaks softly to the others. "I can sense two unmoving people ahead, but I can't feel much farther than that.." She turns her head slightly, wondering if the rest of them are picking anything up and what Eremi's plan might be from here.
RPCOMBAT: Chiasa defends against with a TREMOR-SENSE…37
"Very good then." The smile on Eremi's face lingered only for as long as he was within sight of the guard. Once in the cave, he let out a deep exhale, half not expecting that plan to work. "Alright then. Two up ahead? Good job." It was more than Eremi could detect. He was skilled, but didn't have infravision. He'd be able to see and pick up things directly in front of him, pick up noises in the distance; the cave acoustics permitting. "Picking up anything Zankuro or Etsu?" Yes or no, Eremi would continue to move ahead in the direction of the two Chiasa had previously detected.
Zankuro lingers behind for a second, still very much lost in thought, but sensing a lack of bodies nearby eventually leads to his catching up with the others. The guards left with only a sheepish grin on his stupid mug, and an image of him being the 'not' smart one of the new recruits. "… Huh? Oh, uhm… nooo? I mean, other than us and…" He spends the next few moments sniffing at the air around them until whatever scent trail picked up led to his nose close to Chiasa's cheek. For once, there's no embarrassed blush that followed realization; only a calm nod. "Vanilla… huh… interesting brand, Chi-chan." He says nonchalantly before turning his gaze back to the forefront.
"Yes, no loitering. And we'll also keep off the grass. We know how old people tend to get about that," Etsu remarked to the guard jokingly in passing. "Let's see what I can manage…" She grumbled, still upset about her lack of shades. "About seeing ahead, I mean…" She began to send out her insects to do a bit of recon.
"There are two more guards ahead of the ones before us. Additionally, there are people moving off in the distance and one person headed towards us right now…." She described to the group. "Be alert, as usual."
RPCOMBAT: Etsu defends against with a KIKAICHU-SEEKERS…59
~~~
No alarm yet. Shigeo rises from his seat, twirling a knife in his hand and sliding it deftly into a sheath on his belt. The small toy he was carving is set on the map. It's a snake with the name of a child inscribed upon it.
A hand reaches up to rub through his beard, feeling the hair rough and scratchy. He's been so busy the last few days he hasn't had time to shave. Not properly anyways. One last person comes in to give him an update and Shigeo nods. "Very well."
This time, Shigeo heads out after the man, shutting the cavern door behind him. The man starts to head out toward the entrance, whistling a happy tune that echoes through the walls of the cave in an eerie manner. Everything has gone as planned. At this rate, the operation will move forward in two weeks. He couldn't have wished for any more luck than he's had today.
~~~
Chiasa continues to sense through the cave, closing her eyes every now and then so she can feel through rock. It isn't impossible, just difficult for her. Ideally, she'd like to come up with something with the sand. She just hasn't been able to yet. "I'm not getting anything else." She falls quiet, feeling someone close to her. Zankuro's voice causes her to jump and she shoves gently at him. "Cut it out. What are you? An Inuzuka?" Her cheeks flush hotly in the darkness. ~He liked it~ Or so she thinks. Chiasa turns her head to look back to Etsu, hearing the woman's warning. She pauses in her steps, waiting to see what initiative Eremi will take.
"Helpful as always, Zankuro." Eremi chides, though half-heartedly as his attention is else where. The sounds of the cave along with Etsu's added input gives him something to consider, but time is running out. The footsteps, the mumbling, and the whistling that echo throughout the cave making it difficult to determine just how long the shinobi actually have to make their move. Vanilla? A random thought that he quickly shakes out of his head. "High tail it. We don't want to be caught in this narrow portion of the cave." The noise in the distance making it sound like the cave opens up further in. "Move!" He says as he takes off into the darkness.
No matter how many times Zankuro saw such displays, an army of kikaichu in motion was always something of a spectacle. Of course it wasn't long before the bugs dispersed further, digging underground or simply fading into the shadows as they scouted the area. Until the last of them have disappeared he refused to have his attention diverted elsewhere.
As a result, Chiasa's flushed cheeks had gone unnoticed, but her words do prompt a cheeky grin from the ex-rotund chuunin. Eremi's chiding puts a quick end to it, as well as earn the man a half-hearted glare. Anger dissipates rapidly from his face at the warning from Etsu. Do they continue on casually and — nope, apparently the team has to run now. Groaning, Zankuro tears off after Eremi, choosing for once to play frontliner in case things went sour.
Hearing Eremi's words, Chiasa starts moving as quickly as she can through the narrow space. She nods to Etsu and slips ahead of the woman, rushing between the other members of the party. Eremi's words and that eerie whistling is grating her nerves. Something doesn't feel like and she senses that this is a horrible place to be. Light starts to flicker at the edge of her vision and she murmurs, "We're almost there. I can see a light ahead." The distraction causes her to trip and nearly stumble into whoever is ahead of her.
Etsu called back the kikaichu to her. "Chiasa, go ahead of me. I'll go behind," she spoke to her. She figured if there was anything to worry about on their flank at the moment, she'd take care of it. There wasn't much time to lose as they were drawing closer to their goal. She falls into position to go after Eremi and see about what other orders were soon to come once they've completed their current task.
~~~
Sometimes there is a time for stealth and sometimes there are moments when two paths collide with none being the wiser. Shigeo stops whistling abruptly as he hears voices and the sounds of movement echoing against the cave walls. The man frowns and glares down the narrow path he was about to head down. That's odd. Those noises don't belong there. "Stop them."
The two guards look at the face of their boss, concern growing in their features as they start to pick up on the noises as well. The guards turn abruptly to attack the first ones through the hole in an attempt to knock them back. Then they duck to the side as Shigeo himself begins to perform handseals. Wind eminates from the man, cutting across the ground and up through the tunnel beyond, battering anyone who doesn't manage to get out in time.
~~~
[NPC System]: Guard A roll(s) Clothsline against Zankuro from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 32. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Guard B roll(s) Swift Kick against Eremi from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 27. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Wind Torrents against Zankuro from 35 to 50 and get(s) a 44. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Wind Torrents against Eremi from 35 to 50 and get(s) a 36. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Wind Torrents against Chiasa from 35 to 50 and get(s) a 42. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Wind Torrents against Etsu from 35 to 50 and get(s) a 50. - Rolled by: Chiasa
RPCOMBAT: Eremi defends against with a BLOCK…32 - WIN!
RPCOMBAT: Eremi defends against with a BLOCK…39 - WIN!
Eremi saw the light as well. It instantly caught his attention, drawing his singular eye in like a moth to the flame. The loss of focus a temporary distraction that almost causes him to take a foot to the face, but faster than average reflexes followed by the sounds of chain links clanking together and the would-be attacker is caught. Held in place by Eremi's firm grip until suddenly pulled in close and spun around by the Satonezu, using the guard as a shield against the wind that now cuts into his flesh, instead of Eremi's.
"That's no way to treat a guest." Eremi offered as he extended the guard out at arms-length, holding tightly to the mans throat. "Especially not Shinobi of Konoha." A swift glance in the direction of the others around him to see how they managed before returning his gaze to the solo man ahead. "You got permits to work in these caves within the Land of Fire or is this a not for profit organization you got running here? Either way, you just attacked us so you got two choices: Come with us peacefully in shackles or spend the rest of eternity in these caves.."
"And no, you don't get to make a third choice."
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro defends against with a INTUITIVE-DODGE…47 - WIN!
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro defends against with a SEGMENTED-IRON-DOME…50 - WIN! (Used for Etsu’s and Chiasa’s attacks as well)
Nearly deafened by blood rushing past his ears, Zankuro doesn't catch much of Chiasa's words or the warning sound of a misstep that would've spelled his doom. That is to say, had he heard it and slowed to investigate the issue. The only thing to matter to Zankuro was the literal light seemingly at the end of a tunnel. He would've been blind to the danger ahead because of it if not for some nagging instinct to duck beneath the first silhouette to block his view of the light. A step further is taken, leading to his tumbling forward an extra foot, and needing a moment to catching his bearings again.
In the span of a few seconds, intelligent brown eyes and a sharp mind nearly put the sharingan to shame assessing the situation and moving the body to perform a counter measure. "Behind me!" He calls out, spreading a scroll at his feet before slamming a palm into the "Iron" kanji. In a plume of smoke, Etsu, Chiasa, and Zankuro would be 'replaced' by iron segmented dome that buried itself deep into the earth. "Geeze! That could've been closer." He states, sealing the dome a few moments after the wind dies down enough. "Oi… Uhm… whatever he said, only less threatening." Zankuro jabs a thumb at Eremi, catching only tidbits of the conversation near the end.
"This patrol turned out to be a lot more eventful than I intended…" The light at the end was the only beacon of hope for this mission to draw to a close. It turned out to be more eventful than she thought, but that's better than just a patrol. The enemies here at least put some thought into their activities and actions. With the attack of the initial guards having been launched, Etsu knew well enough to keep her guard up. She did just warn everyone to be alert, after all. The hum of wind rushing against the walls and soon meeting their location is met with an iron dome raised up to stop it in its tracks. "Guess we've been truly discovered."
She reaches into her coat and slips her shades back on, finally obtaining the comfort she'd lost. Now she's complete and ready to cause some damage. "We'll give you enough time to make your decision," she added. "Given how much thought you've put toward all this, it shouldn't take long."
Catching herself, Chiasa glances up to see the events unfolding and what could have been doom. Her eyes widen just as the iron dome is put up. She instinctively crouches down to huddle behind it with Zankuro and Etsu, thinking that's preferable to getting blown about. When it comes down, she straightens out and looks ahead to see Shigeo and his bandits as they start filling in the space, attracted by the noise. Oh, this isn't good. Chiasa stays behind Zankuro for now and just reaches into her pocket for that sand. She drops the material inconspicuously on the floor of the cave and forms a hand seal. The ground that is unoccupied and along the wall begins to change, becoming finer and more like sand.
RP: Chiasa uses SAND-CREATION.
~~~
Shigeo looks at the ninja invading his cave. He should have had everyone on higher alert. How could he be so foolish to let this happen? His eyes fall on the guard that Eremi holds, feeling sudden guilt at having hit one of his own men with that attack. He looks at the other and can feel his fellows closing in behind him in support.
Finally, he chuckles, hearing Eremi's proposal. "You have no idea, do ya kid?" He closes his eyes briefly, thinking of the snake he just carved for a child. /His/ child. Barely able to walk. He has to do this for him. If for no one else…
"Kill them."
Bandits rush past Shigeo to attack the shinobi with their swords and daggers. Meanwhile, Shigeo forms handseals on a single hand while drawing his knife with the other. He attention focuses on Eremi and the man rushes forward with wind-assisted speed to slice into the Satonezu.
~~~
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Gale Slash against Eremi from 40 to 60 and get(s) a 58. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Gale Slash against Eremi from 40 to 60 and get(s) a 43. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Bandit A roll(s) Stab! against Zankuro from 35 to 55 and get(s) a 50. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Bandit B roll(s) Slash! against Zankuro from 35 to 55 and get(s) a 54. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Bandit C roll(s) Kapow! against Etsu from 35 to 55 and get(s) a 43. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Bandit D roll(s) Slice! against Etsu from 35 to 55 and get(s) a 42. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Bandit E roll(s) Kick! against Chiasa from 35 to 55 and get(s) a 36. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Bandit F roll(s) Stab! against Chiasa from 35 to 55 and get(s) a 37. - Rolled by: Chiasa
RP: Eremi transforms into QUIET-STEP.
RPCOMBAT: Eremi defends against with a BLINK…63 - WIN!
RPCOMBAT: Eremi counters with LEAF-RISING-WIND…43 - WIN!
COMBAT: Eremi attacks target 1 with DOWN-THE-HATCH with a roll of: 57
"Why don't you enlighten me?" A question asked that Shigeo clearly had no intention of answering, but one Eremi was going to get one way or the other. Hand grasped tightly to the guard's throat would drop away, leaving the man standing as Shigeo charged forth. Eremi nowhere to be found having vanished from sight, only to quickly reappear in his original spot with body contorted as he leans back to emphasize momentum into a kick that rockets high above his head after aiming at the man's hand clutching the wind coated blade.
Intending to temporarily disarm the man, Eremi would spin from his position and lunge a hand forward to grasp at Shigeo's throat with curled fingers that would press deep into the jugular. "We don't need all of you alive and we don't actually need any of you alive, but it makes our job easier if you tell us what's going on here so we don't have to do extra work afterwards." Straightening up, hand still in place. "So what are you doing here? Who's in charge? Huh? Do you want to live to see tomorrow?"
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro defends against with a INTUITIVE-ACTION…53 - WIN!
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro defends against with a INTUITIVE-ACTION…40 - FAILT!
[NPC System]: Bandit B roll(s) Damage against Zankuro from 400 to 600 and get(s) a 525. - Rolled by: Chiasa
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro took 525 damage.
Zankuro expression hardens the moment the order is given by Shigeo. The change alone isn't enough to give the bandits charging him pause of course, but then it wasn't meant for them. Using the stabber as a spring board, Zankuro flipped over the man, only to be forced to back into in an effort to try and escape a slash sword. He possess no such, but fought down the pain. A quick glance at the chest wound revealed it to be less deep than anticipated.
After silently thanking the inventor of the chuunin vest, the man tenses up his muscles before shoving hard off his first attacker, hoping to knock him off balance while he pressed forward. Zankuro strikes hard and viciously, gouging out or coming closing to dislodging an eye from the swordsman before charging forward. Despite Eremi's warning, he cannot help by try and throw in an extra few tricks. One short seals of hand seals later, and one of Chiasa's attackers would think his partner just tried to take a swipe at him to get the girl better.
RP: Zankuro transforms into BULK.
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 23
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with DECISIVE-ACTION with a roll of: 35
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with FALSE-BETRAYAL with a roll of: 24
The bandits seem to take Etsu entirely by surprise. One punches her upside the noggin and the other slices across her with his sword. She seems to fall unconscious after the surprise blows.
[I posed for Etsu here because we were running out of time to complete the mission and couldn’t wait for her to come back. She did return though in the next round.- Chiasa]
RPCOMBAT: Chiasa defends against with a SAND-CLONE…48- WIN!
RPCOMBAT: Chiasa defends against with a SAND-CLONE…49- WIN!
[NPC System]: Bandit F roll(s) Will Break against Zankuro from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 24. - Rolled by: Chiasa -WIN!
[NPC System]: Bandit A roll(s) Dodge against Zankuro (23) from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 29. - Rolled by: Chiasa -WIN!
[NPC System]: Bandit B roll(s) Dodge II against Zankuro (35) from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 33. - Rolled by: Chiasa -FAILT!
Chiasa's eyes widen as the bandits start to attack. Two of them head toward Chiasa, trying to corner her off. She forms handseals though and clones start to rise up and move about, trying to circle back around the bandits in a confusing manner. When they do attack, they meet with her sandy clones instead, their weapons sinking briefly into the sand before being released.
Her eyes flick to Zankuro as one of the Bandits attacking her attempts to break himself out of a genjutsu. He manages, but she doesn't wait before attacking. Her clones launch at the two bandits, attempting to throw them into the ground with the weight of their sand.
COMBAT: Chiasa attacks target 1 with SAND-CLONE with a roll of: 30
COMBAT: Chiasa attacks target 1 with SAND-CLONE with a roll of: 35
[NPC System]: Bandit E roll(s) Dodge II against Chiasa (30) from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 33. - Rolled by: Chiasa - WIN!
[NPC System]: Bandit F roll(s) Dodge II against Chiasa (35) from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 31. - Rolled by: Chiasa - FAILT!
~~~
Shigeo misses with his first attack and is surprised when he's launched into the air after his second. He attempts to draw his wind around himself to dodge Eremi's next attack, but finds himself grabbed by the throat and held in place. Shigeo flails a bit and then falls still feeling the pressure on his throat. "You may defeat us here, Konoha.. but you will not stop the resistance. The villages will fall and the old world will return!" Shigeo's eyes seem to tear up as he speaks. Whatever this cause is that he's fighting for, he seems to really believe in it, as vague as his words might be.
The bandits around them, continue to fight on. The ones that were attacking Etsu turn to attack Zankuro and Chiasa instead, replacing the two downed by the pair of shinobi. They seem to increase their efforts, pushed by some sort of manic rage as they see their boss take hits from Eremi.
~~~
[NPC System]: Bandit A roll(s) Enraged Stab! against Zankuro from 35 to 50 and get(s) a 36. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Bandit C roll(s) Enraged Slash! against Zankuro from 35 to 50 and get(s) a 36. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Bandit D roll(s) Berserker Pummel! against Chiasa from 35 to 50 and get(s) a 42. - Rolled by: Chiasa
[NPC System]: Bandit E roll(s) Berserker Smash! against Chiasa from 35 to 50 and get(s) a 46. - Rolled by: Chiasa
"Or…Orrrrrr…We defeat you here and the resistance, because we're the good guys or something like that. But returning back to the old ways? With the war and the diseases and the famine? Not something that's going to ever be happening again. Things are better. Not perfect, but better." The grip around Shigeo's throat would loosen as Eremi's hand fell away, seemingly done with the fight as he turned his body, appearing to walk away. The Satonezu however, barely got a foot away before leaping into the air and spinning about with a back kick so powerful a whirlwind was created from the force.
COMBAT: Eremi attacks target 1 with LEAF-STRONG-WHIRLWIND with a roll of: 61
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro defends against with a INTUITIVE-DODGE…40 - WIN!
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro counters with DECISIVE-ACTION…39 - WIN!
RP: Zankuro transforms into WILL-OF-FIRE.
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro defends against with a INTUITIVE-ACTION…34 -FAILT!
[NPC System]: Bandit D roll(s) Damage against Zankuro from 500 to 800 and get(s) a 561. - Rolled by: Chiasa
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro took 561 damage.
RPCOMBAT: Zankuro defends against with a EXPANDED-SCROLLED-TERRAIN…55 - WIN!
Zankuro's eyes ever stayed on the move, sizing up opponents, searching for angles, and ever seeking the means to bring the fight to an end. Eremi's scuffle with Shigeo is the only one virtually disregarded, because he trusted the Satonezu to take care of himself. However, there was no ignoring the shout in its entirety. It drew him for a second, but the opening provided to the enraged berserkers is only a seeming one. He spins past the first attacker, guiding both blade and body past passively before dealing with the other swordsman.
In one fluid motion, Zankuro disarms the bandit, then turns his own blade against him in a reverse gripped stab at his abdomen. That is the intent, at least, but regardless of success, the Sarutobi can no longer stay focused on the personal engagement. The body simply moved on its own upon sighting another berserker trying to assault "his" Chiasa. A betrayal of trust on several levels. The thought never crosses Zankuro's mind during the approach, or even after he took the assault meant for Chiasa. A grunt of pain slips out, but he carries out the motion of turning Chiasa — the real Chiasa(?) — out of harm's way before summoning a large log to block the second strike.
"Mmgph… Talk about folks not wanting you to interrupt a dance." He states, grinning cockily just past whatever remains of his wooden makeshift shield. Zankuro doesn't dare look back even once. Rather its awe or disappointment, he couldn't afford to get distracted again. The log explodes into smoke, a single seal sending it back to the scroll and providing cover for a moment. He explodes from the remnants and lashes out hard with a jumping knee strike, then firing a point blank comet that would hopefully drive the bandit into his fellows.
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with DECISIVE-ACTION with a roll of: 31
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with COMET with a roll of: 23
[NPC System]: Bandit A roll(s) Dodge II against Zankuro (31) from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 26. - Rolled by: Chiasa -FAILT!
[NPC System]: Bandit D roll(s) Dodge against Zankuro (23) from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 27. - Rolled by: Chiasa -WIN!
[NPC System]: Bandit E roll(s) Dodge against Zankuro (23) from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 19. - Rolled by: Chiasa -FAILT!
'What the policy,' Etsu questioned as she woke up from the shaking of the ground. She groaned to herself and began to risse up, but felt a stitch across her body and a numbing ache in her head. "What the policy," she repeated to herself aloud as an intense ball of fire flew overhead. It's clear what happened to her, but she's having a hard time piecing it all together, if only because she was upset she allowed it to happen. So, she did what any reasonable shinobi would do in this situation and began slinging out curses while slamming her hands on the ground. She focused her kikaichu into it and sent them ahead to dig. Those vibrations needed to stop. They were agitating her wounds. Seriously.
Raising up to a stand, she tried to determine who struck her and which one or ones needed to pay for it. So far, it appeared that there were a number of bodies already on the ground, but this wasn't enough. She needed revenge. For now, she had to gather energy. Revenge needed to be sweet, not hasty and distasteful.
COMBAT: Etsu attacks target 1 with KIKAICHU-ANTLION with a roll of: 36
COMBAT: Etsu attacks target 1 with KIKAICHU-ANTLION with a roll of: 44
COMBAT: Etsu attacks target 1 with KIKAICHU-ANTLION with a roll of: 44
RP: Etsu transforms into INSECT-COLONY.
Chiasa's hands form into handseals once more as she reforms her clones after the attack, stabilizing them. She backs away though when the bandits come at her all crazy and enraged and stuff! Whaaaaa—! Then, Zankuro is there, turning her away from her attackers. Chiasa looks up at the fight and Zankuro, wincing when she sees him taking hits meant for her. Her brows furrow and the clones at her side fling themselves at the remaining bandit that dodged the fiery comet from Zankuro, attempting to knock him over at least to get him off /her/ Zankuro.
She moves to stand beside the Sarutobi and inspects what's left. Her head jerks back and forth as she hears the shouting of people from down the tunnel as they're trapped in Etsu's attacks. Then, there's a screaming of wind that causes her to reach up and grasp the sides of her head, covering her ears. It whips at the Konoha shinobi, but does no real damage. It would just feel like standing on the beach during a hurricane.
COMBAT: Chiasa attacks target 1 with SAND-CLONE with a roll of: 46
COMBAT: Chiasa attacks target 1 with SAND-CLONE with a roll of: 35
[NPC System]: Bandit D roll(s) Stalwart Block against Chiasa from 35 to 50 and get(s) a 43. - Rolled by: Chiasa -FAILT!
[NPC System]: Bandit D roll(s) Dodge II against Chiasa from 25 to 40 and get(s) a 28. - Rolled by: Chiasa -FAILT!
~~~
Shigeo accepts the kick without time or ability to defend himself. It sends the man flying and he hits one of the cave walls hard, the sound of impact rumbling through the cave and causing rubble to start cascading onto the ground.
He seems to be out of the fight and then he rises, bruised and bloody, gripping tight to his knife. With a scream, he charges at Eremi with everything he has, the wind howling through the cavern in a high moan and propelling him at the Satonezu in a rage with his last ditch effort to take him out.
~~~
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Howling Death against Eremi from 65 to 85 and get(s) a 74. - Rolled by: Chiasa
RPCOMBAT: Eremi counters with SPIRALING-LEAF-UPPERCUT…59 - FAILT!
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Damage to Eremi from 1200 to 1600 and get(s) a 1314. - Rolled by: Chiasa
RPCOMBAT: Eremi took 1314 damage.
RPCOMBAT: Eremi took 200 damage. [For Counter]
Landing on the ground after his spinning back kick, Eremi kept his attention on Shigeo the entire fight assuming the others could handle the guards. "Give this up now and you can still live. Continue and throw every thing away!" Words clearly falling on deaf ears, for once Shigeo regained himself, he was already charging at Eremi full on. The blinding rage of the other left the Satonezu to believe there was an opening in his attack, but miscalculated as the blade of his assailant pierces into Eremi causing him to stumble back and fall to the ground. He was down, clutching at the wound, applying pressure where he could while grunting and groaning in pain.
Zankuro stared after the burning comet in a comical wide-eyed fashion, realizing his mistake too late in using such a dangerous jutsu. As impossible as it may seem, they grow even wider upon seeing it nearly miss a rising Etsu. One who had every right to sling curses left and right.
He could only silently hope she didn't realize the near "death" experience was his fault…
Fear and guilt left him blind to the exploits of Chiasa and her clones. The same could be said of all else until the piercing scream of the wind prompted him to duck his head slightly and cover his ears. Though dust and sand kicked up by the wind threatens to blind the Sarutobi, he stubbornly keeps an eye cracked open and continues the search for the source of the noise. "Cap'n…" He murmurs softly, eyes widening despite the miniature storm upon spotting the downed, hurting, and for once sober wretch. Even if the man could stand up again and fight, seeing a still very much alive Shigeo nearby set Zankuro's course. His eyes draw to a brief close. When they open again, the dimly burning fire that ignited earlier from seeing Chiasa in danger has taken on a greater, yet more controlled intensity.
Zankuro flashes through a short set of seals, yet the jutsu intensity could not be denied. As he kneeled upon the ground, Shigeo would feel the same as the child did earlier. A great sweeping pressure of malice that would focus his attention towards the Sarutobi, but also compel him to kneel or be crushed beneath the weight of the Konoha shinobi's magnified presence.
RP: Zankuro transforms into RISING-ASHES.
COMBAT: Zankuro attacks target 1 with SUBMISSION-AURA with a roll of: 40
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Will Break II against Zankuro (40) from 30 to 45 and get(s) a 41. - Rolled by: Chiasa - WIN!
Etsu is just getting back into the swing of things, ignoring the dull ache of her head and body to try and focus on what was happening here. So far, nothing good. The team is nearly being overwhelmed with all the attackers and it appears Eremi has recently taken a spill. "The reinforcements are taken care of, now to deal with you…" She regarded Shigeo. "Zankuro, Chiasa. Are you both alright?" She asked of them to see if they were okay. She needn't do so of Eremi, as she witnessed the attack he sustained.
In retaliation, she gathered her nano-insects into her hands and extended them out prior to blowing on them and sending them forward in a jet towards the enemy.
COMBAT: Etsu attacks target 1 with POISON-CLOUD-TECHNIQUE with a roll of: 52
[NPC System]: Shigeo roll(s) Wind Step against Etsu from 35 to 55 and get(s) a 45. - Rolled by: Chiasa - FAILT!
Chiasa doesn't close her eyes as Eremi is attacked, but sees the blinding speed of the man as he crashes into the Satonezu. She doesn't even think about her next actions as she runs to Eremi, leaving Shigeo to Zankuro and Etsu. The Akasaka jerks the pack from her back, letting it fall to the ground as she pulls free the things she needs from inside. She replaces the pressure on Eremi's upper breast with her own as she presses handfuls of clean, gauzy material against the injury. While not a medic, her parents taught her the basics so that she could keep herself or her allies from dying. This wound might not be fatal, but she doesn't want to take chances of him ripping it open and turning it into something that could kill him anyways. Recognizing the need for haste, Chiasa quickly wraps a binding around Eremi, haphazardly due to the awkward area, but tight enough to keep the pressure on the wound. Only then does she look up to Eremi's face to see if he's still conscious.
Hearing Etsu's voice, she turns her head to look about, taking stock of the other two. Chiasa starts to reach into her bag to gather supplies to tend to them. The woman visibly winces when Etsu's attack hits Shigeo, fighting the urge to go and try to save the man.
COMBAT: Chiasa heals Eremi for 263 with FIRST AID.
~~~
The speed of his attack against Eremi sends Shigeo sliding across the cavern floor. He stops after digging his feet into the earth, turning to look at the others. His eyes focus on the woman running to the leader, narrowing. Then, they shift to Zankuro, marking him as the next critical target to take out. He's vaguely aware that his nearest reinforcements have been defeated and that the next might not reach the cavern in time to stop these ninja, but he has to try. Shigeo grips his knife and gives it a flick to remove some of the Satonezu's blood from the steel.
He feels a pressure in his head which causes Shigeo to pause and reach up to grasp his head. The man feels the urge to kneel and fights it, his eyes locking onto Zankuro in defiance. Slowly, but surely, Shigeo straightens up, rising to his full high and straightening his shoulders until the genjutsu breaks. Between gritted teeth he scowls, "I will not kneel to Konohagakure!" The man lifts a hand, beginning to perform handseals again, preparing the same attack for Zankuro that he used against Eremi.
And then he notices something he had forgotten. The other woman. His eyes focus on her as she speaks just in time to see the cloud of bugs. He attempts to use his wind to get out of the way, but they swarm over the man, causing him to scream in horror. Unless someone took enough pity on him to save him, he'd likely die from such injuries.
~~~
Eremi lets out an agonizing howl as he tries to stand up, mistakenly bracing himself by putting weight on his injured side. Instantly he'd fall to his back once again, rolling his head back and forth against the ground while he tried desperately to think on something else besides the pain. It was a futile effort on his own, but once Chiasa came to his aid and properly, to the best of her ability, treated his injury was he able to gain some modicum of comfort.
"Thank you." Eremi mumbled toward Chiasa as he leaned the other way, propping himself up to catch sight of Shigeo. The screams were an indication of what was happening, but to see it for himself was entirely different. "He's done for and for what?" Shaking his head, "Etsu, Zankuro. He came from further down the cave. See what he had that was worth risking his life for. Maybe we'll gain some insight to not only him, but their entire operation and just how deep it goes."
Even though he sensed her move away from his ring of protection, Zankuro had no choice but to hold his ground so long as Shigao stared at him. During the tense moments between what could've been the final exchange, sweat poured down from the Sarutobi's face, making him appear all the more fearful. Etsu's question fell on deaf ears when it came to Zankuro. Her actions however, a surprise he truly appeared to not have expected, succeeded where words had failed.
Zankuro remained poised in case the man made some desperate attempt at dislodging some of the destructive insects on to him in some final death grapple. But no action is forthcoming, so soon enough he lets out a held breath, then rises fully to stand. He grimaces a little. Whether or not it might be from jealousy or empathy in regards to Eremi, the Chuunin shook himself of the feeling, then turned to downed man. "Keep him alive, Azure-chan, as well as the others, for now." Although phrased as a statement, a look into his eyes would reveal it to be more of a plea before he winced at the wound on his chest. He would've taken care of it then and there, but there was still the matter of digging up other details that Shigeo might not be so forthcoming to give away.
Zankuro would return to the others (with Etsu possibly in tow as well) from Shigeo's office with a few bits of communications and a manifesto of the resistance in hand. Everything else had carefully stored away in a scroll for safe keeping… unless of course he erred somehow and they spontaneously combusted.
Which can totally happen!
"Here. Take a look." He says evenly, handing over the information.
"After his order to kill us? What reason do I have to keep him alive? Or the rest?" Etsu inquired of Zankuro. She heard Eremi's words and placed them on the priority list, but her partner's remarks caused her focus to drift momentarily. "But fine…" She walked over to those affected by her nano-insects and touched them so that they could be withdrawn back to her and end their suffering, including Shigeo. She departed from him with a glare carrying the gravity of her anger before turning to meet Zankuro down the way.
Once she returned, she nodded in response to what information he had to deliver saying, "His work was quite extensive, to say the least. He was intent on having every piece of this operation functional. I can admire that, though I don't approve of it."
Etsu and Zankuro are gone before she can help them so Chiasa stays with Eremi. She'd help him up if he wished it, but tried to stay quiet otherwise. Not all of the bandits that attacked them were dead. Chiasa goes to check on one of them, rolling the man over so he doesn't continue breathing in dirt. She's reluctant to just outright help them since they were so recently trying to kill her and her friends. But, Chiasa isn't a killer either. Ending their lives isn't even something that enters her mind. Satisfied that the one bandit can breathe, she moves to another to check his pulse.
Her eyes lift up as Zankuro returns, her attention focusing on him. She listens to his report and grimaces, shaking her head. Who would want to oppose the villages like that? It's suicide. Her eyes turn to Eremi though, waiting to see what his orders will be regarding the rest of the bandits and the cavern.
With help from Chiasa, Eremi would stand up. The pain was in his chest, the rest of him was still operational. Before assessing the situation, a gourd was brought to his mouth and drained before he even bothered to glance about the area. People alive was good. It meant more information could be gleaned aside from what Zankuro and Etsu might find. "Tie 'em up. Whomever is still breathing. Those that can walk will be tied to those that can't and forced to carry each other back to the village." Less work for the Konoha Shinobi.
Upon Etsu and Zankuro's return, Eremi moved to cut them off, showing he was still in slight working order. "This is interesting and foolish and desperate." A glance given to Shigeo, "Just what were you hoping for?" He'd mumble to himself, but loud enough for those near him to hear. "Anyways, we got what we came for. We'll head out of the caves with these…Desperado's, the moment we can. Once out of the caves, we'll seal them up." His focus turning to Chiasa, knowing she can do it. "Send in our report another squadron will be sent back to clean them up."
"But for now, I think I'll sit a bit longer."
