Starring:
Ryuusei, Shuuren, Imire, Roku, Daoma
Date: November 25, 2015
Summary:
A trip to retreive Ryuusei's parents goes terribly as Shuuren attempts to incapacitate them for blackmail
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"The Blackmail"
Northern Edge of the Land of Tea
The Hozuki never planned to remove Ryuusei from her Mortal Coil. Just because it was becoming more public that she was a Hozuki did not mean that she hadn't become useless to the very, very efficient Hozuki spy network that functioned in the name of the Land of Water. Those that operated within the Konoha branch, known as the Order of the Flowing river, had recently branched operations to the Land of Tea thanks Ryuusei's 'defection'. Defection is loose. Ryuusei had no idea she was originally meant as a plant in the Konohagakure. To be a loyal ninja that would erase her parents and vouch for them, and give her parents the illusion. This not only backfired for her parents, causing them to flee Konoha all together, but now their daughter was in the grasp of another nation. Though, her parents still had some connection to their lost child and still wished to salvage a terrible situation. That is, they wished to have some sense of knowledge of what was going on inside of Tea. This was a clear breach of what the Order of the Flowing River operating inside of the Land of Fire wanted. Her parents were acting outside of the original plan which was indeed to ship Ryuusei off to the Land of Water for a proper Hozuki training.
To do this… To expose Ryuusei to the secrets of her clan, that were meant for her blood, her parents used an interesting tactic. They contacted Shuuren directly with the offer. Yet, the offer had strings attached. He had to allow Ryuusei's parents protection, which would allow them to openly collect information within Tea. If he refused, Ryuusei would be reported to Kirigakure whom could cause trouble. It was blackmail, and Shuuren might lose slightly whether he accepted or declined. Shuuren does not like to lose at all. Accept two known Land of Water operatives, and give them limited reign in his country with his blessing or.. give up Ryuusei to the Land of Water.
This deal was going to take place on the uppermost border of the Land of Tea. Ryuusei's parents would be extracted and brought to Tea, likely under threat of Hozuki attack.
Ryuusei and friends weren't expecting a Hozuki attack, but Ryuusei actually was overjoyed that her parents not only approved of her staying in Tea, but were also coming to live with her there! She was only a might suspicious that they were just making an exchange. Her clan's Hidenjutsu for information on Tea's operation. For a while, she is indeed a very happy little girl… This time, though, she wanted to show her parents that she had indeed grown. She pulled out all the stops. She was wearing armor, for instance. Red Lamellar upon her chest, the sides of her upper arms, and her hips, and she was also outfitted in a black pants, black shirt, and a basic cloak over top of those. She was currently trying to push the Samurai feel. She had her sheathed blade hooked into the sash and belt that kept the entire outfit together. Shuuren might have brought a rather large cart. Rather solid. Almost a jail, more than pleasant riding. Yet, this might have been due to the circumstances… Oh, and Ryuusei has likely been talking of her childhood the entire time. She was indeed showing that she still had plenty of innocence and parental respect left in her. "Ah, Imire… Roku… I have to say that you'd both enjoy fishing in the river we lived by. I spent a lot of time basket-fishing. Where you held a basket under the water and held very still. When a fish swam atop, you'd pull the basket up and the water would drain from the holes… Then you'd have a meal! Ah, but mother never taught me how to cook a fish properly…"
The group was coming up to the place of meeting rather soon. It wouldn't be long before they came across Ryuusei's parents…
Demanding to be free to spy in exchange for training their own daughter to be a spy on him further for them. It's rather hard at this point to not wonder if Ryuusei wasn't part of this from the beginning with a plan to lure him to this exact point with their interactions and how he's allowed her to become part of his personal guard through her training. Could he really have let himself get fooled so easily. He'd thought his heart would have hardened and his judgement be more clear after the loss he suffered in the final battle with the Crawler… Or maybe he's looking too far into it. It's rather hard to tell at this point. Still, he at least tries not to spoil the girl's time of reminiscence as they ride along by maintaining his normal composure and letting any walls of doubt that have risen between them remain invisible for the moment. He lets her go on, only chiming in once in a while as he routinely checks his pocket watch and their surrounding through his eyes and chakra sense.
Roku wasn't told anything. She's currently in time out about her actions the other night, so she's just been told to basically come along, be quiet, and don't move unless ordered. So yes, the woman has been standing off in the corner, not moving the whole time, just blankly staring out as she just stands there. Better that then get Shuuren mad again….
Imire was a bit surprised to be on this mission. He was in his usual dark clothes with green lining and looking as nervous as a boy who was about to ask his girlfriend's parents for her hand in marriage. The teen tugged a bit at his collar, green eyes flicking to Ryuusei as she chattered on and on about her parents. "Umm … Ryuu-chan, I'm not much of a fisher … I could make a nice bread to accompany whatever fish you catch, though," he offers. The teen then glances over to Shuuren, who seemed distracted. Imire had no idea how he ended up here, but he would see it through as best he could. His grip on his sword tightens a bit as he awaits whatever fate had to throw at them.
A figure trailed the caravan keeping to cover and wearing clothes of appropriate color to make it hard to spot. As the caravan continued moving this figure remained a distance back, even her face being covered to keep any body or breath scent down or simply gone. There was nothing flashy about the clothing or person. As they moved toward the location of the meeting place, the figure simply kept far eough back to not be a threat, but kept Shuuren within her sight.
Ryuusei was confused that Roku was being rather… well… silent. She didn't expect her to be as enthusiastic as she was after all. She wasn't quite aware that she had inadvertantly charmed Shuuren enough that he decided to not hand her over to Kirigakure right as the blackmail was slid onto his desk. No one had quite told her this yet. It was a part of the blackmail that she doesn't know that her parents are merely useing her as a tool for the gains of a foreign nation. Off in the distance Ryuusei's parents were off to the side, appearing as a rather cheery family. A shame that this was all a ruse. Maintaining this illusion of a 'happy family' was just a part of how the planned to further indoctrinate their child and move their festering information network into Tea. For as long as they can, anyways. It's kill or be killed world, and Ryuusei was a tool. In the mean time, Ryuusei would smile at Imire and nod her head. "I feel that… there is a name for putting meat between two buns…" She scratches her cheek a moment as raises her eyes in thought. "Ah, I had one last week.. 'Sand Which' they are called! We should try and make something for Shuuren!"
Ryuusei's mother had on a rather basic earthen-colored kimono upon her, and looked rather similar to what Ryuusei would in around sixteen years. Long white hair, similar to her husband's that made it clear they were keeping it all in the clan. Her mother was equipped with Ryuusei's bubbly happy look, though her mother actually looked as if she had intelligence in her eyes. She did not look bad for someone whom was in her thirties at minimum. Her father was a little older, and had likely been wed to Ryuusei's mother as soon as she came of age. He was an older individual whom had sea-green eyes like one would expect of men of Kirigakure. Pale colors are often commonplace. He kept rather clean shaven, and had a very cruel and confident look on his face. They merely standed off to the side of the road where they expected to be picked up. Seems like the carriage was arriving. "Hold on Imire, I've got to go greet my folks!" Ryuusei would likely be the first to burst out of the carriage door and make her way over to her mother, hugging her tightly. "Okaasan! I missed you…" Her mother would coil her arms around Ryuusei with a soft smile. "Of course. So did we. Now we are going to be together, hmm? How does that sound?" Such a sickeningly sweet voice came from Ryuusei's mother's lips. It was almost a sickly fake sweetness that seemed to fly over her naive daughter's head… Her father would place a thick hand upon his daughter's head, before sliding it off and looking to see who else the Daimyo brought to defend his life as he found suitable housing in Tea. The side of his mouth curls in some insane smile. He doesn't even hide that he had the cards right now. A sickeningly sweet family reunion.
As he is looked at, Shuuren looks back to Imire and nods as if to tell him to be prepared. It may seem strange for the boy to be brought along for something like this, but there's no better way to test the boy's ability to handle a difficult situation than to see what he does in one. He then looks to Roku, placing a hand on her shoulder to notify her to be on alert subtly as Ryuusei runs to her family. Once she's gone, he orders at a whisper, "I want one of you to either side of me on your guard, three paces to the side and two back. Follow my lead at all times." He then steps out of the carriage and looks to this 'happy' family gathering. He steps forward to approach them, hands clasping behind his back as his eyes make a quick study of picking out every detail he can about these two visually and through his Sensory Diagnostic jutsu, along with checking to see if there are any reinforcements. "So you are the ones who contacted me," he says in his normal smooth voice, his demeanor and even smile eerily calm despite the situation he's been put in. "I must compliment you on your raising of Ryuusei. She has needed quite a bit of instruction, but she is kind and gentle and eager to learn." He then gestures to where Roku stands, saying, "Ryuusei, if you will please stand with Roku while your parents and I discuss business."
COMBAT: Shuuren focuses 5678 stamina to turn it into 8000 usable chakra!
RPCOMBAT: Shuuren defends against with a SENSORY-DIAGNOSTIC…53
RPCOMBAT: Imire defends against with a PERCEPTION-II…39
Imire nods minutely to the Tea Daimyo to show he understood his orders and warning. His green eyes still showed that nervousness that only increased when Ryuusei left the cart to go see her parents. "Yes, Shuuren-dono," he mumbles, standing and stepping out of the carriage behind Roku. The teen quickly took his spot behind and to Shuuren's side, eyes flickering around to look around. His ears picked up the sound of that sickeningly sweet voice, and something inside him twisted at the deceptive tone. Imire was silent as stone as he came up behind Shuuren, hand resting on the sword at his side.
The figure remained in shadow, watching as Shuuren and his party arrived. Silence was something she had learned in the past, a past life, a past love… a past mission. But he kept just enough of an angle so that she could see both parties. Ryuusei ran toward the two white haired people — her parents by the look of it. But the figure remained perfectly still and silent. tucked behind a bush. She tracked Ryuusei and her parents movements closely with her hidden eyes. She had noticed that tone as well… But she did not move. yet.
Ryuusei was surprised that the Daimyo would pry her from her family so quickly… "Oh… Okay…" Ryuusei was pulled away from her happy moment forced to move beside Roku… "Wierd… Why isn't the Daimyo a little less formal? They're just my parents."
"Yosuke, he melted down my heirloom and made it smaller." Ryuusei's mother would shake her head. "Doesn't he know how difficult it is to make Seastone Bronze?" Though Ryuusei's mother had already introduced his name, Yosuke would step up and give a proper bow. "Lord Daimyo of the Land of Tea." He greeted. "I am Takaha Yosuke. I'm glad you've taken our daughter under your wing." Shuuren can see that Ryuusei's mother is likely a smith, because her hands aren't as soft as any woman he is used to. It is rougher than any woman whom works the fields too. The father has a weapon on him, but it was visible. It was some machete used to harvest crops. Why, they would pull the wool over most people's eyes… As for reinforcements? No, they came alone as promised. "So, let's talk business then." The man placed his hands on his hips as Ryuusei's mother Asura merely bowed her head in silence…
Shuuren maintains his demeanor as Ryuusei steps to the side of Roku, dropping his hand back to his side as he looks directly at Yosuke and Asura. That calm smile is maintained right up until he clenches his fist on the same hand that he used to gesture for Ryuusei to move, only clenching that one so as to notify Daoma to capture Ryuusei. "Roku, shield Ryuusei and Daoma," he commands as his eyes remain dead-locked upon the two as he is certain Daoma would see to her job within the blink of an eye, and suddenly that calm collected smile is replaced by a still calm yet intensely fierce look as if these two may as well as tried to double-cross the devil himself. "I told you people to stay the stamp out of my country. You were given fair warning when your comrades tried to take Ryuusei, and I even refrained from notifying that village of your presence there so you had time to leave before its wrath befell you, yet you repay me by trying to use the fact that I've taken your daughter in to try to force my hand? Oh, I get the pretense. 'Shuuren was once a feared Medical Ninja, but that's just a fancy word for a doctor, and he retired from being a shinobi years ago. Him nuturing Ryuusei is a sure sign that he's gone soft, and we can take advantage and get everything we want.' That would be a truly perfect plan… if it were anything close to true." The level of malevolence exuding from the Daimyo as he steps forward again, hands clasping behind his back once more, is close to what one might have expected from Yuuma, maybe even the Crawler, not from a benevolent bureaucrat in a white suit. "Now you are going to answer a few question for me, and I'll decide if I'm going to let you live to train Ryuusei when I annihilate the Order of the Flowing River."
Roku's feathers come flying out, two covering Doama and two covering Ryuusei. There's a fifth one that forms a beast high and behind Ryuusei, with its mouth open wide enough to got after Ryuusei's head if she moves at the moment. Not that its within sight. Roku moved it far enough way, and high enough that its not something that'll be easily seen in the confusion of all the other feathers….The woman just continues to stand there….not moving…
Imire keeps a very close eye on the family across from him, even as all this action appears around him. Daoma's sudden appearance almost caused him to draw his (useless) sword, but he managed to refrain because it seemed as though Shuuren was ordering Daoma to guard Ryuusei. The teen only shows a part of the blade, showing that he was ready for anything.
Daoma watched Shuuren clench his hand. That indicated the girl. There was no hesitation, however. Daoma moved quickly, Eve as Roku liftedher feathers, Daoma was suddenly beide Ryuusei and behind her, sword drawn and laid along her arm. A simple forward motion would injure the girl, though the child would not see the blade, her parents certainly would. With her free hand she loosened the wrapings, allowing her eyes to be exposed, crimson as the sharingan and easily looking like shringan from a distance. Imire got a narrowed gaze from Daoma as he early drew his sword at her approac but she showed no fear or sign of backing down.
The man gasps, as if surprised that Shuuren would throw a fit over his proposal. Though he isn't. "Lord Daimyo, you mis-understand. I am not a part of the Order any longer, so I'm not 'you people' that you speak of. They kept their end of the bargain." He raises his arms out to the side of him. "I come unarmed with anything, and have yet to use any offensive measures against you. My purpose first and foremost is to teach my daughter the oral traditions that have been passed down through each generation of 'Hozuki' since our bloodline first started. There are no scrolls you have that can teach her our forbidden art. Why, we were even told that we were not allowed to teach our little falling star our art. That gave us two options. To teach her ourselves, or…" He looks in the direction of Kirigakure, as if he knew the exact direction it was even at this distance. "… Send her to the Land of Water, where I know she would become a fine Hozuki." He looks back to Shuuren and seemed as if he was about to add more, but then Ryuusei's mother stepped forward. "We already know that your land is one of the hardest to form a spy network in. That is why we have no intention of doing so, aside from listening to gossip as any normal human would. We truly are here to simply find safety so that we can give Ryuusei uninterrupted learning experience. You rule your land with an iron fist. We are intelligent enough to respect that you could kill us here and now, Lord Daimyo. We did not come to die. Ask us anything you'd wish." Both of them seem pretty tense when Shuuren makes rather hostile orders. Yosuke grunts as he looks at the sun. "Might we do this on the move, however? I'm sure they'll be coming for us soon."
Shuuren's order caused Ryuusei far more worry than earlier. "W-what's going on!? Roku? C-can someone tell me why…" Then Daoma appeared rather suddenly. The girl didn't quite realize why everyone suddenly had their blades and jutsu pointed at her. She could defend herself well enough… She felt like a hostage or something…
The more Ryuusei's parents speak, the more it looks like they're just digging themselves a deeper grave with Shuuren. It's almost a wonder he continues to allow them to speak without tearing them apart here and now. Once they've both spoken, he says, "I am not the fool you think I am. I have dealt everything from the darkest of monsters who sought to end the world and reshape it as their own to yakuza who would think themselves kings who wanted to strip everything away from me to take for themselves. I've seen everything I've adored burn to the ground before my eyes time and again… and I've learned and grown from these experience, but your kind have apparently not learned." His eyes darken another shade then before he continues. "… that I am the last person on this planet that it should ever cross your puny minds that you want to try and blackmail me into letting you gain a foothold in my country."
With a crunch of something between his teeth and a swallow, suddenly the Daimyo's chakra soars to frightening heights, yet then his body seems to vanish with a puff of smoke before he reappears behind Asura, placing his hands on her throat in and attempt to sedate her. "Imire, stand with Roku. Do not let him pass."
RP: Shuuren transforms into COMBAT-MEDIC-PILL-III-A.
COMBAT: Shuuren attacks target 1 with RELAXING-SEDATION with a roll of: 110
Roku simply shakes her head. They never learn. She continues to just stand there. It seems so odd that she just stands there, not moving. You would expect her to either get behind cover, or at least move, but she doesn't. The woman stretches out a bit….
Imire nods to Shuuren's order and would step over to Roku. It took him only four steps to be near the chakra-feather user, and his hand was off his sword. Instead, both hands were balled into fists, as he knew that using a sword was a hopeless endeavor. In the back of his mind, he admired Shuuren's speed and quick action. The Daimyo was clearly not one to be trifled with.
Daoma kept her hand hovering over Ryuusei's collar, ready to grab the girl if she moved in the slightest. Watching Imire and then the parents react to Shuuren was interesting… But Daoma remained quiet for a long moment. She lowered her voice ad spoke softly to Ryuusei. "You may want to look away if they decide to fight."
[NPC System]: Hozuki Asura roll(s) Tense from 10 to 25 and get(s) a 20. - Rolled by: Ryuusei
[NPC System]: Hozuki Yosuke roll(s) Groundwater Retreat Technique (Stealth) v All from 55 to 85 and get(s) a 61. - Rolled by: Ryuusei
It seemed as soon as her mother fell, Ryuusei seemed stirred into action to try and defend her parents. "M-MOTHER!" She was still clearly confused. Why as the Daimyo attacking her parents? Why was she naive enough to believe her parents intentions were pure? Nevertheless, Ryuusei would draw her blade as if prepared to step in and defend her parents from getting mercilessly killed by the Daimyo. After all, her mother was now on the floor and all she saw was Shuuren grip her by the neck. Did he crush her neck? She couldn't tell…
Meanwhile, Yosuke's gambit appears to not have paid off. "Well, I didn't expect this." Looks like he has to go into hiding. Shuuren and his clan wants him captured because of this. "I thought it was a fair trade." The man would make a one, handed seal as his body melted into a puddle of water that percolated into the ground, and forced himself down underneath before traveling beneath the ground. Looks like he was trying to escape, and was boldly leaving his wife behind. Guess he wasn't exactly emotionally attached to her. Such is the way of spy rings.
RPCOMBAT: Shuuren defends against with a SENSORY-DIAGNOSTIC…99
[NPC System]: Ryuusei roll(s) Drawing her Weapon from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 22. - Rolled by: Ryuusei
COMBAT: Shuuren attacks target 1 with BAD-MEDICINE with a roll of: 61
With one down, Shuuren looks to where the other is melting into water. The same technique likely won't work on him, so he quickly grabs a syringe and flings it at the water with intent to try and strike something solid enough to inject a rather vicious mixture of chemicals into Yosuke's body and put him down as well. He basically has to ignore Ryuusei's situation for the moment and focus on the task at hand. "Daoma, restrain her," he commands as the syringe leaves his hand.
Roku's chakra feathers in front of Ryuusei turn into Beasts. Really big Chakra Doggies that look very vicious. And there's one right above Ryuusei. Roku doesn't have to say anything. She just stands there. Her fighting style literally means she can sit down, eat, and let her chakra do the killing, as long as she's focused enough to keep the flow going. There's blood coming out of her nose though, and some from the corner of her mouth. Her eyes are starting to turn a little pink as well…
RPCOMBAT: Imire defends against with a PERCEPTION-II…31
COMBAT: Imire attacks target 1 with TAI-TRAINING with a roll of: 20
Imire has no real orders except to make sure no one tries to take away Ryuusei, so the teen just keeps close to the Takaha. The only issue is that Ryuusei's father sank into the ground. While Imire stared at the puddle to try and figure out what happened, Daoma acted to restrain Ryuusei by hitting her in the back of the head. His green eyes flashed a bit in alarm, and his sword was pointed at Daoma. Of course, he's not used to using a sword, so the point is shaking.
COMBAT: Daoma attacks target 1 with BLADEBACK-STRIKE with a roll of: 36
COMBAT: Daoma attacks target 1 with YANK with a roll of: 26
RPCOMBAT: Daoma defends against with a UNCANNY-DEFENSE…53
Daoma had already acted before Shuuren had to speak. She was aware of the gir going for her blade and in a flash of black steel, the dull side of Daoma's sword came down hard across Ryuusei's wrist to disarm her. Daoma flicked her eyes at Roku as she made a grab for the back of Ryuusei's neck and flipped her blade again so it pointed at Ryuusei. "Roku-san… she's mine." But Imire suprised the woman. She had not expected him to turn on her, but with Ruusei firmly in hand she moved just out of the way of that blade he had. She spoke louder but low, threatening and promising a dark end. "I suggest you put that down, boy, before I have to take it from you."
[NPC System]: Yosuke roll(s) Liquid Reformation II from 45 to 65 and get(s) a 61. - Rolled by: Ryuusei
Seems the man stayed liquified as he departed. Shuuren's drugs splash into wet earth as the Hozuki seemingly gets away. Seemingly. Shuuren knew where he was going after all, and the technique puts a strain on any Hozuki's body. As Shuuren goes for the Hozuki, Ryuusei would have been stopped by both Roku and Daoma. First, Ryuusei was promptly enticed by chakra-made puppies that were absolutely cute. Daoma was a little more physical Daoma forced her blade to the ground, and Ryuusei was grabbed and threatened by a tempered black blade… It seemed that only Imire shared her utter confusion. She looked at the boy with a scared and worried expression. "I… I don't know what is going on… D-don't kill them though!" She begs. Oh look! She awakened her latent hydrification technique! wait… no… that was a tear. They were her parents, and there Shuuren goes hunting after dad, whom knew some water release she had never seen…
COMBAT: Shuuren attacks target 1 with FORMATION-OF-ENDLESS-SNAKES with a roll of: 86
"You're not getting away that easily," Shuuren says as he watches the syringe jab into the ground instead of managing to get Yosuke. He brings his hands into a seal and slams it onto the ground then, causing an enormous wave of snakes to appear out of a giant puff of smoke that covers almost the entire area and dive into the ground after the man with intent to wear through his defenses and take him down before dragging his body back up to the surface where he can be bound if successful. Ryuusei would notice, however, that no order has been given to kill Asura, the Daimyo merely leaving her asleep for now.
Well, for now, Roku just stands her ground, watching the woman. Thats all her orders were to do, and thats all she's going do. That and watch Shuuren's behind.
Imire would hesitate a bit when Daoma threatened him in return, but his sword would move away from Daoma. "Just don't hurt her," is all he says, green eyes glancing to Ryuusei to prove he was talking about her. Then Imire turns to Shuuren to see just what the Daimyo is up to while also keeping an eye on the unconscious Asura.
Daoma Still held to Ryuusei, watching Imire cosely. But the boy backed down and Daoma simply nodded once to him. She was not ordered to harm the girl. So unless she fought, tht bruise on her hand was all that would come of it. "Roku-san, watch that woman. If she begins to wake up we will have to put her under again."
As it stood, the Hozuki would eventually be forced above ground. The snakes would disrupt his focus and cause him to take the full brunt of the attack. He, along with his wife were both incapacitated. In good time, as well. There were Hozuki incoming, and the Daimyo was able to detect this before hand. They should likely depart as soon as possible… Meanwhile, Ryuusei was calming down enough to hear that Daoma said her mother was alive. This brought her a lot of relief in the troubling times she feels she is about to face.
Quickly scooping up both Asura and Yosuke with one hand each, Shuuren moves them into the carriage and puts them inside. "Bind them and lock them in the cage in the back. If they know anything about about seals, they'll know they can escape and will die if they try," he says then brings his hands into a seal and causes a shadow clone to appear as the carriage starts to take off, apparently expecting them all to hop in ASAP. Once they're far enough away, his shadow clone performs the handseals to cause the earth to shift back into its normal state and the grass and other plants to quickly grow back to look as if nothing at all had even happened here. With that done, it vanishes, not leaving so much as a footprint or tire track behind to notify anyone that anything happened here at all.
