Starring:
Date: December 20, 2015
Summary:
Team Four go on another adventure to try and figure out more about Akio. Little do they know what awaits them at the edge of Shyean Forest.
"The Iron Caged - Retaken into Captivity"
Iwagakure
Kaneko had to return to her home before she went to the training fields, so she sent Hotaru and Akio ahead of her to grab a change of clothes and get ready for a training session. She was just about to leave when a local Murasame stepped in front of her. "Kaneko-kun," the man calls out, forcing her to a halt. "I need to you bring your latest housemate to meet me at the edge of the forest. I think I found something that he might recognize. If you and him could come soon, that would be great."
Kaneko blinks and nods quickly. "Of course, Pozumero-san! I'll be sure to get him!" she says, bowing once before she dashed off. Then she makes her way to the training fields, looking around for her teammates.
Akio was annoyed slightly that he was left with Hotaru. He didn't hate her or anything, but he just didn't feel like what she says a teammate meant to her was even true. He didn't expect the exact same treatment that Kaneko gets obviously, but he hoped for more at least. Not just what he got. Though because of their last argument he actually felt like he should apologize even if she didn't. "Ummm… Hotaru." He sat down and looked at the ground. "I apologize for the other day. Maybe it was a little of both of us acting wrong, but I should have never acted how I did." He looks up and offers a genuine smile.
Hotaru spent most of the time staring at Akio, with not a smile but a frown. It wasn't until the apology that she closed her eyes a moment and sighed. "… It's okay Akio. Kaneko wasn't around to hear about it. As long as you don't tell her anything… We'll be okay. Trust me. I haven't given up." She is waiting for a magic bullet indeed, but for now… "Let's… Try and have fun… together, okay?" She asks, glad Akio took the first step. She would smile back as her hands played with her cane.
Ah-ha! There they are! Kaneko grins when she sees the pair, and she dashes over. "Akio-kun! Hotaru-chan! I think we need to put a hold on training. I just talked to Pozumeru-san, and he said he might know something interesting. He said I should bring you, Akio-kun, to go see. So, do you wanna come? I told him we'd be right there. It's in the forest." Kaneko looks to Akio expectantly, grey eyes sparking with obvious excitement.
Akio looks up at Hotaru a moment and nods. "Alright… That is good." He stands up now and stretches some. "Sure…we can have fun I suppose, but ummm… What should we do?" Though right then Kaneko arrived. "Oh? Someone said they might know something interesting?" He frowned and nodded. "Sure I suppose I can go, but umm. They didn't say just us huh? Like Hotaru could come too?" He glanced between Kaneko and Hotaru and frowned a bit. He wasn't completely sure of going, but Kaneko seemed excited and sure of it.
"Hah, good one Akio-kun! I'm coming whether you like it or not!" Hotaru would smirk as she rubbed her nose a moment. No one can deny the lizard! Especially of Kaneko is going. "Guess we should head over there now, huh?"
Kaneko shrugs a bit. "Well, he's only expecting us, but Hotaru-Chan can come," the girl replies. The young Murasame certainly doesn't mind if Hotaru comes along. Kaneko smiles encouragingly. "We shouldn't keep him waiting, though. It seemed really important." Kaneko would tug her teammates along to the forest in the northern section of Iwagakure, not pausing as often as she normally would for Hotaru due to her excitement.
Akio would follow along and this time it seemed he would be the one pausing some to see if Hotaru was keeping up well enough. Though even then he was moving slow for the most part. "Kaneko. Did he say much of why he wanted us? Or did he just say he wanted us?" His little untrusting side of the Murasame shining through it seemed. "I just.. I never met him, so I don't see why I would be wanted." He kept following though.
Hotaru walked along beside Kaneko and Akio, practicing making seals with a single hand. "Don't worry about it at all, Akio-kun. If he plans on harming you, you have two of the strongest genin in all of Iwa right at your side!" Worry not! Hotaru wouldn't let Akio down! He's a team member, and a rather sensitive one to boot. "Don't you trust Kaneko-chan? … KANEKO-CHAN WAIT UP!" This was the most excited she had ever seen Kaneko!
"He said he found something you might recognize. Maybe it's like your old house or something, Akio-kun. I think it'll definitely jog your memory, though, if you ever saw t before. You know? They say that sort of thing works." Kaneko turns to check and see if Akio and Hotaru are keeping up, but she doesn't stop moving. The girl bounces impatiently, then she runs forward and waits even more for the duo behind her to catch up. "We'll be fine! I promise. I've known him my whole life, and the worst I've seen him do was accidentally drop a hot poker on a kid that was trying to get a toy car from near his anvil." She frowns a bit at the memory, recalling that the child had needed to spend a good two weeks in the hospital. "A-anyway, we'll be fine!" They were T-minus 10 seconds from the meeting spot.
Akio looked at Hotaru and smiled a bit. "I guess you are right. And….. I am not worried..just skeptical." He glanced back at Kaneko. "And yes.. Kaneko is the person I trust the most out of anyone I know. Probably because of being family and her being trusting of me." He looks back at Hotaru a moment while Kaneko begins speaking. "But I… I don't have missing memories… People don't usually remember anything from their toddler years. My first memory was never even in this village…all of that place." He frowned a bit, but shrugged. "I am going to catch up with her. Alright Hotaru?" He then moved on ahead rather quickly to Kaneko to see if this meeting was going to be ready right away.
Hotaru seemingly closed her eyes, having little to add. This was Akio's present, not hers. Kaneko, for once, seemed excited about another. It made her smile a little. "Go ahead Akio. I'll catch up when I can!"
[NPC System]: ??? roll(s) Stunning Strike vs Kaneko from 35 to 60 and get(s) a 59. - Rolled by: Kaneko
RPCOMBAT: Kaneko defends against with a TENSE…4
RPCOMBAT: Kaneko took 2500 damage.
Kaneko turns around again to check on her companions when … *THUNK* Something hits her squarely in the back of the head when she wasn't expecting it. If she weren't so hard-headed (haha… ha…), the girl would likely be dead. As it were, though, a masked figure catches the young Murasame as she crumples and tosses the body off to the side. A trickle of blood runs down the back of the girl's neck. "Get her away from here. You know she could be valuable."
Akio would have seen this all, which might give him a bit of a warning as to what's about to happen to him. A figure dressed in black robes with a porcelain white mask covering its face tries to strike Akio in the back of the head as well. The little dragon was someone unexpected, though, and the strange groupies were hardly about to grab her as well. Instead, they just tried to distract her while Kaneko and Akio were herded away.
[NPC System]: ??? roll(s) Stunning Strike vs Akio from 35 to 60 and get(s) a 48. - Rolled by: Kaneko
RPCOMBAT: Akio defends against with a CRUMBLE…33
RPCOMBAT: Akio took 1500 damage.
Akio knew it was going to happen…he just knew it. When these figures came out of nowhere and attacked he was slow though. Kaneko was grabbed and they were coming for him next. Though before he could get away and warn Hotaru he was also surprised from behind. The last thing he could see was Kaneko being moved and blood streaming some down her neck.
[NPC System]: ??? roll(s) Stunning Strike vs Hotaru from 35 to 60 and get(s) a 38. - Rolled by: Kaneko
RPCOMBAT: Hotaru defends against with a WATER-CLONE…39
Hotaru had a smile on her face at the very start. She was happy to see Kaneko so happy, and Akio was also improving his mood as well. It was about time they let go and all came together as a team. The kind of team she dreamed of being in when she was some creepy kid looking out at the academy through her window. Hotaru for once had that feeling of being truly included in someone else's life. A warm soft feeling that she could only describe as 'having purpose' in life. It was a satisfying feeling to be surrounded by friends. Yet, then something happened. Something that was worse than any of those genjutsu that had shown her what her death would be like over and over.
Hotaru's eyes widened as she witnesses Kaneko struck in a vital weakspot. The back of the head. People die from being struck there. She watched a blow that would kill anyone else take the life out of Kaneko's eyes. Her jaws dropped, there was a certain feeling in the back of her head. Her hand tightened on her cane when she saw Kaneko drop into the arms of her assailant before being tossed away like a bag of garbage upon the side of the path… Then she watched as Akio turned to come for her. Then, Akio's life was taken. There went her happy little family, all in the period of seconds. That was it. Kaneko-chan, whom she spent long hours of the night planning cool things to do with. Her reason to wake up in the morning, gone. Akio, who she desperately tried to include and convince that he was a part of her family yet was even more hard headed than Kaneko. Almost like a little brother at this point, one she loved to hate! Gone. Their corpses being dragged off in front of her just caused her to snap a little. One of these unknown assailants swung their weapon at Hotaru now, to try and keep her off the trail. Her little head caved in, before her entire body exploded in water. Hotaru was right behind that clone, and she did not look healthy. She had already activated the second stage of her transformaiton in almost an instant after her clone fell. Yet the scales growing from her hairline didn't stop. They nearly engulfed her entire face, as a third set of lines appeared at the lower left corner of her face. At this point most of the changing was happening beneath her clothing, unseen. Scales forming along the sides of her hips and her sides, as well as down along the outsides of her arms. This next lines reached the back of her hands. Scales began to form all along her legs, stopping around the upper part of her thighs. Even her feet and hands changed shape very slightly. The most notable change was that underneath the playful skirt she wore was a long slender black tail coated with shining black scales that hat formed from her spine. It swept the ground behind her as she opened her mouth, fire already forming within
The one who had tried to strike her head would find Hotaru only needed to make a single seal to use some of her more advanced techniques. Before the water her clone was composed of fell to the floor the fire already had left her mouth. That fire persisted from her mouth, like a tongue, attempting to wrap around the shinobi that wished to get in her way. Hotaru's voice was different, a little deeper and hissed. "Get out of my way." Please and thank you. Her tongue of flames, if they were wrapped around the enemy, would allow a larger burst of fire to be guided from her mouth directly to the victim in front of her… She wasn't going to make it was she? Kaneko was being taken away…
COMBAT: Hotaru attacks target 1 with RUNNING-FIRE with a roll of: 32
COMBAT: Hotaru attacks target 1 with DRAGON-FIRE-TECHNIQUE with a roll of: 24
COMBAT: Hotaru focuses 4062 stamina to turn it into 5000 usable chakra!
[NPC System]: ??? roll(s) Earth Dome vs. Hotaru (42) from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 44. - Rolled by: Kaneko
[NPC System]: ??? roll(s) Earth Dome vs. Hotaru (34) from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 49. - Rolled by: Kaneko
The strange masked figures would take Akio and Kaneko away from the clearing. Kaneko's body would be shoved into a bag and carried away while Akio would be handcuffed, ankle cuffed, gagged, and unarmed. Then he would get a metal collar around his neck with no visible way to remove it, and he was chained to a metal cage that had a number of chakra-suppressant seals all over the bars. This was toted off, and Akio might wake up as they cart him off to places unknown! Then again, it would be useless, because he was also blindfolded -.-
The lizard was certainly a surprise. Something they didn't expect. Their contact said he sent only two! Who was this third?! The masked people would hold her off, though, a thick dome of earth encasing them to protect themselves from the heat of the flames. "Hmm… Little dragon is angry." "It's not our place to take her. Let's knock her out and go." "Aww, but she looks so precious." "We got what we wanted. Let's move and take her out so she doesn't follow. You know he can clean up the rest." "Fine…" The pair chat a bit within their protective barrier, and then it would explode outwards. Bits of earth would hopefully get in Hotaru's eyes to try and distract her so that a huge flame could scorch her alive!
Akio was waking in and out of conciousness as things happened. First he watched with blurry vision as Kaneko was shoved into a bag and anger grew within only qualmed by the urge to fall back into his trance. The next time he saw something it was him having something getting chained to him and he knew now that he would be unable to escape even if he wanted to. It began to move…whatever he was on. The only thing he could do from his partly dazed trance was try to listen. If he could he would of sent a surge of chakra to see things, but the chakra suppressants stopped that and left him blind. His ears though…were still open to the world around him. Maybe if he listened close he would hear something useful.
RPCOMBAT: Akio defends against with a PERCEPTION…12
[NPC System]: ??? roll(s) Dirt Bomb vs. Hotaru from 25 to 55 and get(s) a 45. - Rolled by: Kaneko
[NPC System]: ??? roll(s) Dragon Fire Technique vs. Hotaru from 20 to 40 and get(s) a 21. - Rolled by: Kaneko
RPCOMBAT: Hotaru defends against with a WATER-CLONE…35
RPCOMBAT: Hotaru defends against with a WATER-RIBBONS…21
Hotaru had almost forgotten that Kaneko was caputed, and instead merely wished the person in front of her dead. When the dome was formed, her technique might have cooked it, but the one inside was fine. When the dome fell, the one inside had the gall to try and use her weakness to attack her, and while it struck her clone, she narrowly avoided the shrapnel by sticking down to the ground as her clone died right in front of her. Using the remnants of the water clone, before the water soaked into the ground, she summoned it as a shield against the fire. Steam rose in the air, soon disapating to reveal Hotaru had already worked her hands into the seals needed to bind the individual in water. Those tendrils worked their way from behind the individual as Hotaru's scales almost glowed a deep azure, before turning a firey red as she focused her chakra into her next technique. She had a special surprise planned for this one.
After the barrage of strikes she sought to hit the individual with, she would hiss. "You are the enemy. When you decided to take my friend's life… To threaten it… You sealed your fate…" Hotaru began her next round of hand-seals. A different set of handseals that would be something rather new. If the water-chains held the man in place for this technique, it would only add to the impact. "I'm going to kill -every- last one of you." She had four years to live, but she wasn't going to live them without Kaneko. She was prepared to pull out the most advanced ninjutsu she had ever learned for this, just to save her friends…
COMBAT: Hotaru attacks target 1 with FIRE-BULLET-BARRAGE with a roll of: 32
COMBAT: Hotaru attacks target 1 with WATER-CHAINS with a roll of: 27
[NPC System]: ??? roll(s) Metal Barrier vs. Hotaru (42) from 35 to 65 and get(s) a 43. - Rolled by: Kaneko
[NPC System]: ??? roll(s) Metal Barrier vs. Hotaru (37) from 35 to 65 and get(s) a 41. - Rolled by: Kaneko
"Just gotta get to the base…" a voice mutters. Akio would barely be able to make out the whispered tone as he's led out of the safe area that is Iwagakure. They were heading to a gate that was slightly less guarded thanks to having allies on the inside of the village. Akio would notice that he seems to be shaken around all over the place. This may be because he's being carried on someone's back. Or the path itself is super bumpy. One or the other.
The two men reveal their identities with a few handseals. Hotaru would find that her jutsu was ineffective, pounding against simple metal shields. Murasame! They were kidnapping their own clanmates? But… Why? Whether or not it would make sense, Hotaru had little time to think as they tried to capture Hotaru in an earthen dome.
[NPC System]: Murasame?! roll(s) Trapping Dome vs. Hotaru from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 50. - Rolled by: Kaneko
[NPC System]: Murasame?! roll(s) Trapping Dome vs. Hotaru from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 37. - Rolled by: Kaneko
RPCOMBAT: Hotaru defends against with a WATER-CLONE…47
RPCOMBAT: Hotaru defends against with a WATER-CLONE…41
Hotaru had noticeable dropped her cane at this point. She was walking rather well, more like crawling. She even seemed to be able to scale the metal dome that they had so wittingly captured her clone. It seems the changes to her arms and legs have caused her to get a little stronger. "I'll find them." Hotaru growled. "I'll find them and save them, and when I do… I'll eliminate each and every" Hotaru would stand upon het feet at the top of the dome an ease through six seals. Hotaru would step forward and place her index finger upon her thumb, while settling it over her mouth. Focusing chakra into her fingers, she attempts to fine tune a new technique. Behind her, her tail balances her as she bends forward. Then, displaying how far she has come to protect those important from er, she attempts to devastate one of the shinobi with a sustained stream of flame hot enough to melt iron!
Hotaru would blast that stream of fire at the first Murasame, eyes flicking to the next as she moves her head to aim at him as she sustains that fire for a little longer. In it's wake, the ground seems to be carred rather badly. Hopefully the forest doesn't catch on fire.
COMBAT: Hotaru attacks target 1 with FIRE-DRAGON-FLAME-BULLET with a roll of: 45
COMBAT: Hotaru attacks target 2 with FIRE-DRAGON-FLAME-BULLET with a roll of: 38
[NPC System]: Murasame?! roll(s) Earthen Defense vs. Hotaru (50) from 35 to 65 and get(s) a 55. - Rolled by: Kaneko
[NPC System]: Murasame?! roll(s) Earthen Defense vs. Hotaru (43) from 35 to 65 and get(s) a 50. - Rolled by: Kaneko
Akio listened to the mans words, and knew what was coming next. So he quickly tried to struggle against his bindings one last time to break free even if it would help none. Though someone seemed to notice and bopped him upside the head one last time making him pass out.
The two Murasame shake their heads, both of them working together to block the incoming flames by raising two barriers of earth that would keep them safe. Once the flames of the raging dragon has passed, their barriers would turn into two large earthen hands, both of them working to try and grab Hotaru and keep her pinned for a little bit. And then maybe they could finish her off for good >:|
[NPC System]: Murasame?! roll(s) Demon Graves vs. Hotaru from 35 to 65 and get(s) a 46. - Rolled by: Kaneko
[NPC System]: Murasame?! roll(s) Demon Graves vs. Hotaru from 35 to 65 and get(s) a 49. - Rolled by: Kaneko
RPCOMBAT: Hotaru defends against with a WATER-CLONE…47
RPCOMBAT: Hotaru defends against with a WATER-CLONE…49
Hotaru would create a quick seal and create a clone of herself subtly right in front of her. It would be hard to guess that Hotaru slipped down behind the dome to evade sight. Just in time for two hands to crush pin Hotaru's clone. She could handle one, but two? Even tapping into the greatest extent of her power she might not be able to win. She was already panting slightly as the transformation saps her reserves rather quickly. She would move to the side of the dome, making another seal as she once again sprays the enemy with fire. This was it. If she couldn't hit them now she knew her time was up. She needed to move as fast as she can to Juudai and tell her what was going on. One more time spraying them with her most powerful technique, which barely makes her stand toe-to-toe with the Murasame before turning and running away. She would grab her cane before moving away though. Still not powerful enough to protect her friends… She needed help. Of course, this left her back turned to the enemy.
COMBAT: Hotaru attacks target 1 with FIRE-DRAGON-FLAME-BULLET with a roll of: 54
COMBAT: Hotaru attacks target 2 with FIRE-DRAGON-FLAME-BULLET with a roll of: 39
[NPC System]: Murasame?! roll(s) Stronger Earthen Defense vs. Hotaru (59) from 40 to 80 and get(s) a 43. - Rolled by: Kaneko
[NPC System]: Murasame?! roll(s) Stronger Earthen Defense vs. Hotaru (44) from 40 to 80 and get(s) a 80. - Rolled by: Kaneko
One Murasame would fall to Hotaru's powerful flame as he was a bit too slow on the uptake. His comrade, though, was quick to react. A stronger barrier of earth surrounded him to keep the heat away, and from within his barrier, he could turn the ground below Hotaru into a sticky muddy swamp. The swamp would try to cling to Hotaru and prevent the little lizard from moving.
[NPC System]: Murasame roll(s) Swamp of the Underworld vs. Hotaru from 55 to 90 and get(s) a 69. - Rolled by: Kaneko
RPCOMBAT: Hotaru defends against with a WATER-CLONE…53
Hotaru would have tried to run, as fast as she can using the legs that her newest transformation seems to grant. Unfortunately, she was still far from fast enough, and would find herself sinking into the ground as she tried to create a clone to escape from this situation. Only, the clone gets stuck too. Hotaru was soon sunk from the waist down, getting muddy was the least of her troubles too. Now she wouldn't be able to properly fight. As she sank to her chest, her claws desperately tried to grasp at anything. To no avail. She was defeated. With her back turned to the enemy, she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable. She thought she had four years, but instead she has minutes…
The Murasame drags his companion out and binds him in metal so that he can carry the body away. Then he turns to Hotaru, who's stuck in the mud, and makes a few handseals. His mask had crumpled a bit by now, but it was no one Hotaru would recognize. The girl would then be encircled by a wave of extra-hot fire before she would likely pass out. By the time she woke up, the Murasame were completely gone, and only the field showed that Hotaru had fought a pretty epic battle.
[NPC System]: Murasame roll(s) Great Dragon Fire vs. Hotaru (1200) from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 38. - Rolled by: Kaneko
RPCOMBAT: Hotaru took 1200 damage.
Hotaru wasn't dead? Maybe they thought she was and let her go? The Watanabe's scales had all but fallen off as she became to weak to maintain her Kekkei Genkai. At this point, it was that several chuunin had arrived to see what the commotion was. Likely pulling Hotaru out. "You're… Kohaku's kid… What the hell happened here?" They'd ask. Hotaru would be far too out of it to reply… She had just enough strength to cry… Hotaru had failed. Her newest technique couldn't even protect Kaneko. Everything seemed as if it didn't even matter… She needed to tell the Tsuchikage immediately…
