Starring:
Date: November 19, 2012
Summary:
Shintaro and Usagi are sent on a D-Rank mission to get a little payback on some bandits for a jeweller.
"The Music Box Surprise"
Behind the Bushes – Land of Fire
The mission for the evening has brought Shintaro and Usagi out into the forests far west in the Land of Fire. While it's not exactly a MAJOR mission for it to require both of them, he brought her along so she could at least stretch her legs and get some kind of work in that's not too dangerous before the Exams kick off. Basically, a small group of bandits stole a very expensive music box from a jeweler, and he wants it back. However, rather than simply beating it out of them, he had a VERY specific request. He crafted another box to look exactly like the stolen music box on the outside. However, instead of the normal components, this one is springloaded with a very special brand of itching powder that lasts for about a month, and scrubbing even with alcohol or bleach apparently does no good once if left on the body for more than five minutes. Thus, as the sun sets toward the horizon, the two Nara move as silently as possible through the treetops toward the direct the bandits were last seen heading. They should be camped for the night by now, leaving them time to catch up so they don't make it to Fuuma Alley, where the box would be lost forever.
Usagi nods at her brother for a few moments, coming through the trees with her brother as they approach where the thieves should be setting up camp. She is already wreathed in shadows, letting them shroud her form as she looks to him first. She smiles a bit as he's the lead here, but rarely do they ever get to go on missions as family.
As they approach a spot and the fresh footsteps seem to disappear, Shintaro tilts his head slightly and holds up a hand as a sign for Usagi to stop. Nearby, there seems to be some light and smoke coming from behind a set of thick shrubbery. He drops silently down to the forest floor and steps over to the bushes, bringing a hand up to move some of the branches out of the way so he can peek past them. As he does so, he spots a group of six bandits, five of which are taking a nap. They sit around a fire with the music box sitting by the one that is currently awake. A few empty bottles of sake sit beside him, and he appears to be quite inhibited already, his cheek flush and expression rather drowsy-looking. This one should be pretty easy.
Usagi comes to a stop, her brow furrowing as she remains in the tree, squatting on the branch and waiting. The shadows still play over her form, near melding her visage to that of the shadow that the tree casts, and remaining as still as a lake with no wind. She glances down at her brother. They'd learned how to communicate without sound a long time ago, and she was simply waiting for his signal. One hand was near the pack in her back, ready to pull a surprise from it should they need it.
After waiting a few moments, Shintaro grins slightly as he finally sees what he was waiting for… The lookout having to get up to go pee from drinking way too much. He glances back to Usagi and gives a nod before sinking into the shadows. Coming up from the shadows of the bushes, he only comes up just enough to grab one box and replace it with the other, attempting to do so silently enough that the bandits are not woken up. This mission COULD go off without a hitch here, but that remains to be seen.
Usagi remains on the bush, taking a slow breath as she watches her brother work. The two of them were rather suited for this mission, and even if it did go wrong at this point, they could still play off that they were trying to reclaim the box, and not only let them get away with it, but let them 'think' they'd outwitted shinobi. Oh the irony on that one, if it does start to go sour.
"Hey, put that down!" the slurred voice of the lookout comes as he turns around just in time to see Shintaro's hand on the fake box. Acting as if he'd been caught, Shintaro glances around and disappears like he's in some kind of hurry. Coming back up near Usagi, he waves for her to come on and takes off back toward the village.
"Good job, man," they can hear the bandits congratulating their friend.
"Hey, has anyone actually listened to this thing?"
Usagi remains hidden in the tree, raising a brow and smirks as her brother motions for her to follow, hopping off the branch and following him as she smirks. She doesn't say anything, just coming along for the time being, though the grin on her face is likely visible to him and him alone. Once they're well out of distance, she pats him on the shoulder as they continue on.
