Starring:
Kuoroke, Ayumu, Arika, Jiro, Kaidan, Nanashi (as Miyako)
Date: February 2, 2015
Summary:
After a lot of hunting for information, a group was sent out to capture a man discovered as Ichirou, Hachiro (aka The Glass Master)’s twin brother.
"The Shadow Man - Finally Captured"
Land of Wind
Many may have heard rumors of a merchant known as 'The Glass Master', and perhaps have even dealt with him a few times. Guarding, escorting, buying his wares. They might know his son, Jon. The guardian of Arika, Ping, has slowly and steadily been investigating the man after getting attacked by him. After a lot of searching and hunting for information, he has finally found enough information to lead a group to hunt down the targets. Messages have been sent to all available, as the battle itself has been anticipated to be split into several locations. Ping is at the entrance waiting to debrief everyone before they go.
Rushing out to the gates, Kaidan appears and Ping might notice the change. As he steps up, Kaidan is now not having any sort of limbs left at all. He is almost more puppet than man at this point. A s he arrives, he adjusts his arm like anyone might, rolling his shoulder and his arm. He looks to the man before nodding, "What's going on, Ping?" He hmms and nods his head, "I heard you had some information on the Glass Master and I'm somewhat curious as to what is going on."
While she's not worked for this man that she knows of, Miyako doesn't hesitate to answer the call for a mission… probably because she's bored out of her mind sitting around the village. Arriving at the gate just after Kaidan, she'd cast a glance at the slowly vanishing puppeteer then look to Ping. "I'd like to help if you'll have me," she says with a smile, bowing her head lightly in respect as she awaits and answer as well as to see who else is coming.
Jiro had heard the news of what was going on and made all haste to the gates. He doesn't really expect to be 'allowed' to go being a student and all but he'll be damned if he's going to let this one pass without him being there. They'd have a fight on there hands, that's what would happen! A fight before the fight! So Jiro shows up with his arms crossed over his chest just glowering around, an eight year olds challenge to anyone who might question his being there. He doesn't say anything for now. Maybe if he doesn't talk they won't notice him.
Arika comes along just behind Jiro! The girl had heard the news from Ping and is eager to see just what was going on with Hachiro (the Glass Master). "Kai-kun! Miya-chan!" she waves cheerfully, taking a moment to climb onto Kaidan's back and clinging much like a monkey. She seems so happy there…
Kuoroke follows close after Miyako, having decided to keep an eye on her progress. The Kuroki looks slightly healthier than when he still held office, his cheeks less pale and his eyes not jumping around stressfully as much. Even his glasses seem to be less thick. "I'm available to help." he informs Ping. "And I heard this may be dangerous. So - what can I do for you?"
'The Glass Master' was known to him Ayumu, though his dealings with him have been far too indirect to build a reliable profile to go on. That said, Ayumu was rather excited for a change, and made a point of genuinely attempting to arrive early at the gate. Several others of course beat the Iga to the punch, eliciting a sigh from the man upon arrival. Another soon follows it upon realizing that Arika, Jiro, and *shudders* Kuoroke would be apart of the mission. He hides the latter well, and brushes aside any concern with a shake of his head.
"Ayumu Iga is also present." Ayumu says as he gave a half-hearted wave before stepping up behind the children. "Though the whys escape even me now.." He murmurs underbreath with his gaze averted towards the ground.
Ping waits for a bit, looking around at those assembled, and eventually handing Kuoroke a map, as he is the highest-ranked shinobi in the group. He gets right to the point. "I've been investigating, and the Glass Master apparently has a twin. Funnily enough, he's identical /and/ evil. The man tends to use shadow clones to attack people, and also has a large amount of chakra. The Glass Master himself doesn't know his brother's abilities anymore, as they've parted ways since he first discovered what the brother was up to. The target is Ichirou, by the way. We have reason to believe there is a third, too, but it's Ichirou that's been giving us the most trouble…" Ping pauses, glancing to Jiro and Arika.
"He supposedly has a hideout. It's marked on the map I gave Kuroki-sama, so use that as a guide. Any questions? Because if not, I'll wish you all the best of luck and bid you to be quick. Also, you should know, Ichirou is simply a leader in the underground world. We don't know how much influence he has, as he keeps a low profile, but it's best to take him out and whoever is helping him."
A nod to all of this and Kaidan nods to MIyako first. He then reaches up and gives Arika a light pat before a nod to Kuoroke. He then glances over to Ayumu as well. Kaidan hmms softly before nodding to the instructions by Ping. "Take out the bad guy." He nods, "Seems straight forward enough. Which means it won't be straight forward at all." He then starts over to Kuoroke, looking to the map, "Not often I see you out and about, Kuoroke. This ought to be fun." He then nods his head, looking forward and looks as if he is fully ready to go before he tilts his head, "Also, Jiro. Go home."
Smiling big at Arika as she arrives, Miyako says, "Hey there." She'd then cast a long glance at Kuoroke and then Ayumu before looking back at Ping. As he speaks, she'd be silent and take in all the information. Once it's explained, she nods, glancing at Kuoroke again then at the rest of them. "With this team, this ought to go pretty easily," she says with a smile of confidence.
When Ping gives him a look Jiro stares right back nice and defiantly. Just try it! When the man doesn't try to send him home he relaxes a little on that front at least. But then Kaidan has to open his big mouth and the boys hands clench into fists. "I'm no'. He attacked me'n Ari-chan." And Ping but no one cares about him apparently. "I'm goin'." And if they don't let him go with the group he'll just follow behind, really. Which would they want more? Hmph. Since Kaidan has his back turned the boy plots…and plots…but doesn't do anything. Yet.
Arika smiles cheerfully as Kuoroke and Ayumu arrive too. People she likes! The girl frowns a bit when Kaidan says that Jiro should stay back…. But he's got as much of a part here as she does. "I think Jiro-kun should stay. It's a good idea! And we can work together and stuff, and I think it'll be okay." But what does she know..? Miyako, though, said that it would go well, so she believes that!
Kuoroke studies the map attentively, then lays it out in front of himself and explains, "The enemy is likely going to be dispersed through the room and escaping. So- pair up. Arika and Miyako take the rear, I and Jiro take the front, Kaidan comes in from the right and Ayumu from the left. We try to contain the enemy. If you're in trouble, cirle around towards me. Arika, Miyako, If you two get into trouble, circle towards Kaidan then to me. Any questions?"
The look given to the youngest isn't lost to the Iga, but for the time being, he refrained from licking that particular hornets nest. Shadow Clones and a huge amount of chakra. Ayumu couldn't help licking his lips at the prospect of meeting this 'Ichirou' person. Even the threat of some sort of power vacuum being created in the underground world does little to damper the Iga's mood. The looks recieved from others on the other hand do distract him a little. Miyako in particular earns somewhat of a startled look from the Iga.
He had this weird impression of… 'something' with her. After a moment of pondering over the odd feeling, the man's apparent attention turns to Kuoroke as he gives away the plan. Though a little leery being placed on the front lines himself, Ayumu held his tongue and simple shook his head in answer to the question. Unlike last foray into the desert the Iga made a point of focusing his chakra pre-emptively this time.
Ping can defend himself, which is probably why no one cares that he was attacked… The Jounin listens to everyone, but isn't sure about Jiro and Arika joining either… "If they need to, I trust they can escape," he sighs. "They know the most about The Glass Master, so they can probably pick out who Ichirou is. Just… make sure they both come back alive, I guess." He shrugs, then leaves everyone to travel… How nice.
As soon as everyone is done with planning, they would head out across the desert and see a … lot of sand. A lot a lot a lot. Eventually, though, they would come across a lone house. It was large, but only one story tall, so it spanned a wide area. And seemed very deserted… Suspicious!
A look to Kuoroke and a blink even as he hears Arika. Kaidan glares at him before shaking his head, "Ok, Jounin-san. Lets bring the student along on a mission to take down someone who troubled a Jounin." He then shakes his head and sighs before turning and letting Kuoroke lead, "As you say, Kuoroke." He states and follows along. Even as he does so, he shuts up his mouth for now. He idly pats his arm on Arika as he walks along, letting her cling to him for the journing. Even as they arrive though, he seems to squint around at the area around, seeming to be a bit confused at first.
RPCOMBAT: Kaidan defends against with a PERCEPTION-II…33
Listening to the instructions, Miyako would nod simply to Kuoroke. "Got it." As she notices Ayumu starting at her for a moment, she glances over at him, smirking slightly at his expression then looking to Kuoroke once more. As they move along, she'd seem to almost be idle, except she's using a bit of unseen ability to try and detect what's going on around her through the sand of the desert around them.
RPCOMBAT: Miyako defends against with a SAND-SENSING…46
Jiro looks ready to make another attempt to pound Kaidan into the sand. Attempt. It's an ongoing difficulty he faces at the moment. The boy looks to Ping and nods haughtily, "I'll be 'kay." Famous last words. When the others leave he follows, staying a little behind the rest since he /is/ the student and isn't exactly that great at leading pointe. Once they arrive he'll look around as best as he can, frowning a bit as tries to figure out what's going on. Is the place empty?
RPCOMBAT: Jiro defends against with a PERCEPTION…20
RPCOMBAT: Arika defends against with a AIR-CURRENTS…22
Arika tries to sense things going on with the air, waiting until they arrive to the house before going over to move with Miyako as assigned by Kuoroke. Her eyes narrow a bit as she tries to detect… Anything, really. The girl furrows her brow in thought, but keeps silent until she actually gets a read on something.
When they arrive, Kuoroke takes Jiro aside. "I need you to stay back and out of the way. They're right, you know- you're not prepared for this. Your job will be to keep your eyes open, watch my rear, and stay behind. I may use you as a messenger boy. But, unless you're absolutely sure you see an opening, stay out of the fighting. Understood?" Then, he motions for the others to split up, ilently, and approaches the building, casting an experienced eye over it.
RPCOMBAT: Kuoroke defends against with a SENIORITY…62
Ayumu winces, even though Kaidan's words weren't leveled at him at all. He almost doesn't shake it off easily, but noting the smirk from Miyako gave him an ample enough distraction. He regards her with open curiosity in turn. Unfortunately, before long it is time to move on out. While he maintained an air of nonchalance throughout much of the trip, the sensor hidden in his hair kept him aprised of the area and the mood of others at all times. Wordlessly upon arrival, Ayumu moves quickly into place as order.
RPCOMBAT: Ayumu defends against with a FOCUSED-SENSORY-ARRAY…60
Those who strain with their eyes are awarded with the sight of someone moving within. Kuoroke would notice more than one figure, as would Ayumu. An open window that's a little /too/ convenient, suggesting that Ichirou might have been expecting them. Arika and Miyako would sense there were people as well. Miyako, especially, would feel the presence of about 10 people… That's the greatness of using sand, the house's floor, as your tool, apparently… The group is lucky, too, as a few might happen to notice that there is a trap near the entryway of the house. A faint glimmer of metal says that there's something there…
Looking at what he can see, Kaidan helps Arika down and nods to her, "Follow the Jounin's instructions." He states and nods to her as he speaks quietly before he notices the situation and then nods to Kuoroke. Already he is starting to move to the right even as his armor slides up over his front and back, another sliding up over his lower face, covering it completely, leaving the top of his head revealed. He then starts off to the right, sliding away as he tries to look around in that direction, preparing to move in from that direction as he was ordered previously, trying to find an alternate way into the house.
RPCOMBAT: Kaidan defends against with a PERCEPTION-II…49
"About ten people around," Miyako points out to the others in a voice low enough that only they would hear it. She looks over to Arika, grinning and nodding at her. "Let's do this." With that she'd move around to the back of the house as instructed, peering over it with her eyes senses to be sure there are no traps or other dangers while also looking for a window or something else they can get through fairly quietly.
RPCOMBAT: Miyako defends against with a SAND-SENSING…54
As the others begin splintering off Jiro goes up to join the team leader, waiting to follow. He's got a serious expression on now, something he doesn't have often. He's ready to make this man pay for what chaos he's caused at this point. The student's hand falls to the red sash around his waist with it's breakaway knot, ready to pull it loose as soon as it's needed.
RPCOMBAT: Jiro defends against with a PERCEPTION…11
RPCOMBAT: Arika defends against with a AIR-CURRENTS…29
Arika follows after Miyako, nodding and grinning. She makes sure her chakra is focused and sends a bit of chakra into the air to check the positions of everyone within. "Miya-chan, how do we know when to attack..?" she wonders, a bit worried. If one strikes, then wouldn't they know? She frowns lightly, but seems ready for anything for now. And determined.
"We're expected." the Kuroki states. Kuoroke takes off his cloak and flexes a bit. The lines along his limbs and grasping his torso illuminate and bulge out bit by bit until they're almost entirely separate from his body. From there on out, they split apart and stretch into sheets of luminous material, coating Kuoroke in a suit of full plate. "Wait for my attack. I'll draw his attention… or, their attention. Give me three seconds, then go in. Except you, Jiro- while I'm moving towards him I need you back here, causing the impression there's a lot of people waiting behind me. Can you do that?"
Ayumu meant to refrain from wavering, but a bothersome notion kept his nose twitching until he could no longer ignore it. Sensory organs of varying types spew quietly from the man's mouth before he dares to draw closer. Their purpose was two-fold: Monitor the others and maintain a watch on the perimeter. The latter was somewhat unecessary given the range of the Iga's senses. However, it was better safe than sorry. His eyes draw to a permnant close and a stillness settles both within and without as he seeks to strengthen his senses further.
Ayumu doesn't bother searching for an obvious means in unless a noticeable chakra signal gives him enough pause to suspect merging with the ground or building walls was a bad idea. It is only after the ex-wanderer has seemingly disappeared that recalls his purpose and makes a note to linger whatever the left side had to offer by way of an exit.
RPCOMBAT: Ayumu defends against with a FOCUSED-SENSORY-ARRAY…70
Combat: Ayumu attacks target 1 with ATTACK-PREVENTION-STEALTH with a roll of: 58
Once again, people using their eyes would notice something … odd… All the people within the house looked the same! They must be clones! And it looks like they're… Just sitting inside? Occasionally they'll get up and move around to stretch out their legs, but otherwise they just are being very boring… How lame. They don't notice Ayumu sinking into the walls, but the feeling of all the chakra surrounding them is… terrible, to say the least. However, they had orders not to act, so they don't. They simply wait… And wait… And wait…
Kuoroke ensures the others have had enough time to get into position, then moves in, himself: he pops up from behind his cover, and slides towards the wall, a scroll held in one hand. At the end of his radiant dash, when he approaches the building, he throws the scroll in front of himself, and it unfurls, a seal becoming visible on it: a summoning scroll. From it, a wall appears, seemingly set up to block Kuoroke's way, and in a way that is why it's there: it covers him on the last few feet of the approach. Then, the wall begins tipping over and with a thunderous noise crashes into the house, providing a ramp for Kuoroke to slide into the window.
Combat: Kuoroke attacks target 1 with TIPPING-WALL-SUMMON with a roll of: 51
Jiro frowns a bit when he's told to hang back and he looks after Arika, then at the building, before finally he gives a little nod. "Yea'." He mutters. He waits until they're all moving away before weaving the handseals and calling up a handful of normal clones that are positioned in hiding and just barely visible to the house. If anyone looks it'll likely just be a foot here, an eye there, nothing really giving away how many might be hiding. It's the best he can do and since ninjutsu isn't really his thing it's not all tha fun to keep up. But, you know, spoooooooky!
[NPC System]: House..? roll(s) Structurally sound! from 30 to 60 and get(s) a 48.
"Ari-chan, with me!" Miyako says as the wall starts to collapse due to weight. With that she'd go to yank the girl back with her a half dozen paces with a single bound. She then starts to scan again, trying to find the source of all the clones around this area… Someone's either playing games or trying to get away… Maybe both.
COMBAT: Arika attacks Rockpath with WIND-SHARP with a roll of: 19
COMBAT: Arika attacks Rockpath with WIND-SHARP with a roll of: 22
COMBAT: Arika attacks Rockpath with WIND-SHARP with a roll of: 23
Arika nods a bit, focusing on the window that's nearby and sending three kunai, enhanced with some wind chakra, through it. If she's lucky, it'll slice thatever clones through some of the structure that's blocking it and get rid of whatever clones might take the hit! If she's not… Well, then people know where she and Miyako is… That's not terrible, right?
COMBAT: Arika finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Kaidan's turn.
A look at the house, Kaidan glances over at Kuoroke, squinting as he watches him summon a wall. A wall? He shrugs and watches it smash into the place and states, "Effective but no style." He states even as he uses a window to burst into the building and flicks a blade out of his arm to stab it into a clone before another comes out of his other arm and he attempts to slice through another clone. He ends with a kick to a third clone and just as it looks like he'd miss it is clear that it was another blade in his foot he was using to kick at the clone. All the blades, of course, poisoned.
Combat: Kaidan attacks Rockpath with PUPPETRY-SHARP with a roll of: 45
Combat: Kaidan attacks Rockpath with PUPPETRY-SHARP with a roll of: 35
Combat: Kaidan attacks Rockpath with PUPPETRY-SHARP with a roll of: 27
The wall is he, and he is the wall. Silent, unmoving, sheltering, and — And one of his brethren just demolished his fellow wall. Intentionally! Why, if Ayumu could shake his head at the audacity of the new one he certainly would! That… issue aside, the Iga held his place, hoping noone would get the idea to do the same. That plan gets quickly side-lined however for the safer option: the floor. Yes, moving on to there outta keep himself until he's truly needed. You know, until the clones and/or mastermind is herded to the obviously unguarded section of the house. c.c
Most of the clones end up disappearing thanks to all the attacks, leaving only five remaining. Technically it doesn't poison the main body, though… The clones also aren't quite sure what hit them and the house, though it was something /big/. A few of them know where Kaidan, is though, and so they focus a lot of their attacks on him. Punches, kicks, etc are all aimed at the puppeteer while a few of the other clones send kunai right back in Arika's direction! Ayumu might notice, once all the debris and smoke clears away, a single 'clone' attempting to escape the house via a trapdoor. Actually, the clone's already gone by the time the smoke disappears. But the Iga possibly could have noticed the door closing.
COMBAT: Rockpath used GM attack on Kaidan with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 40
COMBAT: Rockpath used GM attack on Kaidan with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 39
COMBAT: Rockpath used GM attack on Kaidan with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 30
COMBAT: Rockpath used GM attack on Arika with SHARP with a roll of: 34
COMBAT: Rockpath used GM attack on Arika with SHARP with a roll of: 24
After bursting into the building, Kuoroke realises he hasn't been as successful in drawing attention as he had hoped. The Kuroki pulls a tightly wound bundle of tags from a holder on his vest, and tosses it out among the clones. As it unfurls, the seals activate, drawing in the clones' chakra until they've soaked up enough to explode in miniature fireballs.
COMBAT: Kuoroke attacks Rockpath with KNOCKOUT-STORM with a roll of: 44
COMBAT: Kuoroke attacks Rockpath with KNOCKOUT-STORM with a roll of: 63
COMBAT: Kuoroke attacks Rockpath with KNOCKOUT-STORM with a roll of: 45
COMBAT: Kuoroke attacks Rockpath with KNOCKOUT-STORM with a roll of: 46
COMBAT: Kuoroke attacks Rockpath with KNOCKOUT-STORM with a roll of: 53
And Jiro just stays outside, watching the house demolishing going on and trying to focus on keeping up them clones. But as the place pretty much starts to come down he starts to worry and wonder. He'll stay for the moment but he can't tell what's going on.
COMBAT: Miyako successfully interrupts attack number 6: SHARP from Rockpath against Arika with a roll of 61 vs 34.
COMBAT: Miyako successfully interrupts attack number 7: SHARP from Rockpath against Arika with a roll of 50 vs 24.
COMBAT: Miyako defends against SHARP(34) attack from Rockpath with a INTUITIVE-DODGE…44
COMBAT: Miyako defends against SHARP(24) attack from Rockpath with a INTUITIVE-DODGE…45
Noticing the blades coming toward Arika due to her active senses, Miyako has plenty of time to move in front of the young girl and pull her from harm's way with what would appear to be a dance-like step. In that same motion, she releases Arika and moves toward the clones in a flurry of strikes that could be described as rather fluid and almost sensually destructive.
COMBAT: Miyako attacks Rockpath with PRECISION-SHARP with a roll of: 30
COMBAT: Miyako attacks Rockpath with PRECISION-SHARP with a roll of: 43
COMBAT: Miyako attacks Rockpath with PRECISION-SHARP with a roll of: 34
COMBAT: Kaidan defends against PHYSICAL-III(40) attack from Rockpath with a MASTERED-ARMORED-PUPPETRY…53
COMBAT: Kaidan defends against PHYSICAL-III(39) attack from Rockpath with a MASTERED-ARMORED-PUPPETRY…55
COMBAT: Kaidan counters against a PHYSICAL-III(30) attack from Rockpath with a PUPPET-PHYSICAL-III…36
Arika squeaks, pulled off-balance when Miyako yanks her off to the side. She had been expecting retaliation, but not getting yanked! The girl is so startled that she doesn't even attack. She just flails a bit and struggles to get a kunai from her pouch.
A look to Kuoroke and Miyako's attacks on the remaining clones, Kaidan simply takes one of the strikes on himself in stride, turning a strike back on one of the attacking clones with a brutal punch that may very well break the arm of the clone if it isn't a clone…otherwise it'll just smash into it. Kaidan then looks at the others and then just kinda steps back and leans against a wall, looking around and then hmming, "Feels like we might have accomplished a whole lot of nothing here."
Ayumu monitered the fight, though with so many fighters about things grew tricky. As luck and perseverance would have it, the Iga does take note of a change in the field of battle. Unfortunately, things were far too chaotic to delay in pursuit. A few of his sensory organs outside the building are absently signaled to creep there way inside and point out the trap door. In the meantime, Ayumu 'slipped' along the floor until the need to rise from it and drop down into the trap door without closing it behind him. Unless he senses a literal trap waiting behind it, which.. isn't the case. :D
"Yooohoooo~" He calls out on the way down. It is the only warning he gives before forming a single seal and sending a wave of hair shaped like a koala's head down after the clone.
COMBAT: Ayumu attacks Rockpath with IMPRISONING-MANTLE with a roll of: 49
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against KNOCKOUT-STORM(44) attack from Kuoroke with a DODGE…48
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against KNOCKOUT-STORM(63) attack from Kuoroke with a DODGE…52
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against KNOCKOUT-STORM(45) attack from Kuoroke with a DODGE…41
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against KNOCKOUT-STORM(46) attack from Kuoroke with a DODGE…54
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against KNOCKOUT-STORM(53) attack from Kuoroke with a DODGE…62
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against PRECISION-SHARP(30) attack from Miyako with a DODGE…31
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against PRECISION-SHARP(43) attack from Miyako with a DODGE…22
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against PRECISION-SHARP(34) attack from Miyako with a DODGE…31
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against PUPPET-PHYSICAL-III(36) attack from Kaidan with a DODGE…26
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against IMPRISONING-MANTLE(49) attack from Ayumu with a DODGE…35
With everything going on, the clones seem to be having a heck of a time trying to keep up. There's a lot of them, and they all seem to be getting taken down by… one? two? people. Oh, there's a third glowing one, too. Great. One by one they end up disappearing in a puff of smoke, a few of them able to dodge, but a lot unable. In the end, though, it doesn't matter too much. All the clones are gone, and Ayumu managed to capture the one escaping. And this time, it really is Ichirou! Thank the gods, because they know this little chase has been going on for a long time, even if it hasn't been very open.
Kuoroke goes to pick up the tied-up person and hauls him up. With the aid of his tattoos, one arm is quite sufficient to lift him. "Let's get this guy home. Arika, go get Jiro. Ayumu, Miyako, do a sweep of the area. Kaidan, keep an eye on this guy. Let's go." He drags the captive through the broken wall and out towards Sunagakure.
Once the others start coming from out of the building, with what appears to be a prisoner, Jiro lets the clones go. Well, that was boring. Next time he's not staying behind, pff. Next time he's going to help. Except with the guy captured there probably won't be a next time so…oh well.
