Starring:
Rockpath (emitter), Akane, Naoya, Mushi, Meruin
Date: September 6, 2016
Summary:
The Kirigakure team manages to locate Meruin within his holding cell, then they find Kiji shortly after before they begin to head to the final battleground.
"The Storm Brigade - Water's Shadow's Recovery"
Ocean - Storm Brigade Base
Kirigakure forces had assaulted the Storm Brigade's base. They had successfully gotten more forces to the base than any other village, even. Enough to create a 'camp' or 'base' within the Brigade's hideout where they had initially entered. At the camp are several people that should be noted: Uchiha Kyuketsuki, whom was taken by the Storm Brigade, turned to their side, and then turned against them once the opportunity to escape presented itself; Shirayuki Mizumi, a genin who was badly injured during the chakra-induced explosion that had rippled along a segment of the tunnel-systems; Shimizu Ren, a genin planning to aid more in the medical battle than the actual battle. Those three had, by choice or by 'force', been made to stay back in the established Kiri-base to recover and defend Akane, Naoya, and Mushi's backs.
Uchiha Kyuketsuki had, in a sense, served some use even after being captured (again). He had pointed the three shinobi in the direction of Meruin's cell. The issue now was that, while sight would not prove their presence, three guards that were fairly high-level were up ahead around a few bends of the tunnels. And the tunnels themselves were inconveniently curvy so that it would be hard to navigate through them. Those with Vital Search Technique, Sensing abilities, or other ways to Sense without being in the Line of Sight would be able to notice those three guards were just standing at the second fork up ahead. Unluckily, they were on the trail to Meruin's cell.
The good news, however, is that they were juuust a bit tired after that last attack they had launched. The three combined their jutsu to create that intense 'explosion', seeking to wipe out and weaken some of the forces that they knew were approaching.
Akane closed her eyes as she moved near to their new starting point. Naoya was there, of course. Once she stepped up to Naoya and motioned Mushi over she formed a few handseals and allowed her chakra to burst around her like sonar, returning in waves. She noted the guards ahead. Their chakra levels were relatively high so it was possible that they had caused that last attack, though Akane could not be certain.
Turning she indicated the approximate location of the guards. Relaying that information to the other two she shook her head. "The tunnels here are like a snake ball…. It makes little sense logicly. But these men are on our way to Meruin's cell." She spoke with a familiarirty in her tone and the way she dropped the -san or -dono from Meruin's name. It signaled a certain ind of relationship wth the Yondaime Mizukage… Though no one really knew what was going on between them to start wth.
"Naoya-san. Can you scout, use your brood and take a peek at what these guys look like, what weapons do they carry? Do we know them?" A nod. Then she looked at Mushi. "I know this is not on your top 5 favorite things to do… But we do appreciate your aid. I am sure Meruin will be as well…" She paused a moment then sweatdropped. "Err… However, when we /do/ find Meruin, perhaps you should make certain to stay behind me or Naoya-san… Meruin isn't gong to be in a great mood when we find him and I don't want to have to cauterize your jugular."
Lowering down, Naoya balances onto the balls of his feet while his legs bend fully, while keeping his knees off the ground, giving him the appearance of sitting on his heels. "I can't get a decent scent from here.." is faintly murmured as the young man scents the air, though in the process a small creature crawls from his left nostril and repels downwards along a silken cord. "Aye, they can act.. They will also begin to work along more centers than simply them."
Closing his eyes, small creatures work their way from his sleeves and repel downwards, landing onto the flooring only to make way to a wall and skitter forward along the upper walls and the ceiling. The spiders fall into formation, teams of three, two teams focus on examining the patrolled guards while other teams begin to work on exploring. The bulk of spiders divide at each crossroad but the teams never split, allowing the others to monitor and report to their Host should anything befall another spider fatally.
"Leave the Mizukage to me.. I will direct his attentions else where. They.. If it's been this long then they likely have exchanged messages." Tilting his head slightly, Naoya opens his wide though at this point they were glazed over faintly and the tone was a dark golden tone, distinctly different than his usual gaze. 'Good good.. Show me everything from several viewpoints at once,' is softly murmured to noone around him.
RPCOMBAT: Naoya defends against with a SPIDER-SENSES…
Mushi lingers around the makeshift base while everyone makes their preparations. Either to dig in or move on. She doesn't offer any aid, or ask for any herself. But she has her gear in preparation to leave with the strike force. When Akane decides to leave Kyu behind, she gives a slight nod. That's for the best. She drifts over to watch Akane's cauterizing technique and smiles ruefully. "That's a good way to motivate people not to get sick," she says. "Better than any icky tasting medicine." She's rubbing her chin in thought; apparently that's given her an idea.
She doesn't dally when it's time to go. They only have so much time before their enemy strikes back once again. She looks interested when Akane starts talking about Meruinfamiliar, aren't theyand a bit sheepish when Akane mentions that Mushi might want to hang back. So she knew about that, did she? "I volunteered to come," Mushi says, "because I have great respect for the shinobi of the Mist. Since this incident involves some of your shinobi, I thought it'd be useful to your village to have an outsider attest to your good conduct. I'm sure Meruin-san will be reasonable and understanding. Even if he is a bit lively at times." Lively being banishing her from his country, or possibly taking her head upon arrival. Mushi looks like she has supreme faith in the Mizukage's polished etiquette.
With that out of the way she makes a series of hand seals and stamps the ground. A seal appears and in a poof of steam, something tiny appears. It flits around, now here, now there, too fast to see. Eventually a miniscule hummingbird lands on her shoulder. Mushi says, "Kirameki, scout ahead. And don't be seen by anyone." The hummingbird would flit off.
RPCOMBAT: Kirameki defends against with a PERCEPTION-II…
Naoya's scouts would likely detect a faint scent of Meruin if they were to move beyond the guards themselves. The guards, though, would not be notable in any way. They were not any that the Kiri-nin had encountered before. The Brigade's uniform, which was designed to hide the face as well as create a sort of ambiguous gender, was doing its job well. The three cloaked figures were, excepting for their heights, indistinguishable. Naoya would know, though, that the scents were all different. Obviously, they were not clones. There were definitely three people.
Akane's attempt at sensing would grant her a good idea on the current status of their opponents, as well as Meruin himself. Unless Meruin had acted otherwise (the GM is a bit uncertain on his details), he should be fully healed. The only thing lacking would be extreme amounts of chakra. The Mizukage's chakra levels would be rather low because of the restraints the Brigade had placed on both ankles and wrists. The three guards were all very healthy as well, which might not be as happy-making. They would be challenging, but potentially not impossible opponents.
Mushi's hummingbird summon would be able to confirm on a visual level what both Naoya and Akane are able to sense without sight. There wasn't too much to be said. They were standing, waiting, at the junction that happened to be on the path to Meruin. The Hummingbird, should it flit beyond, would be able to see Meruin within his cell and report back its findings. For now, though, the guards that were up ahead did not attack. They were just readying themselves for the battle ahead.
Akane chuckled, her face hidden by that mask still. She nodded to Mushi and let her laugh be heard easily enough. Both so Mushi could see she was not being grumpy behind that mask and to lighten the Kiri troops' mood. If the crazy medic was laughing that had to be good right? Well, close enough.
Sensing the men she nodded, verified and compared notes with Naoya. Three of them…. Three of us…. She had been watching Naoya and Mushi's attempts to sense what was ahead and combined it with her own information. However, she lingered for a long moment, just re-aquainting herself with Meruin's chakra. She closed her eyes and anyone watching her body language would see a wave of relief wash over her. She leaned lightly against the wall as she gathered her mind once again, making sure she was not distracted. She finally took a breath and visibly shifted in the way she moved. She was more focused, faster, ready.. She would meet up with Naoya and Mushi at the starting point as they spoke of the people ahead of them.
"Well, we have to deal with these three first." Akane paused and watched the hummingbird for a moment. Huh.. that was interesting. And cute. >.> "In any case, We should incapacitate them as quickly as possible. I could be wrong but I believe I might be the fastestone here so I will try to break past them ad act as one half of a pincer movement. I will try to paralyze the furthest one from the point of contact. You two try and put the other two down. We can end them later. We need to incapacitate them, hand them off to our teams here and contiue. I can feel meruin. He..does not seem to be seriously harmed.. His chakra is low, however. From experience of something similar, be careful about healing people with seals on them. Your chakra /could/ activate them to harm the prisoner." She was well aware of what could be possible…
Finally Akane nodded and burst forth, running at top speed, barely a glimmer, a blur and then POOF she was standing ont eh ther side of the group of 3, her hands reaching out to try and activate a series of pressure points that would make the man's body useless for some time….
COMBAT: Akane attacks target 1 with PRESSURE-POINTS-TECHNIQUE with a roll of:
[NPC System]: Brigade roll(s) Wind Step vs. Akane from 25 to 50 and get(s) a 41. - Rolled by: Rockpath
Slowly shaking his head from side to side, Naoya didn't appear fully aware of the world around him. The creature under Mushi's command doesn't draw the attention of the spiders visibly though it wasn't close to where they had been exploring. The brood would in part study and watch as Akane moved closer, engaging with one of the men but they would not move to aid her. 'You were the fastest Akane-sensei. There are some things that travel faster than the fleet feet.'
Mushi would be able to watch as Naoya, even in his crouched state begins to have his skin thicken and darken, plated armor seeming to pour from his skin in a balanced layer. Shifting upwards to his feet, Naoya stays balanced onto the balls of his feet while two additional pairs of arms unravel, each starting to forge hardened spikes. "We don't have time to miss this time.. We will feed, we will bind.." Forcing his neck to one side, a crack could be heard as the plating is griped at other sections before he suddenly spins, hurling several darts down the hall.
The first wall struck causes the spikes to ricochet from one wall to the next aiming to anchor past the trio. The other set of three continue to weave around the first set, weaving the hall with a corded webbing, attempting to bind and lacerate the trio without accidentally ensnaring Akane among them. "Move fast.. We don't have much time before they signal more." Yanking harshly with all six arms, Naoya tries to force those snared to the ground to identify the ones that were still free easily.
RP: Naoya transforms into CHITIN-SPIDER-LIMBS.
The hummingbird confirms what the other two have "seen" and gives an accurate description of Meruin. Mushi tells her summon to go and keep an eye on the former Mizukage for now. The bird says, "Can't I take a nap without waking up and finding there's a /new/ Mizukage? Honestly." But she'd flit off to keep Meruin company, leaving them in the relative silence. Mushi listens attentively to Akane and gives a slight nod. She waits for her chance, and she's about to follow up on Akane's close combat attack when Naoya…she can't even describe it. She stares as his assault unfolds. What kind of martial style is that? She shakes her head again, this time as if to throw something off, and makes a few rapid hand seals.
A wave of clear chakra shoots out. It fills the entire room, sweeping through like a solid wall that would include each person before her. Her allies would feel a tingle as it passes harmlessly over them. But when it comes into contact with their three opponents they'd be paralyzed internally, unable to move an inch.
RP: Mushi transforms into WHITE-SEAL-MEDIC.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against HUNGERING-WEB attack from Naoya with a NPC-A-NIN-DEFENSE…67
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against HUNGERING-WEB attack from Naoya with a NPC-A-NIN-DEFENSE…49
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against HUNGERING-WEB attack from Naoya with a NPC-A-TAI-DEFENSE…73
COMBAT: Rockpath loses the roll and sustains damage.
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against CHAKRA-WAVE-TECHNIQUE attack from Mushi with a NPC-B-TAI-DEFENSE…51
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against CHAKRA-WAVE-TECHNIQUE attack from Mushi with a NPC-B-TAI-DEFENSE…46
COMBAT: Rockpath defends against CHAKRA-WAVE-TECHNIQUE attack from Mushi with a NPC-B-TAI-DEFENSE…54
Akane's plan was detailed, simple, and … it worked. As the Doihara zipped by and casually poked a few points, the man furthest to the back would wobble, finding himself unable to control his own limbs. It was odd, though, because all he did was blink in the past three seconds. And little after that point when he wobbled, a bunch of chitin … things … just suddenly appeared around the group, all of them holding webbing that would ensnare and injure the Brigade members that were unlucky enough to be present. They were strong, but the element of surprise … Also, the technique itself was powerful. The two 'remaining' tried to put up a wall of water, but it didn't really work. The chitin pierced it, removed their control, and then they were just all tied up. Of course, Mushi's technique just made it hard to struggle. The three were trying, and failing, to get out of this trap. But it would be easy for the group to now find Meruin … Hopefully.
Akane glanced back as her comrades made short work of their opponents. But as she turned back, heading for a radom hall in 'that' general direction.. She paused for just a second before taking off again, this time determined. The door was bars and wall but the latch was locked. Akane didn't hesitate and slid more fluidly through two seemingly pointless motions with er swords. As she slid both blades back into their sheaths she reached out and yanked. With a crack and a snap the door came apart at the hinges.
Akane was small so seeing her even lift that door would have made people blink a few times. But she didn't even look at it as she discarded the frame. There was a way that Meruin would note she moved, she was keeping her emotions hidden by tht mask and her fron. But she was agitated by the sheer thought of Meruin in a cage. She grit her teeth ad the sharingan burned behind that mask.. hidden from view but allowing her to see Meruin's chakra…. As such she went straight to the shadows, vsible or not visible, and offered a sign of her loyalty that she had offered to one other person and he was her husband. She moved gracefully to one knee and touched her fist over her heart.. A beat later she was withdrawing a hitai-ate from her pouch and /trying/ to lay hand on Meruin to see if he was injured…..
'Not enough..' grumbles the young Okumo as his lowest arms shift to his hips, gripping close to his waist line while moving forward steadily. Once Naoya makes his way towards where the trio had been bound, he doesn't follow Akane immediately, instead he grasps one of the trapped with his middle most arms, his fingers finding their way around their throat snuggly. Using his upper most arms he moves a hand to their hood, drawing it back with his left hand while his right moves to cup their cheek, sending a faint pulse of chakra to ripple through their body, studying their make up to try and find hints of what clan they really were along with their current gender.
Not looking away from the one he was holding, the once bright amber eyes Naoya held darkens to a golden tone and in response the few spiders of his brood monitoring Akane become highly alert fixating on the world around her as soon as she kneeled. "So.. 'He' is there, 'She' isn't.. We don't smell her freshly either." With his probing examination complete, the hands on his hips shift and extend, grasping the hips of the other, trying to keep them still. "Each of you will share this fate if your lips are tight and your minds closed.. I don't have time to be kind." Opening his mouth and leaning forward, it didn't appear Naoya was being attentive to words being offered, if there were any, before he harshly sinks several sets of fangs deep into the nape of the captive's neck.
The longer the bite was permitted, the more venom would be injected into the captive's body, corroding their muscles, leaving some numb while others began to suffer the advance effects of necrosis. Unfortunately for its victim, despite the wound, it would be clear that Naoya didn't have any intent in actually permitting the captive to die from the wounds.
The shadows pulsed.
Just once. A rush of air and gravelly rumble, a stirring at another being within its sphere. The hummingbird, its travels a sudden ford in the wind currents and an interruption to the abyss' timelessness. More than anything else, however, it served as a herald to others.
They were felt, beyond the stone and approaching. One, before the door. Breaking the door. Abruptly, the darkness and the man separated, Meruin once more beginning to see it as 'other,' as the ethereal resting beyond his flesh. He was no longer captured shadow, and he marked his return with an ocean deep breath through his nose.
Soon, the door was hefted from its base and tossed aside, granting light a place. Meruin opened his eyes, the figure of his liberator limned in the entryway. A melting pot of gold stared back at them as their scent spoke to him of what he had already known. Akane had come. The finale was well underway.
The woman stepped further into the room, releasing the light pushing against her back so that more rushed into the room, revealing the stone surrounding the crouching Meruin and the many thousand tendrils of hair spreading from him into his walls. There was a quiet sigh, a relaxation, as they withdrew to return to the man's back in rest.
It was in this state that he received Akane's kneeling, intent gaze unwavering. A moment passed before he moved himself, shifting from crouch to kneel. For this deed in this moment and all that led up to it, his knee touched the floor before hers, head dipping slightly in his own sign of loyalty… The act demanded his silence.
But the circumstances demanded their action. Soon she moved to touch him and he allowed this, declaring, "All is well and I am sound." He rose to his feet in a single, supple motion. "Let us see about exacting punishment for this predicament we've been put into."
A pain-shattered scream echoed from the hallway. The Gods approved.
Mushi gasps when she sees Naoya literally sink his fangs into his prey. She drifts closer to watch, completely diverted. She doesn't seem disgusted. Rather, her focus on the whole brutal thing is one of clinical examination. That's when the small bird would flit to the medic's shoulder. They'd take a few moments to exchange words, and the hummingbird says, "You have strange friends." Then, she'd disappear in a puff of steam. Mushi gives a slight nod. She has to agree with her summon on that one. Strange friends indeed.
Mushi cuts off from watching the interrogation process to find Meruin and Akane together. She pauses to consider how she might approach this. On her hands and knees bowing to the former Mizukage? Demanding a heartfelt thanks? She supposes she'll know once she sees him. When she glances in Mushi studies Meruin closely, sizing up whether he'll need treatment, before she gives a slight nod. "Hello," she says. "We came to rescue you. Heroically." She says this as Naoya is gnawing on someone's flesh in the back.
Clan? Perhaps not so identifiable, as they had been working greatly to minimize such differences. A number of the Brigade happened to be those that wandered and found fault with the shinobi world, and others may not even know of their heritage. The one that was in Naoya's grip would let out a scream of pain as the man bit into him and send toxins through his veins. The others present were bound, but neither would speak, preferring to stay silent rather than betray their comrades. Admirable, but it might not be the best idea for the time present. Especially considering the enemy.
Akane noted the second his knee touched the floor befre hers did and dipped her head just enough to reflect that. Of course as he stated he was physically sound, uninjured. All that stood in his way were those shackles. She cold reminisce with Meruin at home, for now action was required. It only took her a moment before she was melting the locks of those shackles off Meruin's limbs, releasing him to take in Chakra to rejuvinate his body. She offered him some energy of her own as well to get him boosted quickly enough.
"We have yet to locate Kiji-san." She dropped the shackles onto a scroll and sealed them within for what purpose was unclear. She stepped up the wall as Mushi approached, applying the fresh Hitai-ate made with Sei's black spider silk for the band, a sign of unity even when divided. Mushi's overly casual enterance got a soft puff of suprise from behind Akane's mask and one of herhands brushed Meruin's shoulder. The touch was light even while casual and reassuring.
"I cleared her myself. She has been a great aid so far." But that was all she would offer the fellow medic in way of protection.
Then sheglanced over toward Meruin and tilted her head a bit. "Others are attacking at the same time.Do we hunt our traitor or locate Kiri's missing 'son'?"
RPCOMBAT: Akane defends against with a VITAL-SEARCH-TECHNIQUE…
Drawing his head back, blood ran freely down his armored maw until it drips from his chin and onto his breastplate. Looking at what turned out to be a man before him only causes Naoya to tilt his head slightly to one side, watching him bleed for a time after the outcry. "You feel pain, your allies here also can feel and hear your suffering, but not a word is offered?" Glancing downwards, he glances to the captive to his left for a reaction.
No longer looking at the man he held, the hand that was on the other's lip lifts, grasping for a forearm. Drawing his forward and close to his face, Naoya slowly licks at the hand lightly, smearing his own blood back onto himself. "No matter.. maintaining this form is taxing, the brood also needs to feast. While you will not answer.. I will kill each of you, slowly. Should you die then I will find more and feast more.. If you didn't take what was mine.. If you returned what was mine, I would of killed you with honor. Pity." Lidding his eyes, he gently shakes his head while growing quiet.
Opening his maw again, Naoya lurches his head forward without warning. While the toxin and blood filled his mouth, he doesn't aim to intoxicate the man but to bite out a section of the hand, namely the index finger, the center finger and some of the palm. The bite was messy at the least though that would be more note worthy was that if successful the Okumo didn't spit the fingers out but swallowed them.
"Greetings."
This was spoken to Mushi at her arrival, though he didn't look away from Akane as he flexed his hands, promoting bloodflow throughout his digits. He arched a brow at the woman, the gesture both a rhetorical question and a chiding: 'Surprised…?'
He nodded at confirmation of Mushi's clearance, looking to her and nodding to the woman. "Your heroism will not be forgotten," he replied to the legendary medic. "You've my thanks for coming. We will give some meaning to the deaths of those we have lost…"
His attention turns forward now, to the near future. "Our first objective is to locate Okumo Kiji," spoke Meruin as he stepped from the place he's spent unknowable hours, striding towards the area Naoya is playing in. "It is wholly possible that she is with Hatsu. But if not, when we free her, she will lead us to our traitor. And there is no guarantee that the compound will not be too damaged to find her after the battle with the Kiba wielder."
Stepping into the room, Meruin appeared unmoved by Naoya's 'negotiation tactics.' Instead he simply inclined his head in greeting to the man, speaking the words, "Interrogation is a timely affair with subjects such as these, and none will give in while others bear witness. Kill two. Keep one. Bring them into the privacy of my cell, where none will hear their screams. From there, take the time you need."
The Yondaime Mizukage turned, examining his surroundings as chakra weaved throughout the surface of his brain, enhancing and creating connections and pathways. "We will go and search for Kiji directly," he stated. "I will leave sentries, so that should we find anything, I will be able to lead you to us. If you learn anything, go to where she is; I will track you to ensure her retrieval. Once she is secured, we will end things."
The mists within the man's gaze abruptly swirl as they fade into muted blues and greens. Within his sight, the clues of his surroundings literally begin to /glow,/ low hanging fruit for the taking. And take them he does, filing away each piece of information to paint a picture of what's happened, and what he can know of the route Kiji took when she left his cell not so long ago. After a moment, a trail of footsteps lights up in his mind's eye.
"Akane. Mushi. With me," he said as he started out, spiders left in his wake.
COMBAT: Meruin focuses chakra!
RP: Meruin transforms into SILENT-GENOCIDE.
RPCOMBAT: Meruin defends against with a HUNTER-VISION…
Mushi smiles at the Kiri nin. It seems like their little spat a few years ago won't be a problem any longer. It's precisely the reason she came. She seems about to say something cheerful when the particularly gruesome sounds of torture cut through. Mushi flinches when she sees the victims. Cannibalism. Murder. Torture. She sighs and says in the dryest tone she's ever used, "I really miss all your local customs." She doesn't take part in it the plans concerning the poor prisoners. When Meruin gives her an order, Mushi considers him and his state. "You're okay?" she asks, and it's clear she's not asking about his physical health.
However, she does follow him in the end. Drawing on her reservoir of chakra, keeping up with them. Or rather, one step behind them. Perhaps to watch their backs, or maybe to let them take the brunt of the assault. As they're gathering themselves, Mushi gives a quick explanation of what they did to get here, the state of their forces, and so on. She finishes with, "You were just a prisoner. No one expects you to needless force yourself if you want to retreat and rest then…ah, what am I saying? Nevermind." Suggesting Meruin take some time to recover as a prisoner of war is about as hopefuly as suggesting he take up work as a mime.
COMBAT: Mushi focuses chakra!
What Naoya would gather from his victims would simply be a number of swears and curses, as well as curses aimed at the Spider himself. The Brigade's members are not known to give into torture, after all. Many of the succumb to death before they reveal their comrades' weaknesses. Of course, they might also have no idea what Naoya is talking about. Or perhaps they do not know the status of Kiji if they are able to glean who it is Naoya meant. The group itself, as they make their way through the tunnel systems, would likely make their way uninhibited through the caverns. Their search initially would bring in nothing but confusing signals, as there were Brigade members running hither and thither whilst allied shinobi (and friendly shinobi) work to shut them down. Most of that was happening a distance away, but at some point, perhaps Meruin would catch Kiji's scent. And Akane might be able to sense the Okumo-Adoptee now that they were within range. Said Okumo was alone for some odd reason… Perhaps her helpers, Arika, Hiroto, and Yume, had left her to die. Perhaps they left her because she did not wish to leave. Maybe even Kiji had escaped. Regardless of the 'why', the Bloody Spider was there.
Akane followed Meruin easily enough, every few lengths of distance, she reached out with her sonar, checking forchakra, anything familiar. Meruin had but to direct her. But as they went in search of Kiji, Akane investigated other panels as well, areas with cells that were empty… She shook her head as she routinely returned to the main coordinates where the rest of he group was. Akane wasn't the best at ocating signatures, but she was faliar with Kiji's general sense…. But she noted that Kij felt very……distant. Her chakra and energy levels were down so low it reminded Akane of a student's chakra. If Meruin or Naoya folowed the scents, they would find Kiji in a plain white dress, arms bruised lightly where she had been visibly bound. Her skin was like porcelain. cold and pale. She looked to be sleeping on thefloor, a blanket her only pillow. Her long white hair fell freely about her. Not a single mark from Kirigakure or the Okumo clan remained. Not on her skin, her hair, her clothing.. nothing. Naoya's first chakra and welfare checks would come up with an injured and oddly slowly healing throat injury (and bruising there) and barely enough Chakra to keep her alive. for the moment. For someone like Kiji, being drenched in reseve chakra all the tie, this starvation was having a serious toll on her…. Was she even breathing
COMBAT: Naoya attacks target 1 with NUMBING-SLICE with a roll of:
COMBAT: Naoya attacks target 2 with NUMBING-SLICE with a roll of:
COMBAT: Naoya attacks target 1 with NUMBING-SLICE with a roll of:
COMBAT: Naoya attacks target 2 with NUMBING-SLICE with a roll of:
RPCOMBAT: Naoya defends against with a BREVITY…
Watching the being to the side, annoyance rapidly begins to run through Naoya as hardly any gain was had to far beyond agitated ears, "Annoying.. Though one thins is clear," Turning back to the man that he was holding he makes it clear, "Only two of you can use ninjutsu now.. did I say two?" Moving his third arm behind himself, Naoya grips his sheathed sword and draws it, with the assistance of his forth arm cuts into the left hand of one captive and the right hand of the other, attempting to sever several fingers, "I meant none of you can use ninjutsu now."
When Meruin managed to make his way over to Naoya, his words cause him to look down at the pair then towards the man he held and bled the most. "Time.. that would take time. Time I do not have, nor willing to waste." Turning towards the older Okumo briefly, he lifts his chin to speak slightly louder, down the hall towards Akane. "Sensei, these three.. I wish for them to live and not one to have permission to die. Please echo that order to those at the base camp."
A snarl washes over his face as he closes his mouth, using his tongue to steadily work something over. Stepping forward, Naoya once again slashes heavily, this time cutting across the trapped men's knees in an attempt to leave them hamstrung before sheathing the blade. "Each of you had a chance to speak.. what you say now might not matter any more, I may be blessed you as research material." Reaching low, he grasps some of his cord used to ensnare them in the first place to drag them the way they came but only so that he could be able to toss and skid them accurately towards the forming fortifications. The delay would cost him some time though it would also free him of the distraction of the captives..
Shifting on the balls of his feet, Naoya hastens his return, moving almost as swiftly as when he first arrived allowing him to shorten the space between himself and those he departed moments before. With his eyes in a way with Akane still it would not be long before the he was also following in the wake of Meruin but his focus was still catching up along with wiping the blood from his vestment to make sure it didn't later drip and ruin his footing.
With Mushi's questioning him for the need for rest, he was unresponsive as he focused on tracking and travel. Until it seemed like she may continue on for a small while, at which point she garnered a glance from the razor-gazed man. She'd seemed to remember with whom she was speaking by then, however, breaking off. So he returned to business.
But he spoke.
"It was more difficult than I had expected it to be," he commented. "I have not truly felt the prisoner since my youth; I came close to that, for a time, while I was here. But in the end, it comes to mastery over oneself, and this I have conquered." His gaze travels to Naoya, "I will be slave to nothing, least of all myself." To the fore once more, he reaffirmed, "I am hale, both in body and in mind. I did not come here unprepared."
And that was the end of the matter.
The next span of time was spent in pursuit. Meruin lead the way through the various tunnelways, relying both on his own senses and on the feedback of the other members, working especially closely with Akane. At one point, they found the cell where Kiji had undoubtedly been held, empty. And it was here that they got a weak lock on her actual location through Akane.
And so they traveled, swiftly, traversing the stone above and below, skimming along the sounds of war both near and far, focused on their task at hand. And before long, it was accomplished. They found Kiji. Alone, looking frozen between life and death, propped against the wall in a tucked away spot.
"Remove her shackles," he spoke as a flood of flowing ivory poured from him. A plethora of fleet-footed spider swarmed over Kiji, injecting the woman with the contents of their souls, falling away as clear, empty husks. The immediate effect is regeneration, a healing of the bodily wounds as well as a wash of energy and nutrients delivered directly to her cells. Due to the entirely chemical and physical nature of his healing, it would be entirely unaffected by the chakra-inhibiting cuffs.
Mushi regards the former Mizukage closely and she nods. "I believe you," she says, sincerely. It seems like he's gotten over any demons he needed to while he was down here. "Just… please be more careful next time. People worry for your sake. And since it's Kiri nin doing the worrying, said worrying can get violent." Her voice has a dark edge to it. She's not referring to something hypothetical. Maybe she came for more reasons than 'it was the right thing to do.' Then, she gives her head a little shake and follows after them as they hunt down Kiji.
When they finally find her, Mushi purses her lips in displeasure. "This is bestial," she says in a flat, cold voice. "How could someone do this to…well, nevermind." She's rummaging in her medical pack, using a storage scroll to take out a flask of murky, green liquid which she'd hand to Kiji. "Drink this. It'll revitalize you." It looks a bit like swamp water, and would taste about as good.
Akane turned her head as Naoya bit and cut his prisoners. Mushi's reaction was… well, Akane loved Kiri dearly buuuuuut… Yea that reaction was fair… She patted Mushi on the shoulder lightly as if in reconciliation with a dark fate and turned to head of. She paused long enough to cockily slide off a salute and a "You got it."
Naoya's desire to have the prisoners alive could have caused issues but Akane had been prepared. Sometimes when dealing with eccentrics you simply plan for eccentricities.
Kiji barely moved when suddenly she had Mushi and Meruin hovering and Naoya no doubt right behind. She blinked slowly, her eyes large and pale, like a faintly blue mist. Meruin's spiders rejuvinated her physically and energeticly, and Kiji would simply swallow whatever that stuff was Mushi put in her hands before she realized that the cuffs were suddenly gone.
What started as a faint buzzing as chakra built inside her, Okumo Kiji faced a roar moments later. She covered her ears and closed her eyes tightly and did not move from that position for a bit. She looked like she'djust been broadsided by the loudest alarm one could imagine and her cheeks flushed high. She looked up slowly and noted Naoya's general location first, then meruin and fnally Mushi. Akane had moved to the other side of the hall to help protect their rear.
Kiji was being flooded with the strongest chakra she had been exposed to for literally months. She had not left the base during that tie and had somehow managed to keep alve while so restrained. But now that there ws nothing blocking the chakra or keeping it at bay, she looked to be in a bit of pain. he worst part of this was she could feel Hatsu. Knew Hatsu's location as she knew her own…. Could feel Hatsu still lived….
With Meruin's own brood swarming across Kiji while Mushi prepared a solution to treat or at least mend the Shimizu before them. Staying off to the side slightly, Naoya kept a short distance from Kiji though his eyes looked at her unblinking all the while. At the first shocked reaction of chakra flowing and putting her in the fetal position, several of the armored hands tightened though only three at his point dripped with blood, it wouldn't be clear if it was his or the victim who's blood currently was smeared across his figure and down his chin.
'It's clear then.. You didn't forget your place, nor did you try to dance too closely' is softly said, hardly more than a whisper. Nodding lightly when Kiji looks back towards him again, his stance relents, relaxing some what though the body armor doesn't yet appear to be fading. "The time to rest is near, the time for freedom is near as well. I'll silence this last foe and you.. the Village will be safe." Shifting his gaze from Kiji, Naoya soon watches Meruin and Mushi directly though the spider with Akane attempt to see where she is looking as her face was hidden away.
With Kiji in pain but awakened, Meruin gave a simple nod. And his gaze turned from her to Naoya, head tilting the slightest as the scientist examined the subject…
"Rise, Okumo Kiji."
The Head Hunter turned away from her, back towards the way they had come. It was in this direction that Hatsu would be. In this direction that the next piece of their collective destiny would fall into place, dragged down by the hands of struggle and determination.
"It is time to end your vigil."
Mushi looks a bit surprised and then grateful when Akane pats her on the shoulder. While she knew she must expect the unexpected, this wasn't within the realm of possibility. And she's finding that while the Storm Brigade can be an intimidating force, she almost feels a bit sorry for them, given her current companions.
Mushi watches expectantly as Kiji swallows the entire thing. As Meruin begins to revitalize her, she rolls her eyes. "That's right, just dump a bunch of chakra in her," she says dryly. But she doesn't stop him. In ideal conditions, Kiji would be restored steadily and over time, in a clean facility. Here maybe the best they can do is a quick transfer of energy even if it's crude. She waits after he's done and goes over, quickly explains to Kiji why she's here. "Just relax," she says, before she heals Kiji by restoring her flow of chakra, and energizing her vital processes. It'd introduce a tremendous amount of energy into Kiji, and get her back on her feet with far less shock than before. She sighs. "You're good to go, though as a medic it's my professional opinion that you should stay behind and rest to…oh, nevermind. It's no use. Let's go fight." She's grumbling as she trudges off with them.
