Starring:
Masanori, Meruin, Soren, Sumiko
Date: April 8, 2013
Summary:
A dangerous looking man dripping tar and wielding a scythe is meandering mindlessly through the land of water. Needless to say, Kiri investigates.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"The tar man"
Water Ferry Docks
Alarm bells started ringing in Kirigakure. Strange sightings of a foreign looking boat had been reported a few times, but nothing serious. Now it seems it has taken the liberty to dock at the water Ferry Docks. Closer inspection shows it's a pirate ship, though there aren't many alive pirates to tell you that. The boat is smudged with blood, the sails and even the wood. The only one who left the boat is Masanori, or… the black reaper as he's called. The rest of the boat consists out of blood, flesh bones and tar. Limbs lying around everywhere. It's a slaughter.
One pirate was left behind, and with purpose. The scrawny, underfed deckhand waited a full two hours before leaving the boat, shaking.. underfed and dehydrated. Masanori had taken to trailing through the port, taking his time look at everything, leaving a thin trail of tar behind everywhere he goes. He didn't cause a disturbance other than being there, and never opposed a direct threat to anyone. He didn't speak, the people there just didn't like it. Hence the numerous reports dispatched to the ninja village charged with their protection.
When Masanori already left the dock town, being five minutes out, mindlessly meandering over the road, taking the enviorment in, shamelessly wielding his scythe on his back, refusing to step aside for travelling merchants, who have to literally avoid him. The reports about him said the following: 'The pirate who was left alive explained how he was a hired merc for their captain. When the black reaper, or Shinegami as they called him on the water ordered the captain to set sail to the land of swamps they knew something was wrong. The result of his trip there was the slaughter of the crew… him being the only one left alive among the brutally murdered.
Masanori did leave an incredible mess in the anchored boat. People their eyes were dangling out, people drowned in tar. It was a horror show in the flesh. While Masanori left a trail easy to follow behind. Not like he had much choice. In a sense he wanted to be found. He wanted to know where his father used to live. Slowly dripping on the road while walking aimlessly through the land of water. Counting the minutes before he would be confronted, surprised it's taking them so long. If the story were true….
Soren's only just arrived in the Land of water this time, and already alarms are sounding, and horrifying shows are being brought to the docks.
*sigh*
Why was he back in the land of Water? Oh yeah… Sakuryu and Fuuta.
Well, regardless, it seems that whoever left the the… Pirate ship(?)… in such a state, had gone the same way Soren was heading now. Well, Soren -is- curious, and it -is- kindof on the way, so Soren's going to follow the tar trail, cautiously tracking down the source, being fairly carefull, just incase this turns out to be a fight.
Darn curiosity.
Troubling. A tar creature who's left a pirate ship full of corpses and people pulp, and a trail of black ichor behind in it's wake. Far too little known about this one that the dead had called Shinigami. There've been no reports of him causing trouble since arriving on land — just the brutal killing of the pirates that the village would soon have to deal with anyway. An unscrupulous ally with a bloody offering? Another monster thinking to make it's home and do as it pleases in the land of water? Something in between or something else entirely?
There was, of course, someone sent out to deal with the fearful reports and find all of this out. Meruin with Sumiko as his partner. It didn't take all too much time for the Jounin-Chuunin duo to find the culprit, having intersected his tar trail. After examining the substance briefly, they continue on and soon found Masanori himself. They had trailed him for a small while, waiting to glean any sort of information as to his goals or motives, but he seemed aimless. Meandering. So they acted. Meruin signaled to Sumiko, telling her to stay in the rear, out of sight, and ready before vanishing to reappear in front of the slaughterer. He kept a healthy distance between the two.
"Halt, Shinigami. State your business."
The reports of the pirate ship and the apparent massacre that happened upon it had certainly garnered Sumiko's curiosity when she'd been given the info and sent to accompany the Okumo Jounin to investigate. She would voice the same thoughts along the trip, inquiring as to Meruin's opinion of the matter. Killing the pirates and then leaving the village itself alone wasn't really a crime, was it? But Kirigakure certainly couldn't let such a..person? wander freely through their land.
The small woman continues to study the tar trail as they move, looking at the odd material occasionally while following it and then her attention shifts to studying the man himself as they tail him. She nods as Meruin directed her to remain hidden in the back, and does just that, watching with interest as the Jounin goes to contact the possible threat.
The man in the odd attire, and with the never before seen mask stops right in front of Meruin. Pausing for just a moment while looking him over. It appears he didn't have any clue he was being followed. Or he just assumed he was being followed the whole time and simply expected this. He doesn't make any threatening moves, just an empty gaze from his glowy eyes through his unusuall mask.
"None of yours." He states, while continuing his slow stroll, a cocky feel about him. Sometimes not reaching for your weapons first - is - more threatening. Obviously Masanori has never seen a Kiri nin before and wouln't have the slightest clue who Meruin is. And hence him so blatently ignoring the Kiri nin, even bumping into his shoulder if Meruin doesn't step aside, leaving an ugly tar stain behind. Not even granting Meruin a second glance, his body language spelling utter defiance. It's an attitude that has supported him most of his life. The cockyness seeped deeply into his personality.
From this distance can clearly see that Masanori is human, with some oddities, but human none the less.
Soren had managed to get close enough to see the so far, very short exchange. Well… that actually went about as expected. He got a bit closer, trying to keep out of the way, but still close enough to intervene if neccessary. "Give him a break, he's just trying to do his job." Soren says, speaking towards Masa. "You -are- in the land of water now, after all." he says, as he walks along passed. "Also, I'm sorry, but I seem to be a bit turned around. The path to Kirigakure is this way, right?" he asks, grinning a bit, hopefully diffusing the situation just a tad.
Meruin took in the opportunity to observe the man as he drew closer. His words and bearing made it clear that there'd be some sort of confrontation, so he simply kept on guard and took in as much of the man in motion as he could, as he didn't intend to allow him the liberty of it for much longer. Defiant and cocksure in another shinobi's land. That didn't bode well for a man who'd just left a boat filled with brutalized remains. Muscular. Comfortable enough with his body. Tattooed on the bicep, largely obscured face, odd eyes, dripping tar, and fairly heavily armed.
He wouldn't move. But neither would he allow the man to touch him. He was well aware of the danger of touch, personally, and especially so with the unknown qualities of the tar that oozes from him. He lifts a hand sending Sumiko a signal: Clone. And then, just before his shoulder would be touched, the silk covering it would leap towards Masanori, lengethening as it'd seek to ensnare the man, enveloping the whole of him but for his head and dragging him to the ground.
Should he be fully successful, he'd crouch down next to the man and form a long, thin dagger of some black material and press it to his neck before moving to pull off the cowl and mask to see just who he was dealing with. Largely ignoring Soren as well, he'd simply give his command again.
"State your business."
Perched in a tree a short distance from the pair, Sumiko would study Masanori, waiting to act if it should prove necessary. A small frown curved the woman's lips at Masanori's apparent belligerence. Her dark gaze would flick to Soren, that frown growing a bit as she considers the man. At Meruin's signal, her hands would form the seals for a water clone, which appears below her and closer to the group, and moves nearer as Meruin seemingly attempts to take down the unknown figure. Sumiko herself would remain in her perch, and the clone would remain silent.
Masanori gazes at Meruin who sends out his bindings, bringing his hands together to sink into the ground carefully. Only to pop back up an inch ahead. This does preserve his legs from being binded, but his upper body is nice and sticky and stuck. Masanori sighs while moving his face defiantly out of the way. "You don't want to see that." He hisses, defiantly dodging but clearly in a submissive way, not planning on running anytime soon. As a result he isn't stuck to the ground. "I do not intend to fight." Masanori says once and firmly, gazing at Meruin. "But I will defend myself." He repeats, gazing at the backup. At least, someone's responding.
He gazes at the knife created by Meruin, not showing any real fear for it, not making an attempt to break free or threaten them directly, though still defiantly dodging if they would try to touch him. "The tar is harmless." He adds, while he slowly pushes outwards, not trying to break out of the binds by force, but slowly and surely letting them cut into his flesh which reforms around the bindings. It looks a lot like the abilities of the Hozuki, though far less developped. It would take him a while to get his arms free, but he's working on it. "I am here to seek out where my origins lay." He says, while looking around him, trying to become aware of everyone around him and gauge if coming her was a mistake. Trying to figure out if he should fight or wait…
Soren sighs. Oh boy. Well, atleast Masanori didn't seem to be trying to escalate things just yet. But Meruin seemed intent on having things done his way, rather than trying to work with the strange tar-y man. Soren makes his way around to the side. *sigh* Soren walks a bit closer. "There, looks like you have your answer."
Meruin takes a swiftly flowing step away from Masanori as the man dips low, legs dissolving into a puddle of tar, weapon held out between the two, face still held in an imapssive mask. This one's abilities were… interesting. And they, coupled with his actions and words were simply troubling. An invader in Kirigakure who wouldn't be content to be bound. This would not do.
The Jounin flicks a glance towards Soren, saying, "Hold your distance." He looks towards the Sumiko clone, gesturing for her to keep a tabs of the man, before looking back to Masanori. "You are in Kirigakure lands, traveler. You have come aboard a ship of mutilated corpses. If you refuse to be contained and controlled, then I will be forced to attempt to either take you in through force or neutralize you as a threat. If you mean no harm, you should receive none. If you resist, you will take harm. Make your decision."
Sumiko continues to study Masanori as the man attempts to tar-ify himself and evade Meruin or get away. At Meruin's gesture, Water-Clone-Sumiko steps closer to Soren, and says in a flat voice, "Do not interfere. This is the business of Kirigakure." Sumiko herself splits her attention between the pair and the foreigner, waiting to see if there's going to be trouble or not and deciding the best courses of action to take should it prove to be necessary.
"I refuse to take my mask off, but will comply." Masanori slowly concludes, only now his arms are free, he carefully shows his hands, non-threateningly stripping the remainder of binds off his body before holding his wrists together. "But I believe it's easier if I can walk, I tend to stain." He says, while looking at the clone behind him. Curiously blinking. "Do you mind if I?"
He nods at the clone. "I lose a lot of moist…" He admits, wrists still together waiting to be cuffed or worse and follow.. or be carried even. He wasn't going to resist… if he has to he'll just kill everyone in this Kiri-place… From what he has seen they're not - that - threatening. He was apperantly aware of what a clone was and seems to sense seemlessly that it's water clone. "If I could stick my arm in I can rehydrate… That would.. help." He speaks flawless, though rigid English.
Whatever the conclusion, he would peacefully accompany Meruin, and even let himself be bound without complaint. Unless he tried to take his mask off.. that would give a reaction.
Meruin nods after a spare moment, seeming to decide that allowing the man to walk would be a lot less troublesome than trying to subdue this oddly amorphous being. His apparent ability to sense not only that the other was a clone but it's nature proved somewhat… troubling. The man was trouble — what more to be said about it? "You may walk and retain your mask. Your hood, however, must withdrawn." The bindings shift to wrap around Masanori's outstretched wrists, binding them together and acting as a tether between the two. "As for your hydration request, it is denied. You will find that there will be plenty of opportunities to draw moisture as we walk to the village." The tethers on the man's hands tug him eastward towards a path where the mists begin to rise. "Begin."
Soren sighs, and shakes his head looking at Sumiko. "Actually, I tend to make it my business when someone is abusing power. I understand doing one's duty, but theres a difference between doing your job, and being needlessly flamey about it." he says raising his brow, a sigh escaping his throat, and he shakes his head. Ah, yes, Kirigakure. Oh how 'wonderfull' it is to be back. "Ah, c'est la vie." he says, turning around, and shaking his head.
SumiClone frownyfaces at Soren, but doesn't comment any further to the man. And as the cat seems to be out of the bag, the woman waits a moment and then hops lightly down from her tree, moving to join the rest, her clone remaining nearby. Masanori gets a frown too, at having asked to eat her clone. The dark-haired girl looks to Meruin curiously, a subtle nod of her head given in Soren's direction.
Masanori gazes at his wrists being bound, not seeming too troubled by it. Not like he couldn't escape, or in this state, even create a limb to wield his scythe. Yet, patience is key. "Of what, other than being an experiment you clearly don't know about, do I stand accused?" He asks while looking at Meruin. "Those pirates were dead when we got here, I killed them on international waters for disobeying my orders." He simply states, hoping maybe some light and … well his vision of open-heartedness would perhaps tame this whole thing a little.
"They were plundering a village that was not theirs to plunder. Defying the deaths they have not caused. It was only natural for them to die." He says softly and slowly like it's a perfectly reasonable explenation. "They served their purpose, and proofed to me that my need for them was done." He nods, glancing at Sumiko, reaching up with his bound hands to slide his cowl off. Which reveals a bald skinned black head, with a lot of complexion. Patches of dried tar covering his head, occasionally shifting under the constantly dripping and shifting moistures in his body. "So other than loitering.." He chuckles softly… Actually having to balls to turn this whole thing into a comedy? Who the glue is this guy!
Soren chuckled a bit. "You know he has a point." soren grins, and shrugs. "Anyways. Shinigami was it? When they let you out of whatever barrel they put you in, come find me. I should be in Kiri for the next week or so. I'm curious, and not one to let curiosity go easily." he says shaking his head. "Anyways. Webz, Drip. Take care. Lighten up. I'll hopefully see you again when you're not on duty." he says, nodding, before turning and making his way down the misty path himself, albeit at a bit of a faster pace. Soren's never really been one for patience either.
"Being one with advanced but unknown capabilities coupled with unknown motives is sufficient grounds for detainment. It is a matter of village security," replies Meruin as he shifts his gaze to Soren. Behind those misted eyes he was, perhaps, adding the man to his mental assassination list. High on the list. Webz. Horrid. He looks back towards Masanori. "Walk. The sooner you reach the village, the sooner we can question you, and the sooner we can decide whether to release you, study you, deport you, help you, or kill you."
Sumiko nods slowly at Meruin's comment, "We can not allow dangerous individuals to wander the Land without ascertaining what they are after." Her clone would would turn to follow her, and the pair would take up positions near Meruin and Masanori, the girl studying the rather miserable appearances of the pair. She gives her head a shake and remains silent, a glance given in Soren's direction, she asks Meruin, "Are you familiar with that man?"
"Study me?" He asks while easily keeping up with Meruin his pace. Now really getting the urge to make trouble. "I am the product of a man with ambitions that killed him." He says slowly, looking at his hand. "I am nothing, a black mark that leaves death.." He then gazes at Meruin. "But not indescriminantly." He is happy they didn't take his scythe. Another thing he was not planning to part with any time soon.
"I mean no harm, but if you intend to experiment or harm me past what I can indulge I won't hesitate to kill you." His gaze never leaves Meruin, while he makes a real effort not to go on a rampage now. Who the tack do they think they are… experiment on him! He's been researched for his entire youth by a monster that kept him on the brink of death for his own ambitions… no, he won't allow anything like that… ever again.
"You carry that same mark." He says at Meruin… leaving him to figure out what Masanori means by that. He's pointing at the cold, detached attitude Meruin has, something Masanori recognices in himself. "My motives… are finding out where my root lay, what drives men to madness. What the meaning of all this is. What that mark means." He says, while shifting his skin around on his shoulder, his skull tattoo turning into the Kiri symbol.
"My original tattoo…" He remarks, while shifting his skin back to flawlssly reconnect the purple glowing ink to create his own skull again. He never wore the other symbol with pride, but his current symbol is his own trademark.
Meruin walks and listens without response up until the shifting of the tattoo on the man's shoulder, his brows lifting in an increment at the symbol change. That was… definitely an interesting revelation. It could very well mean that this man was originally from Kirigakure. An experiment. Which meant that there was a fair chance that the man who'd taken Masanori was at least affiliated with the Okumo clan. Though, the man appeared a little too old for the timeframe it'd suggest. And the man could easily have seen the symbol a few times on his way here on ninja and other signs besides. So perhaps it was simply a ploy to instill trust. No way to tell, just now.
"Perhaps we can all benefit one another, death mark… We will simply have to see."
