Starring:
Date: November 1, 2010
Summary:
Trick or Treaters were having their candy stolen by a small band of miscreants and Risu happened to be a victim. So, along with Hei and Itami, they set out to find the tricksters and give them a taste of their own medicine with the hopes of acquiring the lost sweets as well.
"The Treat of Tricking"
Satetsu Apartments
Festivities for this new holiday have been going fairly well in Sunagakure. Sure, there was the missing girl, but she was found and everything appeared to go over well in the end. Children and older kids received quite the fright in the Temple of Terror while the older adults laughed the night away with lounging and food to be enjoyed. The kids enjoyed the same, though. They had candy to fill their tummies until they burst. Hopefully not in the literal sense…Not really, but it's Halloween and that's something to take into account. Just for the scare factor.
This evening isn't any different from the previous. The festivities are still going and everyone is out and about enjoying themselves. But there are others who are enjoying themselves in a different way. A small group of kids are taking advantage of this holiday and trying to get their fill on as much candy as they can. Kids all around have reported having their buckets of candy stolen from someone in a costume and taken away. With agitated parents wanting something to be done about it, Itami is now on the case to find these kids and take the treats back from the trickers.
Risu is still dressed up as a suna ninja, complete with fake head band protector as a belt and a blunt kunai that Yoko gave her. She's out doing this strange thing called trick or treating. Getting candy for… just asking? It is incredible! She's not really believing it as she goes door to door, unaware of the fact some kids are being bad with this holiday. No one's come after her yet, but then… she's only stopped at 4 places so far. She's getting a slow start. But hey! Here she is, out having fun!
Hei loves Halloween. He's too old for trick-or-treating, but he likes the fun and dress-up of the event, plus he can still buy candy for himself. Despite his enthusiasm, his costume is pretty tame. In fact, it's not even all that different from his usual clothes. He's wearing a plain white kimono with a dark grey hakama. He's also wearing a haori, which is a bit more interesting than the other things, with a nice light blue colour and white mountain stripes, and a single kanji character, 'sincerity,' on the back. To top it off, he's actually wearing a forehead protector, with that same kanji on it. Lastly, a few crowning touches: a white cord crossing his front and tied at the back, and a katana (a fake one, made of clay) sheathed at his side. A shisengumi!
Right now, he's just out and about in the streets, keeping an eye out for cool costumes and decorations as he walks around. He's even got himself a bag of candy to give to trick-or-treaters, though he occasionally eats some himself.
Itami was sort of on patrol. She was trying to keep a look out for any activity but…who'd be around with a Council Member walking about? She sighs at this once she realizes it. This was going to be harder than she thought. Anyone who was around would hear her calling out in frustration as she began to walk off down the street. She hadn't any idea that Risu or Hei were around, but she would when one bold and costumed kid would begin to sneak up on Risu in order to snag her candy off her. She may not have had a lot, but if it was candy, that's what they needed.
So, he makes his move and runs up roaring and flailing about with a weapon in hand. Fake, but still, and snatched up Risu's bucket of candy. He was in a particularly scary costume, but candy isn't something that's easily relinquished either. If it had to come down to it, he'd get it however he needed to.
"No!" Risu cries out, her fun time ruined so early in the outing. No fair! She wasn't expecting her candy to be snatched, and wasn't holding on to her bag tightly. The bully manages to get it out of her hand, only to have Risu try to hit him on the head with the blunt kunai, trying to bonk him, upset. She's so upset she hasn't really looked at the costume yet, "Stop! My candy! You give that back!" She cries out, sounding very upset, and calling out in a way that should alert any adults in the area!
What does a shinsengumi out on patrol do when he spots a robbery? Well, if he's Hei then he's confused for a couple of seconds as he watches the scene play out. Then he actually realizes that it's a robbery. "Hey!" he calls out, "Thief!" He takes a few steps closer, but then he just sorta… putters around and worries impotently.
The thief is bonked on the head with the kunai and while it is thankfully blunt, that doesn't help that it still causes pain regardless of the fact. He audibly shouts, "Ow!" while being attacked and takes off running away into an alley just two buildings down from the apartments. Itami heard all of this, but in time only to see the boy had run off and into the alley. "Are you two alright?" She inquires to both Hei and Risu. "I saw that kid run off with your bag. I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner." She apologizes. "We'll get it back. I'll be certain of it."
The kid didn't live too far away from here. He, like many others, had a home in the apartment building. He just had to take a different route to get there so no one would figure it out. The clerk has been seeing kids run back and forth with candy for a while, but didn't think too much of it since the holiday advocated that. Well, the trick or treating part, but a lot of tricks were being made and treats being stolen.
Risu is near tears when Itami shows up. She points down the alley, "He stole my candy!" She doesn't mention she was about to try to follow him and beat the crap out of him, if the council woman hadn't just shown up. But… that's life. She nods, "Well, please? I only had… I mean, I had lots of candy and he took it all!" Well, she's 9, give her a break if she just figured out a way to maybe get more candy herself…
"Man, what a jerk!" Hei says loudly as he approaches Itami and Risu. "That's too bad, uh…" He pauses as he realizes that he's never been told Risu's name. "…boy, who'd do something like that on Halloween?" He reaches into his bag and grabs a handful of candy, which he holds out to Risu. "Here, take some of mine," he says, "Some of this you can only get in Iwa! There's this clan with bees, and they make all this honey stuff— er, well, anyway, hope it helps?"
"Jerk indeed." Itami hums. "Well, kids will always find ways to satisfy themselves. Even if it means dissatisfying other kids in the process. But!" She starts and lifts a finger into the air. "I'm here to stop kids like him. We'll get all your candy back and more. On top of that, we'll make sure they loose their privilege of candy that this day grants." She nods. "So, it's time to go and find him. Will you two help me? He was only a kid, so I doubt he's gotten far." She looks around. "Still, Sunagakure is big and has plenty of winding alleys." She sighs. "Anyhow, I'll not let that get in the way of our search. We saw him escape into the alley. Let's start there." She offers to the both of them and gestures them to go ahead of her and into the alley.
The kid was still running with the bag of candy that he had. When he felt he was far enough, he stopped to search through it and see how much he had. "Aww…, this ain't nothin'." He grumbles, but it was something. Done with his search, he begins to walk away while partaking of the candy that was in the bag. When he was done, he tossed the wrapper on the ground.
Risu frowns as she's motioned to take the lead but… it is her candy after all. Wishing perhaps her kunai wasn't just a bunt but heavy toy she starts off, rather quickly, speed being something she's good at, and the alleys being where she's lived for the better part of several years. So she knows the ways better than any spoiled brat should know them. She rushes along, looking for signs of the guy, or her candy. She clenches the kunai tightly in her right hand as she runs, concentrating as she goes.
Hei takes a second to think about Itami's request, scratching the back of his head a little. "Uh, sure," he agrees, a little embarrassed sounding. Apparently Itami hadn't seen his handling of the thief earlier. "I gotta live up to this costume, after all. And dish out some Halloween just— hey!" He stops himself as Risu takes the lead and runs off in pursuit of the candy thief. Realizing that maybe he should do that too rather than ramble on about his costume, he takes off after Risu, looking around for any sign of the thief.
The kid continued to eat the candy in the bag, but since he had to reserve some for the stockpile, he twirled the bag up and wrapped it around his hand to keep himself from eating anymore. Since the wrappers didn't have anymore candy to fill them and eat, the boy would just litter them on the ground and continue on his way into the apartment building where he'd break into a run upstairs and to the second floor to go back to the apartment where the rest of his friends were attempting to separate the candy amongst themselves.
Risu, since she'd run off would be able to spot the trail of wrappers that lead through the alley and up to the apartments. They might not be all that close together, but a trail is still a trail. Hei would be able to catch up to her followed by Itami who is behind him. Eventually, they would be lead to the apartments where the trail of candy ends. "Looks like we've found the place." She remarks and looks up at the place. There were so many rooms…"We'll find him, though. I promise. The clerk is here. Maybe we'll be able to ask her what's going on."
Risu is annoyed, the trail lead back to the appartments, how… annoying! She stomps a foot, "Now what?" She asks, as she tursn to Itami and Hei, "He probably won't leave a pile of wrappers outside the right door." She points out, not realizing there are more than one involved. "I'm not gonna get any of my candy back. I guess I should just try to get some new candy, from the people who live here in the apartment." She mutters, clearly not thinking that there is much more to go upon.
"Actually!" says Hei, brightening up a little, "It's not too bad. We know what building he lives in, which is pretty good! Before it could have been anywhere in the village. So that's, like, a thousand apartments narrowed down to…" He takes a look around the building. "I dunno, forty? Hm, well that's still a lot, I guess… Did you get a good look at him? Maybe we could ask about him or his costume. I bet some people here would know how to find him."
Itami shakes her head. "You're going to get your candy back and so are other young kids that have had theirs stolen. And Hei-san is right. Our search has lead us here which means that much more less apartments to search. Also, yes, what did you see of the kid's costume?" She inquires? The kid looked like ghoul of sorts. He had the mask with the sad looking eyes and the elongated mouth hanging open covered with a hood. The rest of his clothing was a simple black cloak with a leather belt and black tabi. Maybe Risu would remember one of these things.
The clerk bows to Itami and the council woman returns it with a quick nod as she awaits Risu's answer.
Risu does her best to relate what she saw of the costume, "Well, it was… um, kinda strange. A funny mask, with… eyes like this." She tugs on her eyes, "And a big mouth open like this, and…" She thinks, "A dark hood and black cloack with a black tabi." She says, getting most of the things right, "Something like that anyway, I think."
"Uh, hm. I don't really know what that is," Hei says, "But this might not be as easy as I though. There's probably tons of people wearing something like that. Man, if he'd been more original, this would have been way easier." He scratches his chin. "Wait a second!" he exclaims cheerfully, snapping his fingers, "We were hot on his tail, and we just got here, so he must have just got here too. So he was probably the last person before us, right?"
Itami turns to the clerk as the outfit is described and the woman seems to have a look that reads 'it was familiar'. Other kids had run past here looking like that, but there was one in particular that kept showing up. "There is one kid that kept running back and forth through here. I had to keep telling him to stop running. Him and all his friends, but he didn't listen! I finally followed him to his home and banged on the door, but no one answered. Damned kids." She replies. Well…that didn't answer much. Itami hums, "Do you…know where he lives so that we might visit?" She asks and then the clerk thumb points up the stairs to the second floor. "He's up there in Apartment 211. Make sure you strangle him for me when you get there!" Itami sweatdropped, "Uh…will do…?" She turns away and smiles. "Well, now we know where he lives. That means we'll get your candy back as well." Time to head upstairs.
Once up there, the group would be met with the sound of perpetual unwrapping as kids are enjoying the spoils of what they stole off others. Itami had hatched a plan to get these kids back for what they did. Give them a bit of a fright for messing with the kids of Suna. She was going to need the help of the others. Hei's clay making and Risu's cooperation. She remembered what happened on the last mission, but this one wouldn't involve fighting more so than frighting. The kids, upon noticing Itami shut off the lights of the apartment and began to hide the candy. Only opening the door when all was clear and showing that things were alright.
Risu waits for Itami's instructions, unsure of the point of… well, whatever is planned but she's willing to go along, especially to scare the kids and maybe get some candy. Both are good things in her mind! So she'll take part, following Itami's orders as if it were a real mission.
Hei walks along with the rest of the Candy Recovery Squad, ready for action! He's a peaceful sort of person, so hopefully whatever happens here won't get to hair, but hopefully Itami wouldn't expect him to beat up a bunch of kids anyway. He waits behind the rest of the group as the kids open the door, waiting to see what will be required of him.
Itami gestures Hei and Risu to follow her inside while she explains to the kids that they were a part of her team. They were going to help her search around the apartment for the stolen candy and if she didn't find it, then the thievers would be in the clear. She told them to line up and sit down on the couch while the group inspected the house. She didn't want them to move anywhere. To add to the threat, she told them that she'd always be watching. Some of them might not have believed it, but taking a risk with a council member in your home isn't a good thing. So, she'd lead Hei and Risu out of the living room and into a separate room where she'd ask Hei to make quick work of making some small creepy crawlers. Maggots, beetles, worms, spiders and anything else that he could think of. Risu was going to be their zombie. With Hei's ability to animate his clay, this should prove to be for a frightening endeavor.
Itami explained that Risu was going to frighten the kids by coming out into the room and chasing them around only after Itami left the apartment to go and retrieve something. That would leave Hei and Risu to do what they had to do in scaring the kids. She already had an idea of where the candy was, but couldn't help but get a few laughs from freaking these kids out. "Think you two can manage that?" She inquires to Hei and Risu both. If yes, she'd set the plan in motion and leave the apartment, allowing them to set their part of the plan in motion for frightening the kids. Itami was going to go down stairs to ask the clerk to work a bit of magic by messing with the lights in the home to make the act a little more convincing.
Risu listens to this all, pondering, She thinks a moment and whispers to Hei, "Can you make a living clay mask thing? That'd make it look so cool…. maybe?" She ventures then… once things are set in place goes into the room to set up the scare. Once things are set, she'll come shambling out, looking half dead, she hopes, and trying to freak out the older kids! Zombie ninja girl gone crazy!
"Uh, sure," Hei says, sounding like he's not so sure, "But why do we need to do this when we've already got them? I don't really get it…" Despite his confusion, he reaches into his bag and pulls out a large chunk of clay which he divides into many small pieces. Working in twos, he pops the clay bits into his hand-mouths, chews them up, then sculpts them into assorted bugs, arachnids, centipedes, and other such things. Risu's request comes as he's chewing the last of the clay. "A mask?" he asks, "Like a zombie mask? Uh, sure." Figuring he's made enough scary critters for now, he simply combines the two balls of clay into one and shapes them into a terrifying zombie mask, with worms crawling out of it and weird twitching spots.
The kids, growing nervous about being found out begin to wonder what's up with the others that went to the other rooms. They haven't heard anything out of them and wonder if they might be getting into the candy for themselves. An unlikely thought, but one that crosses the mind anyhow. So, the leader of the whole operation raises up and says, "I'm going to go and see what they're doing. I ain't scared of no council member." He offers…only after Itami has left and that's when the lights go out and begin to flicker. Hei and Risu who were still in here had begun to execute the plan. Not expecting this change, the kids sitting on the couch grow even more nervous and worried. Not wanting to be left alone, they go to join the leader who has snuck off. The leader walks quietly to sneak around and see what they're up to or that was his original plan. Now, he's not so sure of what's going on and wonders what happened to Hei and Risu. He's greeted with Risu who complete with mask and all sorts of creepies running along her body make for one scary "Zombie!!!" The kid shouts and begins to back away slowly with Risu's approach only to start to run away, running into his group.
Some of them fall over while others remain standing. Once they get a look at Risu's costume, they get freaked out as well and start to pull on one another in order to take the lead and run away from the zombie that's somehow gotten into the house. The leader manages an escape, leaving the others for dead more or less. They start to pick themselves up from the ground and run to other parts of the house to avoid the zombie, but it isn't all that successful as they're followed all over the place and eventually out of the house. No sooner than they come running down the stairs to report what happened to the clerk, they see that she's disappeared as well. "Maybe it got her!" One chimes as Itami comes back from the back room with some papers. "Got who?" The kids all start to run up to her and explain, at the same time, the zombie that got into the house.
While the band was downstairs, this left Risu and Hei to get the bag of candy, which wasn't all that well hidden and bring it downstairs where the kids would finally see that they've been caught. They'd be forced to hand out the candy they stole back to all the kids they took it from, starting with Risu first. She did go through the effort of getting her candy back, after all. If they were lucky, they might have some left over to keep for themselves.
