Starring:
Shuuren, Ishino, Fudo, Ei, Odin (emitter)
Date: June 13, 2013
Summary:
Someone in the Yakuza hire shinobi to take out a shipment of Shuuren's goods in another step in their attempt to break his business. The businessman, however, was well prepared…
"The Business of Revenge - Underestimated"
Shuuren's Merchant Vessel — En route to Kirigakure
Early morning, and the sun began its ascent into the sky only a couple hours ago. Today's brought about what one might call an inter-village mission. A Konoha Nin was commissioned to act as a guard on a ship in case of attack on the worry of attack by rebels or Yakuza. On the side of Kirigakure, the worry of rebels has come down to slim to none, but the Yakuza can still be a valid threat. In fact, there was an attempt at Shuuren and some associates' lives only a few days ago at a meeting her organized. Of course, he took care of it rather easily, but still… These people are getting more and more blatant in what they're doing. The Konoha sentry is already on board, the Kiri shinobi hopefully soon to be on meeting up with them.
The ship sails with the wind as the young bureacrat stands by the helm, though he allows one of his crewman to drive the ship at this point. He's apparently not TOO worried, as he also invited a friend along. Ei's come along, probably mostly to relieve her boredom since there's not much going on in Kumo at the moment. Though relaxed, Shuuren does hold a certain look of focus in his eyes, the same one that's been there since the day the Nagamura were massacred.
Ishino was on time. Exactly one minute before the sailing of that ship, would have him striding onto the deck. At the time, he carried his own umbrella, walking alone as he'd step onto the ship and look about. That umbrella shifted a little, letting Ishino study those whom were not part of the crew, the other guard and Shuuren himself, a small nod given in acknowledgement, before he'd move to the front of the ship to watch where they were going. That umbrella was set so that he could avoid any waves splashing onto him from the ship being in motion.
It was strange for Fudo to be selected for a mission like this, especially for someone like Shuuren, but then again, the teen had made an impression on Shuuren early on. Fudo assumed it was a negative one though. He knew Shuuren was up to something shady, and he called him on it… casually any how. But now, he was working for him. It felt just like Fuuma Alley all over again. While he was on the boat, Fudo kept his eyes on Shuuren, wondering what he was carrying. If it was legitimate business or some sort of busienss land grab he was cooking up again. That man… he had plans, and Fudo wanted to know what they were. The fact that he had Kirigakure shinobi involved as well was curious, but not at all unreasonable. But he seemed to be using the vilalges shinobi rather freely, cost aside of course.
Ei was certainly aboard physically, but morning just wasn't her forte. Her eyes were half-lidded as she leaned against the port bow. Just in case, she had dressed herself in one of her half-kimono and a pair of spandex pants. Shuuren didn't need to be worried for her to be prepared, after all. She'd given Ishino a nod of greeting, but it was obviously more reflex than actual acknowledgement. She had noticed Fudo's interest in the merchant that led this ship, but she hadn't said anything on the matter just yet. Waking up made it difficult to form the right sentences in some cases and she usually acted very different when half-asleep…
A precise minute after the Kirigakure envoy had stepped onto the boat, the ship set sail, heading off into the open seas. There was cargo to be delivered and the trip had to be made with as much haste as could be established to take advantage of the recent trends in trade. "A fine day to sail," says the crewman at the wheel, giving Shuuren a quick glance. The man didn't expect very much of a reply, truly. He was just here to do his job and that look on Shuuren's face… But the seas can be a boring place without song and conversation, and the weather didn't look as though it would provide any excitement. So he called out. "So, you shinobi folk. Any of you need any brushing up on seafaring rules and such?" He had a feeling this would be a long day.
Fudo's perceptiveness might be dangerous in some ways, but it can be useful in a mission scenario. After all, this is a simple business mission. Nothing more, nothing less. "I assume you all know the dangers," he says as the ship would begin to leave the port. Yakuza and possibly rebels will likely make some kind of move on me again sooner or later. One even tried to make someone suicide bomb me a few days ago. Be prepared for anything. " A brief glance would be cast toward the crewman in return, the doctor giving a simple nod before looking out at the sea.
Ishino would give a small nod, looking towards the others. His focus was on Shuuren for a moment, studying the doctor for a moment, before returning his attention to the surroundings. Pulling out that pocket watch, he'd focus enough chakra to draw out the puppet, Time Keeper *POOF*ing into the space next to him. Checking the time on Time Keeper and the watch would finally click the watch closed and return it to his own pocket. "I will be prepared."
"Ei, come here a moment." Fudo would state as he would activate his sharingan. One tomoe spun up in one eye, but in the other two. He didn't trust Shuuren, but he needed to keep his perceptions awake and wary of the situation around him. "I need to talk to you…. about Shuuren. About what you know of him as he invited you as a guest." Not that he knew Ei very well, but he trusted her enough to ask about his current, temporary… employer. "What kind of man is he? I do not think for a moment he is as simple as he lets everyone believe." His chakra would rise a bit, slowly gathering towards having some available just incase, especially since it seemed everyone, especially Shuuren, was preparing their own. "Also… stay behind me…" he would warn Ei.
Ei tilted her head at the crewman steering the ship and squinted. "Rules, you say?" Then she muttered underbreath, "Seems like I can't so much as /think/ without there being rules about how I'm thinking." Fudo speaking up pulled her attention to him, however, and she blinked. Moving to stand by him, she watched the Sharingan. She'd never actually seen it… not that she remembered, anyway. Had she seen Naru with her Sharingan activated…?
The woman shook her head to rid herself of thoughts. "Shuuren…?" She seemed confused. Resisting the urge to look toward the merchant, she stared 'past' the Uchiha, considering. "He's a successful businessman. I've known /of/ him for a good portion of my life. He's been my family doctor as well as a partner of my father's." A pause, followed by the young woman blinking at him. "He's a good man, even if his business is a tricky venture." She shifted to lean against the boat again, peering at Fudo curiously. "Why?" This question was aimed both at his questioning of Shuuren as well as to why she should stay behind him. Then her own chakra built as she focused.
Anyone with a sensitivity for the use of chakra would suddenly feel a respectable amount of it approaching from in front of the ship. Under the water. They'd have exactly four and a half seconds to recognize the potential threat and warn their temporary comrades. Whatever was approaching was likely coming from deeper waters, as the intensity of it's feel would increase at a rapid pace. And judging by the chakra base, it wasn't the Yakuza that'd come calling.
6 Tendrils of water suddenly burst from the sea as the ship moves over the chakra emissions, three to each side. They fall apart, revealing grappling hooks to lie at their core. They swiftly pull in tight, hooking into the wood of the ships walls. Half of a moment later, a shinobi hopped over the rails from each of the ends. Silent, the each of them flashed through hand seals. From behind four shoot thin but swift and stinging streams of water. They aimed them at the faces of the shouting crew and the shinobi, simply looking to distract.
From behind the other two enemy shinobi rise two pillars of water. They meet at the middle, clashing in a spray of liquid and melding into a wave of water. The two shinobi who'd made it continue their hand seals, guiding the deluge throughout the top of the ship, looking to sweep up everyone on board the ship for easy dispatchment afterwards. Strike swift and hard.
"Brace yourselves!" Shuuren calls out as he feels the incoming chakra signatures. "We've got company." His eyes narrow a bit as he watches the tendrils come up and then the shinobi come up onto the ship. He makes a few flickers as each blast comes his way, almost effortless. As the pillars come up, he would disappear once more, he would appear behind one of the men, now with his signature pearl white cane in his hand as he'd go to slam it into the back of the man's head. "My name is Nagamura Shuuren, and you are on my vessel. If you wish to leave, I suggest you surrender. Otherwise, we'll leave it up to our strikes how many of you die and how many get interrogated."
While Shuuren would flicker about, Ishino simply altered the sense of time. That hiccup in the sudden surge of that ticking sound from Time Keeper would be the prelude of Ishino avoiding the water. Frowning at them, Ishino would simply focus himself, centering as one hand seal was done. As those Shinobi were targeted, each of them would get hit with that hard genjutsu, the Time's Thread seeking to draw them along in their lives, a decade at a time.. of course leaving them stunned there without any reaction to the physical world.
"..Four no..Six …. water jutsu…" Fudo would murmur as Shuuren would yell out to prepare for those that were coming. He would sweep Ei off of her feet as he focused his attentions before him, his eyes scanning the area, seeing the distinctly deep blue chakra of water jutsu users and seeing the attack patterns they were launching at them. He then would leap to the side sharply, rolling through the air with Ei as he landed on the side of the wall, clinging to it with his chakra for a moment before launching off of it, twisting his body as he pulled her tightly with him in to a barrel roll, launching himself above them all. He would land on the side of the mast, running up it as the attacks continued, trying to hit both of them and out pacing them with his gate before settling Ei down in the crows nest. "Stay here a moment." He said to her as he set her down.
His gaze would return to the opponents beneath him as he formed a seal and exhaled quickly just before he would launch a trio of shuriken in a wide arc towards three of them. Whether or not they connect with his opponents, they would scrape against the razor wire that bound them together and cause a spark, creating an explosion as the gas he expelled was ignited. Fudo would try to pull taut his trap, attempting to hold them in place for the others.
Ei looked around when Shuuren called out, only to emit a squeak of surprise when she was grabbed and wisked away to safety. The woman looked down at the deck, thankful she didn't have a crippling fear of heights. It was still a bit dazing, though… "Yeah, sure," she mumbled and watched as he went in to attack the intruders. She watched and felt the need to assist, but stopped herself. She'd probably cause more problems than she'd help solve, given the situation.
"Uh?"
The man that Shuuren appeared behind swiftly ducked under the strike sent to the back of his head, leaping into a roll that had him facing the man. He scowled, tossing a glance over his shoulder as their assault proved entirely ineffective against the people they needed to hit. Namely, the shinobi that were guardng this shipment. The crew floundering around didn't provide much satisfaction in this situation. "Plan B!" he called out even as the water wave was taken over by the partner he'd had in guiding it. It swiftly enveloped the shuriken launched by Fudo, destroying their momentum and dashing through to the wires guiding them by pure coincidence, the gases never combusting.
Each of the invading shinobi began flashing through more handseals when they abruptly found themselves… living their dreams in the future. Immediately, all of their hands came together, the genjutsu Kai employed but… Ishino's genjutsu was too powerful. The genjutsu went on beyond their ability to cease it, leaving the each of them spacing out, the one who'd rolled to avoid Shuuren now laying on the deck with his rear in the air.
Meanwhile, another man is just now pulling himself over the edge of the ship with a triumphant grin that vanishes as soon as his feet touch the deck. "But how…?" This man was obviously Yakuza, the large tattoo on his neck denoting it proudly and clearly. On the other side of his neck, a small furry animal huddles close, shivering slightly in the sea air despite being fully dry. The baby Quokka let out a plaintive mewl. A last shinobi leaping onto the edge of the ship provided a possibly explanation of how the man and his pet managed to get up dry. Seeing the sitatuation, the both of them cursed. "Next time," said the Yakuza man. Gripping the fuzzy animal, he tossed it over the ship towards Shuuren in thoughtless distraction. The sounds of it's fear and surprise accompany the last shinobi grabbing the one who'd hired him and leaping from the boat, sailing over into the water to hide themselves there.
Shuuren lifts an eyebrow slightly as his strike is dodged, watching the men. He then looks over at the man pulling himself up on the deck, eyes narrowing as he spots the Yakuza tattoo. Today's his lucky day, it seems. "You highly underestimate me if you'd think I wasn't prepared for this," he says as he lifts up a golden pill and swallows it. As the creature is tossed, another form of Shuuren would appear behind the man, attempting to grab him by the throat and put him to sleep before he can escape. "I don't think so."
Ishino finishes the genjutsu, watching as the men would get slammed with that hold, as they'd hold still, Ishino wouldn't see the next man, instead, focusing on putting those who are already enraptured within that future of their own devising, into as much distress as possible. This of course, would have the ticking from Time Keeper shifted into something more akin to the solemn clicking of a doom's day clock while that sense of Kronos himself would ensnare into the dreams of those people he had hit, they would feel that embrace by Time itself, each of them feeling like their limbs would suddenly rapidly age, growing fatigued, frail and mayhap even rotting off. This would twist the illusion that they were stuck in to a darker tone for their future as the hold continued along.
And as the small animal would the hurled at Shuuren, suddenly, there was a poof before the man, and Fudo was standing there looking back towards Shuuren now. It was his job to protect him and his assets after all. The animal? Well it looked like Ei was having far too much fun cuddling and cooing the creature. It seems Fudo replaced himself with the Quokka… or was the Quokka replaced with him…. bah… who knew. As both Shuuren and ishino went after the ones running away, Fudo remained on the boat, just incase. He kept an eye on their depature however, seeing through the escape of the enemy.
The seventh shinobi found himself leaping from the ship without his ward, turning so that he looked back up at the ship as he fell to see Shuuren giving the man a throat massage. He frowned and spat to the side but simply bladed his hands and dove under the water, heading into deep waters to escape. The gangster however, simply let out a quiet moan, his surprise swiftly removed by a dully pleasurable expression. He murmured something about Quokkas and maybe bubbles, wholly ignorant of the sudden distress in the shinobi he'd hired for this assault. The each of them let out moans and groans, beginning to shiver in a cold sweat as their lives began turning to hells through the assault, their lifestyles ruined by loss of limb and more. There was no further opposition.
With the gangster captured, Shuuren glances around. "Do not go out of your way to go after them. If they come back for us, they come back, but don't split off too far. We're on our way into Kiri territory. Besides, they're just hired guns, and we have the guy that hired them. For all they know, since they left him, I'll kill him, and they won't get paid." With that, he'd look to the captain sternly. "Move ahead."
Ishino didn't really go off after others, A small nod was given instead to Shuuren at the command, shifting his stance, Ishino and Time Keeper would tie up those who are within the grasp of the Time's Thread, having them locked down for when the genjutsu would end, even as the effect from that embrace of Time itself would linger much past when the genjutsu had ended. Finishing up with that, a nod was given and he'd go back to his guarding point. "They should learn to not mess with a suit."
Fudo's eyes remained level as he would deactivate his sharingan for a moment. Exhaling a bit, he would nod about the situation. "That was more organized than I had imagined." Fudo would comment before looking up at Ei who was entirely distracted with the new pet as he'd smirk and shake his head after a loud "D'awwwww!!!" was emitted from her. "Besides, a man who would throw something like that as… a distraction… well he won't put up much of a fight any how."
"Aye, Aye."
The captain gave a cough, hacking up some sea water from the assault before pulling himself up to his feet. He was weary from the action despite being only a victim, but a seafarer without hidden reserves is rarely one with a long career. The captain took hold of the wheel, taking note of the position of the sun and calling out orders in a hoarse voice as they began getting themselves back onto the correct course. They would make Kirigakure as close to schedule as they could manage.
