Starring:
Date: February 22, 2013
Summary:
A rare bird becomes the target of multiple shinobi contracts. Note: some OOC dialogue retained for explanatory purposes.
"Zithim Hunt"
Land of Curry Powder
Geography lesson time! Everyone get out your map of the Five Great Shinobi Nations and the surrounding countryside. Now, who can show me where to find the Land of Curry Powder? Anybody? No? That's RIGHT! The Land of Curry Powder is so geographically, populationally, and politically tiny that most governments (and hence mapmakers) don't recognize its existence. Practically a no-man's-land, in the eyes of bigger countries. The only reason it hasn't been officially absorbed by one of its neighbors is that there's nothing there really worth fighting over.
…Until recently. A few days ago, something was spotted within the borders of this country which sent ripples of interest through certain grapevines. Now, it still wasn't anything worth claiming the country itself, particularly since it's something that can easily be carried out of the country. Namely, the Zithim, a flightless bird that is insanely highly-prized by collectors for its brilliant plumage, extreme rarity, and the fact that the thing is FRIGGIN' HARD TO CATCH!!! Seriously, expert hunters would have an easier time catching an eagle on the wing. One feather from the Zithim could be worth millions of ryo to the right buyer, and the bird itself, especially alive and unharmed…well, you can see why various interested parties immediately hired a shinobi to investigate the rumor. Our scene begins in the deep forest where the bird was last sighted, as ninja from all over converge on the hunting grounds…
«OOC» Noab says, "Okay, here's the deal. The Zithim starts with 100 'Evasion Points'. Every time you attack it with +rpattack, it does an NPC roll, and loses the difference between your roll and its roll — so if you roll a 30 and it rolls a 10, it loses 20 points."
«OOC» Noab says, "Whoever puts the Zithim at 0 points or less catches it, so the goal is to finesse things so that it happens on YOUR turn."
«OOC» Noab says, "After it's caught, the holder has to go a round without taking more than, hrmm, 300 damage from everybody else. If they do that, they escape with the bird. Otherwise, the bird is let loose again with 50 evasion points."
The Zithim?! Isra…had never heard of this bird. She didn't have time to look it up either, so she's only hoping that she'll be able to spot the bird and have the right assumption. She didn't bring any books with her to look at either. Bummer. She stretched a bit as she walked along the land, taking a path into this fairly unknown country. Considering its name, she thinks she might have to pick up some curry powder here. She imagines that they have some quality stuff here and she'd like to get in on it. She makes a mental note to remember this land so she can come back to it later, but for now, there's a bird to catch.
Bird catching. Meruin had entered the forest filled with numerous other ninja and mercenary hunters, far from any friend or reinforcement, to catch a bird. The pale, sickly looking chuunin sits in the boughs in a tree with the preternatural stillness of a spider. He knew precisely what he was looking for. It would behoove hunter to study his prey. The difference between his and many other's goals, however, is that he doesn't need to bring the animal back alive. He was sent not by a merchant's contract but by the Okumo clan. Should they capture one they could, perhaps, clone it and use it to keep themselves very well funded. All he needed was his pound of flesh…
But first, the Zithim had to be found.
"MEEP MEEP!" *PYOOOM!*
Okay, not quite what's going on here, but that should give you a good idea. A flash of bright yellow and blue zooms along the forest floor, moving at speeds that very few humans could match, even outstripping the vast majority of shinobi without chakra augmentation. It scuttles through bushes and underneath tree roots, heedless of what might spot it in its search for food. After all, what could keep up with it? Hence, the ninja hunting it will definitely pick up on it, but they'll have to make their move if they want any chance of catching it — it has a huge foraging range and may not pass this way again for days!
Isra began humming a soft tune as she tried to keep a lookout for this bird. Singing helped to pass the time as well as help her maintain a bit of focus, keeping her mind from drifting off the task at hand. She held her hands behind her head, taking everything easy until something darted right past her. She froze in place and tried to follow whatever that streak was, but it was a bit difficult. What /was/ that?
She began to grow wary, thinking of whatever it was as some sort of attack against her. It'd make sense as others were near here, but…who'd be so dumb as to /miss/? She was right in the open, after all. Going over all the possibilities, she looked around and found her way to a tree where she'd take a bit of cover. It was then that she began to notice the frequency of this streak moving around the area. That wasn't a weapon…she'd hoped. "…Is that what I think it is?" She asked under her breath. The Zithim is a ground bird? Well, that makes things interesting.
Meruin was settled in, now, and there was nothing to do but wait and watch. Still as stone, a silent sentinel, he let his mind drift from him as his breathing continued, slow enough that his chest rose and fell in increments. His pupiless eyes slowly shifted of their own volition, taking in whatever was there to be glea— a blur of color streaked along his vision and he was moving, dashing along the boughs of branches, leaving his mind behind. But it soon caught up to the Okumo's body and ordered it to catch it.
The teenager launched himself from a branch towards the ground, arms thrusting towards the blurred bird even as it dashed away. Spider webbing shoots from the pores of his limbs, arcing and seeking, looking to capture the creature. It should keep it alive, unharmed, whole, and weary enough for it not to be too great a burden after it was in hand.
RPCOMBAT: Meruin attacks with BINDS-OF-THE-NEST…30
RPCOMBAT: Meruin attacks with BINDS-OF-THE-NEST…26
COMBAT: Meruin finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Isra's turn.
«OOC» Noab says, "Uh-oh, you did over half. :3 Fulgur should be able to nab it."
«OOC» Meruin thought there was an npc roll for the bird and the difference was what was subtracted.
«OOC» Noab says, "Oh right, forgot about that."
RPCOMBAT: Isra attacks with CAPTURE-BARRIER-SEAL…24
COMBAT: Isra finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Meruin's turn.
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 20. - Rolled by: Noab
«OOC» Noab says, "Okay, so the Zithim now has 64 evasion points."
Taking the chance, she decided to send out a barrier by throwing a tag tied to a kunai down on the ground. She wasn't sure if she'd catch it or not, but it didn't hurt trying and…hello, there's extra coming out of the works. She may yet catch this thing!
«OOC» Noab says, "So that's your only attack, Isra?"
«OOC» Isra says, "No. XD"
COMBAT: Meruin finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Isra's turn.
«OOC» Isra is back and forth with stuff. ._.
RPCOMBAT: Isra attacks with CAPTURE-BARRIER-SEAL…25
«OOC» Isra says, "Alright, that should be it. Two rolls."
COMBAT: Isra finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Meruin's turn.
«OOC» Noab says, "Oh wait, I said it rolls /every/ time you attack it, not just every round. X) One sec…"
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 13. - Rolled by: Noab
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 14. - Rolled by: Noab
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 16. - Rolled by: Noab
«OOC» Noab says, "Okay, when it all comes out, the Zithim has 58 EP remaining."
If the Zithim was a cartoon bird, this would be where it's expressing itself with a few odd-sounding pops of its tongue from its beak. :9 It easily zig-zags around Meruin's webbing and swerves to avoid Isra's barrier traps. That's not to say it doesn't skid a little in the process. Still, it's going to take a fair bit more than that to bring this bird to a halt!
Meruin's jaw shifts slightly as the bird avoids his efforts of capture without showing even a modicum of difficulty in act. And further still, it's being pursed by another. The Okumo takes his eyes off of the bird just long enough to glance at the ninja — Isra — to identify them before looking back to the bird. Where had it go — There. He jumps swiftly back into the treetops, approaching and keeping an overview but making no further attempt at capture. Instead, he'd decided to wait and find a more tactically opportune time. He expects Isra to give it to him with her own barrier seals.
COMBAT: Meruin finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Isra's turn.
This bird was fast. Now, the question is how to stop a fast object like this? Isra tried to keep up with it as she made her attacks. Hmm. perhaps she should establish a perimeter around this area… Instead of using capture barriers, she could use defensive ones to cover a wider area. So, she begins to toss out barriers instead attempting to trap it in a ring of sorts.
RPCOMBAT: Isra defends against with a SEAL-BARRIER…30
RPCOMBAT: Isra defends against with a SEAL-BARRIER…32
RPCOMBAT: Isra defends against with a SEAL-BARRIER…26
COMBAT: Isra finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Meruin's turn.
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 18. - Rolled by: Noab
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 16. - Rolled by: Noab
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 12. - Rolled by: Noab
«OOC» Noab says, "16 EP left. :o"
«OOC» Isra >:D
«OOC» Noab says, "Oh wait, those were defenses. e.ea Okay, tell you what…they have only half effect at reducing the Zithim's EP, but Meruin has to bust through one in order to attack the bird. >)"
«OOC» Noab says, "Well, half's too much to take off, it'll end up with /more/ EP at the end that way. :P Let's try 3/4s effect."
«OOC» Meruin says, "Alrighty then…"
«OOC» Meruin says, "So what've we got? c.c"
«OOC» Noab says, "Zithim has 38 EP left."
«OOC» Meruin nods…
«OOC» Meruin says, "The attack that busts through the defense. Will it still count towards the EP count?"
«OOC» Noab says, "Negative."
«OOC» Meruin nods.
Smart move. This is a scenario which the Zithim's blinding speed wasn't built to contend with — a predator that can actually create large blockages to movement instantly. c.c After all, what natural beast can do that? :P But that doesn't mean the Zithim will be easy to catch at this point, as there's still plenty of space to dart around within the barriers, and they won't hold up for very long. It does mean that Meruin will have an obstacle to contend with first if he wants to take another shot at the birdie.
And there it was. The barriers tossed about had the swift bird a little less sure and balanced than it'd been just before and it was time to take advantage. Which he began to move to do… before he realized that the barriers hindered him just as much as they hindered the bird. They wouldn't last very long, he knew. They weren't the type meant to. The chakra in the seal would soon run out and he could soon capitalize and take his strike. He just had to make sure that Isra couldn't attempt to do the same. So, rather than press towards the bird, he leapt towards her in a sudden motion, hand reaching to touch her arm.
COMBAT: Meruin attacks Isra with RAPTURE…38
COMBAT: Meruin finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Isra's turn.
COMBAT: Isra defends against RAPTURE(38) attack from Meruin with a IRON-SCROLL-TECHNIQUE…30
COMBAT: Isra loses the roll and sustains 0 damage.
COMBAT: Meruin drains stamina from Isra
Isra thought she was just about to catch this bird and yet, competition came about in the form of Meruin. She quickly prepared a scroll to defend her, but she wasn't quick enough and no sooner than her arm was touched, she started to feel limp and it wasn't long before she began to stumble and collapse to the ground, unable to move.
She'd have to be a bit more careful with him around. She admits she wasn't exactly expecting an attack like that, but knowing this now, she has to see about retaliating.
Without the strength to move, she makes herself comfortable with laying on the ground until the poison passes. Admittedly, she's a bit frustrated, but that will pass eventually. She has to focus on the mission. Perhaps laying here will give her time to do that.
COMBAT: Isra finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Meruin's turn.
The Zithim isn't really smart enough to tell that the two predators are fighting over it. It just knows this is the most bizarre day it's ever had — and oh look, the weird glowy solid air is gone. *PYOOM!*
And it was done. Now it was simply time to collect and depart. The Okumo repeated his assault from the beginning, though with a bit more insistence behind it. He launches from the tree branches in the direction the bird traveled. Rather than launching an attack from his arms, the spider silk simply rushed from the whole of the front portion of his body, reaching towards the bird, looking to engulf and capture.
RPCOMBAT: Meruin attacks with BINDS-OF-THE-NEST…25
RPCOMBAT: Meruin attacks with BINDS-OF-THE-NEST…33
RPCOMBAT: Meruin attacks with BINDS-OF-THE-NEST…41
COMBAT: Meruin finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Isra's turn.
COMBAT Isra is poisoned (5 rounds) and loses 64 health.
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 15. - Rolled by: Noab
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 16. - Rolled by: Noab
Zithim roll(s) *PYOOM* from 10 to 20 and get(s) a 17. - Rolled by: Noab
Poison. Fantastic. It wasn't entirely strong, but it'd be enough. Isra not only had to remain lame on the ground, but also have to deal with the pain of poison coursing through her body. This bird must really be a big deal to this guy if she had to go through this just to get it. She understands its worth a lot of ryo, but grief.
Luckily, sensation is beginning to return to her body. Nothing can be done about the poison for now, but she'll be able to move. That's all she'll need. She starts trying to move what limbs she can right now so they'll be primed to pick her up soon.
COMBAT: Isra finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Meruin's turn.
The Zithim has a lot of instinct and experience for evading both chase and traps. It's even zoomed straight through the webs of some unnaturally large spiders in its time. Being chased by webs, though — that's a new one on it. c.c; And all this dodging of these unusually fast and persistent predators is finally starting to tell. It slips past one strand, two strands, thr — no! The Zithim is finally caught by something! :o The sticky strings wrap around the bird and immobilize it. Looks like the prize is Meruin's — IF he can get away from Isra with it!
Secured. Meruin paid no heed to Isra as the silk he sent out brought the bird back towards him. The platinum strands engulf the bird, securing it, and bringing it to rest on his back between his shoulder blades. Now he simply had to escape the forest with his prize. The Okumo chuunin vanishes, reappearing a distance away, very near the highest portions of the trees. He began making his way out.
COMBAT: Meruin attacks Isra with BREVITY-STEALTH…30
COMBAT: Meruin finishes his turn.
COMBAT: It is now Isra's turn.
COMBAT Isra is poisoned (3 rounds) and loses 64 health.
COMBAT: Isra defends against BREVITY-STEALTH(30) attack from Meruin with a DETECTION-SEAL…41
COMBAT: Isra wins the roll.
Now that Isra was back on her feet, she needed to get to that bird. She wasn't exactly at full strength, but she had the will to continue on. She made her way after Meruin as he'd managed to capture the bird. She was going to try and get it back. In her condition, she didn't imagine she'd be all that successful, but she'd at least try to put forth the effort.
She'd let loose a flashbang tag toward him and try to close the distance between them by striking towards him with her sword. Removing Shibuki from her back, she'd take it in her hands and lash it forward, causing the scroll to unravel in a directed explosion towards Meruin.
COMBAT: Isra attacks Meruin with FLASHBANG-TAG…39
COMBAT: Isra attacks Meruin with LARIAT-GRENADE…38
COMBAT: Isra finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Meruin's turn.
«OOC» Meruin says, "So, before we continue."
«OOC» Meruin says, "You'd said that we'd have to avoid taking more than 300 damage on the turn after capture, before."
«OOC» Meruin says, "But that was preliminary."
«OOC» Meruin says, "Do we have concrete rules for here, now?"
«OOC» Isra says, "With what I'm about to hit him with, I imagine it might take more than 300."
«OOC» Noab says, "That stun sort of threw a wrench in my plans. X) Call this the round you need to evade damage."
«OOC» Meruin says, "If I don't take any damage, do I get away, or does it just mean the bird stops trying to escape?"
«OOC» Noab says, "Aye, that's the end of it."
«OOC» Meruin nods.
COMBAT: Meruin defends against FLASHBANG-TAG(39) attack from Isra with a DODGE-II…47
COMBAT: Meruin wins the roll.
COMBAT: Meruin defends against LARIAT-GRENADE(38) attack from Isra with a DODGE-II…46
COMBAT: Meruin wins the roll.
The blare of a detection seal brings Meruin to look back at the swordswoman he'd left on the ground. Apparently, she was strong enough to get up, determined enough to continue, crafty enough to find out his location, and displeased enough to attack him with force. None of which made him want to stay and deal with her. She would compromise his mission. The boy simply leapt, moving far out of reach of both the flashbang and the scroll. The manchild looks back at the resulting explosion… apparently, she was displeased enough to blow up both him and the bird. But he spared no more than a glance back, using all speed to escape. The explosion would draw attention from the other ninja about, which he didn't want, and hopefully it would be able to mask his departure. Hopefully.
Isra grumped and sighed. Not only did she waste all the effort of getting the bird, but she also was taken down and poisoned. She has to admit she was a bit brash in that last attempt, but the boy escaped anyway. She placed Shibuki back on her back and took note of his skills. That clan is in Kiri and if that one is a Kiri nin, she thinks she may have to have him reprimanded for attacking her on this mission. Now that this is done, she figures she'll spend the rest of the time she has left attempting to find curry powder of all sorts. The least she can do is walk away with something she can enjoy with her lunch or dinner.
