Team Cybele: The Hare and the Snake

[Princess Tracy]

"I don't know, I've seen you make a copy before so you seem to be in two places at once. How do I know I can see you? Isn't that what you wanted to teach me? Paranoia?" Amon forces a smile. "You seem at least a little concerned for us so i thought you might be trying to trick us out the door so you can fight her without us getting in your way. But i guess you have a point; she's not our enemy today. Well, not this very second... so what, a friendly conversation?"

We've been retreating far too much lately... at least we finished this, well, completely fake and probably very illegal mission. I hope Sonia doesn't want a report on this one, this'll be even harder to explain than the first mission. Then again, if Cybele... but if we contradict....

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke scoffs at Houshi, who was clearly brought up in a civilian family made evident by his severely limited view of the world. They were not samurai and they were most definitely not heroes, not by any typical definition of the word. They were trained killers bound to follow the orders of their village and by extension, their contractors. It was somewhat jarring to see the large bodied genin switch from nonchalant death-dealing and violence to philosophical true-seeking wiseman so easily. Houshi was remarkably philosophical for a boy whose greatest joy seemed to come from hitting things with his giant slab of a sword. Though the phiilosphy in question itself seemed to built on stark clash good versus evil. And yet in spite of this, he could not find fault with his fellow genin's ideals.

Yousuke could only wish that his own world-view were so simple. It made him somewhat envious to see Houshi so adamant with his opinion and his willingness to act on his beliefs whereas he had been grasping at what he needed to do aimlessly.

It was not as if he had not felt the roiling waves of guilt from his inaction. No matter his mission he still had his honor as a swordsman, shinobi training notwithstanding. But somehow that made it worse. The knowledge that he had known the 'honorable' course of action and had shied away from it willingly, out of fear for his own life. He had even considered aiding Meiling in her attempt, groveling at her feet to spare his team. Though this would have been the correct course of action with their newfound knowledge of the situation, his own reasons for aiding her were less then noble.

Every word Cybele says forces his gaze downward, making him flinch even, when she gives the team praise. The second Suzunabu had appeared he lost any and all intention of doing what was 'right' and instead, he had selfishly been thinking of how he would be able to get out of the fort alive. He was unworthy of the praise, undeserving of Cybele's kindness."I'm such a coward..."

Shakingly, Yousuke drops down to his knees and prostrates himself before Cybele. With his head low to the floor, he speaks, "I apologize for having doubted you Cybele-sensei. You are indeed my superior in both age and wisdom and I humbly ask that you reprimand me for my disrespect and misconduct." His early assessment of Cybele had been incorrect yet again, and he felt all the more foolish for it. She was only two years his senior but she was, in all respects, more learned than him by far.

"Mother, every passing day teaches me that I am yet unable to face you. My birthday is fast approaching and still I am unable to call myself a man. Will you be disappointed to see such a craven fool wearing the skin of your son?"

[ZeroNumerous]

Cybele

The jounin reaches out and pokes Amon's forehead with a gloved finger. If she were a clone, then such an action would not be possible. The sky-nin opens her mouth to say something, but Yousuke's demand to be reprimanded and punished stops her. She looks sternly at Yousuke, kneels down to be on his level, raises her right hand high above her head, then brings it down sharply... to softly pat the boy on the head. Her thick gloves protect him from the danger crawling just under her skin.

"This is the cruelty of being a ninja. We are unique individuals, and none of us have the same ideas about things. But all of us are beholden to obey others. For you, it is your village, and its wishes must come above all else. Your desires, your morals, your ideas: They are yours to keep, but they cannot get in the way of your mission or of the village."

She finally stops, then leans back against the wall. "But if it's punishment you want, then I'll give it to you. Inside that room is a mother finally reunited with her child. Your mission is to go in there and talk to her. Talk to her about anything at all." Cybele looks toward Houshi and Amon.

"You two are gonna back him up. Like I said: I don't care what you talk about, but I'd really like to know why these men had to die."

DM

If the genin look inside they find that Meiling has finally reconstructed her fragile emotional state. The young boy's resting peacefully now. His arms hugs her neck tightly, and she's supporting his thin body with her own arms. The woman's focus lies tightly bound up within the young boy's frame. If the genin enter the room, then her body tightens and she glares at them. Where Cybele's glare is snake-like and cold Meiling's glare is bear-like and angry. The woman almost seems taller than normal due to the intensity of her gaze, but the genin realize that she's still smaller than either Houshi or Cybele.

The woman takes no stance, but her indiscriminate rage from before has vanished into the wind. She seems open to discussion now, but the blood dripping from her crimson painted fists warn the genin of the violence she could unleash at the drop of a hat. "Suzunabu" simply waits for the genin to make their first move, and otherwise makes no overtly hostile gestures or actions.

[Princess Tracy]

Amon was about to make a chipper comment about how touchy-feely Cybele seems right now when Yousuke launches into his grovelling self-pity. She looks down at him. Misconduct is his concern in all of this? Mine is.... no, those two chose death, right? Right?

"I'm glad to hear you're as clueless as me, in a strange way," Amon comments at Cybele's request as she cracks her knuckles as if to punch out this mystery. Amon pats Yousuke on the shoulder as if to tag out as she passes him. "You don't know how to deal with women, let me handle this." The slightest touch of Yousuke lets her feel some of his distress as she passes him though. She stops for a moment, turning to him with half-shut eyes that speak of sadness. "You performed fine," she says with sudden insight. "At least... at least you were brave enough to keep your team's best interests at heart through your inactivity. I shall tell you a tale of true cowardice later - just remind me if you want to feel better about yourself. You couldn't possibly hate me any more than you do already, you know?" Her eyes veer off to the side, clearly in a distant remembrance, and her mechanical fingers flinch as if fron great pain as she remembers. She looks down at them as she gives Yousuke one last pat and heads into the room, putting on her best mood.

Amon clears her throat as she enters the room to make sure Meiling knows she is there an dnot up to something (and also just to clear her throat). "So... Suzunabu is a mother who came all the way out here to retrive her kid, who for some reason had an entourage of samurai calling him their lord." Amon bites her lip. "If you don't mind my asking... why did we end up in this setup of a mission? To be pulled into your fight with the samurai..." If she was going to kill us, she'd have done it before retreiving the boy - his well-being is a liability in a fight, even with genin.

Amon thinks she may have asked too much for her current mood, so tries a different topic before she tests her luck too mucj. She looks at the child in her arms. "Is he alright? He looked to be in pain earlier. No matter the context, that is a child and I am a medic."

[zeone3000]

Houshi crept into the room, leaning next to the doorway. He wasn't going to miss this.

[Bad Situation]

Though hesitant, Yousuke nods when Cybele gives her order. "What am I going to say to her..." He was not an expert on dealing with women, less so when mothers were concerned. He enters the room on unsure legs, faintly considering his escape options when he sees the touching sight of mother and son. Seeing the otherwise fearsome woman clutching the child so tightly sparks something in his heart and sudenly he knows exactly what to say. In an uncharacteristically soft tone, he broaches the subject, "The child is lucky to have a mother so devoted to his well-being." He had more to say obviously, but it was best to test the waters before jumping into a barrage of questions.

And Amon thought he was the clueless one.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Yousuke's statement softens the young woman's glare a bit. She hugs the boy tightly, as if to protect him from the three sky-nin in the room. Nonetheless, she does acknowledge Yousuke's sentiments, even if she doesn't respond to him. Her brilliant blue eyes stay focused on Yousuke, and unless he does or says something she makes no movement. "He's the only thing thi--I. I have left. He is very important to me. Surely your mother would act the same if you were taken away."

As soon as Amon starts to open her mouth she gets a sharp pain in the rear. As if an extremely large bee had stung her square on the ass. If the genin tries to look then she finds her head doesn't turn properly. She can twist her neck around, but can't angle it up or down, and can't open her mouth. It's like whatever had just stabbed her in the rear has locked up the nerves in her head, and luckily those in her mouth as well. If the genin turns around, she sees Cybele looking around the corner shaking her finger at the young kunoichi. She had given Amon an order: Back up Yousuke. Not take the lead.

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke finds Suzunabu's words hard to swallow when he considers his own mother. Frowning he admits, "I cannot say the same for my own my mother, I'm afraid. She left me in the care of my grandfather almost 8 years ago to this day to seek the pinnacle of swordsmanship. I have neither seen nor heard from her in almost a decade and some nights I can scarcely remember her. When she returns to test my right to inheritance I will prove to her that her departure was a mistake, that her decision to leave me," Yousuke holds up his sheathed katana for the kunoichi to see, "was also a mistake."

"So believe me when I say that your son is fortunate indeed. Not all children are forced to fight for their mother's affection, after all."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Meiling shakes her head. "All children have their mother's affection. Some mothers simply don't understand how to express it, but I refuse to believe that any of them would not love their children. They're too precious for that." The woman hugs her child once more, and faces the rest of the sky-nin. "I'm sure you have lots of questions, but ask them quietly, please. I will answer any question you have."

Amon's paralysis wears off about twelve seconds later.

[zeone3000]

Houshi pushes himself off the wall, "Why did they take your son? Why did they fight to death to keep a mother from her son?"

[Bad Situation]

Yousuke nods in assent and lowers his voice for the benefit of the child, "Did you contract us for this assignment. You did not seem particularly surprised when we arrived. Why did we kill these guards, were we hired to serve as a distraction? And if you do not mind me asking, why did they take your son from you?"

"If your son is injured, we do have a medic on our team. If you trust us enough, Amon may be able help. If you so desire, I will personally see to it that Amon does not say anything foolish," he adds as a gesture of good faith.

[Princess Tracy]

When Amon is pricked, she loses motor controls and collapses under her own weight. Confused and utterly horrified, she finds herself unable to speak. Did... Did I just die? Is this what death is like? Why isn't anyone helping? She lies in a perfectly limp bundle of flesh as her fear curdles into anger. As luck would have it, as he head smacks against the ground, she gets a glimpse of Cybele and knows at that instant it is her doing. YOU BITCH, I'LL TEAR YOUR HEART IF I EVER MOVE AGAIN, HOW THE **** DARE YOU!? Even she's taken aback at the fury in her thoughts, but as she tries to turn her head and finds herself unable, she decides to not change course. How funny would it be if Meiling just snapped and killed Cybele right now? she thinks, her thoughts at leats now only onto (extreme) passive aggression, if only to spare her ego

Even when her constant attempts to move her limbs or scream in protest lead her to randomly twitch as her feeling returns, she willingly remains still. **** Cybele, let her think she's paralysed me for life, for a bit. At Yousuke's 'vouching' for her, she strongly considers speaking up, but decides to maintain her worrisome facade. Screw it. If she didn't want me to pitch in then, I don't wnat to pitch in now. Two-way street.

[zeone3000]

Houshi hears a thud, looks down at Amon in utter confusion. It wasn't him, it wasn't Yousuke and he was pretty sure it wasn't Meiling either. That only left Cybele and her words of warning rung in his head, "She told you. I mean harsh but you were warned." He picks her up and the very least, unsure if to sling her over his shoulder or prince style.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Meiling ignores Amon's antics. She either doesn't care, or is just too absorbed in her own things to notice. "No one touches my son." She looks down at him when questioned about her son. "I'll start at the beginning. My name is Suzunabu the Wind Dragon. A long time ago, when I was free, I was gravely injured and captured by the Eurayle clan. They demanded answers from me, and I had none for them. So, six years ago, they bound my spirit to this girl. She had once been a leaf-nin. She had loved, bore this child, and was captured after his birth during a mission to the Stone Country. They used me in an experiment to fight their curse, but I broke free."

She hugs the young boy tighter as she thinks of something in the distant past. "This boy is the son of a nobleman in the Fire Daimyo's court. When I escaped, I searched everywhere for him, and finally discovered that he was sent into exile with these people. Because his father had become a traitor. I thought that, maybe, the sight of this boy would bring back Meiling's spirit and free me from her shell. But it only brought up strange feelings."

"Meiling" sighs. "I suppose this girl is gone forever." Suzunabu says with a sad lilt to its voice. "Well, I used my Mistress' contact within Soragakure to hire a ninja team to clear them out. But my anger got the better of me. It's quite surprising that it was you."

[zeone3000]

Houshi sighs, "So we are victims of circumstance and coincident, much like the dozen of soldiers we slew. Or maybe something else is at play." He motions to the sky, "Either way, that answered my next question, how you two..." He points at Cybele, "Know each other."

He shurgs, "Well, you have your son, we have our answers and I doubt you're going to tell us who your Mistress' contact is. I don't have anymore questions at least. I still don't get why they wouldn't let a mother see her son. I'm not gonna stand here and pretend I understand how grown ups think, much less nobles and their strange rules and customs." He cracks his knuckles, "I do know that fat ass is gonna pay... Dearly, for what he's done to those people and us."

"Wait, why didn't you just clear them out yourself in the first place? I mean, it would've been easy. Like, real easy."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Suzunabu shakes its head. "They threatened to kill him if they saw me again, and I do not have the capabilities to sneak around."

[Bad Situation]

Smiling softly at the scene, Yousuke approaches Suzunabu and bows at the hip. "It has been an honor serving you and though I did not quite understand the circumstances upon accepting the mission I am glad to have lent my sword to your cause. If you have need of my services, or the services of Soragakure in the future I would be greatly honored if you would call upon me once again." Finally, a mission gone right for once. After the first disaster of a mission he was beginning to believe himself cursed. It was only proper to extend his gratitude and courtesy to his employer.

"When your son wakes tell him that Konpaku Yousuke was proud to have played a role in his rescue."

[Princess Tracy]

Amon silently enjoys the feeling of being cradled in Houshi's arms as she listens, calmed a little to be carried 'princess style' by the lovable giant. A dragon bound in the body of a woman...

At Yousuke's courtesy, she simpl ycan't contain herself anymore as she slags him from the comfort of Houshi's arms. "Don't make promises you can't keep, sword-brains. Did you casually forget she freed Yusa? Before you get yourself accused of treason, consider at least if you're not just being a little too courteous."

She was in no mood to ask questions she knew she wouldn't get answers to. Leave such things to the others. Wait... She leans up to whisper to Houshi 'ask her what Yusa's up to'

[zeone3000]

Houshi flat drops Amon, "Remember that annoying thing we talked about? You're doing it. Did you not learn anything just a second ago? We can't hold grudges. It will get you killed. It almost did just a few moments ago. Yusa will get what's coming, just may not be within our lifetimes... How long they may ever be." He motions a pointer at Meiling, "Speaking of Yusa, you wouldn't feel like giving us anything to go on about that. Cause we really screwed the pooch on that one."

[Bad Situation]

Frowning, Yousuke pointedly ignores Amon, who had apparently learned nothing from Cybele-sensei's lesson. "Hmph, Cybele-sensei is too good for her." Being courteous to the employer was foremost among the lessons his grandfather had taught him, not putting them to use after a mission seemed a waste.

In respect to his sensei's words of wisdom he would say nothing and be the better person for once. It was not Amon's fault that she had not been raised by a man like his grandfather so instead of spouting conjecture, Yousuke looks at Amon as if she were somebody to pity and shakes his head side to side in disappointment.

[Princess Tracy]

"Oh **** off, Houshi," Amon yelps as she is dropped. "I never said I give a crap, but the village certainly will! Use your skull's contents every now and then. They are not so aggressively relativist. Cybele is as a leaf on the wind - she has little care for Soragakure, but she is strong enough to stand on our own. We are weak and rely on our allergiances, our loyalty to Soragakure. You're far too fresh out of the Academy to have forgotten THAT."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Suzunabu makes no effort to stop Yousuke from looting the dead, and otherwise allows the genin to leave if they chose to do so. When Houshi asks it a question, it responds politely. "Someone, a sage or miko, asked my Mistress for my services. She normally refuses, because without me she lacks someone to guard the gate. But this time, something was different. I never met the contract holder, but I was told to empty out the inn in that village and wait. Afterward, Yusa told me that she held my contract, and that I was to protect Hinami."

Suzunabu looks squarely into Houshi's eyes. "I have not seen Yusa since she left, and my Mistress had only given me leave to find the boy."

[zeone3000]

Hosuhi shakes his head, "Just don't care. Now get up before I sit on you."

Returning his attention back to Suzunabu, "Yeah, had a feeling. Well, good luck. Time to go."

[Princess Tracy]

Dead end, see? "Is it even worth asking who your Mistress is?" Amon makes a point to not look at Cybele as she stands, very shakily, and dusts herself off. "I am a little curious as to what sort of operation you have running where you take contracts from people. How did Yusa commission anyone while..." She finds herself altogether too angry to contemplate how Yusa set things up. **** it.

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Suzunabu looks toward the young girl. "My Mistress is Scarlet Satoko, the Daughter of the Dragon. My Mistress takes contracts much as a ninja village would, and operates much like the leader of one. As for how Yusa commissioned anything: I have no idea. Potentially she had one of her close compatriots acquire the contract for her."

[Princess Tracy]

"Sweet, how do i hire her?" Amon asks with 50% sarcasm, though there was a curiousity there. "So you didn't really know much of Hinami then, did you?"

She snaps at Houshi. "And if you sit on me, you'll get an ass full of poisoned kunai. I only allow finer company than you on top, Houshi."

Still though, true to his advice, she turns as if to leave. "Anything else you want out of her, get it yourself," she says in Cybele's general direction. I don't have anything else I don't think. Unless... Her mind goes into a bit of a flurry of thought as she tries to pull any topic she can out, whispering a little more loudly than what is really considered a whisper as she goes. "Satoko... Euryale, Unseal.... Yusanari..." She snaps her fingers. "How would 'dying' affect your imprisonment?" she asks, quite off beat. She shrugs. "Just trying to help, despite no knowledge of fuinjutsu and the like. We were hired to help after all..."

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

"One simply needs to find the Mistress, play her game, and win. Succeed, and you get a servant for one year and one day. Fail, and you become a servant for the same amount of time." Suzunabu casually explains the relationship between itself and its Mistress. It had nothing to hide after all.

When asked about dying, Suzunabu shakes her head. "Even if it succeeded, I do not want to take that route. I wish to return this girl's life to her. To know that she is dead... It would break my heart after I know how she cries and suffers."

[Princess Tracy]

Amon nods her head at the sudden sentimentality for tha girl's soul. She was understanding a little more of ninja now. It's a pity that knowledge wasn't making her view of, well, anything more bright. "I know a technique that invades a persons very soul. One thing I've learned from its application is that while they still breathe, they are never truly gone. I cannot use someone's body to kill a loved one. Going by the same logic, I'd say she's still in there. The feelings you experience for your son... there may be more meaning there than you reckon."

"Game you say?" Amon loved games, but with such stakes... "How would I find her? One never knows when such information is important. Speaking of which..." Amon produces a business card with her goofy chibi visage printed on it and tosses it into her hand. It has the address she uses as a drop box written in it - a small pit near the maintenance areas that looks like bizarre office space that she hollowed out, and that she uses for taking deliveries and (occassionally) meeting clients.

"If that's all... I'll leave you to it." Amon makes to leave as soon as Yousuke gives the go-ahead for himself. She scoops up her bag that she had dropped when Cybele had robbed her of control of her body, feeling grumpy all over again

[ZeroNumerous]

DM

Suzunabu shakes its head. "That is not my place to say. If you are to find her, then it will fate that decides." The former dragon takes Amon's card delicately, and crumples it up in one hand. Not out of disrespect, but out of expediency. She couldn't pocket it and still hold her son, so she simply held it tightly in her fist. "If I need you, then I'll try to find you."

Unless the genin have any other questions, then Cybele tells them to head outside. If any of the genin attempt to stay, then she orders them to leave. After six minutes the sound of her silver bells accompanies the genin once more. "Suzunabu will be fine. Well, we now know our client isn't actually our client. What will you do about that?"

[Princess Tracy]

"Is Yusa won services for a year and a day, doesn't that mean you still have to serve her?"

Amon files out as soon as Cybele orders them to, leaving the fort entirely, quite unhappy to be around these many corpses. With the time they'd spent with Suzunabu, she was quite sure all of them were beyond saving. Nonetheless, she tried her best on the way out

Spoiler

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Amon takes 10 on treat injury on her way out to analyse and treat anyone she can.

When outside, she starts tending to her own wounds at last. She winces as she tries to remove the arrow Mara had blasted into her, finding her hands too shaky for some reason even she couldn't fathom - her artisan abilities generally making them completely stable. "Yousuke... take it out of me. Please?" she requests, her eyes tearing up a bit and her lip quivering like a toddler that had just been kicked hard in the knee. Once it's removed, she goes about healing herself, as always, and does the same for Houshi

Spoiler

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Take 10 on self-treat injury, expend 4 chakra (3 reserve, 1 pool) to heal Houshi again for the maximum durations.
Houshi heals (5d4+5)[17]
Amon Heals (6d4+5)[17]

Once she's done healing Houshi, she slaps him upside the head. "That was fro dropping me. I can't take a round of arrows like you can, you know - I landed on the same ass that Cybele so graciously stabbed when she robbed me of the use of my body." She descends into wrathful grunts and the occassional pained as she rubs at her 'lower cheeks' - still smarting even after she'd healed her wound.

When she hears Cybele near, Amon grunts in pain as she holds her left hand - the half-prosthetic one. "Cybele, come here and look at my hand. It hasn't been moving right since you did that to me..." Sure enough, it rattles and squirms in odd ways, and to an outside observer, one would deem it possible the paralysis had an odd effect on her 'puppet parts'. In actuality, Amon was mostly fine; she just wanted to see if Cybele would bother to get close or make amends.