Naruto d20 (Team A)

[ChronicLunacy]

Ibaraki Masaru

The masked genin had remained silent throughout the walk, head straight ahead as Ami kept telling him about the East Gate District. He didn't really have to though...Masaru knew it well. The gutted remains of his clan home remained at the center of the district, a broken set of high walls surrounding a staggered cluster of buildings that used to be flushed with healthy green gardens. It was all scorched and blackened now, the skeletons of trees looking like gnarled hands reaching from the earth. He walked stiffly as he caught site of the highest building, the shrine that had once stood at the center.

Ami's questions interrupted his train of thought, forcing him to focus on the present. It took him a few moments to figure out what Ami had asked him, and when he did, he looked at the sword as if it had suddenly appeared on his shoulder. He let out a short chuckle and only said, "It's possible." in reply.

In fact, the reason he carried the sword was that it made people think disarming him would limit his ability to strike back. It left they all the more open to an unarmed strike when they thought he was helpless. A shinobi's greatest strength was deception, after all.

"I used to live here." he added quietly, still a bit struck by how empty everything was. He could remember playing with his brothers on these streets...running and laughing. He had been whole then...unbroken and happy. How things had changed...

(( Spot and Listen: 1d20+1=20, 1d20+1=13 ))

[Callos_DeTerran]

The younger kid's face became sympathetic as he looked up at his darkly dressed guardian. It didn't take much for someone to know the pain from the loss of a family member and from Marasu's tone thats what had happened. "Did you lose family in the attack too? Or did they make it out?"

[ChronicLunacy]

Ibaraki Masaru

Masaru didn't answer right away. In fact, it looked as if someone had punched him in the gut, but he kept it together behind that implacable black mask. His fingers slowly tightened around the wooden sheath of his sword, however. The grain groaned and started to crack a little under the pressure.

"That's my home, just there." he said, lifting an arm to point at the graveyard that was the Ibaraki compound. Ami would know it. Everyone did. It was rare for anyone in the village not to have heard about the tragedy, the entire clan butchered in the attack. It had happened before, and not just in the Village of Hidden Shadow, but each time it was a sad story...especially when there remained a lone survivor. For Masaru it was like an open wound, festering with the infection of revenge.

"Let's talk about something else, okay, Ami-kun?"

[Callos_DeTerran]

The kid spent a long moment staring at Masaru before nodding and looking around again, mostly towards the destroyed compound before looking away. "Alright Masaru-sempai. We'll talk about something else...so..." his words drifted off though and an awkard silence fell between the two of them. It didn't take much longer for them to find the unagi shop. It looked fairly empty and one of the waitresses was standing outside the entrance trying to encourage people to come in. It was only then that the kid spoke up again. "So what is your guys mission? I love hearing stories about past missions. You learn all kind of neat tricks and tatics, not to mention their just plain exciting. You guys have any?"

Marasu continued to keep an eye on their surrondings as they went to the entrance of the unagi shop when something caught his eye. A group of nasty looking thugs were loitering perhaps forty feet down the street from the shop. There wasn't anything particular about them but they seemed...off.

[Catch]

Michiko

The bleakness of the East Gate district hardly seemed to affect the girl at all; she had a certain lightness to her step, paying no particular mind to the charred husks of buildings or the passersby, few and far between as people were in this desolate part of the city.

The restaurant had surprisingly spared the fate that had befallen the majority of the East Gate, though the amount of patronage since the attack had been meager at best. The food was certainly good enough to draw a sizable crowd, but the gloom surrounding the district prevailed, most not eager to relive the tragedy.

Unperturbed, Michiko gave a perky grin to the girl standing outside, jerking a thumb towards Ami and the others. "Hiya, Ayaka! Brought some lunch customers with me today, as you can see." She chuckled, "Think you can find us an open table?"

Nodding towards Ami, she gestured to the doorway. "C'mon, I got plenty of wild stories, kid."

[Bariko]

Rio

Rio had spent much of the trip in silence, deep in thought, not only calculating how far they had to go, but pondering something else inhis mind. With their arrival to the unagi shop, Rio estimated that they didn't have very far left to go. But, it might be good to stop here for a minute.

So, with a cheerful smile, he headed towards the door of the shop, casting one last glance around to see any impending threats while looking questioningly at Marasu and Michiko.

"Wild stories, huh?" he laughed towards Michiko. "These I gotta hear."

[Callos_DeTerran]

Ayaka smiled as she saw Michiko and gestured into the building. "I think you'll have your free pick of tables today Michiko, we're even less busy then usual!" She said dryly while gesturing with one arm into the unagi shop. The inside only proved her claims, there being three other patrons at best.

Ami nodded gravely as he heard about the possibilities of wild stories and hurried into the restraunt. The glimmer of excitement in his eyes didn't do his grim look justice though as he hurried to a corner table and sat down facing in the same direction as the kitchen. "I think I'd love to hear those stories Michiko-senpai. I'm sure that a Genin like you has plenty of exciting stories about missions to talk about."

[ChronicLunacy]

Ibaraki Masaru

Fortunately, Michiko saved Masaru from having to explain their mission, and he let his teammate take Ami into the restaurant without protest. It gave him the opportunity to examine the toughs gathering on the other side of the street. They didn't look to be ninja but any one of them could be in disguise. Either way, there was something just...wrong...about them. He could sense it, and he always went with his instincts about things like this. He looked up and down the street once more before heading in after the others.

Once inside, he made sure to catch Rio's ear. "Suspicious characters loitering down the street. We shouldn't stay here."

[Bariko]

Rio

Rio keeps his smile on and nods ever so slightly at Masaru's words. "Hay, Michiko, keep telling those stories. Masaru just has something he wants me to see. We'll be back soon," he grinned, hoping she caught the undertones.

Rio headed towards the door with Masaru. Once the two were both outside, he noticed the group that Masaru must have meant. Remembering well that Ami was to not know about any danger, Rio makes a quick scan in an attempt to find anything that may help them get Ami past without any danger.

((Search or Knowledge: Tactics, same mod 1d20+11=30, Spot 1d20+3=16))

Regardless of if he notices anything or not, he will then head back into the building and return to the table.

[Catch]

Michiko

Michiko gave a quick wave and a smile to the owner before making her way to a table in the corner of the restaurant, settling herself to have a clear view of the doorway. She gestured to the seat across from her, motioning for Ami to sit. "Have a seat, kid. I'm gonna pop into the kitchen real quick and put in our order." She grinned, "Right at the top of the list."

She casually strode to the back of the restaurant, exchanging brief nods with the other patrons, though they hardly seemed much for conversation. Ducking her head into the kitchen, Michiko waved to a few of the dishwashers before seeking out the head chef, also the owner of the restaurant.

"Kazuma-jiji, it's me! You still serve food in this dump?" She gave him a toothy grin, leaning against one of the counters. Michiko had been visiting this restaurant since she was small and Kazuma was an old friend of her mother's, so the girl was almost a fixture in the kitchen. He was hardly old enough to be called "old man," but Michiko did anyway, if only to make the other cooks laugh.

"Listen Kazuma, my new squad and I are looking after Keimatsu-sensei's kid brother, and I just wanted to let you know that there might be a lil' bit of trouble. We're taking him somewhere here in the district, but I figured he'd be safe here while we look around. You mind having the staff keep an eye out for me? I can't help shake the feeling that this kid's gonna be attracting trouble." She adopted her cheekiest smile as she turned to head back to the dining room, gesturing to the dish Kazuma was working on. "And how about some of your unagi? I'm starvin'!"

[Callos_DeTerran]

At the Door:

Masaru and Rio stand at the doorway of the unagi stand, keeping eyes out for anything that they can use for their mission. Not to mention keeping their eyes on the 'toughs' standing down the street from them. An uneasy sort of silence had fallen over the street as people seemed to feel the electricity in the air and retreated to their homes. Masaru and Rio both knew the almost maze-like quality of Kagekure's streets had for newcomers, a result of constant rebuilding, and at least three alleyways and streets lead away from this spot from the front...

In the back:

The other cooks couldn't help but chuckle as Michiko came into the back and called their boss an old man. For his part Kazuma seemed involved with making an unagi dumpling, looking up as the blonde haired kunoichi came walking into the back with nary a warning. "What have I said about just barging in back here Michiko? Can I at least get some warning? Chance to hide my illegal dealings?" He joked lightly as he pulled the eels off of the grill. Looking up from his work as Michiko mentioned trouble, a frown coming to his face. "What sort of trouble? The 'Some-bullies-break-a-few-dishes' trouble or 'Kazuma-better-call-the-police-trouble'?" He asked moodily before holding out the dish. "Here, and tell Ami not to drink to much. I know how he gets."

[Catch]

Michiko

The girl shrugged in response to Kazuma's question. "Dunno. Depends on how bad they want the kid. You still got that back door to the alley? If things get rough, I'd like to sneak Ami through the kitchen and out the back." She chuckled and took the dish from his outstretched hand. "I can't promise to avoid a mess, but if it happens, put it on my tab, alright?"

She thumbed her nose with a cheeky grin and turned to head back to the dinning room, plate in hand, weaving her way around bustling cooks and dishwashers.

[Bariko]

Rio

Returning to the table, Rio replaces his smile and sits with Ami.

"Hey Ami, sorry about that. Where'd Michiko go? Don't tell me she's done with her stories already," he laughed.

Leaning back in his chair, Rio kept an eye out towards the door and street at all times. I hope this place has a back door of some sort. If we can keep him out of sight of those thugs, we should be okay. Hope everybody remembered to activate their tags.

As he chatted with Ami, Rio pulled out a pen and started drawing on a napkin, drawing out possible escape routes based on contingencies such as having a back door, splitting up, no back door, using the alleys, smoke bombs, whatever comes to mind. Well, the scroll only said that it was preferred Ami not know of the danger. I'd rather have him know and us succeed than not know and, well... Ah well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

[ChronicLunacy]

Ibaraki Masaru

The masked ninja remained outside, arms crossed over his chest. He was a silent gargoyle, a sentry against those that would try to cross the threshold with the intent to do harm. Masaru didn't really cultivate and skill at intimidation, but his appearance was just unnerving. He never moved at all, not even to scratch or shift his weight. He simply guarded the door, as someone had to. The others would come let him know when it was time to leave.

[Callos_DeTerran]

"I don't know where she is. Michiko hasn't come back out of the kitchen yet. I wonder what happened to her..Hey...weres Marasu?" He asked, alternating between peering towards the back of the restraunt and trying to look out the front to see what the black dressed genin was doing out there.

Kazumu stoke his knife into the counter beside his hand as Michiko thumbed her nose at him, giving an exasperated "Your tab is already overdue Michiko!" out to her back as she returned to the restraunt porition of the store carrying the dish.


Out on the street Masaru could see one of the thugs reaching into his pocket, pulling out...something in one hand and the rest of them gathering around him. Pointing at something on the screen, one of them nodded and pratically as one they rose their eyes up to look at the front of the store...

((Chronic, need a spot check.))

[Catch]

Michiko

Appearing at the mention of her name, Michiko popped her head out of the kitchen's door, casting a quick glance around the dining room before settling down at the table with Rio and Ami, placing the heaping dish in front of them.

"Eat quick, our mission may start sooner than expected." She nodded her head towards the door she had emerged from, nonchalantly chatting as she helped herself to the food. "The owner of this shop, Kazuma-san, is a friend of my mom's; I've been coming here for years." She gave Rio as pointed a look as she could manage without giving Ami any suspicions. "He'll let us take the back way out through the kitchen if we have to leave quickly." Casually, she added "Did you happen to find out where we have to take our 'delivery?' Or who wants to meet us on the way?"

[Bariko]

Rio

"We don't have an exact address, but I'm fairly certain we're close. And as for people who are planning to meet us on the way, there are some..... interested parties out in the street. Make sure you activate your tag, that way, if they can somehow sense chakra, we get a bit more of an advantage."

Rio stands and stride to the door, where he can whisper to Masaru the information about the tags. "There is a back door out. Michiko has been permitted to take Ami out that way if there is a rush. Any ideas on how we should divide our forces?"

Straightening a bit, he said that to Michiko as well, "You too, any ideas on who should go where?"

[ChronicLunacy]

Ibaraki Masaru

Spot: 1d20+1=18
Chakra Control: 1d20+9=23

Masaru nodded once and touched both fingers to his forehead, lacing them together to form a seal and activate the tag he'd placed upon his brow. He felt a tingle of chakra and then nothing as the tag went active. Once finished he glanced back at Rio, who he assumed was still in the doorway, and advised, "So weakened, we should take Ami-kun out the back and try to avoid a confrontation. We want to leave direct combat as a last resort and instead use a deception tactic." He thought silently for a moment. "I could cause a disturbance and lead them off, then double back towards the East Gate to follow you."

[Callos_DeTerran]

Marasu kept a close eye on the toughs down the street from him, noticing that two of their number had tried to creep away sneakily into an alley close to them. Where the alley lead to was anyone's guess but he doubted that two of them had simply gotten cold feet and ran off...

It wasn't the only thing he noticed, when Marasu activated the tag behind his mask, the thug carrying the something looked down. Apparently it was telling him something he didn't want to know because he shook it in his head and scowled at it...


Ami seemed content with the unagi pie/biscuit in front of him, digging into it with relish and only sparing idle glances up towards the two genin in the restraunt with him as they talked about a delivery of some sort. "What delivery? Is that what your guys mission is?"

[ChronicLunacy]

Ibaraki Masaru

The masked ninja's mirrored lenses watched as the two thugs attempted stealth and failed miserably. Still, they might have been trying to flank the genins...and without following them, no one would know. Even more interesting was the device the leader seemed to be paying close attention to.

When I activated my seal, it looked like he'd noticed something. Are they tracking our chakra signatures with that thing?

Masaru scowled and checked over his shoulder to see if Rio was still at the door. He didn't want to raise his voice and risk Ami overhearing something.

[Catch]

Michiko

Michiko shrugged her jacket off her shoulders enough to reveal the sealing tag and reaching over her shoulder, she pressed two fingers to it and concentrated her chakra, letting out a slow breath.

Spoiler

Show

Chakra Control: 1d20+9=27

"There," she opened her eyes and settled her jacket comfortably, leaning her chair back. Nodding to Rio, she cast a quick glance to Masaru at the entrance and then to the kitchen door. "Something tells me that we should make our delivery as soon as we can, and then meet up with 'em. I can keep an eye out for the destination, especially if I'm hopping rooftops. If you and Gloomy hang out with Ami for a while, I could probably find the spot in no time."

[Bariko]

Rio

Rio paused in though a moment, still near the doorway. "Hmm. I'm not sure how much time we have, but we could probably hold out here for a bit if you dash out the back and take a look. We should be fairly close anyways, as I figure it. How does that sound to you Masaru? Or do you think the group of us should head out?"

Looking out the doorway , he inquires, "Have they done anything, or are they waiting for us to come out?"

[ChronicLunacy]

Ibaraki Masaru

"It looks like there was substance to sensei giving us these tags. The thugs seem to have something that detects chakra...a device of some kind they'd been using to track us. It should make it easier for us to slip away now." the masked ninja noted absently, still watching the street. "Whatever we do, we should do it soon. They might decide to just come in after us if we wait any longer."

[Catch]

Michiko

Leaning back in her chair, Michiko popped an unagi dumpling into her mouth, casting a sidelong glance to the front door and then back to the kitchen's double doors, as if weighing her choices on a mental scale. Well, we're not getting any closer by sitting around here.

Letting her chair's legs back down to the floor, Michiko stood dusting her hands on her jacket and then leaned over the table, giving Ami an ingratiating smile. "Hey kid, if you like those dumplings so much, I can take you back to the kitchen where Kazuma makes 'em." She nodded her head towards the kitchen. "Maybe if you ask real nice, he'll cook you up something special."

Not waiting for a reply, Michiko pushed open the kitchen's double doors, waving Ami to follow her in. Winding their way to the back, she pointed towards the middle-aged cook and nudged the boy in that direction. "That's him. He likes kids, so if you ask him he'll make ya anything you want." Catching one of the more familiar undercooks by the arm, she gestured to Ami. "Have Kazuma keep an eye on the kid for me, alright? Put him to washing dishes if you have to," she chuckled, pushing her way out the kitchen's back door.

Stepping out into the back alley, Michiko cast a quick glance around her before hopping up onto one of the lidded garbage cans and grabbing the ledge of the roof, she swung herself up. Balancing easily on the red-tiled roof, Michiko cast a cursory glance around the area, squinting against the noonday sun.

Spoiler

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Spot: 1d20+6=20
Listen: 1d20+6=25

[Callos_DeTerran]

The kid looks up a bit surprised as Michiko suddenly stood up and gestured for him to follow her into the kitchen. Weren't they going to eat out there after all? But with a glance over at Rio and Masaru, he shrugged and rose from his seat to follow her into the kitchen. Glancing over at Kazuma before he approached catiously and struck up a conversation with the man...

[Catch]

Chiba Michiko

From her rooftop perch, Michiko spotted two of the street toughs Masaru had mentioned, meandering their way through the alleys near the shop. Catching a few snatches of conversation, she strained to hear, but only made out a few choice words. She frowned, pacing slowing to the edge of the roof.

"If I can jump to that roof over there and then the next one over, I think I'll be close enough to hear 'em..."

Backing her way to the opposite end of the unagi shop's roof, Michiko dashed across the red-tiled roof and leaped, easily clearing the gap between buildings and landing in a crouch. She righted herself with a grin, quickly running to make the jump to the next roof and with her last step, her foot slipped on a loose tile, sending her tumbling through the air.

Snatching out with a hand, Michiko grabbed hold of the house's rain gutter, dangling precariously over the alleyway. Gritting her teeth, she reached out with her free hand to pull herself up, and her fingers slipped on the roof's edge, leaving her swinging in midair.

"Damn it..." she murmured.

Spoiler

Show

First jump: 1d20+1=19

Second jump: 1d20+1=2 (Crap!)

Reflex save (DC 15) to grab ledge as per SRD: 1d20+7=19 (Pass. *whew*)

Climb check (DC 15) to pull myself up: 1d20+1=12 (Crap!)

[Callos_DeTerran]

With Michiko gone to find the safe house, a way out, or even just to see if anyone had gone around to the back of the building, Rio thinking intently unto a plan he could perform, and Masaru standing guard by the door the three Genin seemed to be very spread out...

The clatter and noise of Michiko failing in her jump seemed extremely loud to her ears as she dangled from the roof top. No longer could she hear the voices that she had been going towards though she was an awful lot closer. Straining the female genin lifted herself up and over the lip of the roof and rolled a good three feet away from the ledge. A nice respectable distance from the lip of the roof.



At the unagi restraunt things seemed to be coming to a head as the four thugs remaining down the street turned as one and strolled down the street to come to stop in front of the door way. The four of them seem to be a bit uneasy when faced with the faceless visage that Masaru presents but it doesn't stop them from walking towards the doorway as if he wasn't even there..

((OOC: Michiko can you make a spot check?))

[ChronicLunacy]

Ibaraki Masaru

The implacable, masked guardian at the door watched, unmoving, as the thugs approached the door. As they neared him, there was a nearly unnoticeable change in him. He hadn't moved a millimeter, but it was as if the air around him had gained a slight charge or tension. The thugs seemed to sense it, since they looked rather uncomfortable...that basic fight or flight instinct nagging at the backs of their minds.

Masaru finally moved when it looked as if the four thugs were going to head past him into the unagi shop. Shifting his weight onto the other foot and then settling into a loose posture, his arms dangling limply at his sides, Masaru blocked the doorway. Anyone going through the door would have to try to shove past him. There was no challenge or witty question posed to the thugs. He simply stood there, mirrored eye lenses reflecting their surprised expressions back at them.

[Bariko]

Rio

"Hey, sorry guys. No more room. Anything we can help you with?" Rio asked as he hopped up on a table slightly behind Masaru, kunai in hand. He strained to peer around at the thugs, the room, the street anything for an edge in making sure Michiko found where she was going.

((Knowledge: Tactics d20+11=31))

"Maybe if you tell us what you're looking for we can help you out, no trouble," Rio grinned, fiddling with his kunai.


(((OOC, I'm sorry for being gone. Last week was nothing but work. Big kick in the junk.)))

[Catch]

Michiko

Having successfully scrambled back onto the rooftop, Michiko righted herself, casually brushing at her clothes before peering over the edge of the roof.

They're headed towards the shop like I thought. I probably could sneak Ami out the back if they're distracted, but I still don't know where I'm supposed to take him, and I don't want him to be out in the open if I don't know where I'm going.

Casting a look around for anything notable, Michiko frowned.

Spoiler

Show

Spot: 1d20+6=20

"S'pose I should warn the boys about this imminent 'company,'" she muttered.

Waiting until the two thugs had passed, Michiko let herself hang from the roof's edge and then jumped down to the street below, breaking into a run. She darted into a side street that she knew would take her to back to Kazuma's shop, but around and out of sight of the thugs.

Let's hope I can get there before anything gets messy...