Naruto d20 (Team B)

[Callos_DeTerran]

"Well that's a start at least. What about this note though? What does it say? Are you sure it's my mother's handwriting?" Motoko asked quizzically as she rested a comforting hand on Mitsuhide's forehead. Standing up the slightly older genin paced back and forth across the floor again, covering her face with her hands and deep in thought. "Alright...um...how powerful is this Karaji guy Kaori? Chuunin, jounin, ANBU-level, or something else? I don't know much about the Hidden Rain. In any case we need to get Mitsuhide to the hospital and tell somebody about the bod...about Saki so...well so something can be done with it."

Motoko didn't seem much like her mother at the moment, not quite having the same...confidence or experience behind her voice but it was inspiring to hear a clear course of action none the less and she departed from the room then and returned to her room. It only took a couple of minutes for her to return from her room with a sword in hand and a pack slung over one shoulder.

"Alright, I'll take a quick look at the note to see if I can tell anything but then I'm going to get my team-mates. If he's as powerful as you say Kaori then I'm pretty sure we could use the back-up and despite how wrong in the head Wahe is, he's still the most powerful genin in Kagekure and I can tell my jounin about Saki while I'm out there. You guys know where the hospital is, right?"

[King_of_GRiffins]

Enuferiu

Enu begins nodding in agreement as Motoko proposing her plan and asks her questions; Perhaps he didn't like to have his head beaten in by her, but some respect does exist for quickly coming up with a plan he agrees with.

"It all sounds good to me Motoko. I assume we'll meet back up at the hospital? We should probably set a time, say an hour? Or is that too long? Oh, and by the way," he says, pulling out one of the two orbs he had in his pocket, "I believe Taka-sensei is instructing us to collect and keep these out of the Rain-Ninjas hands, any idea what it's supposed to be?"

[PokeTheBard]

Inosuki Kaori

"Sounds like we have a plan of sorts. Still, i'd rather not tangle with Karaji-sensei if I can help it. He's a jounin-level who's had a whole year to be bitter about me joining another village..."

[Callos_DeTerran]

"An hour might be too long but that could be how long it takes to find my team-mates and jounin. Just make sure your off the streets by the time the storm hits, it looks like a big one." Motoko nodded, seeming to get back some of her own confidence now that there was a plain course of action ahead of them. Taking the yellow orb from Enu's hand she rolled it about in the palm of her own before shrugging some. "No idea but my mother used to wear something that looked like this around her neck though. Was a deep green so I don't know if it's the same thing. It's just glass isn't it?"

For a moment it looked like she was going to smash it off the ground to test her theory but a moment later she handed it back to Enu with a shrug and picked up the note. Eyes narrowing as she read over it the other genin handed it back over to Kaori. "We'll talk more at the hospital...but that's not my mother's hand-writing, she always signs her full name and not just a T. We'll talk later though!" And then Motoko was rushing out the door, sword in hand to leave Kaori and Enu with the task of carrying Mitsuhide to the hospital they had traveled too before.
-------------------------------------------------------------------

Luck...was not with them. The hospital hadn't even come into sight when the storm the trio had seen brewing from the great tree finally hit with a resounding crash of lightening and thunder. Slanted droplets of rain, the only kind that ever really got underneath of the overhand, lightly misted the streets and the village became darker then usual from the overcast skies above but it was the wind that came howling through the streets from the entrance of the valley that were the hazard. By the time reached all three of them had reached the hospital it looked like somebody had hit Kaori, Mitsuhide, and Enu with a small twister and the nurse behind the counter looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. That stopped though when he saw how hurt Mitsuhide was and he beckoned for some help. Looking at Kaori and shaking his head wryly.

"Weren't you two here a while back with that other kid? You guys surprised me a bit, didn't even come to see the guy discharged. The world's going to a bad place when a genin's jounin will come visit his student but a genin's students couldn't care less." Ribbing good-naturedly as a wheelchair was brought over for Mitsuhide.

[King_of_GRiffins]

Enuferiu

Enuferiu looks downcast as he hears the nurse speak, and looks over at his companions, "You guys... Taka, had another genin before me? I just thought they were waiting to fill the space... Didn't think I was a replacement or something.."

Poor Enu shakes his head and discards the thought. "Taka-sensei is female," he corrects the nurse stolidly, "No need to go poking fun at her..."

[PhoeKun]

Asano Mitsuhide

"Sammu-san was released? I wasn't informed... when was this?"

Mitsuhide collapses into the wheel chair as he tries to make sense of the situation. Of course he had wanted to visit his fellow student - there just hadn't been any time. Taka hadn't let there be any time. But then, according to Motoko, Taka was even busier than he was. When could she possibly have had time to...?

Or... perhaps it was someone from Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu. That would make more sense, at least.

"I'm sorry. This will sound strange, but... could you describe the person who came to see Sammu-san?"

[PokeTheBard]

Inosuki Kaori

Kaori is uncharacteristically quiet. He ignores most of the exchange as his mind is more focused of the storm raging outside. It was too much of a coincidence, too much of an omen.

[Callos_DeTerran]

"Oh I wasn't talking about Okabashi-san, I mean how could anyone mistake her for anybody else?" The nurse laughed at this as he started to push the wheelchair towards a room where all three could rest in peace while waiting for the doctors or medical-nin to come and take a look at them. "But I don't need to tell that to you guys, now do I? Nah, this was some guy I didn't really recognize. Said he had come from the Hiten Mitsurugi school, bit of an oddball though cause he said Shinmei first before correcting himself."

The man seemed unconcerned with the incident and then he was opening a sliding door to a plain two bedded hospital room, the window wide open as another flash of lightening barely illuminated the room before the lightswitch was turned on. "What'd he look like? Hmm he was a tall guy, brown hair. His face was a mess of bandages but they didn't seem all that important since one fell off and it didn't bother him, but hey I've seen weirder fashion statements from you shinobi."

A chill ran down Kaori's spine, the description was incredibly familiar to him and the name came readily to mind.

"Said his name was Karaji if that helps." Came the helpful tip just as the windows shook with a boom of thunder from the lightening bolt. "Ahh, that was quite the blast huh? Guess the worst of the storm hasn't hit yet. Good thing we have a back-up generator, huh guys? Well just wait in here, I'll try to get someone in as soon as possible." The nurse said as he departed to leave the three of you alone in the room with naught but your thoughts and each other...

[PokeTheBard]

Inosuki Kaori

Kaori's eyes widened.

"Eh... Karaji-sensei has been here already? We have less time than I thought! We'd better hurry and do something..."

[King_of_GRiffins]

Enuferiu

"Like what, Kaori-san?", Enu asked bluntly. "I don't know of any reason he'd be coming here right now, but you know your former teacher best...."

Without his goggles on (it'd be impossible to see in this weather), his eyes express a tiredness about him. He carefully takes a seat and keeps his head down. "I'm not sure what where doing, or where to begin with all of this. There are too many questions as of now. Where's Taka-sensei? What are these things we're carrying around? Should we really be looking for them and pulling them all together? Have we decrypted the entire meaning of the note Taka-sensei left us? Why is your sensei after them? This is all... sudden and bizarre.. I wouldn't be surprised of this storm isn't some sort of scare tactic against us..."

The short genin breathes through his mask slowly, worried and still rather wet. "Maybe Motoko and her group will have some answers..."

[PokeTheBard]

Inosuki Kaori

Kaori sighed and found a chair to sit in, flexing his shootin' hand.

"Eh, you're right. We need to wait for Motoko's team. I'm also quite surprised we haven't seen many jounin around here, recently... we could use jounin level support if, well..."

[PhoeKun]

Asano Mitsuhide

"I don't understand what he's after. If it's the orbs, there's no way he couldn't have taken them while we were away on the last mission. If it's our lives, why are we still breathing? And now he has Sammu-san as well..."

The frustration in Mitsuhide's voice is as palpable as the worry.

"I'm sorry... I'm going to be useless..."

[Callos_DeTerran]

The uneasy aura of indecision hung uneasily in the air, weighing it down and making a confusing and worrying situation turn all the more frightening. Various questions were unanswered. Where was Sammu and was he okay? What about Taka and why did she entrust these curious orbs into the genin's hands? But there was a slight glimmer of hope and that was Motoko's team and jounin who would hopefully be arriving soon.

In the mean time though an official looking doctor came into the room to properly bandage Mitsuhide's wounds and reassure him that his wounds were neither life-threatening nor in desperate need of a medical nin which were in short supply lately. Already the swordsman could feel stronger from the change of bandages and his body felt like it was on the mend, but it would take some time before he was fully in working order again.

A half hour came and passed with no sign of Motoko or her squad-mates...an hour began to pass and then the door opened to let in a tired looking Motoko who was breathless.

"They aren't coming! 'It's a matter for Ihesamo and the ANBU' they said but they aren't going to come to help!" Motoko declared loudly, looking flustered.

[PokeTheBard]

Inosuki Kaori

Kaori leapt up when Motoko entered.

"Eh, they're right I suppose. But has ANBU been warned? Do they know Karaji is coming?"

[PhoeKun]

Asano Mitsuhide

"ANBU refuses? What could this mean? Those other two were out for blood... Karaji will surely be a threat as well. They have to know something we don't. But what that might be is... a mystery.

Mitsuhide stands slowly, glancing at Motoko worriedly.

"For whatever reason, it seems this is our fight only. I am, at best, a bluff. We need to take careful stock of our resources, and quickly..."

He frowns.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Motoko paused for a moment to get her breath back, giving Mitsuhide an odd look. "No no...my team-mates and jounin aren't coming...I...I don't know if the ANBU are. I hope so at least." She said looking slightly down-trodden at the prospect and it was easy to see why. Kagekure had many problems and jobs that would require powerful shinobi to handle, including the ANBU, and compared to the claims from a genin that an enemy jounin would attack the village...well it'd be hard to take them seriously even with the proof that a body would offer up.

In the silence that followed the statement lightening took the opportune moment to thunder ominously and cast shadows on the hospital room wall. The swordswoman came farther into the room and shut the blinds, looking troubled for a moment. Finally she sat on the floor underneath of the window and gave a groan. "They did give me some advice though. If he's here he might try to get a bartering chip to ransom for what he wants so we should be on the look out for a ransom demand and if we get one...to comply with it."

The lights flickered with the next thunder clap and from outside all three of you can hear the crash of something glass hitting the ground. All three of you jump at that but a visible pall of depression seems to have settled over Motoko. With little other options, especially with Mitsuhide all but out of commission, the three settle in to wait and see...

__________________________________________________ _______________

Night came and still the windows rattled with the force of the winds and the storm continued un-abated. Enu and Kaori had thought it best to stay in the room with Mitsuhide, Motoko as well, in case Karaji decided to make another attempt at their squad or decided to deliver the ransom notes. With only the night crew left in the hospital the power had been turned off and the room made dark.

...All of this greeted Kaori when he jolted awake from where he had fallen asleep in a cold-sweat. Nothing was out of place in the dark room, the darkness was almost complete but that was nothing new in Kagekure...but something just felt...wrong.

[PhoeKun]

Asano Mitsuhide

Mitsuhide watches Motoko for some time, observing the pall that hangs over her. He isn't sure what to do, but he knows that cheering her up even a little might be the only thing left that he can contribute.

Eventually, he rests his hand on her shoulder, hesitating a moment before drawing her into a hug.

"Motoko-dono... none of this is your fault. Please, don't act like it is."

The rest is left unsaid. That he's sure she saved his life... and saved him from himself.
-----------------------------------

Night finds him sleeping uneasily, from a mixture of pain, and worry.

[PokeTheBard]

Inosuki Kaori

Kaori keeps looking out the window throughout the duration of the night, examining the stormwracked scene with worried scrutiny.

(Takes 20 on Spot)

"Eh, I don't like this. I want to set up a watch patrol or something but we're probably safer all in here."

Kaori turns to see that everyone else is sleeping soundly. He furrows his brow, rubs his tired eyes and went back to his vigil. Someone had to...

[King_of_GRiffins]

Enuferiu

Enu stays quiet for the rest of the night, unable to come to any conclusions, or even a good idea about what was really happening. He tries to clear his mind by reading a bit, but finds little relief.

---
Dead asleep, Enuferiu does not respond to Kaori's worries. He lies curled up on the floor next to the bed where he had dozed off, one of his magazines on the floor beside him. Whatever concerns the situation he was in had brought him had vanished in his slumber.

[PhoeKun]

Asano Mitsuhide

Kaori's words are enough to awaken Mitsuhide from his uneasy sleep. He squints his eyes in the dark and stretches as he sits up, his joints popping loudly in protest. He winces.

"Try to stay calm, Kaori-san. We're safest in here and together..."

He blinks, eyes adjusting to the lack of light. It isn't long before his eyes force themselves shut again, his body simply too worn out from his injuries and the emotional strain of the day...

[PokeTheBard]

Kaori Inosuki

Kaori nods and resumes his vigil.

With the best of intentions, fatigue gets the better of him and he falls asleep slumped against the wall by the window.

[Callos_DeTerran]

Despite the sense of wrongness in the air Kaori and Mitsuhide aren't able to keep themselves awake and fall into a fitful slumber. Only when brightening of the room from what little sunlight came through the window did the four awaken to find themselves unharmed and still very much in one piece. Motoko seemed irate about something and when questioned gave a sigh, "My team was hoping to catch that Orgo and Karaji guy in an ambush. See if they struck again tonight then strike when they were least expecting it but it seems like somebody saw through it." was all the explanation that she gave, not elaborating on the fact that the three genin had essentially been used as bait.

Just when activity began to resume inside of the hospital a nurse came to the door and knocked. She smiled and changed Mitsuhide's bandages before pulling a sealed envelope from a pocket and laying it out on his bedside table. "Somebody left this at the front desk last night, thought you might want to read it." she said cheerfully before exiting the room...

Looking at each other apprehensively Kaori tore open the envelope and looked at the contents, recognizing the writing easily.

Team 4,

You have something I want and I have something you want. Sammu and Taka for the orbs she no doubt left with you. An exchange. Any alert of the village superiors will seal their fates. Three days from now, twenty miles south of Kagekure at 1 o' clock. Don't be late and come alone.

Karaji

[PokeTheBard]

Inosuki Kaori

Kaori reads the letter then looks at his awaiting team.

"It's from Karaji, he says... eh... he says he wants a trade. He wants those orbs we found for Taka-sensei and Sammu-san. We aren't allowed to tell anyone else and just Mitsuhide-san, Enu-kun and myself are meant to go. He wants to meet us at one, twenty miles south of the village. We can't tell anyone. I don't think we should, he's a super elite jounin-level. For all we know, he could be watching us right now..."

[King_of_GRiffins]

Enuferiu

Enu looks over Kaori's shoulder and reads a bit himself. "Well, it tells us explicitly where it'll be, and we have three days. Between us, that's more than enough to set a trap...."

This problem seems like the perfect chance to test some of my skills.

[PokeTheBard]

Inosuki Kaori

"No!" snaps Kaori, "We mustn't! Karaji-sensei said we cannot try anything funny of Taka-sensei and Sammu-san are going to die, right?"

He leans in close to Enuferiu and meets his gaze hard.

"Eh, he can't watch us all, and he'll want to keep tabs on me i'll bet. I'm his student after all. When you get the chance, slip away and set up a trap..."

[PhoeKun]

Asano Mitsuhide

"If he has Taka-sensei... than what can we do? I'm afraid he may yet target Motoko-dono, as well and... I am unsure what his motivations are. Some clues suggest he knows exactly where the orbs are, and others suggest he has no idea. I don't understand what to make of it."

Mitsuhide lowers his head, staring at the ground. At least the delay meant he'd have time to properly heal. Eventually, he glances back up at Kaori.

"Kaori-san, you know this man better than anyone here. I'll follow your lead."

It seemed a natural, yet unnecessary thing to say. Kaori was the eldest and most familiar with the situation. Was it not naturally assumed he would take over without Taka to guide them?

[King_of_GRiffins]

Enuferiu

The young genin follows Mitsuhide's lead and gives a nods to Kaori. He goes to the chair he sat in last night and picks up his mask and goggles, donning them again. "I'll go to the site and do our reconnaissance. Twenty miles is a good distance to walk though; I won't be coming back the same day. If I go, I'll have to camp out there, spend one day working, then regroup with you before you arrive at the spot."

He picks up his pack and examines the contents. I must have left my rifle somewhere.... Oh well. He looks to the other nin and states "I think I'll need to do some shopping first."

[Callos_DeTerran]

This is little more talk about the plans and set ups for the hostage exchange, not until Enu would return from his trip out to the meeting spot and so he collected his things and a couple other things along the way and left the village once more to try and make it there before night fall.

Once he arrived Enu found that the meeting spot was practically adjacent to a deep fissure in the ground, most likely it had been another part of the valley that Kagekure lay in until the walls or some other catastrophe had occured and sealed it off away from the main valley. A sturdy looking rope bridge leads across the sixty foot wide gap that spirals into darkness below. Trees sit off of the path, a good twenty feet away from the middle of the path, to either side except on the opposite side where it looks as if they had been charred away.

There is no sign of Karaji, Orgo, or anyone else there and the entire scene is eerily quiet...

[King_of_GRiffins]

Enuferiu

Enuferiu looks around, the one bridge not much to look at. It was clear this was where the exchange was to take place. He was sure to bring his kit and plenty of kunai, but how to use them was a matter of debate.

We have the one bridge. If I were doing this, I would conduct the exchange across it, asking one person to come to the center to hand over the orbs while my subordinate carried the prisoners across....

Crap! Did I bring the orbs with me? What if he pops out of nowhere and captures me? I... I'm an idiot... No sense worrying about that now.

Pulling out three explosive tags, he places each underneath the bridge at equal intervals one quarter way, halfway, three-quarter way...

Having placed his tags, he returns to his end of the bridge and starts fiddling with his tools, setting up a mechanical trap to throw kunai from underneath the bridge to anyone who steps onto the ground infront of it. Surprised at the speed of his preparations, he heads back to the treeline and finds a place to hide and rest off the night. This is the end of day 1. My team will be here at the end of day 2. I'll have to watch for activity until then, and stay on guard.

Spoiler

Show

Minor Kunai Trap, Perform DC 12
Ninjutsu - (1d20+11)[31]; 1 5 foot square in front of the bridge possesses a Minor Kunai Shower Trap

Placing 3 Exploding tags underneath the bridge

Enu will go behind the treeline and set up a place for him to hide, and put on the proper camouflage cloak before resting for the night.
Hide - (1d20+11)[28]

[Callos_DeTerran]

Despite Enu's trepidation at sleeping out away from the village with the possibility of Karaji or another enemy setting upon him while he was alone. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily depending on how one saw it, nothing happened to him as he kept watch that night and the following day while he waited for Kaori, Mitsuhide, and Motoko to arrive. The sun had only just gone down when the trio arrived and with an anxiousness falling over everyone they waited for the next day and the exchange.

The sun seemed bright in the sky above when everyone awoke fully and rose to their feet stretching and looking across the bridge to where the hostages and their captors were to appear. Time continued to pass and the sun rose up to it's peak in the sky but still no Karaji, Orgo, Taka, or even Sammu. Finally there was motion across the gorge. With a puff of smoke a tall lean man with dark-hair appeared, with a knocked out Taka slung over one shoulder. An Amegakure headband, the engraving coarsely crossed out, sat proudly on his forehead and he wore tight black clothing to give him freedom of movement. At the sight of the genin across the bridge a wolfish smile came to his face and Rio could feel a shiver run up his spine...Karaji. Then there was another puff of smoke as Orgo appeared beside his master, face stone-cold and holding a blanket wrapped body up with some difficulty. Orgo's hard eyes focused entirely on Mitsuhide and he made no move as Karaji hefted his burden and opened his mouth to begin speaking.

"HEY!" That oddly familiar voice came from behind the group of genin, from the road leading to Kagekure and when you turn and look you can see the bespectacled face of Motoko's team-mate jogging up towards the meeting point and waving a hand frantically. "I said 'hey'! Don't start without me!"

Motoko glances in surprise at the older genin then to the other's shrugging apologetically even as she turned back around and ignored Ichitika, focusing all her attention on Taka and the man holding her.

"I thought I said to come alone Kaori! Nobody else. It's good to see you listen as good as ever." This time the mocking voice came from the Amegakure jounin holding unto the trio's jounin, a smirk on his face as he propped his head up with his free hand. "You know I have every right to throw this woman into the gorge for this, don't you?"

As if to empathize that statement he took a firmer hold of the back of Taka and hefted her as if to toss her into the pit. "Did you bring them or not?"