Team Kurina: The Hunt for the Red Shinobi!

[ZeroNumerous]

The Police Station

The kid beams at his supposed success at intercepting a group of obvious spies, but then quickly remembers his job and gets behind the group to menace them with his one little shiny dagger. As you enter into the police station, you immediately notice that the first two rooms are a combination waiting room and reception area as well as a place to take off your shoes. The soft tatami floor would serve a double purpose of comfort and emergency defensive maneuvers in the event of an attack. The receptionist smiles and gives the little boy a sucker as a treat. The boy takes it and leaves in quiet exaltation over his job well done.

The receptionist, a genin only a little older than yourselves, points you down the hall and upstairs. She instructs you not to interfere with anything the police officers are currently working on. As you head up the wooden stairs and round a small corner that leads into the second floor, you immediately notice the familiar feeling of being watched. The second floor consists almost entirely of police desks and every man and woman in the room--all wearing Konohagakure headbands--stares straight at you.

Before any of you can speak, a man in a dark grey business suit steps forward and gestures toward the office he had just left. His face is obscured behind a mask that resembles a Raccoon. The raccoon's dull, lifeless eyes fixate on the entire group, almost as if the wearer had already fought the battle that would never happen a hundred times in his head. He steps back into the office with measured and precise movements to await your approach.

Upon entering his office, you note the distinctly spartan design of the room. No pictures hang on his walls, and no pictures sit atop the pile of paper and wood that passes for his desk. The raccoon-faced man stands across the desk from you and faces a small window overlooking the mountain decorated with deceased faces. His back is facing you, either as a show of trust or as proof that he doesn't consider you a threat. "Good evening, Hai-shinobi. I assume you are here about this.." He turns and places a single brown manilla folder upon his desk. "Two of my men were found dead in the forest this morning, and the third member of their team doesn't remember what happened to them. This is around the same time that I got reports of Kurina-san returning home, which leads me to believe you are involved."

[Phecto]

Shunrai looks at the floor in here and and while there others take off their shoes, she reins in the storm so it doesn't do worse to the floor than shoes would. Once they are all ready she goes with the others up to meet the chief.

Once he asks about them being involved with Kurina and some dead shinobi she decides she'll let Natsumi do the talking before she says things they don't think should be said again.

[Gengy]

Kyoshin gives his feet a good glance at before entering, and then walks with a smile on his face.

...which immediately disappears on the second floor. And definitely turns into a frown when the captain throws down the folder.

Kyoshin's face runs a gambit of emotions, ranging from anger at the implications that Kurina or the three of her students did something, to trying to profess everyone's innocence. He very obviously wants to say something, but is finding it hard to figure out what.

He settles on a question, "Were there any pie tins at the scene?"

...which wasn't what Kyoshin wanted to ask at all. Natsumi-san is probably going to kill me.

[AlienRat]

Well, while that was funny. Okay, it was very funny. Natsumi's face doesn't crack. Her eyes don't even leave the man across the table as she elbows Kyoshin in the arm. Tenmai trainning paying off as that boney joint finds just the right painful spot where muscle meets nerve ending.

"I would greatly enjoy hearing how you beleive we're involved." This is said with no sarcastic tone, she really is interested in knowing. Gads! She thinks. We are cursed to live in interesting times! She sighs, building up for her next comment. "We'd be poor genin indeed if we killed two, injured one, and then walked right into town, into the police station, of the ninja we just attacked." Okay, that part had some sarcastic flavor. But said more like an employee talking to their boss.

[ZeroNumerous]

The raccoon-face remains unchanging, it's wooden features and soulless eyes fixate upon Kyoshin unwaveringly. "No." The raccoon offers it's quiet and unspoken disapproval at Kyoshin's outburst until Natsumi speaks, at which point the man and mask shifts it's focus to the smaller kunoichi. "I didn't say you committed the crime, little girl. However, I do think there are Hai-shinobi within my village's walls who haven't registered themselves with me first. Which leads me to why I believe you're involved, given that your lack of a teacher and I know Haigakure uses the same three-man team method as we do."

The raccoon-faced man sits at his desk, then puts his elbows upon it and rests his head in his hands without the raccoon taking it's eyes off you. "So, genin. Where is your teacher?"

[Gengy]

Kyoshin sits quietly and rubs his arm, his face contorted in discomfort. After the numbing stobs, he can think straight again.

I wanted to ask what kind of weapons were used to kill them... not about the pies. Matasu could have caused this trouble. Could even still be here, in this villaige.

Kyoshin grimaces at the thought, and leans down to Natsumi's ear, not bothering to hide what he's saying from the police chief.

"I think we should tell him about the Bull."

[Phecto]

Shunrai smiles to the chief "I believe our teacher is probably at home, I don't think she ever really leaves the village cause of her position and all. As for what happened to your people, well we mostly only know about the people that keep trying to kill us and they certainly aren't shinobi of our village." She keeps right on smiling, though it looks a bit strained as she tries to keep the wind from making an awful mess of all that paper sitting on his desk just asking for a chance to fly "any more questions we can answer for you?"

[AlienRat]

Natsumi listens to Kyoshin's whisper, then pauses for a few seconds after Shunrai talks and nods. "It is a bit confusing, Sir. Kurina was our sensei, Tenmai is our sensei. We don't know where Kurina-sama is, we were sent to find her cook book, and believe she may have it." She shrugs helpless like. "I do know there's another team, our age, in the area but not in the city. I don't know what their mission is. Any" She clears her thoat slightly and stresses the next word. "others claimming to be shinobi from our village are lieing."

[ZeroNumerous]

Police Station

"Tenmai? Mitsuryuu Tenmai, correct? Well at least I know now that you aren't a threat if you're her students." The man sighs before he continues. "Regardless of your true mission, however, I must inform you that Kurina-san left the city yesterday. With the given circumstances and problems facing my city. Well, it suffices to say that we would be happier without the presence of hai-shinobi. So I could tell you where she went. But, I would need something from you in exchange."

The man reaches behind his desk and pulls out one of the drawers. The harsh grind of metal against metal spoke volumes for the amount of maintenance his desk had received. With a flick of his wrist, the raccoon-faced man produces another brown manilla envelope. A half-hearted toss sends it fluttering toward Kyoshin. "This man is downstairs, and I want you to help him find the killer of my men. Once you've succeeded with that, then I'll tell you where Kurina-san left for--possibly even where a certain traitor she was looking for had gone."

Envelope

Inside the soft brown enclosure is a simple photograph that looks new and crisp. It depicts a black-haired man staring into the camera with a goofy half-grin plastered across his face. He's wearing a Konohagakure headband and his eyes are closed. A name scrawled across the top in a hasty hand reads simply 'Rukksu Ikuyo'.

[Gengy]

Kyoshin hands the folder down for Natsumi and Shunrai to see, and remains quiet.

She was here yesterday. Yesterday! We weren't fast enough. And this will delay us more.

[AlienRat]

Natsumi sighs, her shoulders slump. Thoughts echoing Kyoshin's dance around in her head. She holds onto the photo for a few seconds, looking it over, then passes it to Shunrai. Well, we're stuck. Maybe if we do this though we can earn a personal ally. Maybe a step closer to an ally for our city. That would be a good thing. She looks to Shunrai and Kyoshin. "Seems like maybe not the fastest, but probably the only way to finish our mission. Any objections?"

[Gengy]

"None." Kyoshin's ever present stomach grumbles loudly. "But I could use a nice big salad. Maybe two. If we can negotiate for a meal, that'd be nice. But it's not required."

The large genin pulls out a pear from the top of his shoulder sack and eats it to the core in three bites.

[Phecto]

Shunrai looks over the picture and sighs before taking a deep breath "Seems to me that if Kurina was chasing someone and your problem happened around the time she'd have been getting here then perhaps the one responsible could be the one she is chasing. Maybe you should just tell us where you think she went and we'll let your person come with us to see what they can learn about what happened when we find Kurina and whoever she was after. It doesn't make sense for you to with hold information on the possible location of the 2 primary suspects unless you don't want us to actually solve this for you. I'm also surprised that if you suspect Kurina and think you know where she's headed, that you haven't already sent anyone after her." She smiles to the chief again as she offers back the picture, but the smile doesn't even come close to showing in her eyes which are almost glowing and showing the strain of keeping the wind from making a mess out of his office.

[ZeroNumerous]

Shunrai's questions are answered by a soft "tut-tut-tut" and a wagged finger. "I never said she was chasing someone when she left, nor that I suspected her in anything at all. No, I suspect the individual I'm looking for is still inside the city. It just so happens that you're looking for someone too, and I know where they've went. Conversely, I'm looking for someone I don't know, but I suspect my suspect will find you in due time. None the less, you can take my offer or not, but I suggest you choose quickly as I have things to do."

[AlienRat]

Well, she's got Kyoshin's vote. Thats two in favor of helping. Not that Shunrai said no or anything, and she has to admire her team mates attempt to then information out of the police chief anyways. "We'll accept. Where there's one murderous ninja there can always be two." She looks over at Shunrai. "Besides, it's always nice to be helpful."

[Gengy]

"Let's not waste Chief-sama's time then." Kyoshin bobs his head towards the raccoon faced man, and steps backwards, out of the office, to allow the girls room to move.

And maybe this Konoha shinobi can point us in the direction of a good restaurant.

[ZeroNumerous]

The captain gives you directions to the man's desk, and then immediately ushers you outside as an officer steps into his office. The door closes behind you, and you all can hear the muffled sounds of voices coming from inside.

Rukksu Ikuyo

You find him sitting at a desk full of paperwork, but the young shinobi is just sitting with a hand on his head and his eyes closed. His chest moves slowly, and you can easily infer that he's sleeping rather than doing his work. He's wearing a Konohagakure headband wrapped around his right forearm like a tourniquet. The man is rather thin and doesn't appear to be much older than yourselves. He's wearing a simple Konoha-style ninja vest and matching pants. His dark black hair is cut short, which is distinctly different than the shoulder-length hair he portrayed in his photo.

[Gengy]

"Excuse us; Rukksu-san? Rukksu Ikuyo-san?" Kyoshin gently squats down until he's eye level with the leaf shinobi. "We don't mean to disturb you, but the chief sent us."

Seeing that he is asleep, Kyoshin clears his throat and speaks up a bit louder, hoping to snap Ikuyo awake. "Um... hmmm... ah. A-TENnnnn-HUT!"

[Phecto]

Shunrai frowns seeing him sleeping "Are we really supposed to get anything done having to drag this guy around? If yelling doesn't work maybe you should tank his chair out from under him and see if the floor wakes him up" The wind starts to pick back up around her a bit, these people are trying her patience

[ZeroNumerous]

"Oui.. I'm awake!" He speaks with a voice faintly familiar to you. He doesn't sound like anyone you know, but it feels familiar all the same. Ikuyo turns and smiles at the three of you while appearing to evaluate you with closed eyes. "Sorry.. I just dozed off. My rest hasn't been too adequate over the last few days." Now that you've gotten a good look at his face--harden from years of work apparently--he looks about eighteen or so. He speaks while facing Natsumi, and doesn't open his eyes when he addresses her. "You're the brains, eh? Well, what do you need?"

[AlienRat]

She raises an eyebrow. The brains? Oy. "I don't know if I'm the brains, but I have one. What I need is to find our former teacher, however your captain won't tell me that until We've helped you find however killed two members of that team." Her arms cross in front of her chest. Great, an over worked under rested ninja to work with. At least so far he make sense when he talks. "So, I guess the question is, what do you need."

[ZeroNumerous]

"Great, the brains doesn't know what the muscle or the mouth should be doing.. Well kiddo, I need you to pull a miracle and find out who murdered two ninja and sent the third into a coma. All without them drawing weapons, using any katon ninjutsu, damaging the trees, the gate, or anyone seeing anything." The konoha-nin turns around and hangs his head. "It's impossible. You should just give up."

[Phecto]

Shunrai sighs "Impossible for a dumb group of thugs probably, but you don't think skilled ninja could possibly ambush this team? From what I've heard it seems that's exactly what happened. If you want to know how, maybe you should let us in on how they died. What sorts of injuries did they have?"

[AlienRat]

She listens to the rest of what the Rukksu says. "Great, the police officer we're supposed to be helping seems intent on insulting me or my team mates." Then looks over at Shunrai and nods. "Letting us look at the scene might help too, although the rain has probably done away with anything, we could be lucky. Has a medical-nin been seeing to the shinobi in a coma?"

[ZeroNumerous]

"The two dead ones had kunai wounds. One to each vital organ and two slashes across the throat. The one in the coma.. It's strange, she doesn't have any wounds. A medi-nin checked her, but she doesn't appear to have any wounds. No one has any idea what's wrong with her, but she just won't wake up. As for the scene.. Most of it is gone already. They were probably killed during the rain, and their bodies were moved post mortem. For all we know, they were killed in the forest and dragged all the way to the gate."

[Gengy]

Kyoshin was still trying to decide if he was taken aback by 'the muscle' comment, and decided that most people probably put him in that category, so it didn't matter that either of the two kunoichi on his team could probably out fight him - well, they probably could have awhile ago; maybe not now - he would always be 'the muscle' because of his appearance.

"Forgive me, Rukksu-san; you said that the deceased did not use any jutsu of any kind? No evidence of the attackers using jutsu either?" Something nags at Kyoshin, and he doesn't like the thought. "This may seem a silly question, but... has the... has the survivor been checked for genjutsu?"

[ZeroNumerous]

"Even if we knew, there are precious few ways to check genjutsu aside from the increased chakra flow to the brain. Needless to say, but the chakra flow to the third victim's brain is very low."

[Gengy]

Kyoshin gets a troubling look on his face as the nagging thought grows. Turning around to look at Natsumi and Shunrai, the large genin shrugs his ample shoulders.

"You two were with Tenmai-sama more than I. Ever heard about a genjutsu victim who's chakra slowed down?"

[Phecto]

Shunrai sighs and closes her eyes for a moment to get control of herself "They probably aren't still under the effects of the genjutsu, something that happened in the illusion probably caused the coma, which is why there's no marks. The other 2 were likely caught in the genjutsu as well and killed without even knowing they were being attacked. I don't know why the 3rd wasn't killed, perhaps whoever did it was interrupted. There's no reason so far to assume it was a single person that did it either. There could have been 2 of them, or even 20 with the evidence we have so far." She backs away from the messy desk before she starts a tornado in here. "Even if we could fix whatever mental trauma is causing the coma and wake the survivor up, we probably couldn't learn anything from them, they'd only have seen what the enemy wanted them to."

[AlienRat]

"Well, it's either more then one or the one is really strong. It takes time to carry three bodies from point A to B." Natsumi rubs her forehead. "So, we don't know the real crime scene. The two that were killed were killed by probably the most generic ninja weapon ever... Do we have anything to go on?" She sighs. "What does the captain want from us, we're genin, not nin-investigators. I could try an autopsy, if one hasn't been done yet. But I really haven't ever done one before, just read about it."