♒ || Land of Water | Himawari (Sunflower) Jobs [Business]

[HeadlessKoko]

The burly fist of the client clenched as Takeda started the conversation by criticizing the defenses put in place. How was he described? Professional until he opened his mouth? Yeah, that was pretty spot on. Even if his honesty had been accurate, hearing the defenses called lacking unsettled the large man's nerves. As sternly as he sat there and as solid as his posture, a day's worth of waiting for what could very much be his demise would take a mental toll.

Smirking to keep up the appearance of control, Mizutani coolly turned aside Takeda's words, warning and all, "Your organization's messenger came by some time ago. They said that you shouldn't be listened to. I can see why." His fist unclenching, the tension seemed to be somewhat released as he recalled his equilibrium. "Say that you take my place, then where would you have me go? Outside of the most well protected building in this place?". The smirk turned less forced as he took comfort in finding an upper hand.

The unfamiliar was scary, and the familiar, that which had been planned for hours on end, was a comfort. A few words from some upstart shinobi acting like he was superior would not rub well with someone like the man who was synonymous with the black market trade of weapons in the Water Country.

- - -

"Mido."

"Yeah, I'm tuned in to your surveillance. That was unexpected. I'd like Aka's opinion, but she isn't expected to get into position until it's too late..."

"Request to incorporate subject S-H-2?"

"... Approved but do not act. Proceed as is."

"Kin, Nade had the same idea. It might be to our advantage to try. Inform Aka when connected"

"Understood."

"Yuu, when I give the order, I want you to tap, very softly, on the indicated wall."

"Huh??? What? Why?..."

Radio silence.

Hey. HEY. ANYONE THERE?"

"Please refrain from useless comments."

---------------------- Clone A ----------------------

The face of the green-haired archer quite clearly conveyed, "Yeah, why do you think I don't want you within 15' of me?". True to her... silent word, Hanajima sidled out of the way. Maybe not 15' away, but she made sure to put Ryousuke between the ticking time bomb and herself.

"Eh... Well," Ryousuke, who didn't mind being used as a bomb shelter, gave an apologetic smile and rubbed the back of his head. He gave a look at the frowning and angrily foot-tapping Moriko, then back at Takeda, "Well, they're a bunch of nice folks, they are. Village folks like you, but I don't reckon I should say out loud who they be. Moriko here looks like she is going ta blow her top there."

Moriko's eyes shot open and she sternly glared at Ryousuke. She snapped, "Haah? You can't just withhold information like that, Ryousuke. Don't use my feelings as an excuse!".

"Well, I reckon it ain't really an excuse so much as, you see, I figured he would be able to tell if I said that much clues, and you won't have ta hear about them directly. I am a-feared that, one day, your head might really go boom with how much ya think about her."

"Who said I think about that b***h Kagero all the time, huh?! That's a lie! Absolute lie!".

"Well, I dunno, I-"

Before things could get any more out of hand, be it Moriko's energetic refusals or the tension he sensed building in Takeda, Daisuke reluctantly intervened, literally standing between the two other Senju. "Stop stop," he chilled the confrontation down, "Just let it rest Ryu, and you too Momo. Kagero isn't even here, so aren't you being a little unfair?". Looking apologetically back at the group's new acquaintance, Daisuke casually shifted in from between the two Senju to standing between Takeda and Moriko instead. "I'm sorry that you had to see that. But anyways, it's as you heard. To be exact, it's the group from the Kiritani clan that have gone around taking control of things on this mission. Though, I think the whole healing thing is mostly just the other Kagerou's idea, then something her group as a whole is interested in, so you should look for her specifically."

---------------------- Clone B ----------------------

Nori snapped his fingers, as if in revelation, "Aha! Of course! It's been so long, I didn't even recognize the face." Sliding smoothly off the gazebo, he landed in front of Takeda to get a good, closer look of the now grown man.

Jokes aside, however, Nori wasn't the type of man to prattle on endlessly when there was business to be held. Tucking his hands into his sleeves, he leaned against the waist-high wall of the gazebo and got right into business, "Aye, you sure know what questions to ask. Hm... I'm mostly retired myself, so I would like to help out a young'un from the same village as I. Unfortunately, I personally know one of the groups here has a lot more riding for them on this mission than most, so I don't really feel justified in giving away everything. Hm... Give me a moment to think." Rubbing his chin with one hand, he took a moment to consider what he could give away that wouldn't unnecessarily impede the other group. After chewing the inside of his cheek for a bit, he finally reopened his mouth to divulge, "I will say this much, Kotodori's streak goes on for a lot longer than just the calling cards. She was oinin back in Kiri. I worked with her a good bit. Got some drinks with her, too. Haha, more than a few times, she'd have to carry me and her husband back home after a failed drinking match. Anyways, where was I? Oh, right, I've never heard of a mission she had failed. Personally, I'm a bit scared of her, it's why I'm staying here, near the water. If I'm lucky, she chooses to enter from the East and I've got something to do. I think if I can fight her here, I might have some sort of a chance against her?".

[89 sentences]


[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x3,900 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x5,000 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

"I'd have you stay right here. As you said, it's the most well-protected building." Takeda spoke without breaking eye contact with Mizutani, boring his red eyes into the merchant's brown ones relentlessly. He didn't glare, but his neutral expression could suggest a dominance that far surpassed a measly smirk. He continued, not wasting any time before gesturing towards the wall nearest to him. Like the others, they were intricately inscribed with fuuin. Even if the glowing butterflies near said walls continued to pique his curiosity, he refused to break eye contact with the merchant. "There are seals inscribed in the walls, floors, even the ground beneath it all. With as many as there are, I'm certain there's something in place meant to hide our chakra signatures. That means she won't have eyes on you until she's in here with us. Instead of you, she'll be trying to kill me. " Dropping his arm back to his side, Takeda sighed, breaking eye contact for just a moment to shake his head.

"When I walked into this room, I didn't see poor fortifications. I saw a gamble. I'm not trying to tell you to leave the defenses you've made. What I'm giving you is a window of opportunity you didn't have before if she breaches the building and moves faster than the seals can act. As for how we'll hide you, well...you have three shinobi-types with you who should be able to answer that question." Takeda had tons of answers himself, of course, but he felt like gauging the capabilities of the other fighters in the room. If the merchant did agree to his offer, he'd be counting on them too.

Overall, he'd need to have one hell of a good reason to reject Takeda. Considering it took place in the well-protected building the merchant was so fond of, it was a matter of increasing his odds instead of taking a whole new gamble.

---------------------- Clone A ----------------------

If there was any combination of words that could sour the progression of Takeda's possible new friendship, "that b***h Kagero(u)" fit the bill. It wasn't like he was her knight in shining armor or anything like that. Kagerou could fight her own battles without needing him to step in. The recent complications in his feelings regarding the kunoichi, however, didn't make things easy. The Kagerou who was always there for him may have hurt him, but she didn't deserve to be called that. Not as far as he was concerned.

Eyes set on Moriko, Takeda prepared the words he'd use to interject and was ready to speak when Daisuke intervened. Admittedly, Takeda didn't hear much of what he was saying to Ryu or Momo. No, he was glaring at the girl instead, something that didn't seem to catch her attention. Ultimately, it was the distance placed between himself and Kagerou that helped him recognize his childish behavior. Again, she could handle her own battles. Besides, he was on a mission. Even if he acted like he was getting himself under control, the insult to her was still bothering him.

It wasn't until Daisuke finished speaking that he blinked his eyes, cheeks flushing a bit. "Wait, what other Kagerou? I've only known one that's affiliated with the water country. Green hair, red eyes, doesn't know how to stop smiling? She heals too, so..." Stopping before he got into the rambling territory, he put context clues together but still drew a blank. What were the odds of another Kagerou being mentioned in the same place she was currently at? Breathing out a long exhale, he returned some resolve to his expression. "I'm curious about the Kiritani since that's not a name I know, but that Kagerou is the partner I mentioned. She's someone I care about, so what Moriko was saying wasn't sitting well with me. If it's not about her, let's move past it and talk about anything else."

---------------------- Clone B ----------------------

"Oinin, huh? I guess that explains why I never heard of her, even if we were in the same place. I...noticed something, though." He spoke, gaze softening a bit as he talked with the former dock worker. As much as he enjoyed the man's outgoing personality, his training caused him to pick out the important pieces in a conversation. Walking over to the gazebo Mori was leaning against, Takeda turned his back beside him and did the same. Looking ahead, the jiongu allowed himself to take in the sights of the east wing in the midst of their conversation. "There was no "but then she changed," or "she only started to lose herself when" in your words. You seemed to be pretty familiar. Familiar enough to meet her alone in this place, even if it's a death wish." He stated, continuing to look straight ahead without bothering to make eye contact anymore. It was him doing his best to not bond any more with the dock worker, one who was bound to die if he fought alone. All the same, he remained. Not just to talk and gain information on his target, but also to enjoy a conversation with someone he once considered too mature to talk with.

While it was normally imposing to meet someone older in a profession where men died young, Takeda couldn't help being confronted with melancholy instead. Maybe it was the serenity of their environment or the culmination of everything he'd learned and heard thus far.

"I'm sure you know what caused her to go from carrying you home to slaughtering anyone in her way, but you're not going to tell me for the same reason you're not going to let me fight alongside you. Right?"


HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Mizutani challenged Takeda's eye contact by maintaining his own. An immovable expression, but gradually, the bravado of an impression bluff gave way to thoughtful consideration. It seemed, if Mizutani just took the time to ignore the brash youth's bluntness, there were some good ideas there, some good talent. If it was Mizutani, he would be inclined to take advantage of it. He hadn't come this far ignoring talent, after all, and his choice to give the Kiritani so much freedom came from that particular trait.

However, he could not appear too eager to the idea. Keeping his cards close to his chest, he ceded only a little. "You're smarter than you looked at first. I'll give you that much, but I still don't trust you. I've never heard of a mercenary or bounty hunter, even a former shinobi, who would go so far as to use themselves as bait for a one-time client. Do you see what I'm getting at?.

- - -

"Repeating earlier request..."

"Still approved. Continue to proceed as is. Information will be passed through his clone. Too many eyes in the sanctuary."

"S-H-2 is persistent. I don't know how much longer I can stall."

"Nade is having trouble it seems. Should I intervene?"

"Hold, but prioritize your current objective. Yield if you must. Using him as a second decoy may work out."

"Leave it be for now. Aka should be there soon. In some ways, having him as a second decoy is almost better."

"You can do this, Nadeshiko."

"Please refrain from useless comments."

---------------------- Clone A ----------------------

Hanajima, sensing impending danger, quietly darted out from the safety of Ryousuke's back to pull Moriko behind the bigger farmer with her. It was what friends were for, after all.

Moriko, despite her, "What?!" and, "Huh?!" didn't physically fight back. It wouldn't be too hard to guess. Earlier, she had started while he was glaring at her, as if she only noticed in the middle of his second to last sentence and suddenly grown intimidated, which was saying something as his glare had softened by then. Then, as she was being dragged away, she'd glanced at the sharp set eyes again before avoiding them just as quickly as before after confirming they were still angry eyes.

With Hanajima preferring quiet, Moriko beginning to reflect on her actions, and Ryousuke only around to keep his friends safe, the burden of explanations fell, once again, on Daisuke. He gave a relieved sigh, glad to see the situation de-escalate as he had hoped. Though, as he nodded away thoughtfully to Takeda, both his ramblings and as he pulled himself together, it didn't seem like he was aware of that burden himself. More like an accepted fact of life at this point as he comfortably replied, "Ah, I think I know which Kagerou you're talking about. Not many that would fit that description, after all. Hm... Well, to start, both of them are with the Kiritani and they were both part of Kirigakure. They're cousins. Blood-related, to be exact. Though, different last names, and their first names are also written with different kanji."

In the air, to demonstrate, he traced the different kanji with water. "The older Kagero that we know better uses the kanji for 'heat haze.' Your Kagerou uses the kanji for Mayfly." Each character lingered for a little before being released and allowed to rain onto the ground below. Regardless of which kanji was the right kanji, both would feel equally foreign besides Kagerou. She'd never written her name out in kanji.

An obliging smile was given with the next line, "Your Kagerou is the medic who's offered to heal everyone after this mission, and asked them, too, if they would accept healing during the mission should circumstances permit. So... while she's not the Kagero Momo was insulting, she's part of the Kiritani, and you did say you're interested in them. Would you like to continue this conversation or move to a different topic?". True to the Senju stereotype, Daisuke was sensitive enough to recognize that Takeda's discomfort stemmed from talking about this particular person, and as a Senju, he didn't want to make the other party uncomfortable.

---------------------- Clone B ----------------------

The east wing was a tranquil garden. Somewhere, in the not too far distance, a small, man-made fall could be heard. The waters flowed lazily, Leaves rustled faintly, and if Takeda chose to look out away from the main building, he would see a small, quaint shed nestled quietly behind a stand of aquatic trees, easily missed even in this brightly lit courtyard, but a shinobi's training and prolonged observation would bring it out.

"Heheh," the veteran laughed. Though, to what, it was hard to say. Probably to multiple things? "Don't look like you're going to cry now," his tone was playful, his words exaggerating, but with a hint of truth, "I ain't a dead man walking, I assure you. I wouldn't have accepted this mission if I thought I was going to die. A man has got to eat, but it's better to starve for a day than to throw your life away for a meal. I'm not confident in winning, but I am at least confident in surviving so long as I stay in my place. It's like going out into the ocean. You know you're outmatched, but you do it anyways because you also know you're not doomed."

Giving the young man a discerning look, the former oinin's eyes softened. "Though, in case I do die, hear an 'old' man out in his final hour, eh?" He chuckled again, this time at some joke that only he seemed to hear. Moving his eyes away from Takeda to stare in the same direction the young man did, he rambled on in his gravelly voice, "Don't be afraid to look people in the eye, especially if you think they will leave you soon. Life is too short, and the time you will get to spend with them all the more. Take every moment you can get before you regret it, especially shinobi like us, who've fought for each moment with our blood, sweat, and tears. Cloister yourself away in fear of being left behind, and you'll find out that what's worse than fear is having nothing to fear for."

Answering questions not asked. Giving advice not requested. Working with the sea since his youth had taught him how to go with the flow. However, he really was taking his sweet time answering the one thing Takeda had asked for, dancing around in circles as he searched for an answer himself.

However, he wasn't the type to just leave a question unanswered without a word. No, he'd grown annoyed at that particular trait in plenty of other shinobi he'd met to be willing to use that trick himself. In due time--or just as Takeda looked ready to leave, whichever came first--he answered, "I may have told you what happened to her if I knew. Ironically, considering what I said earlier, the only person I know who would have been able to tell you is a dead man. Her daughter is still alive and would also know, but I do not know if she would say anything. The last time I saw her, she looked so much more like her mother." The same happy memories he recalled when he first saw Takeda again returned with a melancholic pang, but what shinobi didn't have such feelings?

"Well, enough of this depressing stuff." The answer was, many shinobi, and Nori had more than his fair share of such moments. More than knowing better than to dawdle on such things, he knew how to get his mind off such things before wasting too much time. "What was that other thing you said? 'You're not going to let me fight alongside you'? I didn't expect you to grow up to be such a cocky brat. What makes you think you know what I'm going to say just like that?" If he knew Takeda better, Nori may have hit him on the head for looking down on his elders, but as it was, he settled with a couple undignified, "Hmph! Hmph!" At the same time as the spirited display, the temperature of the immediate area dropped several degrees. Nori did not like playing mysterious "guess what I'm saying" games, but certainly, some things were easier to show than to explain. "The real questions there should be 'Are you able to fight alongside me?'". A confident smirk as he teased, enjoying himself this rare chance to show off to the younger generation. See, one of the good things of living this long is getting to show off. "You may just know me as Big Nori, stuck with dock clean-up and baby-sitting some brick-headed kid that just ignored him every day, but I'm a pretty skilled shinobi myself, you know?". As the degrees dropped further, a mist began to form and then crackling heard as the first drops of water began to freeze with the ambient temperature freefall. Thin sheets of ice formed in fragments across the pond. Frost gathered on the clothes of the two men and the plants bobbing their merry heads innocently. All with a single breath. Though, it stopped around there. Nori just wanted to show off and warn Takeda of the kind of environment he was going to be fighting in. He didn't want to actually freeze such a good kid.

[109 sentences]


[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x3,900 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x5,000 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

Blinking his eyes, Takeda paused for a moment after Mizutani responded. It wasn't just that the response was more favorable than expected, but he didn't expect the merchant to suspect a potential opportunity so much. If he was suspicious, why even let him in? Besides, he even notified Maelstrom about the case to smooth things over for his arrival...Putting the thoughts to the back of his mind, he responded. "Maelstrom is sponsoring this mission, Mizutani, and I'm here on their behalf. Questioning my motives is the same as questioning Emiko. As a man of business, you shouldn't need me to spell out the implication." He started, cutting into things with vicious precision. Direct as always, it was no surprise why some clients wanted nothing to do with him. His proficiency, however, was something that a man in Mizutani's position couldn't ignore.

"Being bait isn't a big deal for me because I'm confident in my ability to survive, but I l dislike the term "bait" because it carries the predisposition that I'm helpless. Flytrap is a much better word." It was a strange thing to bring up, but it wasn't anything new for Takeda. He had his little preferences, and there was no way around it. "When it comes to Kekkei Genkai, my situation is unique, but I technically fall in line with the Jiongu. Because of that, I'd have to receive fatal wounds several times over before I'd actually die. If that doesn't convince you somehow, I'm also skilled in medical jutsu. Walking in front of a blade for you is a non-issue, Mizutani." Reason after reason piled up, to the point where Mizutani's denial was starting to seem ridiculous. Instead of questioning him, though, Takeda wondered for a moment if it was because he wasn't recognized enough. Maybe it was a status issue? Regardless, the merchant shouldn't have been so prideful if the matter was concerning life or death. Beggars can't be choosers, and anyone in Mizutani's position should've been collecting every cent.

"I don't know if it'll make you more comfortable, but I probably wouldn't be making this offer if I believed I could die here."

---------------------- Clone A ----------------------

Takeda didn't want to say the naming scheme was stupid since it involved Kagerou, but...it was so strange. The desire to ask what could have possessed the family to do something like that was strong, but the thought that he'd look like a fool if he asked something so basic overpowered it. Remaining silent turned out to be the best option since the information he received was worth listening to. "So, they're blood relatives...more importantly..." He thought allowed, brows furrowing as he put together the pieces. So, Kagerou was present at the mission? That made sense. It was an easy answer to why she was in Himawari when they met. A big operation like the one with Tokodori would require skilled medical shinobi.

"...I'm sure it's obvious, but you're speaking to a clone. I'm going to need to pass this information along. As nice as information about this Kiritani clan would be to include, I think I'd rather hear it from Kagerou herself." Even if he spoke the words without anything less than his usual confidence, the doubt in Takeda's heart tried to stab at him again. To tell him that if she never told him about her family before, she wasn't going to start just because he asked. It was probably right, but he still wouldn't go to someone else for information about her. She may have preferred the clandestine approach, but he didn't.

A small smile worked its way onto his lips, forcing away the conflicted expression he was wearing. Daisuke would be able to pick up on just how uncertain it looked, but the others didn't seem to have the same empathy he did. "Thanks for speaking with me, and I'm sorry about the misunderstanding, Momo." He started, using her apparent nickname. Not to make himself seem overly-familiar with the girl, but to show that he was sincerely calm. Even if he felt like her doing the apologizing was more appropriate, he picked up from her conversation with Ryousuke that she wouldn't accept something like that.

"Well, if Kagerou's busy, keep me in mind when it comes to healing. If that's all, I'll see you later."

---------------------- Clone B ----------------------

Closing his eyes, Takeda remained where he was while listening to Nori speak. The environment they were in, from the ambient sounds to the humidity on his skin, was pleasantly nostalgic. Having the voice of an old acquaintance present helped him imagine that they were on the docks again. So having that image in mind while being taught a lesson of sorts reminded him of Jack. How bittersweet. Maybe all the elements were already noticed subconsciously before he focused on them, and that's why he was ready to get along so easily. Either way, he appreciated the fleeting moment all the same.

Listening to Nori talk about his "last request" had a bit more impact than expected, likely because he was already in a state from the nostalgia. It started with how he treated Jack towards the end but ultimately settled on a sea of red and green. He realized that if he left her and never looked back, it would've scarred him deeply. At the same time, he was putting himself at risk of opening his wounds even further by staying with her. His conflict regarding Kagerou started once again, only quelling when another thought forced its way in.

What did I say to mom before she died?

Once he realized that he was only half paying attention to what Nori was saying about Kotodori's daughter, he snapped back to attention, opening his eyes once more. Hovering over thoughts like that weren't going to do him any good while he was on the job. After being called a cocky brat, Takeda was going to mention that it came with the job, but it wasn't long before he noticed the temperature dropping around him. After talking himself up, the former dock worker put on an exciting display, coating some of the water in sheets of ice while building frost on his coat. Even if he smiled in response, it only managed to make his breath visible. A notable resistance, but not impossible for one outside of the bloodline. Takeda built up his by playing with the techniques on his own.

"Not bad. I had Hyōton techniques in mind when I knew I'd be coming to the Water Country. Jiton is handy as well, but I wonder if I would've gotten more out of Storm Release. Too late to dwell on it now." He stated, raising a hand to brush off his coat before turning to face Nori for the first time since he leaned against the gazebo. "I'm serious though, Nori. The cold isn't that big of an issue for me, so I want to know if you need help or not. I can send in a stronger clone, or even come myself if my body hasn't figured something else out." He said, conviction seeping into his tone while his eyes narrowed in focus. It was obvious that he didn't want his request to be danced around. A straight answer was all that could satisfy him at that moment.


HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Keeping steady eye contact, Mizutani did not flinch, neither at Takeda's presumed veiled threat nor his layout of personal skills.

Refusing to back down or apologize at this point, the businessman defended, "If I don't question, then how would I know? Someone who is willing to throw their life into such immediate danger for no threat is the biggest threat of all. With a man with a fair price, you at least know what you're getting. Men belong to organizations, but organizations do not make up a man."

A pause as he chewed over the other words and other thoughts. From every angle, he couldn't see any reason not to accept.

"But you are a jiongu. Or, I'm sorry, something that falls in line with Jiongu." It wasn't intentional nor pronounced, but a certain opinion could be heard with each mention of Jiongu. One that was hard to place, but almost certainly negative. "I guess it doesn't mean much for a Jiongu to walk into death." The word felt almost interchangeable with "monster" here. "I'll think about your offer, and call you back if I decide to accept it.

- - -

"Aka didn't report this...

"Aka was asleep until right before she was needed. She didn't have much time to tell us."

"Proceed. Accept SH2's offer."

"Notating: SH2 is a medic-"

"I'm not your personal notebook, Nade."

"and a flytrap that can eat me anytime he wants~"

"Nade, no. Momo? Confirm. Who is this?"

"Nade has returned."

"Nade, inform me in advance if you think you'll lose control. Is it because of SH2?"

"It was a joke."

"That would be appreciated."

"Wait, how is it okay that Nadeshiko gets to spend all that time making a joke?"

"Please refrain from useless comments."

---------------------- Clone A ----------------------

The clone was allowed to leave in peace with some polite farewells from Daisuke and friendly farewells from Ryousuke.

Oh, and a pointed stare from Hanajima, who hung upon Ryousuke to peek just above his shoulder.

"Momo" continued to remain hidden. Lips sealed. Eyes closed. Brows furrowed. Arms crossed. Oh, and a little twitch of a vein in her forehead when her nickname was called.

Once Takeda's clone had dispersed, Daisuke stuck his head behind Ryousuke and inquired, "Is everything alright?".

Moriko carefully opened her eyes, neither too slowly nor quickly. "Yeah, yeah, he apologized and everything. I'll be fine and accept it. I won't even get angry he called me Momo. I'll just let it go. Let it gooo."

"Deep breaths, Momo. Deeeep breaths."

---------------------- Clone B ----------------------

Mori's face fell as Takeda's eyes narrowed. If he was the more dramatic type like his buddy, he would be in a corner of the gazebo, scratching drawings in the dust. Mumbling something about how youngsters these days are so hard to impress, he slouched and pouted off to the side.

However, he was a man. Not a child. One sigh later, his slouched back straightened and his demeanor returned to the usual. Looking up, as he was a few inches short Takeda's height, he could see the severity in Takeda's eyes, as well as the goodwill. Aye, he was a good boy as Nori thought, and it was nice to see that the kid who couldn't even be bothered to clean up anywhere that wasn't his had grown up into someone who was willing to lend a hand so easily and willingly.

He had to wonder, but it was true that this decision would be his. Releasing the technique, Nori answered as the temperature returned to normal, "I specialize in locking down my targets with wide-scale attacks using, as you might have guessed, hyoton and its related elements. I can't say I'll be able to avoid all friendly fire, but that being said, if you think you can keep up with it, then I certainly wouldn't mind seeing how you've grown. Well, of course, I can't say for sure Kotodori will even come this way, so maybe you should rethink and focus your efforts into a better area."

[62 sentences]

[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x3,900 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x5,000 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

Maybe once upon a time, being discriminated against in such a way would've frustrated him. He had experience with it, even spent some time referring to himself as a monster, but it never elicited the best response regardless of how many times he heard it. If his time in captivity hadn't convinced him that they were all right, at least to some extent, he would've lashed out at Mizutani. The merchant's words, however, reflected his own feelings towards himself. Bleak as it was, only a disgusting Kekkei Genkai like his could lead to the horrifying experiments he witnessed. "If one of your shinobi needs to find me, my clones are spread out throughout the mansion. I'll likely be at the gardens to the south, but I can't guarantee that I'll stay long." Even if his eye contact remained just as intense the whole way through, his tone fell to a near-apathetic one that differed slightly from the monotonous resonance he'd spoken with for the entire conversation. Cold acceptance was a melancholic change from heated denial, but it was just another sign of changing times. Another lasting scar from his time in that unforgiving place.

That apathy settled into a calm indifference, so Takeda didn't bother with leaving anything else as a closing statement. Instead, he turned and left without another word, leaving Mizutani to think about his offer. It wouldn't be a bad idea to press him past his indecisiveness, especially since there wasn't much time before Kotodori's arrival, but those closing remarks from the merchant made it difficult for him to care. His conviction wouldn't show through if he wasn't concerned. Yeah, taking some time to breathe was for the best since he would be facing off against a one-of-a-kind assassin before long.

The ringing that followed when Takeda cracked open the door made him stop in his tracks, his thoughts doing a backflip at the recent development. It was distant but also unmistakable. Unwilling to be swallowed up even further by another torrent of thoughts and emotion, he opened the door all the way, eyes immediately catching the sight of Kagerou. There were other people, of course, and other points of interest. Regardless, as always, she stood out to him from the rest of the crowd. Naturally, he attributed it to her distinct hair color. Her hair was just about all he could see, anyway, since she had her back turned to him.

He easily concluded that she knew he was there. After all, they were on a mission, and Kagerou wasn't the complacent sort. Even if all the preparations were in place, the last hour was always stressful, and he couldn't imagine her standing around to take in the scenery if there wasn't a reason. He couldn't call it a good reason, though...considering it was likely himself that she was doing it for. Maybe it would've been better for her to walk right past him without even looking him in the eye, but that also wasn't like her. No, given who it was in her path, pretending like she didn't notice him was probably all she could do.

...

He wanted to talk to her.

He wanted her to put on that stupid ear-to-ear grin and run up to him, ready to pounce.

The current situation was so different from anything he could've imagined when he was alone in that place. Different from what his mind went to after Emiko pulled one of her little pranks. What he wanted, however, wasn't something that could be obtained. Not at that time.

He might have tried talking to her, but Mizutani's words and his immediate response left his heart closed off. Any chance for him to push past the barrier and ask her questions or provide any comfort after how their last few encounters went was gone. He couldn't take comfort in the fact that she was keeping secrets from him. That much was true, at least. It wasn't the main reason for his distance, though. No, it was just another contributing factor to the larger picture. His own emotions were holding him back, and he needed to accept that his way of thinking may have been wrong before he could look at anything else. He needed to slow things down and confirm his trust for her before deciding whether or not he was okay with her decision. Then, after that, he could look her in the eye and speak to her without needing to doubt her again.

Coming right out of his indifferent state, he knew he wasn't in a position to listen to anything she said. She didn't have to keep her own distance, though, and he appreciated that. Wanting to show her, he responded to her only answer with the only one of his own.

Thank you, Kagerou.

Utilizing the wave technique, Takeda's words made their way into Kagerou's thoughts, leaving her with something considerably less distant than what he last said to her. Whether she decided to turn around then or sometime after, the result would be the same. Her friend wouldn't be there anymore, having gone towards the southern garden.

---------------------- Clone B ----------------------

He wanted to laugh when he noticed the wind getting taken out of Nori's sails, but it was important to convey the same intensity until he got an answer. Pride in one's own ability was still prevalent even at that age, huh?

In the end, the answer Takeda received was more of an "I don't need you here, but I'm willing to accept the help if you want." It wasn't quite as direct as he was hoping, but it fell in line with his expectations. At the very least, he was more assured regarding Nori's capabilities. Area control was a good sign of strong chakra control and large reserves. While Takeda fit the pre-requisites, he never put a lot of effort into being a control-oriented fighter. Outside of his occasional pseudo-elemental bloodline techniques, he didn't have anything that fit the bill.

"You might actually be right, but I don't want to act like I don't know you're here alone. I'd like to help you if anything ends up coming your way, but I need to be sure of what my main body has decided on." He started, raising his right hand in a half-sign, ready to disperse himself to provide the information he collected. "Even if I don't come back here before Kotodori arrives, do you think you can reach out to me with the wave technique if she does show up? Even if you think I shouldn't join, It would put me at ease to hear from you."

HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Brown hair wafted as a slender Senju hopped to her position atop the roof of the southern building. The wind tickled her ear as an unexpected voice tickled her mind. Her head raised, her whole body straightening up after landing coiled from her jump. The way she exhaled, and looked up at the night sky could have just been her recovery from the landing. Whatever thoughts muddled her mind, like how the lights below muddled the stars above, she would discard as she looked back down at the ground.

With her mouth shut and anger stewing but no longer exploding, Moriko made for a gentle, if stern, figure. Breathing in, and then exhaling, she proceeded to claim her own territory. Hand seals were weaved, and then palms slammed, with more than a little excess force, onto the roof of the building. A soft green chakra dotted with harsh yellow spines manifested beneath her palms, the seals they spun into life hidden beneath the hands and even more of the chakra aura. What appeared to be a new technique was actually the release of a previously sealed technique as thorn ridden branches, trunks, roots, what have you sewed through the roof and ceiling before expanding into a "wall," more like a ceiling, across the relatively bare garden. Pillars of mokuton creation and the existing buildings supported this new surface that Moriko would have all the freedom to play with. Thirty foot after thirty foot. The other Senju users positioned across the rest of the roof and the walls of the southern quadrant collaborated with Moriko's technique to help her create the netting she needed.

▰ World of Trees Wall [ Jukai Heki ] | Rank C
The user creates a multitude of wooden tendrils that interlace from beneath the ground and cross before a desired location the user can see. This wood weaves together to form a thirty foot wall that defends the user from techniques B rank and lower. If the user is near a large body of water created by a technique, this technique can sustain itself by absorbing that chakra cost instead of paying the E rank upkeep per post.

===

After Takeda left, Kagerou turned to the newly vacated entrance, giving downcast eyes and a helpless smile upon seeing Takeda had taken the opening she had given. Helpless steps followed the helpless smile as she made the brief walk to the doors. Then, after knocking and waiting for a few minutes, she was through, and the final meeting before everything was set on alert would proceed to begin.

===

"Geez, next thing I know, you're gonna be telling me that you've found a nice, quaint nursing home for me to retire to!" the old, but not all that old, shinobi and dock worker jested, snorting at the end of his sentence. He'd said all the information he intended to, and he already understood the younger shinobi's situation. Not wanting to burden Takeda with the responsibility of helping him, he brusquely brushed him away, "Go on, scat. I get what your saying, and I'll call you in if I see her. Until then, go and do something productive, I guess."

Still, no matter what he said, he held that cocky, sailor's grin. All that was missing, really, was a pipe.

"One last thing, though. The Kotodori's voice may be sweet, but her shadow is truly terrifying. Any man who touches her carelessly finds himself worse for it."

===

"We didn't get a chance to inform SH2."

"Would you like me to pursue an opportunity?"

"Negative."

"Aka has arrived."

"Noted. It's almost time. Be careful."

"Kin, when you receive the signal to activate the sanctuary seals, make sure to activate the lighthouse seals. Don't skimp.

"Roger roger. With the extra time that'll buy me, I'll make sure to give an impressive death rattle when she comes from me so you all know."

"Kin, stick to the plan."

"I know. If I sense her approach, I'll abandon post and turn off the lights. Hide under a desk, even, with a heavy object that I can use to attack the school sh- hey, are you still listening?"

"Yuu."

"What? Is it time to knock?"

"Please refrain from getting killed."

"I... uh... guess... thanks?"

"You can do this, Yuu."

"She might spare you, but don't let complacency make you careless. You're beyond outmatched. When she comes, focus on stalling until support from the north or south quadrant arrives. Do your best to keep the package alive, 'prodigy.'"

[56 sentences]

[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.

The southern garden is now... covered with a lattice-work ceiling of mokuton.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x3,900 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x5,000 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

Red eyes took in the sight of spreading wood cover the space above and around the garden, the gaze occasionally settling on the people creating it. Takeda ended up settling in the southern gardens, arriving in time to witness the Senju team set up fortifications. With the time limit coming closer to its end, he was glad to see that they were making the most of it. Despite knowing he didn't leave the best impression on everyone in the group, he hoped that they left the mansion, both alive and pleased with how things turned out. The jiongu leaned against one of the wooden pillars while the team layered the defense further, eyes turning to the structure that supported him.

Seeing the twisting, branching nature of Mokuton at work, however, didn't bode well. It sat like a weight in his chest - an omen - one that played a sickly tune inside of him. So long as he remained with the heart made from the Sero, it wasn't likely for him to give the wood release another shot any time soon. The forbidden seal was more appealing than that, as far as he was concerned.

It wasn't until they finished working on the wall and celebrated together out of earshot that he placed why he was so interested in them. Simply put, the team they turned out to be was what he hoped his students back at Emiko's institute would become. Thinking about how easy a personality like Nao's could fit into a group like that comforted him as a teacher. In fact, it would have encouraged him to consider his old position if it weren't for his job as a monsoon. He already re-entered the game as a player. Sitting peacefully by the sidelines wasn't going to get him any closer to finding Oda. No next or previous generation was going to handle that problem for him.

Turning his thoughts to another subject before he could get swallowed in that dark business, he wondered about Mizutani's decision instead. He hadn't been in the gardens long, but it wasn't like the merchant had a long time to decide either. Ultimately he figured that if he didn't get the response he expected in the next few minutes, he'd split two clones between the south and east gardens to assist his new allies.

HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Gathering around the (small) sniper's nest Hanajima's was permitted to set up, which she also refused to leave once setting up, the four Senju talked through the final details of their formation. They were still busy even after casting all of their techniques, so it was only natural that they didn't immediately notice their secret admirer.

Of the four, the familiar shade of black hair caught Moriko's eyes first. Well, even if it wasn't a head she knew, her eyes would still dart over to see who was leaning against their work. The bittersweet smile she was greeted with, from a distance and through the latticework of the newly set up wall-turned-ceiling-floor, had her start, catching the attention of the other Senju.

Hanajima narrowed her eyes and ducked behind the wall of her nest, only two beady eyes peaking out. Daisuke and Ryosuke smiled and greeted Takeda with a wave of the hand in tandem. Moriko, recovering, nodded in a more muted greeting, not surprising considering their previous interaction.

The greeting of bells prevented any further interactions, and with them, came the expected figure and her faint smile. Walking besides her, a young man of around the same age sized Takeda up with some harmless curiosity and a charming smile.

Ryousuke gave another huge wave, but this time the other three reacted differently. Daisuke gave a friendly nod and smile, acknowledging and showing familiarity with the Uchiha girl. Moriko recognized her, but instead of a greeting, merely crossed her arms and stood there silently. Hanajima poked her head out and even a hand to give a wave.

Red eyes looked warily into Takeda's, an uncertain, "Um," unfolding at the lips, followed by an apology with a double meaning, "I'm sorry." Once they registered enough, they respectfully cast down defeat and acceptance. Through it all, no matter what sound colored her voice or what emotion filled her eyes, she held a steady smile and polite expression. The distance Kagerou stopped at was within reason for conversation, but far enough away. Speaking softly, in a polished voice that would create the requested distance, the young woman relayed, "The client will like to speak with you. Please follow me." Avoiding the name, she waited for Takeda's approval and then turned to walk him back to enter the room through the northern door.

. . .

Upon entering the room where it happens, Kagerou bowed, uttering a polite greeting, before moving to the side to give Takeda room to move. From the rafters, in preparation for what was to happen next, a butterfly glowed gold and then fluttered down to rest in Kagerou's hair, atop the red flower pin she wore.

The space where Mizutani once sat was empty. His guards stood in their positions, ready and a little wary of the stranger soon to enter their midst. Takeda wouldn't have been allowed in the beginning if they weren't sure he wasn't going to attack, but sure wasn't certain. Doubts could still be held.

Another butterfly fluttered down, this one stopping to hover a couple feet in front of Takeda's face. A recording of Mizutani's voice emanated from it: "Then I will let the Monsoon operative take my place. In the meantime,-".

The rest was cut off, and a youthful but uninterested voice came through instead, "Hello again, Takeda. Despite your hasty retreat earlier, it seems we'll be working together. Aka will handle the personal guard of the client and set up the sealing formation, so she will be within the room with you for the duration of the mission. Please endure. There will be two others, but they will hide within the room and move in to strike at an opportune moment."

Should Takeda look around for the two others, or even the one other that was walking and standing with Kageoru, he'd find no trace of either.

[39 sentences]

[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.

The southern garden is now... covered with a lattice-work ceiling of mokuton.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x3,900 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x5,000 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

His sixth sense of his being as strong as it was, Takeda turned his gaze towards Moriko when she laid eyes on him, barely catching sight of her through the lattice-work ceiling. His eyes weren't anything special, so he could only pick up tiny details on the people above him. Hell, he couldn't make out where Hanajima was at all, but he still waved back to the group when Ryousuke and Daisuke greeted him. Getting the gist of a warm feeling inside, Takeda wondered if doing more work in the water country would let them cross paths again someplace in the future.

Granted, that was if they made it out alive. The jiongu wasn't under the illusion that everything was going to be fine. To say Kotodori was a force to be reckoned with was an understatement. That was something he believed once he received general information about her from Maelstrom. After speaking with Nori, he was under the impression that the mission wouldn't be completed without casualties. Not unless she didn't feel like killing. Takeda was confident in his ability to defend against her at the very least, but he couldn't be everywhere at once. No, if he was willing to risk getting close to anyone on the mission, he needed to have faith in their ability to pull through on their own.

Then, if they made it out in one piece...maybe he could buy them drinks or something.

The chiming of bells once more took priority over Takeda's thoughts, and he turned his head to bear witness to an unexpected sight. "Kagerou." He nodded towards her, eyes warily examining her company for a moment before he softened his gaze there as well. It wasn't likely for her to be walking around with someone he needed to be too cautious about. If there was anything he wasn't comfortable with, it was the uncertainty she wore on her features. The smile was there, but it wasn't often that Kagerou let her eyes show such sadness. Especially not on a mission.

What came next was even stranger, and Takeda felt like she may as well have stabbed him in the chest when she looked him in the eye and apologized. He bit back the "for what?" that threatened to come out after, knowing it wasn't the time or the place. Letting himself get swallowed by those emotions was going to put him right back on every level except physically. Why was that her first response anyway after he just thanked her not long ago?

...

Maybe things were just worse off between them than he thought. Had he hurt her so badly when he left that she didn't care anymore about his demeanor? Was there no weight to it when he thanked her? Standing there, having winced for just a moment, he felt for the divide he imagined between them and wondered if the reality dwarfed it in comparison. If that was the case, it was his f-

I don't have time for this.

...

After accepting the offer to follow, Takeda made his way into Mizutani's beloved room once again. Oddly enough, it had one less merchant than he last remembered, and the guards didn't look very content with the new arrangement. They certainly weren't as stoic and composed as they were before. "Hm. Not sure why he made this place such a point of contention if he didn't plan on staying." He muttered aloud, not caring who heard. After dealing with the guy once already, Takeda was content on fulfilling his duty without the hassle. They wouldn't get a complaint out of him. Normally, being told one thing and seeing another would lead him to believe it was a trap, but Kagerou was the one who invited him in. If it were anyone else, he'd have his tonfa extended already.

Kagerou went ahead and bowed, so he assumed that there was someone worthwhile in the room. He just didn't expect them to be speaking through a butterfly. Mizutani's voice came first, confirming that he gave the OK for Takeda to commence his plan. The voice that played after was younger, with a tad of apathy to his tone. Considering context clues, he could guess that "Aka" was meant to be Kagerou, and he did a once-over on the room to confirm that he not only couldn't see the others but he also lost track of whoever it was that came in with the kunoichi.

Sitting in the room with Kagerou wasn't anywhere near a part of his original plan, but any discomfort he had about their personal situation didn't last long. It was overcome by his confidence in her talent at supporting others. It had to be hard for her too, but there she was - ready to do whatever was needed. Just like always, she was probably prepared to bring her best, so Takeda had to do the same.

"I'm going to need at least a vague idea of where those two people are so I don't step on any toes when the time comes. We can't afford to be sloppy. If we're going to be working together, something to call you would be nice as well." He said while undoing the buttons on his jacket, shrugging it off his shoulders and onto the floor beside him. The white shirt came next, just another article of clothing leaving his person until all he had left above the waist was a sleeveless, backless black top and his scarf. He crouched down after, putting the leftover clothes in one of his smaller scrolls and re-attaching his tonfa.

Getting up, Takeda turned his attention to Kagerou, eyes settling on hers for a moment before he spoke. "Can you put protective tag barriers on me? One on my chest and one on my left arm."

HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

Scarlet eyes were met easily as they had been watching the other undress, wondering how he would settle the matter of the transformation. Eyes clear, smile professional before the client's guards. "Yes," she answered, pressing her hands together to ready the unsealing of some ink and brush, "I can do that while Kin explains."

"Actually, Aka, save your chakra. I can do this," the hovering butterfly intervened just as Kagerou reached her hands into the sleeves of her outfit. It didn't immediately move, however, and took a moment to politely, if with evidence of continued disinterest, answer the questions he had, "I understand. Kagerou let us know you can be fairly destructive, even if you appear to have developed control since when you were younger. I am hiding Shiro in the rafters, directly above where you will be sitting." If Takeda bothered to look up, a head would suddenly poke into existence exactly where Kin had described. It was the same head that Takeda saw with Kagerou earlier. Straight-faced, a cordial nod was given before the head returned to hiding. Daidai is... Well, I'm not so sure, but don't worry about him. If he can't get out of the way of whatever you do, then it's his fault, really."

"You could just ask instead of trying to draw me out."

"There he is."

Following the voice, Takeda would find an older black haired male, but still around their age, standing off to the side. He didn't look very memorable, and something about him all but discouraged attention. Before long, he'd faded back into non-importance, but even if Takeda managed to hold him in his attention past that, what appeared to be a much more advanced version of the Chameleon technique would hide him once more.

Takeda had only asked for the locations of the other two that Kin worked with. However, considering his reason for wanting to know, it only became natural to include one more. Impassively, he added, "Please also refrain from any attacks downwards. Not only will it ruin our fuuin arrangements, but the client is hiding beneath the floorboards."

The exposure of the client's location immediately drew a frown from guards. The Akimichi, who appeared as some sort of leader of their trio, looked about ready to voice his complaints. However, maintaining that impassive state, Kin got his two cents in before the Akimichi, "I was under the assumption that you wouldn't bet your boss's life on the value placed upon an ink drawing," and put a stop to the conversation before it even began. There was more to Kin's reasons and motives than just that, but none of it was something outsider's needed to know. In the same way Takeda was not completely wary of the Kiritani because they were related to Kagerou, the Kiritani around Kagerou felt the same about Takeda. There was also the curiosity of one Midori, who wanted to gauge Kagerou's allies and their various capabilities for his own personal reasons.

His attention returning to Takeda, Kin wrapped up, "You may also call me Kin," by answering Takeda's final question. Only then, after he had given the other party reason to trust him, did the butterfly that had been "speaking" and another one from the rafters, wafted towards Takeda's arm and chest to do as he requested. Upon contact, not only would seals be created, but another technique would activate, one Takeda was familiar with, the Wave Transmission. However, instead of using the ground to carry the chakra, it was through direct contact, and also, in a different language.

"Don't let the guards notice." Speaking thoughts in Takeda's native tongue, Kin proceeded to stage two of the debriefing as the necessary seals worked onto Takeda's skin through tendrils of light, taking slower than they needed. "The real Mizutani is in the east garden's teahouse. Considering those present on the mission, Kotodori will guess it right away. That, or she might guess the Senju in the south garden are guarding him. The Mizutani in hiding below is our own trap, Nadeshiko. She gives you her regards and grievances, but mostly regards."

From a distance away, Midori watched Takeda's facial expressions with great interest. Much closer, under the guise of Kagerou's usual nosiness, so did the one who stood in front of Takeda with green hair and red eyes, wondering what thoughts it was that caused his eyes to flash and his teeth to bite earlier.

[42 sentences]

[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.

The southern garden is now... covered with a lattice-work ceiling of mokuton.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x4,160 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x4,680 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

So, one above, another off to the side, and Mizutani under the floor. It would restrict his range of techniques, but not so much that he felt stifled. So long as Kotodori ended up right in his face, he wouldn't need much room to respond to her assault. He briefly wondered whether or not he'd need to worry about the friendly fire on their part, but it didn't matter. He was already resolved on discarding a heart to deal with the assassin's attack. Extra damage wasn't going to make a difference at that point.

After receiving the name of the one speaking through the butterfly, Takeda lowered his guard. To get both that and the location of the others was more than he was honestly expecting. The decision to inform him about the decoy beneath him was a bold move as well, one that he couldn't find any faults in.

Even if he preferred having Kagerou perform fuuin on him, the relatively unknown Kin didn't give Takeda any reasons to doubt his intentions. Besides, once again, he was an ally of hers. Regardless of those thoughts, he still tensed up when the insects landed on him. Only for a moment, but it was there. While the fuuin placed itself upon him, waiting for activation, Takeda moved over towards the spot Mizutani once sat in. Just as he began forming a hand seal, he heard Kin speak in a familiar language, one that was scarcely heard outside of the old Water tribes.

Considering the words that were spoken, Takeda didn't stop molding his chakra. He did it regardless of the mental disruption, knowing that it'd look odd if he just stopped. "Narikawari no Jutsu is the best for this situation, I think. It's not as airtight as Shinten no Hou, but doing it this way is better. I'll be ready for combat the moment it's dispelled, and I won't need to strip Mizutani down to his underwear." He stated aloud, completing the technique and changing his form in the blink of an eye into that of the merchant. "Unfortunately, this technique doesn't give me his mannerisms or anything, but I don't think Kotodori will be stopping by to chat for very long." It always felt weird for him to speak with another person's voice, but it wasn't anything too unsettling. He knew some Shinobi who spent more time living in another person's image than their own, so it wasn't worth complaining over.

His hand signs continued beyond just the transformation technique, and he activated Itami Yokusei. If he didn't need to worry about the pain, he could get right into countering the assassin no matter what she threw at him. With that done, he sat down on one of the cushions and crossed his legs. "So, she's been decoying since the start, huh? She handled herself pretty well. I'd say sorry, but...well, I wouldn't be sitting here if I had anything to apologize for. Things worked out." He finally returned Kin's mental message, doing so in his native tongue. It may not have been necessary for them to speak in that language anymore since the boy already got his attention, but Takeda didn't have many chances to use it. He indulged himself a little bit.

"I want to tell the others here what I'm capable of doing. Things Kagerou wouldn't know, so I doubt you would either. Before I do that, though, I need to know if she told you anything about my situation. About the seal."

Knowing that he'd have the support of Kagerou's group, Takeda decided to recall his clones, figuring they'd have things covered. It wasn't the best idea to divide his deserves when someone was looking to end his life. Sitting in place, Takeda brought his hands forward into his own meditative stance. Emiko told him that everyone had their own stance when she taught him, but the most common ones involved extending the arms outwards. The Jiongu, however, cupped his fingers together in front of him with his thumbs touching at the top. Before entering said meditative state completely, he balanced his reserves a bit, replenishing his lost chakra with his vast amount of physical endurance.

Techniques Used:
▰ Change Technique [ Narikawari no Jutsu ] | Rank X (C)
The user performs an advanced variation of the transformation technique. This transformation allows the user to mimic the target's chakra signature as well as other sensory effects that may differentiate them from the original, making it impossible for sensor's to distinguish the user from the original. Must be paid at the cost of the target's body rank and requires an E Rank upkeep per post.

▰ Pain Suppression [ Itami Yokusei ] | Rank B
Uses chakra to turn off the body's pain receptors. Allows the user to ignore the status of trauma for six post. After the duration of the technique, all of the trauma endured is inflicted on the target. Causes thirty points of tenketsu rot. Must have hands over another target in order to use this technique on another.

▰ Invigorating Forces | Rank X | Simple (S+)
The user has learned to expend physical energy in order to regenerate chakra at a higher rate. The user is able to expend stamina to regain the same rank of chakra.


HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

"She isn't the sort to, no," Kagerou piped up, her voice holding the same tune, the same lilt, unchanged and without any signs that might cause hesitation in those around her. While Takeda proceeded his preparations and meditation, the kunoichi looked to the three guards. Gently, she recommended, "You three likely have your own methods and preparations. I would recommend doing them now, and protecting Takeda as you would Lord Mizutani."

"Miss Kiritani," the Akimichi gruffly answered, "I don't think that's wise. We should protect our lord in case this decoy doesn't work."

"I assure you, if this shinobi cannot stop Kotodori, then there is very little you will be able to do on your own to protect the lord. Therefore, I will recommend you put your effort into ensuring that Kotodori, even for just a moment more, is fooled."

"I don't think you are suited to making that judgement, and with all due respect, Miss Kiritani, you do not give us orders."

A smile, closed eyes. Intentionally innocent and a stark contrast to the way the Akimichi blinked in surprise, color slightly draining off of his face. "I hope you understand and I assure you," the green hair swayed as the kunoichi turned with a smile and lilt on her lips, "I am not telling you to protect Takeda out of bias. I have fully considered the strengths and weaknesses of those present." Red eyes checked on Takeda as the woman turned, but without lingering back as she walked gracefully towards the room's northern door.

- - -

On the opposite side, in the southern garden, Moriko rested for a while in Hanajima's nest while she waited for the clock to strike midnight, like some sort of fairy tale when the magic would end. Except, in this case, the magic wasn't anything special. It was the world without magic that was horrific. With eyes closed and back against the smooth wood wall, she tried her best to tune out the world around her, forget about what could happen to them all lest it fry her nerves.

Only when Hanajima speak did Moriko return from her meditations, opening an eye to look at the girl who asked, "Aren't you a little too different?".

The brown eyes blinked in visible confusion before frowning.

Maybe, for just a little moment, there had been the consideration to break character. The chances of something being thrown off were low, and Moriko was in on knowledge of this part of the plan anyways. However, that was a moment of Kagerou's weakness, her training took over and ensured it wouldn't bear fruit.

"What nonsense are you spouting now, Hanajima?" Moriko asked, flicking Hanajima's forehead, "You better focus. There's a life on the line, and I'll definitely get that b***h to admit I'm better when I stop her teacher in her tracks."

Everyone else was working so hard to accommodate her. She had to work harder.

- - -

"Your situation? It seemed pretty sensitive. You would be okay with her sharing that information?" the apathy spoke within Takeda's head, making it hard to even recognize the question as a question, "But no, she didn't. She gave just the bare minimum to update our information on you and then went to sleep immediately after she returned. After resting, she's been busy handling her part of the arrangements here." The seals upon Takeda were fully inscribed, but one butterfly remained, perching itself on top of Takeda's head to continue the conversation. Though the necessary information had been detailed, there was promise for more. He was also curious. If it had been Kin, Takeda's last request would have been asked to probe for information, discover how loose-lipped the subject of the request was. Did he hold a seed of doubt for Kagerou?

[40 sentences]

[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.

The southern garden is now... covered with a lattice-work ceiling of mokuton.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami

 

[Tenshuyami]

「 C K R A : :x4,160 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S T M : :x4,680 // 5,000 」 tab 「 S E A L : :x「 Dormant 」 400/400 」 tab 「 両 : :x107,300 」
tab 「 Monsoon 」 tab 「 S+ 」 tab 「 Jiongu 」 tab 「 Nin / Tai / Medic」 tab 「 Theme: Tanada 」

Thankfully, the meditative state he was in allowed Takeda to sort through all the information received without being overwhelmed. Eyes closed, he took in Kagerou's words, listening to her speak to the three odd men out. Another aspect he picked up from his teaching was the ability to feel out potential. When it came to the Kiritani, he didn't have any doubts. The trio surrounding him, however, wasn't cut from the same cloth. He was confident that they were able to scratch the surface through teamwork. Though, that wouldn't mean much if their limit was equivalent to everyone else's starting point.

Just as things were starting to pick up between the Akimichi and Kagerou, he heard Kin's voice. His words traveled and traveled, going on until they reached the pit of his stomach to create a sinking feeling that shook his being. It...made sense that she wouldn't tell them. His trust had been shaken, sure, but to acknowledge that he asked that out of doubt felt terrible. Her response to him on that bench obviously messed up his feelings more than he realized. Takeda did decide to trust in her reasons, though, so he wouldn't doubt anything else. Not even the reason why Kin had any knowledge of his situation in the first place if Kagerou didn't tell him anything.

"Forget I said anything then. If it can be helped, I'll avoid using it. There's no point in bringing it up." He responded directly, with a certain sourness to his tone. Not directed towards Yuu, but himself. Staring at his own disgusting doubt directly, he felt like he hardly qualified to be there with her family. The mission came before any of those feelings, though.

"Thank you, Kagerou." He said for the second time that night, though he never met her red gaze with his own. Given that he was the point of contention, Takeda normally would have spoken up for himself, but he appreciated that she handled the situation for him regardless. "The three of you need to relax. I don't have a lick of sensory skill, but I could feel the uncertainty coming off of you the moment I walked in here." He started, getting right to the point with a jab at their composure. While he could have taken the reigns with a more authoritative approach, he didn't want to make the tension in the room any worse."I want you to understand the cards at play here and where we're placed on the board. There's no real guarantee on Mizutani's life so long as Kotodori's record is true. Not only did the group here decide on the best possible method to keep him alive, but he agreed with it as well. Unless you believe you know better than Mizutani or have a more thorough plan than the one we're using, I'd suggest adhering to the client's decision."

Channeling his energies once more, Takeda increased his slightly depleted chakra reserves again. While he waited for the guards to respond, if they decided to, he reached out to Kin. "Is there anything stopping me from grabbing onto her and keeping her still after she attacks me? I've activated a technique that will stop me from feeling any pain, so I should be able to react as fast as always. You haven't been doing much to hide the possiblity that you've been up against her before, so I thought I'd ask."
Techniques Used:

▰ Invigorating Forces | Rank X | Simple (S+)
The user has learned to expend physical energy to regenerate chakra at a higher rate. The user can expend stamina to regain the same rank of chakra.


HeadlessKoko

 

[HeadlessKoko]

A weighted silence answer Takeda's request to forget, but in the end, Kin had more immediately important matters to consider.

For instance, Kagerou, having reached some evidently specified point, had reached a hand up to the butterfly in her hair. With the glowing insect perched on her fingers, she froze at Takeda's thanks. Her eyes, Kagerou's eyes, wouldn't be able to resist darting back to catch the kind of expression Takeda would have had as he said those thanks. She wanted to ask Kin what he had done because it certainly wasn't in their relationship for the younger boy to help Kagerou in these matters. However, now wasn't the time.

Confused, maintaining the smile because she didn't know what other expression to give, Kagerou lowered her hand to the ground as Takeda defended himself.

The blonde haired Yamanaka took a half step forwards to protest but a motion from the Akimichi, looking at Takeda now instead of Kagerou, put a stop to the argument sitting at the tip of his tongue. He appeared to be deep in thought, but after sharing a look with the Nara and nodding in some sort of silent agreement.

"Big boss," the Yamanaka argued, what had to be complained about couldn't be done justice with just telepathy.

Taking the other's feelings into consideration, the Akimichi answered in kind, "The boy has a point. Even if we can't trust them," a pointed glance at the slim back that was now crouched amidst a quiet chakra swirl of green branches and golden butterflies, "we shouldn't put the tree before the forest."

Someone else may have been impressed that Takeda had already accepted he was going to get hurt and had made preparations to act despite it. Kin, however, treated it as a matter of course. Mental voice unchanging, he answered with the bare minimum, "Plenty. Come up with a plan b and go in expecting to use plan c. At minimum, you'll want to collide with her with two different people and two different chakra types. Anything less, and there's a high chance she'll just find a way through it. Other than that, she's been known to use self destructive decoys, so mind your head... or don't. Maybe if Aka sees your brains splattered, we'll finally be done with this mission."

The butterflies and branches around Kagerou receded. Then, after a small pause, starting from the center and spreading outwards, a golden glow lit up the seals inscribed throughout the room. With writing spilling forth even more light into the room, the barrier had been erected, and Kagerou, her job done, would comment, "I still don't like how we can't see outside of this room without sensory techniques."

"You shouldn't be focusing on the outside anyways."

- - -

As the minutes ticked by, there was little to do. The butterflies returned to the rafter after giving Takeda a further run down on a list of code words and whatever questions he may have had. Among them, a question Kin found of particular interest. He would have loved to return with his own question, but he was on the job. "We're a clan, like the Yuki and Yamanaka but smaller. Like them, when Kirigakure disbanded, we acted on an obligation to protect our own and those who remained behind."

The original guard trio, persuaded to agreement by Takeda's input, did their job properly, if simply. A basic triangle positioning around "Mizutani," with the Akimichi taking point directly in front of his lord and two others in the back. The Yamanaka, with eyes closed and brow creased, was clearly concentrated on something, pretty obviously keeping watch on matters outside the room. The Nara, also had his eyes closed, and appeared to be sleeping while standing. Though, his breathing would tell otherwise, revealing that he was still awake, and probably just thinking with his eyes closed. He had asked a strange question after setting up position. Well, strange to Takeda. "What would you recommend if I wanted to use two shadows?".

Red eyes shifted left to right ever so slightly over the immovable smile before Kagerou settled on the answer, "It hasn't been confirmed, but if our understanding of her techniques are correct, she shouldn't be able to overpower the control of S+ rank shadows. However, I would advise to consider the risks otherwise in the case she is able to." Arms crossed, she appeared to be hugging herself, and shortly after answering, she moved to another part of the room, sedately walking. Except, she was really the only one moving in the room, as occasional as her changes in position were and as thoughtful as they appeared.

Shortly after the five minute mark was called, she asked, "Kin, still no sign of Kotodori?"

From the rafters above, a butterfly answered back, "I've triple checked. Seems like she's coming on the dot this time. Not like I'm complaining. Rather see her arrive just in time than try to kill me just in time."

Four minutes. Three minutes. Two... One...

Zero. At midnight sharp, the bells tolled, but there was no clock tower in range for the bells to be heard from.

In a tone clipped, quicker and more efficient. "Alarm bells for a dead body found, northern walls." The apathetic voice hid any of the exasperation Kin felt at the precision of Kotodori's timing. The three guards readied themselves in uneasy anticipation. "Motion detected southeast." Outside the room, those watching would see the glowing rings of butterflies light up the path of the intruder. No, intruders? It became harder to tell as more rings of light lit up against the dark buildings and Kin listed off even more directions.

Kagerou's smile turned into a frown with the third location listed. When, by the fifth, already 30 seconds in, Kin was only giving out locations and no further details, she knew that he and Midori were stumped on the pattern being displayed. Holding her palm face up and open before her, though no chakra appeared, she also visualized the movements reported to her.

Kin began to give the code word for his retreat, "Blacko-"

Instead, having realized the importance of the locations not mentioned, Kagerou interrupted, "Retreat Mido!"

A pause. A whole minute ticked by

Then the last report, a little breathlessly like he had just gone and used a significant chunk of chakra at once, "Sightless. Gilded Cage: Hold until further engagement. Blackout," before the once bright lights went dark.

Yet, in the darkness, a sigh of relief could be heard, and in due time, those within would feel their eyes begin to the adjust to the faint glow that the seals continued to shine with. As the other senses of the shinobi began to accommodate themselves to the darkness, they would also hear the sighing of the butterfly wings above them, something Kagerou had sought out at the earliest chance as a means of telling if Kin was still alive or had died.

For what it was worth, the three guards hadn't asked unnecessary questions. Sightless and Blackout were given as the retreat codes for Midori and Kin respectively, and both phrases were straightforward in what a retreat of either one meant for the defending forces. Kyoka had taken out, or at least made unavailable in some fashion, the eyes and light of the defenses. Gilded Cage would be an unfamiliar term, for Takeda included, but if it was put on "hold," then there was no point in asking about it.

[77 sentences]

[Main Building: A Japanese-style residence. The owner's superstitions can be seen reflected in the building's construction. From one central room extends four hallways that bend perpendicular and to the right to connect to four outer rooms. From the skies, the design is reminiscent of the sun-symboloizing swastika. Nestled in each of the arms is a garden. The north arm contains a zen rock and sand gardens. A large part of the green garden in the east arm is filled with a pond and babbling creek. The south arm contains a minimalistic garden that borders a well tended lawn. The west arm contains a decorative garden in the Japanese style, cut through by a path for those who wish to enjoy it with a walk. The original purposes of these arms are lost as everythig has been removed prior, leaving them bare and with plenty of room to maneuver.

The southern garden is now... covered with a lattice-work ceiling of mokuton.]

[Client/Target: Mizutani Hiro, arms dealer of the Water Country and second son of a storied noble family of the fallen Water Country. A robust, self-proclaimed patriot who rubbed shoulders with the Lightning Empire's officials and merchants while selling the goods of war he obtained from his dealings to the daimyo's slowly rebuilding forces. He is a man who knows how to defend himself, but is understandably ill able to against the likes of an assassin who could cut the throat of a Lightning official one day and then silence a fortified town the next without suffering any repercussions.]

Tenshuyami