EVENT: Energy And Espionage

[BLKND]

It might have been the instinct that animals carry when approached by predators; or perhaps it was the instincts that had been hounded into the skulls of every academy student to know when to react to a threatening situation; it also could have been the experience that could be gained from each mission that Kassui had been on since before his induction into the village. Regardless of what the reason would be, it would still prompt the same response. As his eyes would quickly dart from body to body, taking in to account each man that would begin to converge on the location of his team, he would scowl with complete ferociousness. It would almost be convenient that the old man would turn to Haru, who, despite having told the Genin of the group, was most dressed like a ninja. Perhaps it was that clue, or the mere color of his eyes that would lead him to discover their true identity. Regardless, they wandered into the cave of a bear with this threat.

There were five men total, the four large men surrounding the perimeter of the ninja. In the center was the old man, who could be assumed to be their leader; given his smaller stature he was most likely the most skilled. They had all been armed, save the leader, with weapons which no doubt were nothing special. Despite their desperate claim to differentiate themselves, they were nothing more than thugs themselves. Kassui would love to prove that to them. However, the situation had fallen slightly awry. The genin of the group, Jun, had not been paying attention, once more dropping the ball, and putting the group into a difficult situation. His red eyes beamed at her with an awful glare, showing his frustration, only to be redirected at the hooded man at her back, his blade instantly touching her skin. It was despicable, but an effective tactic- that is, if Haru was the only ninja. Being the most obvious, it would save Kassui the most important element that a ninja could acquire: surprise.

Taking literally no time, Kassui would move in to action. Instantly flicking his wrist, a hefty black weapon would appear. With an open circle in the center, and four blades portruding from each side, it would be clear to any of his team mates, that what he held in his hand was an average shuriken, a particularly useful ninja tool that most men wouldn't carry. Despite its size, a shuriken could be quite deadly; and despite its blades, quite difficult for the common man to use. These three- however, were no common men. It would appear as though swatting away a fly, Kassui's arm would arch towards the sky, while his other arm would shift, instantly taking the older man by surprise- a quick, crushing grasp of his adam's apple. The shuriken would appear to vanish however as it left Kassui's hand, the savageness only revealing itself to Jun and the man who had grabbed her. Appearing to simply 'fall off' the arm in which had grasped her would instantly fall to the ground, along with a separate chunk of meat that would appear to be his elbow. With expert precision, the jounin's blade had cut through the arm of man completely, an easy task given his height advantage over Jun. It would set her free for the time being, and he could only trust her this third time to protect herself from whatever retaliation he would ensue- though with the blood pouring from his arm and only Jun's chest, he would assume that there was not much else that he could threaten her with.

In his other hand however, the older man would quickly feel a similar pain as Kassui's grasp would intensify, his opposite hand pulling a different weapon from his belt before quickly driving the needle a centimeter from the man's ear. His eyes would first survey his body constantly, making sure that if he noticed even the slightest bit of movement, that he would have to either escape or do what was necessary.

"HARU!" He would exclaim, checking on the status of his Chuunin.

If Haru hadn't yet taken care of the remaining two thugs, then it would be assumed that he would at least cover Jun or Kassui from them. The abilities of the Byakugan were almost common knowledge in the ninja world these days, so a covering position would be ideal for this group, and Kassui knew it. This being only doubly certain as Kassui would have his hands full with another issue. Glancing into the eyes of this man, as if a beast before devouring its prey, he would offer no audio until he had heard a confirmation from his subordinate. Even still, the grip on the man's throat, and the needle which menacingly hung over him, threatening to kill him in a moment's notice were already enough of a pull that he could get away a small interrogation if need be. Or so he hoped.

// THREAD -- ENERGY & ESPIONAGE
//OOC -- 1 shuriken used. 1 senbon equipped. all armor and primary weaponry have been placed into the scroll. secondary weaponry and remaining accessories are on person.
// JUTSU -- rotating shuriken. (shuriken travels at 30mps)

[luneth]

With several clear objectives set for the task ahead, Haru would remain silent, contemplating their circumstances and simulating different scenarios within his mind

With his ponderance having stretched far beyond the mundane possibilities of bandits and crooks, he would have easily foreseen such events long before their passing. It would be evident in his demeanor, as, opposed to his sneering counter-part, he would eye the converging group in a calm, somewhat comical manner. Amid displaying this façade of peace, his deific eyes would observe the assailants, trained oculars prying through their person for weapons, explosives, etc.

They were your atypical thugs, preying on travelers throughout Kaminari no Kuni’s harsh lands, this made even more evident as their supposed leader would begin his jabbering on their difference from ordinary bandits. Everyone wanted to feel special, though viewing the group, he couldn't discern this difference; their lives would end as nothing more than mere notches on his metaphorical belt of justice.

The inexpressive Chūnin would remain stationary as seconds passed, his eyes not bothering to look as he would make no moves to stop the man from taking Jun; even allowing him to finish his silly proposition. The man was extremely audacious, to think that he could kill them, but even more, to imply that they would willingly comply. Personally, the Hyūga held no intention of doing so.

Not messy enough, he would muse sadistically towards the end of the speech, his Byakugan activated immediately thereafter as four chakra needles would each rocket forward in their own separate directions, all originating from Haru’s vicinity.

There would be one directed toward each of the surrounding four; moving incredibly fast, they would be imbued in the foreheads of each bandit in the blink of an eye. The large needles would be nigh on impossible for the mafia members to dodge, owing to their subtle nature, which had allowed them to be conjured without any physical movement or handseals from Haru himself, their extreme speed, the groups own close proximity, their assumed unfamiliarity with such chakra, and even their reflexes, which, no matter how fast, would be nothing compared to a trained ninja’s, especially those of Haru and Kassui's higher caliber.

Should the needles miss, he would send another volley; four more, each aimed once again for the group, though this time attempting to pass through the heart.

His actions would be performed in conjunction with Kassui’s own, his Byakugan having viewed the Jōnin’s own impressive proceedings as he would constrict the old man while lopping off the arm of the leading bandit, severing his hold from Jun.

"i’m fine," the Hyūga would state quietly in response to Kassui’s call, assuming he hadn’t noticed by the surrounding bodies he’d only just taken care of.

His pale eyes would scan the area more thoroughly as the action subsided. Their attempted ambush had been poorly executed, as the feeble bandit would have rather negotiated with the group than simply attack; regardless, his eyes would make sure such things wouldn't happen again, without their group being forewarned a kilometer in advance, atleast. Upon taking a few minutes to observe their surroundings, his attention would fall on the girl standing to their side.

Once the remaining bandits were done away with, he had words for her.

SPOILER: Click to show

[activated]Byakugan.
[used]Chakura Kenzan.

[Naitome]

Kassui, you will find that the flicker of your wrist and throwing of shuriken went off without a hitch, allowing you to toss the projectiles and hit your intended targets. However, attacking the old man by grabbing at his exposed throat was a mistake. Though not a shinobi, the man, as your fellow shinobi would have no doubt noticed due to an over-abundance of physical energies, was a master of Taijutsu, and he saw your pitiful strike coming and was capable of deflecting it far before you came anywhere close to actually touching him. The blow that followed, as he grabbed your wrist and twisted it outwards, exposing your midsection, would crash into Kassui's gut with incredible force, but his grip on your wrist would prevent you from flying back, and more likely than not pop your shoulder out of its socket.

Haru's attack had been completely successful. The unseen and quickly spawned chakra needles would fly through the foreheads of their intended targets, and the deft blade he swung would skillfully sink through the arm of the attacker holding Jun. Blood splattered, flesh was ripped asunder, and the chakra needles forced their way into and through the men's brains accompanied by...complete and utter silence.

Before your very eyes, the men's wounds would flow back together; skin would reknit itself, holes would close as if nothing had happened, and even while caught in the fatal throes of your assault, the men's movements would not change. Their faces were without emotion. They had no reaction to the pain your attack should have caused, and kept moving towards you as if nothing had happened, even with you being able to see evidence of them taking damage. In a few short seconds, it would appear as if nothing had happened to them at all, and they would have boxed you, and your hurt leader in closer to each other, restricting further movements and holding their blades now up to your own throats. The man holding Jun, his arm regenerating effortlessly, would push her face down into the dirt, and jab the tip of his own blade through her lower back, missing any vital organs but effectively pinning her in place as she'd let loose a loud and terrifying scream.

Did you want to keep trying? You can of course, but by now, you should know that none of it matters. Heh, if you keep at it, we'll kill the girl too, and then she can be the one fighting you instead of these cor----

Tora-sama. They are all shinobi.

The older man silenced himself suddenly, nodding. The assembled group would not care in the least how you struggled or attempted to defend yourselves, they were confident that they could not be defeated.

And here I thought it was just the boy. So you're a full fledged cell, eh? Excellent. Take them to the boss. He'll want to have a...aha...a few words with them.

Abandoning their plan of looting a few stragglers in favor of delivering actual shinobi to the Mafia head, they would move forward to restrain you all. Jun has gone unconscious from the pain and has had her body thrown at Haru. She will require medical attention soon in order to stop her bleeding.

---

Proceed wisely.

[BLKND]

Two, vicious red eyes would flare into what appeared to be almost flames as Kassui would quickly notice the instant transformation of the situation. He had always prided himself on his physical prowess, but this man appeared to be a step above him. Feeling the callus grip of his enemy grasp his exposed wrist, he would struggle to break free, only to find himself stopped short by a quick jolt of his enemy's massive build. Thrusting his shoulder back he would soon see his enemy turn around, his fist as though a boulder swinging within a short distance in an attempt to crush Kassui's stomach in a counter blow. The move was quick, but Kassui's height and caution would give him a small window of opportunity. Shifting his weight slightly, he would flinch backwards, and slightly to the side to take the fist against his side, where there would be much more muscle to protect him from the crushing blow of the older man. However, the force didn't persuade. Thrusting him backward he would feel the pain of sprained muscles splitting on his shoulder, his eyes slamming shut in a wincing pain that he would fight to keep open. The vibrant red glare that would not remove itself from the old man's sight would intensify, and his teeth would reveal themselves to be just as feral as an animals.

A deep growl would rumble into the ears of the old man, who he was sure would take no mind to it, however his hand would fall limp, gripping onto the needle, and into the man's blind spot should he need it. Looking around, he would quickly notice what all of the commotion had come from. Before he could even react, his cell had been boxed in, with a wounded Jun now pressed up against her young counterpart. Kassui, their leader would be in no better condition, his eyes wincing as he would notice the blood of both the man whom he had attacked, and Jun's own blood now smeared all over her body. It was a despicable sight to behind, but it was one that he had to endure... considering that he was paying attention. Despite his lack of speaking capacity, Kassui was able to catch that much at least. Though the man was cut off, it was clear what was going on here.

Shifting his eyes over to his subordinates, he would try his best to catch eye contact with Haru. Shaking his head subtly, he would hope to kill all retaliation that his subordinate was capable of performing. While Kassui hadn't witnessed what Haru had done thus far, it was clear that a battle was on the horizon, and that if they wanted to, they could pursue something much more full-fledged. However, at the mention of a 'boss' it would be clear that they were on the right track. The tattoos, the mention of a mafia; all of the pieces were coming together. While they may have their scrapes and bruises for now, they were all still very much alive. As long as they could remain as such, they might actually be able to make it home much more quickly.

// THREAD -- ENERGY & ESPIONAGE
//OOC -- Things are spicing up! 1 senbon equipped. all armor and primary weaponry have been placed into the scroll. secondary weaponry and remaining accessories are on person.
// JUTSU -- n/a

[luneth]

He’d been wrong, and his impulsive supposition proven false. These were in no way ordinary bandits, or mafia members even; it would be unmistakable, the evidence clear as Izumi would witness the lethal openings his needles had caused be seamlessly sewn back together, their brains repairing themselves, skulls reforming, and even exterior skin stitching itself closed. The foursome had emerged from the dead, their leading counterpart concomitantly nullifying the wound dealt to his arm, with the sopping appendage reappearing as quickly as it had left.

The sight would be too much, his shortcomings causing a degree of deja-vu. Individual voices of the Hyūga council would play within his mind, his own failure arousing old memories; images depicting a younger version of the Chūnin would flood him mentally, while externally he'd appear to be staring intensely, at nothing.

~

The child would be surrounded by a group of his clan’s elders and council, each of them taking turns as they would work to structure the boy's own thought process, and ability. He was their prized possession, a youth having shown an impossible amount of talent; yet consequently, for this, they would push him beyond impossible limits.

“you were wrong, haru. your reasoning is flawed.”

With that, a strike aimed for the tenketsu just below the five year-old’s temple would be shot forward. Connecting, he would feel an immediate sense of instability, his lithe frame rocking groggily toward the left and right, as he would appear dazed, and near the brink of unconsciousness. Displaying the effects of his master’s attack would warrant more punishment, as he would receive an overhand rap, linking with the back of his downward-faced head. The prodigy would be sent to the floor, seconds passing as he would struggle to get back up, his ears now ringing as he would additionally strain to hear the scolding lecture being voiced by one of the surrounding elders.

“-nderstand? one mistake... one mistake is all this world is willing to offer you; one false decision.. one bad choice, and your life will be forfeit. do not forget this, haru!”

~

These words would ring true now more than ever before. Had he forgotten?

In the spur of the moment, the Hyūga’s choice pupil had made an incorrect move. Had he perhaps inspected the group further, took better note of the old man’s bizarre, commanding physical energy, or even considered their situation in a more thorough manner, the possibility of noticing the five's well-concealed, odd, and even unrecognizable chakra signature may have possibly presented itself.

He’d failed to identify that the head bandit’s profound confidence and words had not been empty, but instead, were weighed with a hidden meaning. There hadn’t been the slightest amount of doubt or apprehension in his tone, despite the presence of trained ninja; he now saw that it had been in good reason, and yet, it was too late.

His underestimation had cost the group, and in seconds, his confidence would have been mentally admonished into remorse. The emotion would be doubled as Jun would cry out in agony, the assailant’s blade piercing her lower back. The kumo-nin would behold the morbid occurence in frustration, and simultaneous relief, as the sword would have just missed any of her essential organs. No emotion could have been visibly discerned from his countenance or demeanor as the events would proceed, however; although internally, a storm engulfed with shame and fury raged.

There would be no action made to react; listening to the man’s reasoning, the Chūnin had decided to oblige, consecutively observing his Jōnin comrade as he had already moved to do the same. Their destination would now be the mafia’s head; he was fearless, with his previous emotions slowly subsiding, altering into one single sense, or goal, which would be to right his wrongs, to rectify his mistakes, moreso for himself, but as well for the group he had been assigned the mission with.

Events moving forward, Jun would have thankfully been thrown in his direction, their subjugated group soon thereafter leaving the area. Knowing her deep gash would leave her dead should he react any later, Haru would first kneel slightly, catching the Kunoichi within his arms. He would place a hand on the back-side of her wound, his other beginning to draw the familiar green shousen chakra from within.

There was naught to do now but wait, both for the healing to occur, and for their arrival at wherever the undead planned to take them. Either way, he'd be ready.

SPOILER: Click to show

[activated]byakugan.
[prepping]shōsen no jutsu (b).

[Naitome]

It is not difficult for them to restrain you, and once this has been done, Haru's healing of his teammate is allowed to progress just enough to save her life before you both join her in unconsciousness. The guards who have approached you restrain you easily, and carry your bodies into the depths of the Swallow's Nest, uncomplaining, as the world fades into darkness around you.

When you wake up, the situation has changed dramatically.

You are grouped together in an underground cell, but Jun is not with you. There are hosts of other cells around as well, and the corpse of one who did not make it out of captivity crouched next to the single bar covered window on the center back wall of the room. The bars that keep you in confinement are of simple metal, and are strong, but have still become subject to rust and wear over the years. Your weapons and items are gone. There is a single guard in a chair ten meters away from the locked door of the cage, black sclera and white pupils striking an altogether odd resemblance to Haru, though you can tell this is no dojutsu. The guard does not move, and all around you are the sounds of people screaming and dying, crying out and insulting, the sounds of bells sounding and metal scraping against metal.

If you were to search your cell, you'd see that a large chunk of the corpse sharing your confinement appears to have been...bitten off. Only a single flight of stairs leads up and away from where you are held, and if you look out of the bars to your right, you can see it stretch up into a multi-colored procession of lights before your vision is too obscured to make out anything else.

The single guard stares at you without moving. Two candles light your area, positioned on the desk next to him. At his waist is a large key on a ring; a key that looks as if it might fight into the lock next to the bars that hold you in place. The walls of your cell, as well as every wall you can currently see, have been coated in a fine covering of crystal that shines subtly, even in the partially consuming darkness.

What will you do?

---

Proceed.

[BLKND]

It would take a moment for his eyes to focus. The blurring of in-and-out taking a while before finally coming together for him to be able to see things clearly. His hair had fallen in front of his face, as it often did when he had grown upset. It would take a simple flick of the neck however to return it to its proper place, and allow him the function of actual visibility. Slamming his eyes shut, and opening them once more, he would feel himself finally capable of seeing. This however, would be taken in strides as he would do his best to take in the situation in which he had his subordinates had been placed. Getting a quick survey of the area, he would quickly find himself trapped in a small cage with Haru. Jun was no where to be found. Taking a deep seeded sigh, he would take another glance at the room- noticing the third person in the cell to be a corpse that appeared to be partially eaten. Perhaps it was the work of a beast, or perhaps a result of his own hunger, and the conditions that these men place their prisoners. The latter conclusion could quickly be eliminated however, with the Sparrow's Nest having only been uprooted by this mafia for a short period of time. For a man to have literally eaten himself- was too odd of an issue to consider. Aside from his cell mates, the constant clattering of other prisoners was also a peculiar thing to notice. It would almost be a prison if not for the constant coating of crystal which covered almost every surface of this dungeon.

His shoulder was feeling a bit better, giving him a small estimate as to how long he had been out. Without even looking, Kassui's leg would nudge into Haru's in an attempt to wake the young Hyuuga from a slumber he may or may not have been in. He didn't have time to check. Instead, he would be focusing them on the guard that seemed to stare coldly at them, as though they were some sort of cooked meat. His eyes were strange- far more eerie than Haru's, but it was his stare that really caused the most uneasiness. In an attempt to move his arms, he would soon find that they had in fact been restrained much more thoroughly than he had understood. The shackles that sat in his lap would rattle slightly from the miniature amount of movement exerted. While his enemies were indeed powerful, there was still an evident misunderstanding as to what ninja were capable of. Despite the shackling, which might have weighed him down slightly, his fingers and hands were completely unaltered, allowing him an incredible amount of movement, and access to his entire array of ninjutsu. A small success, coupled on top of the fact that they had been placed inside the belly of the beast. Really, they couldn't ask for more, aside from the presence of their third partner, who had really been nothing more than a burden to the cell. Despite the fact that she was a member of the village, she had done little but compromise the mission. Holding his head up, he would take another glance around for any sign of her. If he had the opportunity to save her- he would. For now; the mission took priority.

With Haru hopefully awake now, he would need a small amount of time to recover. Additionally, he would need him to perform a small amount of surveillance before beginning to make an escape attempt. In the mean time, he would do his best to examine things himself. Taking a small amount of energy to rise to his feet he would do his best to find his center of gravity as he wobbled over to the maimed corpse by the window. Teeth marks riddled his body, and the face of agony seemed to overcome him before his demise. The smell was awful, and the insects had gotten to him over time. He had seen an attack like this before. Nothing horrifying, but unsettling to say the least. Taking another glance over towards their guard, he would begin to venture once more into the possibilities of their enemy. Death seemed as though an impossibility, and what the old man had said... it seemed to have been leading into something far more sinister than ninjutsu. This was something evil, something that no man should ever have to venture in to, or suffer through. They would need to stay on their toes... and discover a way to truly rid themselves of their opponents.

"..."

// THREAD -- ENERGY & ESPIONAGE
//OOC -- 1 shackle(s) equipped.
// JUTSU -- n/a

[luneth]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width, 450px][STYLE=margin: 10px 22px 10px 22px; text-align: justify;font-family: times;font-size: 11px;]A slight prod issued from his Jōnin partner would stir the unconscious youth from his darkness; frantic eyes jolting open, his gaze would turn towards the direction of the nudge, subsequently hastening across the chamber. A recollection of their previous altercation would flash through his mind, his slight confusion suddenly surmounted by comprehension and awareness; concurrently, the Chūnin would have just begun to register the fact that the two were constrained, in a... prison? The reek of rancid decay would fill his faintly aquiline nose, the Hyūga's pale eyes searching for Jun, their third, less-useful counterpart. She was nowhere to be found, a fact Kassui had already noticed, he was sure. The remainder of the mission would be carried out by the duo; it was preferable to Izumi, as he'd have rather worked alone regardless, and otherwise preferred the taciturn to the inept. Prying his half-conscious mind, he could remember gathering shousen chakra to heal the wounded Kunoichi, though anything beyond that would be complete and utter black. Reversing, he'd remember the bandits pronounce that they would skip bounty, and take the trio directly to their leader. From what he could infer, there hadn't been much of a reason for the henchmen to lie, and as such, Izumi would assume honesty, thereby explaining the reason they were in a cell. The morose setting would be a mere waiting room, time being the only factor separating the two Kumo-nin from this mafia boss. It was a situation similar to the one he'd been in following his discovery of Kumogakure; years younger than he was now, Izumi would have spent days on his own within Kaminari's merciless terrain, and upon tracking and attempting to enter the village, had been thrown into a cell, eventually met by the Nidaime Raikage. Experience would tell him to remain patient; though, observing the rusted metal covering his wrists, he knew the mere release of chakra from their tenketsu could break him free. It would be a simple action, and yet, he doubted that it'd be allowed without consequence. For now, there'd be no reason to attempt an escape; moreover, who's to say they could? It wouldn't be senseless to think that the mafia were under control of more immortal beings than the random group that had confronted them. The idea would be daunting, and if it were true, a wrong play of cards would end in death. Not fond of this, he would remain seated; exuding his routine façade of peace, the scholarly Hyūga would brood their predicament, his all-seeing eyes and adroit ears now acting in conjunction to absorb and examine their surroundings. His head would be buried down into his right shoulder prior to commencing, hiding his activated KG. Before anything, he would notice the black and white, peculiar, prying eyes of a man staring directly at them. His appearance was haunting, this complemented by the back-drop of shrill cries, screams, pleading, metal clashing against metal, and even the sound bells reverberating throughout their underground structure. He seemed even more zombie-like than the five he and Kassui had fought earlier. Fascinating. Just as odd would be the crystal thinly layered over the walls; and even more, venturing up and beyond these walls, his Byakugan's vision would become unclear; there were bright, beaming lights of several different colors, and nothing else. Blocked from the exterior, he would focus more on the exact proportions of the inside, mentally noting the guards distance from them, the amount of cells within their chamber, the staircase and its proximity away, windows, even a key matching their locked cell. He would deactivate his Byakugan following the thorough inspection, his face moving from its prior position and towards the Anbu nearby. The subsequent words spoken would be voiced with no more than a centimeter of his mouth open, additionally mumbling in a tone further hushed than a whisper. All of the necessary precaution had to be taken, should the guard watching them turn out to be something beyond human. "we're underground.. these walls are covered in crystal, if you haven't noticed. that guard is ten meters away from our cell, exactly, and he holds the key to unlock us. to the left, at the end of the hallway is a staircase; it's the only way up.. i can't see beyond that." SPOILER: Click to show [activated]byakugan. [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width, 450px][/style]

[Naitome]

The guard stares at you, unblinkingly focused, but hollow. A large grumbling roar shakes the foundation of the prison cell, and everything else around you, but your situation has not improved any. Voices gather loudly, jokingly, but they are coming from the area beyond the furthest limits of the staircase where Haru's Byakugan is able to penetrate. They are getting closer.

---

Proceed.

[BLKND]

Nodding his head carefully, he would acknowledge Haru's reconnaissance. It would only be after the verbal exchange however that things would grow that much more interesting. A shaking roar would appear to navigate its way into the ears of the two. Turning his head violently, he would instantly begin to search for its origin. He had heard sounds like that his entire life. The cry of a beast beckoning for blood- a way to sate its anger. It was no doubt a beast within captivity- another thing that he had been all too familiar with. Raising his hands to his stomach, he would look down at his open palms, and the thick irons that would buckle his wrists to each other. The red hued eyes that allowed him to do so slowly covered themselves with his lids, and he would begin to construct a plot to have them escape this place. From what he could see, and from what his team mate had informed him, they held a solitary opposition, and a solitary witness. The key to what they assumed to be their escape was within their view, and the only person stopping them was a man- no evident back up or alarm system to alert any other people of their presence. This wasn't how he wanted things to go in the first place. They had been exposed, and their presence had been made known. While it got them to their goal much faster, it was far from the way Kassui wanted things to go- but it wasn't too late to change that. Turning back to Haru, he would quickly make his way back over to the sitting Chuunin, offering him the same tone and volume that he had been offered.

"PREPARE." He would say coldly, yet quietly, before turning to face the very gate that separated them from the very keys that they needed to acquire in order to escape.

"YOU," He would shout out at the guard who bore no real resemblance to the other men that they had faced. "WHERE... ARE WE?" He would inquire, attempting to gather more information on where they were, and how the village had changed since last in contact with Kumogakure.

There had been four objectives to this mission, the first of which to gather information on what exactly had happened to this village. If this man was the prison master, he would have vital information on not only what had happened to the village, but also who else from the village would remain alive and loyal to the ideals of its liberation. Any assistance would help- especially from the people who knew this town the best.

// THREAD -- ENERGY & ESPIONAGE
//OOC -- 1 shackle(s) equipped.
// JUTSU -- n/a

[luneth]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width, 450px][STYLE=margin: 10px 22px 10px 22px; text-align: justify;font-family: times;font-size: 11px;]I'd remain my calm, ordinary self following the mumbled observations, doing nothing to attract attention from the guard, though my peripheral vision would continue to acknowledge his incessant, deadpan gaze nonetheless. I'd center the greater part of my attention on attempting to predict what would happen next, my mind calculating diverse outcomes, simultaneously working to foresee what lie beyond the multihued luminosity my Byakugan had witnessed. The latter query would be solved in part as I'd experience the pavement surrounding me tremble, accompanied by the preceding, growling protestation of what sounded to be some form of beast. !! My head would twitch in its direction, almost reactionary, as my featureless oculars endeavored to search for the grumbling bellow's source; additionally noting my partner's own jolting response to the noise, as he'd have looked to be far more intrigued, or even disturbed, by the sound. I was certain it had derived from a point beyond the nearby stairwell. One could only guess what it was that had actually made the sound, though based on everything ghastly that I'd witness up until this point, I had no doubt that it would be morbid and revolting; a creature both horrid and hostile, deformed beyond what most would consider even remotely close to alright, or normal. I'd grimace at both the thought, and this situation as a whole. I was eager to leave, and thusly would do nothing to challenge my comrade's verbal advance on the guard, who, as expected, had remained fixed on our cell, too preparing as I'd been ordered. [atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width, 450px][/style]

[Naitome]

I was once, much as you are now. Now I am exactly like you, I suppose. A prisoner. I do not wish to hold you in my company any more than you wish to be held. But my actions are not my own. My will is not my own. It is the eater and we are the food and that is the way it must be. Forever.

The guard answers you, but perhaps not in the way you might expect. His face grows unexpectedly sad as he mumbles the words, and the laughter gathering in the halls seems to burst from every where at once as a man enters into your holding area, accompanied by a scantily clad woman who hangs onto his every word as if he were a celebrity.

Around the man's fingers sit many expensive rings, his clothes are impeccably tailored, his hair and teeth and overall manner all suggest that he is in indeed, quite wealthy. Not at all an appropriate visitor for a jail. But he passes the guard as if he is not really there and turns to face the both of you, knocking against the metal grate with his knuckles, loudly, to get your attention.

So. We just tortured the Shinobi girl you brought with you. Quite amusing. She wasn't going to talk at first, some sort of issue with pride or strength, whatever ignorant nonsense your village has been teaching it's whores.

Kumogakure, eh? I heard you were looking for me. You want to see just who could be fouling up the works for our Dear Comrade Cloud.

Well.

Ask me.

Go on. Ask me.

Ask me what i'm doing here and why.

For good measure, he throws an object into your cage, a derisive smirk plastered across his face as the woman next to him cackles in delight.

In case you're hungry.

What he has thrown you is Jun's arm. Severed at the shoulder blade. Jagged edges of bone splintering out like the blast site of a grenade. His body gives off no chakra signature...in fact, looking at it directly with the Byakugan eye, is almost impossible to do. It reflects your vision back at you endlessly, just like the crystal covering coating the insides of your prison.

---

Proceed.

[KEITH]

+25 - Jun
+70 - Obs
+70 Haru
+75 - Nai

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