[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

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Toshi
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Thu May 16, 2019 3:21 pm

Nestled between the sheer, icy cliffs of the Hokkyou Mountains and the unforgiving wastes of the Kosshi Desert flows the lifeblood of Rock Country; a winding network of rivers simply known as the Onan. Lush swathes of grasslands and golden wheat blanket this region in times of favorable weather, its rivers and fields tended by the Heisui people for generations on generations. The fisherman and farmer folk of a small but prosperous village within the boundaries of Azuma would find themselves in the throws of celebration and revelry.

Another of Rock Country's legendarily harsh winters had passed and Spring had breathed life into the world once more. Nyuubai was upon them and the villagers welcomed it with open arms.

The drink flowed, stories older than the storytellers were spoken over firelight and music filled the air like a sweet summer breeze. This small village, known simply as Yūyo, hosted famously competitive events ranging anywhere from displays of martial arts to boat racing and everything in between. Men laughed, women sang and children played. Even the barbarian tribes of the North found their way to villages like Yūyo, hoping to resupply for the coming winter as well as join in on the celebration of Spring's return.

On an ordinary night in this extraordinary time the skies were clear and the stars shined down on Yūyo, almost as if joining in the celebration themselves. The boats had been tied off at the docks and the competitions had drawn to a close until the first of morning's light. Campfires dotted the village like hundreds of fireflies and people moved and danced about, casting long, twisted shadows on the thatched cottages the Heisui called home. Many found themselves indoors this night, either preparing for the long day of competition ahead or enjoying the company of loved ones, friends and distant travelers.

One particularly lively inn practically shook with the excitement of celebration. Inside men and women sang songs they'd sung as children, and had since taught their children and even their children after. Songs of fine harvests and the Spirit of Spring smiling on the people of Yūyo, songs of the rainy seasons that saved them all from hunger and want. Stringed and woodwind instruments accompanied the bangs and pounds of drums and hands on tables as they all sang and drank and danced, intoxicated with the promise of kinder months ahead.

One man wrapped his arms around the shoulders of two others, belting what little of the words he knew to these songs and sometimes making up some of his own. His black hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail with unruly, escaped strands bouncing and weaving as the men swayed from side to side with the music. At the end of each song they would raise their sake cups, toast to their good fortune and throw their heads back in laughter after a long sip.

"Have I *hic*... Hey, have I told you guys about the one *hic*..." sputtered the pale skinned man, his already thin eyes heavily lidded with the spoils of the night's festivities. His free hand fumbled at the air as he tried to collect a thought that had already flitted away. "Ahhh no... Not that one, the one with the donkey and the other, smaller donkey..."

One of the other men, a burly fisherman, slapped him on the back and laughed, the sound overwhelmingly infectious to everyone standing nearby. "Didn't they teach you how to drink where you came from?" he asked mockingly, sticking a finger in the black haired man's face. The motion nearly sent the fisherman toppling over until the two men caught each other. The fisherman let out another laugh, his nose and cheeks radiating red. "Come on, just one more! Don't leave me with these mouth breathers!"

He vaguely gestured to the nearby villagers, who in turn replied with a mix of unsavory gestures, taunts and cheers.

The black haired man considered the offer for a moment before raising his glass and saying, "All right, all right! One more round on me!"

The group cheered and applauded and the band began to play another folk tune that got nearly the entire room on their feet and dancing.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Fri May 17, 2019 6:49 am

The inn had been buzzing since midday, when all of the villagers and visitors had taken a brief break from the day's activities for lunch. Since then patrons had been in and out of the establishment, all varying degrees of excitement, age, and friendliness. The wait staff were adroit at keeping their customers happy, flitting from table to table to keep glasses near overflowing with beer and liquor. Intoxicated guests were happy guests, and the happier they were the more they spent. In the midst of all the enthusiasm and zest, however, was one patron who remained wholly indifferent to the festive atmosphere.

One waitress skittered away from a lecher who grew bolder by the glass full, using her obligations to tend to the other guests as the perfect excuse to politely - and firmly - shut down his advances. In her eagerness to maintain her busy appearance, she nearly absentmindedly filled someone's glass and only caught herself when it was snatched away. She sputtered an apology for the spilled beer, quickly realizing she nearly made an error that could cost her job.

Unlike the rest of the patron this one was stone cold sober, and for good reason. He was only a kid, no older than fourteen or fifteen, and the bar had strict rules against serving drinks to children. Unlike the other wily teenagers of the village who tried to smooth talk their way into a pint, this one was more interested in engorging himself with food. He devoured everything he ordered as if he hadn't eaten in days and hardly looked up from his meal. "It's nearing your bedtime, ain't it kid?" she quipped as she picked up a plate piled with chicken bones. He cut his gaze toward her, bright green eyes that contained both a sea of angst and the kind of detached iciness that was usually seen only in the hardened barbarians from up north. Or in soldiers.

The waitress faltered, giving him time to respond, "I'll take another plate of the spicy chicken. And can you get them to make it actually spicy this time? Might as well be ketchup."

The boy licked his fingers as she nodded and scurried away, surveying the room and noting how unremarkable the scene was compared to some of the other hijinks he had seen in his travels. This village, among others, would be bustling with merriment for days to come, and he wanted nothing to do with it. He was only there to fill his belly and sleep in a real bed for the first time in over a week.

The boy's gaze settled briefly on one rather loud man, generous in his inebriation, as a few servers quickly brought freshly poured beers. As they clinked their glasses together a plate of steaming chicken coated in a dangerously red sauce was placed in front of him and stole his attention away. The pungent scent of the spices made his mouth water and for a moment he looked nearly as excited as the rest of the guests.

"You should call it a night. You need your rest, and we don't normally let kids in here without a parent anyway, especially at this hour." To the woman's growing annoyance he not only didn't respond but he waved her away dismissively. This was a kid with no manners who clearly didn't like being told what to do.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Toshi
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Fri May 17, 2019 12:15 pm

With a clink and a cheer the fisherman and his thin eyed friend drank with a wordless satisfaction. The two eyed each other with looks of friendly competition as their adam's apples bobbed with each gulp, neither willing to be the first to back down. After several long moments the group of men standing around the dueling companions pounded the tables in tandem and howled their support for one side or the other. The music filling the tavern seemed to appropriately swell with the mounting tension of the abrupt competition, each competitor's face growing more determined with each drought.

Finally the black haired man faltered, sputtering beer on himself and the floor. The crowd cheered and applauded as the burly fisherman arrogantly finished the last of his drink and slammed the mug onto a table before raising his arms in victory. The same infectious, booming laugh filled the room as the fisherman roughly but affectionately clapped his still coughing opponent on the back.

"You're not half bad for a little runt!" he said as the pale skinned man smiled sheepishly, his eyes all but forced shut by drink. "Maybe in a few more years you'll be able to keep up!"

The black haired man finished the last of his beer with what dignity he could muster, sighing with satisfaction before planting his glass next tot he fisherman's. "If I keep drinking like this I'll be dead before morning," he said, wiping his mouth on a sleeve. "I don't know how you do it, my friend."

The fisherman patted his cauldron of a stomach and shouted, "Years of practice!" His body shook with more booming laughter, sending nearly the whole tavern into an uproar of cheers and jeers.

A nearby waitress making her rounds offered to fill each man's glass, and most took her up on the offer with impaired enthusiasm. The black haired man politely refused and half wobbled half walked towards the back of the inn with the look of a man who needed to relieve himself. He nearly bumped into a trio of rather intimidating looking men as they entered the bustling establishment on his way out, politely offering the right of way before wandering out of the room. The three strangers stopped near the bar, their dark eyes scanning the crowd with a grim efficiency.

"What can we offer ya?" the barkeep asked in a friendly tone. "Our spicy Hinomoto Chicken is a local favori-"

Before the barkeep could finish his offer the closest of the trio to the bar drew a heavy steel club and smashed it onto the counter, shattering a few glasses and splintering the stained wood with a violent crack. The room slowly simmered before growing silent, the band's music abruptly stopping mid-chorus at the sound. The man with the club stepped forward with a deliberate slowness, allowing the tense silence to linger. The stranger towered a full head over most of the inn's patrons. He wore dull iron armor reminiscent of ancient samurai with thin metal plates banded together by worn leather. His face rested with a comfortable indomitability, his receding hairline giving way to a large, wide brow. Dark eyes nestled in sunken sockets as the man's gaze wandered from patron to patron with a calculating intelligence.

"Good evening," he said evenly, almost politely. "Sorry to interrupt but you'll all be happy to hear that me and my compatriots are here to offer the opportunity of a lifetime."

The patrons muttered in confusion as the man pulled a chair away from the bar and sat in it with a casual grace, facing the crowd once more. "We're looking for able bodied young men to join our cause. The only cause that matters in these parts, really. You river hicks should be honored to serve the Haruko Brotherhood in any way you can."

Several of the inn's patrons made a move for the door at hearing the man's affiliation. Without a word the two thugs accompanying the armored speaker stood in front of the room's only entrance and exit, fingering the brutal looking clubs at their hips. The patrons slowly backed away as the leader continued speaking.

"I'm not a man who likes to repeat himself so listen closely. We don't want to have to ruin all this fun by smashing some heads in. I'm busy, you're busy, we're all very busy people. So here's the deal: round up a few dozen, uh... 'volunteers' we'll call them, before the break of morning. Me and my men will be waiting just off the northern gate and if I don't see a fresh batch of bright-eyed, bushy-tailed recruits marching up to join us, well..."

The man held up the heavy club and gave it a few test swings, standing from the chair. He slowly walked over to one of the waitresses, who looked too terrified to breathe so much as move away, and smiled down at her.

The armored man rested the club on her shoulder and said, "Let's just say if that happens, we're going to be very disappointed."
Last edited by Toshi on Tue Sep 10, 2019 10:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Sat May 18, 2019 2:13 am

His mouth was delightfully on fire. The boy's lips tingled as he tore into the chicken, tearing the meat away from the bone with loud slurping and chewing noises. The sudden sound of crashing followed by sudden silence wasn't enough to distract him from his much improved meal. His attention was torn away from the food only when a lone voice started speaking and he finally recognized the situation for what it was. There were only three of them, and although the man speaking referred to the crowd as 'river hicks,' there wasn't anything remarkable about the men. The apparent leader - a huge man who was well over six feet tall - wore some sort of samurai armor, but it looked so dated and dull that the boy wondered if any old sword could pierce it.

The teenager watched as several of the guests bristled at the name 'Haruko Brotherhood;' some even attempted to leave but were blocked by the two sidekicks near the door. There was no need to rack his brain for information about the group. There were dozens of organized crime groups throughout Rock Country, most of which Iwagakure ignored until they became an issue. The Haruko Brotherhood didn't ring any bells, and no one had mentioned the group to him despite the fact that he had a recently developed tendency to take on jobs that required a bit of scouting throughout the country along with the occasional bandit cleanup.

He had recently finished one of these jobs, in fact. It was a boring endeavor that hardly involved dismemberment or murder or anything fun. Planting seeds of distrust in an already fractured group of criminals was a cake walk. A few broken minds and bleeding bodies were all that was required of him, and his targets essentially took care of the rest on their own. The entire job should have taken at least a week and a half but the shinobi managed to get it done in a few days. Akari Kotaru was nothing if not efficient.

Kotaru looked on as a man a full head and a half shorter than the bat-carrying thug stood to his feet, his legs unsteady due to alcohol and fear. "We don't want any trouble from you and your men," he started, his voice breathy and wavering as he looked between the armored man and the waitress. He was several tables away from the thugs, and despite his boldness to stand and speak he made no effort to move closer. "We're simple folk, farmers and fishermen. Not fighters. You don't need us."

'Bad idea,' Kotaru thought as his gaze went back to the leader. He didn't seem like a man who could be reasoned with. The boy gave a small sigh and began to finish off the last of his spicy chicken, savoring every fiery bite just in case this interruption ruined any chance of a third plate.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Toshi
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Sat May 18, 2019 11:26 am

The armored leader continued smiling down at the terrified waitress as one of the villagers shakily found the courage to speak. The other patrons shifted their gaze from their trembling friend to the man with the club, some adopting defiant expressions while others grew pale and worried for their countryman. As the farmer tried to reason with the thugs the leader idly raised his club and almost gently ran it along the brunette curls that fell past her shoulders, the man's eyes fixated on the way they bounced and shined in the inn's warm light.

The woman closed her eyes, trying to stifle the tears that threatened to spill over onto her cheeks. Still she dared not move as the farmer finished speaking.

"There's always one," the thug said matter-of-factly. He patted the waitresses's cheek and added, "I'll be right back," before pulling away from her and turning to the farmer.

The thug pointed his club at the outspoken farmer as he slowly walked over to him, each footstep deliberately loud against the silence that had once again fallen over the inn. The villagers standing near the farmer slowly backed away from the approaching man like a school of fish fleeing a shark. What confidence the farmer had mustered to speak up in the first place had all but abandoned him and the man could only stare up at the armored thug towering over him.

"I like a man who's self aware," the leader said, raising his club and pressing the end of it into the farmer's chest. The shorter villager shot a glance down at the heavy, brutal looking weapon before turning his eyes back up to the man holding it. "You're right. We don't need you. And 'simple' is a little gracious if we're being honest."

The two men guarding the door chuckled at the insult, but otherwise remained quiet. The armored man began twisting the club methodically, pressing the blunt steel harder into the farmer's sternum. "If it were up to me we wouldn't be having this conversation at all. Not the talking type, myself. More of the pillage and burn you inside of your homes variety of fella."

The farmer grew paler as the thug spoke, thick beads of sweat beginning to dot his wrinkled forehead. The leader smiled at the villager's distress. "Lucky for you and all these fine folk here, the boss man's nicer than me. He sees potential in you. I think he's batshit crazy but hey the guy signs my checks so here I am, telling you how things are going to shake out all calm like."

After another long, tense moment the thug pulled his club away from the farmer and clapped him on the shoulder. He moved to turn away from the farmer but suddenly turned and drove an armored fist into the man's face. The farmer was nearly lifted off his feet from the force of the punch as he stumbled backwards, crashing into a table and sending it and everything resting on it toppling over. There were gasps and screams as the farmer fell to a bloody heap on the floor, motionless with limbs sticking out at awkward angles.

A few brave souls made to move against the thug but were held back by wiser friends. Many shared a similar expression of outrage intermingled with hopelessness. The leader, his own expression hard with anger and frustration, pointed his club down at the bloodied farmer and said, "This isn't why we're here. We're better than this, so I'm going to tell you one. More. Time."

The man opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the sound of someone chewing loudly. He tried to speak again but again, the sound of someone gnawing at meat and bone threw him off his rhythm. The leader let out a slow sigh before turning around, glaring at the source of the noise.

His cold, dark eyes would rest on a boy seated at a table near the bar. The youth's back was turned to the thug and he appeared to be completely ignoring the situation unfolding around him in favor of his meal. Petty frustration flitted across the thug's face as he walked over to where the boy was sitting. Without another word the man brought his club down on the child's plate of food, smashing the chicken into an unsatisfying mess and sending cutlery clattering to the floor.

Towering over the youth the man grimaced. "Are we boring you, kid?" he asked, his voice quiet and sharp. "Because I can liven up this party real quick."
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Sat May 18, 2019 6:06 pm

So close. He was so close to finishing his meal but just as he thought, there wouldn't be a third plate. One moment he was eying the last four chicken wings in front of him, and in the next food and forks were flying across the table and onto the floor. The room tensed further as a few patrons gasped in alarm, and worried and furious eyes settled on a kid that had nothing to do with the situation. But the armored leader's display of force discouraged anyone from intervening, even for the sake of a child.

Kotaru paused, hands poised over the table as he looked down at the mess in front of him. Chicken bones had fallen into his lap, staining his clothes with the dark red, delicious sauce. His hands slowly clenched as he tilted his head; his stare first moved to the steel club that did the damage then up to the man wielding it, tilting his head all the way back to view the man upside down. The thug truly was gigantic, but the boy wasn't someone that was intimidated by the height of a mere man; he had fought much larger and far more terrifying enemies. His black tongue ran across his sauce-stained lips and then his features twisted into a scowl. "I was eating that, you stupid simian fuck." His words were slow and deliberate, resembling a hiss at the end as he barely swallowed his quickly bubbling rage.

He could almost hear one his best friend's advice, almost feel the hand on his shoulder that had so often held him back from acting rashly and making moves fueled by anger. Almost.

"Yanno, I was doing you a favor by ignoring your bullshit intimidation tactics. I don't care about you, your cronies, or any of the twenty-one other people in here. What I did care about," he continued as he grabbed the steel club and roughly pushed it away from the table, "was my fucking food." The chair clattered noisily to the floor as he suddenly stood to glare up at the armored gang member, his head still tilted quite far back due to their height difference. In a different situation it may have been humorous, but the onlookers knew this was no laughing matter. A few of them looked as though they wanted to grab Kotaru and usher him away to safety, but no one dared move against someone in the Haruko Brotherhood.

"You're right though. Common street rats bore me and I don't usually bother to exterminate them. Not worth my time. So pay for my ruined food and be on your way and we'll call it even."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Toshi
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Sat May 18, 2019 6:50 pm

Disbelief flashed across the thug's face as the young boy stared up at him, less terrified than expected. Disbelief turned into downright confusion when the child insulted him before roughly pushing the man's club away. An almost amused smile touched the leader's lips as the boy stood up, defiantly stared up at him and demanded that he pay for the ruined meal. If the patrons looked horrified before, they looked like they'd seen death in the flesh as they all watched Kota stand up to the thug. Even the two men guarding the door looked incredulous, shocked beyond finding any amusement in the outburst.

Several long, tense moments passed before the armored man let out a chuckle. That chuckle slowly built into laughter as he stepped away from the youth, eyeing him up with something close to appraisal. He idly spun the steel club in his hand and paced back and forth, clearly deep in thought.

"I'll give you this, kid," he said, casually gesturing the club in Kota's direction. "You got some truly sizeable balls to speak to me like that."

The armored thug looked over at the men standing near the door and nodded his head at the boy. "Looks like we've got our first volunteer!" he said with mock enthusiasm. "It'll take some doin' but we'll break you in, boy. And I'm going to enjoy every second of it."

The two, shorter thugs took the hint and started walking towards Kota. One of them drew a steel club while the other unwound a length of rope. Without a word the one with the rope tried to grab the child to force his hands behind his back.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Sun May 26, 2019 2:26 am

The onlookers couldn't seem to decide whether or not to be relieved that the gang leader didn't immediately strike the boy down where he stood. Instead of smashing the blue-haired youth's head in, the giant saw something in that spunk and chose to forcibly recruit him. All who witnessed the scene expected Kotaru futilely resist, only to eventually cower in acceptance and defeat after a few blows to the gut. It had happened in villages throughout the countryside, and no matter how much individuals or even small groups fought back the outcome was always the same.

They expected the boy to resist. They expected him resort to kicking and screaming. What they didn't expect was Kotaru to turn meet the rope wielding thug halfway, taking hold of the man's left wrist and yanking it backward so that it twisted at an unnatural angle. In a swift movement he used his opposite fist to smash it into the man's nose, smirking as the bone crunched delightfully and blood immediately gushed from the man's nostrils. With another blow to the throat the rope changed hands when the thug grimaced and choked, his grip on it loosening, and a powerful kick to the back of his knees sent him crumpling to the ground face first. In the next moment it was around his throat, the boy pulling the rope upward to tighten the chokehold.

"Break me in?" he replied defiantly as he eyed the still approaching ruffian brandishing the club; he was understandably hesitating after the display. The man at Kotaru's feet struggled and gagged, but the boy didn't seem to notice. "Don't make me laugh." He released his grip on the rope and instead grabbed a handful of the sputtering thug's hair, titled his head back, and then slammed it onto the floor with much, much more force than was perhaps necessary. A small pool of blood quickly stained the floor. "I'm no volunteer." Kotaru stared up at the leader of the trio - duo - with a glare that suggested his barely contained anger would soon spill over.

Restraint didn't come easy to the boy. His growth and skill was a result of being unable to hold back in nearly every aspect of his life, constantly pushing himself and others to their limit until he was forced to gather the strength to overcome his obstacles. He would have gladly rushed to kill these men if it meant he could return to his meal. But Kotaru was no fool. He had no idea who these men were or how strong they were - especially the big one - and he couldn't be sure if there wasn't more of them waiting outside. Even if he could dispatch them without a fuss, it may prove to be more trouble than it was worth.

"Last chance," he spat as he tossed the rope to the side. "You ruined my fucking food - actually, my entire day now - and I'm too tired to kick your ass so-" he waved his hand in a shooing motion toward the door and moved to pick up his bag from the floor. "He might not be dead yet so take your bloody shit stain with you."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Toshi
Posts: 4119
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Mon May 27, 2019 2:55 pm

As the seemingly ordinary child made quick work of the thug with the rope, the other two men quickly stepped away from their detained comrade and held their steel clubs at the youth with what menace they could muster. The leader of the trio stared down at the motionless form of the miscreant he'd ordered to restrain Kota as the boy spoke, the thug's expression struggling between outrage and disbelief. It was the expression of a man who hadn't even considered the possibility of tonight being anything more than a typical intimidation sweep of a nothing village full of nothing people.

When Kota finished speaking the two thugs shot uncertain glances at each other, silently weighing their options. For several long, tense moments the inn fell silent and still. The villagers' gazes shifted from the crumpled form of the man laying in his own blood to the child who had overpowered him to the thugs still standing.

No one breathed. Time seemed to overlook the entire room, albeit briefly. That was until the only door in the room swung open with a sloppy deliberateness.

The black haired man wandered back into the inn, shattering the looming silence like stone on glass. His cheeks and nose radiated a content redness and his already thin eyes were practically forced shut by the indulgence of the night's festivities. He hiccuped once, scratched at his belly and made his way over to the bar, oblivious of the room's charged energy. The thugs could only stare in continuing disbelief as the dark haired man steadied himself on the counter and groaned, his elbows leaning heavily on its polished oaken surface.

The man raised a hand, trying to get the attention of the barkeep. "Hey... Heeee-eey," he said, his voice thick with drink. The barkeeper only stared at him, his mouth parted in shock and his eyes practically bulging with terror. Despite the lack of a hospitable response, the dark haired man powered through. "I'm gonna need uhhh-" he said, idly inspecting the plethora of bottles proudly displayed behind the bar. "One alcohol, please. Maybe two. Definitely two."

The villagers and thugs alike stared at the man with a menagerie of expressions, but the average mood of the room could be summed up with one word: incredulity.

Finally the leader of the thugs shook his head and snapped back into reality. "That's it," he said, quickly darting behind the waitress he'd accosted earlier. The mountain of a man picked up the woman with little to no effort and held his club to her head, his other arm wrapping around her slender shape and forcing her arms to her sides. She was too scared to scream, but a quiet sob escaped her throat as the thug slowly started moving to the door.

A few of the braver villagers made to stop the retreating thug but were stopped in their tracks as the armored man raised the club, threatening to bash in the waitress's skull. She could only turn her face away from the brutal weapon, her eyes clenched shut in terror.

"All right, kid," the leader said, his teeth clenched in rage. "Have it your way. But if you think this is over you're wrong. Dead wrong. We'll be back and-"

"Wait who's this guy?" the man at the bar asked, finally turning around from the bar to see the towering armored man dragging a helpless waitress towards the door. Confused, he looked around the room and took in the situation with an embarrassing slowness.

Finally it dawned on him. "Oh no!" he sputtered, standing to his full height and pointing an acusing finger at the armored thug. "You're a bad guy!"
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Thu May 30, 2019 2:24 pm

The boy tossed his bag over his shoulder and then directed his gaze back to the thugs, his bright green eyes seeming to dare them to make another move against him. Inside the bag was all his weaponry and equipment, and he briefly considered strapping his dagger to his hip but decided against it for the time being. The two men seemed dumbfounded by the realization that Kotaru was no ordinary kid. It was a reaction he had generally grown used to over the past two years, and even though he was never one to pick fights outright the young shinobi tended to use his unassuming appearance to catch others off guard. It was always pleasant to see such stupid looks of surprise.

The stunned silence was broken by someone bumbling through the door, and like everyone else Kotaru was momentarily distracted. His features twisted to that of irritation and disbelief. 'This day is so stupid,' he thought as the clearly inebriated man tried to order more alcohol that he didn't need. But then, his attention was stolen away when the gang leader snatched up a girl and launched yet another threat. If the armored man thought it would garner a reaction from Kotaru he would be disappointed. The boy made no move in her defense, but instead blinked slowly and cocked his head to the side.

Kotaru silently cut his eyes toward the drunkard when he made the stupid 'bad guy' outburst. His lips parted slightly as his eyes and brows scrunched in confusion. "No kidding, dumbass," he retorted before looking back at the thug and his hostage. The boy quickly weighed his options; this situation as a whole had little to do with him, but had he not intervened the woman probably wouldn't have been used as a human shield. With a small, resigned sigh he plunged his hand into his bag and pulled out his dagger. In the next second the boy dashed forward and stopped at the thug's left side, facing him while crouching.

With a flash of movement he stabbed upward powerfully at the man's side just below his armpit. He wasn't sure if the weapon would pierce the armor, but perhaps the force of the blow would at least unbalance him or loosen his grip on the steel club. He wouldn't give the thug time to retaliate or react; in the next instant he pulled back the dagger and swiveled around the thug to his other side, repeating the movement. Kotaru moved with the goal of getting the girl away from the man. Only then would he comfortably unleash his fury in retaliation for his interrupted meal.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Toshi
Posts: 4119
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Fri May 31, 2019 11:23 am

The leader's human shield protected him from the front but completely blocked his vision on the left flank, a direction the thug thought he didn't have to worry about. When Kota's dagger struck the iron armor it caught the leader by surprise, forcing a shout out of the towering man that was more shock than pain. The dagger's tip hadn't managed to pierce his armor but the force behind the thrust racked his ribs with a dull, aching pain that made the thug wince.

The waitress finally found her voice in that moment, screaming in terror as Kota appeared and thrust a dagger just past her left arm. She began kicking at the air and twisting in the man's grip in a desperate attempt to pull free from her captor. The thug raised the steel club high over his head before moving to bring it down on the struggling waitress but was interrupted as Kota appeared on his opposite flank, the youth's dagger once again lashing out with surprising force. Kota's attack forced the thug to abandon his own, pain blossoming under his right armpit as the dagger managed to find a gap in the leader's iron slatted armor. Only the first half inch of the blade had pierced the man's body, but the wound was more than enough to distract him.

The man's grip on his hostage wavered for a moment and, finally finding her courage, the waitress's teeth clamped down on the thug's left bicep. The leader screamed in pain and fury before turning towards Kota, dislodging the boy's dagger as he took a step back. The thug roughly pushed the waitress at Kota, bodily throwing the girl at him with brutal force. Hoping that this would be more than enough to distract the youth, the leader bolted for the door.

Meanwhile, the black haired man was tapping the other thug on the shoulder.

"I think that sassy child is a ninja," he said matter-of-factly, standing next to the club-toting man with a casual ease. The thug turned to the thin eyed stranger, somehow finding the ability to look more confused than he already was. In this moment the drunk met the thug's eyes, looked back to the fight with a lazy grin and then shot a glance back at the thug, his expression bright with realization. "You're one of the bad guys too!"

Panicked, the thug raised his club and screamed with a hollow bravado before bringing it down on the black haired man's head. The villagers gasped as the thug's weapon arced clumsily through the air with more than enough force to shatter bone. The thug's swing went through its full range of motion and a silent moment passed before the man realized his club hadn't met any resistance in the attack. And, more alarmingly, the club had disappeared from his grip.

"H-uh?" the dark haired man muttered dumbly, holding the steel club in his hand and turning it over curiously as he stared at its shiny surface. "Hey, pal, you dropped your smash stick," he said, throwing the weapon back at the thug with less than casual force. The steel club caught the perplexed man right between the eyes and he crumpled to the ground into an inelegant pile of limbs and regret.

"Oppsie-doops," the thin eyed man said sheepishly, turning away from the unconscious thug and stumbling towards the door.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Fri Jun 07, 2019 2:27 am

As he had hoped, his jabs had made the thug's grip on the girl loosen, and she finally found the opportunity to resist and put up a fight of her own. The boy had prepared to continue assaulting the man to distract him from his hostage; what he didn't prepare for, however, was for the thug to toss the girl into him. He reflexively caught her, grunting as she was thrust into him with enough force to send them tumbling back several feet into chairs and a table, which broke nearly in two. He had dropped the dagger in the impact, which was perhaps lucky as it eliminated the risk of one of them being injured by it. The two landed on their side with Kotaru partially on top of her.

Of course she screamed in his face. "Stop screaming," the boy shouted back, "and run! All of you, get out!" Many of the patrons didn't need to be told twice. Another waiter grabbed the woman by the arm and dragged her away, still understandably terrified, but many of the onlookers seemed too dumbstruck to move. The shinobi's eyes darted over the floor until he found his dagger, scooping it up just as the leader's heavy footsteps coming from behind indicated he was making a break for it.

"No you don't!" he growled, turning and simultaneously throwing the dagger. Ideally it would have lodged in the back of the man's head, but the timing of the throw was off. The boy had never been the most adept with throwing weapons, and he had thrown the dagger without taking the needed time to aim. The result was that it flew just past the man's face, hitting the paneling next to the door with a loud thunk and the blade dug several inches into the wood.

The boy snarled and turned his eyes to a bit of movement to his left, just in time to see the drunkard had inexplicably gotten a hold of the second thug's club. He hadn't seen the actual movement and exchange, only the result; but the only explanation was that the man had somehow snatched it away. "What the-" His eyes widened in bewilderment as the dark haired man quickly knocked out his adversary with a precise hit that was carried out with the air of a simpleton bathed in dumb luck. Except the quick takedown couldn't simply be chalked up to dumb luck.

But he couldn't take the time to analyze what he saw - or rather, what he couldn't see. Instead Kotaru looked toward the escaping thug and internally huffed when he realized the drunkard was headed in the same direction. Anticipating some sort of clash between the two Kotaru began to make his way toward the door as well, glaring at the gang leader with enough intensity to kill.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Toshi
Posts: 4119
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Mon Jun 10, 2019 11:20 pm

The leader skidded to a halt as the knife's blade sunk into the wooden door frame mere inches from his head. The man's eyes desperately flickered to the bar just in time to see his only remaining lackey catch his own club right between the eyes before crumpling to the floor. The black haired man, who seemed less than worried about the situation unfolding around him, stumbled in the direction of the door with a masked deliberateness.

The armored thug spat out a curse and grabbed the hilt of the knife jutting from the wall and pulled hard. With a grunt he managed to dislodge the weapon, holding it out at the advancing drunkard in an attempt to intimidate him from coming any closer. Apparently oblivious to the danger the black haired man continued walking forward in a mostly straight line, his upper extremities swinging in a vaguely combative way.

"Piss on this," the armored man said, a manic smile splitting his lips. "A few less bumpkins won't hurt anybody."

With that the knife in his hand began glowing with a bright blue energy. The thug, his already twisted face growing almost inhuman as the light cast long, dark shadows over his features, pulled back his arm as the knife pulsated with an unstable aura of chakra. The black haired man stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes growing wide before sharpening with recognition and anger.

"No, wait--!" the drunk said as he threw up a hand, but the thug only laughed.

"You had your chance to end this peacefully," he said, still smiling his wicked grin. "Now you're all screwed!"

The thug threw the knife at the front entrance across the room, its sharp blade digging into the timbered wood of the floor. The waitress and a handful of other villagers could only stare at the weapon as it blocked their escape, its pulsing growing faster and faster as the chakra became more unstable. The blue energy seemed to roil and convulse, as if tearing itself apart from the inside out.

The black haired man turned his head to the knife, and then back to the thug. The armored man laughed and waved goodbye as he stepped through the back entrance and disappeared into the night.

"Everyone down!" the thin eyed stranger shouted, his voice suddenly heavy with the weight of authority and command. The sheer force of his words seemed to snap the villagers out of their daze and they fell to the floor, some of them jumping behind overturned tables while the closest men and women to the pulsating knife dove away or behind the bar.

And then several things happened at once.

The black haired man pulled out a kunai from behind his back and tossed the weapon overhead. The weapon's glinting steel spun lazily through the air, its shadow mirroring the movement on the floor near the stranger's feet. In the breath of a moment the energy laden knife stuck in the ground at the front entrance and the twirling kunai swapped places. While this was happening unnaturally dark shadows crawled up the pale skinned man's entire body, starting at his feet before forming into a solid mantle that covered his entire person.

The stranger grabbed the pulsating knife from the air and in one smooth motion turned his back to the villagers, covering the improvised bomb with his body and the shadowy mantle that covered him.

The blast shattered the back wall to splinters. The wooden planks that made up the inn's floor cracked and shattered with the force of the explosion, and the entire room was blasted with dust and debris. Glass shattered, men and women screamed in the chaos. The night's peaceful quiet itself had been blasted apart to pieces.

Jutsu usedShow
Shadow Swap
B-rank Ninjutsu
By infusing his own chakra into two separate shadows within the Nara's Control range, he is able to nearly instantaneously swap the two objects or persons creating the shadows. Any object or person that has an opponent's chakra infused into it is not capable of being swapped. The objects being swapped must be casting a shadow at least 2/3rds the size of the largest shadow being targeted.

Hokage's Mantle
S-rank Ninjutsu
Prerequisites: 40 Ninjutsu, 40 Control
Rather than relying on hand seals the user will infuse the shadows on his body with chakra, forming a shadowy mantle around his entire person that manifests at a Speed of 30 and a defensive Strength of 50. This mantle is inscribed with the kanji meaning Hokage, as well as the Nara Clan's symbol appearing over it. The shadows comprising the mantle can be manipulated by the user at will through the use of supplementary jutsu, but constantly retains its high defensive qualities while in effect. This technique can be maintained for up to 10 posts, after which the shadows will dissipate unless the user supplies additional chakra.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Mon Jun 17, 2019 6:37 pm

The thug's attention seemed almost entirely on the strange drunk man, who was considerably closer to him than Kotaru. To his chagrin, his dagger was pulled from the wood by the man's grubby hands and Kotaru had to hold back the knee jerk overreaction of setting the man on fire. Just as Kotaru had decided enough was enough, the thug surprised him by coating his blade in the familiar glow of chakra. But something was off about it. The chakra was pulsing wildly, and after the man threw the dagger on the floor it only grew brighter and more frantic. There was no hint of the thin-eyed man's inebriation when he ordered everyone to take cover. Several of the patrons found some sort of cover, but a few simply dropped to the ground and covered their heads.

The boy's first instinct was to chase down the thug and silence him. The chakra infused dagger was clearly a distraction tactic, and a good one at that since it endangered everyone still in the bar. Kotaru clenched his jaw, but instead of going after the man he dashed toward the nearest patrons without the cover of a table or chair, simultaneously channeling chakra to his throat. A dark cerulean substance flowed over his body as his bloodline manifested, liquid-like until it hardened into scales and covered his body in armor.

What followed was bedlam. Sharp fragments of wood and glass pelted Kotaru's body, and the long seconds dragged by as the explosion ripped through the bar. The man and woman he shielded screamed in terror, only quieting after the blast had subsided and Kotaru was pulling them to their feet. They stared in shock at the strange blue armor that covered him completely from the neck down, and the agitated boy turned in a slow circle to survey the room.

"Shit...." There was little movement initially, and it was difficult to discern who was had serious injuries. Instead of checking on them, however, the kid made his way to the stranger who had, in his own way, made nearly as much of a fuss as Kotaru and the thugs. At that moment the drunkard appeared less of a man and more of a shroud of darkness, and he interested Kotaru much more than the groaning bar patrons. "Hey. Hey!" The boy paused to stare - glare - at the strange cloak that completely concealed the man. It was definitely a jutsu of some sort, and unlike the thug's it was more controlled, refined.

It infuriated him.

"Answer me, shithead," Kotaru demanded as he poked the man's arm, "and give me my dagger back."
Jutsu UsedShow
Advanced Formation: Lacrishiin
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
Pre-requisite: 20 Control, Iijutsu Concentration
Kotaru channels chakra to the shiin and causes the lacrishiin to inflate and form a psuedo-armor. With this technique, Kotaru enhances the cellular replication of the lacrishiin, allowing it to cover his temershiin and melashiin, if manifested. This form of his armor has strength equal to Kotaru’s strength.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Toshi
Posts: 4119
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Tue Jul 02, 2019 7:06 pm

The world around the black haired man exploded into dust and debris, making it impossible to see what was unfolding around him. A piercing ring reverberated through his skull and smoke forced its way into his lungs. Coughing, the man patted down his chest in search of any injuries and was surprised to notice he was still somehow holding the dagger the thug had used to create a makeshift explosive. The hilt's wrappings had been shredded and blasted away in the explosion, but the metal that made up the blade and the inner handle seemed relatively intact.

The man snapped back into reality and his dark eyes tore away from the knife in his hand. As the smoke and debris began to clear he finally got a decent look at the blast's aftermath. The back wall had been reduced to splinters, the floor cracked and shattered in half a dozen places. The liquor bottles behind the bar had shattered, their contents splattered and dripping along the walls, floor and counters. The tables and stools were turned over and pressed towards the inn's remaining walls, its windows had been blasted away as well. Among the wreckage the forms of the inn's occupants became more defined as the smoke poured out into the open night air.

The villagers began to stir and, to Tousha's nearly overwhelming relief, no one seemed to be badly injured. There were scrapes, gashes and bruises. Luckily their wounds were shallow and everyone was more or less intact.

The stranger sighed with relief and raised a hand to run it through his long, black hair. It was in that moment that he realized someone was speaking rather rudely at him, and poking at his arm. The thin eyed man turned to see the youth who had engaged the thugs while he'd been relieving himself on a nearby tree. It was also in this moment that he became keenly aware that his entire body was still enshrouded in a shadowy mantle, with the words "Hokage" plastered on the back for everyone to see.

The shadows fell away from the stranger and nestled back into the natural shape of his silhouette, which almost comfortably stretched across the splintered floor.

"Oh," the man muttered, turning the knife over in his hand. "Um... Here's most of it," he said, holding the blade out to the boy handle first.

The black haired man watched the young Shinobi closely, wondering if he'd spotted the Kanji on his Mantle. He didn't know how the youth would react, but he could only assume it wouldn't resemble calmness.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Thu Jul 18, 2019 12:51 am

For a moment, the boy said nothing. Instead of the familiar sensation of the cool metal of a weapon that had once fit his grip perfectly, he was instead met by gnarled and broken metal, still uncomfortably warm from the heat of the explosion. Somehow he resisted the urge to snatch it away and cut the man's hand in retaliation. Kotaru was so focused on the ruined dagger that he hadn't truly noticed the characters on the shadowy mantle; he had noticed it, but his mind was too preoccupied for reading. "Fucking unbelievable," he growled as he turned it over in his hands, not bothering to handle it carefully since his hands were still covered in the armor of his shiin.

On the surface it looked as though he was sulking over the dagger being ruined, his lips in a deep frown and his brows heavily creased. But the initial irritation had already faded, and he was instead inspecting the damage in relation to what had happened. The Iwagakure bannin had thought the thugs were just that - country bumpkins who had gained a little power to wield over others who were easily intimidated. But peasants weren't supposed to have intimate knowledge of chakra, and although from the looks of it the bomb had been a shoddy job, it was irrefutably done by molding chakra. "Looks like someone has been teaching chakra to the locals," he mumbled to himself, low enough that his words would be only barely audible to the old man next to him.

The boy looked toward the remaining patrons, mostly unhurt, and he turned to approach them. A few of them watched in an open-mouthed daze as the blue armor receded first from his arms and legs and then from his torso, seeming to bulge and liquify as it converged on his throat and eventually disappeared. "If you're not seriously injured then leave, in case those guys come back with friends. And alert the town doctor while you're at it." He spoke slightly more softly than before, like someone who wasn't quite accustomed to doling out authority. Despite this the patrons listened. It likely helped that he had been bold enough to stand up to members of the Haruko Brotherhood and had the skills to back it up.

As the shaken customers began to file out of the crumbling bar, Kotaru shot an almost accusatory look toward the dark haired drunkard. "Hey, old man. You're a shinobi, yeah?" he began as he tucked the wrecked dagger into his bag. It wasn't question Kotaru needed answered outright; the man had mostly contained an explosion with whatever that shadowy cloak was, and the bannin was sure that it was a jutsu. As someone who had grown up in a village that taught the superiority of ninja, it didn't cross his mind that the man could be anything other than a trained shinobi.

"What do you know about this?"
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Toshi
Posts: 4119
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Wed Sep 04, 2019 10:15 am

Tousha sighed inwardly, relieved that the young Shinobi either hadn't noticed the symbol that would have given away his identity or didn't understand the weight of its meaning. Regardless, the black haired man was glad to not have to put out another fire tonight. Even a metaphorical one. Especially that variety, really. Real fires were straight forward. Simple. Solving an issue with words... That was an altogether different, and trickier, beast.

Still standing next to the boy, the suddenly shadow-less man paled in comparison to the armor-clad youth. His clothes were simple and muted in color, his nose was still a cheerful shade of red from the drink and his expression was one of a practiced ease, almost as if he hadn't just almost been blown up along with half of the ruined tavern he was occupying. It wasn't until the Iwa Shinobi spoke, his voice barely over a whisper, that the older man snapped out of his relieved stupor.

The old man's eyes grew sharper for a moment, his own suspicions breathed to life through the young man's words. But he maintained his composure, or at least what little the night had spared.

With a shrug the man scratched his head and said, "Seems that way." He let out a tired breath and added, "Messy work, though. Probably either haven't been at it for long, or whoever's teaching them doesn't care about subtlety."

Tousha scanned the crowd of injured customers as the young Shinobi addressed them all, clearly not comfortable with wearing the mantle of authority. He also noticed that whatever armor had been covering the boy receded, whatever Jutsu he'd been using was released now that the danger had passed. The curious part of Tousha's brain was already trying to pick apart that armor's qualities, what variety of chakra composed it. After a few moments he also considered the possibility of its origins being that of a Kekkei Genkai, a bloodline trait of the Shinobi's home village.

These methodical, curios thoughts were pushed out of the older man's head as several of the passing villagers stopped to make sure he was unharmed. The large man who had bested him in a drinking contest patted him on the shoulder and leaned in close to whisper something in Tousha's ear.

"Did he see?" the man asked, genuinely concerned despite the blood that smeared his own face and neck. "The boy... Did he-"

Tousha just patted the big man on the cheek and smiled. "Everything's fine," the black haired man said gently, but confidently. "Go get yourself patched up, don't worry about me."

The large man shot a sideways glance at the young Shinobi, and then back at his dark haired friend. The man nodded and quickly made his way back to the group of retreating customers, slipping a well muscled arm around another fisherman to help him limp his way out of the inn. Tousha watched with a flicker of affection for the men and women as they left the ruined building, somewhat injured but still very much intact.

Again, the boy's words snapped him out of his own head, pulled him back to reality.

"Not much of one anymore," Tousha replied, with a pang of harsh honesty. He met the boy's gaze evenly with a diligent calmness tempered through years of experience. But the young man's next question forced Tousha's dark, narrow eyes in the direction of the charred wood still clinging to the tavern's shattered wall.

"I've had my suspicions," Tousha answered, scratching at his stubble-laden jaw thoughtfully. "This group, the Haruko Brotherhood, they've been giving this whole area a bit of trouble for a while now. I've only heard stories from the locals, tales of these thugs wielding a strange power to bully people around."

The older Shinobi's eyes fell back to the youth's as he added, "Far as I know, they haven't tried anything like this. This is... different. Calculated."
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Wed Oct 02, 2019 2:17 am

The Iwagakure shinobi had been too preoccupied with dismissing the patrons to notice the worried tones of the bloodied bar patron. As a result, Kotaru's suspicions about the drunken man's allegiance weren't raised to a point that would evoke an impassioned, threatening response. There had been quite a bit of violence and explosions for the day, and he was still processing everything that had happened when the man gave his response. The boy was dubious by nature, and the fact that the man was now a self-proclaimed former shinobi made him bristle. "Not anymore. Right," he mumbled, the color of his tone clearly conveying this was not welcome information.

"You've had your suspicions, and yet none of the activities of this 'Haruko Brotherhood' has ever been reported to Iwagakure. Very interesting." The young shinobi began to make his way toward the only other person remaining in the room. The thug who had been knocked out was still lying on the floor, having been protected from the blast by several tables that had piled up around him in the chaos. Kotaru grabbed a fist full of the man's dirty, thinning hair and lifted his upper body off the ground, giving him a small shake as he brought their faces close enough to be nearly touching . "Looks like I'm not gonna make it home in time for those meetings. Shame. But exterminating these assholes before they become a real problem might be a little more important."

Kotaru turned toward the unnamed former shinobi, walking slowly and deliberately toward him as he dragged the thug's unmoving body behind him. His captive began softly moaning as he bumped into chairs and his skin was torn by shrapnel, the pain and discomfort gradually pulling him from unconsciousness. The young bannin threw a heavy glare in the other shinobi's direction, briefly considering his options. He quickly settled on a course of action, one that would unknowingly lead him down a difficult path with a potential enemy. "You seem useful, old man, and not nearly as troublesome as these guys. So instead of me questioning you, you're going to help me question him." With much more force than was necessary, Kotaru threw the injured thug between them and purposefully shoved the criminal into a chair, its back severely splintered. The damaged wood creaked and groaned under the sudden addition of new weight, but somehow it remained upright.

"I want to know who this guy is and what these idiots are planning. But first." Kotaru crossed his arms and cocked his head to the side, his frown deepening. "I am Kotaru of Iwagakure. Pleasure, I'm sure." Clearly, it was anything but.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Toshi
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Thu Oct 03, 2019 9:15 pm

Well there went any hopes Tousha had invested in the younger Shinobi letting anything slide by unnoticed. Looks like Kage had been very lucky with his former position slipping past the youth's clearly well developed logical troubleshooting processes, because either he didn't care about hiding his displeasure with Tousha's deflecting reply or the sheer amount of displeasure the younger Ninja felt towards the Nara was greater than the boy's self control. Without a doubt the result was still the same: Tousha was losing very valuable trust points by the second.

The situation only worsened as the youth continued delving into the implications of Tousha's answers, commenting on the lack of notification Iwagakure had received on the Haruko Brotherhood and their dealings. The dark haired man could only shoot a sheepish glance at the boy and scratch at his brow at the observation, unsure of what to say without inflaming the already tense air in the room. It was no secret that the citizens of Rock Country had wildly mixed feelings about the Shinobi of Iwagakure, ranging from almost devoutly loyal to outright violently opposed.

The Nara had never asked the Elders of Yūyo, or its residents, their opinions on Iwagakure because he hadn't needed to. Any mention of the Rock Shinobi or their dealings had rarely been met with any sympathy or admiration. With that less than comforting thought in mind, Tousha only watched as the Iwa Ninja walked over to the unconscious bandit, roughly dragged him over to the center of the ruined room and continued speaking.

"Sounds more pleasant than the alternatives," Tousha said quietly, mostly to himself. The idea of being questioned further by the boy wasn't appealing and the imaginings of refusing those questions leaned towards the more violent side of the negotiation spectrum. Helping the kid interrogate the battered and bloodied bandit seemed like a good compromise between the two, even if the younger Shinobi didn't realize it. Not to mention Tousha was interested in finding answers as well, even if his own motivations didn't run strictly parallel with the other Shinobi's.

Still, Tousha knew how to take a win and run with it. So before the youth could change his mind Tousha made a move to at least help with waking their consciously challenged friend up. But, before he could follow through with his intentions, Tousha became still as the younger of the two introduced himself.

"Tousha," the dark haired man answered, the wisp of a smile touching his lips. "Just Tousha. Color me charmed, kid."

With the introductions out of the way, Tousha leaned down next to the unconscious man currently sitting in a shattered chair that was somehow bravely holding itself together. The Bannin flicked at the bandit's nose, forcing his eyes to shoot open and frantically dart around the room.

"Wha..." the man muttered, clumsily fumbling for comprehension. "Who...?" Finally the battered man's lazy gaze fell on Tousha's, then Kotaru's, and then finally down to the chair he was sitting in. He made a move to bolt upright but Tousha caught his shoulder and pushed him back into the chair, much to its groaning discontent.

"Not so fast, friend," Tousha chided in a surprisingly affable tone. "Got a few questions for you first. Play along and you'll be home before daybreak."
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Wed Dec 25, 2019 3:25 pm

There were few people from Iwagakure who would have been alerted by the name 'Tousha.' After all, it wasn't exactly a common name in those parts, and there was at least one Tousha who would have been known to those who took interest in foreign affairs. And as far as foreign history and current events were concerned, Iwagakure academy education did not cover much about the other villages; the only time the other four great nations were ever discussed was when their activities were relevant to Iwagakure's own. Any particularly notable foreign shinobi were mentioned only if they had some effect on the Hidden Stone.

Perhaps Kotaru, given his rank and status and his penchant for traveling, should have been familiar with the name 'Tousha.' It may have been somewhere in the depths of his mind, buried beneath information that was more pertinent to his nation. The boy was never one who showed much interest in the goings-on outside of the borders of Rock Country and her immediate neighbors, and he definitely didn't care about prominent shinobi from opposing villages. Not yet, at least. It was for these reasons that Kotaru simply responded with, "You're too kind, 'Just Tousha.' Or maybe you're cruel for giving the guy hope like that."

The young bannin stood a few feet in front of the captive, his cruel eyes staring the man down. He was no stranger to interrogations, but in a moment that was somewhat unlike him, he didn't want to immediately delve into torture to get the information he wanted. Now wasn't the time, and in present company it didn't seem advisable to show off more of his skillset. "I haven't decided whether or not to let you see daybreak, let alone go home. But seeing as how the big one ran off, I wonder if you have a real home to even return to. Your leader left you here with us, to die alone. Some brotherhood, huh?" He maintained his scowl as he crossed his arms, giving a small one-shouldered shrug before continuing.

"Let's keep this short. You're going to help me decide what happens next by telling me everything I want to know, starting with who is teaching you how to use chakra."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Toshi
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Sat Dec 28, 2019 12:33 pm

The dark haired man shrugged at the boy's mention of his kindness and stepped aside to make room for the Iwa nin. "Guess we'll find out," Tousha said offhandedly, mostly to himself. Then he fell silent and watched both the battered thug and Kotaru with a grim curiosity. The way the youth held himself, the shrewdness behind that stare, the cold methodicalness in his choice of words, they all pointed to a poised comfort in this line of work. And was that a shred of satisfaction Tousha heard in the boy's voice? Maybe the man was imagining it, or the drink still apparent in his system was toying with his mind.

Regardless, one thing was clear; Kotaru was most certainly having an impact on the bloodied man sitting no more than a stride before him.

The thug practically shrunk into the chair, causing it to creak and whine under the Iwa nin's glare as much as the man's own weight. A thin layer of sweat covered his face, intermingling with the blood to form a grotesque sheen. With each word the man's complexion grew paler, the whites of his eyes growing larger. The man's eyes darted from Kotaru to Tousha to the ground, the gears of his brain desperately churning, looking for a way out of the mess he was sitting in. But, as the youth mentioned the person responsible for teaching the Haruko Brotherhood chakra control, the man's terrified stare fell back on his interrogator.

The thug worked his mouth for a moment, desperately trying to speak but only managing a rasping croak.

A few minutes had passed since the explosion ripped apart the fishing village's inn and a small crowd of locals had gathered around the ruined property to check on the commotion. Men and women spoke to each other in hushed voices while others gave terse orders, motioning towards the center of the village. Tousha's attention was drawn to the growing audience, his expression uncomfortable. He knew it was only a matter of time until the village's Elders were notified of the night's "festivities" and who had caused the trouble.

They would want answers. Fairly, of course, but the involvement of an Iwagakure Shinobi complicated things.

Finally the thug found his voice, fragile as it was. "Please," he said, shaking. "He'll kill me. And... A-and..." Tears formed in the man's eyes as he spoke.

Tousha placed a hand on Kotaru's shoulder and gently said, "Maybe we should do this after things have settled down." The dark haired man nodded towards the crowd of villagers and added, "They don't need to see this."
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Sat Dec 28, 2019 7:30 pm

To say Kotaru's words were calculated was an understatement. He had said very little to the captive, but every word was meant to elicit a response or reaction that would bring the truth closer to the surface. Every flinch, every bead of sweat was taken into account, and the flash of dread that marred the man's features coupled with that throaty rasp was just as valuable as any words he could have managed. The leader of the trio wasn't the the one pulling the strings. He wasn't the real threat. 'Interesting.'

The Akari looked on callously as tears brimmed in the man's eyes. It would quickly become clear to both the thug and to Tousha that Kotaru was not a kid who was moved by tears. His expression didn't change much; if anything it hardened as his mind teemed with possibilities behind the display. He may not have been sympathetic to such emotions, but he could logically narrow down the reason behind such a reaction.

"And?" Kotaru barked just as Tousha's hand settled on his shoulder. Without looking at the older shinobi the boy roughly shrugged off his touch and circled a few paces toward the thug's left to stand nearly behind him. It would force the man to turn in the rickety seat if he wanted to keep Kotaru in his line of sight, and the threat of the wood splintering beneath him would be an added source of stress. "They don't need to see what, exactly? Us questioning one-third of the people who threatened them and then blew this place to pieces? We do this now. Spare me the bleeding heart routine." Despite his protests, the Akari recognized that Just Tousha may have had a point. To an extent, at least. It didn't take looking through the cracks and holes in the wall to notice the growing crowd outside, and the low murmurs and occasional booming command alerted him that this window would be a short one.

This was incredibly frustrating to Kotaru. He took pride and pleasure in his work, and the best interrogations took time and screams and blood. He was losing his patience and would have to play up the situation. "You're running out of time. There are scared villagers gathering around outside who likely won't care about you or what you have to say." He paused to stalk back to the thug's front, and when their gazes eventually met he added pointedly, "These people don't give a fuck about whoever it is you're protecting. You're worried about people who have already decided to reward you with death. But me? I haven't decided yet."

At that moment he picked up the sound of footsteps approaching the bar's entrance, leading Kotaru to respond with a sigh, his temper ever-shortening. He quickly formed a set of hand seals and raised a finger at the thug as a flickering ball of flames formed at his fingertip. He first pointed at the man's head and then lowered his finger to his groin. "I'll ask again. Who is teaching you chakra? I want a name."
JutsuShow
Bursting Katon Pellet
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
After performing the needed seals, Kotaru extends his pointer finger and a small ball of katon chakra roughly 3 inches in diameter will form at the end of it. The chakra can be launched at a speed of 9 and hits with a strength of 1, and can travel up to 15 meters. The chakra will burst on contact and erupt into a ball of flames 1 meter in diameter.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Toshi
Posts: 4119
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:36 pm

A frown creased Tousha's mouth as the Iwa Shinobi barked his reply before shrugging off the hand resting on his shoulder, clearly uninterested in the older man's advice. Tousha's thin eyes, tempered and level, tracked Kotaru as he circled the thug with a lithe, predatory grace. The dark haired man was all too familiar with the boy's body language, with that look of needing to know more and the willingness to do whatever it took to find an answer. To rip it out if need be.

To almost anyone else the youth's stare would be interpreted as detached and removed, even apathetic. Tousha knew Kotaru was anything but. In that moment, with his prey within his grasp, the Iwa Shinobi felt alive and determined. Hungry.

The older Shinobi's gaze fell to the thug. Instead of turning to keep Kotaru in his line of sight, the man stared straight ahead. His eyes were unfocused and still wet with tears, his body shaking uncontrollably. Just as Tousha could see through Kotaru, he peered into the Haruko Brotherhood member. It made something familiar ache with understanding, something deep in himself. Even as the Iwa Shinobi continued speaking Tousha couldn't bring himself to tear his attention away from their captive.

The thug continued staring past Kotaru, through him, as the boy's attention fell back to him. At the mention of protecting someone, the battered man's eyes shot up to the Iwa Shinobi's with a newfound fear and desperation. Tears were now openly spilling onto the man's cheeks and chin as the youth explained his situation, detailing the villagers' collective disdain and apparent need for blood and death. These words snapped Tousha back to reality, his brow creasing with a subtle outrage. The dark haired man checked outside again, his pale face appearing in a gaping hole where a window once rested. He gazed out into the blackness of the night, searching for any signs of hostility.

All he could see were frightened faces and the willingness to help those who were hurt and still making their way away from the inn. A few villagers were making their way to the ruined building's front entrance, surely investigating the source of the earth-shattering explosion that tore apart the night's calm in an instant.

"Everything's going to be fine," Tousha said, appearing in the doorway and warding the villagers off. They stared at him with confusion and concern as he continued. "Go home, stay insi-"

Tousha turned to see Kotaru forming hand seals, his words of calm cut off abruptly. He wasn't familiar with the exact order in which they were being weaved but he recognized the Tiger seal, a sign notoriously used in Katon techniques. And, as Tousha was stepping towards the thug and the Iwa nin interrogating him, a bright, dangerous flame blossomed at Kotaru's fingertip. The bloodied and shivering man, still seated in front of the boy, could only stare in horror as the Ninja lowered the flame from his face to a less than desirable target.

"P-please!" he screamed, scooting back in the chair with all the frantic despair of a cornered animal. "I can't say his name, he'll kill us!"

Suddenly a pale hand grasped the boy's wrist, pulling the emblazoned fingertip from the thug.

"Enough."

Tousha stood beside the Iwa Shinobi, any semblance of the bumbling drunkard Kotaru knew erased. A darkness had crept onto the older man's face, his eyes growing sharper than any razor's edge. For a moment the light in the room seemed to shy away from Tousha's form, retreating from the ire that seeped from the man's very being. He stared down at Kota, still holding the youth's wrist, with a suffocating umbrage.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Sun Dec 29, 2019 2:40 am

There it was. The overflowing tears spelled out the confirmation that the boy sought. The jutsu's flames illuminated his green eyes, the flickering orange light complementing the dark amusement within his gaze. He had all but ignored Tousha's attempts to soothe the concerned villagers, many still in their nightclothes. The thug's frantic pleas were a profoundly stimulating song to the Akari's ears, and the dramatic crescendo of those terrible cries accompanied the Iwa shinobi's heartbeat that accelerated from thrill.

Just as Kotaru's lips parted for his next volley of torment, a pale hand clasped around his tiny wrist and removed the thug from the line of fire. The boy's eyes widened with shock, the first sign that he was capable of an expression besides poorly concealed fury and growing irritation. The display was fleeting. For just a second afterwards rage broiled in his chest. The man had touched him once already, and doing so a second time was venturing into dangerous territory. But this touch was wholly unlike the first, and the anger behind the grip only heightened the boy's own.

At least, that was Kotaru's initial reaction.

As soon as he turned and looked up into those dark eyes, he simmered. A sensation that had long ago become unfamiliar was suddenly resurrected, rising from the depths of his gut and racing toward his chest. It soon clawed at his throat until it was utterly dry, and it even ripped away his voice as his expression twisted into a deep, grimacing frown. How long had it been since anyone had dared to reprimand him, had truly admonished him? In the past year he had grown accustomed to being unleashed, able to behave as he pleased. There were only a few who could keep the young bannin in line, but even then there was an understanding that as long as Kotaru directed his cruelties to an acceptable target, there would not be any real ramifications.

Tousha was clearly not one of Kotaru's enablers. The elder shinobi's voice had changed entirely in both tone and intensity, and Kotaru could feel that with a single word Tousha's ferocity completely eclipsed his own. Even if it only lasted a for a moment there was an almost tangible darkness that surrounded the man, threatening to engulf them both.

The boy wrenched his hand away and grasped his own wrist defensively as he took several steps backward, the flame on his fingertip fizzling out with a tiny hiss. In his mind's eye Tousha's eyes shifted to a soulless malachite green, then morphed again to an electric violet and finally to a metallic blue. He recoiled and averted his gaze as flashes of images framed his mind, reminding him of humbling instances when he had pushed too far. In that moment Kotaru seemed every bit as small as he was, reminding those in the room that despite his brutality he was still a child indeed.

For a few seconds he listened to their captive's rattling breaths, each pull of air less panicked than the last. The sounds chased away most of the boy's distress and eventually he moved forward, carefully stepping around Tousha. Almost sheepishly he finally responded, "Fine." He put a few feet between him and the other two, stepping over shattered glass and legless chairs as he sauntered away and eventually settled on top of a wide fallen beam, sitting down so that his legs dangled over the side. Somehow the shinobi managed to muster up a seething glare toward both men. It lacked the same fervor from before.

They still knew next to nothing. Kotaru had been close to a breakthrough, but this Tousha - who was clearly much more imposing than he let on - interfered. So the child bannin looked on and waited to observe this self-proclaimed former shinobi's methods, all while listening to the growing commotion outside as more and more villagers gathered nearby.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Toshi
Posts: 4119
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Sun Dec 29, 2019 9:56 am

It was said that all wise men fear three things: the sea at storm, a moonless night, and the anger of a gentle man. Anyone could find their anger. A simple and base emotion that often bubbled and festered near the surface, easily grasped and wielded as a crude weapon. Destructive and blunt in the hands of those who turned to it too often and too hastily. It was often a misconception people made, thinking that those with kindness in their hearts simply lived without anger. That they had managed to abandon it somehow, discarded as refuse.

This couldn't be further from the truth.

Kindness is not the absence of anger. The gentleness in one's person is not cultivated despite fury but in tandem with it, in acceptance of it. Compassion and empathy could only be understood by looking inward and acknowledging the horribleness everyone was capable of and choosing to understand the seed of indignation from which such terrible choices could sprout.

Say one thing about Tousha, say that he was a kind man who had found his anger. Understood it fundamentally. And, as he stared down at Kotaru, something inside him smiled. It urged him to push past the restrains of his patience, to become engulfed by the flames of rage. But Tousha's resolve held and that smiling thing slunk back into hiding, where it would be waiting

Patiently waiting. Always.

Tousha released Kotaru's wrist as the boy pulled away, the darkness already retreating from the seasoned Ninja's features. The black haired man's eyes softened, the emanation of his darker presence collapsing back into him. Even the flickering torchlight seemed to brighten almost happily, no longer suppressed and strangled. With a soft breath the Shinobi's shoulders slumped subtly, albeit briefly. As quickly as his anger had appeared it vanished, and all that remained was an aging, weary man.

"Thank you," he said quietly, after Kotaru found a seat on one of the inn's fallen ceiling beams.

Tousha turned his attention to the thug, still shivering so much that it rattled the chair he was sitting on. The older Shinobi knelt down in front of the man until their eyes met. This startled the Brotherhood member, but a feint smile from Tousha stopped the scream building in their captive's throat. After several long moments the bloodied and battered man seemed to calm down, at least enough to not look like he was on the verge of a complete emotional fallout.

Holding up a nonthreatening hand Tousha said, "Look. I'm going to help get this all sorted but I need you to promise me two things." He rounded off each point with a raised finger. "First, my sulking friend and I need to have a chat with the folks who run this place. I need you to behave yourself while that's happening."

The man stared at him with a dumb blankness, trying to fumble with the sudden turn of events. But finally he nodded.

Tousha's smile widened. "Great. Now second, and this one's real important-like, I need to tie you up so no one thinks you're going to try to hurt 'em."

Some clarity was returning to the thug's gaze so this time he nodded much more quickly. Tousha nodded back and helped the man to his feet, even taking the time to brush off some of the sawdust and dirt from his clothes. He clapped the man on the shoulder with the warmth of a good friend before grabbing a nearby rope, he assumed the same one Kotaru had used to choke out the other...

Oh right. The other guy.

"Oh yeah," Tousha said, smacking his forehead with realization. "There's two of them."

Tousha shot a glance over at the other thug, who was still promptly crumpled face first on the floor. It was the Brotherhood member the younger Shinobi had smashed into the wood paneling. Still walking over to the conscious thug, rope in hand, he nodded over towards the less than conscious one and called out to Kotaru.

"You mind grabbing that one?" he asked, as if asking the youth to pick up a sack of groceries.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Sat Jan 04, 2020 2:09 pm

They would never get anywhere with this guy if they continued at this rate. At least, that's how the young Iwa shinobi felt as he watched the two men interact. Kotaru couldn't help but think Tousha's approach was pointless, and his lips scrunched into a scowl as he watched their prisoner react dumbly but positively to the older ninja's encouragement. Talking to others kindly was completely out of the boy's comfort zone. It was too boring, too slow, and there was always the chance that a captive would get too comfortable with such gentle treatment and end up benefiting too much from the situation. Kotaru never considered that there was another effective way to handle would-be enemies. He had limited experience, but his experience was all that mattered to him.

When Tousha motioned toward the other thug, Kotaru blinked and turned with some confusion toward the fallen man. He had completely forgotten about the third thug. Reluctantly, the boy hopped down from his perch and made his way over. There was a fair amount of blood oozing from his head, and with him being face down it was difficult to immediately tell if he was alive. "Mind grabbing that one?" he mocked in a falsetto whine as he kicked the man over, and after a few seconds he could discern the shallow rise and fall of the thug's chest. The bannin rolled his eyes at the sign of life.

After taking a long pause to consider how much he wanted to get involved with this, Kotaru gave a resigned sigh and grabbed the unconscious thug by the collar. He didn't bother to navigate around the debris as he dragged the man toward Tousha.

"Alright, Just Tousha. Now what?" Although he addressed Tousha, his eyes were locked onto the more awake thug. From the sound of things there were only a few people still outside, and even those had begun to fade. "We should probably think about getting out of here. I don't think you'll be able to sweet-talk this place into not collapsing."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Toshi
Posts: 4119
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Sat Jan 11, 2020 3:12 pm

Smiling warmly, Tousha nodded as Kotaru hopped down from the shattered wooden beam and made his way over to the still very unconscious Haruko Brotherhood goon. The dark haired man even chuckled to himself as the Iwa Shinobi openly mocked him before checking the bleeding man for any sign of life with a swift kick that turned the limp form over onto its back. Noticing the injured man's steadily rising and falling chest, Tousha felt a pang of relief. He wasn't particularly invested in the thug's life but unnecessary bloodshed never sat right with the Bannin, always left a bad taste in his mouth.

Plus, if things shook out the way he expected them to, the Haruko Brotherhood wouldn't take the capture of its members with dignity and poise. A reckoning would come, and the only thing worse than walking into a standoff was walking into a standoff without any chips to bargain with.

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves," Tousha started, his hands busy with tying up the conscious thug's wrists, "You've never seen my sweet-talkin' in action."

Tousha tightened the knot with one more tug and held the other end of the rope, giving the conscious Haruko Brotherhood member a few feet of slack. Then he peered up at the ceiling, his thin eyes tightening and wrinkling at the edges. "On second thought you might be right, kid. This place is one bad stray glance away from giving up. Might even be beyond my adulation."

"What's going to happen to me?" the tied up man asked, his still vacant stare looking through Tousha rather than at him. His voice was soft and muted, almost free of emotion or inflection. "I didn't want to hurt no one. Not really."

The black haired Shinboi patted the man on the back and urged him towards the shattered inn's door. "Let's go have a chat with the Elders," he explained, making his way to the exit. "Odds are they know about the whole thing already but they're going to want some help cleaning it up." With a quick wink and a smirk he added, "Play nice and I'll put in a good word for ya."

Looking back, a shred of real focus in the Haruko Brotherhood member's stare, he nodded slowly.

With that the seasoned Shinobi motioned for Kotaru to join him before stepping out into the night. With a deep breath Tousha took in a healthy helping of the fishing village's nightly air and sighed with a simple satisfaction. He noticed a few villagers still mingling around the tavern's broken husk and waved at them as if he would a neighbor before pressing forward, towards the center of town. The less attention they drew the better, no need to muddy the waters any more than they already were.

Tousha would stop suddenly after putting about a hundred feet between the group and the fishing village's inn, standing at the apex of a gently sloping bridge. The structure arched above the flowing waters of one of the many rivers that stitched along Yūyo, its rustic yet solidly crafted shape illuminated in the pale moonlight. The stars were out tonight in force, the skies hanging overhead unmarred by clouds.

The dark haired man exhaled softly as he stared up at them.

"This is bad," he finally said. Quietly, almost to the night's sky itself.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
Posts: 8242
Joined: Fri May 21, 2010 8:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Tue Jan 28, 2020 8:51 pm

At the world 'Elders,' Kotaru bristled. What was an innocuous word for most people was anything but, as far as the bannin was concerned. "Elders. Wonderful." Even if Tousha pried the boy would stay silent. The night had been aggravating enough; he certainly didn't want to delve into the reasons behind his distrust toward old people with authority. As Tousha made nice with his captive, Kotaru struggeld to handle his own. The unconscious thug made no indication that he would wake up anything soon. He was a lot bigger than the Iwa shinobi, and dead weight wasn't easy to lug around. Normally this was when his melashiin came into play; extra limbs certainty made it easier to carry loads that were much larger than him.

But the thought was fleeting. As it crossed his mind Kotaru glanced in Tousha's direction briefly settling on the dazed thug before he stared up once again at the gruff, pale stranger. He still didn't trust the man, which meant revealing more of his bloodline was out of the question. So instead he lowered his body, grunting as he picked up the thug and threw him over his shoulder, securing him with one hand. It was uncomfortable, but it would have to do.

Kotaru followed the older man's beckoning, and instead of speaking, he watched. He had missed most of the interactions between Tousha and the patrons within the bar, but now that he wasn't distracted by foolishness he could truly observe this man. It quickly became evident that Tousha seemed quite comfortable in this village. Perhaps not as comfortable as a true local, but the way he waved at the late-night passerby led the boy to believe he had probably spent quite some time here. The observation only stoked his suspicion.

Kotaru's brow jutted upwards when the older former shinobi suddenly stopped at bridge. He stood a few feet behind the man and watched as Tousha lifted his head toward the speckled sky. The surrounding area was tranquil, and for a long moment the only sound was the gentle splashing of water fowl in the river. But then Tousha spoke, and although he spoke softly his voice was a hot blade through butter and easily cut through the silence.

He'd had enough. "Alright. Bad - what's bad? What aren't you telling me?" Kotaru parted his lips to continue on but was interrupted by a low groan coming from his captive. It was only then that he noticed the man's blood was staining the front of his pants, and with a sigh he hovered his hand over the slowly bleeding wound. Soon enough a gentle green glow of chakra covered his hand and was channeled into the thug's head. He shot a distrustful glare toward the man and after a few moments continued with, "Well then, care to share? I prefer to not go into things blind. You obviously care about these people, but I don't. So without more information, when the time comes I'll wipe out this entire Brotherhood and whoever else I feel like."
JutsuShow
*[Iijutsu • Blood Clot Technique]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
This highly useful field technique is applied to bleeding wounds to help encourage the coagulation of the blood. After focusing chakra into his/her hands, the user will hover them over the bleeding wound and begin to channel chakra through it. The chakra will began to thicken the blood, causing it to clot. Wounds must be dealt with one at a time, and the number of wounds that can be tended to within the three (3) posts that this technique lasts depends on their size. Small wounds take very little time to clot, while moderate wounds take one (1) post of concentration to clot, and large wounds take two (2) posts to clot. Although this technique stops the bleeding, the wound remains vulnerable and will require further care after this has been performed.
Last edited by Kao on Fri Feb 14, 2020 1:44 am, edited 1 time in total.
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

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Toshi
Posts: 4119
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Sat Feb 08, 2020 9:34 pm

Tousha let out a long sigh and rubbed at his eyes, still turned away from the questioning Iwa Shinobi. Even as the youth continued speaking the dark haired man walked to the edge of the bridge and tied off the rope to a sturdy looking post. His captive securely anchored he turned to address Kotaru, abruptly turned around and shot a suspicious look at the Haruko Brotherhood thug, pointed at his own eyes and then two fingers at the tied up man, who simply stared back and shrugged awkwardly, and then made his way back around to facing the grumpy looking Iwa Shinobi.

"Alright, look," Tousha began, exasperated. "This place doesn't have the most glowing opinion of Iwagakure, and especially not the Shinobi from it. Or Shinobi in general. I'm trying to prove that we aren't here to destroy their lives, that we can help. We don't just hurt people."

The man's tone began to touch the surface of desperate, almost pleading. Not to anyone else standing on the bridge but to himself, as if he were refusing to believe an apparent truth staring him in the face. With a look of genuine concern he continued.

"It took a long time but I think I'm starting to change their minds about us. That's why I'm..." he stopped abruptly, unsure of how much to tell the boy. Decades of living the life of a ninja had made him paranoid by nature and distrusting of others, especially Shinobi from other villagers. The man pushed past those barriers with visible effort and said, "That's why I'm so far from home in the first place, and it's why I need you to keep a cool head when we explain everything to the Elders."

Tousha gestured behind Kotaru, to the broken wreckage of the inn. "These Haruko Brotherhood thugs, the people leading them and weaponizing chakra like this, that's what I'm trying to stop. People like that are what's wrong with the whole system and things have to change or a lot of people are going to get hurt."

He took a breath to gather himself, to come back to reality. "Just... Work with me here. Please."
Last edited by Toshi on Fri Feb 14, 2020 6:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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Kao
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[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Kao » Fri Feb 14, 2020 2:23 am

Kotaru 's expression was all knitted brows and narrowed eyes as the man prattled. The boy cocked his head to one side, almost birdlike, then tilted it in the other direction. Here was a man who was so unlike his comrades back home, so unlike him. He couldn't fathom ever being so concerned about the residents of a random village - even within his own country - that he would willingly take on such a task out of the goodness of his heart. Empathy constantly eluded Kotaru, and witnessing such emotional intelligence and maturity was mind-boggling.

Despite his inability to personally understand the man's feelings, Kotaru listened and started to draw his own conclusions about the man in front of him. There was a long pause after Tousha finished speaking as Kotaru blinked rapidly with realization, and when he spoke he could barely contain his mistrust.

First he said what he thought was obvious. "I've been keeping a cool head this entire time, old man. Notice no one is dead yet." He shifted as if displaying Exhibit A, and his captive slid down from his shoulder until his feet were on the ground. The man groaned but showed no other signs of regaining consciousness. "And how kind of you, worrying about me. But I'm not sure why you care about these people's opinions since you're so far from home and all.

"I think,"
he continued with an accusatory stare, "that while you're trying to prove blah-blah to the locals, you should also try to prove to me why I shouldn't stop you and handle this myself. Cause I figure you're not from Iwa and I'm eighty - no - ninety percent sure you're not from Kiri. You're just way too fuckin' nice."

He paused and then gave the man a wry smirk. "But don't worry that shaggy little head of yours. Until we're done here I'll do what I have to, even if that means letting you run around freely for a bit longer. Besides, talking to old people bores me so knock yourself out." With that he walked past the older shinobi, suppressing a yawn and the thought that he was in for another long night. "If you're done, let's go. Don't wanna keep the Wise and Wrinkled waiting."
Kao's CharactersShow
Akari KotaruBanninIwagakure no Sato Team 18 Jousai [color=#1fb8a3]
Komiya ShizuoJounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#209DD3]
Yanagida Yukino Special Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#a07ac2]
Ishiwara SetsunaChuunin Iwagakure no Sato[color=#E81D1D]
Enkouten Mai Jounin Iwagakure no Sato [color=#CE5412]
Aisu Namie Chuunin Kirigakure no Sato [color=#5bc2d4]
Awai FusaeA-Rank MNKonohagakure no Sato[color=#D95FEA]
Important NPCsShow
Akari Kanehara Akari clan elder [color=#80A0FF]
Sakata KannaIwagakure Councilwoman [color=#3DA43B]
Hazuki Shuran Jinchuuriki researcher [color=#E854C0]
Enkouten Kaizen Iwagakure councilman, clan leader [color=#C65871]
Rock Country Daimyo [color=#AC4A4A]

User avatar
Toshi
Posts: 4119
Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2008 7:00 pm

[Plotboard] The Bridge on the River Onan

Post by Toshi » Thu Feb 27, 2020 9:29 pm

Tousha opened his mouth to speak more than once but was either cut off by the Iwa Shinobi or by his own better judgment. It didn't take a masterclass empath to figure out Kota's trust in him was plummeting by the syllable, and trying to defend himself now would only be the allegorical shovel he needed to dig himself into an even deeper hole. So, as the youth continued his rebuke of Tousha's explanation, the dark haired man reacted non-verbally. A nod of the head in understanding, a downward turn of the mouth as if in contemplation, raised eyebrows at Kotaru's idea of 'stopping' him and handling the Haruko Brotherhood on his own.

A genuine smile at being called 'too nice' to be from the Hidden Mist Village. It was arguably one of the kindest things anyone had ever said to him.

But, finally, as Kota's verbal blitz relented, Tousha beamed. As tenuous as it was, a truce had emerged between them. In a moment that could have staggered a thousand different directions, most of them being very far in the other direction of amicability, the older man let out a relieved breath. He had no idea how long the peace would hold between them but he was more grateful than he could say for even another night of cooperation.

"Right," he said with a chuckle, untying the thug from the bridge's post and turning to follow Kota towards the center of the village. As he walked side by side with his own captive, only a few steps behind the younger Shinobi, an unconscious hand scratched at the loosely contained chaos that was his inky black hair.

"Is it that bad?" he asked, mostly to himself.

Only the indifferent, rushing river beneath them seemed to answer.















A lone man staggered through the countryside, practically tripping over the night that engulfed him. Cursing more than breathing and clutching at his side with a grim resentment, the tall, armored thug had given up shooting backward glances towards the fishing village he was retreating from. Not only had the evening not gone as planned, he'd let some snot-nosed punk of a kid get the better of him.

He just hadn't been expecting it. Plus the little brat had help from that crazy drunk, they were in it together for sure. They'd just been waiting for him and his men, the cowards, waiting to catch them off guard.

Yeah that was it. Next time, he'd be ready, and he'd make the little twerp and his goon pay with more than a shallow stab wound. No one made a fool of Tsuyoshi the Breaker and lived to remember it.

Confident that he wasn't being followed, the man stopped. With a groan he pulled his hand away from the dagger wound grinning just under his armpit before glaring down at the blood soaking the skin of his palm and fingers. He stood there for a moment to catch his breath and think. He'd lost two men, and the boss man was expecting another helping of villagers by first light.

No matter how he swung it, things weren't looking good for him. The boss was a stand up guy, a real proper gentleman to be sure, but he had little patience for failure. Tsuyoshi had seen first hand what news of failure and disappointment did to him, how it seemed to change him into someone else. Some thing else entirely. No way in hell was he going to waltz back to the base and deliver the news himself, he had people to do that for him. Had being the formative word.

With one last curse the man peeled away the bracer tightly bound to his forearm. With a grunt he tossed it aside and rolled up his sleeve, revealing several deeply detailed markings. The boss's magic marks, the ones every one of his commanders were given once they had earned his trust. Tsuyoshi dragged two bloody fingers across one of them, a particularly large and ornate marking. A moment passed before the marking seemed to drink the blood coating it, the dark red stain disappearing only where the seal's designed lined the thug's skin.

A pale blue light faintly flooded the area as the seal activated, pulling a healthy helping of chakra from its host. Tsuyoshi held out his arm at an angle in front of him as he watched a swirling cloud of strangely dense smoke curled and shifted, its roiling form illuminated only partially through the veil of the night's embrace. Slowly, meticulously, the smoke began taking deliberate shape. What was once simply a tangled mess of sickly looking smog took the appearance of a face. A hood draped over the face's forehead and eyes, leaving a long, thin nose to poke out and forward over the taught line of a mouth.

The face regarded Tsuyoshi for a moment, the armored thug somehow feeling its unseen eyes peering through him. It prickled at his skin like a bitter, cold wind.

"Tsuyoshi," the face muttered, its tone venturing into friendly recognition but stopping just out of reach. "Have you news from Yūyo?"

The armored thug smiled a toothy, bloody grin.

"Better than news, Boss," he said with a smug excitement. "I think I found a couple recruits you might be interested in."
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Former Hokage • Konoha • Nara Tousha

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