The unwanted Mission: Tiger and Dragon

[AntiNaba]

(IT BEGINS)

Kumiko looked the current Hokage up and down, her eyes noting the fold of fabric that would allow for sharp, sweeping movements and other potential areas for key locales of hidden weaponry. After two seconds of cursive observation, Kumiko decided that she might as well use the diplomatic card as far as was possible. She bowed low, hands at her sides in masculine fashion, face carefully blank as she faced the ground.

"Lady of the Leaf, Hyuuga-who-oversees-all, I am honoured to be witnessed by your countenance and to be welcomed with the fitting hospitality I deserve. Many your years be long and your eyes never-greying." She straightened up, frowning slightly.

"The founder of this village may have indeed imprisoned us in the past, this is true, but we of the Otsuki hold no grudge longer than the memories of those who have fallen holding it. On behalf of the people and assorted servants of Morigakure, I, Kumiko Kuroda, extend our gratitude for your tolerance of my brother, and look forward to a future of mutual coexistence, true progeny and deference with our Konoha neighbours."

She swung her arm around and struck her chest with her left hand, the thump of flesh on cloth suddenly very loud in the silent streets as the salute connected.

And then... the buzzing started. Kumiko's arm began glowing a brilliant blue-white, little arcs of electricity earthing themselves in the walls surrounding the market, centred on a series of lines in a circle under her shoulder. The air grew thick with the forming mass of chakra that concentrated around her limb.

"Oops." Was all Kumiko could offer.

She released it.

--

The Kojira walking down the streets towards the bookstore stumbled back as the wave of intense static rolled over him, jumping away from any other surface to avoid the slight shocks that he knew he'd receive. He pushed away some of the hair from his face, grunting as the strands stood upwards, defiantly awaiting gravity where he left them.

He quickened his stride, breaking into a run towards the bookstore.

--

In the apartment on the other side of the city, the wave of chakra washed over and shorted out the electronics in Kojira's room. His clock ticked erratically, his fridge powered itself on and off, his radio tuned in to only static.

And in the darkness, the silence and the gloom, a voice could be heard.

"Twenty, Nineteen, Eighteen, Seventeen..."

--

Kumiko blinked as she touched her hair, having exploded like a dandelion in the shape of a falling comet, the tip of her own slight ponytail making the trail. She gave a nervous chuckle as she patted her now-behaving augment.

"I'm sorry, that never happened to me before. At least, it was never that quick between buildup and release..."

--

(No radio, kiddies! And that's just the start! The entire village felt that! MOVE MOVE MOVE!)

[Tempest Kitsune]

Itsuki shot up, head swiveling, as Urgit and Kheldar scrambled to perch on his shoulders, both of them re-energized beyond anything a mere nap could have provided. "The hell was THAT?!" Urgit squawked.

Itsuki's lips curled back in an unconscious imitation of Hasaki at his most deadly. His next word was a short snarl. "Trouble." He began to head for the source of the pulse.

(There's no way in hell anyone could mistake that pulse for anything other than deliberate. Not with that kind of power, or that kind of timing.)

[AntiNaba]

(Interpret it as you will, all is going nicely.)

--

"... Sixteen, fifteen..."

[Phht]

[Can Aburame bugs survive nomming biju chakra? Kumiko could take the stance that it ends up with a similar nasty effect.

Given that I added a KMP entry that might affect things - KMP personnel have been instructed maintain distance from either Kuroda and summon ANBU if police action is necessary. If a fight or something breaks out, their priority is to evac noncombatants and injured before trying to form a cordon; ninja can handle whatever's in the cordon. There may be plainclothes Public Safety personnel staking out the home/Kojira and following Tsukiko's group; the groups would be coordinating with any ANBU watchers but are strictly hands off.]

[AntiNaba]

(Aburame bugs can survive it, but can't stomach it, they have to give up after a minute of consumption. It does have the added bonus of fragmenting wanderers in the system, though.

KMP works out fine.)

[Tempest Kitsune]

Tempest's long strides turn into a lope, which turns into a run, which leads to a tear-inducing burst of speed as the hair on the back of his neck seems like it wants to crawl down his spine. 'Fastest course is past my place,' he decides, and shifts his direction by a few degrees. The fact that this course will also take him past Kojira's place is ignored. 'Gotta get to the source!'

[ewuvi]

(Yeeeahhh, I'm bowing out of this round. I've been having deal with crap lately, and I don't want to have to deal with it here. The sheer amount of Sue this topic is giving off is too much for me to stomach, especially right now. Kyoko isn't really that important, so it doesn't matter.

I applaud spudman for doing such a good job with Tsukiko and Hanabi though.)

[spudman]

oog: thanks ewuvi, I was really trying to do them both justice.

But I don't think any outcome is certain, yet. Please don't bow out. *puppy eyes*

Anyway, I'll post when I can but it might not be so much until Wednesday. My dad is visiting and there are some plans/things to see, etc.

[serbii]

[ hope you have less crap soon. I'll take them both for now if you want. But yeah, Anti, you can't be immune to everything]

An ANBU on the rooftop hisses as his radio shorts out and signs the problem to Kagami.
She hops from the roof top into the street and signs to Hanabi so that Kumiko can't see
"ANBU radios are down"

[AntiNaba]

[She isn't immune. Not to the bugs: You just need to keep throwing more at her to replace the sickened ones, and the effects on the wanderers are immediate. There isn't really anything that you can hit her with that she can just shrug off. Anything else? Seriously, I had no idea she looked like a Sue. Powerful, yes, but I wasn't aiming for omnipotent.]

[Phht]

[ I think if you did any adjusting a bit for possible accidental metagaming from earlier in the thread to keep the danger/drama level higher, you might've slide a bit close on the scale - like with the village-wide EMP burst - but given that at least one method (Raiton jutsu vs Wanderers) of combating her Augments is known (and any Aburame from the first run-ins with the village prior to sealing it away might know of the other way and have passed it on within the clan), she's not a Sue yet. Plus, every person following the thread pretty much hates her and that's the opposite of a Sue, amirite?

BTW, how far... down did that burst go into the ground, or did it stay fully above ground?]

[ewuvi]

(Villain Sue. Also, if you've been paying attention, Anti got rid of the Raiton weakness.

Anyway, I'm wondering just how many people in the hospital would be dead because of Kumiko's little 'mistake', and if she'll be held at all accountable for their deaths. But hell, what should I care?)

[AntiNaba]

[Perhaps I should have mentioned this bit:]

Kumiko continued to hold her nervous grin, trying to shrink into her shirt to avoid showing off the lack of shining ink on her arms.

"T-that was something I was supposed to do the minute I got here, but what with one thing and another..."

Why the hell did Koji ask me to do this, anyway?

[Kindly note, the Otsuki have no electronics.]

[Tempest Kitsune]

All across Konoha, a pounding of feet begins to echo as Medic-nin and civilian doctors notice what's happened, and fearing the worst for their patients, race towards the hospital. As they go, bulling through the street-traffic, or leaping overhead, all of them seem to be muttering or shouting dire threats against whomever created the pulse. Bits and pieces float to the ears of the Hokage and her companions.

"...without anesthetic..."

"... dirty needles..."

"...traction harness..."

"...amputation..."

"...colonoscopy..."

"... IV drip for a DECADE..."

"...quadriplegic..."

"...AND NAIL IT TO THE WALL!!!"

[AntiNaba]

Trying not to draw attention to her movements, Kumiko gently patted her communication augment, now unmoving and lifeless as she failed again and again to reach her brother's mind.

She felt her eyes widen at the implication.

I'm stranded in the middle of a hostile village against a Jyuken Master and I just shut down my own. damn. augments.

"Kojira, you son of a bitch." She hissed under her breath. She braced her legs to move, feeling awkward and ungainly without her augments.

[spudman]

As the pulse goes off four ANBU swoop in surrounding Kumiko, hands at their blades and ready. As it dies down it can be seen Hanabi is staring a hole into Kumiko with her byakugan. She notes the message of radios being down but does not feel overly concerned. Groups of ninja, armies, and communities had gotten along without the technology for centuries, and they still had procedures for operating without them. The Hokage smoothes her hair back into position, adding a bit of chakra to the process makes it rather simple.

“After yesterday this was your second chance, Kumiko. I will not tolerate such disruptions in my village. You’ve left me with little choice; you will be detained. I’m certain everything will be cleared up in due time, but for now not resisting will be considered a point in your favor.”

She signals for the ANBU, among them one of her kinsmen, to disable and detain Kumiko.

Tsukiko remains on guard with her bloodline as well, having moved into a better position should Kumiko attack or try to flee.

-----------------------

Meanwhile, somewhere in the vicinity of the Hokage tower, Nishiyori sits on a perch when he feels the pulse.

An obvious distraction but not bad…

Seconds later, the white rat Shiro pops in.

“Sir! Kuroda Kumiko was the source of the pulse. Kuroda Kojira is on the move.”

“Destination?”

Shiro is unable to give Kojira’s exact destination, merely his location as Naruto told her and the direction he was headed, which was not toward the tower.

Nishiyori has already cut his thumb and summons Ryoushi, the man-sized veteran rat and an instant later creates a shadow clone of himself to remain with him. The jounin then turns to Shiro.

“Take me to him.”

The two disappear in the smoke and join the Rokudaime at his family compound. Nishiyori does not spare time for formalities.

“Get me near Kojira, you’re fast enough to catch him. But you’ll have to carry me.”

The aged former Hokage raises an eyebrow, “...hop on.”

‘Events are in constant flux, so you have to be able to adjust on the fly as well. Letting an unknown enemy go about their business to learn more of their true goals isn’t a bad idea, but if you can get the information and stop them in the process, so much the better.’


oog: I thought long and hard about Hanabi’s actions. Personally I was tempted to just jyuken Kumiko’s brains into mush right off the bat. But I couldn’t escape the conclusion that Hanabi wouldn’t do that (or something else for that matter, like playing it off as nothing) for a number of reasons…plus I don’t think I really want Kumiko dead yet, such great potential as a villain (though the former factor was the decision maker).

As for the communication issue, yes, radios being down will definitely make it more of a pain but I just wanted to indicate it’s not going to make everything total confusion.

[AntiNaba]

(oog: Good. I hate working with an incompetent force. If it's easy, it's boring for all concerned.)

Kumiko's lips draw back, but her eyes are showing the first signs of a very human emotion - utter, soul-scarring terror and complete disbelief. Grey eyes, pinprick-tiny and swivelling from side to side as the head they resided in twisted and turned to view the many, many ohgodthere'smoreofthem hostile forces surrounding her began to twitch with tears. Hands scrabbled with futility as she attempted to pop the seals in her skin that held her collection of poisons and knives, not bothering with the obvious contenders on her front.

This wasn't supposed to happen! WHYWHYWHY aren't they working?! Kichijo!! I'm sorry! Let them work! Please! I'm helpless! KICHIJO! I had to have that grid!! I'm the right element! I was supposed to- PLEASE!! ANE-UE!! KICHIJO ANE-UE!! ANE-UE!!

Kumiko was quickly losing her calm, cruel visage as ANBU began to invade her personal space, metre by metre, foot by unrestricted foot. Her stance lowered, her tears coming out full force as she tried to push-start her augments into functioning again. Her Godseals unbudging, her wanderers lax and unresponsive, her personal chakra reserved as untouched as when she'd stopped using them. She wished, somehow, that perhaps she could have found a way to have more personal chakra than a four-year-old. That wish went unanswered. She was almost blubbering, now, choking as her throat constricted in fear of such an alien place, such a bizzare and threatening scenario.

"N-no, I'm not weak! I am not weak! I am not alone! I am no victim!"

She pulled a knife from a sheath laid over her right breast, barely a finger-length in size. She swiped it quickly, desperately over the second underjoint of her left index. She pushed as hard as she was able, clumsy fingers shuddering through barely-coherent handseals. She slapped the ground, teeth exposed in a silent, frustrated rage.

"Kuchiyose! Gyumao!"

Nothing happened. The freely bleeding wound did nothing but soak the dust. Kumiko stared at it blankly, before unsheathing the knife again and carving another line through the middle of her hand. Another flurry of seals, another slap.

"Kuchiyose!! Gyumao!"

Another cut, leaving a crosshatch on her left hand, deep enough to reveal slight, nebulous muscle slicked with a dozen black lines before the blood hid the augment.

"Ku-ku-kuuuchi-yo-se-" Kumiko sobbed, "GYUMAO!"

Again, there was nothing. Kumiko fell to her knees, and offered absolutely no resistance when the ANBU retrieved her weapons and lifted her to her feet to walk to the penetitiary. She had the look of a broken woman, eyes blank as she whispered to herself.

Koji, help me. Please. Don't leave me like this.

--

Kojira bound towards the bookstore at a pace that would have been fatal had he tripped. Instead, he began sticking to the walls for quicker locomotion, taking note of the squads that were heading towards the epicentre of the shockwave.

So far, so good.

--

"-three, two, one. Showtime."

The figure was in luck, the lady who owned the block of apartments had been clear about just how far the blocked-up chimney went in this stack. All the way to the bottom, with its soft, airy and above all easy to manipulate loam topsoil.

Popping a pair of oxygen pills into its mouth, the figure removed the plate that covered the entrance to the chute and tested the strength of the tree vines that that had been coaxed from the living wood in the top floor for the past decade. It slide down them, making no sound as the vines hit a bump and struck its fingers against something akin to brick. The gloves worked perfectly, belaying not a piece of friction to their wearer as the silent descent ended at the ground floor.

The glove blurred in a series of handseals, stopping at the snake.

The figure spoke.

"Doton: Eramimizu."

The chakra's etheral glow was the only light in that dark space, growing dimmer as the figure, cloaked in dark gear and a thousand ribbons, sunk into the ground.

Darkness returned, and beneath the earth, something began to course quickly towards the Hokage's office.

Sorry, sis.

[spudman]

As Kumiko is taken into custody, Hanabi instructs the ANBU that even though they’ll be using suppression seals, to be careful regardless.

Tsukiko observes the Mori girl’s behavior.

She is obsessed with being in control, and now that she has lost that control she is lost herself…perhaps I can establish a rapport with her.


---------------------

The two humans and rat soon catch up to Kojira with the speed of Naruto’s Sage Mode. As they arrive Nishiyori jumps away from Naruto and lands on a roof nearby with Shiro hitching a ride in his vest. Naruto stops alongside Kojira, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Kojira-san, fancy seeing you here…” Nishiyori grins.

He glances at where the jounin was headed before looking back at Kojira skeptically.

Rushing towards a bookstore of all things while your accomplice sets off a pulse, could be a second diversion

“Whatever it is you’re up to you seem sure it doesn’t endanger Konoha*. You should have come to the Hokage about it beforehand, kid…Coffee shop, two blocks east of the Hokage tower, we’ll talk business. Don’t make us come after you.” He nods to Naruto, who gives Kojira a little bop (holds back so it's only fatal to a fake). The resulting poof of smoke is a dead give away for what this was.

“Hm, shadow clone after all.”

Naruto’s head turns in the direction of the Hokage tower. “He’s heading toward the Hokage’s office.”

“The sanctum I’d wager. Shiro-chan, stay with Naruto-sama.” The little rat jumps out of the jounin’s vest and onto the Sixth’s head.

Nishiyori concentrates, dispelling the shadow clone he left back near the tower. Ryoushi knows that this means he needs to summon his friend back, which he does that instant.

“Ryoushi, meet our friend in the office, try the sanctum. Remind him I’ll be in that café east of here”, a nod is shared and both shunshin towards their destinations.

Should Ryoushi get to the office in time to see Kojira, the man-sized rat will greet him...

“Heya, gaki.”


oog: Nishiyori’s taking a bit of a mental leap here, but not much of one actually, it does have a strong basis from everything he’s heard.

[Tempest Kitsune]

Itsuki lands in a crouch beside Hanabi, Urgit and Kheldar easily balanced on either shoulder and ready for action. Looking almost eager for it actually.

[AntiNaba]

The form beneath the earth pauses as a wave of thought washes over it, remnants of the Shadow-clone that had been costing him so much of his Natural chakra.

Should've realised they figured something was up when they spotted the lack of augments.

It continued cautiously towards its goal, trying to work out the next move.

If I change direction now and try to act diplomatic with regards to Kumiko, I can at least get her back home and avoid any bloodshed. But then they'd ask why I sent off a Shadow-clone... I suppose I could bluff that, but...

Blasted kami of the underriver. I might as well ask her for advice.

Underneath the cobbles, an arm was touched.

*Honoured sister, the plan is quickly becoming compromi-

There was a sudden feeling of cessation. People walking over the footpath turned their heads and shifted uneasily as a building feeling of apprehension mounted in the air.

Kuroda Kojira had yet to feel any reply from his sister, not even the faint buzz that accompanied a reception. Killing intent, laced with a furious loyalty and a twisted form of betrayal mixed in with the solid atmosphere above ground.

Seconds later, a monster erupted from the earth, a beast three times the width and girth of a man, draped in shadow and shade slashed along walls and stone in its ascension from hell. Eyes, the only white in that blackened monstrosity gleamed like the moon narrowed themselves in rage. Shoulders bulged with the hint of muscle, shaking with fury and pent-up power.

SIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISTER!!!! WHO DARES TO LAY HANDS UPON THE KURODA HEIR?! It bellowed, lucid fangs jagged in the afternoon light. I WILL SHED A THOUSAND SOULS FOR THIS IIIINSULT!!

With a roar, the creature pushed itself off the ground, bashing through a wall as it pounded through the rapidly-clearing streets, vistigal shreds of discarded wanderers curling and vanishing it its debris-strewn path.

IIIIII RENOUNCE THE LEAF, THIS TRAVESTY HAS CLEARED MY EYES! THE KURODA WILL WAR ONCE MORE!! It screamed, flailing wildly in blind madness towards the faint trace of his sister's chakra.

--

Kumiko was ashamed. To have shown such weakness, such pathos was beyond unbecoming. And now, even as she pushed her augments to a sluggish life, she was in a position that even the Matriarch would have forsaken. Even without the Jyuken user escorting her, she could feel the chakra wafting off these... ANBURU. Or something. She would not be able to fight her way out until her augments were fully restored. But hopefully she would have a breathing space by then, she would rather die than suffer the indignation of restraint, but she was not able to fight properly in close range, and certainly not against so many opponents.

She felt the roar, rather than heard it. She had felt it once before, when she had tested Kojira's brainwashing but setting him onward to kill their fath-

She looked to her left, and felt the mission crumble into nothing. Now lives would be cost, and it was likely that they were both within the tally. The Matriarch had won.

"Oh no. Oh no." She whispered to herself, "He's gone berserk. I should've known he would."

I had hoped his time here would have reversed the damage.

[spudman]

Oh, boy...

Nishiyori moves toward the disturbance with haste.

-----------

Kumiko's whispers did not go unnoticed by Tsukiko, though that awful feeling made it rather obvious.

Kojira-san...

Tsukiko turns toward Kumiko.

"Do you want to save your brother?" she asks the Kuroda heir bluntly.

oog: Nishi isn't there yet...mainly because I have to think more about how he fights.

[Tempest Kitsune]

Itsuki sighs as he hears the roar, the betrayal was no longer unexpected, but still, it hurt. "Hokage-sama, permission to engage the enemy." His voice is flat, almost lifeless.

[AntiNaba]

Kumiko glares at the suggestor, "This is a Kuroda problem. Stay out of this."

She attempts to break away from her escort, but stumbles as her augments weakly sput out.

[Tempest Kitsune]

Itsuki takes a deep breath, letting it out through his nose as he darts forward and catches the stumbling girl with one hand, holding her up easily. "In case you've failed to notice, that particular Kuroda problem is tearing apart downtown Konoha. Which makes it a Konoha problem. So unless you can magically wave your hands and make it better," he gestures with his free hand as his voice starts to rise, "I suggest you start talking to those of us who are actually in a position to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!" He catches himself, and then sighs once more, his voice returning to its previous flat level. "My apologies for the outburst. Betrayal from a man I welcomed into my family's home makes me... irritable." Both Urgit and Kheldar are throwing off light sparks of electricity now in response to their summoner's mood.

[AntiNaba]

"If it were not for me, I can assure you he would be as ingrained in this land as you. He is... conditioned to react in certain ways when I have been threatened."

There was another crash, definitely closer. Kumiko winced.

"I would be able to shut off the override, but I've shorted myself. I'm not sure how long it will take, but-"

DESPAIR, WRETCHED FILTH. I HAVE COME TO DESTROY YOU!! The scream was deep with a high-pitched chorus, the street began to shake with the heavy pounding of unnatural feet. Other, more human screams filled the air as the proximity of the brute began to close in.

Kumiko stood back as the sky began to darken, watching the growing stream of wanderers with grim foreknowledge.

"You must keep him distracted, I need to be able to land on his back. Even with this much power, that much I can do."

She stands up, shaking from unused muscles crying in protest. Her face is blank, her eyes determined.

"We have come too far to fail now. You must aim for his neck, he has a reflex against that area and will be forced to act on the defensive."

There was a loud, meaty sound and an abruptly cut off scream, an arm casually sailed overhead, bone exposed and meat dripping blood in an almost graceful arc.

COME FORTH, MY SISTER! I HUNGER FOR GUIDANCE! Kojira cried, hidden by four blocks of distance and a hedgefence.

Kumiko blinked, and smiled.

"He cannot locate my exact position. I am too faint, we can ambush him if you strike from directly overhead." She motioned towards the buildings that blocked her view, "Those will work nicely."