Contaminated Violations

[Takahashi Aki]

The Red Lights was a place of crime and filth. Sousuke had come down on occasion to solve a murder case that was unsolved, or put an end to some bingo book target. The Steward was a man who could get his hands dirty in the investigation and in the literal sense, not the metaphorical moral manner. He was escourted to the crime scene and held up the yellow tape as he passed by. Four bodies violated and covered up. The coverings defiled the crime scene. Sousuke snorted as he fully knew well that this scene was blocked off for a street block. He shook his head. The bodies may require a person who knew the area slightly better than he, socially that was. He tapped his faceplate and placed in a call to one Sagasu Shinji. "Shinji. I know you're drinking, but I need eyes and your social experiences down here at Forty-six and Main. You'll be permitted access through the yellow tape, just don't get sick on the way here, the smell is deplorable. ... ... ... You may need to call Yume and have her come down here in time. I need a coroner's report."<i></i>

Sousuke turned to his companion, who was Nagato of House Senju. "Kazuki is probably in a better place than this. Surrounded by books and knowledge, but I'm certain he understands why things like this require looking into. Cases get re-opened. Things that were solved ... become unsolved. Pretenders and copycats complicate the playing field. To ensure a successful transition to the surface I need to alleviate the criminal underbelly of its sure footing here. A task I've been working with, and sometimes it is successful for a time."<i></i> One would have thought this old festering wound would have vanished in time with the Cabal. Street fights, explosions, murders of the ne'er do wells. All of the foregoing occurred, but the cancer was malignant at this point and did not take well to being attacked from outside and within.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

Throughout the years of using and studying the every dark art of their world, Kazuki's body had developed this unnatural ability to exude an aura of death and coldness that permeated everyone in his vicinities, whether those affected wanted or not. Lesser men had no ability to resist such supernatural ability, while stronger ones had a measure of resistance to it. Men like Sousuke, strong-willed people could be outright immune to it. Although this emanation was an unconscious act, the Overlord had developed a way to consciously suppress it and as such, he could remain unseen and undetected. Today was no such day and his aura was at full power. Thus his presence was felt way before he had been seen. Nagato had joined Sousuke as instructed by his older cousin, but after some serious consideration, the White Wolf decided he was more suited to the task at hand. He also had a second reason to meet up with the Steward. The nature of his powers troubled him. If his relationship with Sand was to be cemented, complete trust had to be gained, with the Purple Haired Man most of all. The Silvery Haired Man was a master of Necromancy and Demonology and those abilities had served him well. His body also housed a thousand souls. He was not ashamed of who he was and how he acquired power, nor he would stop doing so, but he was aware that those actions were usually not well seen by others. Perhaps the Steward was different, but it was to come clean as soon as possible and learn if he truly had a place among the good people of Sunagakure. Also, since he had the ability to reanimate the dead, it seemed fruitful to aid Sousuke in that crime scene investigation.

Nagato, the blond haired Senju, silently nodded upon hearing the Kazekage's explanation that crime had to be eradicated if Sand's ascension was to be successful. The reason for his silence was not due to lack of words, but because he was listening to his headset. He was receiving new instructions from his master. "Forgive me Kazekage but my presence is being requested elsewhere. My replacement will arrive shortly" the Uchiha quickly announced as he seemingly vanished. The Chuunin had used a quick-movement technique to rapidly leave the area. Nagato's replacement swiftly appeared as Kazuki emerged from somewhere and approached the yellow tape. If any guard thought of preventing the Overlord from joining the Steward inside the protected area they would soon learn otherwise. Anyone approaching the Silvery Haired Man to attempt so would be met with the White Wolf's gaze. Such look seemingly had the ability to transform milk from liquid state to solid. And as such they were probably insane if they did not stop their attempt from barring the Dread Lord from getting inside. "Pardon my cousin Steward but I was forced to summon him elsewhere. He is going to prepare the building where SHIELD will have its base. And I believe I am more suited to help you than he could ever be." the former ANBU Sennin calmly explained.

Reaper had another reason, a strong motive to be there, something he was about to unveil. "I have been thinking about something and I believe I need to tell you this now. The longer I withheld this information from you, the stronger the damage it can create. I understand time is against us and this may not be the best place to say what I am going to say, but this cannot be avoided any longer. Kazekage will you listen to me? Be warned that what you are about to learn may forever change your perception of me but that is a price I am willing to pay. If after I am done, you want me out of Sand, I will leave peacefully as long as my kin can stay." Kazuki spoke. What he was about to reveal, if Sousuke allowed, was going to be mind blowing, but it had to be done. What he could do was seen as unholy and forbidden in most places, but he was a Senju and he would not hide his nature.

[MFT - 699]

 

[Sagasu Yume]

Enter Sagasu Shinji​

The life of a shinobi was a hectic one, especially for those in the main branch. They had no specialty as the Med-Nin or ANBU and were expected to be capable and willing at all times to engage when their village needed them; it was their job to be ever on-call. That was why it shouldn't have been a surprise to hear the crackle of his ear piece seconds before he brought the green glass bottle to his lips for another sip. His eyes closed in disbelieve as he let out a sigh. This was not happening. Two fingers to the side of his head, he acknowledges the call as he assumes a professional tone.

Sagasu Shinjin... Hey! Sousuke!... .... .... I'll be right there. Yume's at home studying. I'll let her know.

Oya, Yume. How're you keeping? .... Good.... I'm not drunk. I wouldn't be calling my sister if I was drunk.... NO! Even if I was THAT drunk. Between you and the Steward you're going to scare me straight. In all seriousness though, Sousuke just paged me to a scene in the District, said he'd need a coroner.... You've done time-of-death stuff at the hospital. You'll be fine.... Fourty-Sixth and Main. You'll see it.... Oh, and Yume? Wear your medical gear. I don't want anyone getting the wrong idea about you being in the area....Yeah, I know I frequent here but that's because I'm hoodlum and you know it... See you soon.

It was rare that they both had the night off but in light of the chaos they both felt it was worth returning as close to normal as possible. That involved Shinji going out and getting drunk while the more responsible younger sibling stayed at home with CuRua and educated herself. He wanted to take her out for a night on the town sometime but he knew the night would end in a fist fight and he wasn't ready for that level of excitement just yet. Looking to the bottle gripped in his fist, he sighs again and tips it down his throat with a couple of chugs. Taking out yen, he nods to the bartender and waves a greeting that said he'd be back later. With a quick whistle, he calls to Ika which jars her from slumber and bring her to his side in an instant as an Inuzuka and their companion are never far from each other. Catching sight of himself on the way out of the tavern, he runs his fingers through his hair to get that perfected messy look and stepped out onto Fourty-Sixth and East First. The district was always more colourful than the upstanding parts of Sunagakure but that was part of its allure; adventure and debauchery could be found at every turn.

With a bit of a slouch to his step, Shinji saunters toward the crime scene. It bothered him a little that he had been so close and hadn't heard or sensed anything. It was the negative aspect of the territory; it desensitized everyone to its level of filth. His pang of guilt was slightly eased as he noticed that he had come from the opposite direction and hadn't crossed by the scene. Taking inventory of those standing around, he looks for any tells that could be someone who was a little too interested in the movements of law enforcement before moving toward the tape and letting himself in.

Heya bossman. What's going ... Holy mother of Suna, are they all dead?

It wasn't their lack of life that didn't sit well with the man; he's seen many dead and put a few of them there himself. Rather it was the brazen nature of them being left on the street, gore seeping through the covering that provided the corpses' some level of privacy in their rest. This couldn't have just happened. He'd been here an hour and there was no way something like this could have been silent. He kept his eyes fixed on the deceased or on the Steward, doing his best not to glance at Kazuki. Ika growled low but was quickly comforted by a lazy hand scratching between her ears.

I know girl, I feel it too. We're here to work. Trust the Steward.

 

[Miroku Riyota]

Riyota was seeing how well he could balance on a thin wire. If you were to ask him how well he was doing, he would tell you about how he is yet to fall off. When in truth this was about his 15th attempt. Riyota had spent a lot of time in Grand Palais, he had never actually gone inside one of the buildings, except for one time when he had gotten lost and accidentally wandered into a tavern. There was a lot of poor people in that bar. He thought, Those women on the stage were probably the poorest...I mean they probably couldn't afford clothes, they were barely wearing more than underpants. It was lucky he found his way out before too long.

Once again 'A strong gust of wind had messed with the rope' and Riyota fell off and marked another spot for bruising the next day. He was just about ready to climb back up when he noticed there was a small crowd of mostly official looking people gathered around something he couldn't quite see, he was going to ignore it until he saw the familiar face of Sousuke wander through and his curiosity got the better of him. If Sousuke-sensei is here, I can show him how good I've gotten with my axe. He reached to his back for his signature weapon yet grasped nothing but air. Oh right...I lost it. Figuring that he still wanted to see what was going on, he hurried over only to be met with the grim expressions of Sousuke, a ninja Riyota had never met and Riyota's current mentor Kazuki. A look of confusion crossed his face and he tried to move towards the group, yet he was stopped by some guards who were blocking his vision of whatever it was that was causing the other Shinobi to look so serious. "What's going on? Can I please go see?" he pleaded, not wanting to be kept out of the loop.

[Hope I'm not annoying anyone by appearing.]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

As Kazuki came upon the scene Sousuke approached one of the corpses. His expression was one of ... a sort of sickness. He grimaced at the display before him, and began to let his mind go off the trails. He knelt down on one knee and hesitated pulling off the white clothe which was drenched in blood. The sickening smell of death was present. Luckily no flies had began to swarm the scene, yet. Kazuki began to talk about he had been hiding something from the Steward. He wasn't surprised of course. All noble houses, his own included, had secrets that needed to be kept. "I'm always listening Kazuki. I'm listening and seeing details that few people pick up on."<i></i> His eyes narrowed as he looked down at the corpse having yet to pull the clothe away. Seemingly what Kazuki was going to share with him was earth shattering. In a way it interested the Steward. What was it that Kazuki was going to show him? Sousuke rose up and turned to Kazuki, but seeing Shinji approach. "Ah. An associate."<i></i> What was most interesting here was not Shinji's disgust or surprise, but what his canine companion did. She emitted a series of growls which seemingly stopped due to Shinji's touch. Curious and ironic.<i></i> The jackal was a symbol of death. Sousuke's response to Shinji was delayed. His sight set on the canine. Animals always had a way of detecting wrongness before humans could. Shinji inquired if they were all dead. "Quite."<i></i> He answered. There were introductions to be made here. "Sagasu Shinji meet Senju Kazuki. Shinji I invited to identify the corpses. His sister will be here shortly to proceed with a coroner's report. Kazuki's relative was here moments ago, but Kazuki is filling in for him..."<i></i>

To Sousuke's surprised Riyota next sprang until the scene. Luckily he remained behind the yellow tape. A slight twitch appeared on Sousuke's face which for the most part had remained neutral with the exception of the grimness. This was not really a scene for small children to be associated with, but ... well ... wait. How did Riyota even get here? The funny thing about children was that they always had a way. He broke eye contact for a moment and allowed his gaze to shift skyward. Some unseen force seemed to think it was safe to allow a child to join them in this enterprise of murder investigation. Sousuke's eyes narrowed. He emitted a discontented noise of sort. Was it a grunt? Oh yes. Bloody good this was going to be. Well done. Responsible adult of the year recipient. Right here. Right now. "Investigation. Crime scene."<i></i> He answered. Then. There it was the pleading curious nature of a child. Sousuke hesitated for a moment. "I don't think you'll accept the answer of no, remain relatively close. Something ... is a foot young Riyota. I would not wish for you to become a victim and the subject to tomorrow's headlines in the paper. I am responsible of you, so ... listen very carefully and closely to what I say. Remain six meters from my person."<i></i> With that the child was allowed limited access.

Sousuke approached the corpse. His hand reached down. He removed the sheet and revealed a very bloodied mess. Organs displaced. Bones broken and pointing in directions they should not have been. There were holes where there should not have been holes. Gougings. It was something unsettling for Sousuke to see, his expression merely caused him to raise an eyebrow. The attacker was human. There were weapons involved of a human nature such as an edged weapon to cause dismemberment, but at the same time there seemed to be a physical aspect as evidenced by the bones being crunched. Curiously the chest remained on tact, but the victim had a symbol on their chest of a circle with a dragon on it which was most likely the blood of the victim. "Very dead. Friend of yours Shinji? What usually goes on in these parts, aside from what we already know?"<i></i>

(MFT: 615)

(We need to do a True Detective title sequence here, I think I will do one once the entire gang has been assembled)

 

[Senju Kazuki]

There were too many people around them now, but Kazuki had gone too far to back down now. Sure, if possible, he would had that conversation with Sousuke alone with fewer witnesses, but there was not turning back. Ryota would learn the true nature of his new mentor and this stranger will probably die of a heart attack. But the truth had to be revealed. "Riyota...Sagasu Shinji" the Overlord acknowledge both man and boy's presence with a simple nod. A better welcome would be proper of him, but the Silvery Haired Man had a mission before their current mission. "What I am about to share with you, will be, undoubtedly, hard to process. Nor, as I acknowledge it, is this the best moment or place to divulge it, but as I told you, I believe this must be brought to broad daylight. I will start by declaring the nature of my powers and I will finish with a brief tale of my life so you can understand what has led me into this. It is my hope that as you learn what led me into the path I know walk, you see me under a different light than one is normally viewed by society." the White Wolf declared as he inhaled deeply. Dark secrets were about to be revealed.

"Takahashi Sousuke, my blood carries a Kinjutsu that Kumogakure had labeled as a Dark Sage. I have studied and mastered numerous arts that are otherwise known as Dark Arts. I can communicate with the dead and summon them to do my bidding. In colloquial terms, I am a Necromancer. I have also developed the ability to enslave demons and force my will upon them. Again, colloquially what is known as Demonology. I have also shared with you that my clan's deepest desire is for growth. We are forever fated to seek ways to empower ourselves. Each Senju has its own method and it is up to them to divulge it or not. I have never kept my method a secret and I won't start know. It is within our nature to be like this and it is something we cannot change, regardless of personal wishes. My way to increase my strength is through reaping souls. My body is home to a thousand souls and this number will never cease to grow as long I am alive." the former ANBU Sennin shared as he paused momentarily. Finishing touches were coming right away though. "Now understand that while Necromancy and Demonology were studied because of a necessity, the act of Soul Reaping happened against my will. I was lead into it, but I assure you each Senju has a different method, not everyone has a violent one, and I am the only one with such procedure."

Reaper paused again, this time for a great amount of time. Those three surely needed time to process the bomb that had just been dropped on them. However, the Dread Lord was not done yet. Now that they understand, even if lightly, why he reaped souls, it was time to share with them why he went into Necromancy and Demonology. "I was born a Tsuchimikado just like my father. A bloodline known for hunting supernatural creatures. And so throughout my juvenile years I went on periodic hunts with my father. Those early days were no sea of roses though. Both my father and my mother dreaded the fact that I was a Tsuchimikado, and although allowed to go with them, they wanted nothing but to prevent me from doing so. In fact, it was only when I turned 10 that they told me what I was and why I could see ghosts. You can imagine how terrible it was for me. Seeing ghosts and not knowing what they were and why I could see what I saw. A great level of resentment grew within me but there was little I could do. I also had a sister, but unlike me, she never showed any of the common traits of a Tsuchimikado. While my parents hated the thought of my being one, they absolutely abhorred the notion that my Sister was not one of them. Go figure. Those attitudes allow created a bigger wedge between my and my parents. Eventually an opportunity allowed me and my sister to leave our house and we went to live with our uncle. The then leader of Konoha's Intelligence Gathering and Foreign Affairs Department. Senju Tadao, my uncle, welcomed us and trained me to become his eventual successor. These would be the golden ages of my early life.".

The Silvery Haired Man paused again to catch his breath and shrug his shoulders. The next part of his life was not a pleasant one and few people on the world knew about it and he was about to share it with three strangers. "Unfortunately, good times are always finite and this was no exception. Tadao returned from a mission vastly different. He explained us that he had been captured and forced to become a Jinchuuriki. If that was not bad enough, the demon that had been sealed inside had a deep hatred for humanity and Tadao was not certain if he could contain that entity from coming out. Regardless of my uncle's great willpower, even he could contain such malice inside for long. So I came up with a plan. I would study the Dark Arts of Necromancy and Demonology to help him, and at the same time, keep Konoha safe from him. But as you might imagine, doing so would go against the tenets of my bloodline. I was torn apart, but I knew what I had to do. The more I studied and practiced, the greater my control over Tadao's Demon and less chances it had to gain control over my uncle's body. But deep I delved in those subjects, the weaker my bloodline became. Eventually even I changed as my latent powers over the shadow world grew and replaced my old bloodline. I am now a Nara, although perhaps a different kind of Nara. I also realized that what I had learned to help Tadao was also beneficial to my Senju Crusade.".

Kazuki paused for the very last time. "And so you have it. I have no regrets over what I had to do, what I had to become. Nor I became corrupted by the dark powers I now wield, even if my original bloodline was replaced by a different one. I am still the same man I once was. I still bear the same sense of loyalty to my people and I wish nothing but to protect them and my village. I show no mercy to my enemies and those I kill become part of my soul army. If you acceptance of me remains true, I will die protecting Sunagakure from its enemies, but I will not stop being what I am nor I will stop doing what I can do.".

It was allot to process. Sousuke, Riyota and Shinji were certainly freaking out by now. But the ball was on their side. How would they act upon such revelation?

[MFT - 1192]

 

[Sagasu Yume]

Shinji stepped in and looked over the bodies as much as he could, making sure not to touch anything. Gingerly he sniffed the air, trying to glean any scents of the assailant but most of the odors were masked by the putrification. Stepping back, he feels his eyes water as the question is asked. Coughing and swallowing the bile that rose in his throat, he clears his airway with a deliberate >ahem< or two.

No. I make a point of making friends with living people if I can help it. But they're not regulars. They're too clean. As you pointed out, there's a type that frequents these parts. Those who live here have a layer of dirt on them and those who come here a lot seem to come by it too. These are rich sods. Maybe from the Diamond district? Not sure about that one, as he doesn't have a face.

Trying to keep his blinking to a minimum, the Sagasu male listened to Kazuki as he divulged his family secret and made a point not to interrupt him until the end. It was evident he was expecting some form of reaction from the group but Shinji wasn't in the habit of giving people an edge of emotion. Keeping his yawn to himself, he endeavours not to be rude while the explanation winds down. Looking down to Ika, then to Sousuke, and finally back to Kazuki, he ruffles his hair and shrugs.

Uh... Welcome to Suna? Not sure if you were expecting this to be a surprise but to be honest my sister dabbles in blood jutsu and has a tome of ancient magika. My uncle was an exile with a familiar he stole, killed, and bound to himself which he reanimates at will. We have one Sennin who is openly half demon and another who my sister is fairly certain is a wraith and eats the souls of the incarcerated. Not certain if you were trying to stand out or something but you seem to fit in fine. Pro-tip, it's best to reveal things like this where the general public can't hear you. Hitching his thumb over his shoulder, Shinji indicates the growing crowd behind the yellow tape. Due to their position, it was unlikely that any of them had over heard. You might not talk to dead people now but you used to and whether you talk to them or not, you're still neck deep in their world with the bad voodoo. Maybe you could tell us something about the stiffs?

A sharp pain coursing through his shoulder would cause him to clutch at the tender muscle where his sister punched as she came up beside him. Looking over and down to her, he sees two sets of eyes look up disapprovingly as Yume and CuRua arrive on the scene.

They're not stiffs. They're corpses or cadavers. Rigor mortis hasn't set in so you can't use that word. Hello darling. If you wanted to see me tonight, you could have asked. You didn't have to find a murder, though wanting to work together is rather romantic. What do we have here then...

The mednin was rather chipper for being at a crime scene. Her turquoise hair was braided and coiled up in a bun at the back of her head and her pristine white uniform with red stitching was stark against the grunge. Rising on her tiptoes, she kisses Sousuke on his cheek as she greets him while snapping on purple latex gloves. Turning to the bodies, she lifts the cover and begins to make observations. Looking around she spies Riyota and calls him over, handing him a pad of paper and a pen.

Hey kiddo. What's your name? I'm Yume and I'm going to need you to take some notes for me. Don't worry about spelling, I'll be able to figure it out when I write my report later.

First subject: Juvenile male. Estimated age to be fifteen years. 170 cm tall. Thinly built. Brown hair. Contusions to his wrists and thighs indicate he was pinned down. Lacerations to his neck show signs of an animal bite. Trace fluids are evident but won't be able to be identified without tests being run. A drawing on his chest of a dragon in a circle appears to be in blood. Site test indicates that it is human.

Second subject: Adult male. Estimated age is early forties. 180 cm tall. Muscular, likely trained as a shinobi or in a martial art. His face has been removed along the jawline and the hairline omitting the ears. Removal was done with a precision edge, likely a scalpel. My guess would be that this man was identifiable or might know his murderer. Same emblem on his chest as the first subject. Site test indicates the blood to be human.

Third subject: Prepubescent female. Age appears to be around seven. Approximately 135 cm. Clothing has been torn. Minor contusions and abrasions on her arms, legs, and torso. Limbs appear to be broken post-mortem as there is no swelling. Neck has been broken between the 3rd and 4th vertebrae. Blood in her sclera indicates blunt force trauma to her skull and from the damage to her soft tissues, I would guess that she's been thrown around like a rag doll. The broken neck was either a mercy kill or incidental. Full body imaging will show more.

Taking out a swabs, she collects samples of fibres, tissue, fluids, and other necessities that could be lost in the transport back to the hospital. She paused a moment to observe the way the victims had been positioned. At a quick glance it would look like they had simply been tossed aside. Subject One, Two, and Four had their head pointed in roughly the same direction forming an arrow. Their hands were placed holding the complementary palm of their nearest neighbor while the outside limb was tight to their side. Below them, the little girl was perpendicular to their feet, turning the arrow into a triangle if she had been just a little bit taller. There was symbolism here but now wasn't the time to address it. She still had one more observation to conduct. Turning to the last victim, the wear is beginning to show on her face and the energy she had started with was beginning to wane.

Fourth subject: Adult female. Likely in her mid-thirties to early forties. 165 cm tall. Athletic build. Brown hair. Circular lacerations around each finger between the second and third joint, exposing the bone. Left femur has suffered a closed compound fracture. A five-point incision to the abdomen reveals that... There's another victim. Sousuke. This woman was pregnant. After birth is still attached to the uterine wall and the umbilical cord has been crudely severed, possibly torn. From the expanse of the tissue that's been pulled back and the health of the womb, it was likely close to term. With the proper care it could survive.<i></i>

[MFT; WC 1166]

 

[Miroku Riyota]

The guards reluctantly moved aside and Riyota stepped through and immediately went pale at what he saw, disfigured corpses lying, strewn about the floor. The young boy had seen death before, but nothing that looked quite so...malicious. It took everything he had to not vomit right then and there, because he knew more was expected of him than to throw up at the sight of some dead people. Riyota didn't know exactly what he had walked in to, but he was starting to wish he hadn't done.

Riyota was about to open his mouth to speak, but Kazuki seemed to beat him to the punch, addressing Riyota and the Stranger directly. Over those next few moments Riyota's current teacher explained his entire life story, and Riyota was quite surprised that the man was opening up as much as he was, yet when it came down to it, the boy wasn't concerned or upset or...really bothered at all by Kazuki's past actions. Though maybe it was just difficult for him to comprehend at the moment.

Riyota listened quietly as the new face, Shinji? Or something like that... began revealing what information he knew about the bodies. Riyota himself didn't have much to say that was of importance right now, so he stayed quiet. At least until a knew face entered the scene, a face that seemed to know Sousuke very...very closely. Although he found it strange that this woman found working on a murder case romantic, he quite liked her, she was strange...but in a good way.

It was the Woman, 'Yume' as he now knew her, speaking to him right away that he hadn't been expecting, and when she asked him to take down notes he wondered why she hadn't asked one of the clearly more qualified adults, until he realised they had more important things to do then write notes. He timidly told Yume his name "I-it's Riyota" he told her. Definitely one of his more shy greetings, but then again the entire situation had mostly drained him of his usual cheerful tone.

He took out a small pad and a pencil and began jotting down Yume's words as fast as he could keep up with, eventually he just began paraphrasing down to dot points that he hoped were still comprehensible.

First: Young Male, 15-ish, 170cm, Thin, Brown hair, Contoosiuns on wrists, pinned down?, Lasserashions on neck = Animal bite, Fluids are definitely there, Dragon drawing on chest, Defenetaly a person...

Second: Adult man, 40-ish, 180 cm, MussularMuscoolarStrong, probably Shinobi, Has no face anymore, Face removed nicely, might know guy if his face was still on, dragon again, pretty sure it's a person.

Third: Little Girl, 7?, 135cm, torn clothes, Lots of Woonds, broken bones after death, broken neck at the 3rd and 4th something, blood in the...eye from hard whack in the skull, thrown around a bit, Broken neck polite?

Riyota was pretty proud of his quick writing, even if his spelling wasn't as good as it could've been, he waited a bit while Yume collected some samples, then continued his writing as she started speaking again.

Fourth: Woman, 30-40-ish, 165cm, fit, Brown hair, circooler Lasserashions around fingers between 2nd and 3rd joint, bone is seeable...Woman pregnant, Baby could survive?

Riyota wasn't too sure about those last few notes but now wasn't the time, he hoped his paraphrasing would be enough to go off for now.

[MFT 568]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke listened to Kazuki explain his powerset and his family history. Sousuke did as he said he would, listen. As Kazuki filtered in the details Sousuke arranged them appropriately in his mind. Necromancy explained the mass of allies he had, but more importantly it revealed what had happened to the Guardians. The expression on Sousuke's face was not exactly one or sorrow or of unease. Something of a revelation. His hands fell to his sides as things began to sink in. The more deeper and disturbing nature. "The Guardians. You knew what happened at Inferno."<i></i> He stated out loud more for himself than for the others present. He knew that the Guardians would not willingly betray him. A necromancer supposedly had control of his minions, and through them he could see through them. It was a doorway of sorts for the reanimator, but not the reanimated. "Were they amongst those who you killed?"<i></i> A more telling question he had for the Necromancer. What happened, happened in the past. Perhaps though it would tell him more. When the Guardians recovered the Steward from Inferno, was it their will to have done so? Was it Kazuki forcing his will upon them? Or perhaps it was something his grandmother had done or said to enact both?

Ultimately Kazuki's history was extensive and full of change. Sousuke did not have any ... initial approve or disapproval of the Senju clan leader. More and more did it just seem to reinforce that Sousuke was perhaps the more boring of the two, or perhaps the less powerful of the two, at least in his perspective. If anything he was neutral to the notion of it. Power was something people sought after. Some would fall in doing so, others would rise. Awkwardly Shinji's response to this was ... not entirely expected. Sousuke's eye shifted over to the brawler. "You're actually taking this better than what I thought you would... but then again we do always seem to have all sorts of strange thing happen to us."<i></i> Sousuke had rewound what Shinji had said. He kept the fact to himself for a few more moments before he would begin a full and proper analysis to the situation.

Yume would arrive next with a jab at Shinji. Literally. Sousuke's skin would turn a slight shade of pink when kissed him and made the remark about how a murder had something romantic. "This would be the second time we've worked with each other. Yes, you are right. I should have called. Sorry."<i></i> He admitted his fault. He motioned to Yume, "This is Yume. My girlfriend, our coroner, and Shinji's younger sister. Give her a moment and we'll figure out what exactly we have here."<i></i> He said introducing her to Riyota and Kazuki. Sousuke was still wary about having Riyota present, but Yume had put him to work which was good. It would help to break things up. Riyota didn't seem so well given their setting. Yume began to go over the cavaders. Detailing each and every single of them. The Steward stalked back and forth as he listened to the details. The final reveal which was a twist, gave Sousuke a pause. He stopped mid stride. He held his hands behind his back. His gaze shifted to the floor. "Hrm."<i></i> He thought about everything that Shinji had said earlier too. "I don't think these bodies originated here. Given the description Shinji had said. Their details are not consistent of the individuals who are ... here every day. Women of a particular job set usually do not have children in these parts either."<i></i> He paused for a moment. "Can you check the timing of the wounds? This scene was discovered twenty-four minutes ago. This scene could have been set up in this time."<i></i> He paused for a moment. He put in a call to HQ. "Put in a call for missing persons."<i></i> He asked. He turned around to face his company. "Shinji, you didn't hear anything ... of the more absurd sort in the last ... two to three hours? We have to put some pieces upon a board and draw a co-relation to this."<i></i> He turned to Riyota. "You haven't heard anything on the way here? Word on the street is usually helpful."<i></i> There was the final part of the missing unborn child. "How long can a child survive at this stage, if ... cared for in a medicore to well fashion?"<i></i>

MFT

 

[Senju Kazuki]

Judging from everyone's reactions, Kazuki had just entered freak land. In Leaf his abilities were not widely accepted. In Stone he was a Sin in their eyes, as messing with the dead was against their religion. In Sand, though, no one seemed to have a problem with who he was or what he could do. Boy, was he in Dark Sage's heaven? For sure. "I did." he simply and calmly replied. There was a psychic link between the Overlord of the Senju Can and any deployed summon. "No, I did not kill them. Not every soul under my command was acquired through murder. Some come to me willingly because they have a wish they need to fulfill before passing on. And so they strike a deal with me. I can also choose to relinquish my hold over a soul under my control at any time." the Silvery Haired Man explained, though he had one more thing to say about that before moving on. "That was the Guardian's case. They wanted to be with you one last time, to aid you. I saw no reason to deny their request and I allowed them to. In the same time, I also offered you a layer of protection that was ready 24/7. We have enemies everywhere and I can't risk having the Kazekage, and my partner, be killed by them."

Now that the revelations had been done, the former ANBU Sennin was ready to act on what they there to investigate. Since he was now processing everything around him, the White Wolf learned Sousuke had a girlfriend, which was one and the same as the woman standing with them. She gave them a quick assessment of the bodies. Professional and efficient. That was good. "Sousuke, that dragon drawn in blood is not coincidental, nor is their position on the ground. My best guess is that this was a ritualistic kill and that bloody marking may lead us to who did this. On the other hand..." Reaper noted as he pointed to Shinji "His idea is not bad. I can summon, or at least try to, their souls back into their bodies so we can talk with them. Or simply siphon them to me so they don't have to enter their former vessels. Your call."

[I'm sorry it is not much for you to work with, but serious family health issues are killing my drive to write.]

 

[Sagasu Yume]

Watching Yume work was something like watching an artist paint; Captivating for a while but ultimately boring to her elder brother. He found it easier to be the one with his hands at work than observing. In that respect and a few others they fit their roles within the village well. Arms crossed over his chest, Shinji looked around the scene feigning boredom. In his experience, the more bewildered one looked, the more the onlookers would gossip. If he made it look as mundane as possible, the area should clear out soon.

I've only been in the area about an hour at most. I was barely through one drink when you summoned me.

His shoulders slumped slightly as he glazed over his night's activities, cramming his hands deep in his pockets. While he didn't say much, his body language and length of time it took him to get to his first drink spoke clearly that he had been unsuccessful in his original agenda. Emerald eyes focused on a divot in the pavement as his mind was pulled to the reason for his dry spell. Clearing his throat, he returns to the present and shoves the surfacing thoughts of Nari to the back of his head.

I didn't really hear anything unusual on my way from rounds but around here a lot blends in. Had these people been alive and wandering the streets they would have stood out. Things got a little colder but I had assumed that was due to night fall. There was a humming, like pressure between the ears, that Ika and I heard about 90 minutes ago but no one else seemed to. Some of the strays started acting weird, finding places to hide.

Mention of the noise brought a whimper from the jackal that mirrored a look of distress on Yume's face. Hurried glances were tossed between the fox and the vixen in a silent conversation. Ever the voice of reason, CuRua was pushing for her to speak while she was making a list of reasons why the experience had been coincidence. Swallowing hard, she speaks up in a timid voice, a vast contrast to the confidence she had arrived with.

CuRua and I... we heard screaming around that time, but it didn't sound real. It sounded like screeching, metal on metal, rather than anything organic. Almost made me throw up. Had to take a bath to warm up. I was just getting back to studying when Shinji called me.

Things were starting to become strange to the mednin; the fact that the presence of Kazuki or ritualistic killings hadn't counted as strange was unsettling in itself. Pulling her arms around her to rub over her exposed biceps, she instinctively takes a step toward Sousuke. He made her feel safe but she knew that they had to be professional. She could seek his comfort later.

A child at full term, assuming no birth defects or other complications, is at minimal risk of death with mediocre care. Definition of mediocre being maintaining body temperature and nourishment. At this stage of development, our basic needs are food and shelter. Without any immediate physical threats, an infant is exceptionally resilient. Many people still prefer home births to coming to the hospital.

 

[Miroku Riyota]

Riyota thought back to when he had first arrived to train his balance. "There wasn't anything out of the ordinary...until...there was something that sounded kinda like metal scraping against something. I thought it was just people moving stuff." Riyota kicked up a bit of dust, looking sheepish. If I'd known someone was in trouble, I would've helped." Riyota watched Yume shuffle slightly closer to Sousuke and smirked slightly, despite himself, he still couldn't help but find some things funny.

"If the Baby could survive then shouldn't we try and find it?" Riyota asked, feeling almost protective of the infant he had never seen nor met. He passed his notes to Yume for her to evaluate later. 'We can't just sit here and wait to see what happens...We have to try and find whoever did this...don't we?" Riyota asked hopefully, feeling a strong need to have the killer brought to justice, he couldn't bear the thought of inaction at that time.

At that moment he worried that his thought were going to be written off as the naive ramblings of a child but he knew he couldn't let it end here, the baby could still be alive and he knew that if there was even a slight chance they could find it, they'd have to do whatever they could to retrieve it.

Riyota didn't want to waste any more time, he started scouting around for some sort of weapon to use, just in case. If they elected to not come with him, he was going by himself.

[MFT 256]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke said nothing to the answers Kazuki had provided on the matter of what further transpired at the Inferno. Merely it was, what is was. What more did Kazuki truly learn? He learned that Sousuke was a fighter, and very durable. He was if anything resilient to demons and their evils as it were. Quickly enough was the conversation turned back to the murder. "A calling card of sorts."<i></i> He added. There was something at work here. Something that required a deeper understanding. "The Dragon was... or rather is a symbol of old power. The depiction of the dragon further educates us unto a house or ... organization associated with this..."<i></i> He paused for a moment and thought hard about it. "This is in the same vein as a Jahanist is. That deplorable religion and ... the morally insane individuals it attracts."<i></i> Sousuke approached one of the bodies and peer down at the marking. His mind was abuzz as he went through a mental catalogue of various old houses, and old powers. Sousuke considered his options, at least amongst the ones Kazuki had given him. "I don't think the body at this level of damage can function even if you were to return the spiritual essence to it."<i></i> He began. His eyes shifted over to Shinji his actions and body language was conveying something to the crowds that were beginning to disburse. "Smart. Yes. If we had done that it would only attract more eyes, and we want to keep this low key as it were. A panic is something I ... dislike handling personally."<i></i>

Shinji detailed a sound he and his companion had encountered. Yume had explained something as well. Riyota had heard a sound too. Sousuke looked over at Kazuki and then back to the other three who revealed something at large that was not quite ... present. Something having to do with the senses. "The power went out on my street. I went to investigate it. Nothing had at all ... happened. No surges, no disruption of services or maintenance."<i></i> He hesitated for a moment longer, "Sound. Touch. Sight."<i></i> Missing were taste and smell. Well. The smell of death was upon them. Taste ... well that could get very awkward indeed. Yume had inched ever closer to Sousuke. He merely did the same until they were standing side by side, arm to arm. He replayed in his mind what Yume had said about the child. Given there was blood rituals it would stand to be that ... ...

His thoughts paused for a moment as Riyota had sprang to action so to speak. The child began to rush forward. Sousuke exchanged a glance with Yume and ran off to catch up with Riyota. "I fully comprehend the urgency of the situation, but breaking up like this not wise. This is what our nemesis expects us to do and furthermore---"<i></i> The Steward stopped talking. He had an odd feeling like he was being watched and by something or someone familiar. Not Yume. Not Shinji. Not Kazuki. The Steward's hand caught Riyota's shoulder, or tried to at least. The grip was firm, but not harsh. Sousuke's eyes shifted downward and for a moment he thought his vision had blurred. It didn't though. Something had afflicted him. Something was hazy. What was it? Sousuke very visibly twitched

Seemingly there were eyes opening up in the middle of the street. Eyes. The absurdity of this... no. Not here. Not now. There was only one entity he had come across that was described as the absurd. "OUTSIDER!"<i></i> He uncharacteristically shouted. The look on his face was one of a controlled panic, fear even. "Back all of you."<i></i> Before Sousuke's mind could snap back and act appropriately a maw of jagged teeth opened up from beneath where he and Riyota stood. Whether or not the others saw what he saw, regardless it would seem that the floor had given away and Sousuke and Riyota fell down or swallowed up by the earth. There was no scream or yell, merely a mad muttering from Sousuke which was enchantments being issued to coat Riyota's body in earth armor. Sousuke knew that they were going to fall into what Sousuke expected was to be the sewer... and yes there was going to be quite a fall...

***

As projected Sousuke had indeed found himself down in the sewer with Riyota. The fall had indeed hurt, but Sousuke would live. The Steward get himself and an armoured Riyota up. "Great."<i></i> He would utter as he would conjure a plasma sphere to light their way, and most unfortunately it seemed that the sewer waters were not waters, but a violet viscous liquid. The walls around them seeming partially stone and other parts almost fleshy. Sousuke's mind was ringing loudly as he had to adjust his senses. "Not good."<i></i> He spoke with an unease in his voice. "We are in the metaphorical realm of the absurd and grotesque young Riyota. Expect the illogical to occur."<i></i>

(Just gonna spice things up a bit here. The sewer is very much enter able, be it manhole or ... otherwise.)

 

[Senju Kazuki]

"You would be surprised." Kazuki noted upon hearing Sousuke stating a body in such conditions would not be able to function properly. The Dark Sage did not need a fully functional to summon a spirit back to its vessel. Nor it would prove detrimental for them to use it. In fact, as part of his job as a Necromancer, he had ways to mend the vessel so the spirit could fully use it. But if the Kazekage did not wish to pursue such venue, the Overlord of the Senju Clan would not press it. Although it was wise to known every possible angle of investigation before choosing the best course of action. Unfortunately for them, time was always fleeting and their enemy, whoever it was, had other plans for them. Although initially veiled, the White Wolf's sensitivity to the supernatural eventually caught it up. They were being watched and whoever it was, was very close to them. In fact, it would seem they had fallen into a trap. Their foe had led them exactly where it wanted them to be. And so the trap sprang. The floor suddenly gained eyes and the Steward plus the former Sennin's newest pupil fell into it. "Watch out." Reaper shouted to his current companions, "Fall back now." he quickly added. Although he had yelled, Kazuki's voice remained steady and calm. Maintaining his cool was paramount now. Just in case Shinji or Yume were ready to do something foolish, the Silvery Haired Man attempted to ensnare them with his shadows and forcibly move them back.

As the dust and confusion settled, Sousuke and Riyota were gone. The Overlord of the Senju Clan looked around trying to assess the situation. There was a hole on the ground and it seemed to lead to the sewer. Whatever had dragged those two below was now gone. The White Wolf could not sense it anymore, at least not like before. It was a very faint feeling emanating from the creature which was a clear indication it was going away. "We need to extract any civilians from area and make sure they are escorted back to their homes, although securing a wider perimeter around the area would be wise. We can't know if their abduction was a single event, if we were the actual targets or was just some random coincidence. We cannot discard the fact that the creature might return, unless we were the intended prey. " the former ANBU Sennin noted. It would seem he was taking charge of the situation, and although he was, he was ready to defer to the local ninjas. However, as a former Tsuchimikado, Hunter and ANBU Sennin, he was probably more accustomed to dealing with those kind of situations. "Where is the nearest sewage entrance? We need to follow them as soon as possible. If we have to use that hole, so be it, but it would be better if we could use a proper entrance.".

Reaper had no idea, behind a basic one, what kind of fighting capabilities those two had. The same could be said about Riyota and Sousuke. Not only that, but he had no way to know if they were accustomed to fighting against those kind of creatures. It was time to bring the heavy guns into the mix. "Thor." the Pale Ridder muttered. Lightning echoed as one the greatest summons Kazuki could muster emerged on the field. "I'm ready."

Spoiler

 

[Miroku Riyota]

Riyota had simply expected a lecture, not...whatever was happening at the moment, being forced to plummet downwards covered in rock seemed like a bit of a harsh punishment for wanting to take action, the boy thought. Eventually he hit the ground, and though he got a bit winded he was otherwise unharmed. As the armour came off around him. He found it wasn't much brighter in there than where they were now. He knew Sousuke was standing in front of him and was helping him stand and eventually light came into the area as the man formed a light made of plasma.

"Where are we?" Riyota asked, almost instinctively, he doubted the adult knew, but it was worth asking anyhow. Riyota didn't feel all too safe to be honest, as he was completely unarmed and unprepared for what awaited them.

[Ahhhh, short and terrible post, I'm so sorry, please forgive me, I just didn't want to hold this up any longer, just take it away and I'll do better next time around. Promise]

 

[Sagasu Yume]

The ground fell out before either of the Inuzuka realized it. If it hadn't been for Kazuki's quick thinking, they likely would have been sucked into the underground as well. Yume stared at the point where Sousuke had been, using all of her will to keep the internal screaming from getting out. This couldn't be happening. Not again. He was back. She was touching him moments ago. Her wide eyes and raised heartbeat confirmed the panic that CuRua felt radiate from his companion. He could almost see the wheels turning in her head, calculating what she would do next. Before she could run forward, potentially hurting herself in an attempt to break free from the shadow, he sinks his teeth into her flesh hard enough to pierce with one tooth. He hadn't meant to damage her but he couldn't risk loosing her to that hell again.

Neesan. Stop it. He needs you. You have to help find him. Don't run away again.

Right. Peace. Calm. Focus.

The mednin repeated the mantra in her head until her vitals regulated. It was amazing what could take place in a matter of seconds. Shinji reacted to the orders without hesitation, rounding up anyone who was hurt and dismissing everyone else while others cordoned off the area to mitigate further damages. He felt a little helpless when it came to his sister's mental state, choosing to leave it to the fox. Circling back, he and Ika regroup with Kazuki, forming a small circle.

The drainage areas are closest and they allow access if you're willing to wade through filth. I wouldn't suggest that though. Maintenance shafts are at most main crossroads, the closest being 2 blocks away. There is a ladder that should lower down to a gangway.

Thunder, a sound that was uncommon in the Red Light district, and most of Suna for that matter, announced the arrival of a large man that looked to be straight from a fantasy book. The Sagasu stared at him for awhile before Yume allowed herself to chuckle despite the nagging fear in the back of her mind.

Excuse me... did you say Thor? As in the Son of Odin, Hero of Asgard? When we find Sousuke you'll have to introduce yourself to him.

She wanted to inform him that the Steward was a fan of the epics however if he was anything like the stories depicted, it would only delay action to explain that their leader was not an instrument for moving wind. With haste, they made their way to the hatch, Shinji scrambling forward before the summon could reach the portal to lift the cover; He had his pride to maintain after all. Peering into the darkness, Yume squares he shoulders and steps forward.

I'll go first

Closing her eyes as she descends, her sight adjusts readily to the black and soon she can discern shapes of the world around her; mostly grungy stones and drainage waste.

OOChew.... back in the saddle, hopefully.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke called the shadows to him and armour himself up. He looked around and moved the plasma orb lighting the way. "Supposedly, we are in the sewers, but given ... flesh walls, I suspect the usual way out has changed. Our nemesis seems to have altered the traditional patterns. I knew studying the sewers patterns would be of use, but I cannot honestly say I know the mind of an Outsider. An Outsider is something that will bends its surroundings at will. Supposing we are dealing with a real Outsider..."<i></i> Sousuke walked forward he turned left. He knew where he was going. He had been down here before. As Sousuke continued walking, it was presumed the Riyota was following him. With a free hand Sousuke conjured chakra freely forming a weapon using gemstone techniques. The weapon was born from obsidian and as it took shape it he handed it to Riyota. Upon the touching the handle the weapon revealed its final form being a Moon Blade axe. The two would come to a dead end and the two were staring at a wall of pulsing purple flesh. Sousuke snorted. "This is inconvenient. This is in the wall traditionally isn't here."<i></i> Sousuke with the orb in hand bounced it off of the wall. He raised an eyebrow. The plasma ball did not burn through it?! It bounced. The absurdity of this... Sousuke closed his eyes and winced. This was absolutely frustrating in the extreme. "Plasma should be cutting through this. Obviously we are not supposed to go this way. There are alternate paths to take."<i></i> Sousuke motioned for Riyota to swing at the wall to test it. "Give Blacksong a swing. It's not your family axe, but you may wish to aquaint yourself with it. The weight of it should be slightly heavier, but there is more power to be had in swinging it."<i></i> He suggested. "We need to prepare ourselves accordingly."<i></i>

***

Topside Yume, Shinji, Kazuki, and Thor were left to getting over their nerves, more so Yume. With the manhole removed. Yume would enter first. The same chilling feeling that she had early would come over her once again. The smell though was certainly off putting, it was not filth that was the smell of the underground it was the smell of something burnt. A very strange smell to be had given where they were going. The entry point this part took was beginning to change as they went underground. There was a shifting of something to be heard. Walls? The walls around the four of them was strangely not a fleshy series of walls Sousuke and Riyota had seen. The walls surrounding them were glass. Disturbingly on the other side of the glass, eyes would open up and stare at all of them as they were descending down into what was seemingly madness. The group of them would see an orange plasma ball in the distance, but the distance they were travelling was seemingly a greater distance away than what they should have been. Something was messing with them.

Once all of them got down to the bottom level, there was the sounds of grinding could be heard. The walls were moving. Some of the walls were stone, others were glass. Like upon the descent, there were eyes staring at them as they had made their descent downwards.

 

[Senju Kazuki]

Thankfully, both Shinji and Yume were quick to react to Kazuki's warning. And thus all three, plus two canine, were not dragged just like Sousuke and Riyota were. While the Mednin seemed to fall under an emotional meltdown due to the Steward's sudden disappearance, her brother was also quick to react to the Overlord's orders and had practically taken care of all bystanders, injured or not. As Yume recovered, Shinji neared them again. The White Wolf listened as he was told their possibilities. Either drainage areas or maintenance shafts. If choice was still possible, the Silvery Haired Man was inclined to chose the later, but he was not certain if they had the luxury of time. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Yume made that choice for him and they went for the nearest maintenance shaft. "That would be him, yes." the former Sennin would retort upon being questioned by the Sagasu Mednin if the summon was Thor, a hero of Asgard. It was, how Kazuki had acquired would probably not be suited to be share with many. Or none at all. "It has been my companion for a while now and I believe its skillset might be of great use for us. If not, I can think of one more that will be terrific for this quest we are about to undertake. But for now, Thor is the one we have." the Overlord finished as they stopped.

By now they had reached the entrance and Yume declared she would go first. The former Sennin was about to object when he stopped himself. It was risky, but he could understand her willingness to go first. She and Sousuke were a thing. She was being overrun by concern for his well being. She could go first, but once inside the sewers, she was not going to be the leader of their party. "Proceed then." he calmly stated. Right then he also attempted to lock eyes with Shinji, trying to silently tell him that she was being careless. Understood or not, the Silvery Haired Man would calmly descend into madness. As soon as he started his descent, Reaper realized something was very wrong. The air had the smell of something burnt, quite the contrary to what was expected. The walls themselves were different than expected. Instead of stone, they were surrounded by glassy walls. But the burnt smell or the glass walls were not the strangest thing about the sewers, not by a long shot. The eyes behind said walls was the most off putting of them all. Using the stairs as a high point of view, Kazuki spotted what should be Sousuke in the distance. How could he conclude that? By the orange low of a plasma ball. Only the Steward would produce such a thing as the Overlord knew the Outsider was incapable of such crafts. Unless there were more than the Outsider lurking ahead. And that was something Reaper did not want consider.

Once bottom had been reached it was time to assess what they had in front of them. Grinding sounds could be heard by them all and soon they found out what was producing that sound. The walls were moving. Stone followed by glass followed by more stone. An endless succession. "This is clearly not your average sewer. In fact, I can't safely declare we are inside one at all. If I had to guess, we just breached into the Outsider's own realm. Our only escape route is that maintenance shaft on top of our heads and we should mark our path so we won't risk becoming lost. I'll take the lead, Thor will be last, you two go in the middle. Use your senses as best as you can, though be wary that the normal laws of our may not apply here. Ergo don't trust them blindly. Also don't set lose your animal companions until we are sure it is safe, as safe as it can be." Reaper instructed as he dropped a brightly colored gemstone at their feet. He was going to continue doing so at regular intervals of five steps until Sousuke and Riyota were found. "Following that plasma ball is our current task since that is clearly something Sousuke made or is making." he added seconds later as he started to walk.

 

[Miroku Riyota]

Riyota followed Sousuke as the man tried to make sense of the situation they had wound up in. Whilst they were walking the man would seem to be forming something out of Chakra as he handed it to the boy it finally finished forming and Riyota found himself holding an axe. Out of instinct he sheathed it on his back and followed the Steward to a wall. "Plasma isn't cutting it? What kind of weird creature are we in right now?" Riyota asked as he realised that was a sentence he never thought he'd say.

As they continued exploring their environment he was instructed to test the axe. He slowly took it out of it's holster on his back and held it just like he had held his old one, although the material and altogether 'feel' of the weapon was different, it felt nice to have an axe back in his hands again. It was certainly more normal than scavenging random bits and bobs to use as weapons. He gave the weapon a swing with the same amount of force he'd normally apply to a weapon swing, but all that happened was the swing lost it's force halfway through and he hurt his wrist as the weight pulled at an awkward angle. He didn't let this deter him however as he rubbed his wrist and lifted the axe again, this time using far more strength to swing it he experienced greater success as the blade sliced through the air cleanly. "It'll take some getting used to, but I like it." he smiled, re-sheathing the axe.

He was ready to continue when he paused and looked around, he could hear whispers. They were...sort of...quiet and loud at the same time, echoing around his head, yet he couldn't make out what they were saying. "Sousuke..." he grunted not bothering with formal titles. "Are you hearing this?"

 

[Sagasu Yume]

As his sister descended, Shinji shared a glance with Kazuki and shrugged to concede that her actions were out of his hands. Truthfully, he could convince her but it would only prove to make her more erratic. His experience had taught him the difference between unsettling and dangerous when it came to his sister. Turning to Ika, he gives her some hand signals to stay there and watch the entrance. He wasn't sure what was waiting for them below but someone had to stay and keep guard. Stepping above her on the ladder, he joined her in the climb, keeping a few steps between them. At one point Yume stopped and was almost rewarded by her brother's foot atop her head. She squinted through the darkness to try and discern what she was looking at. When it came into focus for her she was utterly unprepared for the sight. A choked scream caught behind her teeth as she stared back at the walls that had come alive, almost slipping to the floor. With closed eyes, she takes some calming breaths and continues to the bottom. Looking this way and that, she sees the glowing orb in the distance and instantly recognizes it as one of Sousuke's. Ignoring Kazuki's caution to use her senses and logic against the laws of his plain, she moves to run off after the beacon.

SOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUUUUUSUKEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Catching her by the middle, Shinji pulls her to him while her arms and legs flailed in an attempt to break free. Getting lost won't help us find Sousuke any faster. Collect your head or You'll go back up. Regardless of position within the village, he was still her brother and he felt a responsibility to reason with her; especially because so few understood her brain.

The words seemed to have the desired effect as she stopped struggling and began to scratch CuRua's ears as he perched on her shoulders to keep her focused in the moment. Kazuki's logic was sound though it put the Mednin at disease to be taking tactical suggestions from someone she barely knew. She just had to hope that Shinji would protect her if something went wrong. Stepping in front of his sister, Shinji takes the second position with Yume close behind. Watching as the stones hit he ground, he avoids stepping on them, unsure whether they were just stones and Kazuki was unbelievably affluent or if they were created out of souls or something creepy like that. Wouldn't something like string be more sensible? The moment the floors shift we'll be lost any way.

It's not meant to be sensible. From what I can see, I don't think the Otherworld is a very sensible place. We don't know how chakra will react so even if we lay a thread as we walked, it could just as easily disappear or be absorbed by the walls to make the Outsider more powerful. Yume was trying to be logical but to be honest she was unaware of the existence of an Outsider until this moment. She had no idea what to expect or what they even looked like. She had no idea how they would be affected by the change in environment. Even more confusing was what they wanted with a baby. Maybe the Outsider didn't have the baby? Maybe it was a coincidence? That didn't make sense either because the murders were entirely too ritualistic. There were many questions to be answered. You seem pretty knowledgeable... You... I... Can you understand me? What am I saying? Help! Please help. This can't be happening. As she started to speak again, she would hear her words in another language. In her brain she knew what she was trying to say but as they came out of her mouth they sounded wrong. To everyone else, she would be speaking common tongue just fine. It was her worst fear come to life. It felt like no one could understand her. What if no one could ever understand her again? What if this place changed you?