Mission Dark Waters and Phantom Trails

[Akira Kazan]

Our Adventure starts deep within the congested city know as Port Cirrus; a city known for it's naturally deep-water harbors, that with time has become one of the most essentials stops for ships and caravans traveling across the known world. As one could imagine, due primarily to international trade, this city had become filled with opportunistic wealth and violence. Without a doubt, many crimes committed within this region have gone unpunished due to sheer numbers of instance, and unethical business deals. While this city was far from what one would consider a "remote settlement' to be, this is where our story begins. Numerous reports of mysterious disappearances have begun to spring up all throughout the country, with several of the most recent occurrences being here within the city. Those disappearances, fortunately, have come with additional reports of strange and unusual shadowy figures lurking nearby. A team of three has been requested by the cloud village to investigate, though so far only two individuals have answered the call. Orochi Sakura, the designated leader of the mission, and Yume Izanami, an assigned subordinate, are on the case. Perhaps a third will join, though the combined skill and might of the duo are expected to be more than enough.

Having already been separately briefed on their mission, and waved through the villages gates, the two are set to arrive and finally meet with one and another, down at the largest concrete dock at the harbor. This dock would be filled with active merchants attempting to goad travelers into making a purchase, workers loading cargo into ships as well as unloading recently docks vessels. While it is the afternoon, dark clouds hang over the city in the skies above, giving off an ominous vibe that seems to resonate well within the city and it's inhabitants.


Current Objectives:
- Make your grand entrance
- Meet with one and another.
- And be on the look out for opportunities to seek out some answers.

[OOC: I set up the start of the mission to where it's like you guys were already briefed separately, assigned roles, and headed down this way. Just to make it easier to start. Feel free to include this, in any way that you feel in your rp, and let's get this going!]
Mission Approval Link

 

[Orochi Sakura]

As the ship sails into the bustling port of Cirrus, my anticipation mounts. Yes, the delightful experience of sailing into Port Cirrus, where the air is thick with the scent of impending disaster and the promise of misfortune. What a troublesome mission. I stepped onto the decrepit dock, a chorus of chaos greets me. Still, I can’t help but marvel at the picturesque scene of urban decay.

The towering masts of merchant vessels loom overhead, casting long shadows over the crowded quayside. Every corner teems with life, Merchants bicker over goods and street performers distract the naive with their trivial tricks. Now see the Urchins as they scurry about like rats in search of scraps amidst the pandemonium. With my arms crossed, I scan the port for the designated rendezvous before stepping off. Navigating through the labyrinthine streets, I observe the mismatched architecture of the city’s rich history of pillaging and plundering. Minarets and fortifications stand as monuments to greed and conquest, while banners flutter in the breeze, each one a reminder of the relentless pursuit of profit at any cost.

Amidst the hustle and bustle, I catch glimpses of whispered conversations and furtive glances exchanged between shadowy figures lurking in the alleyways. Port Cirrus may be advertised as a haven for opportunity, but it is mostly a den of intrigue and danger, where fortunes are made and lost with equal ease.

Making my way to the my destination, I ponder the mission objective. Missing persons in a place like this… who would have figured?

[mft]

 

[Yume Izanami]

Izanami wasn't asked to be on this mission, no. In fact, she was the one that specifically asked to be on this mission. Port Cirrus has been her home when she was younger. And even though she lived in the outer reaches of this place, a lot of people knew her when she was young. When she wasn't at the forge, she would be playing with the other kids her age, closer to the center of the bustling city. The young ex-revolutionist had first decided to visit the ruins of where her family had set up shop. Nature still was in the process of taking things over even though it's been only a few years.

She bowed her head and made sure that all of her weapons were ready. She didn't really care much about Cloud and it's ninja, but when it comes to the Lightning Country and its citizens, she has a switch that's been flipped. Even moreso when looking into the situation that's been put in front of her. A place that she considered part of her old home, good memories, tainted by the crimes of these mysterious shadowy figures. Granted, there was always crime going on here, but nothing that would ever jar the entirety of the city to cause an investigation to come to life with asking for help from Cloud.

Izanami would shake her head, thinking about the different ways that she will punish those responsible for the disappearances of people that lived here. Eventually, she would see her squad leader, Orochi Sakura, a girl that she had been on a mission with prior dealing with some new form of wolves. On her way here, she would hear gossip about the current disappearances until she finally made her way to Sakura. "Sup. You hear anything useful?" she asked in a casual manner.

 

[Akira Kazan]

As the Duo convened on the docks, life for the citizens within the port continued on as usual. As a result, their presence had gone unnoticed by any would be miscreants. No one would intentionally approach them, as the citizens continued about their busy lives. However, as they said their greetings to each other, three particular events would simultaneously occur on the docks, ultimately catching their attention. Perhaps this events were tied to something deeper within this community and might lead them towards achieving their goal.

The first (Path #1), shouts of someone begging out for help would echo out over the docks, and any who would care to look would be brought face to face with an unsightly view. A large and morbidly obese man, bare as the day he was born, could be seen running through the crowds of people; pushing anyone aside that dared to get in his way as he shouted for help. Most of the people on the docks could be seen only moving out of his way, if not out right ignoring him.

The Second (Path #2), one merchant in particular would begin shooting off fireworks just a few feet above the heads of those walking through the crowds on the dock, delivering a unique and entertaining spectacle. His booth in particular would possess a unique banner "Jammy's Toys, Tricks, and Local News". His booth would be crowded, primarily by younger men who appeared to be in their late teens or early twenties. The sounds of laughter and unseemly jokes could be heard coming from that direction, as the merchant shouted for them to be mature or leave.

And finally, The Third (Path #3). Off in the distance, toward the front of the docks, a loud bell could be heard ringing before coming to a sudden stop, only to be followed by the voice of what one might assume to be a local crier shouting to all. "Gather all, gather all, and hear the words of his grace!" A small crowd, that would slowly grow in size one by one, would begin to form before a small stage. A man with blond hair, wearing a kimono with a floral patterns, would be standing with his arms crossed and menacingly looking out to all in attendance. Perhaps this man had an announcement, or a speech?

Three paths stood before them, which would they choose? Would the duo work together, or would they divide and conquer? The decision was theirs to make.


Current Objective & Info:
- Pick a path(s) to investigate.
- Orochi Sakura Current Word Count: 255
- Yume Izanami Current Word Count: 307

 

[Orochi Sakura]

"Sup. You hear anything useful?"

Like the creepy porcelain doll you’d find at your odd grandmother’s house, I’d make uncomfortably long eye contact with the Izanami. My eyes tracing her movements like a haunted picture on the wall. I stood there with my arms folded, pretending that I did not care if my long drawn out stare caused discomfort. The truth was, that I secretly enjoyed it. “Yume Izanami, we meet again.” This was a curious girl. My stoic demeanor and dark presence seemed to ward off all but her. “I have not begun my investigation but now that we are assembled, perhaps we can get on with it.” My eyes veered from Izanami and onto the crowds within the city. A morbidly obese man shouting for help as he bulldozed through the crowds, a merchant irresponsibly shooting off fireworks near the crowds, and the tolling of a bell beckoning the attention of the people near the docks. Each event was caught my eye but only one didn’t make me want to stick a needle in it. Something I would probably do anyway. My eyes fell back onto Izanami. “Let’s split up and see what we can gather. We will meet back here in an hour. Should misfortune befall you, fear not. Simply dial this frequency and hope for my timely intervention… or a suitably macabre demise.” I’d take my leave toward option 3. There was a certain sinister charm emanating from the blonde man as he poised himself to deliver his speech to the eager crowd, and I, with an insatiable curiosity for the peculiar and unsettling, made it my mission to peel back the layers of mystery surrounding him.

[mft]

 

[Yume Izanami]

Izanami would raise her eyebrows, waiting for an answer as Sakura would just stare at her. She would then say, "What? Do I got something on my face?" Eventually, the other girl did speak up, talking about how she had not begun the investigation until the team was set together.

Soon, things seemed to happen one after another. A fat guy that... eww.... had nothing on. Izanami wanted to get that image out of her mind, was running away from something and calling for help. Some other guy was shooting fire works out in a public place. Illegal, yes, but not really worth the time. And another guy was beckoning people to him. Sakura had instructed her of splitting up and having comms in case things get grim and left, giving Izanami zero time to get a word in.

As much as she doesn't like it, she thinks figuring out why a fat man in his birthday suit is running around yelling for help. But she had an idea. She would scale a nearby building by running up the side, chakra focused on her feet as she would get a good vantage point of the situation. Once she was on top of the building, she would keep the underdressed man in her peripherals as she looked behind him, looking to see what he was running away from. She would assume that there was a reason why this guy was running away in terror to not even think about clothing himself first. Izanami would draw her hand gun out and simply wait, making sure that the fat guy was still within her sights as she looked for whatevet he is running away from.

 

[Akira Kazan]

[Decision]: Divide and Conquer
[Path 1]: A Naked Nuisance - Yume Izanami
[Path 2]: A Proclamation - Orochi Sakura
​

And so the duo devised a plan ultimately choosing to split up and do some independent investigation work.

[Path 1]
As Izanami scaled a near by building (On a dock?), while keeping the undressed man in her sights and preparing her handgun, she would scan the area. While glancing out to the crowd below, she'd notice nothing the man was running from no one or thing in particular. No one on the docks would be giving chase to this lunatic, just simply moving out of his way and ignoring him; for good reason. The locals were aware of this mans antics, as to where Izanami wasn't. While scouting out this situation, Izanami spotted some poor foreign traveler who had decided to intervene. She'd watch as this guy stood in the mans way, with his arms up trying to calm him down.

The nude man would then begin to laugh and suddenly start to relieve himself in the travelers direction, causing the poor sob to back away as the nude man ran off. It would take only a few seconds for the lunatic to disappear from sight, giving Izanami no time to track him down. Clearly this path proved to be a waste of time, but at least she didn't directly get involved and fall victim to this lunatic. What would Izanami do now? Would she reconvince with Orochi Sakura, or would she choose to look into the merchant?

[Path 3]
As Orochi Sakura gave the order to divide and conquer, she would chose to investigate the strange assembly. Looking around, she would notice most people within this crowd had covered their heads and face with a hood and shroud, somewhat concealing their identities. As she stood among them, glancing upon the man with blonde hair and dressed in a flora pattered kimono, an ominous energy would fill the air. The crowd stood eerily silent, as the man uncrossed his arms and glanced about. "Raiden frowns upon us!" The man would shout, as an opening statement to his speech. "For to long have we stood idly by as The Cloud has molded this land into a pitiful excuse of a nation." His words would echo, throughout the immediate area.

"Their actions have brought nothing but ruin to the lives of us civilians. We've all suffered through war, famine, pestilence and death." He'd shout, before a brief pause. Shouts and sounds of agreement could be heard all around Orochi Sakura. Surely by now, she knew she had stumbled upon a public display of dissatisfaction for the very village she served. "As of late, they've even stolen our kin and forced them to join their ranks. They were once free citizens of the country, now slaves to an oppressive organization." He would say, in reference to the recent emergence of Chakra within new individuals. "How long till they come for the rest of us? What of our children? What kind of lives can we expect for the future generations when the oppressive Cloud controls the reigns of our nation? He'd ask, to sow seeds of doubt and mistrust into the minds of those in attendance.

"I beseech you. Close this port, restrict trade to those who oppress us, and rise against the tyranny of The Cloud." He'd say, with a thunderous shout. The crowd would erupt in a roar of agreement. But, almost as quick as they assembled, the crowd would then begin to disperse as the blonde haired man left the stage and began to head into town, with a small group of shrouded individuals following behind him.

Orochi Sakura would be left to herself to digest what she had just witnessed. Clearly something wasn't right, but luckily for her, she had the chance to further investigate if she so chose to. If she followed them, she'd notice the group lead by the blonde haired men had decided to travel through the city by walking through back alleyways. None of them would bother to look behind them, though clearly they were aware of their surroundings.


Current Objectives:
- Yume Izanami: [Path 1] was a dud, and as such you can either chose to try and reconvene with Orochi Sakura or investigate [Path 2].
- Orochi Sakura: [Path 3] will you continue your road down this path or not? [if not] your only other option is [Path 2].

- Orochi Sakura Current Word Count: 531
- Yume Izanami Current Word Count: 589

 

[Orochi Sakura]

With my arms firmly folded, I navigated through the gathering crowd, their movements reminiscent of lambs heading to the slaughter. Amidst them stood a well-dressed man, his blonde hair catching the sunlight, clad in a kimono adorned with floral patterns. As he began to address the assembled group at the port, the air grew heavy with an ominous energy, leaving me to wonder which of us harbored the true malevolence.

His words, like a shepherd guiding his flock, failed to detect the wolf among them—me. His disdain for Kumogakure, fueled by bitterness and ignorance, resonated with the crowd. Yet, as an outsider, my observations aligned with some of his grievances; indeed, the village in the clouds appeared to be lacking in many regards. The complacency of its leadership was palpable, a flaw I had noted during my tenure as a shinobi.

As the man concluded his speech, leaving the crowd to ponder his accusations, I remained, my mind racing with thoughts of the missing persons case I was here to investigate. His claim that Kumogakure had been stealing their kin and forcing them into service struck a chord. Perhaps there was a connection between his accusations and the disappearances. The pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place, painting a an unfinished picture. Kidnapping, espionage, and potentially even torture. A devilish smirk swept my lips as the day was growing more intriguing by the moment. It was clear that this flamboyant man held more information than his appearance suggested. With a keen eye and a sharp mind, I resolved to uncover the truth hidden beneath the surface. The intertwining threads of deception and intrigue promised a challenge, one that I was more than prepared to tackle. As I followed the man and his entourage, I noticed that they seemed fully aware of their surroundings. But were they a match for the shadow of Kumogakure? Using my headset, I would reluctantly inform my partner of my whereabouts, uncertain if she could assist in a pursuit requiring subtlety.

“Izanami, finished with your peculiar interests? Good. I’ve uncovered a lead and I am in pursuit. Also… you have unique taste. I didn’t take you for a chubby chaser. Curious, isn’t it?”

[mft]
[wc 365]

 

[Yume Izanami]

In her peripheals, she seen someone stop the man. She readied her gun, only to see the man... She gritted her teeth. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME!!!!!! Yes, she was fuming mad. She had half the mind to go down there and give that man a reason to run away in fear and call for help. But at least she wasn't the other guy that got pissed on.

She turned her attention to the fireworks guy. Before she was able to jump down the building, Sakura had chimed in on the headset. Izanami shook her head at the comment made. "I just threw up in my mouth with that comment you made. Thought he was going to be a kidnap victim. But enough of that. I'm going to check out the firework fiasco and see if that has any connections. If it doesn't, I'll meet up with you with your lead."

With that said, she would go radio silent, but ready to answer if Sakura decides to get a little bit more serious with the comms and head in the direction of the fireworks. This one, she figured, will require a bit more interaction than the last one. Walking past the boys, she walked up to the booth. Admittedly, she admired the spectacle, albeit, it was illegal to do in such a crowded area. "Wow! You're telling me that this place sells fireworks?! Can you tell me where this place is? I'd like to get my hands on some fireworks. Today is my little sister's birthday and I want to surprise her." Izanami went with acting like a near naive girl that wants to surprise her little sister. But in reality, it's to get the location of the place. It doesn't sound at all shady, but who knows, she might be surprised by what this place has in store. And if there are any dark dealings involved.

 

[Akira Kazan]

[Decision]: Divide and Conquer
[Path 2]: My Wares! - Yume Izanami
[Path 3]: A Proclamation - Orochi Sakura​

[Path 2]: My Wares! - Yume Izanami
Shortly after getting to live out an apparent long standing fantasy, Izanami would make the bold decision to further her investigation rather than assist her team leader pursuit. Almost immediately she'd b-line it towards the merchant, maybe in an attempt to make up for any lost time, and walk straight to the front of the line. Without hesitation she'd begin asking questions about fireworks, and would claim she needed some for her sisters birthday. With only a few seconds delay, merchant would reply. "I'm sorry miss, but the fire works aren't for sale. But, feel free to look at my wares! Other than that, I don't have much else other than local news and gossip..." He'd pause for a moment, and stare at her, almost as if he knew her little act was just that. "But that comes at a price?" He'd say as he tilted his head, with a grin.

[Path 3]: A Proclamation - Orochi Sakura
Moments after using her radio, she'd watch as the men came to an abrupt stop at an intersection in the alleyway. Their backs turned to her, they'd begin faintly whispering to one and another, followed by all a sudden burst of white smoke that would quickly disperse only to reveal all three men now appeared the same as their leader. As a seasoned Shinobi, Sakura should instantly recognize their usage of the basic Transformation technique. However, she would not instantly recognize the who was and wasn't the actual leader. Shortly after, they'd all head off in different directions. One with continue straight ahead, while another would take a left at the intersection, and the final one taking a right. They showed no signs of noticing her, so their actions might seem cautious.

This would give rise to a new dilemma, forcing Sakura to make a decision. What would she do?

Current Objectives:
- Izanami's is straight forward, Orochi Sakura's got a decision to make.

- Don't Click This Link

- Orochi Sakura Current Word Count: 897
- Yume Izanami Current Word Count: 906

 

[Orochi Sakura]

In the midst of my relentless pursuit, Izanami remained absent, as expected. Trusting anyone but oneself is an exercise in futility, a principle I've long held dear. Thus, I embarked on this venture alone, unfazed by the absence of companionship. Observing the trio from a distance, I noted their clandestine exchanges with suspicion. However, my intrigue peaked when they vanished in a puff of smoke, a telltale sign of ninjutsu.

The trio seamlessly morphed into identical replicas through the transformation jutsu, a simple yet effective technique. My suspicions regarding the evangelist were validated; beneath his façade lay a realm of shinobi secrets. But what compelled him to conceal his true identity? What darkness lurked beneath his benign exterior?

As I weighed my options, the absence of a trusted ally proved inconsequential. With a 33.33% chance of accurately identifying the disguised individuals, I dismissed the notion of reliance on probability. Mastery over various disciplines, including the intricacies of tracking, afforded me a distinct advantage. While they could deceive the naked eye, concealing malevolent chakra proved a far more daunting task.

Employing a series of intricate hand signs, I channeled my chakra to heighten my sensory acuity. Their physical transformations might deceive others, but they couldn't mask the sinister energy emanating from the evangelist. With unwavering focus, I honed in on their movements, undeterred by their illusions.

In the realm of shadows and deception, I remain an unwavering sentinel, impervious to the machinations of those who seek to obscure the truth. Where there's darkness, there's clarity, and I am its harbinger.

[Using Snapshot r2 of the three before they split off. Use Chakra sense r2 to find the blonde guy, use special action as necessary. If they have the same chakra, then follow the middle keeping the snapshot in order to find the others later.]

[mft]