[Dodomeki Chitoku]

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Normally, big jobs like this weren’t in Ayane & Chitoku’s wheelhouse. Branching out from their routine was hard for the Dodomeki, because the two of them had been crossed too many times before on the road. Against his better judgment, some part of him wanted things to be different this time around. Uemon had repaid his medical debt by helping Ayane get out of a bind. Suisei had been capable on the road as well.

This particular mission was paid for by an affluent patron in the Law Country who had growing concerns about a number of neighbors who had gone missing without a trace. He’d noticed that most of those who went missing had received multiple grievances from the local chōnaikai, a council that ensured that homes and properties were kept well maintained and orderly. Their patron held the suspicion that they were paying assassins to take them in the night.

"Welcome to your new home in the Nagamachi District of Wakkanai. Please enjoy this box of manju as you get settled in, a representative from the association will arrive to greet you shortly and go over the bylaws of our community. We are so excited to meet you and your family!

Sincerely,
Karin”

Chitoku’s voice read the scroll outside of the door of a two story home in a neat and orderly neighborhood. In place of his body however, there was an elderly gentleman with thick white eyebrows and a crooked back. His scroll disguised as a large traveler's backpack. He turned around to his "family”, the other wanderers playing their various parts.

"Looks like we beat the moving cart, but at least the nice lady sent us some sweets,” he said with a toothless grin as he stuck a key into the door and opened up the home. The space was unfurnished, so there was little to see inside besides wood panel flooring and latticed windows.

The plan was simple. They would simply disguise and act as bad neighbors to see if they could provoke the association from revealing their assassins.

Having all of his eyes covered except for the two in front of his nose was never fun, but it was necessary to blend in with the crowd. He peered over his companions to inspect their disguises, hoping they could pull off a convincing family together.

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MISSION
MISSION RANK: B
RANDOM MISSION SCENARIO: Enabled

DESCRIPTION:
A citizen of the town of Wakkanai in Law Country has grown suspicious that the president of his chōnaikai (neighborhood association) is involved in the disappearance of several of his neighbors. Anytime someone fails to maintain their property or is otherwise a nuisance, they disappear soon after.

The mission will entail investigating the disappearances and doing battle or capturing a Jashinist named Karin and several of her acolytes. Karin posses the ability Shi no Bōshi. Each of them wields a weapon that are disguised as lawn care tools or farm equipment.

NOTES
We are posing as new neighbors. Describe your disguises and make any preparations before the HOA rep arrives. Chitoku is using henge to appear as an old grandpa.

TAGS
Muramasa Uemon, namikawa suisei, Hanyuu Ayane, bonobo

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[Muramasa Uemon]

in a farmhand's garb

---

Having a bit of skill in many areas was something the wanderer strove for, to cover weaknesses that otherwise might be exploited. Acting was not one of those areas. "Of all the foolish situations I have found myself in..." A thought began.

Then halted, as he thought back to his years on the road. Lodging with and working for a family of professional wrestlers in Tsuchi no Kuni, taking in a lone, feral child as his ward, cozying up to Jashinists... and of course, his more recent dealings with the samurai of his homeland. Compared to those, this barely even ranked. Still...

...he was not happy about it, as the muted frown he wore on his face no doubt showed. "I suppose Kota and I could use the ryō," he told himself, wincing as he trailed behind the group. The wanderer was garbed in a well-worn brown yukata, charcoal-colored hakama, and straw zori. All of his gear was stashed in a bag he wore over one shoulder, and he was not visibly armed. He still was not feeling completely himself after his trip back to his family's forge and the subsequent life-threatening injury he sustained, but Chitoku sewed him back up well enough. "...painful as it was."

He glanced to the many-eyed man, mildly curious about him, but content to let him keep his history to himself for now. Pasts were a tricky subject for him, and the less prying into his, the better for all of them. For this little job they had decided to undertake together, disguises were called for. Only he did not bother with even a simple Henge.

In his current state, he would need all the chakra he could muster, as the fight that left him on death's door had sapped almost all of his. "I am at about half strength— and even that might be optimistic." Healthy enough to have assisted Ayane out of her bind, but still too fatigued to be the force he normally was. As the group entered the town, the wanderer adjusted the kasa atop his head, doing his best to keep his profile low. "Hō no Kuni is Jashinist territory," he mused to himself. "The last time I was here... things got chaotic." Thankfully, Wakkanai was quite a ways from the site of the racket he and Utsuwa made. "Akamori is distant enough. Let us hope news travels slowly, here." Soon, they stopped.

Just before the threshold of their new "home", and he listened to a transformed Chitoku read off a welcome letter as he kept an eye out. "Nothing out of the ordinary, yet." Several other houses that looked nearly identical, a few people milling about, fairly standard stuff. One woman waved to him rather politely and he simply glared back in response. If the point was for them to be bad neighbors... "There is no use in delaying." The wanderer approached the box of sweets, opened it to grab one, and stared. "Hm..." After a moment, he rudely tossed the manju over his shoulder. "They look dry." It was all he could think to do, so hopefully the others could ratchet things up a bit. "It's been a long journey. Let's get you inside and off of your feet," he said, ushering Chitoku inside. "...grandfather."

Each word was spoken flatly, and it would be clear to their companions that he was no mummer. All he could hope for was to get through this without being recognized by some wayward trader or farmhand. So he entered the home after, set down his things, and began to search each of the rooms, looking for anything suspect. "Best to be careful."

---

[namikawa suisei]

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It isn't often that she pretends to be someone she isn't. And in some sense, it is quite the freeing experience, attempting to be someone that isn't dealing with a lizard constantly chattering in their ear.[break][break]

Gone is that hair reminiscent of the sprawling milky way, dyed to a rather unassuming brown and swept up into a messy ponytail tied with string. Likewise, the flowing sleeves of her own yukata are tucked away with a tasuki cord, allowing the sunlight to kiss her unblemished skin.[break][break]

As she looks to the others in her party, she observes the dynamics that exists between them. And as she does so, her feet scuff the ground, kicking up small clouds of dirt and dust with every step.[break][break]

A medic, one who admits to being at half-strength and... she's going to assume that the last one must be that Ayane that she was told about. Truth be told, she's pretty much flying blind with this group, but the best trait that a mercenary can possess is their ability to adapt to whatever situations they're thrown into, no?[break][break]

Her mind just isn't in it as old man Chitoku reads that introduction paper off, her attention caught upon the way that their neighbour seems rather... startled by the rough glare they're given. Oh, if only they weren't meant to play the worst versions of themselves, she'd have waved back and probably apologised on behalf of the group.[break][break]

Hell, she even finds herself muttering apologies under her breath as she enters the house, brazenly tracking dirt all over the main hallway.[break][break]

"Seems rather homely, huh!"[break][break]

It's just for the job. Just this once. She'll clean it after, she swears!

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Dodomeki Chitoku + Okada Muramasa + Hanyuu Ayane

made by gimmick

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[Hanyuu Ayane]

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[attr="class","dahlia-box3"]At the back of the group waddled a plump middle aged woman with short brown hair. Ayane disguised with henge ushered what were presumably her elderly father and two teenage children into the house. She couldn’t help but be struck by the idea of this mission. It’d been a long time since she and Chitoku had had a home. She noticed some strange looks in her periphery but did her best not to show it on her face. They didn’t want to arouse suspicion by being too brazen right away. She had some experience with getting under other people’s skin and it was best to ease into it.

They stepped into the dark interior and blinked. Her first impression was that the furnishings were pretty basic and it didn’t look like anyone had lived here ever. Everything was in its place and there was nothing extra. "Welcome home!” She said cheerily but on the inside she was a little nervous. She hadn’t forgotten that this was a mission and people were going missing in this neighborhood. They ought to stick together until they were sure there wasn’t anything dangerous in the house. "Anyone want to take a tour of the house?”

Dodomeki Chitoku Muramasa Uemon namikawa suisei

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[bonobo]

Karin was a simple woman, a godly woman. She liked things to be orderly, to be gorgeous, to be properly put together and well placed. So she had become quite excited by the prospect of new neighbours, going so far as to procure a rather lovely box of manju to welcome the new family to the Nagamachi district. But of course, there was nothing more neighbourly than visiting oneself. So, Karin had rather joyfully set off to greet her latest neighbours, nodding and smiling at her fellow townsfolk as she wandered down the street. The look of quiet discontent upon Tanaka’s face, however, did not bode well for her first interaction. Her eyes met the woman’s then followed them down to a discarded confection sitting in the dirt and the dust. A manju, one of the ones she bought. She paused for a moment, pursing her lips into a pout, before harumphing and continuing onward to the house. Not a few minutes after the group had arrived at the house, did three perfectly placed knocks ring on the door. There was no time to settle into one’s home, there were neighbourly matters to discuss! Like the appropriate height of one’s hedges, and the nights where they held amateur improv night. If an answer did not come swift enough, Karin would knock again, the same three knocks. Whoever answered the door would be met with a smiling visage, eyes half-closed and showing nothing resembling emotion. "Hello! Welcome to the neighbourhood! I see you received our manju!” Karin bowed, "I was so excited to greet new members of our little district that I could not help but come myself.” She laughed mirthlessly but politely.

Dodomeki Chitoku Muramasa Uemon namikawa suisei Hanyuu Ayane

[Dodomeki Chitoku]

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[attr="class","butt-box2"]When they entered the house, Chitoku had relaxed the arch in his back to stand tall, but once he heard the knocking at the door he slumped back over.

"They’re quick,” he said in his best impression of a raspy voice. Slowly creeping towards the door to give the others time to prepare, he noted the second string of knocks. Impatient. This would be too easy.

"Quiet down you-ins!” he yelled as if addressing rambunctious youth.

Swinging the door open, old Chitoku met the smiling figure with a pair of bulging eyes and a bit of drool dripping down his left laugh line. He let the air hang for an uncomfortable amount of time, unblinking. Finally, he cleared his throat without covering his mouth.

"Whodat? Whadcha did you sayun?” he said leaning in further. Maintaining a look of pure confusion while also rattling his legs back and forth to give an impression of being truly geriatric.

What sort of family would make such a poor old man get the door when two strapping young people were around? It was subtle, but he thought that it would help to paint them in a poor light. Still, he hoped that someone would jump in to take the focus off of his acting. Part of him was afraid he was overselling it.

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NOTES
None.

JUTSU/EQUIPMENT USED
Henge no Jutsu [Transformation Technique]

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Chōmoku
From a young age Chitoku was implanted with preserved eyes of deceased clansmen all over his body. Coverage includes both his arms (5 on each arm), torso (9 eyes), and back (7 eyes) effectively granting him a 360 degree field of vision when his chest is uncovered and a plethora of eyes to use as visual triggers for certain genjutsu. When all but his arms are covered there are small pockets of the field which only fall into his peripheral vision.

This gift comes at a price, as he is more susceptible to seeing visual triggers himself or having the soft tissues of the eye damaged. In case of being blinded, covered eyes can be uncovered to provide sight as well, although the more eyes that are blinded or damaged the less coverage he has with line of sight.

Homicidal Medicine
Versed in traditional medicine including surgery, Chitoku can provide conventional first aid treatments to the wounded and practice medicine in general. Knowledge of the human body also grant him insights on vulnerable parts of anatomy and a deeper understanding of pain as well.

Exceptional Chakra Control
Compared to most shinobi of his grade, Chitoku's chakra control is exceptional. He is able to conserve a good deal of energy with his jutsu usage which allows him in turn to use more jutsu over time. His control is precise enough to channel complicated illusions and medical chakra as well.

TAGS
Muramasa Uemon

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[Muramasa Uemon]

far, far from the fields of toil

---

For the most part, once they were inside Uemon moved separately from the rest of the group.

Getting a head start on clearing the house room by room, ensuring there were no strange surprise waiting for them in the odd closet or any such nonsense. His passive sensory capabilities were unable to feel anything yet...

Though, being in less than optimal condition, he opted not to trust his own injured faculties. More than that, his mind was a mess ever since his return trip home. The physical wounds would heal with time, but the emotional injuries cut far more deeply. All he could do for the meantime was try to smother them, the same way he usually did.

Repress, compartmentalize, keep moving. "..." Uemon's silence was notable as the rest of the "family" shuffled in. He made sure to remove his zori in the genkan of the structure as was the custom of his homeland. And when he began to walk, the others might have noticed the lightness of his footfalls. Barely making any noise as he walked, even in his current state. Once he was sure all was secure, he returned to the entryway. "It seems clear." He thought.

Quietly, he moved to where his belongings were and opened the bag to check on them. An ornate kodachi, a small black journal, an older, stained book, and the rest of his pouches full of shinobi tools. Uemon gave them all a quick once over, closed the bag, then stood to idle near one of the back walls. Each of his movements were still sluggish.

Soon enough, there were some raps at the front door. "Company, already." He thought, glancing at Chitoku's disguised form and giving a single nod at the man's commentary. This time, he refrained from taking action. Surely Ayane or Suisei would do a better job of putting on a front, and this way he could better keep an eye on their guest.

So he leaned against the wall and folded his arms, offering little more than a dull stare at the woman as she conversed with the doctor in disguise. "He plays the part of a doddering old man, well." Better than he might, for certain.

---

[namikawa suisei]

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That hunched posture must be uncomfortable. Hell, she can barely stand sitting like a shrimp for 5 minutes before her back begins to ache. And that voice change... he could very well become an actor if he wanted. Compared to the other man, who wasn't exactly helping much with blending in.[break][break]

"Your steps are too light." She has but a moment to whisper to Uemon before their visitor comes in. "Try not to move while she's here."[break][break]

Though silence is golden in their field of work, it will give them away if utilised here.[break][break]

It's then that Chitoku's yell rings in her ears, spurring her right into action.[break][break]

"Huh?! You're the one yelling around here!" Disrespecting your elders. She's seen her fair share of spoiled brats on her travels. Irritation mars her face with a scowl, brows creased as she peeks through the doorway. It's almost as if she didn't hear her knocking at all, nor did she catch the introduction given as her glare drills right into grandpa. "The hell are you doing, opening the door for strangers?"[break][break]

That is neither a stranger, nor a neighbour at the door. That is a doll, poised with perfection and unreadable intent. Polite, with expressions that don't quite match the description she's been given.[break][break]

"We aren't interested in any wares." A few steps help close the distance between her and the elderly Chitoku, her steps consciously weighed to elicit gentle creaks from the wooden floors. One hand presses against the wall, bracing her as she bumps and pushes him aside to stand face to face with Karin. "If ya here to scam me old man, you best be on your way."

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Dodomeki Chitoku + Okada Muramasa + Hanyuu Ayane

made by gimmick

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[Hanyuu Ayane]

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[attr="class","dahlia-box3"]"Now hush you! Is that any way to talk to your elders? Excuse me, Dad.” Ayane pushed through to the front bumping Chitoku aside with her hip. Now that she was face to face with the visitor she smiled apologetically and immediately began oversharing.

"I’m so sorry. The kids have been so disrespectful ever since their father left me for that… tramp. Pardon my language. I’m just so tired. It’s not easy being a single mother and caring for my father. Poor old buzzard’s not all there in the head.”

"Where are my manners! It’s a pleasure to meet you. We’re so excited to be moving into this neighborhood. Of course the house is a little drab but we’ll settle in and make it our own. I’ve got quite a few ideas already.” She poked her head outside of the house and motioned around as if the changes necessary should be quite obvious.

"Thank you for the manju. I actually have a really great family recipe for manju that I could share with you. If you’d like to come over sometime I’ll show you how to prepare it so it won’t be crumbly.” This was of course intended to be a thinly veiled jab at Karen’s own manju and implied that her new neighbor had some pointers for her. She recalled a similar rivalry her mother had with the foreman’s wife back home. It had been a long time since she’d concerned herself with something as trivial as social status but here she was challenging this woman’s authority.

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Karin blinked at the old man’s greeting. His manners were rather poor, for a start, and with the way his legs were bowing, he didn’t look up to standing let alone greeting guests. Karin peered past him, looking at the younger members of the family with a look of confused bewilderment, hidden behind the thinnest veneer of middle class politeness. The young man stared at her, either decidedly rude or disinterested, but it was the behaviour of the young woman that took her back. Shrill shrieks were directed first toward the old man, and then to Karin herself. Karin blinked, expression unchanging, the plastic smile still plastered upon her face. Instead, she merely tilted her head to the side, eyes scanning the petulant creature, before her gaze turned to the final member of the party. A plump woman, the matriarch, Karin supposed. The sole member of the party to make an attempt at polite conversation. Of course, her words were honied venom. Speaking to the standards of the neighbourhood, and to Karin’s own manju recipe. She was many things, but she was not a poor cook. "Oh, is that so?” Karin asked, before turning her attention back to the old man, the grandfather of the clan, and the daughter. "Yes, it is always quite sad when family members do not act in the way one would expect.” "I just wanted to come and introduce myself and to discuss our humble little community’s expectations,” She rose a finger, "First, and I do hate to be a bother, but we do have noise restrictions. I appreciate an energetic household as much as anybody,” she didn’t, "But some of our neighbours do prefer a quieter environ. Other than that, the bylaws are quite simple, don’t allow any plants to exceed the property line, no vibrant colours or gaudy decorations for your exteriors, and you’re expected to come to our monthly community meetings.” "Oh, I do not wish to interrupt your moving in.” She laughed again, a mechanical sound, "I best be off. But I’m sure plenty of people will be by to welcome you to the neighbourhood.” Karin would beat a relatively hasty retreat, taken-aback, but not flustered, never flustered.

Dodomeki Chitoku Muramasa Uemon namikawa suisei Hanyuu Ayane Random Scenario Roll (wink) v44YOKZh

[Dodomeki Chitoku]

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[attr="class","butt-box2"]She was gone.

Having his eyes concealed by the transformation jutsu was inconvenient. He had to turn his head to the left and right like a normal person to make sure he wasn't in view of any of the home’s windows. After double checking, Chitoku relaxed his crooked posture, although he maintained his disguise. He glanced back at the others, giving them a toothless grin. "Well, she seemed nice.”

Everyone had played their part well enough. He didn’t think that they had any slip ups from what he could tell.

"I guess now we just have to continue to be a mild nuisance in general. She already gave us a warning about noise, so that would be an easy way to push their buttons. They also seemed like they wouldn’t be too happy if we were to redecorate outside, and I think you might be good for that Ayane.”

He paused for a moment.

"Don’t take anything I say as orders or anything by the way, I just throw out ideas as they come to help try to move things along,” he said to the group. "But anyways, Ayane and I could go do some decorating while you two provide overwatch from the second floor. Maybe make some noise up there while you are at it?”

Chitoku was still in the mindset that they were hunting for hired shinobi who would try to take them under the cover of stealth. He had not had any experiences with the cult or even heard of their activities in the Law Country up to this point.

"Ayane, you could also use your sensory talents here.”

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NOTES
None.

JUTSU/EQUIPMENT USED
Henge maintained.

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Chōmoku
From a young age Chitoku was implanted with preserved eyes of deceased clansmen all over his body. Coverage includes both his arms (5 on each arm), torso (9 eyes), and back (7 eyes) effectively granting him a 360 degree field of vision when his chest is uncovered and a plethora of eyes to use as visual triggers for certain genjutsu. When all but his arms are covered there are small pockets of the field which only fall into his peripheral vision.

This gift comes at a price, as he is more susceptible to seeing visual triggers himself or having the soft tissues of the eye damaged. In case of being blinded, covered eyes can be uncovered to provide sight as well, although the more eyes that are blinded or damaged the less coverage he has with line of sight.

Homicidal Medicine
Versed in traditional medicine including surgery, Chitoku can provide conventional first aid treatments to the wounded and practice medicine in general. Knowledge of the human body also grant him insights on vulnerable parts of anatomy and a deeper understanding of pain as well.

Exceptional Chakra Control
Compared to most shinobi of his grade, Chitoku's chakra control is exceptional. He is able to conserve a good deal of energy with his jutsu usage which allows him in turn to use more jutsu over time. His control is precise enough to channel complicated illusions and medical chakra as well.

TAGS
Muramasa Uemon

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[Muramasa Uemon]

a farce does begin

---

Slowly but surely, the ruse was starting to come together. A boisterous young girl, a hard of hearing old man, a passive-aggressive mother, and him, a... moody, slightly rude young man. "Perhaps I need not act much, after all..."

It truly was not that far off from his usual behavior, especially as of late. Still, his training had shown some, but Suisei was kind enough to make him aware of that fact. Normally he would have been more conscious of such things, but he was not exactly in his typical frame of mind. There was caution in his gaze, a barely-concealed anger...

Eventually he would need to either get a handle on it or channel it into something more useful, but today was not like to be that day. Uemon nodded to the girl's warning, and remained still against the wall throughout the neighbor's brief visit. Listening, keeping his head down, and focusing his efforts on his sensory capabilities. Unless someone was trained in masking their presence nearby, he could not feel anything that seemed out of place. Just people living their simple lives in this small place. It reminded him a bit of home, almost, only a bit more upscale.

After recent events, his memories of the place were not as fond as they once were. The woman seemed to almost brief them about expectations of living in the neighborhood. Nonsense, as far as he was concerned, but he listened all the same. Once she had gone, he remained where he was and paid attention to Chitoku's words. "Smart," he thought as he heard the plan put forth. "It is a sound strategy, and we have to draw them to us somehow." Until whoever was behind these disappearances revealed themselves, they had to stay put. So in the  meantime, they would prepare.

Unfortunately for his own sense of wariness, that required divulging some information about his own skillset. But it was a necessity, in this case. "I can set up surveillance—" he paused, speaking of these things seeming like pulling teeth. "Puppets... they are discreet, and will provide us with sightlines to cover any blind spots we might have." It was a piddling explanation, but one nonetheless. Mention of Ayane's sensory talents caused him to glance between the others present, and he continued on. "I am a sensor type as well, but I have yet to feel anything strange." His speech patterns were archaic, an artefact from his homeland that resurfaced under times of stress. Since the incident at his family's forge, he had yet to speak like he normally did. "Still... two of us remaining alert for odd chakra signatures is better than one, so I will continue to do so." With that, he gave a slight nod towards the others, excused himself from the room, and grabbed his bag to slowly begin setting up his equipment. It took only a bit of chakra to summon forth his spy creations from seals on his body via the Karada Fūinjutsu. A small white rabbit appeared in a puff of smoke on his left shoulder, and a round, green frog with a screen on its belly on his right. After some prerequisite checking of his equipment, he set Date aside, placed the rabbit on the floor, and headed towards the back door to open it a bit. With a flick of his fingers, he utilized his Kugutsu no Jutsu to send Tsuki skittering out into the back yard and into some bushes to take up position.

Once the puppet was in place, he closed the door and collected the frog to tuck under his arm as he headed upstairs. "Between the four of us, two sensor-nin, and Tsuki, I would be surprised if we are taken unawares." He thought to himself, but did not wholly discount the fact. There were all sorts of strange abilities and deceptions that people were capable of in the Shinobi World... not to mention an enclave of undying priests from this very country. All they could do was remain watchful and ready themselves for whatever was to come. So without another word, Uemon switched on Date's screen and split his attention between a window on the second floor that overlooked the street and Tsuki's camera feed that was relaying to the frog's belly. "We should have audio also, from my puppet's microphone," He began, glancing briefly to Suisei if she decided to join him on overwatch. Chitoku recommended causing a ruckus, but he was fairly naturally soft-spoken. "I will... leave the noise-making to you."

If her performance earlier was anything to go by, she was certainly capable of it. A good thing, in this case, as he was not exactly in the mood or necessarily gifted in such things. So for the time being he would watch, and wait.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

SUPPORTIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Karada Fuinjutsu [Body Sealing Technique]
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Low
CLASSIFICATION: Fūinjutsu
ELEMENT: -
HANDSEALS: 0
DESCRIPTION:
An upgrade to the Hikin Fuinjutsu [Generic Sealing Technique], the user creates a seal on their own skin for which a multitude of objects can be stored. If cast on the user themselves, the seals become reactive to the body's own chakra, and it becomes more difficult for others to forcibly draw items from the seal. The closer the mark is made to the center of one's chakra coil, at the pit of their gut, the stronger this protection becomes. Directly attuned to the user's chakra, seals take up half the space they ordinarily would. And in the case of it being sealed on the user, items can be released via small chakra burst rather than touch.

NAME: Kugutsu no Jutsu - [Puppet Technique]
RANK: C
CHAKRA USAGE: Very Low [Continuous]
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu [Puppetry]
ELEMENT: N/A
DESCRIPTION:
The fundamental and most used technique of the style, Kugutsu no Jutsu allows a puppeteer the ability to use puppets in battle. While the degree in skill determines the number of puppets that can be controlled, for starters the user can control only one. By making near invisible strings of chakra from each of their ten fingertips and attaching them to their puppets they are able to control the puppet from various distances. However there is a delay between the puppeteers orders and the puppets movements, meaning puppet movement will not be instantaneous, and the response time increases based on distance.


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

片付け | KATAZUKE | CHOREOGRAPHY - E.C.C.
Puppeteers must maintain expert control over their wide selection of puppets and so too must a shinobi with their chakra. Necessary for his Puppet Ninjutsu and applicable to his other techniques, Uemon has trained extensively in order to mitigate the amount of chakra he uses for jutsu. Experience has allowed his skill in managing his energy to grow, making him even more stringent with his chakra. This both helps compensate for his average reserves and allows him to stay in the fight that much longer without much worry of tiring.

心掛け | KOKOROGAKE | READINESS - INTELLIGENCE
In Bushidō the Way of Thinking is quintessential. Taught by his sensei Hanagisa that all battles are fought in the mind, he was schooled in the art of warfare at a young age. Now a learned strategist, Uemon is always observing even in the midst of combat. This allows for him to find gaps and weaknesses in his opponent's techniques easier than some. It also allows him to formulate strategies and deceptions to take advantage of these shortcomings on the fly. Knowledge of battle tactics cues him in on which approach works best depending on his target.

足遣い | ASHIZUKAI | FOOTWORK - ENHANCED SPEED
Operating the legs of a puppet requires dexterity and agility. Much like moving one's own body. As a child in Tetsu no Kuni Uemon trained in Jujitsu and Kenjutsu, finding his aptitude for speed rather than strength. Honed after years of travel, training, and battle, Uemon is surprisingly light on his feet and his hand-to-hand strikes are faster than most expect. Able to strike and weave with deft swiftness he is capable of holding his own against Taijutsu specialists of his rank and outright overwhelming those of lower ranks in terms of speed.

署名 | SHOMEI | STAGE LIGHTING - SENSOR TYPE
Lighting is a crucial part of any play. Identifying the actors and drawing focus to them in the dark. With much training Uemon has become a Sensor Type, able to detect and hone in on chakra signatures akin to a sixth sense of sorts. A useful tool when it comes to tracking or surveillance. As of now, he is capable of passively sensing chakra up to one hundred meters from his body, or one kilometer if actively searching. This also allows him to more efficiently utilize his puppets without needing a line of sight to his targets. Knowing the placement of actors on stage at all times is essential.

黒衣 | KUROKO | BLACK CLAD - STEALTH
In bunraku, the puppeteers who manipulate scenery are known simply as 'Black Clad'. Invisible to the audience, undetectable while they operate, and able to move freely without fear of being seen. Uemon's constant training has granted him the ability to mask his presence to an expert degree. Able to move, attack, and even kill while maintaining stealth and reducing his visibility. To all but very highly trained ears, his footfalls are near imperceptible, his movements leave little trace, and his attacks are almost wholly silent.

[namikawa suisei]

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"Whatever..."[break][break]

Roll of the eyes, cross her arms and glare holes into her 'mother's back like some moody teen that just got told off.[break][break]

On the other hand, Karin is a real piece of work. The way disdain mars the woman's words, and yet her smile remains perfect. At the very least, she seems to be buying into the whole circus they've got going. And dropping all those juicy tips on what is expected of them... Oh, the ideas that must cross the mind at how much trouble they could be -[break][break]

She kind of wishes she could apologise for everything she's going to have to do.[break][break]

As soon as Karin takes her leave, everything seems to unfold. A lull to plan their next course of action, an agreement to remain wary of whatever might jump out at them next. As she idly listens in to the explanations of mystery man's skillset, she turns her attention to the ceiling and all the little nooks and crannies they provide.[break][break]

If they have the whole sensory part figured out, all she has to do is stay her hand and keep her abilities close to heart. The less she reveals while moving about the house, the less likely their enemies are to suspect their real identities. Besides, how exactly is she meant to hide a giant monitor lizard in a place like this?[break][break]

Instead of worrying about her summons, she should probably focus on preparing the environment to be to her advantage. That means a little trip into the kitchen, plugging up the sink and filling it with enough water to perhaps, wash that whole collection of cutlery in the drawers. And she'll even scoop a mug of water for herself, cradling it between her two palms as she follows Uemon.[break][break]

First things first, that frog is really cute. Much like the little rabbit he let out into the garden. She doesn't know how to explain it, but she's simply drawn in by its presence. If she'd been asked to identify them with a passing glance, she probably wouldn't have figured them to be puppets at all.[break][break]

"A- wh- noise? Oh right!" An awkward laugh fills the gaps of conversations, her fingers covering her nape as she tears her gaze away from the puppets. "Well uhm... It's a little awkward... to do it alone."[break][break]

A loud conversation, obnoxious laughter. Rearranging furniture with no care for how she handles it. Oh, if only she had some kind of instrument?[break][break]

"B- but I'll try!"[break][break]

Ducking her head, she places her mug of water on a nearby desk and quickly opens one of the room doors. And with a sharp breath, she grabs the handle with both hands, pulling it shut with all her might with an almighty slam.

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Dodomeki Chitoku + Okada Muramasa + Hanyuu Ayane

made by gimmick

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[Hanyuu Ayane]

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[attr="class","headtexteye2"]a new day will dawn
for those who stand long

[attr="class","subheadi2"]And the forests will echo with laughter

[attr="class","imaintext2"] Ayane grinned, "Same as me.” Her hand drifted in front of her and gossamer strings of chakra seemed to float off her finger tips like spider webs in the breeze. "Right, I guess I should focus on sensing anything weird.” She jammed her eyelids tightly shut and crinkled her nose, focusing hard as her fingertips rubbed the sides of her temples. "I’ll let you guys know if I notice anything beyond the everyday… but maybe I just let Uemon handle that for now. I doubt they’d attack us in broad daylight.”

The wanderer stretched. "I think it's time for me to be making myself at home.” She immediately turned and walked into a dark closet and closed the door behind her. Once she was inside, she pulled out a couple of scrolls and using fuinjutsu produced several mundane items from within the scrolls. She heard the loud slamming of the door.

Thinking she might as well add to the cacophony, Ayane kicked the door open and stepped out, playing a lute and singing somewhat off-key.

Why don't you love me any more?
I must have been an awful bore.
I wish I could settle the score,
But don't come knocking on my door.
Said you were going to the store,
When you ran off with that-

"Well you get the idea.” Ayane grinned as she pressed the instrument into Suisei’s hands. "I’m sure you can have some fun with that.”

Then she turned around and picked up two heavy items off the floor; buckets of lime green colored paint and a paintbrush. She walked out the front door (still disguised) and started painting the outside of the house and humming a little tune to herself.

🗡

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[bonobo]

Karin walked away from newcomers with all the middle-class uptightness that she could muster. Her footfalls were perfect, her posture utterly straight, and her face was pressed into a tightly-pinched frown. She had hoped that the newcomers would be good denizens to the community, proper neighbours who could be taught the right ways of the world and the right ways to worship. Evidently, they were not. But that was no matter. People could be taught. People could be corrected. And if they were entirely unworthy, then they would simply need tobe moved on. The leader of the neighbourhood association may have left, but her eyes and ears did not. The little old lady who lived across the road from the newly inhabited house watched with abject horror as green paint was applied to the exterior of the house. She had heard Karin explain the rules, and these animals were flagrantly ignoring them within less than an hour! The inhabitants in the house to the right, a polite young couple, the sort who would not look out of place at a PTA meeting muttered among themselves as the sound of music and slamming doors echoed from the property next door. Utterances of "formal complaints” and "not at all proper” were spoken in frustrated and hushed tones. Throughout the day, the neighbours would watch with continued frustration and bewilderment and more than a few of the other residents would walk and watch. But as the sun would come to set, an eerie silence would settle over the neighbourhood, the permanent residents having seemingly vanished into the night. For those looking out and observing, more than a few individuals would have been noticed walking deeper into the heart of the small village, their destination unknown.

Dodomeki Chitoku Muramasa Uemon namikawa suisei Hanyuu Ayane