It was three days before the World Martial Arts Tournament. It had been raining most of the morning and the cool drizzle turned into an icy pelting rain as the sun dipped below the distant horizon. The first group of spectators, participants and merchants had already arrived these past few days so the usual hum of this bustling, industrial community had grown mildly erratic. Change does that to everyone, alters their routines and befuddles them. There were guards sprinkled throughout the city, their presence was obvious. Perhaps it was a statement being made by Tea Country that they were able to afford personal protections from varied mercenary and/or shinobi groups. They seemed unhappy if one were to discern joy or a lack thereof from their stance, but the whites of their eyes seemed to glint as they watched the droves of people -- shinobi and civilian alike mill about busy urban streets of Kurosawa.
This body would be discovered by a traveling shinobi from Otogakure, a proper appearing young woman who was by all appearances in her early twenties with long dark hair that reached almost her ankles. She donned the regalia of a Chuunin, wearing loose-fitting pants and a Chuunin's vest. She stood at about five foot seven but beyond that her appearance was unremarkable. She contacted two shinobis monitoring the northern border of Kurosawa at 1052 pm. She was carrying a dead body over her shoulder. She claimed that the body was found 'several miles' north on the side of the road. She stated that she had been carrying his body for about four hours. She did not appear to be particularly fatigued, in fact her size belied her strength.
The victim:
A male, well most of a male. It is estimated that he was in his late teens. Defensive wounds could be seen on his forearms. His face was bruised, jaw and right orbital socket fractured. His chest was punctured, the sternum removed, clavicle and ribs broken. His heart was missing. The blood was dried, well coagulated. Some of the blood was washed off from the rain, as if the environment itself had washed away some of the evidence. The victim lacked identification but his clothes were customary for northern farmers. His hands were calloused. His boots were leather and well-worn, the soles had no ridges and were paper thin. His pants were a jean-cloth, the pockets were empty. His shirt, what was left of it was a flannel button down shirt that was thread-bare. Beneath was a plain white shirt that had seen better days even before it was ripped apart.
The woman was taken to Kotodama Keep for questioning. She was compliant.
The body was taken to Trinity General Hospital.
This body would be discovered by a traveling shinobi from Otogakure, a proper appearing young woman who was by all appearances in her early twenties with long dark hair that reached almost her ankles. She donned the regalia of a Chuunin, wearing loose-fitting pants and a Chuunin's vest. She stood at about five foot seven but beyond that her appearance was unremarkable. She contacted two shinobis monitoring the northern border of Kurosawa at 1052 pm. She was carrying a dead body over her shoulder. She claimed that the body was found 'several miles' north on the side of the road. She stated that she had been carrying his body for about four hours. She did not appear to be particularly fatigued, in fact her size belied her strength. The victim:
A male, well most of a male. It is estimated that he was in his late teens. Defensive wounds could be seen on his forearms. His face was bruised, jaw and right orbital socket fractured. His chest was punctured, the sternum removed, clavicle and ribs broken. His heart was missing. The blood was dried, well coagulated. Some of the blood was washed off from the rain, as if the environment itself had washed away some of the evidence. The victim lacked identification but his clothes were customary for northern farmers. His hands were calloused. His boots were leather and well-worn, the soles had no ridges and were paper thin. His pants were a jean-cloth, the pockets were empty. His shirt, what was left of it was a flannel button down shirt that was thread-bare. Beneath was a plain white shirt that had seen better days even before it was ripped apart.
The woman was taken to Kotodama Keep for questioning. She was compliant.
The body was taken to Trinity General Hospital.
