Chasing a Myth [Private|Event]

[Kazu]

[ooc: Continued from here: http://ninpocho.com/viewtopic.php?f=228&t=45705]

The Thunder Mountains are a source of great pride to the people of Kumogakure. Some of the tallest land formations on the continent, their natural and raw beauty is surpassed by none. They are teeming with wildlife and rare species that only live in such abnormally cold conditions. The natural resources, like minerals and glacial ice, are unrivaled and sought after greatly. But what really made this place special were the stories. Stories of rare, mythical beasts that flocked to these mountains once in a blue moon. They were the stuff of legends, spoken about in hushed tones of awe and reverence. The stories were used to scare mean little children into behaving, and they were said to bless those who truly possessed the thunder of Raiden in their hearts. The beasts in question were, of course, the Lightning Bird of Kumogakure, and Kotsuko was determined to find one.

As the young man hiked up the mountain side, his jacket tucked in close to his body so as to keep the warmth inside, he looked back to make sure his partner was still there with him. He'd been worried this cat-eared swindler would slow him down. Was he even a real shinobi, or a glorified thief? It wouldn't do to have an anchor weighing him down on such an important search, so he was determined to not let Kechi drag him down as well. "Come on, hurry it up! We don't have all day to just hang around. If this Lightning Bird does actually exist, I want to find one." Kotsuko didn't bother explaining much else. He didn't trust this man as far as he could throw him, though he'd yet to have an incident break out. He was wondering whether this greedy little man would try to do something funny, and had seriously considered having a clone tail them just in case. However, so far he hadn't needed to do anything. There hadn't been any instances yet, and the only suspicious thing to Kotsuko was the fact of how coincidental their pairing was. It was almost like they weren't picked at all.

Turning back to the mountain in front of him, he'd wait for Kechi to catch up with him. They had a long way to go if they wanted to find the peaks where the Lighting Birds were said to roost. Some say they lived so high up because they fed on lightning itself, and some say that the lightning that strikes the earth is actually just because of the birds. Either way, the stories all said that they lived up high. Kotsuko knew, by now, that behind every story was a kernel of truth. He figured if they were to find them at all, that they'd find them up there. Now if only the con-artist extraordinaire could keep up...

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Kechi gasped for breath as he followed the white-haired lad. He placed a hand over his heart, and sputtered out a response. "W-what do you think I am? A mountain goat? M-maybe you need to slow down." In truth, the Tanuki man wasn't all that tired. But playing up his fatigue, while possibly making Kotsuko think he was a pathetic fool, would also lower his threat meter. Despite his bushy-tailed appearance, resting within Kechi was a demonic strength that his ancestors passed on to him. It was important not to let that side show. Not to mention he oozed a stingy aura, another 'gift' from his family. That certainly made making friends a bit more difficult.

Kechi finally caught up with Kotsuko, thanks to the teen actually stopping for the Tanuki man. He dusted some snow off his orange hair and tail, and clenched his red jacket closed. "I really shoulda buttoned this before heading out. Of all the places that it would have been nice to have fur, I'm now wishing it was my chest." He gave a small shiver and looked at his partner out of the corner of his eye. Kechi couldn't tell what Kotsuko was after. Why was he so gung-ho to find this bird? The Tanuki remembered an associate telling him about the white-haired boy's lust for research. Was that fueling his desire now?

From this point on, Kechi needed to tread carefully. It didn't take a genius to see that Kotsuko was a clever, cautious person. He could see it in the boy's face, a mistrust that probably spread to most he laid eyes on. If Kechi was going to snag this kid for his goal, he needed to play it smart. Push to fast, and Kotsuko will catch on, push to slow, and get the same result. Be too forward and he'll pull back, and beating around the bush will just be far too obvious. He needed to lead in, start with some good old-fashioned small talk. Then he could shift the focus onto more...interesting topics.

Giving his usual toothy grin, Kechi spoke. "Hope we find that bird, am I right? I mean, all this trekking will be wasted if we don't find something. I bet with just one plume, you could make millions. Trillions even! ...Well, if you can prove it. Hey, you got Snapshot kid? If we find that majestic what's-it, we should make sure to get a good image of it. Unless we're going to do something else with the bird. Oh! Are we gonna eat it? That would be interesting to explain to people. Yeah, hey, I totally found a legendary chicken of lightning, and then I ate it. Crazy crazy. Right? But I suppose there are plenty of other things you could do with a mythical lightning parrot. We could trap it! Maybe run some tests to unlock ultimate lightning pooooweeeeer!" Kechi held up his hands to the sky dramatically, before letting them fall. "Naw, too typical, am I right? Sounds like somethin' you'd heard in a storybook. Maybe we could trap the bird, use it to trap the opposite gendered bird, then make them lay eggs and we can sell them as pets! Who WOULDN'T want a Lightning Penguin as a pet?! Of course the answer is no one. Everyone wants a penguin. Let's be honest." Kechi gave his partner a grin, his eyes looking like the blank expression of a fool. But they were searching, analyzing, looking for a sign that perhaps something the Tanuki said peaked Kotsuko's interest.

[Topic Entered with NPC]

 

[Kazu]

"Maybe you need to stop complaining." Kotsuko spoke calmly, but harshly, to his trailing partner. As the orange haired man caught up, he seemed completely out of breath. Kotsuko's eyes looked him up and down, trying to understand how someone who seemed so pathetic was expected to be able to participate properly in this event. He did realize that this was potentially fatal, right? Something about this situation made Kotsuko feel uneasy, but he couldn't put his finger on it. It was bugging him in the back of his mind, but he wasn't sure what it was. He decided to leave it be for now, and to merely focus on this mission. He wanted to find one of those birds very much so, and he was beginning to think that he may have to do it alone. Kechi didn't seem like he'd be much help in this endeavor. So far, he merely seemed interested in complaining about their situation. "Now's not really the time for wishing. If you can't take it, then go hike back down the mountain. I'm sure there's some people you could scam in the village, instead of annoying me with your prattling." Kotsuko wasn't the complaining type, and it drove him mad to hear others do so. He sighed a heavy sigh, and sat down on a rock. They would wait long enough for the con-artist to rest up. The young man was seriously done with this whole situation. He lit himself another cigarette as he tried to relax, letting the smoke wash over him.

However, it seemed the cat-eared man didn't get it. He didn't understand how annoyed Kotsuko would get. He didn't understand how impossibly impatient the white haired Sasaki was. Nor could he possibly fathom how little Kotsuko cared for his life. The tanuki's words were like nails on a chalkboard to Kotsuko, and every sentence the man uttered made Kotsuko's face twist in agony. He couldn't take this. This man would drive him mad. Kotsuko had had enough. In one movement the young man undid the gourds at his waist with magnetic chakra, and gathered a huge amount of iron sand into his fist. He reached his hand out towards the man, grabbing for his face. Well, more specifically his mouth. If he was able to grab a hold of the unaware tanuki's face, the iron sand would begin to crawl up from his hand and encircle Kechi's head. He would be unable to talk, the sand covering his entire mouth and encroaching upon his nose. It was slowly crushing him, squeezing any part of his head that it could until it had wrapped completely around. The distinctive smell of blood was heavy in the man's nose, or maybe that was just the iron? If Kechi looked into Kotsuko's eyes, he'd see them as cold and harsh. He didn't care at all for this man. "I told you already, you're annoying. Either shut up, or die." Kotsuko looked deep into Kechi's eyes, looking for something. Even though the con-artist's words had been annoying, there was something about them. Something probing. Something questioning. Kotsuko knew that look in Kechi's eyes: the con-artist had the same look that Kotsuko always had. They were fake eyes, searching for something without giving anything up. Interesting.

Kotsuko released the man, letting the iron sand slither back into the gourd at his waist. Kotsuko kept his gaze firmly locked with Kechi's. He reached up and pulled the cigarette out of his mouth, blowing the smoke directly into Kechi's face. Who knew what was going through the tanuki's head right now. "If you ever have anything to say to me, just say it. I'm not going to sit here and listen to you all day." Was that a double meaning? Or was Kotsuko simply an impatient man? The light grey eyes revealed nothing, only a constant hunger. For what, though, depended on what he was looking at. "Now then, shall we continue? Or is there anything else you'd like to ramble on about?"

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Kechi's eyes widened in surprise as Kotsuko's hand slipped over the tanuki-man's mouth. Sand slowly inched its way around his head, creating a solid gag. It began to compress his jaw, threatening to snap it. However, even with his oral cavity in danger, Kechi's eyes held Kotsuko's. The furry man had been treated this way much of his life, by many individuals. While there were a few he feared, Kotsuko was not one of them...yet. The harsh smell of iron reached his nostrils, comforting the Tanuki. Did the white-haired boy know that adding an element could both strengthen and weaken him. The manipulation of metal was something Kechi was well-versed in, and should there be a problem, it was quite possible that the Tanuki man could affect Kotsuko's sand, if there was enough iron in it.

Luckily Kechi didn't have to test this, as the lad finally released him. He coughed for a few moments, and wiped away the few flecks of sand that had remained on his lips. Once he recovered, Kechi smiled weakly. "I'm beginning to think violence and silence rhyme for a reason." The man straightened himself, his face the most stern Kotsuko has seen it yet. "Very well Sasaki Kotsuko. Then let me ask you a question." Kechi pulled out a 500 yen piece and flipped it in the air. "Tell me, what is it you desire, and how much would you be willing to give to attain it?" The man caught the coin and twirled it between his fingers, awaiting an answer. A foolish Tanuki no longer stood before the boy. Instead, a character far more calculating held Kotsuko's gaze, giving off an aura more demon than man.

 

[Kazu]

Kotsuko took a long drag from his cigarette, the ashen taste of smoke and fire stained his lips. His eyes kept watching the tanuki's, looking even harder to see what it was the man wanted. That man had a grin in his eyes unlike anything that Kotsuko had seen. His entire demeanor had changed from that of an over-aged child to a cold and calculating business man. Kotsuko liked this side of him much more. Kotsuko watched as the man spoke his words, twirled the coin in his hands, and spoke in cryptic terms. He certainly knew how to pique the white haired man's curiosity. Kotsuko allowed himself to sit back down into his seat after that little incident, trying to get himself comfy again. Kechi's words needed to be deliberated upon. "What is my desire?" The young man looked to the conniving con-artist in front of him, who's agenda was as much a mystery to Kotsuko as Kotsuko's was to him. A smile crept over Kotsuko's face. "What sort of game are you playing at? I love games, but I feel like maybe you're trying to play without explaining all of the rules first." Breathing in deeply for another pull of his cigarette, the young man tilted his head backwards to blow the smoke out. He watched as the tendrils and wisps floated off into the breeze. Speaking to no one in particular, the young man continued. "A fair game isn't a game worth playing. The fun comes from out smarting your opponent, not using cheap tricks to ensure victory."

Kotsuko brought his head back down to look at the tanuki man, his eyes steely and unyielding. With one last inhale, the man dropped the cigarette from his mouth. As the burning piece of paper hit the ground, the ashes scattering ever so slightly, Kotsuko brought one crushing boot over top it, smashing the flame into non-existence. Kotsuko stood himself up, stretching his bones and cracking his knuckles. It was a trait he was used to, and it helped soothe his body ever so slightly. "So, enough with the smoke and mirrors here." Kotsuko cracked his neck to the left. "I'm not going to be bought or blackmailed by you, so why don't you just tell me what it is you want of me?" Kotsuko cracked his neck to the right. "Depending on what it is, I might be interested. However..." Kotsuko pressed his hands up against his back, cracking his spine all the way up. He let out a slight grunt as he did so. "...if I find your proposal unsatisfactory, we may have a bit of a problem here." Kotsuko turned his head back to look at the tanuki, a subtle grin on his face. "After all, it is my moral duty to report any suspicious, treacherous, or otherwise illegal operations in the village I'm sworn to protect. And I wouldn't want to be accused of not defending my own village, would I?" This was a game that Kotsuko could play well. He'd been doing it for quite some time now, and had become something of a master of the art. It would be time to see just how well Kechi could keep up with this fun little activity of theirs.

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Kechi remained quiet as Kotsuko drew out the conversation. A nice tactic, repeating questions, adding his own questions to give him time to think. And of course, Kechi didn't get an answer to his inquiry, instead he received a threat. But that wouldn't deter the Tanuki. He was used to far worse. Feeling relieved that it was his turn to speak, he pocketed his coin. "You wound me sir. Perish the thought of me turning you into a traitor. I am merely a man with a love of money." He smirked. "I know potential when I see it, and I want to help make it bloom. All you gotta do is remember who was the good buddy who aided in your endeavor."

Kechi looked up at nothing in particular. "I'm not a snoop, but I know you've got an itchin' for knowledge. No one in their right mind lives in a library most of their life if they don't." A little sweet talking to the librarian had at least given Kechi that much. "Money does a lot of things my friend. It gets you books, materials, equipment." Kechi returned his gaze to Kotsuko. "You need somethin'? I can get it. But it's gonna cost ya, one way or another." He smiled. "You're still one of them lowly trainees, meanin' you won't be handling the big boy stuff anytime soon. Consider me a cheat code if you will." Kechi shrugged and shook his head. "The game is simple really. You want somethin', you pay for it. I want somethin', I pay for it." He pocketed his hands again. "Heck, I ain't even gonna make you sign a contract or nothin'. This will be a loosy goosy relationship." Kechi started up the mountain again. "What you do with my offer is solely up to you." He turned his head back to Kotsuko, his goofy grin returned. "Now are we gonna bag us a Lightning Chicken, or what?"

 

[Kazu]

"Potential, huh?" A wide smirk had made its way onto the young man's face, betraying deep down his amusement with this verbal game of theirs. It was getting rather fun, though it seemed that neither of them really seemed to be homing in on the subject that mattered: what did they, both, truly want from this? They were circling around each other, looking for weakness in the other where none seemed to exist. Perhaps they each thought that they would be able to gain without giving, and in doing so come out on top. Kotsuko could respect a man like this, a man who could play this most interesting game so absolutely. "Well, I appreciate the offer very much. Such a cheat code certainly is a rare opportunity. However, I'd like for you to clear one little thing up for me." Kotsuko's smirk was gone now, replaced with a stern and business-like look. While the young man did enjoy this game, he knew they'd have to move faster than this. If they were to get anywhere, one of them would need to move forward. When dealing with another master of the game, it was best to give up a bit of ground so as to see what move he'll make. From there, perhaps more steps could be made. They had moved into the late-game here. "It sounds like I'm getting the best deal here. What exactly is it you're getting out of this arrangement?"

Kotsuko began to pace around the small platform they had. His eyes wandered around them, looking to various parts of the mountains as he contemplated his words. The crisp air was refreshing, to say the least. "You must need me for some kind of research, otherwise you wouldn't be exposing yourself like this. Probably something illegal, given these odd offers." Scratching the back of his head, Kotsuko looked to the tanuki man for some answers. He'd given up some ground with the man, so it was time for this loan shark to be a bit more frank with Kotsuko as well. "I'm not going to rat you out. I've got my own agenda to keep in motion, and having a bunch of ANBU sniffing around everything I do doesn't help me much. If you've got some sort of operation going on, you'd do best to tell me the full scope of it. Otherwise, I'm not going to be able to help you all that well." Kotsuko would stare the man down for a little, trying to see into that red-haired head of his. What was going on behind those glasses?

Whatever it was, the tanuki would surely tell him in time. Turning around, Kotsuko began up the hills again. Kechi was right, they did still have a bird to catch. Kotsuko figured that the man could tell him everything on the way. It's not like they couldn't walk and talk, right?

[ooc: Sorry for the wait, and the kind of crap post. Definitely not my favorite, but I'm having a bit of trouble with my muse.]

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Kechi was quiet for a time. There was no need to hide that he was thinking through his words anymore, as Kotsuko was well aware of the sensitivity of the issue. Finally he spoke, his jolly nature remaining. "Hey, I told you I ain't makin' ya a traitor. Not unless you end up givin' me somethin' that could peg you as much. Again, I'm a man with a love of money. The same as money can get'chya lots of things, lots of things can get'chya money. You're gonna be in the business of research, and that kinda info can net a hefty sum dependin' on what you discover. Do you know how much people will pay to cure acne? Cure STDs?! The whore houses would love that one. Whatever ya got, I can find a use for it."

Kechi smirked. "Do I have somethin' specific I'm lookin' for? Not particularly, but there may be a goal I've got that could result in an early retirement. Am I gonna tell ya? Nope. You're not ready yet. You gotta show you can get some results in the lab before I turn to you for something specific. Until then, we make fair trades when necessary." He shivered as the cold continued to penetrate his jacket. "Seriously, I'd trade somethin' pretty good if I can get me some STD cures." The Tanuki tapped his ear. "My frequency is TK-07. It ain't a secure channel, so just use it to let me know ya need to meet up." Kechi pocketed his hand again and fell silent. His way of things was slower than the others, hopefully they would understand that. Only a moron would blindly do what Kechi said, and Kotsuko was far from that. In fact, he could be a liability. Kotsuko would just have to take this vague explanation and decide for himself if it was worth it. Because until the white-haired teen proved he could be trusted more, this was the only information he would get from Kechi.

 

[Kazu]

"Hrm, I see." Ko was fairly confident, now, as to what kind of man he was dealing with here. Kechi was not a man that he need fear all that much—at least, not yet. He was a man fuelled by only one thing, and so long as he was given that he would be happy. It seemed that all he really wanted was for Kotsuko to clue him in on anything that could get the man money. Well, that was fine with the young man. After all, he had never really been in this business because of the money. He was here for the research and knowledge, and that was about where he ended his involvement. It might even be apt to say that Kechi and Kotsuko were alike, seeing as how they were each driven by really only one thing. The tanuki was an agent of greed, and Ko was a harbinger of curiosity. What was the phrase? Birds of a feather? "Fair enough, Kechi. I understand your proposal quite clearly, as it stands. Just so long as you keep up your end of the deal, we shouldn't have any real problems." It was then that the man would tell Kotsuko of a certain frequency channel that he should use to contact him, should the need arise. It seemed a little too old-fashioned, to the point of predictability, but that wasn't really Kotsuko's call to make. He would merely have to be extra careful, making sure not to arouse any suspicion until they could establish a better means of signalling each other.

There was something else, though. Something else was bothering the young man about this whole situation, making him curious and unsure about how much he really felt like he could trust the other man's words. They were still climbing, now, as Kotsuko asked his question. "I think it's obvious that you rigged those results earlier so that you could talk with me about this. How long have you been meaning to tell me about this proposal?" Kotsuko eyed the other man when asking this question, stopping with his climb in order to fully look at Kechi. "This isn't some scheme you just hatched together. Anyone else in on this that I should know about? Or is all of this classified until you can trust me?" Letting out a sigh, Kotsuko had a feeling he knew the answer to that question already. The man probably wouldn't be talking any time soon, and would probably just divert the questions or something. Maybe a different tactic was in order? Brushing his hair out of his eyes, Kotsuko would turn back to start walking up the mountain as he asked this one. "Are we actually still looking for this bird still? Or was this always just a business trip for you?" Kotsuko loved the idea of hunting and catching a rare bird such as this. However, he wouldn't be able to do it with a partner who didn't care. If Kechi was going to back out now, Kotsuko might as well just wait until next time. He'd just have to see what happened.

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Kechi closed his eyes and nodded a few times. He was glad to hear the two had come to an agreement. It had been a fun little dance around, but the most satisfying part to the Tanuki was the ending. "I'll keep up my end. You'll see." Kotsuko revealed his deduction that Kechi had rigged their partnership and asked for more details. Normally, Kechi would dodge the issue. However, this presented him an opportunity to jab that solemn Medical Chief right in the dentures. I had to tell the kid. He needed to trust me. Kechi said that in his mind, trying to make it sound convincing for when the old bitty would find out the truth. "You are one smart cookie, just as advertised. One Hashigaki Kusari was the one who told me about you. She said you were the curious sort, eager for research. She's a bit of a busy body, likin' to get into people's business. That's why I like her as a contact. And besides, she's so old, it's charity to give her something to do, makes her feel accomplished."

With their official business concluded, Kechi could now focus on the original task given to them. Kotsuko questioned if the Tanuki even wanted to participate in the search, and the man chuckled. "Someone wasn't listenin' to my small talk. You might think my previous blathering was hidin' an ulterior motive, but you'd be mistakin'. I happen to want to find this fine piece of poultry. The possibilities are endless with what could be done with such a catch." Kechi gave a cheeky grin and pointed forward. "Onward!" However, despite their gusto, there would sadly be no discovery of the Lightning Bird. Maybe it was just a myth.

[Topic Left]