Kamaru held his head in his hand as his elbow stationed it over the table and stared at the girl. Her face was slightly flushed and although she said she was fine her mannerisms said otherwise. As she quietly ate some dried dates Kamaru finished off his cup of coffee.
”I did aplogise for taking so long to get back to you.” Kamaru reminded her.
This got an immediate response.
”That was over a week ago!” she countered.
”And I told you I was busy with work, and you know what I do.” Kamaru shot back seeing her turn away and put a hand on her thigh rubbing it.
”How are your legs holding up?” Kamaru asked.
This quickly made her let go and fold her hands across her chess.
”It’s fine.” she offered up before going quite.
Having lost her legs in an explosion she had only recently gotten use to walking again with prosthetics limbs. She covered them and changed her clothing style to mask them as being fake; she was ashamed or more self-conscious about them. Granted seeing him enter the Temple of Five and going to say hello resulted with her being put in a choke whole from some woman and possibly almost killed. One of her legs had come off in the take down and she had flailed to not just fall to the ground. The aggressor thought they were struggling to escape by the mannerisms.
”My father said I should give up on singing since I’m like this and I don’t know if he’s right.” she finally admitted, ”Do you think he’s right?” she added looking at Kamaru.
He sighed and rubbed his chin. ”It doesn’t matter what he thinks or what I think is right. It matters on what you want to do.” Kamaru stated which seemed to infuriate the girl.
”But you don’t understand. I don’t know what to feel, you don’t know what it’s like.” she began started to shed tears. Was it desperation, confusion, anxiety? She looked like she was going to go into a rank and Kamaru cut her off.
Seeing someone on the outskirts of his view they looked directly at him when he looked at them and nodded holding up a large folder.
”I don’t know what you’re feeling, and I don’t know what it’s like. You do. If you don’t know what you want to do start thinking about it more clearly and weigh things out. If you were so adamant about it before why are you wavering now? Don’t use your injury as an excuse I teach kids to go out into the world knowing they might need to kill someone and in some situations where they aren’t careful or if they’re outclasses they will die. Anyone can tell you what to do, you have to decide to choose what you make of it. If you want to sing, find a way to make it happen. If you need time to decide get a job in the meantime you can do now and figure it out for yourself.” Kamaru stated as if scolding her for her outburst. Putting down money for their order he excused himself walking out briskly.
Kamaru didn’t believe in ‘kid gloves’, he didn’t get them and he mostly turned out fine.
”What’s in the envelop?” Kamaru asked holding out a hand when someone finally meet up alongside him and started walking with him.
He was handed a folder before the person turned and walked away. Just a messenger Kamaru figured.
Yamamoto Haniko was a shaman as his point of contact in the area. He’d be going into a small group of communities in the Akatsuchi Farmlands it seemed. Infilitration into a cult that seemed related to the faulty equipment for students and had some connections to the think tank for a prison break Kamaru random found seemed to be connected from the evidence. How it all connected though would take some more digging probably. There were several unknowns but Kamaru made it back to his place and packed a bag, he might be gone for a while so he sent word to the Academy and the Spire as well about being out of the village for a few days. He’d check in from time to time as well when he could. It was mechanical in procedure but for the most part Kamaru was already in his head out in the field trying to figure out what he needed to do to operate.
Kamaru didn’t like what he was getting for an initial investigation. People were missing and those they did find only slightly remembered what happened. From reports from people Kamaru pieced together possible meeting places only to find he hadn’t found one. It wasn’t until a few days of searching when he found a small shed with several unconscious missing people did he feel like he was on the right track. The track to what was still uncertain.
Meeting up with Yamamoto did shed light on things to Kamaru which he shared with the man. Kamaru found out a few things as well. The people who had foggy memories but hadn’t gone missing had the same general story, some with some people for a few hours get paid some yen for their trouble to see if they were part of the ‘chosen’. The chosen were what Kamaru was finding a few days later unconscious, malnourished, and confused more so then those left behind. Kamaru figured out the primary difference was the trace amounts of chakra in the people abducted were higher, although the people were not on a level where they could use it they had enough chakra circulating to compare to an exceptional student. If it was a handful of people Kamaru wouldn’t be as worried. Currently from what Yamamoto was telling him the disappearances had increased, reports of people being just abducted made Kamaru wonder about what he was doing as well. Was his investigation now putting people in danger?
With his hands clasped together he breathed into his hands as if trying to put new life into his efforts, if he didn’t hurry these people might end up finishing up early since they were spooked and Kamaru would lose the trail, worst case scenario they’d start killing victims to cover their tracks. Looking at a map Kamaru and Yamamoto started looking at where they had hit, initially it had been in more populated areas, screening people for chakra reserves and from what Kamaru could tell stealing it. The how would probably derive from being a device similar to the ones sold as faulty equipment to Academy students, why was still up in the air. They had branched out those going to areas with less people, their actions becoming bolder it seemed. Kamaru looked at the timeline and noticed they started grabbing people more frequently when he started investigating. Kamaru was slowly finding out the details faster, but it meant things would be escalating quicker as well.
It was going to either end soon, Kamaru figured as a given, but if it ended bad or not would be up to Kamaru. With the realization Kamaru let the Shaman know what was to come. Kamaru smiled as the man shrugged and stated the people still needed help asking what the next move was.
As the robed figures chanted and talked of a new life holding a device the followers swayed in unison chanting along. Few noticed the flickering shadow along the grounds until a shadow seemed to form a ball of ash and a black cloaked figure erupted in the ground. Kamaru looked around. The lady next to him looked familiar. Tracking down these men had been rough but with the deadline being finding corpses at a ‘gathering’ Kamaru had proper motivation to triple his efforts. The people looked out of it, possibly drugged with a hallucinogen. The lady next to him had him stressed, he had told her to find out what she wanted for herself so he wondered what she was doing here of all places. In Kamaru’s book from his full knowledge of the situation it didn’t even qualify as a bad choice.
”Good evening. As an actual practitioner of this religion. And yes you idiots you were mocking and practicing a real religion. I’ve come to see how big of a mockery you have enacted. I am deeply sorry I will have to punish you. Don’t worry half of you will lose your arms the other half your legs, as false holy men I’m sure you’ll see the error of your ways.” Kamaru explained writing something on his hand before putting it in front of one of the followers, or victims actually. ”Take this wayward soul for example.” he explained.
Her eyes went wide as he slooked what was written on his hand.
”No WAIT!” she screamed suddenly. As Kamaru turned suddenly unsheathing a weapon, she wobbled and fell suddenly her leg and stocking still standing as she tried to move away and get herself upright on just one leg severed off, bloodless.
”If you truly believed in the god you preach you would know he demands a sacrifice of flesh from its members of the clergy. Not killing but living with less than a whole. These people you take from them something that will be easily be replaced over time. I have some to collect from the preachers. What you and your followers owe in full.” Kamaru explained from underneath the cowl.
The members having been suckered in having a surreal moment in their drugged state had a moment of clarity piercing through of fear as they scrambled and clawed their way out into the night. The six conmen preaching lies and deception clamoured away from the black cloaked reaper as he dashed towards them. Pleads and screams came but each surcombed to darkness. Having knocked out the group Kamaru tied them up. Sure he could have killed them but it was hard to find out intel from the dead usually and torture rarely worked… well on the legal side of things in Stone and Earth Country Kamaru was pretty sure it wasn’t an option.
Eventually done Kamaru sent word for a prisoner escort and made his way to the now one legged girl who was in a chair.
”How you holding up.” Kamaru asked.
”You’re an asshole! I can’t believe you’d just…” she began. She didn’t know how to describe it or how to react.
”I’m not proud of what I did, but I’m not shining hero over here either. And what the hell you doing all the way out here? Listening to this new age line and dance. This is the best choice you could make? You’d be safer tucked away working in some book store somewhere in Iwa village….” Kamaru shot back scolding the girl in a way, ”You’re lucky you’re not really dead…” Kamaru added in.
She didn’t say anything back but the redness of her cheeks and her clenched hands let him know she was thinking of a few things to say.
”Is this really some messed up religion?” she asked sheepishly.
Kamaru shook his head, ”Nope just another con to use people sweetie…I didn’t expect to see you here… If I hadn’t chopping up your wooden leg I’d probably be smacking you in the back of the head right about now though.” Kamaru explained standing and tussling her hair. ”Glad you’re not dead.” Kamaru said walking off.
He never noticed her shoulders starting to shake as she cried softlyout of sight by herself, in a way she was glad as well.
”I did aplogise for taking so long to get back to you.” Kamaru reminded her.
This got an immediate response.
”That was over a week ago!” she countered.
”And I told you I was busy with work, and you know what I do.” Kamaru shot back seeing her turn away and put a hand on her thigh rubbing it.
”How are your legs holding up?” Kamaru asked.
This quickly made her let go and fold her hands across her chess.
”It’s fine.” she offered up before going quite.
Having lost her legs in an explosion she had only recently gotten use to walking again with prosthetics limbs. She covered them and changed her clothing style to mask them as being fake; she was ashamed or more self-conscious about them. Granted seeing him enter the Temple of Five and going to say hello resulted with her being put in a choke whole from some woman and possibly almost killed. One of her legs had come off in the take down and she had flailed to not just fall to the ground. The aggressor thought they were struggling to escape by the mannerisms.
”My father said I should give up on singing since I’m like this and I don’t know if he’s right.” she finally admitted, ”Do you think he’s right?” she added looking at Kamaru.
He sighed and rubbed his chin. ”It doesn’t matter what he thinks or what I think is right. It matters on what you want to do.” Kamaru stated which seemed to infuriate the girl.
”But you don’t understand. I don’t know what to feel, you don’t know what it’s like.” she began started to shed tears. Was it desperation, confusion, anxiety? She looked like she was going to go into a rank and Kamaru cut her off.
Seeing someone on the outskirts of his view they looked directly at him when he looked at them and nodded holding up a large folder.
”I don’t know what you’re feeling, and I don’t know what it’s like. You do. If you don’t know what you want to do start thinking about it more clearly and weigh things out. If you were so adamant about it before why are you wavering now? Don’t use your injury as an excuse I teach kids to go out into the world knowing they might need to kill someone and in some situations where they aren’t careful or if they’re outclasses they will die. Anyone can tell you what to do, you have to decide to choose what you make of it. If you want to sing, find a way to make it happen. If you need time to decide get a job in the meantime you can do now and figure it out for yourself.” Kamaru stated as if scolding her for her outburst. Putting down money for their order he excused himself walking out briskly.
Kamaru didn’t believe in ‘kid gloves’, he didn’t get them and he mostly turned out fine.
”What’s in the envelop?” Kamaru asked holding out a hand when someone finally meet up alongside him and started walking with him.
He was handed a folder before the person turned and walked away. Just a messenger Kamaru figured.
Yamamoto Haniko was a shaman as his point of contact in the area. He’d be going into a small group of communities in the Akatsuchi Farmlands it seemed. Infilitration into a cult that seemed related to the faulty equipment for students and had some connections to the think tank for a prison break Kamaru random found seemed to be connected from the evidence. How it all connected though would take some more digging probably. There were several unknowns but Kamaru made it back to his place and packed a bag, he might be gone for a while so he sent word to the Academy and the Spire as well about being out of the village for a few days. He’d check in from time to time as well when he could. It was mechanical in procedure but for the most part Kamaru was already in his head out in the field trying to figure out what he needed to do to operate.
Kamaru didn’t like what he was getting for an initial investigation. People were missing and those they did find only slightly remembered what happened. From reports from people Kamaru pieced together possible meeting places only to find he hadn’t found one. It wasn’t until a few days of searching when he found a small shed with several unconscious missing people did he feel like he was on the right track. The track to what was still uncertain.
Meeting up with Yamamoto did shed light on things to Kamaru which he shared with the man. Kamaru found out a few things as well. The people who had foggy memories but hadn’t gone missing had the same general story, some with some people for a few hours get paid some yen for their trouble to see if they were part of the ‘chosen’. The chosen were what Kamaru was finding a few days later unconscious, malnourished, and confused more so then those left behind. Kamaru figured out the primary difference was the trace amounts of chakra in the people abducted were higher, although the people were not on a level where they could use it they had enough chakra circulating to compare to an exceptional student. If it was a handful of people Kamaru wouldn’t be as worried. Currently from what Yamamoto was telling him the disappearances had increased, reports of people being just abducted made Kamaru wonder about what he was doing as well. Was his investigation now putting people in danger?
With his hands clasped together he breathed into his hands as if trying to put new life into his efforts, if he didn’t hurry these people might end up finishing up early since they were spooked and Kamaru would lose the trail, worst case scenario they’d start killing victims to cover their tracks. Looking at a map Kamaru and Yamamoto started looking at where they had hit, initially it had been in more populated areas, screening people for chakra reserves and from what Kamaru could tell stealing it. The how would probably derive from being a device similar to the ones sold as faulty equipment to Academy students, why was still up in the air. They had branched out those going to areas with less people, their actions becoming bolder it seemed. Kamaru looked at the timeline and noticed they started grabbing people more frequently when he started investigating. Kamaru was slowly finding out the details faster, but it meant things would be escalating quicker as well.
It was going to either end soon, Kamaru figured as a given, but if it ended bad or not would be up to Kamaru. With the realization Kamaru let the Shaman know what was to come. Kamaru smiled as the man shrugged and stated the people still needed help asking what the next move was.
As the robed figures chanted and talked of a new life holding a device the followers swayed in unison chanting along. Few noticed the flickering shadow along the grounds until a shadow seemed to form a ball of ash and a black cloaked figure erupted in the ground. Kamaru looked around. The lady next to him looked familiar. Tracking down these men had been rough but with the deadline being finding corpses at a ‘gathering’ Kamaru had proper motivation to triple his efforts. The people looked out of it, possibly drugged with a hallucinogen. The lady next to him had him stressed, he had told her to find out what she wanted for herself so he wondered what she was doing here of all places. In Kamaru’s book from his full knowledge of the situation it didn’t even qualify as a bad choice.
”Good evening. As an actual practitioner of this religion. And yes you idiots you were mocking and practicing a real religion. I’ve come to see how big of a mockery you have enacted. I am deeply sorry I will have to punish you. Don’t worry half of you will lose your arms the other half your legs, as false holy men I’m sure you’ll see the error of your ways.” Kamaru explained writing something on his hand before putting it in front of one of the followers, or victims actually. ”Take this wayward soul for example.” he explained.
Her eyes went wide as he slooked what was written on his hand.
”No WAIT!” she screamed suddenly. As Kamaru turned suddenly unsheathing a weapon, she wobbled and fell suddenly her leg and stocking still standing as she tried to move away and get herself upright on just one leg severed off, bloodless.
”If you truly believed in the god you preach you would know he demands a sacrifice of flesh from its members of the clergy. Not killing but living with less than a whole. These people you take from them something that will be easily be replaced over time. I have some to collect from the preachers. What you and your followers owe in full.” Kamaru explained from underneath the cowl.
The members having been suckered in having a surreal moment in their drugged state had a moment of clarity piercing through of fear as they scrambled and clawed their way out into the night. The six conmen preaching lies and deception clamoured away from the black cloaked reaper as he dashed towards them. Pleads and screams came but each surcombed to darkness. Having knocked out the group Kamaru tied them up. Sure he could have killed them but it was hard to find out intel from the dead usually and torture rarely worked… well on the legal side of things in Stone and Earth Country Kamaru was pretty sure it wasn’t an option.
Eventually done Kamaru sent word for a prisoner escort and made his way to the now one legged girl who was in a chair.
”How you holding up.” Kamaru asked.
”You’re an asshole! I can’t believe you’d just…” she began. She didn’t know how to describe it or how to react.
”I’m not proud of what I did, but I’m not shining hero over here either. And what the hell you doing all the way out here? Listening to this new age line and dance. This is the best choice you could make? You’d be safer tucked away working in some book store somewhere in Iwa village….” Kamaru shot back scolding the girl in a way, ”You’re lucky you’re not really dead…” Kamaru added in.
She didn’t say anything back but the redness of her cheeks and her clenched hands let him know she was thinking of a few things to say.
”Is this really some messed up religion?” she asked sheepishly.
Kamaru shook his head, ”Nope just another con to use people sweetie…I didn’t expect to see you here… If I hadn’t chopping up your wooden leg I’d probably be smacking you in the back of the head right about now though.” Kamaru explained standing and tussling her hair. ”Glad you’re not dead.” Kamaru said walking off.
He never noticed her shoulders starting to shake as she cried softlyout of sight by herself, in a way she was glad as well.