The Other Side [solo-team Mission/Gennin Exam]

[Shinrya Kahako]

At a remote inn out in the lowlands of De Cevitate Attonbitus.​

---

Oka Miri attempted to rub the stress-induced migraine from her skull as she stared--for what was probably the thousandth time--at the roll of parchment filled with elegant penmanship and stamped with the Raikage’s signature so carefully, the damn thing was nearly invisible. An additional signature with a crappily drawn chibi was crudely drawn, next to it giving her a big thumbs up that irritated the mess out of her.

She grabbed the bottle of dark liquor next to her, filled it to the brim, and the threw it back before grimacing. “What alternate reality do I live in to be here, right now?” she mumbled to no one in particular as she waited for the two assigned to her ‘team’ to arrive. Glancing at the patrons ghosting the dark and grim place, she took in the type of people who, for the most part, minded their own business. Many looked to be like lower class merchants and local farmers looking for their evening entertainment. Overall it wasn't the best place to bring a kid, but the passerby's at least wouldn't think twice unless they were being nosy.

They weren’t late, exactly. There was specific instructions that not a single one of them to arrive together, and that she would be the one who had most the information as the leader. Each were to come with what they deemed fit for traveling to the country, but other than that there was no specific detail on what they all looked like to each other. Or how they could make sure in this crowd of people they got the right people. She had it easy: 'look for two underage girls travelling alone.' They, however, would have a hell of a time picking her out if she missed them enter through the door. Miri fit right in with this crowd... the singular feature that would distinguish a different would be that he dark leather clothes were a good bit cleaner than everything and everyone in this large, open room. The jounin snorted. This entire idea for them to just 'figure it out' was irresponsible, and a stranger would find it highly suspect. Of course no one cared to ask her about her opinion on how this operation started.

Miri stared at the secondary signature that accompanied the Raikage's traditional stamp. She didn’t know who Takaki Saeko was, but the woman was probably about as useful as a chocolate teapot. And they made her the interim Raikage. Which lead Miri to waiting in a dark, probably roach-infested inn, for two academy students to arrive. She should have been scheduled to guard the gates as she was doing for the past six years.

“Become a special jounin, they said, you could do the world some good, they said…” she read over the mission notes once more before glaring at a little ‘you can do this!’ sticker that was placed in the top right corner over the mission rank. If those girls didn’t arrive soon, she was going to drink herself under the table and into her coffin. Sometimes she really hated her higher-ups.

Spoiler: OOC

[Topic entered with NPC Oka Miri]
Welcome to your personalized genin exam, you two! Just a few ground rules to cover before we kick it off...
1) Shiori and Shizuka have not been given any information other than the fact that they have a D-rank mission(not normally given to Academy students without a higher ranking person to oversee it), are not to arrive/travel together, and there will be someone waiting for them when they arrive at the location listed in their mission scroll.
2) While this is a genin exam, it is also a modded mission with the rank of D. Keep this in mind as you prepare for your journey, and RP appropriately.
3) (SUPER IMPORTANT) unintelligent actions can cause you to fail this exam While I hope you mostly have fun, keep in mind there are actions you can take in this mission that will cause you to fail. I will adjust according to what you do, but there will be limits to the risks you can take.
4) Because of real life obligations, I cannot (in good faith) force deadlines for rounds, as my schedule is pretty hectic and forces my posting speed to happen at infrequent intervals. Once both of you have posted, I will try to post within three days of the second person's post. I'll let you know as soon as possible if it's going to take me longer.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Of course she was excited to go on a mission outside of the village. Even while she wasn’t sure who would accompany her, or join her for that matter, Shizuka was really looking forward to go take a look around the place on the other side of the gates. It’s why she moved quicker than she usually would have when walking to the instructed location.

With a backpack strapped to her back she went over the things she had taken along. Kunai, water, some dried food, a jacket, rope, gloves, an extra pair of shoes and pants, a small blanket she had rolled up very tightly was bound to the upper side of the backpack, and that was pretty much it. Money, in a little pouch, but she wasn’t sure if she would need any of the coins.

Drawing closer to the place she had to be at Shizuka suspiciously narrowed her eyes. Everything looked dark and shady. Somehow she didn’t feel quite comfortable already, but knew to hide it in order to not come across as a whiny brat instead of a kunoichi in training. With muscles somewhat tensed and eyes darting from one person to the other, she moved inside, then stopped in her tracks. Tatters of conversations reached her ears, the scent of alcohol teased her nose, and she had no idea who she was looking for. It’s why she silently moved to the side, taking a couple of steps so she wouldn’t be in anyone’s way, then fumbled with seals until a little eye formed in front of her. It tugged at the minerals, having some float up from beneath the wooden planks and join the formation until it was a nice, smooth ball.

Once the jutsu was ready she let it fly. In the badly lit surroundings the ball was barely noticeable as it floated close to the ceiling while turning and twisting to spot anything or anyone that might help her finding .. whoever she had to find. With no real instructions aside from having to be here, she wondered what her superiors expected of her. Perhaps the one in charge had yet to come in -she turned her head towards the door- then she could call out to them.


**

 

[Kita Shiori]

Shiori felt the weight of her first mission scroll pressed metaphysically against her collarbone as she walked. The actual paper and ink had been left back in the village, the words inscribed indelibly into her thoughts as they echoed up with each step forward, judding against her shins and coming to rest twined throughout her spine. It was not much information to go on, however the scant lines formed a good rhythm by which to march down into the lowlands of Rai no Kuni. A swatch of verdant fields and swift rivers carving streaks through the green. It was further than she had ever gone by foot before, alone, and she felt oddly thankful towards Fumiko-sensei’s insane standards for conditioning.

The mission itself was wrapped in enough mystery that she hadn’t even tried to read between the lines. Instead, Shiori recognized that she lacked any context necessary to prepare properly as a ninja and had relied on her former occupation instead. It wasn’t often that she had wandered the roads by herself as a smith’s apprentice, but those few times had taught her well the ways solo children tended to catch the wrong sort of attention. She kept her wits about her as she walked, careful to never lose track of who was nearby and to stick to the most heavily trafficked routes. Best yet were the times she could surf in a larger party’s wake, keeping to the edge of a merchant’s caravan or a travelling family, and thus gain a greater sense of anonymity.

Most who looked at the tall gawky girl would never think ninja, not even at second glance. She moved with her head down, a workman’s pack slung across her shoulders and a third-hand kimono of some indeterminate color that might once have been yellow hanging loose. She had gained an unfamiliar bulk in Kumogakure, what with the ready supply of food and physical exercise, but Shiori slipped into the subservient gait of a civilian child only too easily. Awkwardly stumbling down the steeper paths and complaining bitterly about the weather to those few who stopped to chat or share an onigiri with the foot-sore thirteen-year old.

Oddly the journey, for all her swirling thoughts and lack of knowledge, passed like a pleasant dream. Shiori had forgotten the rhythm of this sort of life, no matter that she dwelled on it in her dwindling free time and reminisced with a teen’s aptitude for melancholy. It was like finding a misplaced childhood blanket and snuggling under the stars. She didn’t dawdle, but Shiori did take the chance to savor the simplicity of her trip.

More so, she let herself feel sadness when she broke away from the main thoroughfare, cutting down into a smaller town nestled between a valley’s edge and the rocky scree of the valley’s shoulder. It wasn’t as steep a descent as she had first imagined, someone had put effort into terracing the road for a more even approach. Which gave Shiori extra time to study the place she had been tasked with arriving at, noting even at this distance that it was in some disrepair. Buildings clustered close together, all with a noticeable lean to the structures as if perhaps the earth had shifted beneath them after construction. There was a level of grime more common in lower income areas but without the overt attempt to polish up what remained as most proud communities tried for. The contrast, added to the furtive movements of a few on the streets, made Shiori wonder just what she had been sent here for. Junichiro would have smacked her for sure, if he knew she was loitering in a place like this.

Not much could be changed about this obligation, so Shiori walked into the town and tried to move quickly down the street in search for her destination. Some sort of pub, she thought, from the name on the mission scroll. Or, perhaps an inn. But she wasn’t about to stop and ask for directions, or stand there gawking. Luck was on her side, that or Raiden-sama saw fit to shine light on the path before her, and she stepped into the gloomy building behind a bustle of grimy farmer’s just out of their fields. Shiori was nearly certain it was important to remain under the radar from the little bit her mission brief had contained. Why else would everyone be travelling in secrecy and more importantly, arriving separately?

So, as she walked from the door to the bar front, she caught sight of Shizuka over against the wall, and kept walking. That it was the Senju who was accompanying her on this mission blunted the worst of her worries. Shiori may not know what was going on, or why she had been chosen for this strange mission, but she and Shizuka were a well-matched pair. Settling into a table by the front of the room, but up against the wall and therefore near one soot-stained window, Shiori signaled for a waitress and grimaced as she stretched out her feet.

The act had already started but now came to full tempo, and Shiori gripped conversationally with her waitress as she ordered tea (the cheapest, please, because it’s been so hard to scrape together more than two ryo now that ma’s so sick) and inquired as to the local employment situation. Several plain-brained compliments later and some wishful thinking about how wonderful it must be to be a waitress and most of the room had few illusions as to the emptiness of her pockets or her reasons for being there.

She trusted that Shizuka would be able to handle herself, and that whoever they were to meet here would find a way of giving a signal. Listening to the waitresses complaints about her boss, Shiori leaned forward all earnest giggles and wide-eyed shock, playing the mountain girl role she knew many of her classmates still expected from her.

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

At some point, when her bottle was less than half empty, Miri had slung her arm around the back of the chair and settled on staring at the ceiling. She had had enough of the mission scroll, tucking it into her coat before pulling out a pack of ‘herbal’ smokes and lighting one up. The medical sennin ‘claimed’ they were better for you that normal tobacco. She begged to differ. But at least her breath didn’t taste like tar anymore.

It was when she was mildly considering shacking the halfway decent guy at the bar that she noticed a little eyeball float through the wooden rafters. ’The hell?’ She blinked, before rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. Did she really have that much to drink? Nope, there's a floating eye trying to be discrete in the rafters. Looking around, it only took a couple seconds before she noticed two girls sitting alone. One was chatting up the waitress, looking like a complete civvy, while the other seemed focused on keeping somewhat to herself. They blended in so well, she missed them enter. Miri smirked. “Shit and Shinbatsu, I think they actually sent me someone competent,” she muttered under her breath. She waited for a good bit longer, returning to her stare at the ceiling and all the while keeping a half lidded eye for the waitress to finish her conversation.

Eventually, the duties of the night-shift called and the waitress had to be pulled away. Letting the woman make her rounds, Miri finally waved her over with her near empty bottle. “Another please,” she said gruffly. The woman nodded, and made a turn to go to the bar. “Wait… those two girls that came in. They come with family?” The waitress hesitated, but shook her head no. Miri dipped into her pocket before sliding a series of silver coins across her table. “Get them some food. On me. They seem tired.” The waitress’s eye lit up, pleasantly surprised that the surly woman drinking alone tonight would have such a soft heart for strangers.

It wasn’t long before two steaming plates of hot, authentic Kaminari no Kuni cuisine was set before the academy students. “Don’t worry about the bill, your tea and the meal is covered for you tonight.” Their waitress nodded to Miri, who gave them a toast before knocking back another shot. When the waitress stopped looking her way, Miri sent an senbon flying towards the eye still scanning the area in the rafters.

It hit the roof with a quiet thud before shattering.

Sliding from the table, Miri stumbled from her chair and began to make her way towards the stairs at the edge of the room. “Oh, she also said if you needed a place to stay tonight, she’d pay for a second room.” Miri hit the railing to the stairwell so hard it sounded like the thing may have broken. “Damn, I should have stopped three shots ago.” she muttered loudly before making her way upstairs.

---

The room Miri bought for them was about as shabby as the rest of the inn. Two beds with semi-clean bedding lined each wall. The wooden floors creaked, the window was cracked, and as they turned on the light, a small black ‘thing’ shot across the floor and under the lone nightstand that Miri was leaning against.

“Well done, ladies. I expected awkward subtlety, but color me impressed.” A soft cool breeze from the open window tickled the Jounin’s short, black tresses. Sitting on each bed, a bundle wrapped in brown paper waited for them. “Look, I’m not big on long winded speeches, so let me get to the point, and ask your questions when I’m done. Our mission begins tomorrow morning. We are to infiltrate a traveling circus nearby that has supposedly risen in popularity seemingly in a fortnight. There are whispers of some civvies disappearing just before the show packs up and moves to another location. It’s not stopped the popularity of the show, but the whispers are apparently enough to get someone higher up wanting an investigation.”

At this, Miri took a long drag of her newly acquired cigarette before making a face. “We’re supposed to go disguised as civilians. The circus gets funny when shinobi show up, and is touted as a completely ‘chakra-less cast.’ It was strongly suggested that I am to act as your mother, and our responsibility is to find any information you can while we’re there ‘enjoying a family day out.’”

At this Miri leaned forward, placing an elbow on her knee while holding the smoke between two fingers. Her cheeks were tinged red, and she swayed ever so slightly as she stared at them straight-faced. “Do I seriously look like the motherly type to you?” she asked them bluntly before taking another pull from her cancer stick. “Quite frankly, I wouldn’t know how to do ‘motherly’ if it punched me in the face and called me ‘abuela’. So this team is going to have to strongly rely on you two to get the intel we need. This means, no blowing your cover, no fighting, and unless your life is in danger, no chakra usage. The moment I have to rescue your asses is the moment our cover is blown and the entire operation goes up in smoke along with our next two week’s pay.”

Flicking the cigarette out the window, Miri blew the smoke over her shoulder and stood. “Any questions?”

 

[Senju Shizuka]

The desire to join Shiori in her conversation with the waitress was tugging at the little Senju, but they had been instructed not to arrive together, so joining up now before they had met up with their team leader was probably a bad idea. All of that was quite unfortunate, but she didn’t want to cause her friend any trouble. They were in this together, and Shizuka wanted for the mission to turn out to be a success more so for her friend’s benefit than her own. While she wasn’t exactly sure why she had this feeling she understood that performing well might boost Shiori’s confidence in her own skills.

Silently stewing in her thoughts she was a bit surprised to be approached by the waitress and gave her a suspicious glare, one not unlike that of a rebellious teenager, in an attempt to keep her away from her. However, it quickly appeared that there was nothing to worry about. Someone had ordered food for both her and Shiori. This immediately led the little crystal eye to turn and twist, but the moment it pinpointed the one the waitress had gestured at the little ball was shattered by the sharp point of a senbon. Clearly the drunk on the other side of the bar was more than what met the eye.

“Thank you,” she turned to her food after quickly throwing a glance at her friend while assuming that they had to keep on acting as if they were strangers. Well, they could do that. The way that would cost them the least effort was to smile, keep silent, and then turn to devouring the offered food. To her own surprise she found herself to be quite hungry from the trip here. The food brought before them was warm and fairly tasty; she enjoyed it knowing that it might take a while after this until they would have the opportunity to eat a cooked meal again.

With the cracking of the stairs’ railing still echoing through her mind she wondered if whoever that was would turn out to be a competent shinobi or a drunk with problems. In either case they would have to work with who they got, so Shizuka hoped that all of this was just an act.

“Want to take the tea upstairs?”

*​

Of course she hadn’t expected the room to be fancy, certainly not after having seen what was going on downstairs. Not that she was going to complain about it, even the broken windows were better than sleeping outside. Hence a small smile formed around the Senju’s lips when the light went on. Carefully shuffling inside she came to a stop next to the first bed. Trying its softness with her hand, she then sat down with her eyes directed toward the woman who most certainly was their superior.

“Good evening,” she started, but didn’t say anything else after that. For now her task was to listen. The new orders were mentally noted down. By the time the woman was talking about the ‘no chakra usage’ Shizuka had climbed on the bed next to one of those brown packages. Her fingers tingled to explore the contents of the bag. Still she waited for the flowing speech to stop.

Questions?

“What do we call you, ma’am?”

Obviously it wouldn’t be ‘mom’. Just the thought was ridiculous, she fully agreed with her on the lack of anything that might resemble a ‘mother’ when comparing the woman to her own mom.. then again, two poor kids and a drunk parent, it could have worked for the mission.

“And ehm..” she continued, slightly unsure if asking it would make her look dumb. “about the jutsu, what if a civilian is in danger?”


**

 

[Kita Shiori]

Humming softly under her breath, Shiori smiled at the waitress as the older girl described her home village in overly embellished details, awash with the sort of nostalgia lengthy separation tended to engender. She spoke up here or there, prodding when necessary but mostly following the train of conversation as a fellow conspirator. It was frightfully easy, after all her practice around paranoid ninja, and she couldn’t quite help but wait for the other shoe to drop.

Mariko-chan had all but taken the poor Shiori under her wing by the time the waitress had to make the rounds again. She wondered, then, as the willowy woman trotted through the grungy crowd, if it was immoral to bask in friendship when it was built on rotten foundations. Rubbing the pad of her thumb against the grain of her table, Shiori debated the thought from both angles while sipping her tea liberally filled with rice grain. Junichiro would have laughed to imagine his coal-smudged daughter chatting up a city girl, but she didn’t think he would be displeased at the artifice itself. After all, his inflexibility had taught them both a lesson on bending under appropriate pressures. Shiori intended to take it to heart.

From across the room an older woman, single but sharp enough around the edges to deter most interlopers, gestured for Mariko-chan. The resulting plate of food and tea of an actually palatable caliber had Shiori sucking on her teeth, thoughts marshaling in millions of directions like little army men scattering for cover. Smile bright and awed, she tripped over an effusive thank you to Mariko, directing a blushing dip of the head towards the dark-haired woman who was now eyeing Shizuka at the back. Reality slipped in neat, and Shiori shifted just a hair, catching the Senju at her periphery as the younger girl applied herself to the free food with relish.

Good. Shizuka was a talented ninja and no one had so much as glanced at her still form but that wasn’t to say the trend was bound to continue. Now, at least, if someone remembered the new girl’s presence they would first connect the memory of the free meal from a dour if not surprisingly charitable lady. Taking her cue from the others, Shiori gobbled her food like someone who had gone days without a full meal. At last, belly round and warm, she smiled with her whole face as Mariko-chan dropped by one last time to mention the room. The waitress patted her on the shoulder, leaning down with a breath of stale sake as she took back the plates and gestured for the stairs. Extolling the gods for her luck today, Shiori promised to come looking for Mariko tomorrow if she could, the white lies sincere but absent, her mind already pondering the mission.

Shizuka took the chance to rise first and Shiori never so much as glanced her way, taking the time to disengage from Mariko as naturally as possible. The fact that it was getting late and the waitress was more antsy than earlier helped to speed things along, and soon Shiori was upstairs and entering the aforementioned sleeping space. She caught an eye-full of the dark woman, shadows lengthening and adding an extra dimension to the Jounin’s cutting cheekbones but stayed silent as she made for Shizuka and the bed.

Plopping down beside her classmate, Shiori leaned into the warmth of her friend, linking arms as she grinned at the younger girl. She was impressed Shizuka had gone this long without any outburst or dangerous slip-up, but maybe the ghost that dogged the Senju’s footsteps had decided to take a vacation today. It was well earned and she was thankful that her first true mission would be beside the capable presence of the cat-like girl.

A thankfulness which faded into thoughtful musing as their team leader introduced the situation in sparing detail. Cocking her head, Shiori wondered if the woman was drunker than she had first assumed, or her abrasive attitude was merely difficult to shed. Either way, she nodded peaceably and held her tongue as requested. It was an interesting mission, and she was pleased she had parsed the situation properly at the open. Shizuka would not be her first choice for an undercover operation, in most cases. The laconic girl was bred too close to the bone. But as they were posing as children they would be given a certain leeway. Besides which, Shizuka was capricious enough to fool the best of them if allowed to give free reign to her childish side. It wouldn’t be easy for the other to play at civilian, but maybe this could be turned to their advantage.

The blacksmith’s daughter quirked a small smile at the motherhood comment, head tilting down to glance at Shizuka’s bright face. Shizuka’s mother was still a mystery to her, but the most formative mother-figure she could think of. A titian like being, built up in her mind from all the tidbits Shizuka had shared over their long meandering conversations. The only other conflicting image was that of her own mother, a gilded memory shaped by soft lines and sun-bright laughter. The mother in her head was ladylike, the scent of jasmine perfume floating along in her wake. Junichiro had only ever commented, when pressed, that her mother had had a sharp tongue. He had always smiled after saying it though, that pinched sort of grimace that she was never supposed to comment on. Which was perhaps why Shiori liked her own imagination better.

From either angle traditional motherhood did not sit easily on this woman’s shoulders. But a few tweaks here or there and it could be doable. Not all mothers were perfect or tender-hearted and often the best guise was not the socially acceptable quietude but that which skimmed across the discomfort of the crowd.

“Are we going as spectators, then?” she added her own clarification to Shizuka’s, smoothing a hand down her lap. The mission brief seemed to imply two possibilities, and while spectators would be the easiest role to take up infiltrating the circus itself would be getting closer to the wellspring so to speak. Not that Shiori could imagine how two relative children and a sharp-eyed Jounin could pass themselves off as carnies, but they could think of something. They might have to.

The thirteen-year old still wasn’t sure if this little pow-wow was a test or not, not unlike the mission briefs staged back at the academy, so she let the others speak while contemplating the possibilities. It was probably rude to add more at this stage, when she and Shizuka were so clearly outclassed by their team leader… but if this was a test, which could explain the strange secrecy and oddity of the mission set-up, then holding back would be worse.

“We are currently in a rather rural area, the main economy, barring this town itself, appears to be agriculture. That gives us less opportunities for different backstories, but more flexibility when it comes to civilian interactions. If I may suggest, ma’am,” she inclined her head respectfully at the Jounin before tendering her thoughts, “if we are to travel any distance to this circus, we can claim to be from a neighboring han. Most farmers work land that does not belong to them, there will be little way to trace names or identities if we pose as the lower rung of the system.” Then, too, no one would expect overly much from two children and an acerbic mother when it came to societal knowledge. Bumbling was often a great way to get into places a more mannered soul would never wander.

Shiori glanced sidelong at Shizuka, considering. “Do you know anything about rice?” If not… the basics were easy enough to describe. They were still mountainous enough, here, that there was quite enough arid soil. Tea might work as well. Tea, though, tended towards larger operations than single family units and Shiori wasn’t as knowledgeable about the growing process.

She paused. Simple was always best. The more people could read into the implied the less work you had to do yourself. A harried mother, the dutiful older daughter, and the mischievous child. That could work. It would play off of Shizuka and her own strengths, and even if their team leader was disparaging of her acting abilities she doubted the woman was that incapable. Besides, if she had an affinity for alcohol or just an overly cutting demeanor many would ghost around the trio automatically, social shame being what it was.

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Miri eyed the two girls, sinking into a hip as she mulled over Shiori and Shizuka’s questions. Truthfully, if it had been literally any other kunoichi the belief of being a mother of two young girls would have been believable. But Miri wasn’t trained to be supportive and nurturing. She was better at ‘bad cop’ interrogation techniques. How the hell was she going to pull this off?

“For your second question, Senju… I can neither approve nor restrict you two from attempting to save civilians. If a civilian ends up in danger, I will leave it up to you to analyze the situation and make the call. Just remember what our mission is” she said this seriously lifting a finger, “We’re here to gather information to stop the disappearance of multiple civilians. I very much doubt it will happen, but go in understanding that you may be face the decision of saving one life tomorrow at the cost of many lives in the future. Do what makes you sleep better at night.”

Then, she sighed before scratching her head and tossing the butt of her cigarette out the window. “While the idea of pretending to be your mother gives me the heebies--no offense--“she inserted, lifting a hand in apology, “it is an common and solid tactic for an infiltration mission such as this. We’ll still approach with the mother-daughters angle, but with the idea that I am a drunkard and mother.”

Miri then produced a flask from her hand and showed it to the girls. “My alcohol tolerance is extremely high, but it is my intention tonight is to get shitfaced enough that, come morning, my hangover will help create the illusion of being a deadbeat mother to you two.” She then pointed to the satchels in their hands.

“So yes, Kita, we’re going in under the illusion of spectators and nothing more. Inside each of your bags is clothing to help you play the part, a small headset that can be easily hid, and a single explosive tag. The explosive tag is only to be used as a last resort to save yourselves. Try to hail me with the headset first, if things get that bad. We’re up against non-chakra user’s, remember. You may still be green among the ranks of shinobi, but you are significantly stronger and better trained than anyone who will be in attendance tomorrow.”

At this, Miri stretched. “With that out of the way, prepare for tomorrow, and get some rest. Remember, this place seems to be popular, so expect a huge crowd. When the moment is right, I will create a distraction. Try to find the ringmaster’s office or tent… whatever it is... Collect any information of note, then return to me immediately. Understood?”

With final questions out of the way, Miri would seat herself on the ledge of the window, checking to see if there were any peeping eyes before swinging herself back to her own room next door. Leaving the two academy students to come up with plans of their own.

---

[lb][/lb]

​

The following morning, Shizuka and Shiori found themselves guiding a very hungover Miri through the entrance of the circus grounds. Music wafted through the air, and delicious smells of fried sweets dance among the noise. Jugglers, fire-dancers, and even a few individuals from foreign lands enticed their guests with games or oddities that came from their homelands. Laughter from scrawny children who don’t often get to experience such a delightful festival could be heard all around them.

“I think I might be sick,” Miri said as another stall of food wafted it’s sweet scent her way. The woman still reeked of alcohol, but unlike her muscled ‘bad girl’ appearance from last night, she maintained a much different look. With the help of a transformation jutsu, Miri still looked mostly like herself, but with much less muscle mass, long, frayed hair, and ragged clothes. “Chi, Sen,” she called to Shizuka and Shiori respectively, “Let’s hurry to the tent.”

As they approached the giant tent in the center of the field, Miri and the girls would get a few side glances from wealthier families. Honestly, the trio looked as if they could barely afford the tickets that Miri held in her hand. “Don’t let the privileged ‘other you,” Miri said aggressively and with a broken accent when a particularly snooty father eyed Shiori’s downtrodden appearance in disdain. “We got ‘ery right to be here just as they do.”

Two burley men and a ticket taker stood at the entrance of the main arena tent. When they finally reached the end of the line, the taker simply smiled brightly, accepted their tickets and analyzed them of forgery. A brief moment of pensive silence was finally broken when the woman smiled, ripped the tickets, and handed back the stubs to the girls. “What a wonderful family you have here! I hope you enjoy the show!”

And with that, the two men each lifted a flap of the massive tent, allowing them a first glance at the stage and onto the main event.

And what an event it was. Animals from all corners of the known world walked onto the stage to perform tricks by their handlers. Dancers, daredevils, men and women who never had a day of shinobi training performed tricks that the three women could probably perform in their sleep. But for the audience around them, the feats were breathtaking. They ‘oooo-d’ and ‘aww-d’... one woman even screamed when one of the trapeze artists fell from fifteen feet in the air only to be caught by a group of men who appeared at the last minute. The fire-dancers from outside now held a special performance of their own. Along with the strange and maccab that made their way towards the stage. In essence, it was a celebration of humanity. A window into what wonders humans could accomplish with simple effort and a lack of chakra.

And then it was over. The ringmaster, a smiling, seemingly good-hearted man thanked all the patrons for coming, letting them know that the festivities outside would continue all throughout the rest of the day and into the evening. Finally, with the show over, the massive crowd began to stand and shuffle their way out.

Miri gently nudged the two girls, “come on dears, mommy needs a drink,” Suddenly, she stood and stumbled back into the bleachers behind her. “I beg your pardon,” came the distasteful commentary of the man she nearly knocked over. A red liquid dripped from the expensive folds of his clothing.

“Whoopsie,” Miri said quickly with a whoozy smile on her face. “My mistake.” Spinning, she tried to quickly usher the girls towards the exit, but as expected a very angry hand caught her by the shoulder. “Excuse me oka-san,” it was clear the man was trying to keep his cool. “But are you seriously going to walk away without an apology.

Miri would have smirked if the situation allowed it. It seem she chose her target wisely. “Haaaaaaa? What are you talkin’ ‘bout? I apologized good ‘n well, did you not hear me you pompous ass?”

The insult caused a few heads to turn their way. Some of the mothers who had younger children started to urge them faster to the door before the inevitable fight broke out, but not before casting a nasty look at the Jounin.

“Look here, miss, this is not an establishment to be using such language, especially around your own daughters!” The stranger waved at the two girls, his voice growing louder. “And this was a custom made attire, it is now completely ruined with your buffoonery! I do hope you have some way of paying for it!”

Miri simply shrugged. “Look, you were comin’ to a place with pigs ‘n shit. Literal shit. Why would you wear such a thing out here.” The argument went back and forth for a couple minutes before Miri grabbed the man by the scruff of the neck. The bouncers intervened just before she was able to pull a punch on him, and she began struggling violently and screaming to let her go.

With the crowd distracted by a drunken woman the two students probably now wished they didn’t know, Shiori and Shizuka would have but moments to find a way into back stage. The underside of the bleachers lead a dark and shady path to backstage, but the area was sparsely populated, and only limited shadows would be there to hide them. The other option was to follow the crowd outside, and find another way to the back end of the tent.

Spoiler: OOC

Find a way to get back stage. If you use a jutsu, send me the jutsu you are using along with your current stats, fwe fwe...

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Letting Shiori closer she ended up hanging from the older girl’s shoulder for a little while. The soreness from the trip was setting in now, her legs were heavy and she looked forward to getting some sleep. The food hadn’t helped in that regard; with her belly pleasantly full she wanted to curl up under a soft blanket and dream away. But first there were the instructions which she tried to commit to mind as well as she could while lazily blinking as the sleepiness spread its claws. Her mind got more and more foggy, and even the excitement and curiosity regarding the future tasks couldn’t force her to fully focus. That’s why she looked a bit surprised when Shiori addressed her instead of their mission leader.

“Heh?” the sound came out with genuine confusion while she squeezed her eyes as if actually thinking about the question she had barely grasped. Something about.. rice? Her lips curled, she let her eyelids close briefly and then whispered “it’s tasty”, before opening her eyes which now sparkled bright green with amusement.

The look of a cat who’s just eaten your dinners steak vanished from her face when the Jounin warned them to think before acting. In order to prevent the mission from turning into a failure she would have to try not to rely onto jutsu too much, if at all. Unless using ones that couldn’t be noticed, she figured that it knocking someone out from behind would leave her identity in the dark then it wouldn’t matter too much.

“Yes, ma’am, understood.” Vigorously nodding, or at least as energetic as was possible while being quite sleepy, she decided to inspect their new belongings when the Jounin left their room in her own fashion.

“I think that this is going to be awesome~~.”

*​

Ignoring everyone around them Shizuka made her way toward the entrance where her mother was to offer the man their tickets. Smells of sweets and fried foods had her almost slide between the ticket taker and his guards, but she figured not to cause any trouble would be best. So, impatiently, and with a glare towards the wealthy man on the side, she shifted back and forth while ‘mother’ got them cleared for entrance.

“Nee-chan! Look over there!” Carelessly grabbing Shiori by a partly torn sleeve she pointed enthusiastically toward one of the fire eaters. While some of the tricks only reminded her of fire jutsu she allowed the excitement she felt overflow her system in order to come across as if this was the best thing she had ever seen. And in a way it was. Having come outside of the village only a couple of times, this was in its own way a whole new world for the young Senju.

Wanting to go toward the guys climbing a high pole she sighed dramatically when the Jounin had them follow her instead. It fit quite well, no child would be too enthusiastic about their mother getting drunk on a day out. Especially when it looked like this would be their first and only fun experience in life. Being poor had its disadvantages, and that was putting it in a soft way. One of those disadvantages was the inability to pay for an overly expensive attire that her ‘mother’ had just ruined.

With her hand still gripping Shiori’s sleeve she realized that it was better to hide now before they would all get thrown out of the place. A tug, and a quick glance toward her friend, she disappeared into the shocked crowd surrounding the arguing adults. For all they knew the girls were fleeing from a drunk mother who would soon direct her ire at them. Others mumbled that the kids should enjoy the show without the ‘pig’ of a mother.

Had she really caught the word ‘pig’?

That was rude, she thought while mixing between jugglers and hiding behind a tent that sold apples coated in red sugar. The commotion was left behind. She was pretty sure that the instructor would find them should she need to, but for now it was up to them to find out anything that could be of interest. Fumbling with the headset given to her, she had her eyes wander across the area in hopes to spot Shiori. The explosive tag went into her sock instead of her dirty pocket.


**

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

​

The die had been cast. The commotion was a success, albeit one that would force Miri out of the arena and onward towards the exit by a burly bouncer. Screaming the entire way, she caught her two teammates dip into the throngs of crowds. From this point forward, the two would be on their own, and the mission would depend solely on their individual skills.

However, untangling from Shizuka’s grasp due to the thick, unmoving masses, Shiori’s short stature struggled to keep up with the lithe teen. Before she could completely blend into the background, her shoulder would roughly bump into another. The shoulder was one decorate in fine white cottons with golden tassels that shimmered in tent’s spotlights. “I do sincerely apologize, my sweet lady” came a smooth, yet humble voice behind a great mask as a hand reached out to catch her falling form…

Meanwhile, Shizuka bobbed and weaved her way through the crowds, finally landing in a seemingly safe spot behind a red and yellow colored tent. Her eyes would scale across the crowds, and unfortunately find no one who could aid her.


A loud, broken breath shattered the illusion that her spot was as hidden as she believed it to be. A few steps around the bend of the tent, Shizuka would find herself within arms reach of a young, auburn-haired girl struggling to keep her sobs as quiet as possible. Adorned in blacks, reds, and frills, Shizuka would recognize the girl from her dazzling trapeze performance she had had the pleasure of witnessing only a few hours before. Then, only smiles and laughter filled her face as she defied gravity with grace the academy could witness from other shinobi. Now, the girls tears trailed down her face, leaving runs in the thick makeup she had adorned upon her face.

It seemed whatever silent thoughts that grieved her reached it apex. In a fit of frustration, she tore at one of the bows in her hair, tossing it aside and curling her legs onto the wooden box she used as a stool. With her face fully hidden by her knees and arms, the girl let more wretched sobs emit from her being, quiet enough as to not draw anyone from the public eye, but loud enough for anyone on the quieter side of the tents to hear from her.

Off to Shizuka’s side, three larger tents could be seen not too far in the distance. They were clearly not a part of the public entertainment, but large enough to amount to some form of significance. With the girl to her right so distracted, it would not be difficult for Shizuka to slip past without once being noticed.

Spoiler: OOC

We will continue the exam without Shiori. This mission was set up in such a way that should she come back and wish to complete her exam, we can do so in another thread.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Oh snap, she had lost Shiori somewhere along the way. A part of her wanted to wait and see if her friend would soon arrive, but another knew that being with two when being caught might only make things more complicated to explain. At the moment her mission was to infiltrate this place to her best ability. This had her look around looking for a way to become less visible to the ones working here.

There, on the side, she could see the tents that looked like the area not meant for the public. Taking a few steps in their direction her ears caught the sound of sobs. A quick glance to the side revealed the source of the crying. There, mere steps away from here, sat a girl with her face buried in her knees. The fact that she wasn’t looking up would give Shizuka the right amount of time to sneak into one of the tents, but at the same time, should someone else came in while she was still there it wouldn’t change much about the predicament she would find herself in. On the other side there was the girl, a bit older than her, yes, but perhaps she could use her as a cover for being here.

Perhaps it was mean to use someone for your own benefit. But it wasn’t as if Shizuka planned to hurt her. Talking to this one could be beneficial for both of them. So, with a slightly confused look on her face and dirty hands being wiped clean on the side of her raggy shirt, Shizuka walked up to the crying artist.

“Hey, you alright?” She asked softly, crouching a little to get a better view of the older girl. Hopefully she would accept her offering of an attempt at comforting and they could go from there. Should she chase her off or make a drama out of Shizuka being here then the latter would have to run for it. Then, after being safe, find another way to get into the tents.

“Why are you crying?” The question was blunt, she knew that, but for someone who looked like they had been barely fed having no manners wouldn’t be too big of an issue. It’s during times like these that Shizuka’s bony figure came in handy. Even for a ten-year-old she was skinny.

Wrooowrrpppaarrwwp, her stomach reminded her of the lack of breakfast. She awkwardly curled her arms around her torso, offering the crying girl an awkward smile. “Eh.. sorry, hehe.” The blush that came naturally had her looking embarrassed and quite innocent.

“Can I someho-” Roaaaaarrrrroooowrrr, the stomach angrily interfered with her speech. The pressing of her arms against her torso wasn’t really helping, so she let them slide to her sides. If she was fortunate then this one would, in her very emotional state, assume that Shizuka had been wandering this side of the circus in hopes of finding food. Maybe they could even eat something together. Consuming food with others was a sort of bonding experience in the young Senju’s mind. Aside from that she really wouldn’t mind a snack.


**

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

​

With a sharp intake of breath, the artist wide-eyed the seeming sudden appearance of Shizuka with momentary panic. “W-Wha? Where did you come from?” Looking around, befuddled, she quickly wiped her face, suddenly remembering that she should probably be smiling.

Except her face didn’t seem to want to listen to her. “I’m sorry you had to see that," she said, once again trying to recover, and failing miserably. She crossed her arms, trying to close herself up, but when a loud growl rumbled from the stranger’s midsection, she let out a little laugh. “C-can I recommend the grilled squid? We get shipments in daily from the coast, so it’s… mostly fresh. But still pretty good.”

Handkerchief in her pocket, the girl in black looked to her hands. What did it matter if she told a random street urchin why she was crying? Today was going to be her last day anyway. Odds were, she wasn’t going to see the girl again. “Here, I can show you to the stand that sells it. My treat.”

As they made their way through the fair, a seemingly natural smile finally graced the girls cheeks. It didn’t reach her eyes though. It was a strained, but trained smile. “I… today is my last performance.” she said softly enough that Shizuka could hear, but no one could eavesdrop. “The… the ah… CPSS came through the other day, scanning the children of the circus to see if there are any who have to potential. The ringmaster is particular about his show being ‘shinobi free.’” She put quotation marks in the air, seemingly frustrated. “Why be amazed by our crazy stunts when shinobi do them with ease?

“Well… I… tested positive for the gene. They don’t think I have enough potential to pass the academy and they were going to deny enlistment but…” the artist’s eyes glazed over and tears threatened to break her smile once more. “But the ringmaster wouldn’t have it. Made a big deal to the others about how no chakra is supposed to be used in our performances. Now I must enroll into the academy because I have nowhere else to go. I don’t even get to leave a legacy because everyone thinks I did my performance with chakra.”

At this, the girl stopped walking. Grabbing the edge of her dress, she stared at the ground fiercely. “Everyone except Ficchiliiei. But I’m not even worried about my reputation… it’s… it’s the academy I am scared of. They say you die if you’re not strong enough. And the CPSS guy said I... wasn’t.” Unable to hold it in anymore, she began crying anew. She darted once more to the nearest backside of a tent. When Shizuka eventually followed, the girl sniffed and turned around. “Sorry, we’re required to always be happy when there are customers around. A sad clown is a broke clown. It’s all so... stupid. I don't know what to do anymore.” More tears spilled despite her best efforts to make them stop.

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Helplessly motioning in the direction she had come from, Shizuka was glad that this sad girl didn’t keep on questioning her about why she was here and how she got here to start with. This appeared to be easier than she had thought - this stranger was already offering her food. The gesture of kindness brought a genuine smile on Shizuka’s lips. She nodded eagerly at the idea of grilled squid, and carefully followed the girl when the latter got up. With quick glances she tried to make sure that nobody had noticed them, at least not enough to give them any attention. Perhaps it was good that she looked dirty and the artist was crying. Most people didn’t want to have to deal with homeless kids who were potential thieves and crying girls that might turn out whiny. The majority of the crowd was here to have a fun time, not to get robbed or play a psychologist. That selfishness worked well for Shizuka. Nobody even took the time to turn their heads at the duo.

To the disappointment of Shizuka’s upset stomach they never made it to the stand. On the ‘road’ the girl revealed her problems and hid. It took a moment for the kunoichi in training to chew through the information and come up with something to say back. That’s why she didn’t hurry after the girl right away. The reason to her sadness was heavier than what Shizuka had thought it would be. It seemed that she would have to thread really carefully from here on.

Going around to get to the artist she wondered if that was the reason of people vanishing.. but, no, if they were being taken by the shinobi then surely the shinobi wouldn’t send a group of their own to check out what was going on..? Right? That.. that wouldn’t make sense, Shizuka decided with a light frown. This was odd. Too odd. It had her wonder if the ringmaster did something to those he thought to be capable of molding chakra. Did he hurt his own artists? Did he get rid of them in order to keep a ‘shinobi -free’ atmosphere around the circus?

The questions had Shizuka’s head spinning. So many things were unclear. That’s why she would have to deal with them one step at the time. First step, the artist.

“Hey.. hmm, I’m not sure if my opinion helps but, if the ringmaster doesn’t allow you to use your full potential because of his weird ideas, then.. maybe it’s not that bad that you’ll be leaving this place behind. For the legacy,” she paused, sitting next to the girl with her chin resting in the palm of her hand. “I think that you’ve already left that in the eyes and the hearts of those who’ve seen you perform. They have no idea about what’s happening here now, they just.. saw you, were amazed by it, and that’s why you perform, right? To give people something beautiful to enjoy?”

Leaning back against the tent this girl had chosen, Shizuka hummed lightly while trying to think of other things to say. Things that were both true and good to hear, without telling anything about the Shinobi that normal people shouldn’t know. Damn it.. what did common people know of the village and its workings?

Lightly biting her lips she inwardly laughed at the fact that having been surrounded by shinobi her whole life turned into a disadvantage on a mission! It felt so silly that it could be this way. To her it barely made any sense, but that didn’t make the issue less real.

“I don’t think that they would take you if they saw no potential in you.. you’ve worked hard here, so if you do the same there I’m sure you’ll be fine in time. Perhaps that’s where you’ll leave an even bigger print than here. You know, help and protect people, and while they might not be as grateful as when they’re looking at your performances here, it can still be worth it.” Smiling, she kept quiet for a moment. “See it as an adventure!”

Yeah, that might work. She got onto her feet and offered her hand to the girl in order to pull her up (with some faked struggling if she would agree). “By the way, who’s Ficchiliiei?”

Two curious eyes turned to scan the girl. At moments like these Shizuka wished that she could see if there was actually any chakra in the other person, but she wasn’t a Hyuuga. Not that she really wanted to be one, but that was besides the point.

Blinking, she suddenly wondered if it was the real CPSS who had come to ask about those with chakra.. If people vanished, and the shinobi didn’t know.. What if-?

“Are those CCP.. CSS -” she let her frown turn deeper, as if she was breaking her mind in an attempt to remember what the abbreviation was. “the shinobi people, are they still here? I mean, how do you plan to go to the Academy? Or is the ringmaster just eh.. forcing.. gifted people out of the gate?”

Rooooaaawrraaooo

Damn it, where was that grilled squid?


**

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

​

Shizuka’s words fell on sniffling ears, and soothed the artist to the point of dry hiccups. Wiping her eyes, and smearing her makeup further, she felt that the little village girl had a point. “But I did not ask for an adventure.” she mumbled under her breath, shaking her head should Shizuka ask her to repeat.

“Ficchiliiei-san?” she said with a sniffle. “They call him ‘The VooDoo Man’ he has an uncanny knack for telling the future. Many in the circus-” she paused for a moment, catching herself from blabbing about circus gossip. Then she frowned, obviously at war with herself. “You know... who do I care, they’re kicking me out anyway.” she sniffled again, swinging her mood from depressed to angry. “There are members of the circus who believe he’s possessed by a demon, but the ringmaster just says he’s just very perceptive, and Ficchiliiei says the same.” The girl was quiet for a moment. “I don’t believe the ringmaster, though. I saw a guest go to his trailer once, and never saw them come out...” Realizing she put words into her dark thought, she stammered and lifted her hands in defense. “I don’t think he’s dangerous or anything, he just weirds me out, because he asks me to come to his trailer on occasion, but he’s… too charming to be left alone with, and I… I ah,” at this, the girl blushed a deep red, “I like the ringmaster’s son… and he likes me...”

Reminding her once again of something else she was losing, the girl pointed to a stand off to the distance. “They’ll… they’ll be back in three days to take me and my belongings to Kumogakure. The squid is over there. I’m sorry… I just lost my appetite. Tell them Machi sent you, and they should give you a bit of squid for free.”

Turning to walk towards the way they came, Machi turned to say one final goodbye. “Thank you… friend. I… I needed someone to talk to. I hope I live to meet you again.” With a bow, she turned back towards the crowd, feeling a little bit better, but not completed consoled.

Leaving the disguised Shizuka to find Miri and report the information she gleaned.

Spoiler: ”OOC”

One more post after this!

 

[Senju Shizuka]

Of course, she hadn’t really expected for everything to be alright because of her words of comfort. Adjusting to the new reality was never easy, and with this girl not knowing what the world of the shinobi entailed and could give back once you were a part of it, her reaction to being taken from her ‘home’ was only natural. It was painful to watch. Shizuka couldn’t lie to herself - she felt sad about the way it had to happen, but there was nothing she could do about it aside from helping her out once she was in the Cloud.

“You’ll be alright,” she firmly said, trying to hide her emotions to the best of her ability as to not come across as a complete weirdo.

Thankfully the older girl chose to change the topic. Shizuka was all ears the moment the disappearance of a man was mentioned. Trying not to look too intense, she kept her eyes from the crying artist and fumbled with her ripped sleeve instead. From the information given it appeared that the man, this Ficchiliiei guy, was a real creep. In fact, he could be a trail if not the culprit. People vanishing.. him luring people. Shizuka really wanted to explore that path but knew that both Shiori and their leader would have to know first. They were not to act unless necessary. She bit her lip.

“Thank you, Machi-san. Hmm,” the girl was about to leave, and Shizuka felt like she had to make sure that she was alright long-term. Yet, she couldn’t follow her or take her with her. “Hey! can you, don’t.. don’t ever go to that Ficchiliiei guy, okay?”

Pulling up a bit of her dirty T-shirt she showed her side. A bruise the size of an apple was visible on her otherwise milky white skin. “Old men can be real creeps,” she said, feeling a little bad about the lie, but knowing that it was better to scare Machi than to have her being hurt. The bruise was from training, but the girl wouldn’t know that.

“Thanks, and take care!”

With that, she decided that the squid would have to wait. The hollow feeling in her stomach wasn’t as important as the information she had gathered. Perhaps someone was already in danger, one couldn’t be sure. That’s why she rushed back toward the area meant for the guests, getting out the headset she had to make contact with the instructor.

“Ma’am?” she tried out the mic, staying safely tucked away behind one of the larger pillars that held the tent. “I think I have something.” Well, she really hoped that she did, otherwise the Jounin might not be too pleased. Waiting for the woman to give her instructions, she then headed to the assigned spot. Nobody paid any attention to her, mostly because kids were running all over the place. Their excitement was contagious but Shizuka had no time for fun.

Scanning the area she notices the Jounin, but not Shiori. Perhaps her friend was dealing with another thing. She would have to ask her about that later. For now.. the young Senju appeared next to the team leader with her eyes slightly worried. “I’ve spoken with an artist, she’s about to be taken by the Shinobi, she’s said. And at first I thought those might be the hmm missing people, but then we would know, right?”

Whispering the last part, she came a bit closer. “But then she’s mentioned a man by the name of Ficchiliiei. The people around here think he might be possessed by a demon. She’s also said that someone’s vanished after going to his trailer.”

Unsure if she should have found the trailer first.. she gave the woman an insecure look. “With your permission, I’ll look for said trailer?” Hopefully, she had done well in talking to her first. But.. what if someone was already getting hurt while they were having this conversation?

“Ma’am..?” a sudden idea worried her even more. “what if.. what if the shinobi don’t come here.. what if-” This guy liked her, and people vanished .. and and-

“What if that’s an excuse? I mean, the girl I spoke too was very emotional. She thought they would take her to the village, but she also said that this creep was sort of interested in her? What if.. the CPSS is a cover?”

Rambling on, she suddenly felt a bit embarrassed. The Jounin probably didn’t want to hear all of that. So, with her back straight, she waited for potential orders.


**

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Miri, having been kicked out and long since dropped her illusion, walked the public areas acting interested in the various merchandise. She couldn’t quite get into the more private areas of the carnival without suspicion, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t try to pick up information in the crowd. So far, however, she was turning up with a whole lot of nadda.

”Ma’am? I think I have something.”

“I’m on my way to you.” Miri spoke softly, turning and giving coordinates for Shizuka to have them rendezvous at a private location. Once sure they were alone, the jounin listened as the girl recounted what she learned from one of the performers here. Her mind turned as the thought about the information. “You’re right. If it was the CPSS’s doing, then we wouldn’t have been called out here in the first place. Furthermore, it’s illegal for that team to take children without prior approval. If a team within the organization is doing that, then they’ve gone rogue.”

Her expression darkened at the rumors of this Ficchiliei guy. As much as she hated it, demon possession was about as common as a hooker on the street of Port Cirrus. Only different between the two was that you walked away from a jinchuriki with way more than just a strange itch between your legs if they’re extremely volatile. “No, if he is possessed, then we’re dealing with a Jinchuriki that went unnoticed by the government for Raiden knows how long.” She started pacing, wondering if she should pull Shiori from the field.

She paused in pacing as Shizuka voiced her fears. One that Miri had herself. “I am worried about that as well. I haven’t heard of a CPSS team being active in the area, but it’s not exactly my position to know either.” She was silent for a moment before seeming coming to a decision. “I want you to immediately head back to the village. Report to the administration your findings, and request that an ANBU squad follow-up on the rumor of a demon. If you hurry, we can get them back here within 24 hours. I’m going to pull Shiori out as well. I don’t like the rumors that are circulating around this circus.”

With a confirmation from Shizuka that she would return to the village post hase. Miri made sure the girl was far out of ear shot and sight before activating her comms once more. “Shiori, abort mission. Rendezvous at the following coodi—” Miri paused as she heard a voice came back through the intercom. No, more than one voice… a series of conversations. Miri listened quietly, her expression darkening as she immediately started walking towards the back of the tent. She spoke quietly and low. “Shiori, listen to me very carefully, whatever you do, do not engage, you hear me? Get the fuck out of there and back into the public as quickly as you can.”

With those last order, Miri took her finger off her comm, diving into crowd with an intense purpose in finding her teammate.

She needed to find that damn trailer.

Spoiler: OOC

I am leaving this story open ended in the event Shiori comes back and would like to finish her exam.
Mission complete, Topic Left