Megu had returned to Suo to give him the news about the posters being taken down. Evening had set in the town and he shivered slightly, wrapping his arms around himself for warmth. He cursed slightly as he stood in a puddle of water that had collected in one of the many potholes that littered the street.
As he entered Suo's he smelled the familiar spices and was pleased to find that despite the late hour a fresh pot of tea was brewing on the side. He helped himself to a cup and headed on through to the back room and found Suo sat at his desk, books full of numbers sprawled across the table. Suo looked up as he entered, closing the books and clearing some space for him to sit, which he did.
"So you found them then?"
Megu was taken back for a second, surprised Suo was already aware that people were targeting his business.
"Do you know who they are?"
Suo sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.
"I think the ones who've been taking the posters down are being hired by someone else. I suspected that it was a rival restaurant ar first, but I really don't know anymore. At least now we've found these ones we can try and make them stop. Then again it's not like either of us are particularly intimidating is it."
Suo laughed, but Megu could see that it was the forced kinf of laugh where the smile doesn't quite reach your eyes.
"Suo I can be intimidating! Let me try I can-"
"No. Megu you're ten years old. I made a promise I'd look out for you and I intend to keep that promise."
Megu felt a mixture of shame and helplessness building up inside of him.
"Suo I can help. What do you think I've been learning all the time at the Academy?"
He formed a few quick handseals and suddenly there were three Megu's, but two of the were on fire. Suo stood quickly, the chair toppling behind him.
"Well... you have been busy haven't you. Look I'm not happy with this, but I don't think that's ever stopped you before has it. Look just be safe. Oh, and don't tell your mother okay!"
Mwgu scouted out the area that night, using hs crystal eye to see into even the darkest corners. He went to the warehouse where he'd seen the poster thiefs hive, but was dismayed to find that it was locked up tight. As he walked back to the house a plan started to form in his mind, but he'd need a few items first.
I didn't sense any chakra from them and they didn't know I was there. I'm pretty certain they weren't just trying to conceal it. Yes, this will work perfectly.
Over the next few days Megu observed the warehouse. In the brief moment he'd seen the door swing open Megu had noticed that there had been boxes and supplies inside. Although he couldn't really tell where these were from he was sure that they must have been put there somehow. He'd continued to put up posters but spent most of his time watching the warehouse until he saw a truck pull up. He walked along the pavement closer as the door was opened and the boxes were unloaded.
This is my chance, it's now or never Megu.
He waited until the men were inside and climbed into the back of the truck, using his transformation jutsu to mimic the box perfectly. The men came back from the warehouse and looked into the back of the truck.
"Hey, I thought there was only one box left? I was going to make you do it!"
Megu's heart almost stopped as the men approached.
"Give it a rest, just put it inside. I know this great coffee place close to here we can sneak off to after."
The other man grunted as they picked up the box shaped Megu, placing him hard inside the warehouse. As the door closed Megu briefly turned back into himself and looked around for clues. The boxes were nailed shut and just as Megu was about to make a crow bar out of his tibia he heard footsteps and muffled voices.
They're here.
He changed back into a box and chose a place in the corner where he could observe for a while. Harsh fluorescent lights sparked into action as the same three people he'd caught pilfering posters entered.
"A good haul again, boss'll be pleased. I don't know why he keeps on putting up posters he must know he's wasting his time."
"Why do you care? It's keeping us in drink isn't it? Anyway where's' the drop this week?"
He heard a man sigh before responding to the nameless woman.
"Apparently we need to look at the wall next to the fountain in the Red Oak Square. There'll rock under a tree that has no earthly business being there. That's where the money is and also our next orders."
That was enough for Megu, he was one step closer to finding out once and for all who was behind the scheme. Within an instant he dropped the transformation and channeled his chakra out through his pores, his body looking like it had caught on fire as his immolation armour activated. He continued to focus his charka, but this time through his bones. His ribs extended, piercing out through the skin, his finger bones elongating until they burst through the tips, creating bone claws on the end of his hand. The trio turned in horror as he extended all of the bones in his legs until he was a towering, burning form with bones sticking out from all angles of his body. Although Megu had tried each action alone many times, this was the first time he'd actually tried them all in unison. The pain was almost unbearable.
"D-d-demon!"
Well this got their attention.
He cast searing eruption, channeling chakra into his hand, then through the floor until it reached the door before searing flames blocked the only exit. With his plan in full flow he decided that now was the time to speak.
"This has gone on too long. I will not have you messing with the affairs of men. No more will you take actions in this town. No more will you terrorise the people of Leaf. I am the guardian of the gardens, the watcher within the walls. You will leave this place but if you want to leave with your lives you will provide me with answers."
The heat in the room was almost unbearable. Megu half worried that the boxes would ignite any second, or that his jutsu would fail him and leave him stranded. His plan, however, seemed to be working.
"We'll tell you anything please. It wasn't us we were told to do this. I met a man in a bar and he promised me money. I don't even remember what he looks like everytime I looked away from him his face would disappear from my mind."
That sounds like he could be a gen user...
The man paused for a second, now on his knees as the other two sat on the floor, open mouthed. Megu took this opportunity to reach to his side, pulling out one of his rib bones. The bone extended out of him at his will until a long serrated blade was held in his hand, which, naturally, he then set on fire. Panic set in deeper to the man in front as the woman now spoke up.
"He's telling the truth. He pays us at a dead drop where we get our next orders and where to collect our money. Just take it we'll leave town you wont see us again I promise."
Megu dropped the flames at the door. As annoyed as he was things had slightly gotten out of hand. He had gotten at least some information out of the group.
"If you return to this town, I will see. If you speak about this to anyone, I Will hear. If you even think about the Village hidden in the Leaf again, I will know."
With that the group fled out into the night. Megu really hoped that they would heed his warning and was actually quite glad he didn't have to hurt them. As he extinguished the flames that engulfed him he crept around the door. He considered forming his crystal eye once more but thought better of it. The amount of chakra his little stunt had cost him was was enough to make him feel a little chakra sick. He hid the bones that were making their way back into his body with his coat to make sure he didn't startle anyone and headed towards the drop point.
He reached the fountain in good time, finding a stone that seemed a little off, both looks and weight wise. He tapped it with a kunai and found that it was oddly hollow. As he ran his fingers round the 'stone' he foud an edge, inserting his kunai into it until it popped open. Inside there were a few notes along with a folded piece of paper. He opened it up, barely daring to breathe. It was all in code.
Dammit...
As he entered Suo's he smelled the familiar spices and was pleased to find that despite the late hour a fresh pot of tea was brewing on the side. He helped himself to a cup and headed on through to the back room and found Suo sat at his desk, books full of numbers sprawled across the table. Suo looked up as he entered, closing the books and clearing some space for him to sit, which he did.
"So you found them then?"
Megu was taken back for a second, surprised Suo was already aware that people were targeting his business.
"Do you know who they are?"
Suo sighed, rubbing his face with his hands.
"I think the ones who've been taking the posters down are being hired by someone else. I suspected that it was a rival restaurant ar first, but I really don't know anymore. At least now we've found these ones we can try and make them stop. Then again it's not like either of us are particularly intimidating is it."
Suo laughed, but Megu could see that it was the forced kinf of laugh where the smile doesn't quite reach your eyes.
"Suo I can be intimidating! Let me try I can-"
"No. Megu you're ten years old. I made a promise I'd look out for you and I intend to keep that promise."
Megu felt a mixture of shame and helplessness building up inside of him.
"Suo I can help. What do you think I've been learning all the time at the Academy?"
He formed a few quick handseals and suddenly there were three Megu's, but two of the were on fire. Suo stood quickly, the chair toppling behind him.
"Well... you have been busy haven't you. Look I'm not happy with this, but I don't think that's ever stopped you before has it. Look just be safe. Oh, and don't tell your mother okay!"
Mwgu scouted out the area that night, using hs crystal eye to see into even the darkest corners. He went to the warehouse where he'd seen the poster thiefs hive, but was dismayed to find that it was locked up tight. As he walked back to the house a plan started to form in his mind, but he'd need a few items first.
I didn't sense any chakra from them and they didn't know I was there. I'm pretty certain they weren't just trying to conceal it. Yes, this will work perfectly.
Over the next few days Megu observed the warehouse. In the brief moment he'd seen the door swing open Megu had noticed that there had been boxes and supplies inside. Although he couldn't really tell where these were from he was sure that they must have been put there somehow. He'd continued to put up posters but spent most of his time watching the warehouse until he saw a truck pull up. He walked along the pavement closer as the door was opened and the boxes were unloaded.
This is my chance, it's now or never Megu.
He waited until the men were inside and climbed into the back of the truck, using his transformation jutsu to mimic the box perfectly. The men came back from the warehouse and looked into the back of the truck.
"Hey, I thought there was only one box left? I was going to make you do it!"
Megu's heart almost stopped as the men approached.
"Give it a rest, just put it inside. I know this great coffee place close to here we can sneak off to after."
The other man grunted as they picked up the box shaped Megu, placing him hard inside the warehouse. As the door closed Megu briefly turned back into himself and looked around for clues. The boxes were nailed shut and just as Megu was about to make a crow bar out of his tibia he heard footsteps and muffled voices.
They're here.
He changed back into a box and chose a place in the corner where he could observe for a while. Harsh fluorescent lights sparked into action as the same three people he'd caught pilfering posters entered.
"A good haul again, boss'll be pleased. I don't know why he keeps on putting up posters he must know he's wasting his time."
"Why do you care? It's keeping us in drink isn't it? Anyway where's' the drop this week?"
He heard a man sigh before responding to the nameless woman.
"Apparently we need to look at the wall next to the fountain in the Red Oak Square. There'll rock under a tree that has no earthly business being there. That's where the money is and also our next orders."
That was enough for Megu, he was one step closer to finding out once and for all who was behind the scheme. Within an instant he dropped the transformation and channeled his chakra out through his pores, his body looking like it had caught on fire as his immolation armour activated. He continued to focus his charka, but this time through his bones. His ribs extended, piercing out through the skin, his finger bones elongating until they burst through the tips, creating bone claws on the end of his hand. The trio turned in horror as he extended all of the bones in his legs until he was a towering, burning form with bones sticking out from all angles of his body. Although Megu had tried each action alone many times, this was the first time he'd actually tried them all in unison. The pain was almost unbearable.
"D-d-demon!"
Well this got their attention.
He cast searing eruption, channeling chakra into his hand, then through the floor until it reached the door before searing flames blocked the only exit. With his plan in full flow he decided that now was the time to speak.
"This has gone on too long. I will not have you messing with the affairs of men. No more will you take actions in this town. No more will you terrorise the people of Leaf. I am the guardian of the gardens, the watcher within the walls. You will leave this place but if you want to leave with your lives you will provide me with answers."
The heat in the room was almost unbearable. Megu half worried that the boxes would ignite any second, or that his jutsu would fail him and leave him stranded. His plan, however, seemed to be working.
"We'll tell you anything please. It wasn't us we were told to do this. I met a man in a bar and he promised me money. I don't even remember what he looks like everytime I looked away from him his face would disappear from my mind."
That sounds like he could be a gen user...
The man paused for a second, now on his knees as the other two sat on the floor, open mouthed. Megu took this opportunity to reach to his side, pulling out one of his rib bones. The bone extended out of him at his will until a long serrated blade was held in his hand, which, naturally, he then set on fire. Panic set in deeper to the man in front as the woman now spoke up.
"He's telling the truth. He pays us at a dead drop where we get our next orders and where to collect our money. Just take it we'll leave town you wont see us again I promise."
Megu dropped the flames at the door. As annoyed as he was things had slightly gotten out of hand. He had gotten at least some information out of the group.
"If you return to this town, I will see. If you speak about this to anyone, I Will hear. If you even think about the Village hidden in the Leaf again, I will know."
With that the group fled out into the night. Megu really hoped that they would heed his warning and was actually quite glad he didn't have to hurt them. As he extinguished the flames that engulfed him he crept around the door. He considered forming his crystal eye once more but thought better of it. The amount of chakra his little stunt had cost him was was enough to make him feel a little chakra sick. He hid the bones that were making their way back into his body with his coat to make sure he didn't startle anyone and headed towards the drop point.
He reached the fountain in good time, finding a stone that seemed a little off, both looks and weight wise. He tapped it with a kunai and found that it was oddly hollow. As he ran his fingers round the 'stone' he foud an edge, inserting his kunai into it until it popped open. Inside there were a few notes along with a folded piece of paper. He opened it up, barely daring to breathe. It was all in code.
Dammit...