In for the Long Haul, Part 3

Mission Name: Bee Kind
Mission Type: Investigation
Mission Rank: B
Mission Goal: Find the Murderer
Description: A Member of the famous Bee Clan, Kamizuru, has been murdered. Track down the culprit and bring him to Justice.
Payment: 25k Ryo
Requirements: C-Class

To Diana, it felt like the higher powers that be really wanted her to put in her work this week. First the Criminals by request, then the rich noble to get funding, and now a clan killing for a clan that wasn’t ever her own! It had taken her the better part of an hour to figure out why she had been requested and not the head doctor who had practically admitted he was Kamizuru when she remembered it wasn’t public knowledge she had lost her skills in Ijutsu from…outside influences. Well, loss of medical skill or not catching a killer was an easier field then to find out how he was killed, so while a little insulted she still took up the case, having picked up both her semi-student Adam and that strange Genin she had seen in a previous mission, who didn't seem to be an issue but wanted to keep an eye on.

Finding Adam wasn't too hard, she just made a few passes around the liquor store she met him at during their first mission together, and as for the the odd shinobi, well she had used her connections in the village to send a letter to go out to Aji to meet them outside the building. In truth the trip there wasn't too bad, and once all three were togetherm Diana would show her credentials & mission scroll to the shinobi on guard. They'd let the trio in, handing Diana some more information to relay to her group of genin. Checking over the body, she'd give the rundown.

"The victim's name was one Cerana Kamizuru, and was considered to be a respected elder in the clan. Thankfully they were killed painlessly, but still, if you need a moment I understand. Adam, I want you to check that side room-" She'd point to the closest of the rooms. "And see if there are any clues we can use. Aji, I want you to stay by me for now. Both of you stay on guard, while my sensory is up they could be hiding their chakra."

Checking around the room she was in, keeping her peripherals on Aji as she did so, she'd note that there was more dust in the room licked up them their likely should be. While she hoped she was wrong, combined with how quickly the shinobi police force had been called in there was a good chance the killer was still around as she double checked to see if her tekko were still on her person.

---

185/185 CP
sensing technique; 0.5 CP
184.5/185 CP

Seeing how Diana found him yet again in the middle of buying alcohol it creeped Adam out a bit. Either she seemed to have an incredible ability to always appear when he was drinking, or she actually was keeping a close eye on him. Either way it wasnt something Adam was proud of, however no one could stop him, so he continued.

As Diana stated the reason for her seeking out Adam again, he listened to her explanation. A murder on one of  the bee clan members in Iwagakure. Asking for the name of the dead one he relaxed a bit. At least it wasn't Tadara, the weird alcohol brewing shinobi he met weeks before. While he was a strange fellow, Adam had plans with him. Following Diana and aji to the murder scene as she explained the facts they allready had, it became clear to Adam that time was of the essence in this scenario. If they didnt find the murderer soon, he might take another victims life or flee form the city. Given the position the bee clan had inside the village it even seemed to be a politicly motivated murder too. As they were in front of the crime scene they were let through by the police forces, where Adam stoppen once more to magnetize some sand. If needed he would be able to take it at a moments notice and summon it at his site.

Examining the body, it  was clear that the victim was stabbed and seemed to have bled out. While the police forces said that they searched the house, Adam suddenly got a strange feeling. His gut was basically screaming “watch out” at him as he looked through the house. Deciding that he wouldn't take any chances whatsoever after the last time he nearly got stabbed, he summoned an armor of sand around him as he went through the house. Looking into a somewhat dark room he was certain that he was hearing breathing, even if there was nothing to be seen inside. Laying his head to the side he resorted to the sand picture cat technique, letting a dense, yet soft and thin wall of sand run through the room where it suddenly stopped at the outlines of a person that was standing invisible at the room.

The murderer, not wasting any second to attack now took the initative and charged at adam, who in return, in an effort to smite the attacker, brought down a ton of sand into him. While most of the sand missed the person entirely, it managed to break the ground underneath both of them,making them fall down a floor into the main room where the body was with diana.

As adam instantly attacked the supposed murderer with his sand, he noticed that Diana and Aji went into action on her part too…

OOC:
Used jutsus:
freeform manip 3cp

127/130

Aji awoke the way that they always did, with an hour of reading and some light exercise. Unlike Kaori, they refused to start each and everyday drinking. Normally, around an hour and a half into the day, Aji would enter Kaori's body and assist in whatever mision that they might be doing today. Today, though, as soon as they left the house, Aji and Kaori searched their mail to find that Aji's presence had been requested.

The two of them went their separate ways. Aji to where the letter requested, they make their way to today, and Kaori to where ever she was headed this particular day. Judging by the events from the day before, Aji would not have guessed that the woman they had creeped out was going to hire them, but nevertheless when Aji arrived at the location near the liquor store, Diana was waiting for them alongside Adam.

Aji greeted them accordingly and listened to a description of what they were to be doing today. They were investigating the murder of a woman called Cerena Kamizuru, a respected elder of the clan. Diana sent Adam off on his own task, but left Aji here with her. Judging by her statement, she seemed to believe that they were in some kind of danger, so Aji kept their eyes out for that. Kaori was the fighter of the two, and Aji was considerably less capable without the assistance of their dominant twin. I fighting occurred, Aji would simply warn the others and try to aid with stealth.

It would seem that problem handled itself though, as Aji could hear commotion in the other room and moved to check it own, getting as close to the ground as their huge frame allowed. Aji was indeed attacked and was making a counterattack of his own. Aji stretched out a hand low to the ground in hopes that the man attacking Adam did not notice. Then Aji took a hold of his ankle and pulled.

OOC:

Used soft body manipulation -1 cp
49/50 cp

The sound of sand moving quickly alerted her to both the killer and the danger her student was in. Before she could try to rush upstairs to where her student was, the floor broke and she was face-to-face with the problem at hand. She had no words for their target, just a silent seething as she felt the beast in the back of her mind. Pushing the thought down, she’d quickly release a burst of explosive chakra from the soles of her feet, moving herself right into melee as she unhooked her tekko from her belt, blocking a sword strike with one of them. She tried to follow up with a strike from her other hand, but the attacker was fast, moving out of the way and using the butt of their knife to try and land a hit on Adam, Diana’s failed strike making it difficult for him to twist the knife into a proper striking angle.

She wouldn’t let him make another strike, and she’d continue the pressure, her natural dexterity in close quarters movement able to keep up with the assassin. However, she knew she wouldn’t be able to keep up the defensive play as the strike she blocked had shifted her, the man quite likely stronger than her, so she prepared to switch tactics. And then something grabbed a hold of the man's leg, just for a moment and threw him off his balance. Out of the corner of her eye Diana saw the outstretched arm of Aji. Right, hey were shinobi as well, not unarmed civilians she had to protect. Taking advantage of the small gap in the man's defense, she'd pop her hands back to let the tekko slide down her wrists, and small wisps of visible chakra formed on each fingertip. With practiced movement she moved her hands forward, grabbing the man's hands and engraving the Five Elements Seal onto the arms of their opponent, them falling like a sack of potatoes.

Looking over her two wards & allies, she was glad to see them more or less unharmed before picking up the knife. "You two did well for this mission. While there is much I could say, I will do so after we finish the mission in the after-action report." She'd put the knife inside her bag to be submitted as evidence, and then hefted the man onto her shoulder. "I will take care of the assassin and paperwork from here; if you wish to go home early you are free to do so or stay, consider it a treat for your quick thinking against an enemy that could have outclassed you were I not here. Just make sure to collect your pay by the end of the day."

She would then bring the unconscious body out to be taken care of by the police, take one final check around the building to make sure they hadn't missed anything, then dismiss anyone who stayed behind properly. In the report she'd note that Adam's clever use of sand had expedited capturing their target by bringing them both to her, and Aji's use in Soft-Body Manipulation gave them an opening to finish the fight.

{Exit}

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184.5/185 CP
Sensing technique; 0.5 CP
Greatest Blast Launch; -25 CP
Five Elements Seal; -20 CP
139/185 CP

The fight was difficult as the killer was more skilled that Adam anticipated him to be in the beginning. However luckily Diana and Aji were close by, so Adam wasn't forced to fight him alone, which could have ended in a bittersweet victory for him. Catching his breath he glanced first at Diana and Aji, who both seemingly didn't break a sweat, through his sand armor that had multiple deep cracks in it and was destroyed on some parts. Miracolously he didnt suffer any too great injuries aside from a few blue spots, that surely did hurt, though the murderers knive would have hurt even more. As the room was filled with police force shinobis now they stood around the body of the murderer. Adam didn't know if he was only knocked out or outright dead, but he couldn't care less then for the fact that the threat was dealt with for the moment.

Looking at the body and wondering what was the killers reason to kill someone he shook his head barely noticeable. People were killing people for the most stupid reasons sadly, as he got to know in his younger age.

Looking properly at Diana now, Adam stated:

“Good that you were close by… this knife of his is powerful…” as he ran his hand over the largest crack on his armor. While the armor certainly was damaged, it was in the process of slowly repairing itself, as he got closer to her and asked:

“Seems like we are done here… are we?"

Waiting for Diana's answer he shifted the weight in his legs as he made his plans for later this day. Most of them included a long shower and a reasonable amount of his favorite whiskey. Reminded about the fact that he had a bottle of whiskey in his trenchcoat, he carefully grabbed for it, to check if it had survived the fight. Sighing slightly he felt that it was still whole. His plans for later this night were saved as he got the go ahead from diana, that it seemed like thier job was done here. Waiting till Diana left the scene too, Adam made his way back home, after as always, recieving the small envelope that was his cut from the missions payout.

OOC:
Jutsus used:
freeform manip 3 cp

124/130 remianing

[EXIT]

Aji was had not been injured during the entire mission, it was fairly easy for the to simply leave the premises and continue about their day as if nothing had happened. Aji was very pleased with how the mission had gone, and how they were making good friends with two new people. Tomorrow, they wanted to introduce Kaori to Diana, and had plans to drag her along on their next mission. This could be the start of sokething really big, and Kaori would insist on meeting somebody so imprtant if she knew what was going on.

Aji entered the empty home, cooked dinner for themselves, something rich in protein and vegetables to make up for Kaori's constant drinking. Then they waited for Kaori to come home and explained that they had met up with the genin they faught the other day and found a potential new teacher and that she wanted Kaori to come along the next time they were able to go on such a mission. Kaori was suprisingly reluctant, but eventually agreed, before grabbing whatever money they could find and leaving for the bar

[exit]