Act 1, Scene 16: Across the Archipelago! A War By Night!
Through a shattered night by boat, the moon waved away by thick clouds, the ship inched onward towards its destination. Shizue should have been sleeping, as Rika was. Certainly, though her mom had hidden some of what war was like from her, she couldn't have hid the way that after a few days away when she returned, she always collapsed into bed. Sleep was hard to come by, and so Shizue envied her
Well, I can't blame her for being nervous. I mean, bad enough it is that she is going to war but she is going to a war in which there is a traitor passing information and the enemy outnumbers them. Though to be fair, Shizue's mom was sick during the war so that probably contributed to her collapsing as son as she arrived.
Even Genta, against all expectations, was asleep down in the hold. Genta, who she had thought was someone who, of all of them, would feel the same tension. Yet after they'd convinced the authorities that they should go together- Shizue had argued based on 'synergy' and 'prior performance'- Genta had gathered up a bundle of papers and maps and embarked first.
The second sentence sounds a bit mean in my head, like she is doubting his skills. Though I am somewhat curious about what he plans to do with those maps.
He'd managed to somehow claim the best bed, from the way one of the older Genin was grumbling, and he'd gone straight to sleep. Dreamless, too, from the way he just lay there like a lump when Shizue had looked at his bed in the cabin
I am not exactly surprised that he collapsed given how much he has been training lately. Now though, I have the mental picture about him instinctively using his bloodline to scure the best bed.
Each shinobi got their own bed, but that was all that the luxury stretched to. The facilities were crude- just two wooden toilets, and there was nothing to read that she hadn't brought along; which was nothing.
That's one thing her mom definitely had told her about war. The boredom and the long waiting, but contrary to every book she'd ever read, her mom had said that the waiting was *not* the worst part. The worst part was the fighting and dying. The waiting, well, it could be worthwhile if you had friends to occupy your time
Good thing we have being working on getting some of those.
On the other hand, considering how Sae is described (beautiful, free spirit, unmarried and nobody knows who the father of her child is) I am starting to have doubts about what she exactly meant by that.
Since only Okiie was up, Shizue decided to head towards him, passing several other Genin by, including Akahito's son, Shotaro, and Chieko.
In case anyone forgot, Chieko is the genin medic nin in training with the crazy mom. It is always a good idea to know who might be able to put your intestines back inside your body. Akahito is the special jounin that has a lot of gambling debts and one of those Zenzo ruled out as the traitor but we have no info on his son.
"Hey," she said, seeing that he was practising his hand-seals nervously, "Can I join in?"
"Of course you can," he said.
We don't use them that much but when we do it will be for either replacement or cloak of invisibility so it would utterly ruin our day to screw them. Also, good on Okiie for having a somewhat productive way to calm his nerves, even if it doesn't seem to be working. He is like those guys that obssessively clean their blades before battle, isn't it? Perhaps the Company will be better for him.
Kohama, the island where Rika was born, was visible at last. Huge lights had been set out, and the whole harbor was illuminated. No doubt it could lure the enemy in too, but it seemed that it was the only way to make sure the ship of reinforcements found its destination.
And considering that later in the plan another wave of reinforcements should arrive right before the enemy, they can't turn off the lights after we arrive.
It was no small island, and the harbor was as large, if not larger, than the one at Reef, and it was full. All of the ships that could had congregated here, rather than be out on the open seas as the raids passed by. The transport ship almost couldn't find an open berth, amid the economic lifeblood of Reef huddled in the harbor for safety.
So basically, too big of a target to ignore in favor of the other economic islands since this is where they can do the most damage.
Everyone was moving about, hauling lines, shouting, and staring at the transport ship. When Shizue and her friends were finally able to get off, after the Chunin and Zenzo had already gotten off, they'd see that there were still several people watching the ship, including one bald, muscular man who stepped forward as soon as Shizue stepped out of the boat.
So Zenzo is also on the Island? That would mean that everyone investigating the traitor is here.
"Rika-san," he said, bowing slightly in greeting at the girl as she stepped right past Shizue.
Curious, Shizue looked the man over. He seemed fit, limber, and dressed simply, in long pants and a shirt that exposed his arms, but had enough bagginess that you could imagine it concealing a blade or two. He was tall, tall enough to dwarf even Shizue, maybe only an inch or two below six feet.*
"You must be...the bodyguard he mentioned? Daitoku-sama?"
"Indeed," he said, "Your father wishes to speak to you. He's at his mansion," Daitoku said, rather formally. "Your friends are of course welcome to come as well."
Genta nodded, and Okiie said, "Sure, lead the way Rika-chan."
Daitoku, first name currently unknown, turned on his heels and walked off. His pace was rather quick, but as ninja they could keep up rather easily.
"I didn't know your dad had a bodyguard," Okiie whispered, "That's sorta cool."
"He's a foreigner," Genta said quietly, "Not used to not having a sword at hand. Superb physical training. Might have some use of chakra, hard to tell."
Well, that was interesting, though some of it obvious. Since the Archipelago had taken the stance that only shinobi could own and carry a sword- taking yet another cue from samurai- the very fact that he wasn't used to the absence of a sword as he walked would mean he'd have to be a foreigner.
So if things get nasty, give the man a blade. Also, Rika's father is not completely undefended. One has to worry how he came to hire such a guy...
Is he black? Whenever I read about a ninja who is super tall I imagine them being from fake America.
The city was awake, most of the lights on. Who could sleep when another attack might come? everyone seemed to be giving the shinobi a wide berth.
Rika and Genta can apparently.
They found Rika's father standing in front of a rather large house, about the size of Zenzo's, though somewhat more ostentatious. He was a short man, with a thick, bristly mustache and a long, thin face. His dark eyes glanced at the four of them, appraisingly.
It is good to finally add a face to the name "Rika's dad".
"So these," he said grandly, "Are your friends, Rika? That must be Shizue-chan, and there's Okiie-kun, and finally Genta-san?" It seemed that Rika was less informal in her letters when referring to Genta than with Shizue, she noted. "Oh, and of course, Stinger-sama." On Shizue's back was of course her puppet, a little heavier than before because of the upgrades.
Finally someone shows him the respect he deserves! Stinger-sama!
Also, if Shizue noticed that Rika is more distant with Genta, he sure as hell noticed too. It is understandable since she became Friends with Okiie and Shizue through fighting in the same side and being there for each other afterwards while Genta was that guy that helped in the investigation though if he is aware that Stinger deserves to be called sama then she sent him a letter aftr the fight with the chunin so he did fight alongside her.
Well, it is Genta's fault for only spending time with her for the investigation but they do spend a lot of time together because of that.
Rika's father gave a too-formal bow in the puppet's direction, "Thank you for saving my daughter's life. I am most grateful to you, and your master."
Shizue blushed, not quite used to this sort of thing. "Stinger accepts your thanks," she said, trying to play along.
Shizue, that is not how it is done!
*cough*
"Stinger-sama is too important to talk directly to his inferiors. This humble spokewoman, however, wishes to convey in his place that he magnanimosly accepts your gratitude."
"If you wish, there is tea inside, the girl should be done with a small meal, though I know too much food can be bad before a fight, but it's been a while since I've seen you Rika, and--" he began.
"Dad," she said, taking a breath, "What's the situation?" She sounded awfully formal, but Shizue noted the way she was trembling slightly. It was clear that she was trying to distance herself.
She was afraid, afraid that this could be the last time she saw her father, and afraid if she sat down to have a meal with him, talked to him like she was his daughter, that she wouldn't have the confidence, the resolve, to go out there and fight.
It must be hard for both of them since usually the father is the one that protects the daughter. Thinking about it, it must be a sad moment when the civilian born ninjas come to realize that. It tells them that they are not part of that world anymore.
Shizue wondered if her mother had felt the same way. Had coming back to Shizue been painful because it only made it harder to stand war? Love could be painful sometimes, that much everyone knew. But she wondered if love wasn't always a little painful. Painful when it's there, painful thinking of how it might leave. She knew of popular religions that taught that all of the attachments of the world are what made ghosts: it was so hard to let go of the world, of all of the love and bonds you made, that you lingered on.
Yet, it couldn't be true, could it? If it was true, her mother would have haunted her, for there was no woman Shizue had ever met who had loved life as much as Sae had. No man, either. Even at the end, she hadn't been able to cut ties, hadn't wanted to, perhaps she hadn't needed to.
Shizue always has the most cheerful thoughts, doesn't she? If she is always wondering things like that and it shows in her demeanor then it is no wonder Junko considers her cool and mysterious.
At least she has the attitude half of the successful ninjas seems to share. The other half having weird quirks.
"We're sitting ducks, here," he said, "All of those ships, they've escaped the initial fire and fighting, they're away from the frontier and the other nearby islands that are more exposed, but if they stay here like that, we're going to be attacked, and I'm not sure if we have the numbers to hold them off. Rika-chan, I could ask for a bodyguard. A shinobi one, and then you could go and protect me here, and if need be, I know of a bunker that could hide--"
"No dad, I'm going to fight."
"I've seen what ninja can do. I know you're strong," he said, "But there's nothing you can do in a fight like--"
"There's everything I can do! I've been training and getting stronger," Rika insisted, "I know you're afraid for--"
"Just, please Rika-chan, don't," he said, all composure lost, "It's not going to end well."
If he really knew what ninjas can do, he wouldn't really think that a bunker would keep him safe from them considering he is the governor. On the other hand, those in the archipiélago are weaker so perhaps he is right.
She took a breath and said, "What ever did?"
He winced and said, "If...if you change your mind, I'll be here. I can put in the request. I have contacts, including a few ninja that owe me a favor."
It might work considering that it is a small favor but by this point he should know better tan to expect them to pay him back with anything better tan a laugh in his face. This gives me the impression that it is something he wishes to believe he can do rather than something feasible but I wonder who his contacts are and what kind of favors is he talking about. Perhaps he lended money to Akahito? It would certainly pay to have a special jounin in his pocket like that.
"I'll keep that in mind...dad," she said, "Come on," she turned to Okiie, who was resisting saying anything, and Genta, who had merely been watching the whole time. Shizue, for her part, had been watching the body language.
Had they had a conversation like this before. It felt like they were each saying things they'd said before. Grooves worn into the records of their lives. An endless refrain, yet now at last it was important. Important because if Rika had had a living mother, Shizue would have met her. For her father, Rika was everything, then.
Shizue resolved to do her best to protect and help her friend during the coming struggles.
She is getting into good habits already. Good for her. And of course we will protect Rika, she is our best friend right now.
Unlike some other islands, Kohama didn't have an old fort that could be used, and so the shinobi had prepared and set up an abandoned warehouse over the last week, just in case. Inside, there were a handful of shinobi setting things up. The Yaramachi Jonin, Haruo, looked pensive, while Ieyoshi was cleaning his armor, and in the corner...Yumiko. In all, there was one Jonin, two special jonin, four chunin, on top of the chunin or two on the boat and the seven genin that had showed up. Shizue was the last one in.
What happened with Zenzo? I thought he was in the boat with us?
"Finally! Did you all get lost," Yumiko demanded, "Bunch of brats, did you stop to cry to Rika's daddy? Cause we real ninja here have got our orders from down on high! No running, no hiding, because we're going to fuck up the enemy.."
Shizue said nothing, just quietly letting the words wash over her.
God, what a bitch. That no running and no hiding comment was probably a dig at Shizue's mom's death too...
"So, you see, by putting all the boats here, they make a fat, easy target. I mean, civilians ain't that big of a deal, but the ships are expensive," Yumiko said, "So they're going to attack here, probably. But we've got it all planned out, and they'll never see that it's a trap. We're going to have the ships evacuate post-haste, and Yaramachi over there--"
This is worse than I thought. I mean, the civilian human wave idea was bad enough but that uther disregard for the civvies is horrifying from outside. At least they are saying it in a secret ninja meeting and not right in front of them but I don't know if the fact that they don't know that the guys that were sent to defend the island don't give a shit about them makes it better or worse.
That was another thing that was rather odd, shouldn't the Jonin be giving the orders? Ieyoshi himself was distracted too, and both seemed to have ceded it to Yumiko, to give out orders.
Actually, considering what we know about all of them, it isn't that weird. I mean, we know that Yumiko has been in a position of power for a while:
After the sparsely attended funeral, many things happened. Yumiko argued that death benefits should not go to Shizue because her mother had been retreating from battle when she'd fallen. In an open meeting, Yaramachi Naoya had put his foot down, and the vote had gone heavily in Shizue's favor. He'd asked her if she needed anything, but the girl, scared and tired and sick of crying, had just shook her head, not sure why he was being kind.
Shizue's mother died five years ago. If Yumiko had place to argue then she was either special jounin or a respected chunin.
Meanwhile Haruo is pretty new to the whole leadership thing:
Yaramachi Haruo: The youngest on the Ruling Jonin Council, only twenty-two, he assumed his position in some haste owing to the death of his Uncle, picking up much of his skill on the job of maintaining the defenses, rising quickly from Chunin, to Special Jonin, to Jonin in a matter of two years. He is thus still somewhat uncertain, and rarely deliberates except on matters of the village's defenses, and their defense of their vassals and subjects, from whom they sometimes draw new potential Ninjas, as well as taxes. He thus defers to others. He is tall, with dark hair and fair features, though they are often stained with soot, and he is thought an expert at the art of explosives and mines, as well as having some talent at Lightning Release, but there is little else that Shizue knows of his skills.
Sincé Haruo was a chunin 2 years ago, it is likely that Yumiko could boss him around back then. His rise is also in most part because he had to take over his uncle´s position and since the mines are important for the defence of the village and take much of his time then he probably isn't really near jounin level skill. This is in part corroborated by The Laurent here:
But, let's say you do it! First try, and you make it look easy. You're sixteen, you're a Chunin, now you need to get down to the business of being a Chunin for four years.
Now here the paths diverge. Special Jonin at 20 if you possess a specialty, such as assassinations, teaching, medicine, etc. Or, at around twenty you start taking up leadership roles, being the Chunin in charge rather than a team member, and you start really preparing in earnest for the Jonin Exams.
Either way, at 24 you have a good record, you've shown skill and leadership, and in larger villages you're likely put through some (somewhat more informal) examinations, usually without the tricks of the Chunin Exam (as in, a test with questions that's meant to actually be answered, etc, etc), and usually considerably shorter. And bam, you're in! So now you're 24 and already a Jonin, the elite of the village. Now what do you do? You can teach, whether in classes or Genin teams, you can now lead, take high level missions...the whole world is open to you, including ambitions towards important leadership roles for the entire village.
Assuming that Haruo was a career ninja then his uncle died when he was 20, that is, when he was supposed to start getting leadership positions and had Little experience with that. Then, 2 years latter at 22 he is a jounin. With luck he will have the skill level of a special jounin and probably has Little experience in leading. He is taking a backseat in the jounin council and mostly letting the others make the decisions and when you add his recent mistakes then it is natural that he lets Yumiko, who has experience in the role, might have lead him before and is, if I recall correctly, close to Tomoyo who is the 2nd in command, take point in the meeting.
Also, I want to point out that since his uncle helps us out I would like to help his family eventually. That and it would help to be Friends with the fuuinjutsu experts.
"Will set up mines to block their escape. Wham, bam, there we go. Easy, huh? Even a bunch of twerps could get it right, and Reef, well--"
"Reef is a great power that shall inherit the world through their will to struggle onwards," Ieyoshi bellowed, "Simply believe in your own strength, and in the brilliance of the Jonin-council, and all will succeed!"
That is, provided that they need to escape.
Also, inherit the world? The special jounin are each one worse/more crazy than the last. I was going to say that at least Zenzo seemed cool but he wanted to conscript academy students and do civvie suicidal charges.
The actual plan was slightly more complicated, but only slightly. The ships would leave with a few escorts, meanwhile several other Reef ships with reinforcements would arrive, to bolster the force just in time for when the average raid would be sent, if they'd reacted to the news of all of those ships waiting in the harbor in time.
So gather the ships here, wait enough time for the news to spread then take them away when the enemy is too far in for his intelligece network to warn them on time. Meanwhile, reinforcements arriving just before or just after the enemy can help crush them. The only weak part is the few scorts on the ships.
Yaramachi meanwhile would begin making and laying mines in anticipation of the raid, and would need at least a few people to watch his back, and of course both the first and second responders to the raid.
If all goes well, he should be finished before the enemy arrives and if not he should retreat so that the first responders deal with the enemy while he blows up their ships.
The real monkey wrench was the fact that if this was all planned in advance, the traitor knew it. Which meant that Island would know it, which meant that far from being the safest, escorting the ships could be a death trap, while the actual trap would go unsprung. This could all be for nothing thanks to the traitor, or perhaps there was a plan. Either way, Shizue had something to decide, many things to decide, and fast. Midnight had come, and before dawn was new, and perhaps earlier than that, battle would come as well.
Because the escorts are few, if the ships are attacked it will go very, very, bad. It is hard to mke a plan to counter the traitor since one of the jounin is involved. If Zenzo were here he could have asked Ken and received secret orders but as things stand it is doubtful
[] Escorting the ships.
-[] Can take up to two friends along.
Very important and also very dangerous since it has no escape route.
[] Protecting Yaramachi as he does his work.
-[] Can take up to two friends along.
This could be it. Some have expressed a desire to have Genta observe him and I want him to survive long enough to get his family as contacts and repaid what his uncle did for us. On the other hand, my main goal is having our team survive ad I want them all where I can see them. While the traitor makes him dangerous it is vital that he survives and there is no garantee he is going to be attacked.
[] Staying on the island itself.
-[] Near the docks, the first line of defense, and thus likely to be hardest hit, but being here meant a chance to protect civilians.
Fuck no. Path of the Coward. we are better suited for ambushes.
-[] Back at the base, the second line of defense. This would mean leaving the civilians and the people on the first line to deal with the problems themselves, and the base would be a target, but it might be safer, and would allow you time to see how the battle goes.
We also wanted to help the civvies.
-[] (Unlocked by Rika friendship) Her father's house, despite their argument, is actually a great staging point. It would take some convincing both of her and her father, but it'd allow Shizue and her friends to intervene to protect civilians while also avoiding being on the front lines.
Good enough.
*Twelve year old girls are short. And I'm partially basing things on Japan's height, so that skews things even more. Twelve year old boys are pretty short too. No wonder the Chunin Exams in a peaceful era are skewed towards sixteen being the (usual) minimum age. All things (chakra conditioning, physical conditioning, training) being roughly equal, the person with greater reach and weight is going to have notable advantages in combat, and if anything, training and conditioning are likely to *favor* the person who has had extra years to prepare.
Also, the Konoha 12 were monsters all things considered. Considering that chunin is a leadership position, experience is important which would further skew it towards older genin.
**) To note, it's entirely possible that this strategy won't work, and that you'll be confronted with things beyond your scope. All depends. If it's truly beyond anything you planned for, there will of course be a snap vote, IE 'holy shit a fight what do you do' update, another short one.
So who to engage, who to protect, how (ambushes) and when to attack (check the concentration of enemies). Perhaps disguise as a civilian. If things go south, retreat to bunker and pray or to the second base.
So, just a few things that Shizue probably knows. Most aren't related to this current situation, but I was just thinking about them at work.
1) This is related to the current situation. The Yaramachi is of equal importance with *all* of the ships combined. Losing all of the ships, via the traitor spoiling this ambush, or losing the Yaramachi both mean that in a single blow the war is now heavily skewed towards Island. Both together probably means a death-blow.
There is no way in hell I am getting her in the ships. Yaramachi, maybe.
Chunin at sixteen. Now, here, if you're a prodigy, you might get a shot at the exam at fifteen, or sometimes (rarely) at fourteen, any younger than that is unheard of except for, like, one example a generation, most of whom don't do so well because at thirteen is less confidence, or even arrogance, and more suicidal stupidity. Unless it pays off.
I want to aim to 15. Will the quest even last that long?
You were Jonin in your year. Be proud, for you are one of the few. Also, hiss about how the Mizukage is inhuman for managing to become a Jonin by 18.
With all the times he is mentioned, I want to meet him. Eventually. Way down the line. As allies if posible.
