Spooky Goes the Night (HFE, P, IO)

Same claims for this mission

Approved

Sometimes, missions where just easy.  Not all the times certainly, but every once in a great while, you found yourself on a mission, and just said...........yea this is pretty easy.  This was not going to be one of those missions it would seem.  Akihana has walked forward to be ambushed by a dazzling red cloak, and Maku had to suffer with a very sweaty jacket being pushed over his head that had previously been worn by Sweat a lot Sal..........and this was the beginning of the end to his patience.  

He’d put up with this dumb nostalgic town, the condescending tone of a former employer, seeing that dumb guard tower, impromptu magic shows (ok that one was pretty cool, but still work), dragging a fat man through a village, and now........a mother f***ing sweaty jacket was all over his face, and his hair was ruined for the evening.  You can only push a man so far, before you push him away from being a man.

The jacket would promptly be torn to shreds, as a skeletal structure erupted from around Maku.  The Rib cage would encompass Akihanna pushing away anything that could or would harm her, her pretense wrapped in Maku’s own golden chakra.  The skeletal head looked down from the ceiling on the room, as the hands reached out, the left hand grabbing two of the children, and the rich grabbing the third.  Maku’s hair was sticking straight up, thanks to the sweaty jacket, and his eyes where on fire.  This was not how the night was supposed to go, and he was being pushed a little to hard back into the Shinobi life to not let it bleed out some.  Besides......wasn’t it bad to hold everything in.

“Enough!”  Maku would yell, “what is going on!”  His second shout was directed at the genin as the skeleton gave a little squeeze.  It wasn’t enough to hurt them, but undoubtedly they were uncomfortable.  As he was about to apply a little more pressure however, Jack stumbles from behind the stage, a thin trickle of blood down his head adding to his spooky skeleton face paint, and a goose egg on the forehead.  

“I believe I know...Oogie Boogie.............he’s taken up a jazz club down the way.”  Jack would start by rubbing his head, before falling into a chair.  Lifting a drink he’d take a sip looking at Maku.  “The three of us have been in a bit of a war I guess you could say.  Clearly Oogie is trying to get Sandy  on his side....”

One of the genin would squeak at this.  The noise felt like confirmation that Jack had the right idea.  “What’s this got to do with me Jack?  I’m about half a step from just leaving right now.  You three can have your little measuring contest and can keep me out of it.”  The glowing skeleton had turned it’s head to look at Jack, though for the former cloaked figures credit, he didn’t flinch a bit.  

“That’s not gonna happen my boy, and you know it.  You’ve got skin in the game again, cause the game is already under your skin.  I’ll leave you alone, all debts paid, and your face forgotten.  Hell I’ll let you make certain of it with your own ways, but only if you get me both them back here and give me a leg up.  You are well aware neither of them will cut the same deal, and they’ll be back.”  Jack would take another drink, and Maku considered his proposal.  

Jack was a liar, but not a liar about business.  It was a fair deal, and having the ghosts of a missing ninjas past show up, well he didn’t want three coming to him in the night.  The skeleton would begin to dematerialize slowly, fleks of chakra seeming to fall like golden snow.  The genin where dropped, and Maku fixed his outfit and hair.  “Fine........but this is it Jack.  No more games.  I’m coming through that door one more time tonight, and after that, we can just both go back to thinking the others dead.”  For Jacks part he merely nodded.  

Walking over to the genin, Maku would kneel down, looking each in the eye.  “Will you tell me where Oogie Boogie’s jazz place is?  Pretty please?”  He’d ask nicely, however the genin all just laughed at him.  The next step happened rather quickly, to the surprise of Jack and certainly of Akihanna.  Reaching behind he sliced out with his Tanto, taking it across all three of the kids bellies, however once one got over the shock of it all and really looked, they’d realize the kids weren’t even hurt.  Instead they laughed again, as their skin began to slough off.  Inside was a carapace.  The kids each where made of nothing but bugs, wether an aburame clone of a summon.  The laughter quickly devolved into a sickening chittering sound as the jutsu faded and they were nothing but a mass of insects.  They would lunge at Maku, however a quickly formed and collapsed golden bubble would see them vanished.  The mountains of Kumogakure would keep them busy enough for now.  

“Let’s go...” He’d say to Aki, as they moved out of the bar.  “Alrighty, I guess we are looking for another place........if I was a jazz bar where would I be....”. He’d tap the side of his head as they walked trying to think.  Apparently the yin’s of Takigakure where inviting to all kinds of criminals seeking a safe place to set themselves up.  Though it made sense, sure it was a mess, but people didn’t come by to bother anyone.  “What do you think?”  He’d ask, wondering what his mission partner would come up with.  Truthfully she’s had all the good ideas so far, so why stray away from tradition.  “I’ll let you lead the way.....hopefully last time of the night.”  He’d say with a smile.  “Certainly is more lively than a party....”. Spooky is the night indeed.

TWC - 4304
TMWC - 1001
TMWC to find Oogie Boogie - 1001/2000

The blonde barely had time to register the abduction of the pre-abducted Santa Clause when it happened. Something just… burst forth from Maku and at first, Akihana assumed it was a barrier given the size and scale of the golden structure. Certainly bar like things appeared all around her, protecting her more than incarcerating. But this barrier was moving, in a very familiar way.

It showed how rusty she was that it took the kunoichi a few seconds to comprehend the large skeletal humanoid figure sprouting around them. How often had she seen and taught with such figures at the hospitals in both Kumo and Hoshi? This was not the first time she had seen her partner’s susanoo but it was a shock every time. What had happened to warrant such an extreme reaction, the medic didn’t know. As far as she could tell, they had only thrown a jacket at him. Perhaps the garment had a hidden weapon in one of its pockets? Maybe it was the level of cowardice that had enraged Maku so? Whatever the reason, there was no question in the room who was in command of the situation now. And it was not Jack Skellington.

The Akari had already guessed there was some history between Jack and the man responsible for the glowing skeleton around them but just how much history, was revealed shortly. Putting together the pieces wasn’t difficult given what she had heard tonight and Maku’s very characteristic style of divulging information on their walks all over the village. He had been well and truly out of the game for so ong, even if Jack claimed the game was not out of him yet, the guilt that she had been struggling with until now would have intensified had there been time. If Maku wanted out, if he truly wanted out, then what they doing here? She herself had no choice but he did. And his only fault was.. protecting her through it all.

Some things didn’t merit saying, which was good she supposed because neither of them would ever say those things anyway.

“Let’s go...”

Brushing as much of the excess golden chakra Maku had utilized earlier off her shoulders and arms, Akihana followed him out of Christmas Town once again. The material was almost like glitter except softer, and maybe a smidge brighter. If it was possible, Akihana now ahd more gold on her then when she entered the bar, not managing to shake it all out of her long hair and being too polite to try to heartily in front of Maku. The walks were turning into sobering experiences as they made their way through the village once more. The party seemed so far away now after everything that had happened.

“Well, is there a district where the usual clubs are?” she asked, only for Maku to nod his head. They had visited two such establishments thus far and both had been located on opposite sides of town so clearly there was no conveniently located Criminal Pperation Street in Takigakure. “Then I suppose we better start by looking through abandoned buildings. Back in Kumogakure Youka repurposed the old prison for-“ the kunoichi barely finished the sentence before they broke out into a run. The insect clones had hinted something about steel bars earlier, so this as their best shot.

With Maku’s sense of direction, they made good time, reaching the district where the old prison used to be. And the one good thing about running a secret club in the old prison was that it wasn’t very well hidden. Despite there being no sign of a club, a mixture of both fashionably dressed couples and seedy looking individuals were making their way through what looked like a giant hole in the wall, making it pretty obvious that this wasn’t just an abounded old prison. There were probably several ways to enter but they might as well stick to the one that had served them well all evening.

Maku was definitely the better dressed among them (how he had managed to stop and comb his hair, she had no idea) so this time, his unique skill of being well dressed would have to get them in. The couple got in line along with everyone else. The former medic did her best to dislodge more of the glitter from her hair but it was a lost cause at this point. Her dress only looked marginally worse for wear, even if it stood out among the guests dressed in more synergy for the theme of a Jazz Club.

When it was their turn to walk into the hole, the two could see a looming bouncer up ahead. He eyed them suspiciously at first before letting them in, clearly convinced both by Maku’s decidedly non-threatening appearance and the trails of glitter running down Akihana’s arms. She supposed if there was a prize for poor judgment, well, in the bouncer’s eyes she had won it. Letting them through the roped off area, the bouncer motioned for them to go ahead and then down, a mystery that became clearer when they reached an open manhole on the ground with a well-lit, glitzy ladder inviting guests downwards.

“Well, I guess we’re here,” she murmured, getting onto the ladder first with Maku following closely after. It was the first time since her return that she had done anything requiring physical training and it felt… oddly familiar. Perhaps she would go for a run sometime. Not a Shunshin around Fang but a normal run, just to get the blood pumping.

Both former ninja reached the bottom of the ladder, only to find themselves in an ornate lobby where smiling girls in jazz era costumes waited to take their coats. Whatever else was said about this Oogie Boogie, he clearly ran a much more sophisticated establishment than his two business rivals. This was clearly a place for people who had both money and a fine taste.

Now if there was a kidnapped father Christmas here in the club, the question was, where would he be hidden?


1018
TMWC - 2019
TMWC to find the jazz bar - over 2000!

Dice roll for my post

The member 'Maku' has done the following action : Roll Dice/Flip Coin

---

#1 '6-sided dice' : 1

--------------------------------

#2 '6-sided dice' : 1

Once again the girl had had a great idea, and it had led to them finding the jazz club in a record time. Rushing through the streets and seeing the throngs of people moving in, was a dead giveaway......which given how the night was going probably wasn’t the most appropriately to be used phrase. Getting in line, they moved quickly, and a quick genjutsu led to the bouncer letting them in with very little to do. Though, he’d just start letting anyone inside now, but that probably wasn’t a bad thing. More people to hide behind and make their way through to the exit when needed.

Maku offered to go down the ladder second. Mostly to prevent any temptations on his own side. Some things just didn’t change, and he only had so much self control, especially given how much had pushed him to the edge this night. He swore, if there was even one more crazy thing to happen, like a dance number, he was going to loose it and just start blowing things up. Though, what where the odds of that?

At the bottom of the stairs, Maku waved off some girls that came up to take their belongings. Making their way through the crowds, they found themselves a seat. Some red velvet plush, champagne, and an offer of a free cigar, that Maku felt rude not to take, they’d watch the empty stage, curtain drawn. All around them was a chattering, and even some of the faces where recognizable from the ball they had vacated. “Sorry to drag you through all this.” Maku would say leaning in to whisper in Ali’s ear. His cigar was lit by a passerby waitress. Inhaling and taking a drink from the champagne he thought he might as well enjoy the time they had before whatever was coming next.

A smooth jazz number was currently being played in the background, and folks where being ushered into various seats, clearly a show was about to start. “Gonna be honest, I’ve got no plan, I don’t care about a plan, I’m just ready for this whole thing to be over with.” Maku would say leaning back, further and further until he was slouched in the velvet seat. That part was no lie, in the old days he’d have probably killed the three would be criminal masterminds and just called it a day. However, that seemed like such a waste now. They clearly had talent to create the gangs, if only they had something better to do.

As he began to think of other jobs they could do, party planners, reception hall owners, poodle groomers, the lights flickered in and off indicating that the remaining standing folks needed to sit. They quickly accommodates and the lights dimmed down low.......and then the music started. “O for chakra sake!” Maku would say facepalming in his chair. “I’m not doing this.” He’d then promptly lay down, head next to Aki’s lap. He’d found a straw from somewhere and would proceed to drink champagne through a straw and cigar smoke from a laying position hiding his face from the incoming dance number.

And......that’s exactly what happened. The stage soon showed a large spinning wheel with Santa tied to it, and Oogie Boogie introducing himself via song. “I’m the boogie man.......We’ll well what have we here, it’s Santa clause......I’m real scared cause he’s the one everyone’s talkin bout!” He’d gesture to the crowd laughing. “Mr. Oogie Boogie says, there’s trouble at hand, and if you ain’t shacking then somethin is wrong, cause this is the last time you might here the Oogie boogie song.”

Oogie Boogie for his part was a massive man. Tall, and fat, though there was a much more hardened look than the fluff that Santa had. It was clear the man had been in a fight or two leaving his face looking like a punched up bag of potatoes, yet he moved and sang along with the jazz number with a confidence and swagger befitting a jazz bar owner.

“Now I’m a gambler, and it’s always more fun with lives on the line......not line of course, but yours!” Oogie Boogie continues, and though Santa tried to interrupt his voice was lost in the sound of the song. “Odds, because it’ll be odd if he lives, evens and we will be evenly in business!” The jazz owner would shrieks, before throwing a pit of dice onto the stage.

The dice would bound across the stage before suddenly coming to a stop. The crowd would shriek and Oogie would release a sound of grave disappointment. “Evens it is.....let him go boys and girls.” Another set of children similar to what the kids before had looked like let Santa go, who was clearly sobering up and looking more than a little relieved.

However, in that moment of relief.......a snake came out of the back of the stage, swallowing the fat man in one big bite. The crowd screamed and then applauded the act. “Oops sorry.........I forgot to mention the Snake eyes.....Clause!” His last joke off the name caused the self proclaimed boogie man to erupt in laughter, the crowd doing the same. Clearly thinking it was hilarious.

“He did the snake bit didn’t he.......it’s not even that funny.” Maku would say grumpily from his laying position, as he made a couple hand seals. Above Oogie the ceiling would begin to creek. Looking up, just in-time to see it fall in as a mass of sticky mud dropped from above splattering over the stage capturing everyone inside of it. Standing up, Maku would make a second handseal, and a stream of fire would blow forth covering the mud, causing it to harden. Only the Snake and Oogie would be captured with it. Finally another couple hand seals and several trees burst forth enveloping the hardened mud, forming a wood barrier of trees that lacked any real gaps to escape from. “I never thought I’d say this......but I’m sick of dance numbers tonight.” Maku would stand up, and begin making his way to the exit. Not even noticing the feint cracking sound from his mud and wood barrier.

TWC - 5333
TMWC - 3046

The promise of glitz and glamour was not false; indeed the main area they were led to was decorated more like a fancy opera house than a jazz club where higher paying clients were seated on balconies. Akihana hadn’t actually witnessed any money exchanged between the bouncer and Maku, making her realize thee had probably been a genjutsu involved. Their own seats were perhaps only a shade or two above medium, a comfortable cushioned affair that seem to grow in size the more one expanded in it. It was a good design, Akihana noted in case they needed different seating back at the restaurant.  Chair that grew or shrank depending on who has in it had massive, space spacing potential.

The young woman felt more than heard his apology whispered as softly as it was against her hair. His words made her smile slightly. The sitting contradiction beside her had once told her he never apologized, only to do it a few weeks later and now they were here again. He had also told her he never said goodbye, only to tell her those very words more than one. At this point, it was difficult to tell when he would do anything because going against his own words was not out of question when it came to Maku. Fortunately, she was saved from commenting when the show began, and her golden haired partner prompt sank down in his chair.

He didn’t simply slouch or look down, no Maku actually moved his body enough to stretch out his legs on the other side and… iay down. the seat immediately expanding to now accommodate his languishing position. Akihana could almost feel the ends of his hair touching her dress but of course that couldn’t be possible. Diverting her gaze from his face, she forced herself to look ahead at the show that unfolded. Dancing girls as per usual, ribbons, clicking heels and then… Oogie Boogie who took dancing as a serious profession. It turned out they wouldn’t have to look for Santa after all as the no longer jolly man appeared on stage, tied to a deathtrap.

“Should we,” she asked Maku, almost up to her feet only to watch Santa get devoured by a serpent before her very eyes. Some guests were disturbed, she heard anxious muttering and a few screams but for the most part, the audience was enjoying the show.  It stood to reason that the people who visited this establishment were familiar with its owner’s eclectic tastes in entertainment. The only person unaffected by the whole charase, was the man beside her.

The handseals were lazy even by Maku’s standards, especially when she knew very well that if he tried, he could move his hands faster than anyone could see even with Dojutsu. But his heart was no longer into it. When the roof  of the stage opened up to let in the voluminous amount of mud, the audience assumed it was part of the act. Their entertainment turned into horror for real when the fire followed, suit hardening the two beings trapped within.

Akihana could hear the dying screams of Ooogie Boogie as he both burned and suffocated in his earth prison. She even thought she heard the serpent gasp for breath, only to inhale feebly in an environment that would not provide any gaps.

“I never thought I’d say this......but I’m sick of dance numbers tonight.”

Torn between wanting to stay and help and following Maku back up the man hole to the surface, the Kunoichi looked between the two options. The mafia men and the snake were clearly gone. She couldn’t feel any form of life or chakra from within the rock that had just accelerated the fossilization processes for the two trapped within. Even if she… Her hands were up, trying to summon the green medical chakra that used to come so easily to her once upon a time. Now, her fists merely sparked, remaining useless against the situation.

In the end, she simply chose to follow Maku out the door, fearing that if she took too long, she would begin to imagine she could smell burning flesh too, further solidifying what he had done. The golden eyed woman remained quiet as they climbed back up the brightly lit ladder, walked out the hole in the wall entrance and were out underneath the stars once again. Finally, after breathing in lungfulls of fresh air, Akihana spoke.

“We didn’t go there to kill.” Her words were soft as always, but the note of betrayal was obvious. Because of course the blame was shared. He had killed and she had let it happen before her eyes. They were equal sinners in the eyes of any higher power that judged.

“I don’t know who they were, or what they did. No one deserves to die.” With perhaps one great exception but she was still standing, the greatest proof of her own philosophy. If she still deserved to live and breathe, then so did everyone else in this world. If Maku had a respond, she would hear him out and if he didn’t, the duo would continue their journey in silence, retracing their steps back to Jack to deliver the good news. He had wanted more business, and with both Santa and Oogie dead, he had his wish.

Now Maku would get his freedom. “I hope it was worth it.”

The blonde didn’t notice when it started to rain, only feeling the droplets when she reached to door of Christmas town and pushed it open once again, transferring the moisture from her palm to the doorframe. The warmth that rushed to greet her indoors made her realize how cold it had been outside in the rain without a cape.

“You got what you wanted,’ she called out, raising her voice by barely half an octave because she couldn’t see Jack right away. She didn’t want to either. They were done, Jack now had to keep his end of the deal and let Maku go free.

“Not quite yet,” Jack’s now familiar voice boomed across the room and a moment later, she felt it. The plush carpeting she had thought she was standing on… was giving way, sinking into the ground untilit was up to her knees. Using her flimsy strength, the medic tried to struggle but to no avail, finally disappearing under the carpet entire.

Only to reappear on stage, chained by the hands inside a gilded gold cage. The door Jack had fashioned had multiple uses, and it worked.

“Now,” Jack boomed again, his voice resounding through the entire room, appearing to come from the walls themselves and making it impossible to locate where he was hiding. “A deal’s a deal, you get to go free Maku.. But no one said anything about her.”


Total words 1137

Claiming: 4000 ryo, 10Ap, 1,000 WC, Hunting Knife

Same claims for mission

Approved