Find the Merchant! [Yuuma]

"Let's see... The mission summary stated that the merchant's home was pretty much invaded, on top of which he was missing for a few days. This suggest that he was either abducted, or left in a hurry. Either way, he's nowhere to be found... what's more, his absence is enough to stir up quite the fuss with the higher-ups for them to bestow it a mission for his return. But what I'm not particularly enamored about is the terms of which he is to be returned by...arrest or killing of his abductors." The last of his words rings in his mental as he thought to himself. Tsuna pretty much narrowed down the possibilities of this incident to two. A hasty departure, or a kidnapping. Ultramarine eyes would gaze in the distance, vacancy splashed his face as they did. His mental twisted and turned as if on a ride of endless possibilities... it was upon hearing the words of another that would seize his attention. Pupils shifting into present focus as they fell on another set of blue eyes, black hair, chaplain attire.  

Tsunayoshi was now face-to-face with his companion for this mission, he inspected hik from head to toe. It was evident that the genin was much holder than the Hatake, perhaps three, or even five years older. Subtle rise of a brow, this was...surprising to the boy, he didn't expect to see a genin so visually seasoned. But he wasn't one to judge, considering he took time off from being a genin for a few years, perhaps the same applied to this one. "Yo..." Noding once to greet him. Tsuna was a bit disappointed, the name sort of gave him the impression that his teammate was going to be a pretty girl...but, instead he was presented a male. For what it's worth, Yuuma was pretty charming on the eyes... but a female was much more preferred. He sighed. "Hatake Tsunayoshi, pleasure to meet you." A captivating smile, eyes closed with a slight tilt of his head presented his addictive allure before his comrade. Once doing so, more female passing gasped and giggled as they noticed him. Murmurs of his attraction would reach their ears, but he paid it little mind. Tsuna returned Yuuma's respect with a bow of his own. He would listen intently to his partner's words. Chuckling before raising his hand to gesture that he had no reason to worry. "Don't worry about it, I'm no expert in that area either. This will be a new experience for the both of us, let's do our best." Lowering his hands to his side, he would look about the center.  

Noticing that there were quite a few stalls. The one that they were at currently belong to the merchant that they were tasked in locating. Seemingly, his stall was quite elaborate in display. Definitely catches the eye compared to the average ones nearby. Well put together colors and designs, carefully selected words of advertisement displayed on the front and sides of the establishment. Looking deeper into the stall, one would find that it was quite spacious inside...however, it was oddly void of any product...not even a cloth to hang for its closing. His right thumb and index finger stroked his chin in processing. Indigo eyes strayed from the shop booth to find the eyes of Yuuma, and then his attire. A thought registered to him. Carefully observing the area, the crowds of people and the owners - Tsuna figured that someone here had to have seen, or overheard something. "Mind if I share my thoughts with you, Yuuma?" Inquired the boy.

"From what we know, the merchant is a very wealthy businessman. Judging from his stall, he wasn't shy of exploiting his earnings to catch his clientele. I can't imagine that to be considered fair play for the other merchants, but on the off chance that it is, I'm sure they frown upon his methods. But, all is fair in the land of trade - dictation of price, negotiations, things of that nature. It's all a matter of competition, and where there is money involved, there is surely to be greed and jealousy." Index finger tapped the center of his chin, his body shifting to face Yuuma. "But that's just one part, next is the clientele. Someone like this merchant is sure to sell a few reasonably priced items, but that's not where his money comes from, it's the highly expensive items that I'm sure he has to up his shop's value. Merchants are all about making the best deal that benefits them, and I can say that he has mastered that approach. But perhaps he took advantage of the wrong person.  Perhaps he did not negotiate in their favor, or swindled someone out of their earnings... or, perhaps his expensive items were all fake. That's sure to piss a few people off." Tilting his head to the left a few inches, looking off into the distant sky. His eyes did not take long before returning to his comrade. "I originally came to two theories, the first being he feed in haste, but that doesn't make sense. He was making a killing here, why change that all of the sudden, no word got out of his shop being fraudulent... so, that leaves only kidnapping. Usually when one thinks of kidnapping they recall to a time where the person si carried away to another country for involuntary servitude... but I think for this case, it much more modern, thus pointing to possible extortion for large amounts of ransom. However... there was no ransom note found at the scene of his home, or here. Which makes this more personal, than we may be cut out for... ugh." Sighing to end his rant.

He would shift his gaze over to the shops and people. "Do me a favor, why don't you go around from shop to shop and ask about their relationship with the missing merchant. Someone should know something, even the smallest of Intel will help us." Smiled the boy, he was sure by this point Yuuma was going to be curious as to why he was the only one asking and not the both of them. Innocently enough, Tsuna nervously laughed while waving his hands before explaining. "I'd go myself, buuuuut.... I don't quite look the part. Someone in armor, closely resembling the Queensmen would provoke suspicion before truth. I would only be lead around in circles that would end with you doing the leg work for this part yourself. Why not just cut that out and save ourselves the time? Also... your attire...well, looks pretty homely, no offense. Just seems sort of perfect for reconnaissance." His nervouce smile turned into a more stern expression... he truly meant not ill will from his remark, but he was using his resources to the best of his capabilities. Yuuma, hands down, was the perfect candidate for this role. Call it a hunch, but Tsuna was banking everything on him for this job.  

"Don't fret, while you're asking around, I'll be observing everyone from afar - reading the situation. Your snooping will either grant you access or attention, either way, I'll catch it. So, let's get into character." He cleared his throat...this was taking up quite a bit of effort for his liking, but someone's life was on the line, so he was willing to exert a bit of it to help if it lead to finding him. Closing his eyes and shaking his head twice, he was diving into a character...or was he? Was it truly a character, or something more...something hidden? Nonchalantly opening his eyes, he glared at Yuuma, his intent gaze was heavy with a sense of unmistakable annoyance. His right hand rised to push the left shoulder of the genin with a bit of force. This would no doubt surprise the other genin, his words would follow. "Listen here, you trash! This is official business, you have no right poking your nose where it does not belong! Get out of my sight, you're presence is coming a bother to me!" He shouted, causing a scene as he motioned to shoulder bump Yuuma as he passed him, simultaneously whispering subtly. "Forgive me..." He would stride towards a cut of an alleyway where he would fade from visual focus of everyone. Within the cut, he was able to conceal himself and observe the people, as well as Yuuma.

[WC: 1,416]
[Total WC: 2,337]

Locating and obtaining shelter within a chasm of the alley, darkness - shadows become like a second skin to the Hatake. Closing his eyes, steadying his breathing as he almost felt himself slipping into a void between now and somewhere else. Gradually the lids to his eyes rised to reveal steel blue, cold and calculating irises. To the world around him, it would seem as though he no longer exists, cautiously eyeing Yuuma as he did his part in the plan. Tsuna would be remiss if he did not admit that Yuuma was doing a wonderful job, so much so that Tsunayoshi didn't believe that he could out match his ability to blend in so well. The boy had a mental chuckle as he thought about a scenario where their roles were swapped. "That would be a complete...failure for lack of a better word. Hahaha, Yuuma is a natural at this." He would judge mentally. Scanning from face to face as his companion engaged with the many different shops.  

While what Yuuma was currently doing was crucial, there was another part that was equally important. Reading the body language of everyone that he came into contact with, and did not. Granted, from the distance, Tsuna could not make out much of what was being exchanged verbally. The crowds of people and their own murmurs made it difficult, however, when he focused himself, which called for more effort, he managed to read the lips of either the merchants, Yuuma, or both - depending on the angle and positioning. From what he could determine from his standing, no one moved in a way to make him feel...wary. Not even the people that were nearby. "This is going to be more difficult than I originally anticipated. Just my luck, damn." He thought, noticing that Yuuma was making some minor purchases every once in a while - no doubt to gain leverage in breaking down the guard of his target to question them subtly. A smile formed on the face of the boy, he found this to be clever. Removing the intercessor, which was the item of purchase, money was more than likely the best way to get some of the merchants to speak up. His comrade must have had a keen eye and equal keen sense of one's character to come to this conclusion.  

As time ran its course in the midst of the man softly questioning the heads of the respective businesses, it was time to reconvene. Not wasting much time to navigate through the alley for a different exit, the white-silver haired boy without poke his head out from around the corner directly on the left of his comrade. Following was his body which was clad in brilliant armor. "Oh? Thank you, I actually enjoy mochi." Accepting the cake, biting into it as its flavors coursed his tongue manifesting pleasant thoughts within the confines of his mind. Each chew painted a picture of his mother and father. They also enjoyed mochi... he immediately dismissed that thought from his head, returning to reality and what was at stake before him. Refusing to interrupt his partner, deciding to listen and analyze all that was said. With a slight rise of his left brow, Tsuna was presented a next step to the plan, it was a good idea. "I didn't read anything concerning from their body language either, it definitely seem that they saw him as one of their own. It's actually pretty common for some healthy competition and a few belittling jabs amongst shops. So that much does not strike me as odd, anything opposite of that would have..." His thumb and index finger met with his chin as he began to process further the information given to him.  

"Now, with what you said about the suspicious guy and how his relationship with the merchant was...strangely close..." His index finger, tapped away at his chin center as his mind did its part. Ideas stringed together theories that manifested branches of possibilities. "Hm, I see. If we can locate that guy, we may be a step closer to figuring out what could have happen to the missing merchant." He smiled, as he placed his right hand on the left shoulder of Yuuma. "Good work, Yuuma. Now, you proposed that we visit the man's family and I think that would be a great start in the right direction. " He sniffed two to three times, glancing over to the drink in Yuuma's possession. "That smells entirely too sweet, Yuuma. Perhaps get rid of it, or your body will crash before we see the of this mission." Removing his hand from the genin shoulder, Tsunayoshi began to motion through the village streets to locate the home of the missing merchant.  

With his comrade with him, he would recall the address of the man's home from the mission report, perhaps displayed as a source to inspect for a conclusion to the mission. As they traveled it would be odd to not exchange words. "So, this may be a bit of a personal question for you Yuuma, but I'm curious to know." Glancing over his shoulder to meet his gaze as he looked for his acceptance of the question. "You seem a bit seasoned for a Genin...and I couldn't help but notice upon meeting you." His glance shifted a bit before he took a pause as he aimed to find the best possible way to ask such a sensitive question. "I guess there's no other way to say this...so here goes. Why do you dress like that?" The suspense would crumble, as his dramatic build-up for that question and not the one that Yuuma may have need thinking. Tsuna laughed, he acknowledged the crossed out star, but he couldn't care less about it. The effort he would have to put in to dissecting that mystery was something he rather not dive into. What's more, what was important was the effort and pride Yuuma obviously had to fulfill the mission. "Seriously, your attire looks silly, but there's this charming allure to it. I suppose that makes it bearable, hahaha." Nudging his comrade in the arm with his elbow lightly, inviting him into the field of laughter and lightness.  

The two would find themselves before a home that stood out, just as much as the merchant's stall. Bold colors and unique shaped windows. A door that...that was made of marble. The yard and the garden at the front of the house was vast. Tsuna released a subtle sigh, this was exhausting to him. It would be best to explore the home while they were there to meet with the family. Tsuna turning to his companion for this mission. "Yuuma, seeing as you have the superior talent with social interactions, I'll leave speaking with the family to you. I'll explore the house and locate a connect to the next lead. Hm, dig around in their heads before you ask them about the connection with that mystery guy. I want to learn about their feelings toward such a home, everything to be completely honest." Placing all trust in his partner, he would motion to the door of the home. It was rather large when so close. Tsuna couldn't help but question the merchant's taste in decor.... the door completely clashed with the home exterior appearance. Knocking on the door, they were answered by the wife of the merchant and his infant son and older son, of about 14 years of age. Tsuna couldn't help but notice how close in age he and the boy was, yet there was a distinct difference between them. The boy was dress quite well, very eye catching. Tsuna would introduce himself and Yuuma to the family. Explaining why they were there, but leaving the major information up to Yuuma to share. He did, however mention to them that he would like to explore the home to gain... a "better" picture of investigation.  

Their ways would part, Tsuna being allowed access to the home, he would immediately nod at his partner before taking to the living room to begin his inspection. Laboriously his eyes scanned the entirety of the room, there were clutter all over. Dust shaping where certain items and objects were once stationed. Oddly enough, it did not seem as though the home housed many expensive items... this struck a serious of question in the head of the genin. "That's odd... For someone that openly flashy, his personal life is somewhat dull. From his home and yard, it screams "look at me!" and "Are you impressed?" but his child and wife are dress volumes below that. His home lacks the awe pulling effect that I was looking for. Its none more exciting than my apartment. And that's pretty messy, so I cab only imagine how it would look once I clean it." He thought, his eyes glanced over towards the next room, where he would begin to motion toward until he noticed something from his left peripheral. "Hm?" There was a coin purse in the corner of the room. Upon closer inspection...it was full, opening it there was without a doubt a couple hundred thousand ryo still inside. "Damn...this is going to be a pain." He exclaimed to himself, standing to his feet holding the purse with an annoyed expression - yet an intrigued one.

[WC: 1,564]
[Total WC: 3,901]

Taking the time to gather his thoughts and focus himself from the little trip down the market alleyway, Yuuma watched as Tsuna took one of the mochi balls and enjoyed it. Ever the perceptive sort, Yuuma would catch Tsuna slip somewhere else for just a moment as he enjoyed the treat. Granted, Yuuma was no mind reader and the younger boy’s expression didn’t give any manner of indication as to what he might be thinking about but when his face didn’t sour, Yuuma could only assume that the place had been wasn’t all the unpleasant. The notion that Tsuna was able to find a moment of enjoyment in the treat would stoke Yuuma’s curiosity. What had he thought of? Was it something pleasant? Something distant? Although no words would be spoken on it, Yuuma had a small wish that where ever the boy had gone, it was a pleasant- if momentary- place. Soon, it was time to focus on the matter at hand, however, and Yuuma dismissed the idle thoughts to be revisited later. His eyes refocused as Tsuna brought his thoughts forward on their mission, thought returning to his own encounters with the other merchants and nodding along as he made the connections between what Tsuna explained and what he, himself, had experienced. There was a lot to go over, and the investigative experience between the two of them wasn’t exactly professional in quality. But individually they were both clever- certainly, with enough bouncing ideas off one another, they would be able to stumble their way towards a conclusion.

Yuuma’s expression shifted slightly when the younger put a hand on his shoulder though there was no sense of being off-put. Quite the opposite, in fact. A pleasant smile spread over the elder’s face as he accepted the compliment quietly, though his attention was soon turned back to his own hands. In particular, to the tea he was drinking. “It is a bit sweeter than I like it...but I thought it would be nice to do since I was taking up so much of his time with questions.” Motive aside, Tsuna had the right of it. Even if he didn’t experience a crash, his stomach certainly wasn’t going to be happy with him if he took in the whole thing. With a lack of public trash receptacles immediately available, Yuuma would do the next best thing and pluck the third and final mochi ball from the stick and placed it in his mouth to hold for a moment. A few quick hand seals later, a small dimensional portal would open to his displaced storage where he would place both the drink and the stick inside. A fantastic use of a mid-range technique that certainly he would receive no judgment for though it was a practice Yuuma wasn’t keen on making regular habit; after all, he had no idea if that drink was going to spill. Could one clean up a dimensional pocket? Or could he simply tilt the portal...but then what about the rest of its content? These were the thoughts the tugged at Yuuma’s attention even as he turned to follow Tsuna onwards to their next destination.

A distraction of thoughts was perfect music to the backdrop of their walk through the city. He knew he should be more focused on the mission, but with so little to go on, he couldn’t help but allow his thoughts to stray to this or that as they traveled. It wasn’t until the younger brought up a quandary of a more personal nature. Should he have looked, Yuuma would give him a pleasant nod and a small smile. He knew what was coming- it was perhaps the only interesting feature Yuuma sported. “Seasoned” wasn’t a word he would normally use to describe himself, though he was not unaware that his age numbered higher than most other Genin; something of a story in itself. When the question revealed itself to be nowhere in the same park as what Yuuma had expected, a look of surprise crossed Yuumas face for just a moment before it turned into a cheeky grin; an unspoken accusation of such a wind up to land on such a mundane question. Despite this, there was no small amount of humor in his voice as he responded. “I’ve been told recently that I should stop dressing like a laborer. That I was going to be mistaken for a coolie more than a shinobi. I’m still not sure how I like it myself, but it’s growing on me.”

His return in the conversation was accented by plucking at the threads that covered his chest. “It might not be as flashy as other clothes- like a suit of armor, perhaps. But I don’t think I’d look so good with so much sun bouncing off me. Silly as I may look, I find a distinct lack of metal settling across me as I walk.” Yuuma accepted the invitation to the lighthearted take on each other’s clothing, their laughs joined by that still same rustling of metal over metal as they made their way into the finer parts of town. More than that, however, the sway of the topic from what he had expected to what it now was put him at great ease. Despite the intentions of the one who branded him to speak of his sins as plain as the sun in the sky, this guy seemed ready not only to take his trust but to receive Yuuma’s trust as well. If the armor-clad shinobi had intended to put his partner at comfort, he had succeeded hand over fist.

Through the finer parts of town, Yuuma would allow his gaze to wander to this and that. He didn’t often come here largely because he had no reason to; Yuuma had no status nor family name that meant much of anything except to those who indulged in urban legends but this was something that Yuuma wasn’t certain he himself was ready to accept. When they arrived at their destination, he soaked in the details of the lavish abode. It sure was...colorful. Admittedly, Yuuma had a poor concept of wealth manifestation- particularly in the sense of one’s home. He had never even thought to make such elaborate statements with his home even had he the money. Then again, he never had the sort of money that would allow this. Torn from his observations by his partner speaking up about a plan, Yuuma was almost certain he had heard something incorrectly. “Superior”, “Talent”, and “social interaction” weren’t a trio of statements Yuuma would ever be thought to use in association with his name. “Uh..” was the only semblance of response he could come up with before his partner made to approach the door. It wasn’t enough resistance that it might halt their plans, but Yuuma had a feeling settle in his stomach like someone had grabbed a fistful of guts and started twisting them about. Damn sweet tea.

To his surprise, it was the family themselves that answered the door. Wasn’t there suppose to be some manner of a servant who would do such a thing for a nobleman? Though as they were brought into the house, Yuuma would allow his gaze to wander across the features of the room as Tsuna made their introductions; their possessions were orderly and well kept though not exactly indicative of the lavish exterior of the home. A display of wealth that, like most golds, was only skin deep. Even the man’s family dressed in more modest comforts than one might expect for the estate they resided in. As the conversation was handed off to Yuuma, he would bow his head deeply. “Thank you for allowing us inside.” He said with a warm smile, putting that ever-present stoic charm to good use. As he explained the details of what they had discovered thus far, Yuuma would nod in acknowledgment to his partner as Tsuna departed to conduct his own investigations. Granted, digging around in people’s heads wasn’t exactly something Yuuma had skills for, but a gentle touch and a warm personality often got him a long way.

“You have a beautiful home.” Yuuma started, his hand motioning around them. “You must be very proud of your husband,” he followed up with before his gaze returned to the woman who had come to stand near with her two children never far.

The woman, who had introduced herself as Ira, would smile warmly, bowing her head in thanks. “Of course,” she started, lingering in the bow for a moment before correcting her stance. “He..has certainly worked very hard to provide for us.” There was something in the way she stood that spoke to Yuuma. Her words were clear- she obviously had a lot of practice talking to people and conveying the meaning she wished for them to understand, but it was not the words Yuuma was picking up on. It was the flick of the eye, the shift of body weight, the movements of a pair of fingers as they tried to find a comfortable resting position. Some amount of nerves was to be expected; her husband had been kidnapped after all.

“Of course,” Yuuma started, his eyes remaining on the woman for the most part, though they would float down to the elder son every so often. The boy wore a much more obvious with a sour expression on his face than the one his mother worked so hard to hide. “Any good man would. But fate is not always kind to good men, even when they work very hard.” His smile would depress, frowning some as he empathized with their situation. “I took some time to speak to the other merchants he works alongside- many had good things to say.” It wasn’t an outright lie, but it wasn’t necessarily the whole truth either. “One of them mentioned someone who would bring an argument to your husband’s shop. I cannot assume your husband often made people angry- could you imagine someone who would be angry at him? Perhaps someone outside of work?” Yuuma questioned, his hands folding back into his robes. Yuuma’s biggest advantage was certainly not his way with words, so it must have been his softened expression that spoke clear his intention on seeing her husband back well.

Despite this, Ira offered only a passive pleasant expression as she closed her eyes and smiled. “I am sorry, I can think of no such person. I do my best to stay away from my husband’s work.-”

“What about Uncle Rylo?” Came the voice of the elder son.

In an instant, Yuuma felt the woman unravel as her son had spoken that name, and Yuuma knew that something important had just slipped past her line of defenses. “Rylo?” Yuuma questioned, tilting his head to the side some.

Ira’s expression turned from one that spoke of a nervous housewife to one that read of desperation; a woman who had found herself caught between a rock and a hard place. “Please.” She spoke once Yuuma revealed he had caught the name. “Rylo is my older brother. He never liked Kengi, but I didn’t think he would...I never thought he might..” Words began to fail her as emotions bubbled to the surface. All at once, Yuuma began to understand just how personal this affair was. It was at this time that Tsuna made his reappearance, just in time to see the woman reach out to grasp at Yuuma’s sleeve. “Please do not harm them- either of them. I...I haven’t ever fully believed you shinobi to be all that bad but I don’t understand the mystics arts you wield. Just..please bring my husband back and do not harm my brother.” The woman pleaded, her nerves getting the best of her with two of the village shinobi having come to knock on her door, and who knows what other untold stresses she was under.

Yuuma understood the love of family all too well, and though this name was helpful- giving them an identity to the person they had gotten the description of earlier. With only a momentary glance to his partner, Yuuma would lift his arms to grasp at the woman’s elbows assuringly. “You have nothing to fear, miss. You have our word, as shinobi, no harm will befall your family.” The words were spoken to her, though they were unabashed in the way he asserted the condition over him and his partner. Nonetheless, at that moment, the assurance Yuuma could offer her was just as sacred as the duty he upheld, for this was a citizen of his village and she was in need of their help. The help that, perhaps, only the two of them could provide. 

WC - 2,114
TWC - 4,704

The branch of his part of the investigation lead him to a purse filled to the brim with ryo. A haze of confusion besieged him - surely there was no way that this was missed if the intent of the invasion of the home was to steal the valuables, what was more important than ryo in this day in age? His right index and thumb stroked his chin, his thoughts began to flow like a steady stream of water down to a river bed. Piecing together information from his recollect as he stringed together theories and scenarios that made most sense to him, though he tightly stored the ones that did not somewhere off in the deep confines of his mental - they two held an importance that he was not shy to admit. It was not solely up to him to write off what did and did not make the best sense all together, he needed Yuuma's input. Yuuma, in such a short amount of time, have given Tsuna much reason to trust his words and thoughts. Deeming them as assets.  

With what he placed together, with all the signs leading to a clear ransack - something did not seem to sit well with him. It was too... "Too obvious. Almost as if they wanted us to believe it was a simple haste in search. Yes, some of the valuables are gone, but not all. With enough time as a mere few days this place should be empty along the lower levels, but instead it just plain, hardly even touched. What's more is that they completely overlooked something as loom as this purse. I even noticed it, and I wasn't even expecting to find something like it. This was no regular ransack, they were trying to throw us off of their trail... it worked for the Queensmen, but not for me... this is more annoying than. I first thought. Need to look around a bit more before I return to Yuuma's side with my Intel." Clutching the purse in his left hand, Tsunayoshi found himself leaving the room to inspect other sections of the estate.   

His investigation lead him to the dinning room, there he casually scanned the room to find it was in the same condition as the first room, perhaps in prominent standing. A few pictures removed and some shelf decor, but nothing else. There was a diamond chandelier, in fact two of them hanging from the ceiling. Tsuna couldn't imagine that those would remain if someone was after money. Thus adding to his theory that this was meant to look bad...bad enough to pass it off. "Someone has some logic. If this was any worst than what it was, than perhaps this mission would have never fell into the hands of Yuuma and myself. Chunin and higher would be dragged into this. They purposefully did enough to keep it at a low tier incident, banking on Genin being the inheritors of this. I'm impressed, but at the same time a bit insulted. Did they assume that mere Genin would just give up in the midst of it all, or did they figure that if they were found out they could handle them? This is annoying the hell out of me, forcing me to exert more effort into something so petty." Speaking aloud, in a low auditable tone to himself as he entering the kitchen of the home. Once there, he noticed nothing here was touched, thus his search ended there and lead him to a walk hall where there was more mission items there.  

In the midst of it all, he was wondering how Yuuma was fairing, pretty sure that his partner was utilizing that unique charm of his. From observing him with the merchants in the shop district, Tsuna noted that he wore a mask - not an actual one, but one of expression. Yuuma was "Affable". He was kind, friendly and inviting with people. Keen to shift his expression to speak vividly instead of his mouth. By nature, people see first and then react. Relying on what they can see over what they can hear second. Yuuma's obvious resolve to make amends for whatever he did in his past to prove himself to tge village has further progress this trait in him making it a deadly and prestigious weapon, so far from what Tsuna could tell. The boy chuckled softly to himself as he strides through the walk way towards the staircase of the home. "That guy is something else... He doesn't even need a weapon to pry through the defenses of his opponent, his body language does it all for him. Its still a bit undefined though, but once he masters it, I'd make it a point not to fight him. You'd be a fool to want to." His smile was lifting. Shows he had respect for the man, enough to warrant Tsuna's acknowledgment and possibly a plan of action for a possible inevitable spar or more in the near future.  

As the Hatake inspects the upper levels of the home he noticed something rather odd... the rooms of, what he assumed to be, the children was not touched. Even more pressing and odd, in the main bedroom...only one side was touched. The missing merchant side. The wife's belongings were not so much as moved. His index finger and thumb stroked at his chin once again. "Now this is odd... I should return to Yuuma to inform him of this." He exclaimed, returning to the lower levels of the estate as he walked in on the woman pleading with Yuuma. The ashen brow of the Hatake rised as he stood silently and observed the scene.  "Them...? Brother? Now it comes together, I was suspicious of why her things and the children's were not touched. The one behind this was her brother..." Indigo eyes, radiant as ever pierced from across the room as he walked over after noting what his teammate said about the woman's family's safety. In truth, Tsuna wished that his partner did not say such a thing, because there was no true way of determining that to be the guaranteed. 

Too many things to factor into the mix of it all, to many variables to consider and even more to plan for contingencies. He sighed lowly... he would have to apply more effort than he would have liked to, just to help his comrade fulfill his promise with no fail. "What Yuuma says is well within our abilities, ma'am. We will both see to their safety and your husband's safe return. However, I must be honest with you." Stepping into view of the woman and her children, taking to Yuuma's left a foot away. His expression was nonchalant, but the air about him was noticeably different. Much more than from before near the merchant stall. This was a result of the boy adding 50 percent of his mental effort to this mission. Usually only using 5-15 percent without draining himself - that and there is the visual change where he begins to take into account everything that is happen, about to happen and have already happen. Even know his brain is placing plans together. "Your brother will have to answer for his crimes. Hoshigakure do not take kidnapping lightly, it's a drastic offense. He will be going away for a while, as well as everyone else that assisted in his wrongful actions. But I will make you a promise of my own, I will see to it that he is looked after in a pleasant manner even then. That much I can do, ma'am." He smiled, closing his eyes and tilting his head to the left. Tsuna already, in the exchange formed 28 plans that would end in a non-lethal manner. That number was casually increasing by the minute. With the mental effort of 50 percent he could not further the number beyond 32. However should he increase his efforts, he could.  

Radiant eyes would find and rest on matching eyes with Yuuma. Nodding, he would turn to bow before the woman. "Thank you, again, for allowing us access to your home. It helped us greatly with our investigation. Oh, by the way." He returned the purse to the woman with all of the funds inside. His smile remained. "This is your husband's I believe. I do have one last request... one that I'm sure you can help us with." His smile ebbed as his chin reunited with his thumb and index finger. "Where did you brother go?" The question was a spine chilling one, he was aware that it may have took the woman by surprise, however...he knew that she knew what he meant by this question. Their relation was so strong, the woman and her brother that he refused to have her things and her children's things touched. Which meant that his love for her far outweighed his difference with ther merchant. Tsuna could only imagine that the two shared almost everything with each other. Her answer would help him overlook her clear impeding of their investigation. 

[WC: 1,518]
[Total WC: 5,419]

To say that the woman was shaken by the experience would be putting it mildly; after the events that no doubt had occurred and the manner in which she was attached to them, it would have been enough to make anyone feel the pressure of helplessness. It must have been all she could do to keep it together under the weight of the decision between wanting to help her husband and the love for her own brother. Despite this, the tension had broken upon even the slightest of abrasion, and now the two shinobi had gleaned all they could have needed in order to bring justice down on the man. Yet still, they not only offered their reassurance on the matter but a humbled empathy that said these two young men were not bloodthirsty mystics who had been figuratively phoned in to deal with a problem the Queensman were too preoccupied to handle themselves. As such, when Tsuna questioned the woman about where it was her brother could be, the answer was delayed by only a moment as she stole a glance to her eldest son, who offered an expectant look in return, though showed no obvious fear of his own.

“A warehouse.” She offered quietly, her gaze struggling to meet the two younger men, though finding a place on Yuuma’s chest to stare at once she had managed to compose herself and return to her own stable feet. The feeling of relief mingled tentatively with anxiety as she spoke, writing a novel of complicated expressions over her face as she continued. “He’s part of a porting company. Small, on the other side of town. He..won’t be alone, but that is all I know.” She stooped into a bow, deep and gracious to the two young men. “I understand that you must uphold the law. I wish...there was another way. But Rylo has taken has never been one to listen to reason when he is angered. He will surely put up a fight, but he is no warrior. He would stand little chance against your mystical arts.” Her hands would raise, clapping gently in front of her face as she struggles to keep the mist to her eyes as she stood up straight once more. “Please. Return my family unharmed.”

Yuuma, for his part, felt like he had spoken enough. Already he had made a promise he wasn’t sure they could keep. Once the interaction had resolved, the two of them would be escorted through the great marble doors once more. On the path through the yard, Yuuma would speak up to his companion. “I hope this doesn’t color the faith you’ve put in me poorly,” he said, offering an apologetic smile out of a side glance to the younger. “I know it probably wasn’t such a good idea to make a promise like that when I’m not sure we can do it...but I am sure.” That smile would morph into one of more pure optimism. “So let’s give it our all, yeah? And if it turns out that I’ve made a liar out of myself today, then that will be my responsibility to bear. Being the older of us, it only seems natural.” Of course, Yuuma put very little stock into the traditions that came with age. After all, many of the most powerful shinobi in the village had been younger than him. Still, a little bit of a rousing jab for his companion, just as he had offered to Yuuma in the statement of his clothing on the way there.

As the two of them began to make their travels towards the indicated section of town, Yuuma would look to his companion once more. “So, what did you find? Anything helpful? I’m afraid you came along just as I was able to gently pull any information from the family- you heard just about everything I was able to find.” The two of them would have the time to share their information and speculation as they traveled, a plan set into motion before they ever even arrived.



It was done. They had managed the best they could with only half a days worth of time, but now the two of them sat atop a roof across and down the street from their intended target: a rather sizable warehouse. The two of them had created a small cover comprised of nothing more than some visually obstructive objects that placed them out of direct view of the street if they stayed low giving them the perfect vantage point to watch the going on’s of the warehouse. All in all, the warehouse was pretty fair in size with a squat, square shape to it and an estimate of two-thousand square feet of space and a tall roof though there was no indication of it having a second floor. Tsuna, who had taken the liberty of creating a plan for them to follow, had made certain to emphasize a few important key aspects to be aware of when scouting the building. Entrances and exits among them. A lack of windows on the second story would allow the two of them to conclude that there was likely no dedicated second story, which meant the main body of the building was largely likely to be space capable of housing whatever it was that need be stored there.

Two main entrances served as the primary access to the building, one being on the north and one on the south. The southernmost entrance was more than likely the one the public had access to- not only because it faced a major street but it also carried the trappings of an earnest business. The door was flanked on either side by planters that sported healthy Rhodadendrans and were accompanied by a scroll that hung from the frame of the door identifying the building as “Tensai Warehouse”, along with some pleasantries to greet people as they entered. The door at the back carried no such indication and was only accessible through a narrow alleyway that made the two believe that whoever had built the two buildings probably missed the mark of construction by half a foot of comfort space. The door didn’t appear to have any sort of signage, and no windows were close enough to indicate what exactly was on the other side. Aside from these, each wall had a pair of windows halfway up the wall that was barred with wooden shutters that looked like they were opened and closed from the inside- perhaps to regulate temperature during hotter or colder days.

A massive bay door stood closed on the western side of the building, large enough to have a wagon brought through to load and unload, though at no point during their investigation did they witness the door open. Still, it was safe to assume that this massive door most likely leads directly into the main warehouse space. Through various points of discovery, the two of them managed to learn the southern door would lead directly to a reception area that was tended by a single person- a man of solid build though seemingly no more capable than anyone else they had seen enter or leave the building. By the time had begun to set, the two of them were reliably able to ascertain a total of five people managed the building at any given time, not including Rylo. Each of them looked capable as any grown man, but their glance up and down the street told the two Genin that these guys were probably not seasoned fighters, nor were they expecting this situation to be handled by a shinobi. The only other entrance was a set of double doors that appeared to go downward, signaling that the building had some manner of space beneath it though the door was secured with a bar that had been locked between the two doors, preventing them from opening. Thankfully, however, the lock was on the outside of the door. It could possibly be assumed there was no internal access to this area, but such an assumption would be impossible to confirm with the information they had gathered. 

Overall, the place seemed alert but not shut off to the public; a definite sign of something going on that the people within were doing their best to keep quiet about. Something that might slip by undetected unless one knew what to look for. Security wasn’t much compared to the mission HQ, or even compared to a shinobi warehouse for that matter. The workers seemed armed with knives at the very best, though any manner of a heavy implement could have been inside and without a better look, it was impossible to know fully what could be awaiting them. Yuuma shifted in his low stance, having taken to nearly laying on the roof as he observed the streets that boarded the building in question. He had become quite familiar with the side shops in the time they had spent there, and as the day turned to twilight, the shops here would begin closing up their doors and shuttering windows for the evening, leaving the streets to become more and more sparsely populated as the night began to take its hold.

Within the hour, the night would be upon them. Nearly a full day had been dedicated to their mission, and Yuuma was quietly thankful they had managed to munch on some mochi before the long set in of their stakeout. The two of them had confirmed Rylo was within the building as the two of them had spotted him entering through the front entrance, and had yet to see him leave. Turning to his companion, Yuuma would speak quietly to Tsuna despite there being no one within sight that might hear them. “So,” he started, drawing the attention of his companion. “What do you think? I’m afraid my “superior talent of social interaction” isn’t going to be of much use from here on forward. So I really hope you have a plan.” He said, that same apologetic yet optimistic smile returned to his face. 

WC- 1,686
TWC- 6,390

A breath of gratitude found foundation on the mental of the Hatake. The woman's alacrity to conspire, if not without provincial hesitancy, left the boy with hope - Voiding his mind of any prior stumbling blocks. Her yearning for an alternative route did not go inconspicuous by the Genin, he too preferred something in kind. Learning that this 'Rylo' was like many with ambition, a lack of consideration for interpretation - only further complicated things for the two shinobi, thinning the obligation made by the two boys, proportioning the room of possibility. It was until she clasped her gentle hands before her very face, repressing her tears that Tsuna's eyes slightly widen. Stepping towards her, removing his hands from his gauntlets taking her hands into his own, bowing his head before her - showing her his utmost respect. "Yuuma and I will see to it that your husband and brother are not harmed. You have our word, ma'am." Words spoke so sincerely would enthral the woman into resting her worries with him. Something about his approach came with compelling trust.  

Lifted head revealed azure eyes, pulling away his hands to return them to the apt of his armored gloves, he would turn to exit the home with his companion. As they evacuate the area of the estate Yuuma spoke with a tinge of regret. Yuuma did little to veil his concerns, Tsuna picked up on that much, turning his focus over to him. "No..." He started, turning his eyes to the path before them. "You said what you felt was the right call. It put her and her children at ease. In the end, that's all that matters." A pause filled the space between them. Tsuna wanted his words to simmer on the mind of his comrade, to help eliminate any further doubts that he may have had about the previous dealings with the wife. It was best to have him speak to her, Tsuna knew that much. If it was left to him, he feared that a much more realistic outcome would have manifested within his speaking with her, thus their target's location would have been nothing more than a mystery to them. "So you know... rather she told us the location, or not, I wouldn't have held any ill feelings towards her... I know what it means to lose family." His tone, somewhat isolated when it came to the last of his sentence... perhaps a slip? Or a purposeful statement he found innocuous.

They pressed forward, Yuuma and Tsuna - time was ticking and seemingly waited for no one, every second counted, every minute was deemed valuable. The left of the Hatake's ears twitched, his companion inquired of what he discovered while within the home on his branch investigation. Ostensibly, his discovery matched up with what he walked in on. "Just about the same - miscellaneous items here and there were taken, but not all. I found that to be odd, it was as if they were trying to throw the Queensmen off their trail. The ransack was a clever subterfuge, I must admit. However, it became sloppy the moment I noticed the coin purpose visibly out in the open. Upon further inspection I noticed the rooms of the children were not tampered with at all - the mother's side of her room also unmoved. That lead me to believe that the person responsible for this scrutiny was close to them. It wasn't until I returned that the person responsible was narrowed down to her brother..." Cerulean eyes glance over to the cleric dressed individual. "I have you to thank for that." He smiled charmingly. Continuing their travels.  

~ Later that same evening ~  

Finding themselves upon the roof of construction, not far from their targeted location. The two made sure to keep a low position as to avoid being seen. Fortuitously enough, there were obstruction that fixed within their line to bestow to them the ideal covering, while at the same time not hindering their own line of vision. Night would descend upon them, after the time was ripe, Tsuna's mental began to calculate the plan of approach. Azure eyes would follow the voice speaking to him. "Hm?" Responding to Yuuma's introduction to capture his attention. "Oh that..." Tsuna placed his right index and thumb to his chin to stroke. Looking up toward the vacant midnight firmament. "Nmmm... We're going to go enter through the front doors." He divulged with a cheeky smile. Aware that his confessed route of interest was somewhat hard to comprehend, but it was because of that very reason alone which made it so ideal. Standing to his feet, Tsuna began to unstrap and remove piece-by-piece his prestigious armor as he explained his decision. "As we both know from closely observing this place, the other areas of accessing the building are pretty...how should I say this? ...lost to view. That being said, I cannot help but to consider them to be well guarded during the night. Should we aim to infiltrate through one of them, we would be figured out immediately, thus there goes our element of surprise. However, we have the front access, with a see-through double door that we have yet to see a single person pass by to check the area, not since closing up. I'm willing to bet everything that I have that no one is e enough on standby at the front of the building. Why would they be? It's ludicrous to break into an earnest establishment in clear view of the public, after all." Pausing to removing the last of his armor from his feet. There he stood with a fishnet short-sleeved top and black shinobi pants and shinobi boots. A weapon pouch at his lower back. Around his neck was a necklace with the Hatake symbol as the pendant. Stretching and cracking his joints - ther armor It's was light and well fitting, but it lacked space to relieve the joints in his opinion. He felt a bit more free this way, and less conspicuous now that he was donning a somber attire in terms of speaking. Two seal were then weaved, seals that Yuuma would undoubtedly recognize - Rat and then Dog. Outstretched arm with open palm and spread fingers would make contact with the armor and in a blink chakra would coat and swallow it into a void far from human understanding. All that remained was the sheathed blade, Sloth's Bane - strapped to his back. "That's considering we catch them in the act, or else we will be branded criminals and tossed in jail... haha. I rather not have that happen, so we should probably get a move on." He smiled with closed eyes as his hair subtly swayed in the midnight air breeze.  

Cerulean eyes bounced from roof top to roof top, in search of a closer positioning. Once located, the Genin would urge his comrade to follow as he moved with swiftness and skill to maintain his obscurity within the blanket of the night. Yuuma would find that the moveme to of the Hatake no longer accompanied the clinging of his armor brushing against each other. He was moving as freely as a feather dancing within the arms of the wind. Once on the roof of the building 15 meters from fge main entrance, Tsuna was able to see more clearly inside. It was still dim, but he only needed to find a 'point'. "Also, as for your superior talent, I figured that much. But, I do not believed that it is limited to such. You can provide me with support should I need it. Stay close, but should confrontation arise - keep a distance of 5 meters of me at all times. Also..." He looked to the other genin as he formed a few seals - Dragon, Rat, Hare, Dog then Rat, Boar, Rat, Snake, Dragon. "How's your stomach feeling?" He inquired, simultaneously placing his left hand on the right shoulder of his comrade, while his right hand extended the middle and index fingers to his forehead. The point of contact would immediately shift them both from point A to point B within a fraction of a second at the speed of 110. Teleportation was a unique method of transportation - along the lines of telekinesis to those that have a grasp in its knowledge, though that grasp was every narrowing the further you learned. It had a way of shifting everything within the body, making one feel as though they were upside-down while being right side up - this proved to be the case if one was not used to this method of traveling.  

The boys would find themselves no long cuddled with the midnight cool air, but by the warmth of indoors. Beyond the sealed doors of the establishment, 5 meter from the entrance they stood within the dim room. The scent of counter top cleaning chemicals would reach their noses, a sign that the staff maintain a public freely appearance. Before moving, Tsuna would turn his attention over to his comrade, guaging his situation. "Are you okay? So you know, I don't charge for the first trip... I made a habit of making them inconvenient. But for a second, I will have to tax you..." He smirked with a light, yet quiet chuckle. Crouching down, he would immediately head off toward the back of the business front to locate the door that lead towards the back. He would come to find it. Extending his reach to lightly press on the handle that would lead through it. There was resistance... "Locked, as I expected. Security is "tight" around here, oh boy...this is such a pain." He sarcastically exclaimed lowly as he noticed an electronic key pad. Descending his hand to lay over the pad he would begin to channel his chakra into the pad - kneading his chakra with lightning affinity as a small stream of blue lightning danced and arc from his hand and the key pad. A subtle chime would reach their ears as a green little light was lit. He managed to override the locking system. Thus he would attempt to open the door once again to succeed. He moved through quickly. Leaving the closing of the door to his comrade.  

Once in the back, it was much more spacious than the outside view lead to believe, immediately he found a cut in the back to obtain cover for Yuuma and himself.

[WC: 1,738]
[Total WC: 7,157]

Yuuma would follow along with the short-lived explanation of the plan simple enough- get in and have a look around to see what all was going on and do so through the front door where there would likely be no one stationed to guard during the hours of the night. Made sense. Or at least it made enough sense to the guy who hadn’t ever had to break into a place to rescue someone before, at least. Yuuma would nod along a few times as Tsuna explained his thinking. Truth be told, Yuuma would have no idea how he would have approached this issue alone and found himself immensely thankful that the headquarters had paired him up with a guy that was so competent. This task would have been a monstrous ordeal had they set him up with some guy straight out of the academy. Not that Yuuma would have been any less optimistic in the face of the odds, but a part of him recognized the great relief he had in being able to place his faith in Tsuna and his natural abilities. When Tsuna stood, Yuuma would join him in stretching out some. Arms would branch over his head and off to his sides as he looked down at the building they would soon be assailing. At that moment, everything became a lot more real. They were about to make entry into a building they most likely wouldn’t be welcome in, fight some people that were more than likely just hard-working citizens that likely didn’t know one of them was going to be pulling this kind of stunt. Tsuna had said it himself earlier; anyone that had conspired with the kidnapper would also have to face some sort of justice.

Vaguely aware that his companion was removing his armor, Yuuma continued to focus on the task at hand that would soon demand their full attention. A knot in his stomach began to form as the weapon pouch on his hip suddenly felt much heavier. He only knew a few useful jutsu and none of them were particularly useful for taking the heat to the opponent; some techniques to run away, and a couple more to lightly heal injuries. Even his rock sections staff wasn’t all that great under these circumstances. He hadn’t even gotten the hang of forming the rocks into anything more than something to use to walk with nowadays. But now was not the time for doubt. Now wasn’t the time to count the disadvantages, it was time to prepare himself to get the job done. What’s more, it was time to ready himself to fulfill the promise he had made to a family that needed their help. By the time Tsuna had finished relieving himself of that fancy armor and stashing it away, Yuuma had managed to summon his resolve and steel himself for what was to come next. At Tsuna’s urging, Yuuma would nod to inform him he was ready to move.

In a few swift bounds, the two of them would find their location to be more advantageously adjacent to the entrance of the building vantage from the roof across the way. Looking down the street both ways, Yuuma would confirm that no one was coming and that the way was clear if they wished to move in. Of course, this was all before he had any inclination that his partner planned to utilize space-time jutsu in order for them to make their entrance. The quandary to his stomach drew his attention back to the younger. “My stomach? Well, it’s not feeling so b-” his thought was cut off midway through as the hand seals completed and contact was made between the two of them. The sudden rush of chakra flooded his form as the younger bent time and space to his will, ushering them across the cosmic dimension to an unoccupied space just beyond the door to their goal. The sensation offered his stomach a small upheaval as Yuuma’s body was forcefully shunted from one spot to the next, resulting in the previous statement turning more into a soft belch that tasted of uncooked dough and sweet tea. “Not so bad,” Yuuma concluded, resting a hand on his own abdomen as he suppressed the urge to follow up the performance with another one, breathing out a heavy sigh instead.

The jest presented in the form of a free ride caught a smile from Yuuma; the ease at which Tsuna addressed the situation made him feel a little more at ease. Maybe he had been overthinking it. Maybe this wasn’t going to be so hard after all. Settling in close to Tsuna as he observed the lock, Yuuma would put an ear to the wall in an attempt to hear anything. Unfortunately, nothing would be able to discern itself before the two of them were able to make entry anyway. “Tax me huh? Fine, after this, we’ll get a round of noodles. On me. Assuming we succeed. If we fail, you buy.” Yuuma offered quietly. Before much of a retort could come, the lock would fizzle and then chime, allowing them entry into the warehouse space beyond.

In a matter of moments, the two of them were through the door with Yuuma securing it quietly behind them. The door would give way to a general warehouse space that was incredibly spacious- wall-to-wall shelves sat in collected rows surrounding a central aisle that accommodate the large double doors they had seen earlier. Shelves stacked full with crates, parcels, boxes, packages, sacks, and any other conceivable container that could hold any number of goods. While the packed warehouse made it somewhat cramped to move through, the two of them were able to quietly easily navigate their way to the back and find a place among a stack of boxes that seemed to be generally away from the main working force.

The warehouse did indeed have a second story but it was not its own floor. An open balcony ran the perimeter of the room, also stacked with things that looked like they were smaller or easier to carry. A small pulley system in the midst of the room offered an answer to the ease of unloading carts, and lights were affixed to the roof allowed the inside to be well lit save for the spaces of the floor that were beneath the overhang of the balcony. Situated on the north side wall was a singular other door leading to a separated room- no doubt the office from which the whole operation was run. As the two of them surveyed the room, they would see a total of four workers out and amidst the floor. They seemed alert but not inactive. Two of them walked as a pair on the upper balcony, one of them holding a clipboard and the other reading off numbers to him, which would cause the first man to either nod and make a mark on the paper or to correct a number somewhere in the sequence. On the main floor were another two workers who were currently separated and hard at work shuffling around a load of boxes that apparently had been sectioned off for some other manner of work. It was hard to discern the exact details, but at this point, the details of their work mattered less than the details of their mission. “Two for two.” Yuuma said quietly, keeping quite close to Tsuna so they could speak without fear of being overheard by the men at work. “I’ll take the two on top, you take the two down here?”

Before any sort of plan could be put into motion, however, the door to the office opened and a fifth worker immerged from the room amidst a conversation with another man that followed closely behind him. Although the man wore a work uniform, it was impossible not to recognize him; a stout man with a receding hairline and golden hoops in his ears. Rylo. “Alright boys, we are in for another all-nighter. And I don’t want to hear any guff about it!” He barked, cutting off any groans from the workers before they were allowed much room to take in a breath to do so. “We have a VERY important shipment going out tomorrow, so everything has to be in order. Everything! Don’t let me down, lads.” The fifth man shook his head as Rylo turned to re-enter the office, closing the door behind him, joining the other two on the floor for their exercise of box moving making the total headcount three on the floor and two above.

Despite this new development, Yuuma just offered Tsuna a smile. “Uh...same plan?” He said optimistically. If either of them were able to handle three at once, it would likely be Tsuna. Attacking outright would be ill-advised given that the two on the upper floors could quite easily make a call of alarm if they spotted something amiss. No, short of some trickery, the group was going to have to be handled roughly at the same time. “I’m open to ideas.” Yuuma left off with, sticking a hand into his weapon pouch as he monitored the two above as they moved, though he didn’t withdraw any particular weapon just yet.

WC - 1,548
TWC - 7,938