I set off before dawn, going full speed to Tanzaku Quarters. I think of the man I was sent for, Shigekuni Yamaha, and why on earth drug smugglers would want a revolutionary trying to overthrow the daimyo dead. Wouldn't they support him, so that they could operate in freedom? But after day breaks, I realize that perhaps this is isn't that simple. I think of my shogi board, and of the pieces lurking at the edges of conflict- this isn't a strike at the king, it's a long distance play at one of the gold generals, so to speak. So, who then would be employing the Akiyama Group. Someone who can't afford to risk their king. There are a handful of people that come to mind, but I put those thoughts aside. I've decided to play for the other side on this mission, and strike at the Akiyama Group. Both hits have to be very close together, though.
For most of the run I meet no people coming from Tanzaku Quarters. But on the second day, as I near the city, there are clumps of citizens and traders leaving, perhaps more than normal. I stop my run and walk over to talk with one trader. "Um, excuse me sir..."
"Eh? What is it, I want to put some distance between me and the city."
"I was coming for a visit, and wondered why so many people were headed out today."
"There's been an outbreak of gang violence the last few days. The Akiyama Group and the Black Dragons have been turning the place inside out looking for some guy." The man nods and flicks the reigns, hurrying off.
Black Dragons? I guess Yamaha is a bigger threat than I thought at first. I keep this new group in mind as I finish my run to Tanzaku Quarters, stopping a minute or so outside. I can't carry out the mission with my natural looks, as they're too recognizable. I take a minute to rest and think of an appropriate disguise to use. I get a chill down my spine as the idea comes to me, and take a drink of water before getting ready. "Transformation Jutsu!" I look down, and see a pale and thin body, clothed with a dirty and torn nightgown. I get up and jog to the quarters, looking around as I pass through the gates. The place looks normal enough. I decide to head to the place my team went to the last time I was here. I try to look lost and afraid as I walk the way over, but really searching for clues. Though at first everything looked in order, I realize that the streets are empty. In a couple minutes I come to the alley, and am spotted by the driver from the last run. He wipes his eyes and then leans in to the building, shouting for someone. Two rough looking men come out, and grab me by the shoulders.
"Where the Hell have you been?" The driver says, spit flying from his mouth.
"The... the Blacks were chasing us, and I got away... I don't know if they got them or not..."
"And when was this?" The man asks, his dark blue eyes sharp and hard.
"Just a few moments ago..." The man sighs angrily, and looks to one of the men holding me.
"If they've got them they'll be at the warehouse post with the others. Take her over there."
"Got it, boss." The men march me away, and I wonder who these others are. More girls that they were smuggling in to a pleasure house? Rival gang members?
"...Just don't hurt me. I want to find my sisters..."
"Keep your mouth shut, unless it's to tell us who cut you loose." I think of doing that for a moment, but I don't know who their "king" is yet and decide against giving my real name.
The grip the men have on my arms is bruising, but I keep calm and do my best to memorize the route. I realize we're close to the bar Lady Tsunade mentioned that Yamaha frequented. I don't know if he'll show himself there, with the quarters being thrown into chaos to find him. After a walk of several minutes we get to the warehouse, a large structure of rusty corrugated metal and wood that looks patched, or hurriedly put together. The Akiyama Group thugs look around before opening the door, then quickly pull me in. My first glance reveals that, thankfully, the inside of the warehouse is uncomplicated. There's a small office building in the corner to the right, and rows of boxes on shelves stretching towards the back wall. I'm taken over to the office building, and the door is thrown open.
Inside are a few men, beaten and tied, and two younger girls, also beaten and tied. They're not from the group that I freed, though. One of the men throws me in, and the other gets out a length of rope from a drawer in the room's lone desk. My hands are bound, and the men leave, slamming the door. None of us say anything to each other, and after a minute I shuffle over to a corner, pretending to cry. I'm actually using my Byakugan, scanning the warehouse. There are some catwalks crisscrossing the air above us, but no one is up there on patrol. I turn back to the men and girls in the room. "I'm going to make a run for it..." I look out the window facing in to the warehouse, and see that it isn't barred like the one to the street. Remembering the location of the men patrolling the floor, I open it and hop out, immediately using the Transformation Jutsu to take the appearance of a squirrel. I hop and bound around to the front of the office building, and take note of the door handle. The one I came in through has an L shaped one, which I think I can manage. I leap up and grab it, swinging my legs over to the side and pushing against the door frame. The door cracks open, and I drop down and squeeze through the gap before it closes. I run a few houses down before I shift the Transformation Jutsu into a woman, fit and with a hardened face. The bar is a block away and around the corner, and I casually stroll over.
I step in, and to my disappointment do not immediately find Yamaha. I order a glass of water, and take a seat in the corner, scanning the room again. To my right I see an old man having a whispered conversation with who I assume to be his son, and do a double take. There, the eyebrows- that's Yamaha. He's not wearing his eye patch, and has on a long fake beard, both the beard and his hair dusted white. This is it. Things have come together quicker than expected. I go up to the bar, and ask for a bottle of sake. "Didn't you just order water?"
"It's to take home, I don't do hard drinks when it's so hot out." The bartender nods and makes the(pricey, I might add) sale, and I walk over to Shigekuni Yamaha and his conspirator. I sit down next to Yamaha, and he stares at me warily.
"I have a wife, you know." A strong, commanding voice.
"I thought of that, sir." I turn to his companion. "Miyazaki Shrine in the forest outside of Konoha, ask for The Rainmaker."
"We weren't told about you," Yamaha's companion said. I see now that it might actually be his son, they have a very similar jawline.
"...It's better that way. Remember the Shrine, and be there in a week. If I'm not there leave a message with the shrine maiden. In spite of what's happening today, I need you to do this for me."
"I'm only an old man and his son, what could a loose woman like yourself want with us?"
"I'm not a loose woman, nor even as old as I appear. Shrine, a week. And be sure to hurry away from here, I have it on very good authority there's going to be an attack on the warehouse."
"That old abandoned thing?" I nod, and stand up.
"Sorry," I say to Yamaha and his son. "Water Style: Heart Exploding Palm!" The torrent of water chakra enters into Yamaha's chest, which swells and bursts open. I dash out of the bar, and shift my Transformation Jutsu into the driver, who I suspect is the leader of the Akiyama Group. It's a quick run back to the warehouse, and I walk in. The two men who brought me over are looking into the office building. "The Dragons got her and the others, and there's a change of plans. We're going to be relocating to their base until Yamaha is found." The men sigh, and I walk over to them, swiftly dealing a strike to their heart points, killing them. I take one of their knives and hurry to free the men and the two girls, stopping to cast the Optic Delusory Jutsu on the front of the warehouse. "Run, and get away from here as fast as you can." Though staring at me, the get up and head out of the door.
There are still a handful of men from the Akiyama Group in the warehouse, but I decide they don't need to leave. I form the three hand seals I need, and blow out a large cloud of black mist, the tide creeping over the shelves. The men shout and cough, and I hear them banging into things as the cloud expands. Eventually the noises stop, and I pick up a stray board in the office building and exit the warehouse, wedging the board against the door. I take a look of the surrounding buildings, and hop on to the nearest one. "Water Style: Black Rain Jutsu!" The drops begin to fall, and I can see one of the girls turning a corner as she runs away. Good, they'll be out of range. I wait a minute for the rain to coat the building, and begin to feel the strain on my chakra from filling it with mist inside and using the rain on this scale. I take out a kunai with an exploding tag attached, and throw it as hard as I can towards the warehouse. I jump off on the far side of the house, and detonate the tag.