After her walk and talk meeting with Ichika, Chiruha hastily made her way toward the ranch where Aoi was kept. To her surprise, the grounds had turned into a sort of wonderland where otori roamed freely, almost as if a portal to their realm had been opened. Was this what the others were talking about? Was this the invasion? She was shocked to see no farmhands around and was quick to snatch an otori who was wandering around as she walked, hoping to begin the process to herd them back.

"Jibo! JIBO!" she called out with a touch of annoyance. He had to be somewhere, maybe he had his hands full too.

She sighed and began to guide the otori back to the gates of the corral.

After instruction to the ronin to conceal their own faces, Nakaba dons his own mask and activates the voice changer. "Show time." he says testing the voice scrambler causing him to sound more like an Oni on some network television show. With silenced sidearm tucked away, he steps out onto the field after Chiruha soon as she seems alone in the field. One ronin at his side and the other taking the truck across the field to Chiruha's opposite to close in a box.

"Asako Chiruha!" He calls out once within appropriate distance. A swift gesture of his hand signals the ronin at his side to circle left around her. "I'm afraid some lost otori are the least of your troubles but please... We need to talk."

Bayushi Akagi was headed to the stable to check on his otori when he noticed something seemed to be amiss. The otori scattered? Masked ronin surrounding and confronting Asako Chiruha?

Uncertain as to what exactly was going on, the Scorpion approached with caution. The shadows covered his approach as he made his way to a hidden vantage point to observe.

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Joining thread with permission.
10EE Bait and Switch, approach with stealth, AGI/Stealth: 4d10o10k3 32

"What...is...." Chiruha murmured out as she felt the air to grow tense when the man in the mask and obviously unnaturally sounding voice approached her from a distance.



She tried her best to recognize him through the disguise but it was beyond even her guess who it might, much less how the person might look like underneath. There were Scorpion guests here and some of them used voice changers, maybe?

However, her comfort level guided her toward the field of otori as she tried to carry on with what she was trying to do. She put herself in front of the otori in a protective stance as she guided it toward the main gate. "I'm sorry...what do you need from me, Scorpion-san?"



Less fancy than his employer, Jisei merely wore a mask made out of black felt with holes for his eyes and mouth. He withdrew his sidearm as she began to walk away but held it at his side for now.

Day 10, Early Evening: Investigation!: 3d10o10k2 12

He did not notice the intruder on the property with public access.

D10:EE Investigation: 4d10o10k3 22 - Fail to spot

"Easy." Nakaba gestures towards the ronin pulling the sidearm out to keep his weapon aside. Hoping to talk her down, the team would be prepared to move in immediately if she reached for a communicator or firearm. "Please listen closely and do not make any sudden movements. No one needs to get hurt. Regrettably I am to inform you that this is a kidnapping. Hired by some high class samurai to be held for ransom so we're told. Details on the actual job in play are fuzzy... but know I'm in charge here. These men listen to what I have to say. If you cooperate I promise no harm will come to you or your property."

D10:EE Real Sincerity: 4d10o10k3 34

Chiruha did her best to not look nervous but she found herself almost clinging onto the otori as she stopped in her tracks. She didn't even want to look at the men, considering what the man said to her seemed true. Who would want to kidnap her? Was it one of her father's associates or enemies? This was going suddenly going in a strange place in her mind.

This couldn't be happening to her. "..."

Her mind almost went on autopilot as she grasped on to normalcy in the face of tension and conflict. "I'm sorry, I can't come with you, I'm busy..." with that, she continued to lead the otori toward the gate as intended.

With another hand signal to the crew they follow Chiruha while maintain the circle. Nakaba's own pistol to his side now. Still he gives her time to understand the situation. To process her own thoughts. Unless she made a sudden move or a call to Aoi for aid, he attempted to remain true to his word and give her a moment.

From behind cover, the Scorpion quietly switched on his holorecorder to capture a record of the scene that was transpiring. With Chiruha under threat by the ronin, it didn't seem wise to charge in with guns blazing. So, for now Akagi waited for the opportune moment to intervene.

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OOC: Actually I would like to attempt to prevent Chiruha from being kidnapped, by force if necessary. But that is getting into PvP so I'm not sure how you want to handle that.

Slowly and quietly, the Scorpion drew his sidearm. A rush of adrenaline filled his body as he did so, and he took careful aim at one of the bandits.

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10EE Bait and Switch, Initiative REF/Rank +technique: 6d10o10k5 31 +10 for surprise per GM, so initiative 41
Defense stance
Simple action to activate Soshi’s Gift
Free action to draw sidearm
Stay hidden for round 1
ATN31 (36 versus people with lower initiative)

D10:EE Initiative: 3d10o10k2 8

((Ghost instructions: On sign of gunfire the operation is compromised. Order ronin to leave in vehicle))

There was tension in the air and things were at a breaking point.

Round 1 Initiative
Bayushi Akagi: 41
Jisei: 31
???: 25
Asako Chiruha: 23
Chinmoku: 21
Yasuki Nakaba: 8

Bayushi Akagi is 60' away from Jisei and Yasuki Nakaba.
Jisei and Yasuki Nakaba are 5' away from Asako Chiruha.
Jisei and Yasuki Nakaba are 10' away from Chinmoku.
Chinmoku is 70' away from Bayushi Akagi.

Bayushi Akagi and Chinmoku both have cover, +5TN ranged shooting.

From behind the corner of the stable, Bayushi Akagi took careful aim at one of the masked ronin. It looked like the moment of truth: they were about to hustle Chiruha into the ground car, after which there would be nothing he could do.

Akagi squeezed the trigger. A shot rang out, startling the milling flock of otori into a panic.

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Attack stance (currently ATN30 +5 for Bayushi tech +5 for cover = ATN40). Also hidden, but probably not for long.
10EE Bait and Switch, shoot Jisei with 2 called raises for damage, unknown TN: 8d10o10k5 42
if that hits: 10EE Bait and Switch, damage to Jisei (if I hit) +2k0 for raises for damage: 8d10o10k2 24

The shot colided onto the ronin standing in the open on point, staggering him back more from shock than the pain. He had taken plenty of shots before.

Voided, Jisei takes 11 after reduction.

"..." he was speechless at first and then raised his sidearm up while screaming fury at the top of his lungs as his temper was let loose. His shot didn't hit the barn, going stray and whizzing up in the air.

Day 10, Early Evening, Round 1: Attack at Bayushi Akagi: 6d10o10k3 25
Stance: Attack



"KRRRRUUULLLL-AAACK!" was heard as suddenly a one of the otori in the background charged out of the gate to make a pecking attack at the ronin with his beak. He was particularly effective as his beak gored right into Jisei's chest.

Day 10, Early Evening, Round 1: Full Attack at Jisei with beak: 6d10o10k4 45
Day 10, Early Evening, Round 1: Damage at Jisei: 4d10o10k3 33
Stance: Full Attack

Jisei takes 30 after reduction. Jisei is now engaged.

Chiruha grimaced at the sound of blaster fire as shots were being exchanged and to her surprise, Aoi came out of nowhere to her rescue! She reached for her sidearm and draw it, pointing at the ronin at first, trying to draw a bead on him. However, either she knew she didn't have the heart to pull the trigger or her forethought that she might accidentally hit Aoi instead. She dropped her sidearm and ran in to stop the fray, more specifically, prevent Aoi from getting hurt.

"No! no! STOP!" she screamed.

Asako Chiruha is in attack stance and is now engaged.

Chinmoku sighed, perhaps showing some emotion for the first time during this job. He raised his rifle and steadied at the Bayushi down the field, taking the shot. This was another stray shot, going into the field rather than any vague direction near Akagi.

Day 10, Early Evening, Round 1: Shooting at Bayushi Akagi with void spent: 7d10o10k4 22

[GM GHOST]

This was not how it was supposed to go and it was time to abort.

"Stop! Let's go! Let's go!" Nakaba would make the order and get into the truck.

Yasuki Nakada is in defensive stance and is now in the vehicle with +5TN versus ranged attacks.

Round 2 Initiative
Bayushi Akagi: 41
Jisei: 31
Aoi: 25
Asako Chiruha: 23
Chinmoku: 21
Yasuki Nakaba: 8

Bayushi Akagi is 60' away from Jisei, Aoi and Asako Chiruha
Yasuki Nakaba and Chinmoku are 70' away from Bayushi Akagi.

Bayushi Akagi, Yasuki Nakaba, and Chinmoku both have cover, +5TN ranged shooting.

Startled by Aoi's sudden intervention, Akagi adjusted his aim to avoid shooting the angry otori. He squeezed off a shot at the rifleman, but the ronin was behind cover and the shot not as carefully aimed.

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10EE Bait and Switch, shoot Chinmoku with 1 called raise for damage, unknown TN +5 penalty for cover: 8d10o10k5 31 .. going to guess that this misses, but let me know if it hits

Jisei coughed out blood, everything was red around him all of sudden. Red and blue, to be exact. He staggered in his steps and backed away from the bird. His tough image deteriorated and he started to sob. "Should have killed you first," he cried.

Without even glancing at the truck waiting for him, he raised his gun and pointed it at the otori before firing a shot.

Take 10' away, attack stance.
Day 10, Early Evening, Round 2: Attack on Aoi, void used for +1k1, tons of wound penalties vs TN10: 7d10o10k4 29

The radiant beam missed Aoi by a feather and that was far to close for comfort on Chiruha's behalf.



Aoi did not relent, especially after that daring counter-attack from the ronin.

"KRRREEEEELL!" he stomped forward and dove his beak right into the ronin's skull, cracking bone and brain matter alike, sending the ronin down as a bloody heap on the ground. Jisei's gaze was on the sky and his leg twitched involuntarily.

Day 10, Early Evening, Round 2: Full Attack at Jisei with beak: 6d10o10k4 35
Day 10, Early Evening, Round 2: Damage on Jisei: 4d10o10k3 22



Jisei takes 19 after reduction. Jisei is dead.

Either not knowing the ronin was dead, wanting to protect him or stopping him on going on a warpath...or all of the above...Chiruha quickly ran up to Aoi and hugged him. Her tears came out involuntarily as she held him close. "Stop...stop, enough..."

Chiruha is in defensive stance and 'engaged' to Aoi.

(Translator's note: Not that way.)