"Okay," said Jeri/Jiraiya to Naruko. "Infiltration mission basics."
"Why are we doing that anyway, these guys aren't enemies," noted Naruko.
"You're being hunted, and infiltration is part of our job description," said Jeri. "Besides, you want to go explaining to everyone we meet that yes - you're a girl but you're a guy inside and it was just some weird curse?"
"Last time I tried that they just looked really weird at me," admitted Naruko.
"Precisely," said Jeri. "Besides, not only is this good practice - an infiltration mission does not mean that you'll necessarily be among enemies."
"Huh?" asked Naruko. "Why would you have to sneak among friends?"
"One of the missions I had right after the war was an infiltration mission in Waterfall," said Jeri. "There was a rebel force gathering strength. I ended up having to infiltrate and determine what the aims and intentions of that group and find out where their money was coming from."
"Did you?" asked Naruko.
"Yes," said Jeri. "Mission details are still classified, but the basics were that it was being payrolled by someone in Iwa. They were dealt with."
"You killed them?" asked Naruko.
"One," said Jeri with a shrug. "The rest of the group I was able to discredit, disperse, and then recruit select elements for my intelligence network."
"Oh," said Naruko.
"Now, go over the highlights of your cover identity, and I'll let you know what you missed and what needs to be storied out a bit," said Jeri.
"'Storied'?" asked Naruko.
"Just do it, we won't have that much longer before someone decides to interrupt or listen in. Ship's fairly sizable but it isn't that big."
River abruptly rolled to her feet and scampered up the single large mast the ship had.
"I been meaning to ask. We got an engine, so what's the mast there for?" asked Naruko.
"When we're out of fuel or trying to save fuel, obviously," said Jeri. "Go over your cover now, but I just got a feeling we may not have a lot of time."
"Oh crap," said Captain Malcolm Reynolds as he looked up and saw River Tam standing on the yardarm of their mast.
"What?" asked Jayne, coming outside and then glancing up to see what the Captain was looking at. "Oh crap."
Both followed the body language of their one crewmember to an apparently empty spot of ocean.
"Great. Just great. I was afraid this trip was going to be boring," proclaimed the Captain.
"Sarcasm - just one of the many services you provide?"
Captain Mal blinked, considering adding that to his business cards, before addressing the cook/writer. "We don't talk much about River doing odd things."
"A fine policy, Captain Reynolds," said Jeri. "I believe we can agree that such a policy should be rather inclusive, eh?"
"Eh?" asked Jayne.
"He means he'll keep quiet about things he sees here as long as we do the same," explained the Captain.
"Oh. Should'a just said so," grumped Jayne. "I'll go get my weapons."
"You and your niece might have to either hole up in a cabin or lend a hand," said the Captain. "She's still looking in the same direction. Might mean whatever it is - it's far away enough that our movement don't much matter."
"Or it means it is coming directly towards us," noted Jeri.
"I ain't gonna take odds," said Captain Reynolds.
"She's a chakra sensor, I take it?" asked Jeri.
"Something like that, I reckon," said the Captain. "You?"
"I've been in dangerous situations before... ah, Jayne? Can I see one of those bolts?"
Jayne looked puzzled as he got his crossbow positioned and a large sword strapped into place on a railing. As soon as he had a hand free, he handed one over.
Jeri took out an inkpot, a brush, and started scribbling something out.
"Fuuinjutsu?" asked the Captain, interested.
"Something like that," said Jeri, not looking up from his work. "You know, Captain. I like surprises but I always feel it is better to give than to receive."
"Why, that's a fine attitude to have," agreed the Captain. "I believe I've heard the Reverend Book say somewhat like that."
"They'll be able to see us soon," said Raina, her arms extended as she kept the Cloak up.
"Not to mention you're running out of chakra," noted Captain Ikamono. "Ingou. Hisan. Get ready. Risu. You're up."
The woman wearing a leather mask and tight black armor nodded and gestured. "Hidden Mist Jutsu!"
Fog thickened, with the ship just a silhouette visible for a moment before the fog completely concealed it.
The ship, a three-masted pirate raker, appeared as fog rose up from the water.
"Now," said Jeri.
Jayne shot his crossbow bolt directly into the center of a mass of mercenaries before line-of-sight was completely lost.
"What was that supposed to do?" asked Naruko.
BOOM!
Jeri grinned. "Quintuple strength exploding tag."
"Good enough," said Captain Malcolm. "Any other little surprises?"
"As a matter of fact," said Jeri.
"They've got ninja," said Captain Ikamono. "Why didn't our sensor tell us?"
"She's the new gal. You killed the old one, remember? This one's still trying to get her sea legs since we 'recruited' her," pointed out Hisan.
"After this, put her in the brig for a few days to motivate her a bit more," said the Captain.
"Another missile," said Hisan, the respirator he wore giving his voice an odd echo effect. Crew darted away from the projected impact site, expecting another explosion.
A scroll tied around the slightly oversized crossbow bolt burst into black flame as it hit.
"Someone put that fire out," ordered the Captain. "Grapnels! Prepare to board! Kill everyone but our target! The client wants her alive after all!"
"Should have delivered our last prisoner before we take on another one, but okay," said Hisan, adjusting his cloak and hood.
"AAIIIIEEEE!" screamed a crewmember.
Captain Ikamono looked that way and saw that the clumsy oaf had managed to spread the fire and was now burning with black flames himself. "Idiot. Someone put out that fire before it spreads any further! Board ship. Hisan, Ingou, Risu, Raina - priority is that enemy ninja. Take him out however you can. The rest of you lot - pillage and slaughter!"
"Now remember, Naruko," whispered Jeri (Jiraiya) while everyone's attention was away from them. "No Rasengan, more than one Shadow Clone, and no toads."
"WHAT?!" Naruko flinched as everyone's head swiveled towards her despite the impending fight. With a lowered voice, Naruko whispered back. "Why?! That's most of what I know."
"Because they're looking for Naruto - remember. What does Naruto do? Well, don't do that. I've been telling you to practice a range of moves." Jeri held up a hand, which was suddenly holding a pair of long knives that almost qualified as swords.
"What are those?" asked Naruko.
It was in a slightly louder voice that Jeri answered that. "As a world-famous chef, of course I know a bit about knives. Why, I remember a time when I was visiting the markets in the City Of Seven Dark Delights-"
Captain Mal interrupted. "Much as I'd like to hear that story." He paused briefly. "Actually. I really would like to hear that one. Sounds intriguing. This ain't the time though. You can use knives - good choice if it comes to in-fighting. Either of you use any weapons with a longer reach?"
"Got a spear?" asked Jeri. "Not my best weapon, but I do okay with it."
"Spear?" asked Jayne, checking his pockets.
"Spear-fishing in Land of Water and a few lessons while journeying through the deserts in the Land of Wind," noted Jeri.
River tossed something towards Jiraiya from her position atop the bridge.
Jeri checked the weight and heft of the spear briefly, then spun it a couple of times before nodding.
"You've obviously used that before," said Jayne.
"Critics," answered Jeri. "Some are worse than others."
"Got anything for me?" asked Naruko hopefully.
"Yeah, a cabin below-decks," answered Jayne. "Unless you got a particular weapon skill."
"I'm not particularly bad with anything, not particularly good either," complained Naruko.
"Here, try this," said Captain Reynolds, tossing a large wrench to the girl.
"Ain't no engineer," protested Naruko.
"Then knock some pirate over the head and take THEIR weapon," the Captain advised the young girl.
Naruko cocked her head for a moment. "Actually. That sounds like a plan."
In the depths of a pirate ship, a cell door rattled. There was a metallic click. There was the sound of someone saying that that was their last improvised lockpick.
Not that a princess generally knew how to use a lockpick.
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(Posted Tue, 21 Jan 2014 16:29)
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