Watchman's Return (Village Entry)

Tokiatsu’s return trip was planned to be the shortest distance from his current location to the Hidden Leaf Village. That being said, his trek would end up taking him across most of Tornado Country, the northern-most tip of Wind Country, the middle of Stone Country, and the top of River Country before he would even reach the borders of his homeland of Fire Country. Even still, it took him three days to get to just the border of Fire Country. As soon as he crossed the border is when he would pull his Hitai-Ate out of his belt pouch and inserted it into the buckle of his belt.
 
Two years hadn't seemed like as long as it actually was. He had returned to Fire Country once in that timeframe, but not to the village itself. He’d had no reason to, as he was busy tracking down bandits on the border at the time and Konoha’s Watchman, Tokiatsu Hidemori had to move on to deal with another plot aimed at his village. However his role for the time being could possibly be changing. A few days ago, he had received a missive from the village recalling him as soon he was able. He’d been in the middle of disrupting a group of missing-nin that was looking to sow unrest in Fire Country. He had tracked them to Tornado Country, where they were building strength in a system of caves near the border of Tornado and Wind Country. It had taken him some time to track them down; they were good at covering their trail. Luckily for Tokiatsu, his friend and summoned companion Bossk had picked up a lead while they had gone out scouting. This lead had led them to the cave system and they were just about to begin reconnoitering when another shinobi appeared wearing a Konoha headband. ‘I wasn’t expecting there to be assistance in this operations.’ He thought to himself. It would seem that it would not be the case. The shinobi had new orders for him, telling him he was to return to the village as quickly as possible, and Report to the Hokage's office. This was to take priority over any current assignment. It had the usual authorisation, so unless there was a mole in the mission assignment office, this was genuine. Tokiatsu had to take it at face value. With Bossk in tow, Tokiatsu left his current assignment with his replacement and made his way back to camp to gather his things and return to Konoha as quickly as possible.

His camp site had been completely undisturbed when he had returned to pack up his things. 'Perfect...' He thought to himself with satisfaction. 'Right where I left everything.' As soon as he started breaking camp, his thoughts started wandering back to home. It would be a nice change of pace potentially if he was to remain at home for a while, after being on the road for so long. "I wonder what this is about..." Tokiatsu said aloud to his friend. Bossk was pensive. "Perhapsss they have found a new role that you need to fill." The snake said in response. Tokiatsu would nod. "It would have been nice to have additional information in the scroll, but I can understand why it would have been brief. We do not want any sensitive information to fall into the wrong hands."
 
As he was not the kind of person to rush anything, so despite the urgency stated in the scroll, Tokiatsu would carefully store his tent, bedroll, and cooking tools in his storage displacement. He would pull one thing out of his storage displacement as well, his Konohagakure Hitai-Ate. It was slightly different than a traditional Hitai-Ate; it was not affixed to any fabric, just the plate which happened to be magnetized. There was a spot on his belt that he would affix it to, however he would wait until he was back in Fire Country before displaying his allegiance. It would not behoove him to make it known just yet, so he would place the metal plate in one of the pouches on his belt for now, to make it easier to access since his storage displacement was somewhat packed with the rest of his belongings for now. With the campsite broken down and his belongings stored away. Tokiatsu would start his return trip to Konoha.
 
He hadn’t realised he had been daydreaming, thinking back on the most recent events that had happened to him until Bossk had gotten his attention. “I would imagine we are clossse to the village now.” The snake said to Tokiatsu. The Watchman blinked. “You would be correct.” He said to his reptilian friend. “We are almost there. I’d say likely a few more hours walking.” Before Tokiatsu continued though, he wanted to make sure his first impression upon returning to the village was a good one. He had scoured his clothing for dirt and grime, ensuring that it was spotless. Or rather, as spotless as one could make it. His robes were left open, so that his Hitai-Ate would be visible, as well as the half of Watchman’s Rebuke he had attached to each side of his belt, easily within reach should problems arise. He raised the hood of his robes so that it partially covered his face. Bossk was loosely coiled around his shoulders and neck, like a serpentine necklace of epic proportions. Now that Tokiatsu was ready, the walk from the borders of Fire Country to Kono’s main gates would continue.
 
“It’s very likely they will want an overview of what has happened over the last couple years.” Tokiatsu said to Bossk as they walked. “That isss very possible.” The snake responded with. “It isss not like you were able to provide a full report every time you wrote one.” The Watchman nodded in agreement. “Good thing you have been with me throughout the entire time. It will be easy to confirm the timeline with the two of us working together to fill in the blanks.”
 
The gates of the hidden leaf village appeared in the distance. They appeared to be very small on the horizon, but that’s what happened with all objects when there is an intervening distance. ‘Home…’ Tokiatsu thought to himself as the gates continued to get larger, the closer he walked to them. They hadn’t changed. They still stood proud and tall as the day he had left the village. A testament to how long the village had stood here, providing a measure of stability to this part of the country. It took him the better part of three hours to finally arrive at the gates of his home. Naturally there was a contingent of shinobi on guard duty, but it seemed larger than what the Watchman was familiar with. 'I'm sure I'll find out more when I speak with the Hokage.' He thought to himself. Since he was a shinobi of the village, he would simply walk through the gates into the village proper, heading directly to the office of the Hokage. Should he be stopped, he had his missive in one of the pouches on his belt to verify his identity and his current orders.
 
WC: 1,199

Higuto was standing atop the rails that rested along the top of the village gates, bored out of his mind from how uneventful gate guard duty was, as he had his insects in their usual patrols hovering over the road that lead in and out of the village. His usual watch pattern was having his insects watch from the sky while also having a shadow clone patrol the gates directly below himself so as to cover multiple areas at once. Even though hardly anything ever happened at the gates he had usually found the strategy very necessary as he could never be too careful with who approached the village gates. An intruder could always use the advantage of catching an unalerted guard with his pants down and he wanted to make certain that couldn't happen with him.

Even so... it did sometimes get dreadfully dull what with hardly anyone interesting ever approaching the gate. Most of people who came and went to and from the village were people he knew and held permissions. Others sometimes didn't which brought him at least some fulfillment when he had to stop them. And that happened very rarely... However things were about to get a bit interesting as Higuto's shadow clone picked up a chakra signature that was very powerful approaching the gates. He looked to see a hooded man walking along the road seemingly seeking to enter the village. He had never seen this man before but it was quite clear that, for someone to possess such high chakra, he was very clearly a ninja. Also the headband strapped to his belt's buckle suggested as much, too.

Being that Higuto had never seen this man before he naturally was curious as to see if he was a ninja coming in from a long mission or otherwise so the clone stepped over to stand in front of the man, about 5 meters away, before giving him a bow and a kind smile from under his jacket's hood.

"Good afternoon. My name is Higuto Aburame and I'm the appointed gate guard. I'd wish you a happy return home but, unfortunately, protocol says I must ask you a few questions first if you don't mind... I'd like to start by asking for your name and what business you had to take care of that you are returning home from?"

The clone would wait for the answer from the man, hands in pockets, while keeping a gentle smile up though never taking eyes off this newcomer.

The gates wouldve been opened, and yen was kicking back in the bunker at the top. The new 30 meter tall reinforced gates were a nice addition as finally after some idiot burned the previous ones. The village did yen a sweet note. By merely placing the gates right where a nice warm spot and breeze would come in. So it was toasty in his napping spot. So yen was napping out of sight as he detected the chakra signature comming in from yonder. Still it didnt bother him. For he had already placedvhis shadow clones in question.

A clone had been placed in the treeline 150 meters out from the gates. He was gathering some herbs and was in transformation form of an old man with a headband on his neck. He was wearing an tattered old blue cloak and a white straw hat. In place where the eye patch was. There was a white bandage that covered the missing eye.

While a second one was doing the natural gate duties along with a few other jouninn. He however looked like current day yen in his black cloak and black rimmed hat. Weedled amid the several jouninn that were adressing people, but yen the yen clone joined when it was grouped induviduals.

The induvidual in question approached, and yen clone waved him by if higuto approved. It would be with a simple wave towards the hokage office for the man since it was busy.

(You got my yes)

Uless anything happend to cause strife then the clone will disperse to inform yen what happened. Just like the clone 150 meters out will inform yen through dispersing if there was any additional problems.


However, if all pans out. With that the day became less active and soon enough hlyens shift ended.

If allowed through then yen wouldve dispersed clones after the other clone returned with herbs and headed home to cook with the herbs.


(Ill be quietly watching topic)


Clone stats:

Clone#1+2
Health: 25
Chakra:100
Stam:100
Speed:22
Strength:4

Ap

Clone 1: 488

Clone 2: 493

Yen: 493

Jutsu used

Shadow clone: (divided and deducted)

Clone 1 -5 for transformation.

It would seem that the fact that he wore his Konoha Hitai-Ate wasn’t good enough anymore to get him through the gates unimpeded. Of all the guards at the gate, one of them made some form of move to bar his path even though one of the others, a man in a black jacket and black-rimmed hat, had waved the Watchman through. He was a pale boy with short jet black hair that is parted to the side with bangs that are 2/3 down to the eyes. He was wearing a black hooded jacket that is unzipped which reveals a blue shirt and shorts that extend past his knees. A chain on his neck would signify a necklace of some kind. Tokiatsu inwardly sighed at the delay, but it couldn’t be helped.
 
"Good afternoon. My name is Higuto Aburame and I'm the appointed gate guard. I'd wish you a happy return home but, unfortunately, protocol says I must ask you a few questions first if you don't mind... I'd like to start by asking for your name and what business you had to take care of that you are returning home from?"
 
The Boy had a smile on his face, almost like he didn’t have a care in the world. That’s how it should be. The world would be a better place if the young didn’t have to do the job that adults should be doing. To that effect, Tokiatsu would slowly pull the missive he carried out of one of his pouches and unfurled it for the boy to see. If he was familiar with confidential mission orders, he would recognize this as genuine. If not, one of the other shinobi likely would. The missive named The Watchman as the recipient, since a coded name would almost definitely be required for covert work outside of the village. The missive would direct him to return to the village immediately for debrief.
 
Tokiatsu would nod to the boy from under his hood. “Hello, young Aburame.” He would say to the boy in front of him. “I am called The Watchman. As for my business, I have been wandering the world for the last couple years. I’m afraid what I have been doing during that time is between myself and the Hokage. The missive here should be more than sufficient to prove that.” Once Higuto has had enough time to read over the document, Tokiatsu would roll the scroll up. “If you’ll excuse me, I will be making my way to the Hokage’s office now.” His tone would be calm and composed, but utterly unyielding. With that, the Kono Chuunin would make his way past Higuto, heading towards the Hokage’s office.

[Exit]

WC: 449
TWC: 1648

Claims:
1648 WC towards Chidori (1648/3000, 25% Max Stat Discount)

Approved

Higuto noticed the ninja's eyes momentarily look past him towards a different direction as Higuto looked to see who it was. Even disguised Higuto could tell from the signature that it was Yen waving the ninja to come in as Higuto sighed and listened to this "Watchman" speak and show his missive.

"Nice to meet you, sir. If you would please indeed make certain to meet with the Hokage. My apologies if my business question was too prying and I hope that after meeting with the Hokage you can get some good rest. Welcome home."

The clone would step aside to allow the ninja to pass before continuing on it's patrol as Higuto continued to stand atop his post and keep vigilant of everything.

{Exit}

(TWC 615)

(Claiming WC towards Armor )

With the man having been approved and yens supervision no longer nessary. The clone in the distance returned, and therefore yen headed home.

(Exit no, claims topic closed)

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