A flower in the Dark

Zeo Stats

Mission Link (WC: 3000)

A Flower in the Dark

The rumor about the mysterious flower was something that he heard sprouting up around the village... pun intended, as Zeo referred to it often.  He soon had one last mission to do-- to prove his station among his new team and he was determined to carry it out without any hesitation. He had done work for the local botanist before, but this mission was important. A special rose that had the power to cure most poisons with few exceptions. It was a rarity. However, it grew only during rainy seasons in the desert portion of Haven.

To be honest, he didn't think a place that far north as Haven had any dessert, but it seemed they had a wide variety of landforms in this nation, from mountains to deserts it seemed. However, what he heard was the rose bloomed during rare occurances. It was spotted during times of rain, but more so in to learn the conditions how to grow them. If he heard right from the botanist, it needed water but certain plants required unique conditions to grow, from soil, temperature, light, humidity, barometric pressure-- there were many factors to consider that could affect the growth of any kind of plant depending on its qualities. This rose, clearly was rare to not just sprout up in the desert like a common cactus.

So here he was, at the edge of the desert where the forest hills cut into the valley. The place was desolant just by looking at it. Zeo couldn't help but wonder why he had to do this alone, but he didn't know many other shinobi who knew how to identify plants. Even so this was a challenge as he was more familiar with plants near lush, watery areas like his village. The desert was far more difficult where any place grew at all...

Still, he turned to the sky itself. The area where the rose bloomed was in areas where it had rained. While the rainy season wasn't at that time, he judged by the clouds and air. Places with building barometric pressure would start to form cumulonimbus clouds, which later becomes rain clouds. If he could find those clashing air pressure locations, and where they went, it would make finding the rose a bit easier. The wind was blowing to the north-east, so he likely would find any lingering areas where it had rained in the south-west.

Realizing that, he took off to try and find it.

WC: 418 (X2 from anniversary) 836

The hour grew later as Zeo covered area of the desert to find this elusive rare flower, but not a spot of greenery could be seen where he searched. The soil was barren and dry. What parts of water existed was not easy to find if there were any. He was starting to understand why this flower was so scarced. He knew water could help produce it, but while he was skilled in water release, he didn't have the training or chakra to conjure a whole rainstorm in the middle of a desert. The sun was starting to go down and he still wasn't able to figure out the conditions of where it grew.

He had spoken to the botanist where it had grown earlier, and it was in usually shady, moist areas, in places with little other vegetation. He didn't really know how to proceed with that. He soon sat on an elevated rock that overlooked the area-- trying to find any place where the flower could grow. However, his gaze soon came to the setting sun-- and a small bit of cactus he could see in the distance as night began to fall over the sky. His eyes widened as he figured it out. Certain plants didn't always grow during the day, oftentimes the delicate lack of light were conditioned to grow and bloom.

Which meant he had to wait for that last bit of sunlight to fade to reach it. He waited there, watching for the sky to darken as he drank his water to pass the time. If all was good, he should find it quickly to learn where it could grow and how.

Dusk soon came, as the sky went from orange to a dark blue as the stars began to peek from the sky. Taking off, he moved fast into the area he spied where the cactus was. The only way for cactus to even grow is if there were some water in the area. Even if there were none, water stores were known to hide underground where plants would draw from it.

He reached the small field where the cactus was but didn't see any white flower. As he looked around slowly, he noticed one key detail about the place. While the 'soil' was relatively dry, it was not hard and cracked. It meant some moisture existed. Further, while cactus were sparse due to the water intake, he noticed places where there was lack of them-- due to the rocks and soil. However, when he saw the rocks, he had a good idea of where to look next.

Reaching another cluster of rocks, facing away from the now set sun-- he saw felt the place was cooler and more likely to produce the rumored rose. It took him a bit of time-- but he soon found it. In what looked like a small cave, or small shelter from the desert, he saw a speck of white that almost illuminated in the dark. Upon closer inspection, he found it, hidden in the crevices of the rocks to glow. It must of collected water from both the soil but also the cool temperature of the rocks when the sun went down. It blossomed gently now that the sun was gone, showing its rose-like quality.

WC: 550 (X2 from anniversary) 1100
TWC: 1936

It almost seemed to glow as the moonlight came out from the horizon to shine its light from the east. It's white pearly pedals flaked open to Zachary's gaze as it was almost too beautiful to pluck. Still, Zeo had his mission and this flower was too valuable in many ways to not botch the mission over sentiment. However, he needed the plant itself as well as the soil sample to determine everything. If the flower could be grown in a controlled environment back at the village, it could help greatly, so he needed as much information as possible.

He soon took out a notepad and pen to take down notes. The temperature, the moonlight and night-time atmosphere, the location of the plant and its surrounding vegetation. Or lack of in this case. The flower clearly demanded a great deal of water, which probably why it was around the rocks-- the rocks were known to condense moisture in some form and maintain a cool temperature when not in direct sunlight.

ONce he had gotten down everything he needed, he proceeded to secure the plant. With a bit of water from Water Style, for his own personal security on the matter, he began to dig out the plant, containing a generous amount of soil as well to keep it healthy. Using a small container for it, he put the flower in and sealed it using the designated seal to contain its condition. With luck, it would keep as he could get it back to the botanist in the village before midnight.

Before he left, he would check one more time for any other flowers. The more he could collect, the better. They didn't need to have the same soil samples or notes, but he made sure to observe the surrounding area. He checked inside the cave and the other parts of the surrounding rocks, but there were no other flowers. As he suspected, the rose had an effect that sucked up a large quanity of water to grow-- making other plantlife in the surrounding arrea, for a desert anyway, more baren and devoid of other plants. This was to be noted, but he was willing to bet in an enviorment with more water, it could florish with other roses of the same kind.

With his search done, he was able to call this mission a success. With no more risk of sweltering in the heat, he took off to return back to Hoshigakure as the stars shined upon him. The trip back would be easier now that the beating sun was not on him. As he sprinted across the desert and back towards home, he couldn't help but glance up at the sky every so often, thinking he was now accomplishing more in his missions. He had to have been making progress. With a new squad and chunin exams soon to come, he hoped to do a good job with it all and become an accomplished ninja.

He soon reached the forest, and then it would be a short sprint-- ninja wise to return back to the village gates. The mission was pretty much done, and luckily no interference took place from beast or men. With the flower secure, he went to deliver it and call it a night.

END.
WC: 549 (X2 from anniversary) 1098
TWC: 3034

Rewards: 3000 RYO +7 AP (x2 from anniversary event) 6000 +14 AP

Training: 25% from max stats
Wind Bullets (Upgrade from C to A) (1125 WC)
Soul Explulsion (A Rank) (1875 WC)

Approved