On Top Of The World [Gonk, open to 2]

Holiday Mission:

This is a fascinating dream. The lore runs very deep, the people are very fleshed out, and the warm sake tastes very good. Murata hopes that she will remember it when she awakens, so that she may compare it with the truth of this great peak.

The mountainside inn is crowded with all kinds of colorful characters. In her blue-tinged chain that makes the missing-nin present look at her sideways, she is certainly one of them. There is all kinds of chatter and bluster about who is going to be the first to reach the grove and claim its riches - it seems that this mysterious summons has gone out across the world. Shinobi headbands from across the lands flash, a burly Kumo-nin arm wrestling with a weedy Hoshi-nin who seems to be winning. Iron Country samurai share stories with distant cousins from Fang or Shadow, seeming pleased to meet other honorable fellows. Outside, whirling snow buries the inn deeper and deeper, few daring venture out until morning.

In the distance, the great dark shape of the mountain looms. Somewhere up there is the mysterious grove that holds their prize. For the moment, Murata is content to wait until morning with the wiser of the motley group, though it may put her on the back foot. She has only found one friend thus far, after all, and many are doing their best to team up in case of conflict or accidents. She makes no move to stop Gonk from partaking from the sake bottle if he desires, given that she thinks this is a dream and the ethics of underage drinking are currently a fake question.

"We could always simply rob one of the successful groups," she ventures, the pair currently having a brainstorm session over a table of extremely delicious food. "I do not much want to wake up from a nightmare of unnervingly realistic hypoxia."

[316]

Kato was snoring away happily in his bed, his dreams giving him a sense of warmth and comfort. Suddenly the warmth and comfort disappeared, Kato felt his body begin too shiver and his eyes opened, searching for the source of this change. He noticed that the window to his apartment had blown open and the wind had begun to whip around his room, displacing a few books, scrolls and notes he had lying around. Kato closed the window and climbed out of bed before noticing a strange letter on his dining table. It was snow white with light blue trimmings at its edges and was sealed with a red bow. "How peculiar, I've never seen this before" Kato thought before opening and reading the letter.

The letter talked about a task that had been set to shinobi across the land and was sent by a mysterious person who called themselves 'The Hollykage'. The task involved climbing to the highest peak in the Land of Iron, locating a secret grove, and harvesting pieces of an ancient meteor that was found there. It sounded like quite the challenge but it also seemed that this 'Hollykage' figure was not short on cash either, the reward was rather handsome. The letter went on to say that any shinobi willing to take the challenge should dress for a cold climate and sign their name at the bottom of the letter when they are ready. Kato donned his warm, fur lined winter clothes, collected the gear he felt that was necessary and the signed his name. 

As Kato finished writing his signature another wintery gale passed through his apartment and in the blink of an eye he was stood on a snowy mountainside. He could see an inn close by that looked like it was teeming with life and approached it at once. Pushing through the door of the inn Kato was surprised to see shinobi from all different villages assembled in small groups, he immediately became more alert and aware of his surroundings, he didn't want to get ganged up on after all.

Kato made his way deeper into the inn, heading towards the bar when he noticed two familiar figures. He ordered a bottle of sake from the bar and then joined his Mist village comrades. "Gonk, Murata! It seems you two have also received that mysterious letter. From the looks of it its going to be a bit of a race to the top, I think it makes sense for us Kiri-nin to team up." Assuming there is no objection Kato would continue "ah it seems like you two have already got a plan in the works, may I see that map?" Kato would then study the map whilst listening to Gonk & Murata's plan, sipping his sake to keep him warm.

[469]

Kita looked suspiciously at the glass of warm milk next to his bed, crossing his arms and tapping his finger against his shoulder. From his shuttered window, pale beams of winter moonlight illuminated his dark room, revealing a frowning and dissatisfied Kita. He had recently been having trouble sleeping, and Kita had no idea why. It seemed that every other time that he slipped into unconsciousness, there was another strange dream to greet him. However, the most peculiar thing about the whole situation, was that despite the dreams having such a profound effect on his sleeping habits, Kita could hardly remember any of them. The most that Kita remembered is that they all had something to do with snow, with Kita performing some odd task or another. "Okay. Attempt to avoid weird dreams number one. A glass of warm milk. If this doesn't work, I don't know what I'm going to do for attempt number two." Kita picked up the glass and downed it in about two gulps, quickly setting it back down and throwing the covers over himself. It wasn't long after before Kita fell asleep.

For a moment, Kita was lost in the dark void of slumber. Kita probably would've celebrated his avoidance of any strange dreams, if not for the fact that he didn't have the consciousness or awareness to do so. The peacefulness of the black soon faded away however, as a single dot of white light punctured the darkness. It came towards Kita, slowly morphing from a pinprick of light into a large ring around his vision. Then, another pinprick appeared. That too formed a ring, and started approaching Kita. It happened again, and again, and again. Kita passed through the rings in his vision, slowly going through a tunnel formed by the conglomerate of light and dark, becoming more and more aware of his body and mind as he did. The tunnel went faster, and faster, until it was nothing but a blur of light, and with an intense blast of cold wind, Kita's vision cleared, and he stood in front of a mountainside in, in the middle of a snow storm.

Kita gave a large, long groan. "I thought that that would work! Yet here I am again, in yet another dream about a snowstorm!" Kita grumpily walked forward towards the door, hoping to make his way out of the biting cold. Kita threw open the door, and entered inside the inn. Several ninja were scattered about the inn, but Kita noticed that a couple of his fellow Kirigakure ninja were discussing something at the bar. Kita looked down at his fuzzy brown pajamas, pausing for only the briefest of seconds before deciding that because it was a dream, it didn't matter much what he wore, and continuing towards his fellow shinobi. Kita sat down in a seat next to them. "Bartender, could I get a thing of hot chocolate? It's cold outside!" As the bartender began making him a thing of hot chocolate, Kita turned to his companions. "So you three are a part of my weird dreams this time huh? Alright, what's the plot line for this thing. Where am I, and what's the plan?" As the bartender slid the hot chocolate his way, Kita picked it up and took a sip before setting it back down on the counter. "I'll follow along with whatever it is that you're doing."

Word Count - 569

Murata huddles over the map, face aglow in adventurous excitement, her grin growing as Kato and Kita join the team. Ah, inter-village cooperation is overrated anyway, isn't it? She quickly recaps Gonk's plan for the two newcomers, indicating the game trail they will be traversing to make their way to their treasure.

Soon enough, they are all back into the cold, far from the cozy warmth and noise of the bar. Out on the mountainside, there is only the howl of the wind and the freezing bite of the air, the mountain looming above them ominously. They quickly break away from the main path to the game trail indicated by the bartender. It is, as one would expect, much less well-maintained - overgrown and bathed in deep snow, twisting and turning. It is likely that any hunters generally reserve its use for the warmer months.

"I think those may be our rocks," Murata says, pointing through the blowing snow to a cliff outcropping covered in icicles. "Ah."

At the top of the outcropping is a huge, dark shape. It might be mistaken for part of the rocks until it turns its withering gaze towards them, yellow feline eyes stark against its pale fur, and it lets out a gurgling shriek of warning. An enormous lynx now stands between the party and its goal.

[222]
[TWC: 538]

Kato had only been chatting with Gonk and Murata for a few minutes before they were joined by a slightly sleepy and somewhat frustrated looking Kita. Kato was glad to see that everyone he would be working with were familiar to him and people he trusted. With all the shinobi from the other villages also after their target he would of found it hard trusting a stranger. The plan was re-explained now that all the members were present. They would be taking an unused trail up the mountain, hoping to avoid other shinobi and ascend quickly. 

Once they had finished their drinks the team headed out and up the common path up the mountain. With great care to conceal their movements each member of the team stealthily peeled off into the forest that led to the trail the barkeep had informed them about. Kato kept his Byakugan active at all times whilst walking through the forest, weary of wild creatures and enemy ninja. The snow felt light but continuous as the team trudged through the forest along the trail, the canopy above shielding them from the worst of the downfall. 

Eventually the trail led them out of the forest. The cold wind swept through Kato attempting to steal away the heat held in his body. He looked up to see a rather beautiful looking peak before him "If only it wasn't so frigid" Kato thought to himself as he scanned the scenery. During his scan he noticed that they were not alone, there was a beast hiding among the rocks before the ascent. The beast seemed to notice the group and the voices of his team mates drew it out of its hidden position among the rocks. Gonk suggested a group transformation, remembering something he learned back in the academy. The idea was sound but Kato had a recently learned a new jutsu that he thought would suffice, plus he had been keen to use it in a live situation. 

The lynx began to stalk towards the group cautious but with a look of ferocity in its eyes. Kato formed a handseal then parted his hands, holding each palm open. Blue light gathered and grew in each palm taking the shape of a katana. The light then blew away into snow and in its place was a katana in each of Kato's hands (Storage Displacement). He then secured his two katana on his hip before forming a small series of handseals and channelling his chakra. "I've got a plan that should scare this one right off. Animals often know when they are outmatched and run for their own safety, its usually us humans who fail to see that." Kato then drew both of his katana and moved and a speed almost hard to follow with even a shinobi's eye. He ran in a serpentine manner but each time he zigged or zagged an additional Kato appeared until there was five Kato's charging at the lynx (After Image). This display did just as intended, the body language of the lynx transitioned from cautious but confident to fearful and afraid. The beast bolted away from the onrushing Kato's and off into the forest with its tail between its legs.

As Kato's movement came to a halt his after images faded out of existence starting from the first one that appeared. It was quite the disorienting visual to watch, almost like a flip book just in real life. Kato turned with a grin to his team mates "I've been dying to use that trick. Looks like the way is clear, shall we?" motioning to the rocky path up the the peak of the mountain.

[611]
[TWC = 1080]

The group slowly made their way through the game trail up the side of the mountain, worming their way through the lightly traveled path on their way to get to the asteroid. The night was impossibly quiet, with the only sound being the crunch of the shinobi's footsteps, and the howling of the night wind. Kita couldn't hear anything else alive around here. There were no animals, and the only thing that seemed alive around here were the trees, which leaned ominously over the group. Despite Kato's Byakugan being activated, Kita had the feeling that there was something out here, watching them.

It wasn't long after that before the group came across what they assumed was their objective. It was Murata that pointed out the protruding cliff face that could house the meteor. The surrounding cliff face had several boulders leading higher up towards the outcropping, and that area of the mountain itself looked as though something had slammed into it, sending debris shattering outwards from the point of impact. That probably was the location. However, something sinister slinked its way down from the peak. Pale gray fur was reflected by the moonlight, and glowing yellow eyes peered at the group. Bared yellow fangs were exposed to the night air, and an unnatural howl filled the air. A Lynx blocked their path between the shinobi and their prize.

Gonk was the first of the group to react, getting the idea to turn into a wolverine. "Everybody, transform into a wolverine, they can sometimes scare lynxes off!" Kita was about to assist Gonk in his plan as he transformed into the animal in question, but Kato had his own idea. "I've got a plan that should scare this one right off. Animals often know when they are outmatched and run for their own safety, its usually us humans who fail to see that." He began to weave hand seals for the Storage Displacement Jutsu. Kita had read about it in his Jutsu Encyclopedia, and had learned to use the technique himself out of convinience. Glowing orbs formed in the palm of his hand to create two katanas, which quickly materialized into a solid form. Kato rushed forward, multiple copies of the shinobi rushing towards the hellish beast. For a moment, Kita thought that this was a Shadow Clone Jutsu, but something about the copies seemed different. It was simply his incredible speed. The beast ran off, terrified by Kato's might, and he came back to the group. The group all continued on their path, satisfied by their victory. Kita however, still wasn't convinced. He still felt like they were being watched. Whatever it was, it felt malevolent.

The group made their way onto the top of the outcropping by climbing over the fallen rocks that rested on its side. The feeling of eyes on Kita's back was more prevalent than ever, and Kita finally felt the need to speak up about it. "I'm going to be honest with you three. I think that someone, or something, is watching us. I know that Kato hasn't seen anything, but I swear I feel something's out there. I don't know if it's another group of ninja or what, but I don't like it." The group finished their climb, and stood at the top of the outcropping. The meteor, diminished in size from its impact in the mountain, sat in a divet inside of the mountain. Kita walked towards it, eager to get the meteor and get out of there, but something stopped him. As the group continued onwards, Kita paused. He turned around, hoping that he was wrong, that there was nothing there at all, and his paranoia was starting to get to him. Yet as Kita looked behind himself, something wicked stood there.

It was an incredibly tall creature with gray, taunt, dry skin. It had no clothes, and its limbs were too long, too abnormal to be human. It stood with a slight hunch, its hands almost scraping the ground.  It stood at least 3 meters tall, and two red, glowing eyes stared at Kita, dozens of small dots resembling stars inside. The skin around its face was pulled tight and gaunt, and its mouth was twisted with a bloodied grin. Unnatural terror gripped Kita as he scooped a piece of rock from the ground, hurling at the creature with all his might. It raised a hand and caught it with elongated fingers, squeezing hard and crushing it to dust. With a gravelly, growling voice, it spoke. "I'm so hungry... You'll do nicely." Kita knew in that moment that the group was alone. The nearest ninja who could help were nowhere near here, and they were stuck with whatever this thing was. It took a single step towards Kita, and after a single blink from the young shinobi, it was gone. Kita didn't see it anywhere. He fell to the ground, face pale and devoid of blood, and looked back at his fellow shinobi to see if they had seen the creature.

Word Count - 840

Total Word Count - 1409

Herself transformed into a wolverine, Murata blinks toward Kato in what appears to be mustelid disappointment that him and Kita did not join them in attempting to scare off the lynx through the power of the natural order. Curious white spots dot half of her pelt, betraying her inexperience with the technique.

"Must you show us up at every opportunity?" she jokes to Kato as she returns to her human shape, white smoke fading into the dark. The way up is not difficult for them, and soon their prize is within reach, Murata paying no mind to Kita's obvious trepidation as she steps forwards. However, at the same time Kita is forced to stop by his terrifying encounter, Murata is brought to a halt as well.

Murata does not see the beast. She is dealing with a Genjutsu of her own. In fact, the entire team finds themselves trapped in unique illusions as they near the meteorite. The same unnatural, creeping fear grips them all, curling its cold claws into their mind, the interloper's chakra manually pressing every button in their brains that tell them to run and hide. The strange, tall beast reappears directly behind Kita, rattling breath smelling of rotten flesh hot against his neck.

Murata pauses, her heart pounding, but feeling startlingly shallow. Her vision swims, a pounding headache hitting her, and she stumbles to her knees - fingertips turning blue in the snow as the illusion makes a very convincing argument to her brain that she is running out of oxygen. She tries to call out to her teammates, but everything swims into the snow, her heart pounding in her ears muffling all sound. Her nightmares sometimes end so abruptly - is it time for her to wake?

Stepping carefully forward, bundled against the cold, one of the other hunters of the meteorite from the tavern steps forward. Her Seigan near-glows brilliant blue, snowflakes laced with her chakra melting against the skin of the team and ensnaring them further in her illusions. The kunoichi is a short, plump woman, with an innocuous sort of sleepy innocence to her expression, having been near invisible in the corner of the tavern while the team had conversed. There is little hostility in her face - she seems, if anything, to be surprised that she has gotten this far and that her method of disabling the team has not caught the attention of the Hollykage. Yet. She will have to make this prompt. The woman steps towards the meteorite, kneeling down to collect her prize.

[422]
[TWC: 960]