A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Fri Dec 10, 2021 2:22 am

Bite my tongue, bide my time
SEEMEINA
C R O W N

Miki awoke that morning with a splitting headache; she had been up that night having her very first… Several drinks; she found a letter beside her bed table; her emerald eyes scanned the letter; it was written with such a neat writing… A delicate letter indeed.. The scent of gingerbread cookies came from it… Miki found herself with a small smirk; through the massive headache, she enjoyed the scent of the letter.

Spoiler:

However the letter left her with a sense of urgency, she had been requested not only for a celebration; but that there was someone attempting to stop this festival… She was unfamiliar with a person named “Yoi”, but she knew that there was stories from her childhood that when children were good, they would receive presents under their trees… perhaps this entity was the one she was told about as a child? She smiled as she folded the letter, she had a days time to prepare herself for her instant travel to Moon Country… She couldn’t possibly imagine what this country looked like… She needed to prepare herself for any kind of weather.

Miki would slip of our her bed at the tavern, and quickly dress; she had saved up a decent sum from working, and she was gaining even more… She would leave the tavern and head towards the shops, she had mostly summer clothes; as Konohagakure didn’t often get cold enough to require a colder type of clothing option. She found herself in an ‘international’ shop, this shop held goods from different countries, and places… She inquired with the shop owner if they had ever heard of ‘Moon Country’, and if they had offered advice on how to dress. In the end, Miki decided that she would wear a nicer kimono; one that would recognize her rank within her clan, but also be able to keep her warm. Miki would take the time to prepare the fabrics, and return to resting for the rest of the day; getting herself up earlier the next morning, dressing in her Hikizuri – She would place her jewels, hair and other important pieces of attire on, making sure to slip any tools that she thought she might need within her many hidden pockets of her kimono.

She would pull out the transportation scroll, sighing as she broke the seal; she could feel herself being sucked into it; everything going pitch black just for a few moments before the brightness surrounding her once again; landing gracefully on her feet as she walked three steps forward as she ‘landed’. Her emerald eyes scanning the area carefully; there was gates, that looked… Like candy canes? Her eyes narrowed, a small smirk on her face as she straightened out her hair and kimono quickly before anyone could notice. Her eyes scanning to see if anyone else received the letter.

Stats

Health 100
Chakra 35
Vigor 60
Speed 25
Strength 5

AP

600/600

Total Post WC 474
Total WC 474
Total WC Needed 474/2250

Mission One 474/500
Mission Two 0000/750
Mission Three 0000/1000

Active Skills

Beloved Presence

Active Jutsu

None
Total AP subtracted is 0 AP

Claims

None

Post Information

Protect the Cookies!:

Protect the Workshop!:

Protect the Star!:

Tagged

Wait 'til the world is mine

Fri Dec 10, 2021 6:46 pm

Yasahiro ran a hand through his unkempt hair and pushed back from his desk. From atop the highest room in Okada Castle, one could see for miles and miles deep into the paddy fields below. Leaning against the side of the window frame, however, the Komekage found an entirely alien landscape: the once earth-tone slopes turned white by a thin unbroken veneer of snow. Winter's fangs had finally sunk deep into Rice Country and would likely not relent for many months yet to come. Now was the time for warm fires, good stories, and hearty laughs—Christmas time had come again.

"Knock, knock, Komekage~", a sing-songy voice filled the leader's office along with a rush of cold air as if someone had thrown open a window. "See you soon~"

The samurai whirled around in a blur of black hair and amber eyes, ready for a fight. The file cabinets were as they should be, the map at the center of the room remained untouched, and the sword by his desk had not moved, though the tassel on its hilt swayed slightly. Everything seemed to be as it should, save for the strong scent of holly and gingerbread. Had he imagined the whole thing?

Wait.

A single sheet of paper and a scroll sat on what should have been a cleaned-off desk. Upon inspecting it further, the letter invited the former exile to fight in the service of one by the name of Yoi. A strange name and not one the Land of Iron native had heard before. Though, and the leader couldn't quite shake the idea, it felt as if this had happened before, perhaps in a long past dream from the previous year? All that could be certain was that to find answers he would be making a trip to Tanbogakure's neighbor to the west, Moon Country.

Within the hour, Yoi's newest recruit stood ready to depart. Parka, pants, and boots wrought from animal furs and hides now defined the man's attire where each piece of clothing looked more utilitarian than luxurious. At his side hung the singing blade of a long-dead Hyuuga boy and, holding back his hair in a messy topknot, a repurposed, crimson prayer flag from Asahi's collection—his cousin wouldn't miss it. By all counts, Yasahiro looked more a savage wildman than the leader of an up-and-coming village.

Breaking the seal of the teleportation scroll, the Komekage fell into momentary darkness before the world around him exploded into a blinding white. Snow-capped ruins in the distance, a stiff northern wind, and the nip of frost at his reddening ears; yes, this had to be Moon Country. Now, where was the fight?

Turning on the spot, a couple of abnormalities revealed themselves: a woman who looked ready for a party, not a fight, and a gate wrought from what could only be candy canes. Neither sight seemed an immediate threat. However, appearances could rarely be trusted in the shinobi world, far better to keep one's wits about them even around the holidays. Ending up in a shallow, frozen grave did not rank highly on the samurai's end-of-year wish list.

He gave a half nod to the woman and rested a hand on the hilt of his blade.

More waiting.
---
WC: 543
TWC: 543
Mission 1 500/500
Mission 2 43/750
Mission 3 0/1000

Fri Dec 10, 2021 10:27 pm

Wintertime was here and festivities started to show up in the streets of Hoshigakure. Decorations of the festivals decked across the village's buildings and venues. Since the village was farther north than some of the other major villages, winter was especially cold, dry, and filling with snow. Snow that had filled up on the rooftops and coated the streets. Children were playing in the piles of snow built up and throwing them at each other. This time of year always had a magical sense of happiness, even for the shinobi Jun Fuji.

Jun had grown up most of her life on a farm with her clan in the earth country. Since at the time their main was of income was based on crops, winter was always a bit of a slower time for her family. Some days they would have to find some small jobs from neighbors, which were often miles away, to get some money since they would get short every year. And yet, there was still a sense of fun with them and they celebrated the coming of winter every year. They would go out and get decorations, have special feasts with recipes passed down from generation to generation. Jun always loved the sweets her grandmother would bake, even sometimes helping her with placing them in the oven. She would always be the first one to first try food when she helped out as payment.

But those times were many years ago when Jun was younger. The young woman had grown up into a shinobi and had a full-time job. Her family was now living in the village, attempting to make a living in the village while also practicing the teachings of their religion. Things were different and Jun couldn't help but miss those times as she looked at the children playing with their friends and family outside the window of her new apartment. She was in need of the holiday spirit.

That was when Jun noticed a strange letter on her nightstand. She was curious about who could've left it. Was it a mission? It wasn't in its normal file format; the letter looked fancy with flowing cursive and handwritten.

Dear Jun Fuji,
It is my pleasure to be writing to you on this fine eve of the biggest holiday in our fair calendar year; I would like to extend an invite to come to Moon Country for our end of year celebration, but also because we have heard rumors that Itazura has been planning attacks on our festival in order to stop it. We are requesting that you will come and help us bring joy to the villages the world over. If you agree to come and help; as well as celebrate with us, please use the summoning scroll attached and be instantly transported to Moon Country. We look forward to seeing you on arrival.

The letter was addressed by a person/thing named Yoi. Jun gasped with glee reading it. She remembered hearing about the spirit that would bring presents to good children. Jun had gotten a couple of her toys as a kid from Yoi. This is exactly what the young kunoichi needed to get her spirits back up. She would quickly change into her bright red winter coat with white mittens that she had gotten for the festivities and activated the seal to summon her to the Land of Moon.

Jun would appear before the other just as they just had. It took a moment for her to adjust after being teleported, but she soon recovered. In front of her was a red peppermint gate. Although it was cold, Jun could feel the radiating warmth of her excitement.

She stood there with 4 others. One of them was dressed in kimono, which was very beautiful and elegant. Two others, a fur-covered man who still happened to look extremely cold and a young Hyuuga. "Wow! Are you guys here because of Yoi too?" Jun excitement escaped from her with a burst of energy. "I can't believe this place! It's so beautiful. It's like a dream." Jun suddenly retracted. What if it was a dream? Was any of this real?

WC: 695

Sat Dec 11, 2021 12:44 pm

Nova's abilities were stagnating. She felt it in every punch, every swing of her staff; she had no passion anymore. She'd put everything into her training for her first couple of months out in the force, but she'd burnt herself out. Oh, she was still training just as hard - the bruises on her knuckles from punching rocks serving as evidence - but she just wasn't... Getting the same satisfaction she used to get from it anymore. Add on the whole thing with what happened with that young girl and that woman, Enyo, and Nova was just feeling done with it all. What she needed, was a break. A holiday. Something, anything, that would break up the monotony that her life had become. She didn't want to dedicate any more of her time to punching rock, lest she does something brash.

As if on cue, Nova was roused from her brooding by a cheerful knock on the door to her apartment. Cautiously - because she was still a trained ninja - Nova crept through her apartment towards the door, grabbing her bo staff on the way. Her footsteps were silent, her breath held. The reason she was so paranoid about a simple knock on the door? Well, as sad as it was, Novs pretty much never had any guests around. So it stood to reason that she'd be quite suspicious of any cheerful knocks on her door. Especially at this hour.

She opened her door to end up face-to-face with... Absolutely no one; the hallway outside was devoid of any other people. Nova frowned and slowly stepped out into the hallway to confirm that no one had ding-dong-ditched her or something. Sure enough, the hall outside was completely empty. Barren, except for a small note on the ground outside her door. Still careful but with her guard lowered, Nova crouched down to pick up the note and gave it a quick scan.

As she finished reading it, the taijutsu-practitioner's eyes narrowed. This... Was exactly what she was looking for. A chance to kick back and take a break, to travel somewhere free from responsibilities for a short while. The note mentioned a summoning scroll, which Nova found on the other side of the note after a brief search. Well, never let it be said that Nova wasn't impulsive. Without much of a second thought, she held the scroll in one of her hands and pulled off the seal.

The next second, Nova found herself somewhere else. It was cold, and Nova was instantly aware of the fact that she was still in a vest and jogging bottoms from where she'd been training earlier. She was remarkably underdressed for the weather, so she brought her hands up and began to rub them together to try and gather some heat. It wasn't doing much, but it was better than nothing. Hopefully, she'd find a coat or something soon.

A voice interrupted Nova from her thoughts of the coldness, and she turned around to realize there were several other people around her - though none she recognized from Kumogakure. They looked to be in the same boat as her - teleported here, that is - but Nova was still wary. One of the other women spoke up first, proclaiming her excitement for the events to come. Nova managed to fight off the urge to roll her eyes: a testament to how far she'd come in regards to social awareness.

"I guess?" She said in response to the woman's comment about the place being beautiful. Really, all Nova could see was snow and weird candy cane gates. How anyone could find that beautiful was beyond Nova.

WC: 605

Sat Dec 11, 2021 1:50 pm

Bite my tongue, bide my time
SEEMEINA
C R O W N

Miki became aware as the others began to appear; the first was a man… A strange one at that; unkempt; almost… Barbaric in appearance, covered in furs; furs that Miki’s emerald eyes scanned carefully; they were surely good quality, these interested her more than the man wearing them; she found herself enjoying the finer things in life; as always… Her attention was broken as the man nodded towards her; she felt embarrassment as she had just been staring at the man, she would quickly take a small hand fan, matching the purple kimono she was adorned with, covering her lower face; as her cheeks were growing a dark pinkish not only from the cold, but from the blush of being caught staring at a gentlemen, however barbaric he may seem. She made note of the blade he had on his side; he would surely be one of the main fighters should a fight arise it would seem.

As quickly as she moved her eyes from him; she would make note of another body appearing; another female – this female was far more excited then the subdued wild man, her energy surely could cause issues for the group if her voice remained high – “It is quite beautiful, but surely not a dream.” Miki spoke, her voice was elegant, her words carefully chosen; her eyes flickered towards the newest member joining the group; this woman was no where near dressed enough for the weather of Moon Country – Miki sighed, quickly removing one of the layers of fabric before moving towards; “May I?” Miki would inquire towards her, if the woman should accept, Miki would dress the fabric around her upper body, making a make shift coat of sorts out of it; “At least until we can find you something more proper.” She would state; however if Miki’s advances were declined, she would simply return the fabric back to her own body.

As the group stood at the gates, a small group of… Children? No not children, their facial features were far to old for them to be children, “Can I see your letters?” The middle man would say, he was short, child like man – but he looked to be much older than anyone standing in the group – Miki was short, but these people were even shorter than herself; Miki quickly dug her letter out of the sleeve of her kimono, handing it to the man with both hands as she stepped back, allowing the others to do the same should they choose to.

If the group were to give the man their letters as Miki had, he would inspect them all before, nodding and speaking to them again; “Alright. Everything checks out, Yoi is having everyone meet him up at the workshop. He will be addressing everyone later, but the missions are being given out by his right hand man; we will also have proper attire for those of you… Who didn’t come prepare.” The short man would glance towards the group with their strange attire.

The man began to walk away before almost disappearing with the snow, Miki’s eyes would glance towards the village that would almost appear from no where, the blowing snow coming nearly to a stop; would be the cause of exposing the town, it was a cute village, several shops and other buildings, she assumed were houses. Her eyes scanned the village before seeing a large ornate building, this must be the workshop – a different language was written on it; one that Miki was not familiar with; her eyes scanning the rest of the village, “Well, I suppose we should go to this workshop and obtain the information and get properly dressed for our missions, no?” Her emerald eyes would return to the ground, looking at each of them. She wouldn’t ever consider herself a leader of this rag tag group, but they would certainly need order; considering she did not recognize any of them of Konohagakure; they were foreign to each other, and would need to figure out how to work together, especially to save the holidays.

Stats

Health 100
Chakra 35
Vigor 60
Speed 25
Strength 5

AP

600/600

Total Post WC 680
Total WC 1154
Total WC Needed 1154/2250

Mission One 500/500
Mission Two 654/750
Mission Three 0000/1000

Active Skills

Beloved Presence

Active Jutsu

None
Total AP subtracted is 0 AP

Claims

None

Post Information

Protect the Cookies!:

Protect the Workshop!:

Protect the Star!:

Tagged

Wait 'til the world is mine

Sun Dec 12, 2021 7:37 pm

Exhaling, Yasahiro sent up a cloud into the cold air where it dissipated a few feet above his head. The lingering gaze of the well-dressed woman did little to crack his stoic countenance. Perhaps a younger version of himself would have shared the blush and struck up a conversation, but any such innocence died long ago in the Land of Iron. Indeed, the only ones who might yet remember the softer, kinder Komekage—save for his dear cousin, of course—now reviled him as a man possessed and one guilty of fratricide.

The appearance of two other women, one bubbly and the other less so, garnered a similar reaction from the samurai as the first. Instead of a nod, however, they received a quick appraising glance before the man returned his attention to the gates in the distance—this was going to be a long string of missions. Yoi, in his infinite wisdom, matched the man up with women old enough to be his younger sisters; nothing like the proximity of youth to make one feel their age.

Then came the dwarves? The right word to describe the alien beings escaped the samurai, but the short humanoids came from behind the candy cane gates. Some wore wreaths around their necks, a few sported red hats that jingled with each step, and one—the most talkative one with golden curls—wore a name tag that read 'Buddy'. Another strange twist in an already strange series of events, but not one that unsettled the Komekage all that much just yet.

Complying with Buddy's request for their invitations, Yasahiro pulled Yoi's crumpled letter from the inside of his parka. Unlike the well-dressed woman, he handed over the letter with one hand before taking a step back. Manners counted for little when one had a job to do. Sure, they had a certain time and place, but it was neither here nor now.

With the departure of Buddy, the village, if one could really call it that, blurred into existence as the falling snow subsided just enough to make out a once-hidden cityscape. Snow-laden roofs, strange physics-breaking architecture, and a warm glow from each building; something about the scene felt familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It all felt, as the more bubbly of the three women put it, like a dream and, with any luck, it wouldn't take a turn for the nightmarish.

"Mmm," he let out something between a grunt and a sigh; the well-dressed woman had a good head on her shoulders. "I suppose you're right."

He glanced behind him into what had become a growing blizzard.

"Just try to keep your wits about you."

Without another word, he took his first step beyond the candy cane gates and towards the large workshop in the distance. And though his hand eased off his blade, his amber eyes darted about this way and that, watching and ready. Despite the distant jingling of bells, something felt off about the whole situation, like the small group of outsiders were seeing something they shouldn't be.
---
WC: 514
TWC: 1057
Mission 1 500/500
Mission 2 557/750
Mission 3 0/1000

Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:06 pm

The group of strangers had their wits about them. The fine dress man, Yasahiro, seemed to be more severe and stoic. There wasn't any hostility sensed by Jun; Yasahiro just seemed neutral in his appearance. The group's brawn, Nova, seemed to be slightly confused and annoyed by Jun's enthusiasm. None of the group seemed to share the Hoshi kunoichi's energy. Even the lovely dressed woman, Miki, seemed to be taking this summoning as usual as a shinobi mission. Jun hoped that the group would loosen up more as the tasks going on. She didn't want their attitude to ruin her holiday spirit.

Jun and the gang would be approached shortly after by a group of welcomers smaller than an average person. Jun knew them instantly as helpers of the spirit Yoi. The Hoshi ninja smiled brightly and waved to them as a show of kindness and friendliness. The guards asked the groups for their letters, presumably to see if they were given access by Yoi to enter. Jun handed them her letter as instructed. After the group inspected each of their letters, they would perk up and allow the gang passage into the Land of Moon to see Yoi, saying he had been expecting them.

The group passed the gates accompanied by the guards, with the smell of peppermint growing more potent as a gust hit the group from the gates being opened. Beyond the gates was the village hosting the festival. It was small but very lively. Sounds of ringing, singing, and chatting filled the air. The village people were about the same height as the guards they had met. The homes glowed red, green, and white with lights and selective decoration of snowflakes, ornaments, and stockings similar to the ones she did with her family as a kid but looked more professional. Snow piles covered the rooftops and sides of the walkways where all the snow was pushed to make them walkable.

Jun was in awe of the feeling of just being in the small village. She took her time looking at all the exciting decorations and lights, causing her to fall behind the group a bit, but she made sure to keep up with them. Their goal was to meet up with Yoi to get the mission information and perhaps get changed into more appropriate clothing. The group quickly spotted Yoi's workshop as it was larger and had bolded words on it -written with a language Jun didn't recognize.

The workshop had a lot of space where the village workers were crafting toys on large work areas that spanned across the large workplace floor. They all seemed exhausted, working slowly with tired expressions. They had been functioning relentlessly all day for the past couple of days. They had an extensive work hold trying to make enough toys for all the nations' kids. Above the work area was another level with festively decorated railings. It was where Yoi's office was.

Before the group could make their way up the stairs to his office, Yoi stepped out of the door and closed it behind him, locking the door. He was a white-haired man with fine festive clothing and large fluffy ears resembling a dog. Matching his ears was a soft white fox tail that flicked around. Traditionally, Yoi was depicted as a festive spirit with his face enterally grinning. It fit his happiness-spreading persona. However, Yoi walked out of his office looking exhausted, similar to his workers. Jun wasn't sure how to approach him; it seemed like he's had an awful day. She dropped her cheeriness and took a breath to get into a professional attitude.

The spirit's expression remained as he traveled down the stairs, not noticing the group until he reached the bottom. As soon as he saw them, he jumped with slight shock. "Oh, I didn't notice you guys." His voice matched his face; it sounded exhausted. He cleared his throat and picked himself up a bit to properly present. "You must be Miki Satow, Yasashiro Yagami, Jun Fuji, and Nova Tsuba." Just as the tales about him said, he knew everyone's name. Or perhaps it was because he had invited them. "I'm the gift-giving spirit, Yoi. This is my workshop where we make all the toys. As you can see, it's been a long day for all of us." Yoi laughed sheepishly.

"I'm sure you want to know why I need your help. Follow me." Yoi leads the group to a building nearby the workshop. It was filled with the smell of cinnamon, cakes, and cookies, causing Jun's mouth to water. He took them inside, where there was a counter filled with sweets. Behind the counter was a large oven. "This is our bakery. We make all our festival sweets here. Everyone eats from this single bakery, so when I heard that Itazuka was planning to poison our supply, I had to request some help. Tomorrow is our annual lighting of the tree event, where most of these sweets will be served. This has caused us a great deal of stress on top of the productions of all the toys. I need your help guarding the bakery." Yoi turned to the group with tired pleading eyes.

Jun felt terrible for him and the workers, and with a face like that, she couldn't say no. "Of course! I'd defend this place even if it put my life on the line. Let's do this!" Jun burst with energy. Yoi weakly grinned and looked at the rest of the group, "Would you all be willing to help me?"

WC: 930
TWC: 1625

Thu Dec 16, 2021 11:25 am

"Um, thanks," Nova mumbled lamely as the well-dressed woman offered her some extra protection from the cold, clearly unused to thanking strangers for things. Had this been the same Nova before the mission with the boar she'd likely have shrugged off the coat and given the women a scowl for her attempts at being kind, but Nova was changed now; introspective, more polite. Well, as much as a hard-headed kunoichi of Kumogakure could be at any rate. As much as her heart was filled with pride for her home village, she couldn't deny that they had a certain... Reputation that was well earned.

Any further conversation was halted as... Tiny people came scuttling out of the gates towards them. Nova's brain ground to a halt as she tried to process just... What the fuck was happening? It sort of felt like a dream, but more real. If that made any sense. Nova wasn't really sure anymore. Regardless, Nova had accepted the teleportation scroll so now she was stuck here for however long. So, without putting up too much of a fuss, Nova handed over the letter for the guards(?) to confirm that the group were indeed meant to be there.

"Getting properly dressed sounds good," The genin said with a small shiver; a single coat wasn't really enough to help protect her form the chilling winds of Moon Country after all.

Once inside the village, Nova noted that the other woman who'd previously almost made her roll her eyes continued to be excitable. Hate was a strong word, but Nova certainly didn't enjoy being around people with as much energy as this person was. Nova was a person with a very low social battery, and her reserves were already starting to flag. The decorations around the village were pretty great though, Nova had to admit. Far more festive than the sparse decorations around Kumogakure. She was struck with a desire to get a christmas tree in her apartment, for some reason.

The group were taken to a workshop, where even more of the strange tiny people were getting busy working on creating things. Nova looked on, somewhat curious as how it all worked. She wasn't someone who put much stock into creating things of her own, but as someone well versed in Weaponry it should be an avenue she explored further. Eventually, after losing concentration for a second after watching the people get to work, Nova was brought back to reality when a new regular-sized person approached them.

He took them to a bakery, and finally told them why they were all here: they were hosting a festival, and a person called 'Itazuka' was trying to sabotage it. Well, looked like Nova had been roped into another guarding mission. Admist the flashbacks to her early days as a genin, Nova shrugged.

"Sure," She said seriously, her lack of energy contrasting deeply to Jun's own excited reply.

WC: 487
TWC: 1092

Thu Dec 16, 2021 10:46 pm

Bite my tongue, bide my time
SEEMEINA
C R O W N

Miki nodded towards the wild man, as she would now refer to him as; he make note to ensure they were aware to keep their eyes about them; she agreed with this entirely… Something felt entirely off; however romantical or interesting the situation may be. She would be quicky to follow foot after him; realizing only now that her choice of attire may have been entirely wrong with the current climate; however she knew nothing of Moon Country and could not fault herself for wanting to prepared for anything; she would unfortunately have to change once they got to the ornate building where the elves as she would remain to refer to them as; had offered different clothing. Her kimono and shoe wear were good for Konohagakure’s warmer cooler climate; but not meant for the snow, nor the on-coming blizzard.

As they made their way through the city; Miki would groan with protest; each step becoming fair more difficult than the last; the snow evading her every move. She did however enjoy the smell of the town; much like the appearance of the strange gates; the village had a very potent peppermint scent to it; the tiny flashing lights decorated on each house amused her; the flashing colors danced in the sky; as her eyes would catch on to a new decoration every several feet. She did enjoy the town for the most part.

Once they reached the ‘workshop’, Miki would make a note that nearly half, if not more than half of the villagers had to work in the huge building; the main floor alone was huge, tables, chairs, different stations for different toys; it was constantly moving and loud; her eyes scanned the work shop carefully, the faces of these workers seemed… Wearisome; bags under their eyes, forlorn looks on each face that she came in contact too – these were overworked people; she couldn’t help but feel sorry for them. Her eyes glanced upwards; making note of the level above the work floor; she figured that this floor, had to be where Yoi’s office was, or at least one of them. She made note of the railings, decorated with care, ribbons, garland and so much more. She noticed something; the writing on the stations; similar to the writing outside in the village was a strange language; one she had not yet to encounter before. She made note that once she found some free time; she would attempt to learn this strange language.

As the group were directed towards the stairs; Yoi would step out before any of them would be able to make it up; he was a strange looking main; pure white hair, with fine clothing, similar to that of Miki’s own clothing; but this clothing was far more festive. She didn’t notice them at first; as she was paying attention to the finer details of his garb; as he made his was down the stairs, she would finally make note of his facial features; including… The ears on top of his head? She would look closer only to confirm what she thought; large fluffy ears, they were different from a dog; although easily mistaken at first… They were more… Pointed? Yes, more pointed for sure, similar to that of a fox, his face was slimmer; finer details, but he, much like the workers surrounding them; looked exhausted, worn down and beaten up. Miki was unsure of the man at first; he would then address her by name; as he would the others – at first in disbelief; she quickly recovered herself.

With a pleasant curtsy, she would ensure to both her head; weather he be a lord, a spirit, or even a god of some kind; maybe even a regular main with… Strange features; she would treat him with the same respect she had always been taught to treat someone. She wouldn’t speak formally to him, but rather listen to what the man had to say; she would follow him when directed too; her eyes scanning each inch of the rooms they would exit and enter; the village path he would lead them down.

He then would explain his task for them; her eyes scanned the room of the bakery; it was large, filled with sweets, breads; and just about anything else you’d imagine a bakery having. She inhaled slightly, taking in the scent of bakery; it to had a faint smell of peppermint… But also butterscotch; she enjoyed the secondary smell to the first at this point. As he finished his speech; Jun – the excited one of the bunch would burst out with energy, agreeing to defend the bakery with her life; Miki couldn’t help but smile, she wouldn’t defend it with her life, but she certainly would defend it to the best of her abilities.

She would wait to see what the others had to say before answering; assuming that they would all agree; Miki would then speak up – “Well, with everyone in agreeance;” Yoi would excuse himself at this point; having heard everyone agree to this mission; and needing to be else where; Miki would quieten until he was out of the room; turning to the group of people she entered with, “As I was saying; since we all agreed to help, I think we need to split in twos for now. I don’t really feel as if it is a good idea for any of us to be alone in this village, at least for the time being.” She would glance towards the two other females; as well as the male in the party; none of them were realistically dressed for the part they had to play – but none the less, Miki wasn’t about to let anyone be out of place, to freeze in this peppermint nightmare.

“You,” She would take the chance to point towards Yashiro; blissfully unaware she was speaking, no making demands of a village leader, a kage; “You appear to be the most fit to trek the outside right now, you will come with me.” Part of her enjoyed making a man carry bags of clothes as well; it was one of the few satisfying things she was able to do throughout her childhood; and something she still carried with her till this day. “While we’re out, I want you to keep your eyes peeled, if someone is planning an attack of this bakery, we should be able to spot them out while we’re getting clothes for everyone to change in to. I may not be able to understand the language; but I know the art of clothing.” Her eyes would scan back towards Nova and Jun; “You two.” She would begin, staring around the bakery; “Scope this place out. Find any exits that we aren’t aware of, as well as check for anything that could already have been planted. We need to be careful. For all we know this has been planned months in advanced; and this Itazura character already has planted a means to ruin this bakery.”

As she would nod; assuming that everyone agreed with her decisions, she would head towards the door, and exit; assuming Yashiro would follow suit with her; she would begin her hunt down for clothing; as well as keeping an eye on the surrounding village. She knew that this couldn’t be the only place that Itazura would plan to attack, and they needed to keep their eyes peeled for any unsavory figures.

Stats

Health 100
Chakra 35
Vigor 60
Speed 25
Strength 5

AP

600/600

Total Post WC 1241
Total WC 2395
Total WC Needed 2250/2250

Mission One 500/500
Mission Two 750/750
Mission Three 1000/1000

Active Skills

Beloved Presence

Active Jutsu

None
Total AP subtracted is 0 AP

Claims

None

Post Information

Protect the Cookies!:

Protect the Workshop!:

Protect the Star!:

Tagged

Wait 'til the world is mine

Fri Dec 17, 2021 6:27 pm

The alien village felt warmer than it looked from afar. Streets zig-zagged this way and that, lights of every color blinked through windows and on eaves, and a healthy layer of snow swallowed up almost all sound save for the crunch of the group's footsteps. Perhaps the most interesting feature, however, came in the form of the unique architecture of the village. Buildings spiraled upwards, outwards, and inwards in ways that defied conventional logic, creating a topsy turvy world like something out of a storybook. Indeed, each step deeper into the veritable winter wonderland instilled a strange admiration in the man who had, as of late, busied himself with the minutiae of city planning.

The workshop, if one could call an unsightly box of a building a workshop, lacked the same whimsical appeal as the other structures in the village. Sure, its eaves shining with lights and frosted windows framing fleeting snapshots of the work within seemed much the same as any others in the Moon Country so far. However, the sharp corners and brutalist construction made for a rather incongruous existence amidst an otherwise quaint village; and none of this was to mention the candy-striped smokestack atop the structure belching a column of red smoke high into the sky.

Busy conveyor belts, crowded workstations, and weary workers; the interior of the workshop carried the same off-putting feeling as the exterior. And, though it hid well beneath a thin veneer of Christmas spirit with garlands, wreaths, and lights, something sinister lurked within the walls of the building. Then again, Yasahiro thought to himself, it could just be the paranoia Asahi always accused him of. Perhaps he was simply making something from nothing, creating monsters to slay and darkness to banish where none existed. It wouldn't be the first time for the former exile.

Then came Yoi, the spirit of Christmas himself. With pointed ears, fur of white, and the same exhausted expression as his pint-sized workers, the spirit was a reflection of the room around him, he didn't quite fit. The idea of spirits, gods, and other such things that went bump in the night wasn't the strangest thing in the shinobi world, especially for one growing up in the Yagami compound. However, a spirit knowing your name, well, even the stoic samurai knew it never amounted to anything good, and his nose wrinkled at the sound of his name. Either Yoi possessed a spy network larger than any hidden village or held power far beyond any in the shinobi world, the Komekage couldn't quite decide which was more unnerving.

Following the group through the workshop and to the bakery, Yasahiro's gaze wandered about. Unlike the workshop, the bakery had a more organic aesthetic. Instead of pointed corners, sharp angles, and deep shadows, the interior of the second, smaller building had rounded doorways, soft edges, and a warm glow illuminating the rooms. And then, of course, there was the smell; cookies, sweets, and something vaguely fermented greeted the samurai's nose and reminded him of a far simpler time in his life. If the mission at hand meant defending such a place, then who was Yasahiro to turn it down?

He agreed to Yoi's terms with a wordless nod.

How ironic, though, Yasahiro thought he'd seen the last of playing bodyguard. And here, standing amid an upside-down Christmas town, he was back at it again. Strange how life worked, and a shame Asahi couldn't be by his side as he once was when they wandered the liminal space between countries taking such jobs.

"Very well," he assented to Miki's orders with a self-indulgent sigh. "I'll be outside."

While Miki finished speaking with the two other women, Yasahiro returned to the frigid streets of Yoi's kingdom. Night had fallen over the town and light flurries lilted about this way and that, creating a serene atmosphere worlds away from the busy workshop at his back. Lamps atop candy cane poles cast warm pools of light on the narrow walkways below, and alleyways stood in stark, sharp shadows. If ever a more perfect setting for an ambush existed, then the village leader certainly hadn't yet seen it.

Once Miki emerged from the bakery, the pair set off into the darkening night. Without much in the way of direction, the two wandered about the village systematically ruling out each walkway by process of elimination. It seemed that the smaller inhabitants of the village did not have much need for signs, making the search all the more difficult.

"You wear leadership well," his pace slowed as he spoke, though his amber gaze continued to dart into the darkness of each alley they passed. "I trust it goes a long way where you're from, no?"

The Komekage didn't mind ceding the reigns of leadership for this mission. He spent all day every day making decisions for the village, a break from it all wasn't unwelcome in the slightest. Of course, it helped to have a competent stand-in; Miki, though her choice of attire still remained as questionable, seemed willing to take command—a surprisingly rare trait in the villages of shinobi, where far too many made a habit of obeying orders without question and ending up far worse for it.

Perhaps twenty minutes after leaving the bakery before the pair arrived outside a dimly lit store with a foreign script over the door. Coats, parkas, and sweaters arranged over headless mannequins stood in the display window. It looked as close to a clothing store as one was going to find in the backward village in Moon Country. Though, unlike the rest of the buildings in the village, it lacked holiday lights. Instead, affixed to the roof, stood a stuffed reindeer whose red nose bathed the street below in soft, eerie light as it blinked on and off.

"I'll keep watch out here," he held the door open for Miki, allowing the sweet smell of pine to drift out onto the street. "Pick me out a hat if you will, nothing too flashy."

Somewhere down the street, a set of shadows moved about, darting from alley to alley.

Itazura's people were coming.
---
WC: 1024
TWC: 2081
Mission 1 500/500
Mission 2 750/750
Mission 3 831/1000

A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Re: A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Re: A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Re: A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Re: A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Re: A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Re: A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Re: A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Re: A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]

Re: A Christmas to Save! [Yasahiro, Nova, Jun]