Walkin da dog

Spoiler:

Winter mornings came early to Tanbogakure. Merchants set up stalls, farmers checked on frozen fields, and shinobi made an early start on their training, few slept in when there was work to be done. No matter the time of year, the growing village always moved ever forward towards some unknown terminus in the distant future.

One unfortunate side effect of both the winter and the village’s progress was strays. Kicked out onto the streets when their families could no longer care for them, strays once ran rampant across the countryside. Soon after the founding of Tanbogakure, however, a kindly old soul set up a shelter where the once-forgotten friends could find a new family. 

Funded by the village and supported by volunteers, the shelter ran on the benevolence of those in power. Volunteers, for their part, were expected to show up on time and to put their work in without complaint. For the younger generation of the village, the shelter stood as a fun attraction where they might just find a new four-legged friend.

Today Shichiro Hashimoto would be doing his part to help the shelter. Though, not officially a shinobi, the man had a certain soft spot for canines, so he took the mission on without question. Plus, a newly established businessman helping a local charity helped keep up the illusion of the humble grocer from the Land of Hotsprings. And, despite Shinji’s argument otherwise, appearances were everything when first starting out, better to play the upstanding citizen than the shut-in miser.`

--254 words

Shichiro walked into the shelter, impeccably fashionable as always. A white dress shirt, fresh from the chakra cleaners. Neatly pressed black dress pants with a tight trimmed ankle. A red and green striped tie in order to give off the appearance of festivity for the season, although he still much preferred his standard black matte. Lastly, still not having learned his lesson from Mori’s farm, sleek dress shoes that were beyond unfit for walking dogs. However, style was not to be compromised if he were to maintain the air of refinement that he had going for him. “Welcome!” came the greeting from the nondescript shelter employee. “How can I help you?”

“Actually,” Shichiro began, an air of confidence about him. “I’m here to help you. I’m here to take care of the dogs today.”
“Ah, you must be Shichiro! We’ve been expecting you. Follow me to the back.”
Stepping inside the counter, Shichiro made his way to the backroom. A group of dogs were being rounded up by staff, equipped with collars and leashes. About four in total, ranging from a little rat dog yipping bastard that looked like what just came out of the great mastiff beside it. “Thank you again for doing this!” came the practiced smile and upbeat energy of someone in the business of servitude. Shichiro scratched the back of his neck, hesitant at the idea of the tufts of dog fur that would soon be scattered across his pantlegs. But appearances were worth keeping up. “Of course!” was his mimicked response. “I’m happy to.” With that being said, Shichiro was handed reigns of the dogs, who he promptly led away from the shelter. This better be worth it, he thought to himself as the dogs directed their designated dogsitter to depart directly.

--551 words

Well, they still need time to clean the shelter. It would be a bad look on Shichiro’s part if he took the dogs out and then immediately barged back in to claim the money. Instead, he juggled the plethora of dog leashes he held in his hands, doing his best to balance them as befitting his strength. The mastiff and yipping little rat dog could be in one hand, while the two other dogs, medium sized breeds, comfortably between the aforementioned pair, would take their spot in his opposite hand. Not a perfect system, but one that would have to be done for now. He took both zigs and zags throughout the small village, in an attempt to get as much of the community to see him as possible. ‘Oh this Shichiro guy is so great!’ ‘He’s so well dressed and helpful! I think I’m going to start shopping at his grocery store!’ They would surely be thinking these things and more to themselves as he made his way around. Even with the incessant tugging from the rat dog from hell would pose no problem for him. All according to keikaku.

Did you expect something to go wrong here? Nay, as mentioned before, things were going swimmingly. There were no escape attempts from the mostly well behaved dogs, even from the little demon in a short fur coat. Finishing up the standard lap, Shichiro rounded the final corner and came back around to the shelter. Surely, this would be all he needed to do, right?

--806 words

exit
claiming 8 stats (vigor 103 + 8 = 111)
using 637 wc to claim rest of A rank Split Second
also claiming 1000 ryo, (74000 + 1000 = 75000)

don't care about the rest of the wc