Seeking Sanctuary

Gently floating along like the breeze, was the pitter patter of feet. These feet have been traveling for a couple of days now, and they weren't necessarily sore, but they couldn't just go on forever. Plus, the village of Tanbogakure was pretty close to their current location, so it wasn't like it was too far out of the way. A nice rest stop and place to lay low for a bit would be the most ideal potential outcome from this. Which is what Hiko Shimada was exactly hoping for. There was only a tad bit of doubt that access in would be denied, but he considered himself to be somewhat charismatic. That had to count for something, especially in situations like these.

The missing nin from Kumo had on his typical garbs on this day. A patchwork cloak made from various fabrics in differing shades of brown. Peaking from underneath, he had on an earthy green distressed shirt; purposefully made holes were scattered here and there and the edges seemingly frayed a bit. Matching jeans were worn for the bottom half of his body; a hole running down from the lower thigh to the shin on the right pant leg. Luckily enough, the sutures from where his lineage was most frequently used were covered by the black leather gloves which he wore, and the sleeves from his t-shirt were just long enough to cover the sewn threads along his upper arm. Besides that, the nin appeared to be unarmed, without even a kunai or shuriken being visible.

After what seemed like hours, Hiko had finally made it to the gates of the village. Onlooking the site of the paddy fields, all there was to do now was to wait. And so he did. He took a seat in a nearby grassy area, where he'd await for someone to grant him entry. Turning his momentary stare towards the sky, the green within his eyes particularly flashing against the brown tones in the sunlight, the gaze was directed towards the clouds. Taking in the absolutely marvelous site of a twilight skyline.

WC: 349

Twilight fell softly over Tanbogakure. The sea at its back sat in stillness, once darkened windows flickered to life with lantern light, and the sun hung low, painting a colorful canvas of yellows, pinks, and oranges across the clouded sky. For most throughout the village, quitting time was fast approaching, and the streets would soon teem with merchants, farmers, and shinobi alike as they made their way home and, in some cases, to the bars.

Matsune Kei's shift, however, did not end for many hours yet to come, not that she minded. The bars no longer offered the same appeal as they once did in her younger years and with the passing of Ken, her beloved of fifty years, returning home proved a cold comfort. Instead, she amused herself with people watching and idle conversation with those passersby willing to lend their ear as she stood guard over the gates of Tanbogakure. The job certainly wasn't the most exciting, but she enjoyed it for what it was: a chance to get out and about while meeting new people from every walk of life.

Drawn from the small booth she called home while on duty by the pressure of a foreign chakra signature, Matsune hobbled out beyond the gates. Reclined in the grass to the left of the gates sat a boy whose earth-tone attire mirrored the color palette of the gate guard's own, though it lacked the same high quality make and traditional flair. Her brow furrowed in concern, the boy's rugged appearance did not tell of an easy life nor did the fading scar hint at a peaceful past.

"Hello there, dear," she adjusted her glasses with one hand and leaned against her late husband's cane with the other. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

The boy seemed harmless enough from five meters away. However, the elderly gate guard knew better than most to not take anything in the shinobi world at face value. With her position in the village, doing so would not only put her life at risk but also those she cared for in the village she called home.

---

WC: 355
TWC: 355

Granny Kei's Stat Page and Story

Clouds. So mysterious. The way they could manipulate themselves to form a variety of shapes, coming in an even bigger variety of sizes. Each one just as free as the next, delicately passing by over a meticulously painted backdrop that formed a beautiful pastel horizon. The lower half was beginning to fade into a deeper pink which was bordering on transmutating into a light magenta hue, which ombred up even higher into a majestic orange. This further seamlessly transitioned into it's final yellowish tint. Altogether, it would appear as if it weren't real. Yet it was. It was extraordinarily fascinating seeing the whimsy of the world; which was something that the boy didn't really get to do much of when he was younger having being heavily kept under a tight lock and key for the majority of his life up until this point.

Minutes passing by with each cloud, a soft effeminate voice called out to Hiko, snapping him out of the captivated trance like state that was previously occupying his body. This voice drew his attention to where it had came from, behind where the 15 year old had found himself seated at. Positioned there at the location of the sound, was an elderly woman. While this may have seemed like an opportune moment to do some devious work, the nin knew better. It wasn't his entire intent to come out the gate swinging right away. Especially considering the fact that although this lady was quite older than he was, the young Shimadan knew that with age came plenty of wisdom. And combat experience. Something that he was lacking a bit in, at least more than she probably.

Turning from the seated position so that way he was facing towards the elderly woman, his legs moved back so he was on his knees at this point; but not entirely bothering to fully get up. A light smile formed from his lips, before speaking, his voice like gravel but still a bit soft; forming a weird juxtaposition of what would be two contrasting tones "Hello there. The sky's looking quite amazing tonight isn't it? It's rather spectacular being able to see the clear Tanbo sky that I've heard so much about in person finally." Ok, so maybe this was partially a lie. But sweet talk never really hurt anyone, besides. Hiko did have an awfully good knack when it came to being charismatic. Which in turn allowed for the cloaked shinobi to be an even better liar. "But, I digress though, I seek refuge within the village. I don't mean any form of harm in the slightest, and just need a place to rest my ever so weary feet for a few days. Since your lovely little village was along the path to my final destination, I decided it can't hurt to try, right?"

The latter statement, unlike much of the previous, was only partially a lie. Hell, Hiko wouldn't even really consider it that. It was moreso of a twisted version of the truth. While he did mean to simply rest there for a bit, a little mayhem might be caused before the auburn haired teen would eventually move on. However, his one true tell when it came to lying was closely guarded. Much like that of a gambler during a game of cards or chance. It wasn't done so obviously either, for if it had come across like there was something being tucked away within the shadows, it would draw suspicions onto him just as much as if he would get caught.

WC: 597
TWC: 946

"Mmm, it certainly is," Granny Kei cast her gaze to the sky above and matched the boy's light smile with one of her own before returning her attention to him. "With weather like this, we can only hope the worst of winter is behind us."

Tanbogakure's winters came fast and hard. Snow, sleet, and storms battered the coastal village for three months out of the year starting in late fall and, typically, ending around the turn of the new year when the season of storms yielded to that of rain. Indeed, this year seemed no different than any other in Matsune's memory, and she treasured days such as these that provided some respite from the otherwise interminable sheets of rain that no doubt lay ahead in the weeks and months yet to come.

"A few days shouldn't be too much trouble," she turned back to the village gates. "Come with me, and we'll get you all signed in."

If the boy followed the elderly gate guard as instructed, the two would soon be standing opposite one another with the glass of the customs booth between them. The structure itself would not necessarily prevent anyone from entering the village and amounted to little more than a lean-to structure, but it did serve as a helpful administrative hub and shelter for the gate guards who spent long days and nights on duty. In the back, one could even find a small kitchenette and a rudimentary bathroom—a comfortable work environment made for attentive guards or so the thinking went anyway.

"I'll need to see your travel documents and..." she rummaged around in the file cabinet to her left. "...you'll need to fill out our entrance visa."

She slid the bit of bureaucratic paperwork and a pen under the glass partition.

"Let me know if you have any questions."

Visitor Visa Application

1. FULL NAME:

2. LAST NAME AT BIRTH (IF DIFFERENT):

3. DATE OF BIRTH:

5. CURRENT VILLAGE AFFILIATION:

6. VILLAGE/COUNTRY OF BIRTH:

7. PURPOSE AND PLACES OF VISIT:

8. LENGTH OF VISIT:

9. COMMENTS:

I, ____________________, affirm that the above is correct and true to the best of my knowledge. If information herein is found to have been knowingly falsified it is grounds for expulsion from the village or, if deemed appropriate, imprisonment and further legal proceedings commensurate to the severity of the case in question.

---

WC: 395
TWC: 750

There was a moment of collective unison shared between the two as both agreed upon the weather being much more at peace. A spoken moment which would hopefully ensure a bit of trust, for that was merely the easy part about getting it. Hiko was well aware of what came next, and to ensure an easier run, he'd play up the sweetness. Nodding in agreeance, the Tau shinobi nodded in agreeance, adding onto her latter statement "Indeed, hope can go a long way. It's brought me here after all, even through the biting cold and nasty weather. I must admit, I've been on the road for quite a long time."

The goal here was to hone in on the lady's sense of empathy. A goal of trickery and deceit, but still a goal nonetheless. Either way, the runaway arose, and followed after her once she started walking away; keeping a meter pace behind her. The rhythmic tapping of the cane, keeping Hiko marching in a perfect harmony with it's beat.

And then he stood there, on the outside of the hut that made up the customs office. This was where the tricky part came in to play. An instant went by, and before long the words in which he was expecting slipped from under the glass. Travel papers. A thing in which the teen currently didn't have in his possession at the moment, but there was no fear or worry seen within his eyes, for this could be relatively simple work. Instead, keeping the same beat of blissful innocence as earlier, there was a look of sadness that shone from behind his eyes. One could call it puppy eyes; once again trying to appeal to emotions.

"Oh...I'm sorry, I don't have any. I was unaware I needed some, for it's my first time traveling alone, you see. But, I guess I'll just go." His tone, still a bit like a rocky road, had hints of sorrow dotted within it. After speaking this, the taijutsu specialist's head lowered, and turned to leave. Walking away slowly, trudging along with the hopeful expectation that his plan had worked and the elder would let him in anyways. The cloak gently swaying along a gentle, refreshing breeze, he would glance back to see her reaction before getting 5 meters away.

WC: 388
TWC: 1334

What a strange child, Matsune thought to herself as she watched him slink away from the village gates with his head hung low. First, he drew attention to his intention of meaning no 'form of harm in the slightest'—an odd tidbit to provide freely—and then he turned tail and ran at the first sign of the formal customs process. Many words came to mind but 'suspicious' stood out among them first and foremost.

The road-weary rogue would, however, catch a break. Or rather Matsune's soft heart and a bureaucratic loophole would find common cause to conspire in his favor. Though she would likely be disciplined for it, she couldn't very well send the boy back from where he came in the state he was in, especially with darkness falling over the land. Zukumiki's men would be crawling all over the hills in the coming hours, and she did not much like the idea of sending a child to contend with monsters. She could justify it to the Komekage later—he too, after all, had a soft heart, despite his best efforts to hide it.

"Wait," she called out as the boy looked back. "I'll file for an exemption, but you'll still need to fill out this visa form and pose for a picture."

To emphasize her point she tapped the form that still lay beneath the break in the glass partition of the ramshackle customs office. She could only bend the rules so much, and the village still needed records of who came and went through its gates. The village ran on information, without information a village fell into disarray, and a village in disarray was one doomed to the annals of history. Though it was a pain, the bureaucracy existed for a reason, and Matsune intended to do her best to uphold it all while allowing for a more human touch.

---

WC: 314
TWC: 1064

As of this very moment, all was going according to plan. Moments after the youngin' would walk away wearily, the border sentinel was heard calling back out to him, thankfully explaining that some of the paperwork could be avoided in this situation. Luckily enough, it was the ones in which were a bit harder to come by. Ones that weren't forged, that is.

The green sparkling within his eyes, Hiko Shimada immediately perked up a bit upon hearing this, but not too much so that it would add to potential suspicions being aroused. It was merely that of just being grateful, rather than bliss born from a plan being set into motion. On his walk back over to the shack, he would bow his head slightly towards the kunoichi in order to show his respects for her utmost generosity within this moment. "Thank you. If there's any way that I can possibly repay this act of kindness while I'm here, you need only ask." The teen would comment as he steadily approached where he just was prior.

During this time, the breeze had begun to pick up it's pace; the sky's color beginning to shift as well. What once was pastels had now begun to switch slowly, yet assuredly, to deeper, richer tones of the same ones which were on display. It wasn't extremely noticeable, but just enough to were the Shimadan could pick up on it. The light was starting to fade, and if the lady hadn't called him back, he'd have been left to the wolves. Or worse. Much worse. But that was in the past now, and there was the present to be currently living in.

Quickly scanning over the visa, for the most part it would appear that Hiko should be in the clear so long as they didn't try to cross examine anything. He calmly would begin to fill out the paper, and once it had been all filled out, slid it back towards the graying woman.


After the form in question was filed with only the affiliation being falsified, the missing nin would patiently wait there, awaiting for his picture to be taken. He'd pull down the hood of his cloak, being mindful not to toy with it too much. The last thing he wanted was for any of his other scars to be visible. While he may be gaining entry now, things would almost be certainly subject to change. In a heartbeat too, no less.

WC: 413
TWC: 1747

"No need for repayment, dear," she smiled softly. "I'm just doing my job."

While the boy filled out his visa form, Matsune retrieved the camera from the back room. It wasn't anything too fancy, but it did what it needed to do. Prior to her position as a gate guard, she hadn't put much stock in such modern contraptions. However, there was something interesting about being able to capture an image—at times it felt like being able to steal back a memory from the past and bring it into the present. Forward progress wasn't all bad, she had to admit.

"Alright, now hold still, please."

She snapped the picture before putting the camera aside.

"Perfect," she said and filed away the completed visa form. "Welcome to Tanbogakure, Hiko. This pass here will allow you free access to the residential district. "

She slid the boy a pass beneath the partition.

"Please be sure to keep it on you at all times for identification purposes." She gave a half nod deeper into the village and towards Okada Castle. "While you won't be able to enter the military district and its training grounds, you should be able to find lodging without too much trouble. Beyond that, though, is there anything else I can help you with?"

The boy's story would, of course, be checked up on. However, given the settlement's relative isolation, it would likely take time and, if Hiko stayed true to his word, he would be long gone before his affiliation could be verified. In the meantime, he had free reign over Tanbogakure's lower district, where one could indulge in just about everything the budding village had to offer from its bathhouse to its many and varied restaurants.

---

WC: 288
TWC: 1352

Granting Hiko Shimada access to the residential district of Tanbogakure and its various subforums.

Another nod of gratitude and thanks was given to the Sentinel as she explained there wasn't a need for him to pay this kindness back. While he did indeed want to act upon this, Hiko wasn't really complaining too much about it. Respectfully, he'd agree and oblige by this. The least he could eventually do though was not act with violence towards her if things ever got heated here in Tanbo. So at the very least, the deviant could do that for her.

Witnessing her pick the camera up, the ninja posed with a dainty grin developing between his ears. It wasn't too long before there was a flash, the sound of the shutter echoing shortly behind the burst of light. Nearly unintentionally blinding him because he wasn't entirely ready for it, Hiko blinked a few times after it went off to readjust his eyes. And just like that, he was in.

The hard part was finally over with, and now he could freely walk into Tanbo without unmitigated recourse. As the woman went on speaking, he'd bow his head in acknowledgement, sending the nonverbal communication that he understood and agreed with the rules of his visit here. Lips curling upwards, the traveler simply replied to her final question with a "No, thank you though. And once again, thank you for all your help!"

Before being on his way out, the auburn haired teen would bow slightly, the clothes creasing and wrinkling in a way that was almost foreshadowing in a sense. If one was clever enough, they could connect these crinkled lines looking awfully similar to stitches. However, at just a quick glance, it wouldn't be the first thing that any ordinary person would stumble across. With nothing else to state though, Hiko would take his leave, moving inwards towards the small village.

WC: 305
TWC: 2052

Claims:
Thread Exit
Entering Tanbo
1000 words to Earth Grudge Fear: Black Threads, previously D Rank, now C Rank
1000 words to Hiding Like a Mole, completing it for C Rank
Stat Claims: 20
15 to Strength
5 to Speed

Approved