Running Us Ragged

Youta who was talking to Jun while Shinrei and Sebastian were discussing the plan. Youta and Jun were just catching up because it had been a little while since the team had done a mission or really anything together. We were all doing our thing training and doing side missions trying to get stronger. In the middle of their conversation Jun got extremely pale. “Jun, are you feeling alright?” And before he even got the question out Jun had passed out. “Jun are you ok?” Sebastian saw this and yelled for a doctor. “Jun, Jun!” He would yell trying to get her to wake up. He would go to Sebastian “What happened?”

Just as this was all going down one of Youta’s first friends and colleagues he met in Hoshigakure after he got his Genin status was walking around the gates, Typhon. He would come around and offer his assistance since we were a man down. “Hey Typhon! It has truly been a long time. How are you doing, old friend? It has been since our race with Aeron when he kicked our ass.” He would laugh a little. “I hope all is going well. I can’t wait to work with you again man hopefully there will not be any combat but we can see how far we have come. I have heard you are doing great.” Youta did not actually hear anything but he just assumed.

Sebastian would say that they should start with the patrols. “Alright Sebastian, lead the way. I honestly saw the list of missions and read the headings but I have no idea where we are supposed to be patrolling today. Then I saw trash pick up and assumed that the rest would make me angry. ” Sebastian would go on to talk to Typhon and Shinrei would try to spark up a conversation with Youta. “I am sorry” he would say with a quick bow. “Activating my meigan and Yuumei is just a reflex now when meeting new shinobi. Been a little more paranoid since losing a teammate. You know what I mean. Not saying that I do not necessarily trust you but you can’t ever be too careful. But seeing three advanced elements and mixes just kind of shocked me, I have never seen or heard of anything like that. I was truly just curious. I did not mean anything by it. I am happy with my techniques but am always willing to learn more. So again I am sorry for asking. I did not mean to be rude. However it is a pleasure to meet you and I can’t wait to learn from someone new and work with another chunin.”

WC447
TWC1177

Upon closer inspection Ty would notice that the 3rd member of the group was in fact someone he knew. Youta had been one of Typhon's first training partners. So much had happened since then and it was good to reconnect with a friendly face.

"It's been too long Youta. Hopefully we've both grown significantly since then" He would laugh, remembering when he considered some push ups and a serious sprint training. He was a fresh recruit at that point and was lacking a couple scars and broken bones. Now, he knew what the life was really like and had to train accordingly.

It looked as if nobody took issue with his offer for help which meant he'd be taking on whatever it was they were off to do. Once filled in on the situation he couldnt help but have a little regret for offering to help. Either way they definitely needed the extra hand. The list of jobs was a doozy but nothing too ridiculous. 

Turning to Sebastian he'd smile and say, "It's good to see you again friend." Ty would reach out a hand to shake. "The cut from last time healed up fine. Barely a scar."

"Speaking of scars, Yamato pleasure to work with you as always. At least when we're on the same side I don't have to worry."

Now that introductions were all out of the way it felt like the right time to start. The most pressing matter was immediately apparent. There were large trash bins lining what seemed like every inch of road. Bulk trash day was in full swing and Ty had somehow volunteered to be on the team handling the pickup. His luck wasn't the greatest it would seem.

"Alright then guys, this trash isn't going to haul itself! We better get started." He would shout while swinging a hefty bag over his shoulder and snagging another in his hand. The smell was probably pretty horrible, but the gas mask was filtering it all. The others probably wouldn't be so lucky there.

(WC 340]
(TWC 640)

Well, it would seem as though the others were already well acquainted with Typhon, making his sudden inclusion into the mission group go about as smoothly as one could hope. The wolf would of course shake the extended hand of Typhon, hearing the youth speak of his cut healing up nicely with nearly no visible scarring. Loghain would offer a grin and a nod, always happy to assist where he could. Hopefully nobody during these patrols would be foolish enough to try a stunt like that. A quick glance around made the wolf realize that they were quite the imposing group. 

All members of the group seemed to be on the same page, which was good considering the sheer volume of tasks they had to take care of. The first patrol route was a simple one, leading them through the residential district. This was also where a great deal of their bulk trash pickup was going to be, or at least that is what the wolf had suspected. Well, you know what they say, two birds with one stone. Trash day in an urban area made the wolf grateful for his simple existence outside the walls. The smell of the area was quite potent, though it was simply possible that this was a situation where his keen olfactory organs were working against him. "This is the first time I've experienced this much trash in a singular area. I don't even want to know what it smells like where all of this ends up." He would look over at Youta and Yamato, wondering if they had anything in their arsenal to dispose of this as they went as apposed to hauling it to the dump for disposal, "Do any of you folks have a way to possibly eliminate this trash as we go? I'm not opposed to putting my back into it and hauling it the old fashioned way, but they say to work smarter and not harder."

Several of the civilians gave them odd looks as they were patrolling, likely because of the unease that so many had toward the shinobi. They were there to help and offer protection and safety from the criminal element, but the wolfs mention of possibly utilizing jutsu and chakra to take care of the didn't bring any ease of mind to those that feared what they didn't comprehend. 

"Where are the usual trash collection men?" One of the residents would shout out, questioning why they needed shinobi so close to their homes. "Why do we need you shinobi here collecting trash?" He would ask, and another rabble rouser would shout out, "And keeping tabs on us no doubt! A show of force to keep us little folk in line, right?" He would spit at the ground in their direction. Loghain would just shake his head, not wanting to allow this to escalate too far. Otherwise, this simple patrol mission might turn into the quelling of a riot...

wc: 493
twc: 1781

As Yamato heard Youta’s explanation he knew it was just a general curiosity and for the first time in a long time he just breathed a sigh of relief while walking.  At the current time he could not completely come clean but with proper explanation he might be able to get what he needed to say.  “So, I am a weapon tempered by the hardships of my own life…the choices that we make, in a general sense…create people like me.  I am in debt to the village, but also…I am an old friend of the Kage.”  He said as he continued to move on with the patrols.  Seeing as the people of the village still had trouble with the shinobi, Yamato made sure to stop by a few businesses and buy some small goods for people as a way to show he cared about the community as a whole.  Typhon finally spoke to him as he came back to the group, telling him that since they were on the same side this time that the others better watch out.

Meanwhile Sebastian started to mix the job of patrolling with trash collecting and he had some small complaints, but then again…so did Yamato…these people made all kinds of garbage, yet he still picked up bag after bag and tried to not say a word, but the citizens words…they were just too much as he looked up and waved at the two that were hanging near a house, undoubtedly they were older generation workers with some sort of ill-seated grudge like some of the rest of the village that did not agree with the way the village was run.  “Ah, I can see where you are coming from, and I am sorry that you think that we are here to keep tabs on you…I do not know why that the normal trash men are not working today, but we are here to make sure that you all can live clean, healthy lives…that's why the shinobi exist after all…to protect you all.”  Yamato said as he looked at Sebastian and left the two men to continue talking about their mess.  “I believe the drop off point is at the edge of this neighborhood.  There should be some sort of collector there, though with the way it is looking so far…that place is probably full.  I can light it aflame, but that would likely raise alarm and cause backlash.”  He said as he continued to walk, grab bags of trash and kept a neutral air about him.

WC:423
TWC:1,442

“That is so true Typhon it seems like we have both grown a lot since the last time we trained. We were both so slow back then.” He would laugh and then say “ but it is exciting to see and to be working with you again. I wonder what all our old friends are up to. We are going to be busy.” He would be very nice and forthcoming with his old friend and they would continue walking up on patrols and then people he could tell villagers were watching them with close eyes. Youta could hear some whispers. Youta would just ignore them and continue on with his job.

They would be walking down the street and see trash everywhere on the side of the roads. The stench was starting to build up. Youta would feel bad for his team leader because he knew his friend had a sensitive nose being a werewolf and all so he would ask “Hey Sebastian how is the old nose treating ya? How are you handling it? Eliminating the trash. I vote fire! I like fire! But it probably is not the best in the city but maybe just shadow clones you know more hands make less work! But we will do whatever you think is the best boss. Do you have any ideas, Yamato other than fire because if fire is the final answer I can help?” He would laugh a little he was trying to keep the mood a little lighter. Keep everyone in good spirits.

The villagers would begin to whisper more and more. Till eventually a few would speak up and say things about what they were doing. “Hello everyone, we are just here to help and then we will move on and continue on our patrol. We have no reason to interfere in your life or report anything you do. So please just let us be and we will be on our way as soon as possible.”

WC 329
TWC1506

Even as the shinobi literally hand carried what seemed like tons of the people's bags there were still people shooting mean glances and even occasionally rude words their way. Prejudice in Hoshi was just standard fare. Relations between the fundamentalists and the ninjas in the village never really improved too much. At least they werent literally killing each other anymore, but it still stung to feel it first hand.

Ty could feel his arms straining from carrying so many bags. The drop off pile was more like a hill by now and he couldn't help but wonder if it really would be better to just burn it all. Would surely save some poor person the time of truly getting rid of it. But that wasn't their job for today. Instead they needed to move on to another gig on their list. A simple patrol, a very welcome change of pace from the garbage bag apocalypse.

Meeting back up with group the young shinobi couldn't help but laugh. "Who knew the village could pump out so much trash? I mean were they all just keeping it in their homes?" He would pat his gloved bands on his pants hoping there wasn't any muck on them. The gloves could be a pain in the ass to get clean. Something he learned after having bled on them on a couple of occasions now.

"You all ready for the next thing on the list? Just a standard patrol in a decent neighborhood. Should be uneventful." He would say, hoping that this time people would be a little nicer to them. After all, the shinobi were the ones keeping the peace in the village now. The civil war wasn't that long ago, but holding a grudge forever wouldn't be good for either side. He would love to avoid another big conflict in the village.

(WC 309)
(TWC 949)

The rabble rousers concerns would be addressed, each member trying to ease the civilians concerns as best they were able to. Even with all of the progress made, it would seem as though there was still a good deal of tension and unease that the wolf simple wasn't certain would ever truly go away. The situation diffused somewhat, but the citizens still kept watchful eyes on the team as they collected the trash and hauled it away from their homes. You would think that perhaps they would be grateful of the shinobi stepping in and assisting in their time of need, but from this interaction it would seem far more likely that they thought that the shinobi forces had the normal trashmen chained up in a dungeon somewhere. Fortunately for the group, the rabble rousers seemed to loss momentum and nothing more came of it beyond a few glares and unpleasant remarks. 

The group discussed their options, the incineration of the trash likely making the least work for not only them but the next group of people to haul the trash to its next destination. Youta seemed thrilled with the possibility of torching the trash, the young man no doubt eager to show off his mastery over the ninjutsu arts. Still, the wisdom of the experienced shinobi Yamato would speak some sense into the group. The wolf was accustomed to manual labor, but when he started to learn the shinobi arts he saw them as advances to minimize the amount of work needed to pull of the same feats. Why haul a cart full of logs when you can form a few seals and summon them from any distance? Of course, these shinobi arts that he was so impressed by were feared and misunderstood by the common masses. Some of it was warranted, though, as it wasn't that long ago when the civil war shook Hoshi to its roots and cemented in the minds of the common people just how dangerous the shinobi armed forces could be. "My nose isn't going to agree with me, but yeah, you guys are right. It probably is for the best that we simply put our backs into it and haul it the old fashioned way. Causing alarm and panic among the neighborhood undermines any efforts to mend relations between the shinobi and the people. I don't look forward to the smell of where we have to leave all of this..." Loghain would offer, indirectly answering Youta's mentioning of his sense of smell. 

Typhon would mention the sheer amount trash that was accumulated by the neighborhood, "Yeah, I can't imagine how this much was made. And just think... this is only one of many neighborhoods. If each neighborhood has roughly this much garbage." A look of disgust would form on the face of the young wolf, the thought of the smell sending a shudder down his spine. Typhon would look down at his gloves, clearly concerned with their cleanliness. "You can clean those with some water and vinegar. Should remove any stains as long as they aren't too bad. Then just hit it with a mild soap." The wolf would offer, hoping to ease his friends mind on the matter. While it was very possible that Typhon already knew this, the wolf wasn't sure and so would offer what he could. 

The next task was another patrol, this time in a nicer part of the village. It wasn't to say anything bad about the current area they found themselves in, but the neighborhoods filled with manual laborers and other folks of the working class tended to be more direct and confrontational when they felt wronged or slighted. "Agreed. Hopefully an uneventful patrol. I doubt that anyone would be foolish enough to commit any crimes with such a large group of shinobi walking around." Loghain would say, with a tone that suggested optimism. 

The patrol rounds seemed to be going smoothly, though the wolf was starting to get a odd feeling, almost like that feeling of being watched. Still, the area had a great many people doing their daily activities and so it was hard to determine if it was something that should worry him or if it was simply the uncertain gaze of the people around them. "Keep your eyes peeled... I have an uneasy feeling that I can't shake."

wc:726
twc: 2507

Overall it did not take them long to gather the trash, Yamato listened to Youta asking about what they could do other than fire to get rid of the trash, but Yamato knew that the place they were taking all of this…it did not matter what happened, this would all likely be incinerated.  “Likely we just need to do as Sebastian is saying and we should use good old fashioned teamwork and elbow grease.  After this…a quick stop to wash up would be nice, I know the drop point is near a small creek we can go there first before we begin our patrol.”  He said as the group continued to carry the trash and eventually after several trips…they were able to make it to the drop point about 10 times in total.  Their speed on the ground made it easy to traverse, even with the looks and the trash they carried.  Still though, people did not let up when it came to the insults or looks at them.  “I honestly remember the civil issues with the shinobi and regular citizens of Hoshigakure…I am honestly glad it is over, but this all feels…familiar to me.  I guess it has not really been over that long…eventually the village will accept its place as a hidden village and home to shinobi…”  He said as they all made their final drop and washed up before heading back to the streets of the village, mid afternoon in Hoshi was always a fun time as the hustle and bustle of the crowd often gave the village a much more cohesive air about it.  

Sebastian gave them a small warning, telling them to keep their eyes peeled, apparently something was bugging him and Yamato immediately went into a more predatory mode and scanned the area as he was looking for trouble.  Validation or the possible settling of an issue that may arise due to whatever might come.

WC:321
TWC: 1,763

Even though Youta was told that they would just have to use hard work to get it done.  He was not necessarily happy about it especially with the smell. He felt bad for his team leader Sebastian. But he would do as he was told.  “How does one neighborhood make so much trash? Is this weird to anyone else? We do not have to do each neighborhood do we? That would be rediculous and take a very long time.” He understood why they should not use ninjutsu or anything because of the tension between shinobi and normal citizens.  Youta was not really around because he was always with the clan and they took time teaching him how to live with a Yuumei. They would go to the creek and try to wash up a little.  

“I really hope this patrol goes easy and nothing exciting happens. Are you getting something Sebastian. Do you want me to activate my Dojutsu and scan around? It can be done pretty easily, just let me know and I will but you know it will definitely freak out the civilians around here. My eyes will glow bright red. But I will have better vision and will be able to find shinobi for sure.”

WC 208
TWC 1714

The group chose to forgo using fire to clear out the massive heaps of garbage. It was likely a wise decision considering the fear and suspicion that their very presence was already causing. A massive rotten pyre in the streets would almost certainly bring about some complaints. Instead the shinobi would manually carry the bags to the final drop point, outside the main town square and away from most of the people. Ty couldn't help but chuckle a little because it was very likely that whoever's job it was to make the final removal would probably just burn it all in the end. Either way he was glad to be done with the whole task.

Even though he didn't have to worry about the smell due to the gas mask on his face, the young ninja couldn't help but notice the grime on his clothes. Stopping off at a stream was a good idea on Yamato's part and allowed for everyone to get mostly clean after such a dirty job. The wolf would notice Ty fidgeting with his gloves and offer some advice on how to get stains out.

"Thanks, I'll give it a try once I get home later. Missions like this make me realize I should buy a few more pairs of gloves." He would say lightheartedly. It wasn't really a joke though, he really did make a mental note to get more gloves. Worrying about stains was too much of a pain when in the field.

As the crew finished up their break and headed off to begin their patrol, Loghain would state that he was feeling uneasy. A quick glance around and one would see a bustling neighborhood with folks of all sorts going about their days. Should someone try something suspicious it would be hard to spot in this crowd. He would take his friend's advice and remain alert, but he himself would not be much help in sensing something happening. He would simply stay ready to react if one of the group members noticed a problem.

Watching carefully he would notice small groups eyeing the shinobi harshly. It was different from earlier in the morning. These people weren't simply upset, they seemed truly disgusted. This neighborhood could very well prove to be quite dangerous.

(WC 380)
(TWC 1329)