Sworn of the Shrine (D-Rank ~ Solo)

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"The actions of the past always echo in the future; it's up to us to heed its' call and achieve our destiny. . ." ~ Unknown



~ History is oftentimes seen as a form of recognition that often takes the form of ancient statues, various texts, and is associated with stale air and cobwebs due to the passage of time. While Sunagakure was no different in its' treatment of time given the overshadowing of the recent events that just about brought the Hidden Sand to its knees. The Sworn of the Shrine is what these elite shinobi were called who acted as both protectors and preservers of the delicate burials of the many Wind Shadows that have come and gone with the shifting sands, giving their lives to their people until their last breath. Prior to this, her family made routine visits to this sacred space in order to pay respects to these men and women who were dedicated to their cause but this time she entered as an assistant to the Sworn. Normally the thought of essentially being a secretary and maid certainly didn't sit well with the young girl, Sumiko didn't mind it one bit as she felt a certain warmth in the space that seemed to always make her skin tingle. With her pre-pack lunch tucked away in a lunch bag, Sumiko didn't waste any time as she made her way through the village en route to Kazekage Cave which was tucked a little way outside of the Hidden Sand within the depths of the desert while allowing feasible travel for natives to pay their respects.~

~ Unlike her usual attire, Sumiko was dressed in a red ceremonious kimono that was handcrafted by her grandmother, Mai Lee Yoshido, who after she retired from her own service as one of the Hidden Sand's most notable Fuuinjutsu and Kugutsu specialists, became a seamstress which was reasonable given the family myths that said that her mastery of chakra threads was uncanny. Within a few moments, the girl could see the mouth of the cave and her grey eyes lit up immediately as she started up the long stairs to the entrance where some of the Sworn more than likely awaited her arrival.~

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(Thought) "This cave doesn't get any less amazing no matter how many times I come. . . I always get goosebumps!"

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~WC: 382~

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~It took Sumiko a few minutes to make her way up the stairs that lead to Kazekage Cave and there she was greeted by two members of the Sworn. Her grey eyes settled on them for a few moments as she took in the appearance of the highly elite shinobi group. Dressed in black tactical gear that would allow them to blend into the shadows; they were nothing less than amazing to the eye. Due to a facemask that covered the lower portion of their faces only eyes, Sumiko locked eyes with them before bowing and they reciprocated the gesture and even that was concise and showed intent. The genin was sure that it was obvious that she was the junior shinobi assigned for this task but she decided to introduce herself all the same.~


"Good Afternoon, I am Yoshido, Sumiko and I will be assisting you all today. I hope to be as much help as possible."

~Her voice was light and didn't hide the fact that she was excited to get started. The senior shinobi seemed to take well to the girl's attitude as they nodded to her. Her eyes broke contact with them as she peered into the candlelight pathways that led to the various burial sites and a well-preserved armory. "Aye, Sumiko-chan we have been expecting you and we appreciate your promptness." One of the Sworn said with a deep and husky voice while the other nodded. "Your tasks of the day are the following: dust the displays in the Kazekage's tombs, wipe down and polish the armory and the weapons within it, and make sure the offering candles are lit for today's honorings. Any questions?" The second Sworn had a softer voice which suggested that they were female but given the extensive measures to shroud their physical features; it was hard to tell. Sumiko bowed to them.~

"No I have no questions and I will get started right away."

The pair nodded to her before flickering from her sight within seconds and not a sound would give way to their location. It truly amazed her how quickly the elite could move and wondered when she would learn how to do the same; if ever. Sumiko walked her way through the halls of Kazekage cave in a casual nature in order to survey the halls which held various candles and support structures that seemed to be composed of both super rigid sand and stone. Eventually, she found herself at the entrance to the Kazekage catacombs and she found herself pausing. She could feel her body tingle and a slight chill roll down her spine. Such great individuals whose actions constantly changed the lives of everyone in the past, present, and future. . . all in one spot. Perhaps it was the sheer power and the fact that she believed that they watched over those of the Hidden Sand that made this experience so ethereal to her. Sumiko took a deep breath before nodding to herself and walking inside of the burial area.

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~ WC: 504 ~

~ TWC: 888 ~

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~The young kunoichi quickly found herself getting to work. Sumiko expressed great care as she first started to dust and straighten up the various shrines dedicated to the late Kazekage. As her tiny hand gently weaved the feather duster over the valuables she found herself praying over them in a soft whisper. Her grandmother used to always say to be mindful of what you say and do next to the dead for you never know if they are watching. For as long as she could remember this idea always freaked her out, and rightfully so as the concept of finite life was already complex but the afterlife seemed to be even scarier to her in fact so much so that she found herself crying one time while paying respects with her family. Sumiko could feel the sadness return as she encountered this memory again. Of course, this was the life of a ninja but such greatness and vigor that each one of these people had were uncanny. How could such strong forces be reduced to mere pictures and smoke to be forgotten as time passed? It was at that moment that she recalled the embrace that her grandmother gave her, the warmth soothed her anxiety and her thumb dried her tears.~

" Aww don't feel sad for them dear! That is why we come to pay our respects and proudly wear the hourglass as you will hopefully do one day. Every day that we live with honor and get stronger that makes them that much stronger and allows them to rest in peace; never forget that."

~Sumiko found that when her mind returned to the present that a smile had formed on her face and that tears flowed freely like rivers. Such a twisted moment this was. . . she felt sadness knowing that they were gone and that she could never meet them but she was also happy and grateful as the sacrifices that they made had made the Sand what it was today. Such a display of vulnerability was something the girl normally detested and avoided but it was something about being surrounded by her people that made her feel safe. . . even if she was an immigrant. Sumiko moved through the burial site allowing herself to feel all of the pent-up emotion as she continued her work; still ever careful in her execution and whispering her prayers. After about 30 minutes, Sumiko found herself running into one of the Sworn whose eyes immediately registered the young girl's odd state.~

"Sumiko-chan? Are you alright? Did you hurt yourself?"


~She'd chuckle before wiping her eyes. She felt a small sense of embarrassment hit her which reddened her face slightly. Telling the truth might make her seem overly sensitive and probably incompetent but she also dared not lie around the late Kage. Sumiko offered her senior a small bow before tucking her black hair behind her ears.~

" Oh, I am fine. . . just a little overwhelming being here sometimes. Thank you for checking in on me."

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~The member of the Sworn merely nodded at her, seemingly satisfied with her response. They shared that they would be around should anything happen before walking out into the open corridors of the Kazekage Cave. With that Sumiko kicked back into gear with an air of excitement as the tears flowed no more and she focused on making sure that their sights were properly taken care of. Minutes turned into hours as she worked through the large area and ensured the safety and upkeep of various armors and weaponry that she had only seen in theory in her Academy classes. Finally, Sumiko's last task was to polish the various family and administrative portraits, and just like the rest of the items she handled them with care. She found it interesting to look over the various pictures that appeared some of which even held her grandmother in her youth and even her parents but something quickly began to stick out to her. Her grandmother seemed to echo through most of these pictures, even in portraits that seemed to be for families. Sumiko almost allowed herself to overlook this detail as a mere coincidence but then she realized that there was resonance between various attires and even images of her in casual attire around the various Kazekage which was highly inappropriate from how she was raised. By this point, Sumiko was confused by was she saw and upon further inspection, she even began to see what looked to be her parents as children and even a very great fan that seemed similar to her own.

"W-What does this mean? I think I might have reached a point of delirium."

~Sumiko muttered to herself before completing her task and starting to make her way toward the entrance where she would report with her commanding senior. She couldn't stop thinking about what she had seen as it made no sense to her at any angle that she tried to view it and for a moment she seemed to have kicked her body into autopilot as her mind was too preoccupied. Eventually, she met with her superior who she then bowed to before speaking.~

"I have completed all of my tasks for the day. Do you need anything else?"

~The pair of Sworn members looked at each other as if to check with each other before looking toward the girl and letting Sumiko know that she was done for the day. Sumiko nodded to them before starting back towards the exit but she paused for a moment. It was then that it hit her that being a part of the Sworn meant that their sole duty was to protect and preserve the delicate history and belongings of the Kazekage. . . they had to be content experts by proxy! Sumiko turned quickly before walking back towards the remaining Sworn who had looked at her with a curious expression. She'd bow once again before responding.~

" I am sorry to bother you. . . but I had a question. I noticed the family portraits that were on display and a good majority of them seemed to have some people in them despite it belonging to various Kazekage. . "

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~The Sworn looked at her and their curiosity seemed to quickly turn into an exciting glow in their eyes.~

" You are a very observant girl; That will prove useful to you in the field. . . as for the family portraits, the reason why multiple Kage seemed to have similar members in their portraits is due to them a majority of them coming from one family."

~Sumiko's eye widened as she tried to keep up with the man's words. . . a shared family?? But her family was clearly in these pictures and they seemed to be associated with the earlier Kazekage before completely disappearing. The girl could only nod as she hung on his every word and her heart seemed to flutter due to the anticipation.~

" As I'm sure you are aware the was a period before the supervolcano's eruption, otherwise known as "Old Age Sunagakure", it was said to be a much more traditional time where the village solely comprised of a few major families: Shirogane, Hoki, and Kazekage family. The true surname of the Kazekage clan has been lost in time due to their uniformed listing as the Kazekage Clan due to them being one of the most influential clans in the Hidden Sand due to their members consistently being selected as Kazekage. They were said to be "embodiment of the Sand" due to some of their members being able to harness desert sand in combat."

~Sumiko's mouth hung open as the man spoke to her. Some of this information she was aware of due to the Academy but the limited access to their own history was apparent at that very moment. She knew the various Kazekage but for there to be a whole lost family in the mix. . . was a shock to her, especially in the concept of what that had to do with her family.  She'd quickly close her mouth before quickly shooting out her next question as if the man would randomly disappear and with him, this poignant knowledge.~

"Do you know what happened to them???"

~The Sworn merely shook his head before responding.~

"Unfortunately the whereabouts of the family is unknown to us. . . between the various conflicts that we face as shinobi and the supervolcano; it is reasonable to say that they were completely killed off and with them, various heirlooms have yet to be uncovered."

~Sumiko was silent for a moment as she took it all in. By this point her brain seemed to throb in her skull; each word seemed to start to thread together the holes in what she experienced. . . she had felt so isolated to the Hidden Sand yet she couldn't put her finger on the unwavering pride and tradition that she was brought up with compared to those around her. The girl dared not waste any time as she required answers to the questions that the Sworn could no longer answer. She'd bowed and offer her thanks before quickly running out of the cave.~

(thought) " I must talk to my parents immediately. . ."

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~ WC: 1,527 ~

~ TWC: 2,415 ~

Mission Exit Claim:

Mission Rewards:
- 2,000 Ryo
- 10 Bonus AP

WC Claims:

TWC: 2,415

- Elemental Detection (C-Rank) (845 WC ~ Remaining WC: previous claim here)

- Mind Read (250 WC)

- + 1,095 WC to Hiding with Camoflague (B- Rank)

- + 24 Skill points ( )