Malignant Season

The Missions:

Akaime's eyes slowly open, blinking a few times as they adjust to the bright light of the sun shining above. While it is warm and there's a slight gust of wind that sends shivers down the Chinoike's skin as he pushes himself up to take a look around. He's sitting off a path underneath a lone tree with a forest up ahead, while behind him sits an ocean with no sight of land for eyes can tell. He doesn't remember how came to this place at all.

He can't remember anything.

The blonde groan as he sits up more and tries to move, his head is aching, and his right ankle feels incredibly sore. It seemed like he had twisted it or something. The blue-eyed Genin also noticed his clothes were pretty dirty, a few places torn, revealing little scrapes and bruises all over his arms and legs. Sighing, Akaime tries once more to stand but gives up as his leg throbs. His head feels heavy like he was underwater. His chest tightens, a weak groan escaping from his dry throat. It seemed like luck was on his side though. There was a loud squawking of a crow in the distance, followed by a few yells—a person. 

Akaime spotted the crow flying up high and what looks to be a young man running below it, heading in his general direction. Hope flares in his chest as they seem to spot Akaime, leaving the path to come straight toward him. The crow lets out another loud caw and circles above as the man swiftly approaches. He's wearing some kind of black uniform that had gold jewelry acting as pins to hold it together. His hair is a deep burgundy, slightly messy, and swept back with a few loose strands. Blood red eyes, and porcelain skin,

As he bounds over, he shouts something to Akaime... but he didn't understand a single word.

"Hey! Are you okay?! Do you need help?"

Akaime tilted his head slightly and furrowed his brows, trying to understand what he was saying, but not a single word is making sense. Did he hit his head hard?

"I saw you on the ground... and..."

He comes to a halt in front of Akaime, his words trailing off as his eyes quickly scan the Chinoike up and down, confusion mixing with the concerned look in his eyes. An awkward smile breaks out as he scratches his head. He crouches down, his smile easing and coming more naturally as he speaks again, softer but still holding a sense of urgency as he looks Akaime over again.

"Did something happen?"

The blonde tries to focus on the words but still... nothing. Akaime shakes his head to hopefully clear it but when the words still don't make sense the hope he felt before dwindles just a little bit. Akaime doesn't know what he is saying at all, which could only mean that he is speaking another language.

"I... I don't know... what you're saying," Akaime says slowly.


Akaime remembered when he first came to this island. Amnesia decided to make its home inside the child's mind. Leaving him scared and confused about anything. Until that man found and healed him back to full health. It took a while for Akaime to get his memories back but during that time, Dai and Atsuki Kyuketsuki were the people that cared for him as if he was their child, a debt he could never repay. He didn't know if it was fate, luck, or pure coincidence that led them together. Atsuki longed to bear children but never could; Akaime just lost his entire family then to losing his memories. It was a blessing in disguise for both parties.

When memories started forming, he began to lash out from the anger and sadness of remembering his old life. However, Dai and Atsuki never punished the young Chinoike, just gave love as no other person has given. In time, Akaime's mental wounds started to heal over, and grow accustomed to his new lifestyle. He grew up in a secluded, poor village, far from civilization. This was the opposite of that. He now lived in a house with many rooms and doors. The massive home stood on top of a hill and had three stories to support it.

His main obstacle when arriving was that he didn't understand their language. His village had its own, unique, language different from the rest of the world. So as time went on, he was tutored to learn their language. Luckily, he was still young enough that it didn't become too complicated to learn. Along with language learning, he was taught about the history of their country and the individuals that populate it. On top of that, he learned skills and techniques from his adoptive parents that led him to be able to join their academy and that was just last week.

And now here he is, in a wonderland of different possibilities. He still couldn't believe that scroll led him. He couldn't even believe that he got something in the mail, and it was a portal scroll of all things. Didn't have a name on who it come from, but that didn't matter to the boy as he started walking into the heart of the town. It wasn't large like his home village it was still populated with a decent amount of people. However, these people weren't like the people he was adopted by, they were small and didn't have dark hair and red eyes. They were all different colors, just like Akaime.

Anyway, he got to the inn where he was supposed to meet the woman who need help just like the scroll said. As he knocked and waited, one of the doors in front of them opens up to reveal a small elderly woman, who greet him with a polite smile.

"Hello. Should I presume you are one of the shinobi?" She asks kindly, her eyes landing on the trio.

He nods but wonders what did she mean by 'one of', was them more to come? She smiles again, bowing lightly before guiding them through the door. "Please come in."

He follows the woman on a stone path leading up to the house. She walks him through the front door and shows Akaime his room for the stay with a spare change of clothes and food already prepared. He just stared in surprise, not expecting all of this. Shifting from his room and down the corridor, he found himself what seemed like a dining room. A long table with a plethora of chairs aligning it filled the room. A low-hanging chandelier lit the room at its center. Big, sturdy, stoned windows etched the walls on the north and south side. The smell of the delicious-looking food collects all his attention and he immediately descended upon it. 

TWC: 1,148

[Going to do both D-Rank missions x4]

Some people liked fighting while others loved drinking, at the end of the day everyone had their own way of enjoying themselves. "But I wasn't expecting this" he voiced as he laid eyes upon a rather peculiar situation. In front of him there were not one, not two, not three, but four individuals whose tongue got frozen to a pole. Although it was a sight to behold, Ichigo knew deep down that it was something that could have happened in Kumogakure as well. "Dare gone wrong?" the Raikage asked the poor fools who ended up in said predicament, trying his best not to laugh or judge. 

(WC: 106)

[Doing the D ranks 1x times each; don't think I'll manage any more in time. Sorry]

Duncan found himself wandering around this snowy place, looking for tasks to complete. The first set of tasks were simple enough, yet there was an odd haste to everyone's actions, including his own. The storm that was raging before had subsided, now only a light snowfall coming down at a crawl. No howling winds, nor stinging cold this time. The giant found himself standing in town, gazing around to the various buildings that sprawled across the area. For what seemed like a small village, there were a surprising number of people out and about. Some were singing strange songs, while others were going in and out of shops with a crazed look in their eye like they were on the hunt for something that was eluding them. A handful of children could be seen playing in the snow, enjoying their youth and innocence without so much as a care in the world. 

The immense man would find himself casually strolling down the street, his outfit not truly designed with this climate in mind. He wasn't entirely sure how, but the group that he had been in found themselves separated upon making their way back to town. Perhaps the blizzard and difficulty seeing one another was the culprit. Nevertheless, the knight desired to find his Kumo companions. There were the clear signs of what looked like an inn or a tavern of sorts, likely where any tired adventurers would find themselves resting at and warming up inside to get out of the cold. Duncan wasn't far from the inn, and so he would begin his trek towards it. It was then out of the corner of his eye he saw a rather interesting sight. Not only was the Raikage standing there, but in front of him were several children that all decided for some strange reason to stick their tongues to the frozen metal pole. The giant figured that Lord Ichigo was more than capable of handling the task of assisting them, but the giant honestly was looking for his companions and didn't see reason to leave one of them behind in hopes that others were at the inn.

"Lord Ichigo, a pleasure." He would offer, bowing respectfully to his Raikage. "Am I seeing this right? I really hope that you all stuck your tongues on there at the same time, otherwise..." The giant would trail off, not wanting to outright call these children idiots. If they were in Kumogakure he would gladly call out the stupidity of the young, hoping that they would rise above such foolishness. "I could always just rip you kids off of the pole!" He would offer in a stern tone. They would all shake their heads, not wishing to be ripped from their icy trap. Duncan would simply laugh. Many of his young students were taught valuable lessons through the use of pain. A kid jumped at him during a sparring match? Well, that meant that he needed to be taught not to do that, and what better way than to associate such foolish actions with a healthy dose of pain. This wasn't far from that, but these weren't Kumogakure children, nor were they even shinobi children. They were just a handful of dumb kids that thought that this was a good idea, or were dared to do it. 

"Lord Ichigo, what do you think we should do to assist?" This question seemed a simple one on the surface, but it would likely allow the knight to peer into who Ichigo was as not only a Raikage but as a person. Each leader ruled in their own way, their personal convictions bleeding into how they decided upon each action. Duncan didn't know the man that well, his rise in the village occurring during the time Duncan was imprisoned for his outbursts. Ichigo was formerly the deputy, and now finds himself at the head of the village. Such a weight can buckle even the strongest of men under its pressure, but Duncan would seek once more to find himself able to be leaned on by another Raikage, much like his Little Lord had previously. 

After they managed to release the foolish children from their icy trap, an oddly aggressive woman would approach. "Hey, I had one of these here action figures set aside and preordered, but some asshole that was friends with the cashier convinced them to sell my toy to them. When I confronted them about it they said I would have to wait until they got another shipment in. THAT IS NOT UNTIL AFTER CHRISTMAS!! IT COMPLETELY DEFEATS THE WHOLE POINT!!!" The woman was visible seething at this. "You two look the capable sort. Bring me that toy and I'll pay you for services rendered. I don't care how you go about getting it, but my son NEEDS that toy for the holiday tomorrow."

Duncan would look to Ichigo, deferring to his orders here. The woman was basically asking them to go take the toy back, suggesting by force if necessary. Maybe there was another option here. The woman suggested they get back that specific toy, but she just needed any copy of it. Maybe between them they could manage to find another in one of these toy stores dotted around the town. 

Duncan would search each store finding the carts of the shoppers filled to the brim and the shelves empty. It was the day before the big holiday event of the year, and everyone was scrambling to get their last minute shopping and tasks completed before it was too late and their children woke up to nothing more than disappointment for the holiday. Each store was the same, a site that the man could not say that he had ever seen before. Everyone was fighting over the last copies of this toy or that game. A few people broke down into a bout of fisticuffs, literally beating each other up in order to ensure that they left with what they came for. No wonder the woman seemed so insistent on them using force. Everyone here was a little bit crazy it would seem. Fighting over childrens toys... 

Duncan would finally find a copy of the doll, which was held by a kid. It wasn't in the package, but that honestly wasn't specified by the woman. "Hey kid. Wanna trade?" Duncan would ask, offering up a blade to the boy. His eyes lit up and he nodded. It might not have been the safest thing for the kid to play with, but learning weapon safety and respect at an early age went a long way. The giant would return, holding out the unpackaged doll. "Will this do?"

wc:1114


Midthread claims: (There are 4 people in the thread. Should be enough thread wc rn to complete these)

Mission claims:
1x D rank: Jingle all the way
1x D rank: I Triple Dog Dare You

4000 ryo, 20 AP, 1000 Winter Tickets

Duncan Crawford wrote:[Doing the D ranks 1x times each; don't think I'll manage any more in time. Sorry]

Duncan found himself wandering around this snowy place, looking for tasks to complete. The first set of tasks were simple enough, yet there was an odd haste to everyone's actions, including his own. The storm that was raging before had subsided, now only a light snowfall coming down at a crawl. No howling winds, nor stinging cold this time. The giant found himself standing in town, gazing around to the various buildings that sprawled across the area. For what seemed like a small village, there were a surprising number of people out and about. Some were singing strange songs, while others were going in and out of shops with a crazed look in their eye like they were on the hunt for something that was eluding them. A handful of children could be seen playing in the snow, enjoying their youth and innocence without so much as a care in the world. 

The immense man would find himself casually strolling down the street, his outfit not truly designed with this climate in mind. He wasn't entirely sure how, but the group that he had been in found themselves separated upon making their way back to town. Perhaps the blizzard and difficulty seeing one another was the culprit. Nevertheless, the knight desired to find his Kumo companions. There were the clear signs of what looked like an inn or a tavern of sorts, likely where any tired adventurers would find themselves resting at and warming up inside to get out of the cold. Duncan wasn't far from the inn, and so he would begin his trek towards it. It was then out of the corner of his eye he saw a rather interesting sight. Not only was the Raikage standing there, but in front of him were several children that all decided for some strange reason to stick their tongues to the frozen metal pole. The giant figured that Lord Ichigo was more than capable of handling the task of assisting them, but the giant honestly was looking for his companions and didn't see reason to leave one of them behind in hopes that others were at the inn.

"Lord Ichigo, a pleasure." He would offer, bowing respectfully to his Raikage. "Am I seeing this right? I really hope that you all stuck your tongues on there at the same time, otherwise..." The giant would trail off, not wanting to outright call these children idiots. If they were in Kumogakure he would gladly call out the stupidity of the young, hoping that they would rise above such foolishness. "I could always just rip you kids off of the pole!" He would offer in a stern tone. They would all shake their heads, not wishing to be ripped from their icy trap. Duncan would simply laugh. Many of his young students were taught valuable lessons through the use of pain. A kid jumped at him during a sparring match? Well, that meant that he needed to be taught not to do that, and what better way than to associate such foolish actions with a healthy dose of pain. This wasn't far from that, but these weren't Kumogakure children, nor were they even shinobi children. They were just a handful of dumb kids that thought that this was a good idea, or were dared to do it. 

"Lord Ichigo, what do you think we should do to assist?" This question seemed a simple one on the surface, but it would likely allow the knight to peer into who Ichigo was as not only a Raikage but as a person. Each leader ruled in their own way, their personal convictions bleeding into how they decided upon each action. Duncan didn't know the man that well, his rise in the village occurring during the time Duncan was imprisoned for his outbursts. Ichigo was formerly the deputy, and now finds himself at the head of the village. Such a weight can buckle even the strongest of men under its pressure, but Duncan would seek once more to find himself able to be leaned on by another Raikage, much like his Little Lord had previously. 

After they managed to release the foolish children from their icy trap, an oddly aggressive woman would approach. "Hey, I had one of these here action figures set aside and preordered, but some asshole that was friends with the cashier convinced them to sell my toy to them. When I confronted them about it they said I would have to wait until they got another shipment in. THAT IS NOT UNTIL AFTER CHRISTMAS!! IT COMPLETELY DEFEATS THE WHOLE POINT!!!" The woman was visible seething at this. "You two look the capable sort. Bring me that toy and I'll pay you for services rendered. I don't care how you go about getting it, but my son NEEDS that toy for the holiday tomorrow."

Duncan would look to Ichigo, deferring to his orders here. The woman was basically asking them to go take the toy back, suggesting by force if necessary. Maybe there was another option here. The woman suggested they get back that specific toy, but she just needed any copy of it. Maybe between them they could manage to find another in one of these toy stores dotted around the town. 

Duncan would search each store finding the carts of the shoppers filled to the brim and the shelves empty. It was the day before the big holiday event of the year, and everyone was scrambling to get their last minute shopping and tasks completed before it was too late and their children woke up to nothing more than disappointment for the holiday. Each store was the same, a site that the man could not say that he had ever seen before. Everyone was fighting over the last copies of this toy or that game. A few people broke down into a bout of fisticuffs, literally beating each other up in order to ensure that they left with what they came for. No wonder the woman seemed so insistent on them using force. Everyone here was a little bit crazy it would seem. Fighting over childrens toys... 

Duncan would finally find a copy of the doll, which was held by a kid. It wasn't in the package, but that honestly wasn't specified by the woman. "Hey kid. Wanna trade?" Duncan would ask, offering up a blade to the boy. His eyes lit up and he nodded. It might not have been the safest thing for the kid to play with, but learning weapon safety and respect at an early age went a long way. The giant would return, holding out the unpackaged doll. "Will this do?"

wc:1114


Midthread claims: (There are 4 people in the thread. Should be enough thread wc rn to complete these)

Mission claims:
1x D rank: Jingle all the way
1x D rank: I Triple Dog Dare You

4000 ryo, 20 AP, 1000 Winter Tickets

Approved