Carrot Noises.

So Fluffy!

Mission Name: So Fluffy!
Rank: B
Mission Location: Fire Country borders

Challenges: Crafting
Task: What weighs more, one kilogram of steel, or one kilogram of rabbit fur? That's right, one kilogram of rabbit fur weighs the most. Because you will always carry the burden of what you did to those rabbits to get the fur.

Word Count Requirement: 4,500
Reward: 6,000 Ryo / 30 AP / 1x Rabbit Fur

Character Requirements: --
Character Exclusive: --

Link to Legacy Mission: So Fluffy.

Deeb's Statistic Page

Deeb was striding across the plains, prepared for anything to hinder his pilgrimage when he saw a bunch of rabbits - " Fluffy!" Deeb found contrivances such as boredom, were allayed by the general feelings of wanderlust. In the morning he had departed the waterfall country borders without sighting anything unique. Deeb felt gracious for having come this far without issue. A multitude of curious eyes passed his way. The beady marbles belonged to a fluffle of rabbits surveying their surroundings - they frolicked around now and then. Deeb was moving at velocities some bunnies reckon to be 'pretty quick'. By their own crudely primal estimate - Deeb's intent was predatory. At the time of Deeb's appearance, many rabbits had already started running. They proudly distinguished two things when they did so. Firstly, which of them was the fastest of the warren. Secondly, they revealed the entrances to numerous bolt holes. By avoiding where the rabbits fled, Deeb proceeded safely - after slowing his gait. A broken leg in this situation would most likely be fatal. The road was not far from these wild bunnies. Catching them all was his prerogative.

Deeb sat in the field and considered the stories of the Ajin People regarding rabbits. Their tenacity was extraordinary; many had not lived having known famine because of prevalent herbivorous creatures such as these bunnies. Farmers have a degree of chagrin for having not caused a genocide of the beast. It was a hunter's tribulation. They caused as many problems as they solved, and after deeming them to be more bunny than a rabbit, he took it upon himself to attempt culling their numbers. Deeb personally could not run one down in this field due to the numerous traps they had prepared. Cunning creatures, thought Deeb to himself. This would be a testing trial, indeed. While their numbers were not infinite, they were far from dwindling. Deeb would educate this population of bunnies as to the error of their ways. The rabbit's natural predators were foxes, wolves, eagles and snakes - all intelligent animals. Deeb wasn't a cruel man, nor was he nihilistic. His instincts demanded that he do what he must, deliberately rather than in vain.

To pass the time until the evening when he planned to hunt, Deeb made preparations by foraging for herbs palatably suitable to honour and bless the flesh. The young jumbuck gathered fallen branches, dry wood, and leaf refuse from nearby acacia for a fire. Kinds of things that would be suitable for kindling. While Deeb had few provisional tools to work with, he was a devoted man. Arbitrary killing or abject cruelty, by meaninglessness whim - was abhorrent to the young buck. He plucked a grain of salt from a bag at his waist - something he usually carried on his person, filled with pockets containing spices. Salts, refined along the ocean's shoreline, were common. Boiling seawater rendered both salt and fresh water. When the water was evaporated, the remaining sediment was a garnish that also helped regulate People's metabolisms. The steam and smoke would collect in the sky to make clouds. Those clouds would then become the rain that sustained and nourished the plants. Everything he learnt from the Ajin was allegorical and tribalistic. To the Ajin, rabbits were revered as lucky animals to imbibe.

The moon was high in the sky. Deeb had limbered his lax limbs by slowly stretching them through precise, repetitive maneuvers. Quickly inhaling two short breaths as if sniffing the air for smoke, Deeb blew out two equally sharp exhales from his mouth. He was ready. In the light of his campfire, Deeb saw the flickering shadows - quivering silhouettes swarming from the intricate quarry of their warren. His task wasn't difficult as Deeb could hear the dull thumping of hundreds of tiny flippety-floofs drumming a stampede away from him. Even in the dark, the rabbit's keen senses for anything foreign were sharp. The efforts of the fluffle were as follows: To run, check to see; if chased, again. They were always just out of Deeb's reach. Before capture, they always dove into an unimaginably complex warren system, which wormed its way deep into the earth. Deeb had noticed the lack of grass around their burrows. Tree roots interwove tangled through their entrances, making it difficult to chase the pest any further. It was impossible to traverse the landscape quickly, so Deeb climbed a tree. After finding a desirable seat in the canopy, Deeb waited for the rabbits to come home.

Gracelessly dropping on the first to leave its hiding place, Deeb secured the rabbit underneath his knee. It made a heart-wrenching cry, obviously startled. He leant his weight on the poor creature before it could panic. A gratifying snap, accompanied by a thunderous, triumphant roar - echoed through the woods. The blood on Deeb's hands was unclean. Deeb acknowledged this and wiped it on his trousers. He picked up the limp bunny and walked back towards the still-red coals of his campfire. Ajin people were said to be able to use the blood of slain foes to strengthen themselves. There was, however, due consideration and regulations that took precedence over a whim. The angry spirit of the slain bunny rabbit was probably expecting some explanation. It may even have hopped along beside spiting, cursing to his camp, trying to understand his motives. Deeb prepared the rabbit's eulogy.

Sitting by his fire, lost in thought, Deeb was transfixed. His reverie remained unbroken, the flames had ebbed, and he wondered where life had carried this particular rabbit. The rabbit now resided on a garland of gathered wildflowers that had been woven together in advance with deft fingers. A small, sealed jar of honey, reserved for its sweetness, sat beside the garland. Deeb braved the busy bees earlier in the day and gathered combs from their hives. He suddenly bellowed, standing to his feet. "I have fallen!" His eyes opened wide; Deeb stared at no one in particular as he tilted his horned head fanatically. He quickly formed and released the monkey hand sign by audibly clapping his hands together. "From a tree!" A terse explanation, spoken with the strength that comes from plight. He reasoned with the powerful being that the rabbit would become by re-enacting his point of view. Deeb hoped to appease his ancestral forefathers. Shifting his trance-like state into one of exuberance - Deeb bounced on one, then both feet and spoke as if to God, "Thank you, O! Great Rabbit!"Deeb's hands trembled while he knitted the bird hand sign; the time it took him to form it was tedious. " For breaking my fall!" He expressed gratitude to the rabbit by making the Hare hand sign. "I am uninjured!"  After roaring all of this, his voice was hoarse and gravelly. He made little attempt at being subtle, announcing his presence to the world around him.

In due course, Deeb had made prior preparations to make this ritual unique. Having gone through many tribulations to find uneaten carrots, he was not fanciful of the idea of losing them. Deeb had hidden the orange root vegetable amongst the coals of his small fire, digging under the scorched earth beneath it and laying a flat stone between it and the flames - like a Hāngī. Knowing the rabbit would be curious and impatient - wanting to dig up the succulent and sweet flesh of the vegetable. Deeb entertained its ghost by dancing and telling it stories."May you reincarnate an eagle - or another great bird of prey!" Deeb's ambiguous dance was mottled by his youth's unparalleled naivety, but his muscular movements were lithe. "You can fly away then!" He trod in the footsteps of giants now, fervour apparent in his stride. " Or a mighty bear!" Emotion overcame him as he bowed his head Deeb earnestly sobbed, "Not a man!" Learning to be human was not always a civil process and hadn't been for many shinobi. "For; I am!" Baring his teeth to make a fearsome picture of himself in the eyes of the rabbit. "And you dead; by my hand!"

His sensitive sight was struggling in the evening - as it had before. Stars lent their light, but; only conventionally, from a logical sense of a direction to the time of evening. Deeb's purpose was to make many promises to that rabbit. For him to halt the cycle of the bunny's transgressional turmoil, for it to know enlightenment, rather than conflicted about Deeb taking its life. He would have to convince the animal's spirit to choose another path. If Deeb could clear a warren of rabbits, would Deeb fare better against food that bit back? Consequentially, he felt it was his responsibility - to hunt the rabbits and make a proper tribute to the land and the people thereon. Deeb wasn't sure where he could be found on a topographical map - there were a lot of trees. He saw this culling as necessary, but the landowners, negligent as they were, may find his presence and actions concerning. Accepting this as a risk, he feared nothing in his absolution. Conviction and stamina resolute, Deeb ceased his dancing. To catch the animals, he would have to think like them. His attention shifted to the tributary hare, and he realised dinner time was around now.

The first time Deeb had hunted with his family for rabbits, he had nearly died. His brother threw him over a fence, hoping he would land on his feet and retrieve the injured rabbit they were hunting. Only Deeb didn't land on his feet. Deeb landed flat on his back. Winded and gasping for air, he weakly sobbed. "You've killed me!" As he looked up at the starry night sky through his tears, he heard his family making jokes. "Why not land - like a cat as we planned?" They chortled while he felt no strength in his limbs. Deeb couldn't believe his stupidity in believing in their scheme. He wasn't a cat. Not much of a hunter, either. He was very cross with them for a long time. That evening they accidentally pierced the rabbit's gut while skinning it in the house, leaving a terrible odour through the kitchen for a week. He remembered this as he was presently skinning the rabbit - hoping not to foul his hunt or nostrils because of his carelessness. The rabbit's fleece was mottled by blood he wiped from his hands while he worked. A crude knife wielded with finesse dressed and bled the rabbit. He separated its organs and sorted them according to their worth. Casting foul and impure parts into the fire he had rekindled. After a short time, his final preparations for honouring the rabbit were at hand. He ground no salt into the wounds of its exposed flesh, but Deeb dressed the sacrament with care - and with what little resources he had left.

After having cooked the rabbit's flesh on the hot rock - Deeb broke lemon grass up and scattered it over the crispy portions. He sat cross-legged, praying for the energy he would require to catch the rest of the fluffle. Sinking his teeth into his meal, Deeb nibbled on small bits at a time. He was only able to stomach a small portion due to his size. Deeb reasoned that there would be a meal after the hunt. He picked through some charcoals from his fire, having been taught that it was an excellent method to clean one's teeth, and started chewing while he carefully walked back to the location of the warren. Long ears pointed upwards, and an alerted Deeb could barely make out the outlines. His prey was near, slowly hobbling along, feeling safe. For every step Deeb took, they took several in the opposite direction. Herding them like sheep, he caroused them in this manner to form a tight-knight group. Some of the bunnies scared out of their holes with a loud yell. For other rabbits, he merely shoed in the right direction. Deeb knew of a nearby cliff that was precariously steep. Terrifying them with his antics, he shepherded them towards it. They were relatively docile rabbits; apart from their burrows, Deeb couldn't fathom how he might have hurt himself doing something like this.

At the bottom of the cliff were many tiny red and white-mottled roses. He had watched as each of them jumped off the cliff. A helping hand which Deeb provided, was needed for some of the more reluctant rabbits. They flew into the darkness uninhibited, bravely even. Sadness was upon him. Deeb felt the devious ploy would serve the carrion for tomorrow's breakfast. Travellers, in retrospective regard to the roads being less riddled with potholes, would be much safer. He sighed at the loss of life. It would be hard to be proud of such a deed. One kick of the last bunny off the cliff's edge meant Deeb's work was over. Victorious and without an audience, another defeat. Satisfied with the proverbial extinction of the bunny rabbits, Deeb checked the last of the warrens and rounded up the stragglers. Deeb did what he had with the lot. He returned to find the large stone of his kitchen shattered. An unexpected guest had helped himself to his carrots. "I will eat nothing now." Deeb deduced, plainly irritated but too frightened to contrive more than concernedly displaying disdain on his face. Dismay at the situation, he checked the rubble and confirmed his suspicions. The carrots were gone. However, and most fortuitously perhaps, the honey remained, sealed in its jar safely.

Paranoia nibbled at his ankle like an unsatisfied rabbit. Deeb would have ran but found his legs were made of carrots. A creature that possessed this kind of immense strength might be troublesome. In the dark, he swaggered from his current location, absconding from his camp, towards the road - away from the warrens. The wind blowing in his ears made it hard to hear anything of value. But he distinctly did hear the bass tonality of a steady galloping towards him. It wasn't anything he had expected. It certainly rammed into him like it knew what Deeb had done. Recoil from the blow was decreased by the creature's fluffy exterior, meaning the force he felt was not so much cushioned by physics - as it was, it felt like being hit by the naked skull of the ginormous rabbit. The bunny seemed to be a herbivorous creature because it did not sink its fangs into Deeb. But its whiskers bristled with intent. It ominously turned its head towards him - he felt it as physically as the previously proffered headbutt. The large mammal resembled a house rabbit. It was sliding along the grassy plain on its tummy, kicking off the ground with its powerful hind legs. Deeb gathered his wits and rolled out of the gliding assailant's way. It took a few seconds for the creature to register it had missed him, but when it did, the oversized bunny sank a paw into the dirt and turned its trajectory with supreme skill in dexterity. Deeb attempted jumping - clean over the rabbit. But found that it thumped off the ground and recklessly slammed into him in mid-air. The front legs of the oversized rabbit wildly boxed at Deeb's torso and shoulders, desperately Deeb gripped the creature's fur, struggling for supremacy. Rearing back his fist, he struck with all of his might. Deeb delivered one supremely well-timed knuckle sandwich with a mysterious dark crackle snap of energy behind it. It landed squarely at the base of the rabbit's ear, sinking into the fur and pushing past the bunny rabbit's pliant defence. The vermin careened sideways, bounding off the ground, tactically aware of an injury. Deeb was momentarily stunned by his power and stared in disbelief at his small, clenched, tender hand. A better way of landing - was not high on his priorities. The astounding clarity he felt when swinging in desperation, Deeb clung to that feeling. But when Deeb landed, he landed flat on his back, knocking all wind straight out of his lungs.

Deeb's eyes were wide open, staring at the rabbit. It nobly waited, uncertain of its advance. Deeb had time to gather his wits. As the bunny rabbit moved to go forward, its brains blew out of its ears. Like a firecracker going off inside the rabbit's skull, the acted upon by an external force leaked out any orifice it could. An eye popped out, which turned Deeb's stomach, and he opted to look away as it kicked its last few spasms of life away. But he quickly approached the overgrown rabbit after small deliberations and delivered a merciful strike as it lay gurgling on the ground. Deeb was astounded by his brutality, although the blow had felt precise - the skeletal structure was not designed in any compacity to withstand that level of physical trauma, and it showed upon introspection. The flesh and fluffy fur of the animal were thinnest closest to its ears, and he felt with his hands where the compound fracture that killed it had occurred. Deeb pitied the animal but pity hadn't stopped him from butchering it -  for its fluffy fur, and his safety. It was exceptionally high-quality material, he found. Especially thick and luxurious, the pelt was a good find, Deeb reasoned with himself it would fetch a high price on the market wherever he sold it. Rather than drag the whole corpse back to his camp - Deeb considered economics - and after considering his energy levels, decided on a new camp beside the slain beast. If there were more rabbits, they did not appear before Deeb.

As morning dawned, a tired Deeb yawned. Through the evening, the Ajin had gotten through a majority of the sacrificial rites. Now, all that was left to do was enjoy the spit-roasted hind legs of a giant rabbit. Deeb recalled how fearsome it had been conjuring the mysterious black energy and shuddered. Using his emotions to strengthen his taijutsu left him feeling vaguely empty. Had he not happened upon the technique, the rabbit's armour would have been impenetrable at the time. While he was fairly capable in a fight, Deeb was prudent to avoid the large cave-like burrows he encountered. He travelled with the large rabbit's fur hide, secured tightly to his shoulders by leather strips, rolled into a bundle on his back. At a walking pace, Deeb hiked along the road, taking care not to stumble. With an array of rabbit furs on a string around his shoulders, he was quite the bloody sight for a couple of travelling merchants. They enquired of his evening, acknowledged the dreadful condition of the road, and shared hearsay about Sunagakure Rabbits being in the area. The merchants offered to take the regular rabbit furs off Deeb's hands for a generous price - considering the effort he put into hunting them, Deeb was happy to accept the 6,000 Ryo. Keeping the larger rabbit fur to sell down the line elsewhere, he noticed the merchant's disappointment from it not being for sale.

The rabbit fur was an excellent pillow when wrapped up under his horned head. When he awoke in the morning, Deeb was pensive, regarding which of the villages closest to his location would pay the best money for the rabbit fur. Sure he could find little use for it, other than bartering, Deeb wanted to sell it quickly. Preparing for the arena in Sunagakure was proving to be difficult for the young ram. Walking across the desert was not high on his agenda. Getting lost in such a landscape was very easy, water and food scarcities meant fatalities were almost certain. He wanted to go home but didn't think his tribe would be interested in his journey. Traversing the landscape into Konohagakure would take Deeb further into Fire Country. Something he didn't want. So, after receiving coordinates from the traders, Deeb began walking towards Tanbogakure. Considering the self-appointed task only took an evening to complete Deeb, who had considered the pests more bunny than a rabbit, didn't feel ashamed. It wasn't like he was a missing ninja, he was just unaffiliated. Dangers on the road were inevitable however and Deeb accounted for this. His strength and speed were mostly what he relied upon. Although Deeb could only boast rudimentary fighting skills he was a versatile combatant.

Deeb recounted his steps, after his run-in with the connoisseur, he was anxious. There were people stronger than him, who could enforce their own will above Deeb's. This was something he would have to remedy. He would have to eat stronger people to become more powerful. His bloodline was full of people who were fearsome individuals. Women had tails, whereas men had horns. Blood and bones of fallen enemies were constituents in Ajin's techniques. Strengthening one's body to overcome the ninja was at the core principalities of the arts of his People. Deeb believed that autophagy was the best way to do so. To better understand the shinobi, he would have to hunt and consume the worthy of them. Deeb had walked about as far as he could, and before having to rest again he gathered the materials he would require for a fire. It was night-time when he began to practice his taijutsu, getting better was important to the young ram. The situation had not been as dire as it had seemed, as worrisome as the larger rabbit's existence was, the encounter hadn't left him vulnerable. If he had panicked and allowed himself to be overwhelmed by even a monstrous bunny, Deeb would have lived the rest of his life anxiously.

No matter the difficulty of the task, Deeb found himself relying heavily on being direct, finding a solution, and organizing himself before engagement. He depended on his physical strength as many Ajin Persons might. Prosperity for the Ajin Tribe had come at the cost of other rival factions. Becoming ever more prevalent; The Ninja, who was endowed with the power and authority to joyfully do as they wished, felt safe and secure in their abundance. Deeb had experienced second-hand tales of their ingenuity. Practicality was an asset that Deeb could afford, and although he was happy to help others out of the kindness of his heart - the Ryo was a nice benefit. Justice - if you could call it that, had been dispensed. The intrepid wanderer continued to navigate through the fringes of the land of fire. In search of greater triumphs. Deeb mastered the conjuration of the dark energy along the way. It left him feeling physically drained, but, with practice, he imagined it would be an invaluable skill. There were still plenty of rabbits left in the world, Deeb figured, if they were needed, they would appear. The rabbit's generosity of spirit was enough to redeem the tough meat Deeb had dined on. Over three days, he began to tire of eating coney. Seeking something more substantial Deeb sought through the thickets of the woods surrounding him.

Finding simple things that weren't poisonous was usually easy. The sweetness of a foraged item will often display its level of toxicity, while bitterness was considered medicinal in his culture. The improvement of his tribe's mannerisms was inherently due to their interactions with the shinobi. Knowledge about ninjutsu, or medical techniques was bartered for - or outright stolen. But as time had drawn on, the contrast between the two People was blurred. Both had struggled through feudal periods, but now, The Ninja was generally considered equal to an Ajin Person. If not in physical prowess, then in cunning equivalency. Their efficiency was undeniable. The forces of nature were at their beck and call. All manner of secret, mystical and hidden arts were employed to whatever end a ninja saw fit. They were more destructive than rabbits, and a primal urge to destroy or be destroyed had urged him to compete. Deeb noticed a few things out of the ordinary, as he progressed. His nostrils were filled with the earthy scent of the mineral-rich soil. The faint crackling of dried leaves underfoot broke the monotony of the otherwise soundless tep tep of his footsteps. Keenly expressing a desire to be anywhere other than in a forest, Deeb's facial expressions fluidly changed from patient to expressionless. A sigh of relief as a clearing in the woods appeared, alerting the sleeping parts of his mind, that his troubles would soon be behind him. His excess in completing his task would be noted by his ancestors. Deeb would have to sell the rabbit fur quickly, as clinging tightly to it would not increase his People's wealth. Perhaps he spent too little time searching for more articles on large rabbit pelts, and he would suffer from poverty.

The reassuring weight of the ryo he had bartered for, from the regular rabbit's pets, settled in his pockets. Deeb opted to save his money, for something like a weapon or a set of lightweight armour, on his path to supremacy. While he was a small part of a larger organism, Deeb realised that his life could expire at a moment's notice. The lack of glory he felt after hunting the rabbits would haunt his nightmares, he had done a shoddy job and he knew it. Disappointed, Deeb followed the directions he had been given towards Tanbogakure. A place that was going through an interesting and turbulent time in its economics. Although he felt as though the endeavour was worth his time, Deeb did have a few propensities trading with people that could very easily over-power him and steal his pillow. This would cause financial concerns, stress and confusion for Deeb, who could do without these things. He believed that dealing with shinobi could be more simple. But didn't have any suggestions for any other Ajin People who had similar difficulties. Confused about the worth of what he possessed, Deeb would have to appraise the resources at his disposal. Consulting someone before reaching Tanbogakure may provide useful advice or information, Deeb considered the lay of the land and struggled to comprehend any reason to worry. Potential difficulties were likely, but far from unmanageable.

Few people bothered the horned man, who avoided most confrontations. Although he was pestered by your run-of-the-mill rogue every so often, none prevailed in fleecing him of the rabbit's fur. After a time, Deeb was satisfied that his business had concluded in this part of the world. Turning back only once to look at his steps in the dirt, Deeb felt genuinely dissatisfied with how he had gone about the hunt. The fullness of his power had been exhibited when fighting the overwhelmingly large rabbit, and although it had taken a small degree of skill to fell the beast, Deeb could only conjure a brutish display of strength. Calling upon providence to assist him would wear thin quickly. His ancestors had been happy to assist him in matters of confidence in the past, but this power seemed to project a needless amount of force maliciously. Deeb was uncertain as to whether this developed skill was essential.

---

TWC: 4,537
CLAIMS: 6,000 Ryo / 30 AP / 1x Rabbit Fur.
Stats: +45
Claiming Word Count Towards Learning:
Furious Design - 1,500/1500
Cursing Blows. 1,016+484 = 1500/1500
Feint 500/500
Eight Inner Gates - Skill 2000/2000
Previous Word Count: 1,016 Cursing Blow Word Count. 1,016 + 484 words from this thread.