Baby Steps and Bounding Strides

Missions' Catalogue:

At the heart of the blessed star city, the skies are partly cloudy with intermittent showers sprawling across most of the village. Located somewhere else within the confines beneath the gentle droplets, a supple, young woman converses with one of the denizens—both of home are neighbors to one each other—in the residential district under the proverbial, protective wing of her umbrella. Her hair is a platinum blonde color with space buns and a tousled quiff with gold highlights, a pair of golden eyes with black eyeliners and high-shine lip gloss, and an inscrutable facial expression all accompanied by a dark complexion. Her attire typically consists of a burgundy, criss-cross back, corduroy, overall dress with an off-white sweater underneath, a pair of low-heel stiletto booties, a pair of black spats, a silver, cross-shaped necklace that rests on her bosom, and a small, white engraving of her clan symbol displays itself beneath the torso of the burgundy overalls.

The contents of the conversation are mostly composed of idle chatter and current events, nothing too informative or unheard of that her parents or constituents wouldn't have brought up already in passing earlier during breakfast, but nonetheless, she habituates herself amongst the public despite the rain. Later, she takes heed to an academy student caught out in the rain and frantically looking for a place to take cover. The blonde woman extends an olive branch and guides him toward a nearby eatery under the shade of her umbrella before the weather can catch up and drench him with the precipitation. With the two situated inside a local restaurant, they exchange their farewells as she makes her way over to the administrative building to partake in what would be her first undertaking as a kunoichi-in-training.


Early in the morning in the residential district of the village and inside the home of one of them, three people have gathered at a long table adorned with an array of delicacies, entrees, and breakfast items displayed elegantly upon plates and serving platters. Two adults occupy either side whilst the third occupant, a young lady, is seated somewhere in the middle.

Osamu Ryoinsatsu, a man of business and relative renown, is a dark-skinned, light brown-haired man with a masculine face, hazel eyes, and a strong jawline. He's clad in a standard shirt and buttoned up fully to support the elegant tie he's wearing. On top of the shirt, he wears a classy vest with 5 buttons and a narrow v-line which allows for the top to remain visible even when the suit's jacket is buttoned up. The jacket itself fits him like a glove—a tailored glove, in fact. It has an intricate, but subtle plaid pattern, giving the suit a stylish casual look. The 6 buttons of his double-breasted jacket are all buttoned up, giving him a sophisticated physique.

Furthermore, the jacket is slightly longer at the back, it has vents on either side, there are two pockets on either side and there's a breast pocket which contains a stylish pocket square. For his trousers, they copy the style of the jacket, both in color and pattern and they create a perfect balance with his shoes. He's wearing a lavish pair of spectator oxfords. And to top it all off he's wearing a luxurious belt, which can be accompanied by a watch and cuff links.

Chihiro Ryoinsatsu, a part-time Apothecary, shares the same complexion as the man prior, albeit with platinum blonde hair and feminine features, amber gold eyes, and a heart-shaped jawline. She wears a delicate dress that flows from top to bottom and has a scoop neckline, which wonderfully reveals the elegant dress worn below it. The delectable, corset-like tied fabric of her dress covers her stomach where the continuous flow is broken up by a small cloth band worn fairly low around her waist. Below the cloth band, the dress opens up to the right and reveals the dress below. The front of the top dress is shorter at the front and flows straight down, the back continues to flow a good length behind her and ends in a narrow curve. Her sleeves are longer than her arms and a little wide, their flow is broken up at the elbow where they change color and where they're divided by thin, refined bands—the same fabrics and colors used to outline the neckline of the dress.

And between the two occupants sits Ryoinsatsu Jurei, heiress to her father's empire of wealth. Osamu reaches for his nap and dabs away at his lips.

"So," He starts. "How goes your enrollment into Hoshigakune no Sato's Academy?" Osamu sets the napkin back down on the table and folds his hands. Chihiro is preoccupied with her breakfast and Jurei herself is tepid.

"It's been fine, Father." She replies.

"Fine?" Osamu interjects, jovially. "Only fine? You're enrolled in the village's most prestigious academy, Rielle. I should hope you're doing more than just 'fine'."

Jurei takes a sip from her tea and sets the cup back down. "Academically, everything is going as expected. My instructors are excellent and my peers are rather agreeable." Osamu and Chihiro listen attentively.

"But...?" Chihiro cuts in.

"There's no 'but', Mother." Jurei says, reassuringly.

"Rielle," Osamu leans forward and rests his elbows on the table, his fingers are interlocked. "We raised you to be honest and articulate. So, tell us. Is something the matter?" Osamu maintains his composure whilst Chihiro sends Jurei an empathetic look.

"Alright, alrightl." She relents. "Academically, everything's falling accordingly. But socially, there isn't much for me to gain outside of the classroom." Jurei explains.

"Is that so?" Osamu inquires.

"Indeed, at first, anyway. I mingled with some of the shinobi and kunoichi stationed in the hopes I'd find a partner to complete some low-ranking missions to get my feet wet in the profession. And to my fortune, I've gotten to know at least who's willing to help." Jurei elaborates. Osamu and Chihiro nod along and take heed of their daughter's dilemma.

"Does this acquaintance of yours have names?" Chihiro asks.

"Hatake Kaze. He's friendly and easy to get along with, although he can be a bit meek. Though that makes sense, I'm sure we'll become good friends later down the road." Jurei responds.

"Hatake, you say?" Osamu strokes his chin. "Hm, now where have I heard that surname before..." Osamu mutters aloud. Jurei sips her tea once more.

"You're probably thinking of Hatake Kakashi, dear." Chihiro suggests.

"Ah! Yes, yes, of course!" Osamu exclaims. "That's the name. The son of Hatake Sakumo."

"Sakumo Hatake, you mean the White Fang of the Hidden Leaf?" Jurei pipes up.

Osamu nods. "The very same. your great-great-great grandfather, Ryoinsatsu Kyogoku, had the pleasure of conducting business abroad with him in the past. A shame what happened to him, truly." Jurei finishes her tea and Chihiro takes notice.

"Oh, Rielle, did you want more tea, dear?" Chihiro lifts her hand in an attempt to fetch one of the butlers to pour more into her daughter's cup.

"No, thank you, Mother." Jurei intercedes and her mother's hand stops and rests.

"Anyway," Osamu resumes. "Continue." Jurei clears her throat.

"Outside of that, that's all. I've scheduled to meet up with him later today to do a couple of missions, together. But, I asked the instructor if I could squeeze in a couple more to show good faith in my commitment to the role. So, I'll likely be gone for most of the day." Jurei discloses. Osamu and Chihiro allow their daughter's words to sink in and digest the information they've taken in.

"Excellent work, Rielle." Osamu commends. Jurei smiles. "You'll make a name for yourself befitting of a Ryoinsatsu."

"Yes, very well done, dear." Chihiro offers her support.

"Thank you, Mother. Thank you, Father."

"Speaking of which, how many of those assignments are you taking on?"

"Not that many," She answers tepidly. "About... ten, I'd say?"


Standing before the double doors of the admin building, she swings one of the doors open and uses her foot as a stopper before she shakes the droplets off her parasol, fastens the strap around its body, and carries on inside. From there, she locates the mission assigner's desk on the same floor, with a considerable line-up of ninja of varying ranks, at least a little below half of whom are Academy Students she's met prior. Not knowing how long it'll be until her company arrives, she seats herself upon one of the facility's vacant chairs, rests her umbrella beside her person, one knee over the other, and waits patiently while she hums a tuneless lullaby to herself all the while.


WC: 1,441
TWC: 1,441
TMWC: 1,441/7,000

One of the first things Kaze could remember about his mother was her love of flowers.

When Makuma Hatake was able to pick them herself, a little bouquet always adorned the table, and more often than not, Kaze and his brother went about with one tucked in their hair or clothing. She said that they were little splashes of color in a world weighed down by anger and fear, just like her two sons.

And that is why Kaze is here.

The field was truly beautiful. It stretched in opulent swathes of grass, flowers dotted the green in starbursts of color, pulling every eye to the telling signs of summer. The sun filtered through wispy clouds, bathing the world in a golden glow. It was serene, the grass soft reaching just above the ankles, the smell of warm earth thick and comforting.

Kaze sat in the meadows, knees brought up to his chest, head lolled a little to one side as his eyes stared vacantly at his slightly outstretched hand. Bees buzzed softly as they landed swordsman hand, sights set on the dab of honey that was smeared on the back of the worn hand. The bees held no aggression, simply humming softly as they gorged themselves. If it would have been anything else, Kaze’s blank face would have been disconcerting, worrying even, but the bees didn’t care. Maybe that is why he was here, to be with things that didn’t mind his apathetic demeanor. He didn’t know why.

Kaze’s gaze wandered, so did his mind into the cloying fog that filled his head. It was quiet in this part of Hoshigakure, the omnipresent hubbub of chatter from people gave way to the sound of languid insects and the occasional breeze. It was nice, the peace of this untouched land. Kaze didn’t know why he came here. It felt wrong, sitting without doing anything but feeding the bees. He should be doing something productive, yet he couldn’t move. Something clung to his bones like cold syrup, keeping him immobilized here in the warm cradles of the grass.

A bee buzzed from his hand to bumble up to the motionless face. Kaze kept still as its fat little black and yellow body landed upon his nose, curious, exploring the source of its meal. It was only when the bee attempted to crawl from his nose onto one his eyes that Kaze blew it away, setting the insect aflight once more. The bee hovered for a moment the best it could with its sugar-saturated body before flying away. Kaze lost track of it almost immediately.

Kaze focused on his hand again, a vain attempt to center himself as he felt himself drifting away once more. The bees buzzed, annoyed as the white-haired ninja turned over his hand. The palm of his hand was still just forming calluses, tinged pink and raw from training. He turned his head. There was his sword, sheathed and placed beside him securely. A half-full jar of honey sat next to the blade. He must do this often or had been here for a long time for the supply to be so low, he was never fond enough of the taste himself to eat it.



“Kaze.” It took a moment to recognize the voice that floated to him over the wind and flowers. His grandfather smiled at the boy serenely as he picked his way closer to the huddled figure. Kaze finally was able to unfreeze, forcing his legs to move. He heard his elder smile now more than saw it as he spoke.

“Hello, my child.” Kaze let himself sit down regularly once more once his grandfather had settled on the ground next to him, head tilted towards him, a small smile still present as he watched the bees bumble in the air, seemingly drunk off honey.

“The bees in this meadow are always docile when the first flowers come up. I will miss seeing them here when my sight worsens further among other things. Your mother came here a few days ago as well. She adores bees, they symbolize love as well she says.” Kaze nods along with the words. He was drifting again. Nails bit into his hand in an attempt to keep himself centered as the elder spoke, the man not truly expecting a verbal answer from the boy as more comments of the mundane were given to fill the warm air.

“Is your Kisatsutai uniform to your liking?” A blank-eyed blink makes the man elaborate further. “You requested it to be made looser.” Yes, the uniform was looser. It slipped down Kaze’s arms when he raised them, like now, pale and scared forearm, almost alienly pale in the sun as he held his hand for the insects.

“Yes, it’s good. Thank you, grandpa.” The words were soft, a sign he hadn’t used his voice in a while as he sat. The elder gave a small satisfied nod.

“How long have you been sitting here?” Kaze gave a puzzled look along with the words. He was about to answer him when the cry of a hawk sounded from the skies up above. Raising his head, he watched as the bird quickly, yet flawlessly landed upon the ground in front of him. Disrupting the bees from their peace, they started swirling around in the area; however, they were still not acting upon a violent nature and let the landing be.

“Hm? I wonder what it could be,” he questioned as he saw the small compartment that was wrapped around the hawk’s leg before it hopped to him. Untying the ribbon, the compartment fell into his grasp as the lid opened to reveal a small scroll.

Kaze said out loud, "how interesting," as he received instructions from such an absolutely adorable little bird. While he was still quite new to the tasks at hand and couldn't claim to know many other individuals in her ranks directly or those above, he was still obligated to carry his fair share of the burden under the arrangement of him becoming a genin. “It is just a request from Jurei to meet at the admin building,” he said as he crumpled up the paper into her hands.

As the bird took note of the message delivered, it sprouted its wings and took off to the skies once again. “That is great Kaze, you will make this family proud,” his elder said. ‘Will I, grandpa?’ He thought in his head as he rose from his resting place.

“I hope so, but I have to get going. Are you going to accompany me back into the compound?” Kaze asked the patriarch of the Hatake Clan.

“Of course, dear, let’s go.” He said as he stood before his grandson and led him back to the compound. Kaze had had enough of the meadow. Both stand, Kaze retrieving his katana to secure it to himself once more. The elder picks up the honey jar. The two walked in silence for a moment before the elder started up another conversation.

“So? Who is this Jurei?” He asks.

“A friend.” Kaze said.

“A new friend?”

“Yes, from the Ryoinsatsu household. She is quite nice, but sometimes her personality seems to contradict itself. Or perhaps, I’m looking too much into it. Anyway, overall, she is a spectacular person, and her beauty is outstanding.” Kaze said.

“Beauty? Have you fallen for another person,” his elder chuckled a moment.

“What!? NO! I can simply acknowledge someone's appearance without having a crush! EEK.” Kaze screeched, flailing his arms around. His grandpa didn’t respond with anything but laughter. The rest of the way back was filled with childish antics from both parties. Once arriving home, Kaze got himself ready to meet Jurei at the coordinates she offered.

With the change of scenario, the morning guards changed with the afternoon guards as everyone began their afternoon routines. A peaceful afternoon was like no other, calming and tranquil Kaze couldn't ask for a better way to get his start. He walked towards the kitchen as he wore his normal attire. Upon arrival in the kitchen, he turned off the stove letting the teapot calm down from its boiling point. Kaze looked around the cabinets until he found his teacup and a bag of ginger tea. He poured the water into the cup ripping the plastic around the tea as he grabbed it by its string and began to dip it in his cup.

"Getting ready to head out?" A question appeared before him from a familiar voice.

"Yes, it about time to go to the meeting spot." Kaze turned around to meet his mother’s eyes with a soft smile.

"Well, I better get going! Don't want to keep Nakama waiting forever." His mother said as she grabbed a bottle of water and headed towards the door.

“I'll see you later tonight." With that, his mother was out the door. Kaze took another sip of the warm liquid and felt it light up her abdomen. Turning his gaze towards the clock on the wall, it was time to head out. Quickly finishing his drink, he rinsed out the cup and placed it upside down in the strainer before heading out the door.

As the morning went on, Kaze found himself somewhere in the admin building looking out of a window, he found the simple pleasure of a hot cup of tea and a good view did wonders for his often-scattered mind. This particular morning, it was a small cup of ginger tea and the view of bustling village life from the balcony that presented itself. Leaning against the railing as he waited for a closer time to meet up with Jurei, the Hatake inhaled deeply and tried his best to block out the sound of a couple individuals already yammering away.

Turning his gaze, he was met with a familiar face, Jurei. The blonde sported her natural look of stoicism as she walked into the admin building from underneath the balcony he stood on. A small smile crept upon his lips as he went back inside the building and descended the stairs to the bottom rooms where he would see Jurei take her seat in one of many unoccupied chairs. “Good morning, Jurei,” Kaze spoke softly, offering a warm smile towards the woman. “It seems the sunny morning is no more as the rain comes. Hopefully it is not a fierce one,” Kaze chuckled softly as he sat in the empty seat next to Jurei. Taking a sip from his drink, he looked back at her and said, “excited to begin on these assignments?”

TWC: 1,779

As Koda woke up slowly, early in the morning as it was his habbit, woken up by the faint light of a rising sun over the mountaintop edges, he felt rested from a good night of sleep. It was well deserved after all the studying he had been droing for the academy, as well as the hoshigakure culture, of wich he read a few scrolls and books, to better understand it and its people. As he did his morning routine like usualy of cooking and gathering for breakfast with his clan and talk, seeping in the feelings of anyone discontent with their village integrations or their explosives tags productions, Koda presented his family the first list of tasks he was sent, mainly menial tasks to help around in the village. Some older members and elders resented those task, saying it wasnt fit for a clan leader of such stature, and for warriors of the Art, and wielders of fuinjutsu. Of course, Koda answered. ''I get your arguments elder, but there isnt any menial tasks or task too low for me. Getting hands on into the dirt, even if its to till the soil of the fields, make me a great leader, connected to the people, and unnafraid of the judgments of those purist saying that leader should be 'above' their people. I am one of the people, designated by all of you to lead, so I belong with my people, even if its doing small and benign tasks. I hope you understand my point of view. Now eat you all! before it gets cold ahah!'' said with resolve and maturity the young leader, his voice ever calm and determinated.

As he left the clan estate, he headed to the pens of Hoshigakure before heading to the missions office, still early enough in the morning to not be late and still visit his other half. Arriving at the pens, he headed towards the end of the row, where a large cave could be found into the rocky crevices of the hoshi mountains, one large enough that people could easily enter. Along with several others pens into the grotto, was the pen of the companion of Koda. Arriving to the fences that separated him from his best friend, Koda whistled, in a weird and unique way, sounding almost like clicking more than whistling. Immediately, from the pen darkened by the shadows and dampness of the cave approached a large serpentine figure, covered in large scales and rows afters rows of countless legs. Before the Omukade presented itself the most large giant centipede ever so be witnessed naturally, towering over the other beasts belonging to the Omukade clan, the giant centipede being their spirit animals, tied to them since Koda brought that type of bond and fuinjutsu link to the clan when he was young. ''Well well well, look who is here? Brought a lamb chop? a mutton leg? The chow and meat they give me here is sub par to what we normally find in the forrests Koda, you know it and I know it! ahahah! Its nice to see you, Koda.'' said thelepathicaly the centipede to the young boy. ''Ahahahah ever the content right ? Nice to see you too Tso. I can't wait to get the accreditation and papers to let you roam free with me again. Feels wrong to have you locked here...'' Ushered the man in his head with a sad tone. ''bahh dont you worry about me, I'll be fine. Beside, you got school and a lot more to do then before. Until then, I'll get fed and get fat! AHAHAH'' laughed in clicking noises the centipede, Koda understanding each of its mandibles sounds. ''Well alright old friend, see ya latter then! Im doing missions today, I'll swing by to give you a heads up of how it went! Hopefully bring you back a veal or something flavorfull!'' Said Koda as he left the pens, heading now towards the missions office.

As he arrived, he could see that the mission center was quite busy, but since he already had his assignements, he needed only to get them clear and team up with the others to go ahead and do them. As he arrived, he saw his new accquaintance, Jurei Ryoinsatsu, the shining star of his class and academy year, one that seemed to be a future friend for Koda. As he approached to greet her, another man joined her, one wich Koda didnt know about. Nonetheless, being a social someone and not affraid to meet new potential friends and team mates, Koda approached, his calm demeanor always by his side, hands in his pockets, with his ever optimist smile on his handsome face. ''Hey hello Jurei! Nice to see you here! I believe we are doing missions together today. What a nice pairing. I hope I'll be up to your expectations. *chuckle* And you, I dont think we had the pleasure to meet. Sorry if i've been delaying you to start the missions! *respectfull bow* My name is Koda Omukade, i've recently joined the village with the Omukade clan, my clan. You maybe have heard of us, especially if you went by the pens of the hidden village and saw the centipedes!'' said in a diplomatic and respectfull voice, sounding zen and happy to meet a new fellow ninja.

Jurei's ears perk up at the sound of a familiar voice calling her name. Her lips curl, facing toward the source of her newest acquaintance as he strides over to seat himself by her side. "Morning Kaze," She greets him with a nod, "Yes, it would seem the weather has a slight temperament today. But, if the forecasts don't lie—which they somehow almost always manage to do—we should be somewhat dry for most of the day." She replied, taking a moment to think. She wasn't particularly excited to complete missions, but the idea of working with her peers was certainly a pleasant one. Then her ears twitch again to the sound of a more familiar, masculine voice. It looks like today will be a full party. Her gaze shifts to the brunette who announces his entry, her smile widening slightly. "Koda," She greets her friend with a nod, also. Before she could formally introduce the duo to one another, her classmate beats her to the punch and lays out a wholehearted introduction that she listens attentively to.

When Koda concludes his monologue, she appends and gestures with an open palm toward him. "He's also a classmate of mine I recently met not too long ago. Kaze, here, I actually met by happenstance while I was completing an earlier mission assignment. Turns out he's quite the gentleman," Jurei chuckles, her expression softening, "Koda, this is Kaze Hatake. I'm sure the two of you will make great friends." She concluded, looking between the both of them. She thought to herself for a moment, contemplating their dynamic. "You guys should get to know each other in the meantime. I'll go turn confirm our assignments and get us started."

With a wave, she stands and makes her way to the counter. Upon reaching the desk, she flashes a friendly smile to the administrative aide behind the counter. "Good morning. Ryoinsatsu Jurei reporting in. I'm here to confirm ten assignments I applied to fulfill with two team members: Hatake Kaze and Omukade Koda." She greeted him.

The aide scans the missions Jurei confirms and nods. He hands her a hand-sized scroll containing their mission files and addresses her. "Here are the ten E-Rank mission assignments you've applied to fulfill. These are organized by mission ID numbers and a brief summary of the objectives and tasks. Each mission is assigned to a different location and task, so please review the instructions thoroughly before starting."

Jurei performs a courteous bow. "I will and thank you." Turning on her heel, she slowly strides back to the duo as she unfurls the scroll in her hand. There wasn't any rhyme or rhythm to why she chose these particular missions, but it did help to familiarize herself with the different aspects of village life for when she graduates and hits the big leagues. Scanning over the missions, she identifies the first that's directly located here in the administration facility. Looks like they need an extra set of hands to direct the flow of traffic and organize any records for the local ninja academy. It'd make for an easy start to their day before they venture out to complete the others.

Rolling up the scroll and tapping it on her shoulder, Jurei approaches the duo and smiles. "Alright gentlemen, looks like we got ourselves a full day's worth of work to sort out ahead of us today. Ten assignments, to be exact, but I'm sure it's nothing we can't handle. Our first mission is right here in the admin building directing the flow of traffic and organizing records for the local ninja academy. We'll just have to find Shimada-san on the floor above us and get a quick breakdown of how and what to do. This'll be a cinch. Ready to roll?" She apprised them and momentarily waits for their responses before she gestures for them to follow her toward a flight of stairs, leading to the next floor.

Upon their arrival, it surprises Jurei how before she came, there was hardly a ruckus she could hear amidst the low murmurs and soft thrums of work life. But up here, it looks like pandemonium just struck. Administrative aides are seen scuttling from one side of the room to another, frantically trying to keep up with the paperwork and mission requests that flooded their desks. It seems Shimada-san isn't available, Jurei observes, or if he was, he was hard at work. No matter, she could figure out the ropes and they'd be in and out in no time.

Striding over to the nearest aide, who's feverishly scribbling on some documents, her brows furrow as she gently places a hand on their shoulder. "Excuse me," She starts. "I'm Ryoinsatsu Jurei," Then she gestures to Kaze and Koda. "And they are Hatake Kaze and Omukade Koda. Shimada-san sent for my me and my team to lend a hand in sorting out records and directing folks to where they need to go. Is there anything in particular, we can help with?" She inquires as her eyes briefly scan the aide's desk for any indication of their role.

The aide glances up, looking frazzled, and sighs. "Ah, Ryoinsatsu-san! Thank goodness you're here. Things have been a bit chaotic lately and Shimada-san is currently swamped with requests from the academy left and right. If you and your team could direct people to different offices based on what they require here on this floor, that'd be great." She points toward one of three offices here. "Over there lies the records office. Anything pertaining to student applications and recommendations can be found there. Next to that is the mission request office. Folks can apply and submit their mission applications there. And the office parallel to that over there is the mission confirmation office. Folks can check in and receive their mission application once it's approved. Any questions?" She asks.

Jurei shakes her head. "Not at all, thank you. At least from me, perhaps they may have further inquiries on what else we could know?" She turns to Kaze and Koda for an opportunity to inject themselves into the conversation, hands akimbo. If there are no further questions to be asked or thereupon they finalize their thoughts and concerns, she nods to the duo with a smile. "Let's get to it, shall we? It'd probably help if we chose certain points on the floor for which the most amount of people walk through and point them accordingly towards their destinations. I'll take the route that leads toward the student records office. Once we're done, we can meet back on the ground floor and see what else needs doing. Thoughts?"

Letting the two next decide where they wish to station themselves and offer their piece, she'd split off to her designated zone, and not a moment later does she finds herself occupied by a number of faculty members, already inquiring, in a hurried fashion, about the offices they need to deliver their paperwork to. Intermittently when the traffic slows down or downright halts for a period of time, she assists one of the faculty aides with organizing the scrolls and application files in their respective cabinets and drawers. Occasionally, a few passersby would stop her and ask her opinion on their mission application, hoping that her status and wealth would get them the jump start they were looking for. However, Jurei politely declines, explaining that she's not a part of the decision-making process and that their mission will be reviewed just as fairly as anyone else's.

Overall, Jurei finds herself busy with the steady stream of foot traffic and mission applications for a good majority of the morning. By lunchtime, the flow has died down significantly, she takes this time to take a breather down on the ground floor and seats herself down by one of the vacant chairs on the floor. Looks like morning rush hour has come to pass.


WC: 1,320
TWC: 2,761
TMWC: 3,652/7,000

“Hm! Centipedes!? In pens? How massive they must be,” Kaze exclaimed as his facial expression took the form of a shocked look. While not judgmental on those who catered to their free time and where they spend their time taking care of things that were deemed dear to them, he couldn’t fathom the explicit want to take care of massive centipedes. He knew the Aburame and their insects; perhaps this Koda was the same. Kaze wondered if, like the Aburame, he had little centipedes crawling around in his body feeding off his chakra. It gave Kaze the slight shivers just thinking about it.

As Kaze continued his deep disturbance about whether or not Koda kept insects inside his body, Jurei was kind enough to introduce himself to the other teen before taking her leave to go confer on the mission and their requirements. “Ah, yes! I am Kaze Hatake; it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” He spoke as he quickly rose out of his seat before bowing his head in the presence of Koda. After a few moments, he brought his head back up to its natural position and fully took in the person that is known as Koda.

Looking him up and down, he began to take note. Bandages surrounding his ankles, wrists, and neck. Was he injured? Or was it more of a stylish choice to wear them? Whatever the case may be, he continued his observation to the kimono he wore. A loose-fitting attire that adorned black pants underneath that had many fuinjutsu tags located over it as if he were a suicide bomber. Hopefully, those are for decorations. But what really caught his eyes were Koda’s eyes specifically, which were a bright orange color as if they were the setting sun.

“Wow,” Kaze mumbled as his face turned a darker shade of red. Trying to avoid the embarrassment, he turned his head to hide. ‘So cute!’ Kaze screamed in his mind, wishing Jurei would hurry up so he could conclude this embarrassing enactment.

After a few moments, Kaze gave up on her rescue by turning to face Koda again with a face still a hint of red, “so…you said you just recently joined the village? Where did your family come from?” Kaze asked, crossing his arms as if he was trying to hold himself together.

A question and answer later, Jurei decided to grace them with her presence again. Giving them a rundown of information on the assortment of assignments they would be doing…or lack thereof besides the first mission they would be doing. A man named by Shimada would provide further information for them. “Right. Let’s go,” Kaze said with a genuine smile as he began to follow Jurei, but not before taking quick glances between the two.

As the group ascended the stairs, they saw the cluster fuck that the administration aides were going through. Stacks of paperwork that could be regarding anything on their desks, the aides, themselves, chaotic moving about as if they took the time to slow down would result in demise. “Wow, it's so chaotic,” he said as he took a step back, wanting to escape from this place; however, Jurei had other plans and led them to the nearest aid.

Once they approached, Jurei took the initiative and began speaking to them, gathering information on what they should be doing. Redirect and traffic control. Seems easy enough; well, perhaps for them. Kaze didn’t care for the chaos that they were now binded to. “I’ll take you to the confirmation office, good luck to you two,” Kaze said with a bow before scurrying off to his station.

Pointing people in the right direction was easy enough, but some things aren’t so easy. After a while, Kaze, on the outside, was a calm person. No matter what situation he was in, he was always able to keep himself grounded. Of course, he got shy and sporadic at times, but he never fully showed it. And that is what he is trying to do…like right now.

"Aye, yer real' cute." The female not much older than him had a thick accent - a strange one at best, at least to Kaze. Kaze smiled kindly at the girl, "Thank you, ma’am." He ignored the way she looked him up and down and continued to point her in the right direction. The girl continued on with a lopsided grin, "You got ay girlfriend?" Kaze bit the inside of his cheek. He just wasn't going to respond - yeah, that was the best option.

"Aye, boy, I'm speakin' to ye." Okay, so maybe not the best option.

Kaze clears his throat, "My apologies, did you say something? The confirmation office is just down this path." She acts like he didn't hear her, raising a brow in curiosity. The girl huffs, rolling her eyes, "I said: Ya got ay girlfriend?" Kaze's brows pinch together in frustration. How was he supposed to answer this? Maybe he should just walk away so that she would be sent on her way. That way Kaze doesn't have to deal with her anymore.

Then the girl starts running her hand up and down Kaze's clothed arm. The touching makes Kaze freeze up. There's a voice in the back of his head telling him to punch the girl and throw her out. But he has to keep his composure.

The girl purrs, "Don't ya worry, I won't bite ye." Kaze gulps hard, his hands clenching and unclenching as he tries to keep calm. But it's hard to 'keep yourself calm' when someone you don't even know the name of is touching you. Kaze wants to, so badly, let go and just punch the girl straight in the face and run away from here.

Suddenly, in the blink of an eye, the girl's hand is ripped away - strangely gentle - if that's even possible. Kaze's brows shoot up high as he looks at the person now standing beside him. To his surprise, there's his mother, gripping the girl's wrist with enough strength to cut off blood circulation. She has an unreadable expression on her face, and that only surprises Kaze further.

“Kaze, dear. Why don’t you go meet up with team members and I’ll deal with this,” his mother gave a sweet smile but a look of pure anger. With that, Kaze took off in a mild sprint. As he heard the conversation go as follows in the background.

"Ach! Get ye bloody hand off me, ya crazy woman!" The girl cries out, pulling at her arm to free her - possibly bruised - wrist from his mother’s grasp. The girl wails, squirming around frantically to get loose, but having no success. Turning back to look, he could see his mother glaring hard at the girl, "Get lost." She lets go of her wrist as Kaze found himself out on the balcony of the second floor. Breathing a sigh of fresh air, he looked around. It was the exact opposite from inside, quiet…well, as quiet it could get. But he was the only occupant. Sitting down on the bench, he began to rub his temples as a yellow butterfly with speckles of blue landed upon his forehead.

TWC: 2,977

As Koda presented himself to the other young gentlemen with pale hair, he presented his respect as it was custom to do so when meeting someone for the first time. ''Ahahah, Yes, our centipedes are quite a unique sight, they are the giant centipedes of the forrest and caves of the country where we hail from. And its a pleasure to meet you Kaze Hatake... Hmm that name remind me of a legend of old! Are you in any way related to the widely known Kakashi Hatake, the legend from the hidden leaf village ?'' Asked kindly Koda. But Kaze seemed too charmed or amazed by a special feature of Koda, one that was known to have a wild effect on folks, because firstly, it was very rare, but also becose it was strikingly beautifull. As Kaze peered into the bright flame orange shade of the eyes of the Omukade, he couldnt help himself but to usher a genuine ''wow'' regarding the shinning gaze of Koda, akin to a summer setting sun, shining of a thousands shades of glow in the dark deep and intense orange.

Noticing the obvious, Koda only laughed softly, touched and flattered by the heartfelt compliment, so honnest and transparent that Kaze couldnt even stop himself from voicing his fascination for the unique eyes of the young man. Kickly afterwards, afer what seemed to be an awkward moment for Kaze but a heartfelt one for Koda, the former asked the later about his origins, namely the origins of his clan, his family.

''Well, we come from the country of Mountains, but originaly, my clan is nomadic, wandering in that land for generations. Before that tho, the great stories of the Omukade explains that we originated from within the Land of Fire, and served into the war between the Senju and Uchiha, specifically under the Uchiha clan. Legend says that once they had no use for our clan, we were chased from the land, and became nomads. As the clan leader, I've only recently established my clan here, in the sedentary life once again. The world isnt what it used to be... wandering is more dangerous than ever before. This is also the origin of ours companions, our beloved multi legged friends. See, they hail from the large grotto system in the land of mountains, and as we lived as one with nature, we became friends.'' Said Koda to Kaze, intrigued at his interest for his clan. It suprised him in fact, that a lot of the other people he had met would really be intrigued and interested in getting to know his clan more, something he had immagined far from that. In his mind when he migrated, he tought the poeple would see them only as outsiders, refugees and leeches, only there to sap resources and be gone. But it was quite the contrary. 

Interupting the cultural passing of knowledge, Jurei arrived back from the desk with their first assignement. ''all right, I'll follow you'' answered Koda to the remark of his two collegues. As he listened, he wasnt sure he heard right. 10 assignements ? TEN ?! Wasnt that a lot for only one day? They would have to hurry and do more than one at a time, or they never finish by the evening! Well there was no time to waste. The first one was helping in the sorting of reccords and guiding of people in the administrative office they were in as they spoke. The thing is, Koda being new to large city living and culture, he was overwhelmed, quickly lost in the bureaucracy and chaos of the place. Sorting the reccords was out of the question for him, but managing and guiding people was great.

 He reminded himself of how everyone was reacting to his decoratives papers seals covering his attire, and how everyone seemed to give it some sort of attention, and suddently, this gave him an idea. To help guide the citizens, Koda took out blank tags from his bag, and with the ink started to draw out symbols. Instead of the symbols and seals he would usually write to make explosive tags or others tags used by shinobi, he would write directions and different offices with arrows pointing toward them, making a trail from the entrance to each of the main desks, followable with a code of collor, so people could be less lost.

Along with this, he quickly tried and help the folks at the entrance. ''For the missions reward, follow the green line of tags! For the Team repport, the yellow line! For anything regarding contact with the Hogokage, follow the teal line! Missions requests are the red line!'' Would yell over the noises of the crowd Koda, trying to be heard by everyone. As the guiding went on for a few hours, everything was great, and Jurei and Kaze seemed to handle their side fine. This was mission well done, and it was time to move to the next ones, if they wanted to be done before moonlight. As Koda stopped to gather back with his team, he saw a woman get into a physical altercation with another ygirl, much younger, in front of Kaze, who seemed really distrought. As he left to go away on a balcony, Koda followed closely, and calmy got closer. ''Hey Kaze, is everything alright? I saw what happened.'' Said in a conforting way the Omukade young man, empathetic of the hardship someone can feel. As he waited for him to respond, Koda was also ready to move on with the rest of the assignements as soon as this was resolved. A few minutes of discussion later, he reunited with Jurei, and they all made their way to the next task.

Life is an odd conglomerate of circumstances that, oftentimes for the average denizen, will present an unwitting soul with an adventitious event. And to no fault of the soul in question, being no more than a simple, unknowing, and unaware participant, will have no choice but to accept the challenge and continue forward. But, what happens when the same, unsuspecting soul is presented with a grueling predicament, a catch-22 that would otherwise jeopardize and force one to choose which will be the most fruitful and beneficial to pursue?

This is the dilemma that plagues the mind of a young and ambitious kunoichi.

At this point, Jurei would reconvene with the other two down at the lobby to discuss their next move and provide a full debriefing of the mission details—at least realizing sooner than later that she failed to disclose them prior—before they make quick work of today's workload. However, in the thunderstorm of disorder, something lulls her attention toward a particular matter she cannot ignore. No, a particular matter she will not ignore.

While stowing away the remaining documents squared beside her by the facility clerk, who feverishly types away on a keyboard, Jurei hears a commotion, albeit incoherent, she could make out at least one of them being Kaze's heartfelt voice. Although Jurei initially doesn't heed the commotion past a first thought, it becomes apparent as a second thought when she hears the voice unusually feminine and affectionate and the jubilant cadence in Kaze's voice falters, yet her semi-attentive mind wrestles for her attention to sift through the stack of papers by her person and the evergrowing ache in her that sits in her stomach as though a paralysis daemon had taken hold of her.

This was her intuition's warning signal.

Consequently, she lulls her pace and her ears tweak to focus on the conversation going on between what she can only assume to be a faculty member inquiring for directions. Yet, the tonality and mannerisms when she addresses her newest acquaintance, a fellow kunoichi, seem a bit too friendly and intimate, and her intuition kicks her brain into high gear, and the stack of paperwork is long forgotten. Her hands cease their hold of the neatly-stacked assortment and a low-rumble thrums quietly in the filing cabinet, startling the clerk beside her.

"Miss? Is everything okay?" The clerk asks, raising a brow.

The kunoichi, however, doesn't hear the clerk, nor does she pay any mind to the growing concern the latter is exhibiting. If someone were to ask Jurei what would be one of her best qualities, she would likely answer it to be her patience. She understands the importance of waiting and knowing when the proper timing is. But, the truth is, her patience is like a fickle and capricious mistress. Sometimes, she has the patience of a saint, and other times, the patience of a child. But, her patience is not the issue.

No, the issue is the feeling she has.

That feeling.

That terrible, dreadful feeling.

The feeling is a familiar one.

The expression on her face is neutral, almost serene, as her eyes, however, are not. Her pupils dilate and her gaze is sharp and intense, a coldness radiating from her countenance. But, the expression on her face is still rather neutral. It's the kind of look a mother would have when her child is playing near the street and a car is approaching. It's the kind of look a father would have when his daughter is walking home late at night and a suspicious figure is following her. It's the kind of look a protector would have when their charge is threatened.

And, the threat is the kunoichi.

Turning on her heel, she takes the first couple of steps forward, the tension in her muscles tightens, the soles of her shoes lightly tapping against the wooden floor, the sound of her heart beating reverberates in her ears, and the quiet scorn of her radiant orbs transfix on the woman when her vulgar gesture is not enough, and she reaches out and touches Kaze.

Her body moves without her mind.

And before she could haphazardly break every code of conduct a lady of her pedigree ought to follow, another snatches the kunoichi's wrist and wrests the situation into submission. Jurei stops just shy of the doorframe that leads outside the office room, having avoided a confrontation that may have escalated into an uncivilized altercation. However, the tension within her no less softens from the lividity she carries.

"Excuse me, Miss?"

Her trance shatters upon hearing a voice, and she turns to find the clerk standing beside her, a concerned and puzzled look written across their face.

"Yes?"

"Are you all right?" The clerk asks.

"I'm sorry, did I startle you?" Jurei says, her tone is calm and her voice is even.

"Well, no, not exactly," The clerk replies. "But, you're shaking."

"Am I?" She glances down and notices her hands are trembling, and her knuckles are white. "Oh." She relaxes her grip, and the color returns to her hand. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."

"Are you sure you're all right?"

"I'm... quite all right now, thank you."

Jurei lied.

She deposits the rest of the paper bundles into the cabinet and abruptly bids the clerk a good day before she traces her steps to find Kaze toward the balcony. She finds him there—and in good company with Koda in tow—and a wave of relief washes over her, the tension eases, her shoulders slacken, and the anger and frustration are replaced with a sense of calm and tranquility. However, this presents a unique trial to overcome.

"Kaze," She greets, her voice is a touch above a whisper. If both turn to face her she'll bob her head slightly, her lips curving upward into a faint smile. "Koda. I realized I'd forgotten to fill you both in on the mission details. That's my fault and I'm sorry," She languidly approaches the duo as she fetches the missive she tucked away prior after she performs the following hand seals: Rat→Dog, the item reforming from blinking particles from the user's hand outwards. When she unfurls it, she passes it toward Kaze first with one hand, her free hand—oblivious to its ulterior machinations—closest to him reflexively rests on her shoulder and squeezes it reassuringly.  Whether one can interpret this as an attempt to comfort herself or a subconscious desire to console him is up to the beholder.

Their first set of five missions are as follows:

The second assignment requires them to attend a modest daycare run by a couple whose child will graduate from the Ninja Academy today. Leaving a set of instructions and notes to attend to the quirks of each child, the trio will be responsible for watching the children until their parents return. With the trio in tow, they navigate from the mission establishment and toward the inner section of the star city. Upon arriving and reading the aforementioned instructions, They set about attending to the young'uns with immediate needs. Jurei, being an only child, has little experience handling children save for the couple of times her cousins were brought around, and even then at the time, she was more or less a child herself. Nevertheless, she makes an effort to accommodate and entertain them to the best of her ability until the couple returns.

Once the children have been tended to and their needs met, their respective parents soon come by to pick them up and no later do the couple arrive with their newly inducted Genin child. After a short discussion, the trio review the details of the next task and bid farewell. The third assignment constitutes setting up for an annual, opulent brunch by the village lakeside that strangely involves... dumping crates of tea into it tomorrow. At first, Jurei proposed the description to either be a flat-out hoax or an elaborate prank. However, her curiosity holds the better of her, and when they arrive at the client's given location, their insistence and the sheer absurdity of the request were enough to convince her otherwise.

The absence of the waitstaff certainly presented itself with a conundrum Jurei would rather not admit, even to herself: the latent-laden weight of these crates they had to carry and square away strains her, to which one of the helpers insists on aiding her in the endeavor. Thus, she volunteers to simply adorn the venue and take care of the tableware. When the preparations had been made, they have by the morrow to finalize the latter half of the assignment to serve the whims of their guests as they observe the queer occasion occur first-hand.

Until then, they march on toward their fourth assignment: spend the day with a Queensman to see how he goes about his day and respect him, courteously. A peculiar request, but Jurei views the task at hand as an opportunity to learn of the nation's former history before its major reformation to what it is today. She recalls the Queensmen as the local authorities of Hoshigakure predating its time as a shinobi village. And although a handful of them acclimatized themselves to the ways of the Shinobi, many of them steadfastly maintained their fealty to the former monarchy, and the trio's job is to follow and closely observe one of its member's day-to-day activities.

They travel to the southern district of the capital where the Queensguard is based and meet their client, a middle-aged man named Arata, and he introduces himself and his duties. Inviting them to accompany him on patrol, Arata explains his role as a Queensman is to enforce the laws and rules of the country and protect the people. Additionally, his position entails investigating crimes and maintaining order. However, he's stringent about leaving such cases in his capable hands to avoid compromising the instructions left on the assignment. Alas, the hours go by, void of anything eventful save for the tales Arata regales them and the odd passerby who recognizes him. Shortly after, he completes his round and the two parties exchange their farewells in earnest.

The fifth requires the group to visit one of the residential neighborhoods in Hoshigakure. A simple task, really: to remove an array of older and outdated posters that litter the walls and lamp posts of the neighborhood. From the moment the trio arrived, the residents were quick to greet them and provide them with the necessary supplies needed to complete their tasks. In the meantime, the locals are eager to share stories and anecdotes about their lives and the neighborhood. Although, the most interesting tale is told by the owner of the corner store. According to him, the posters are remnants of the former monarchy, and the reason why no one ever bothered to remove them is because they were the only thing that remained unchanged throughout the years.

This is a dilemma that plagues the mind of a young kunoichi. At the end of the store owner's soliloquy, the Jurei and company gather the remaining posters and before they decide to do anything next with them, she suggests to at least turn them and acquiesce them back to the store owner. Tossing them away would be disrespectful to the village's history. While the owner of the corner store thanks them for their work, the trio is greeted with the sight of a small crowd of onlookers. Some are curious while others are amazed, and a few are even moved to tears. Regardless, the group departs from the scene and moves on to their next task. Back on the road with the fifth task completed—after returning the group's rightful belongings—they now approach their sixth mission at the palace gates to serve as kiosks—colloquially information booths—for the lost denizens that roam around the village.

The nature of the mission is akin to their first mission done at the administration building, so the task at hand is more or less intuitive. Nevertheless, Jurei luckily had the fortune of frequenting many of the establishments and landmarks within the village's vicinity, which proves convenient as the three of them can offer their knowledge and expertise. They resolve the assignment's conditions without incident and learn of a new establishment, the Starlight Inn, situated near the western gate, with a reputation for having a favorably stunning view of the stars.  

At present, six of the assignments are completed, and only four are left on the list to fulfill. Soon, Jurei proffers to Kaze and Koda.

"How would either one of you like to grab a bite to eat, hm? We could stop by at the Starlight Inn and pick something up along the way. My treat."


WC: 2,121
TWC: 4,882
TMWC: 6,730/7,000

Requesting approval for the following mid-claims:


Investing 4,882 TWC into the following Skill(s):

► Training Avarice (2,000/2,000) [2,882 TWC Left]
► Training One-Handed Seals (2,000/2,000) [882 TWC Left]

Investing the remaining 882 TWC into the following Jutsu:

► Training Body Flicker (500/500) [382 TWC Left]
► Training Mind Read [115/250] → (250/250) [247 TWC Left]
► Training Fear Pull (247/250) [0 TWC Left]

Investing 4,882 TWC into the following Stat Points:

► Training +37 Vigor (-3,700 WC) [1,182 TWC Left]
► Training +11 Chakra (-1,100 WC) [82 TWC Left]

→Expunging the remaining 82 TWC Left.

Jurei Ryoinsatsu wrote:Requesting approval for the following mid-claims:


Investing 4,882 TWC into the following Skill(s):

► Training Avarice (2,000/2,000) [2,882 TWC Left]
► Training One-Handed Seals (2,000/2,000) [882 TWC Left]

Investing the remaining 882 TWC into the following Jutsu:

► Training Body Flicker (500/500) [382 TWC Left]
► Training Mind Read [115/250] → (250/250) [247 TWC Left]
► Training Fear Pull (247/250) [0 TWC Left]

Investing 4,882 TWC into the following Stat Points:

► Training +37 Vigor (-3,700 WC) [1,182 TWC Left]
► Training +11 Chakra (-1,100 WC) [82 TWC Left]

→Expunging the remaining 82 TWC Left.

Approved

Whether the duo chooses to follow her lead toward the Starlight Inn, she will guide them—or just by herself—toward the establishment. Upon their arrival, the inn from the outside looks warm, cheerful, and inviting. Hardwooden planks and hardwooden beams make up most of the building's outer structure. It's difficult to see through the stained glass windows, but the cheerful sounds from within can be felt outside. As she enters through the heavily used, wooden door, she's welcomed by a pleasant atmosphere. It's as lovely inside as it is on the outside. Wooden beams support the upper floor and the rows of small candles attached to  them. The walls are decorated with pictures of Hoshigakure in its former years and old-style lanterns.

The inn itself is packed. Locals seem to be the primary clientele here, which often leads to exciting evenings. Several long tables are occupied by separate groups of people, all enjoying themselves, but they keep to themselves. The other, smaller tables are also occupied by people who are playing games and, judging by their laughter, are either telling jokes or great, perhaps embarrassing, tales. Even most of the stools at the bar are occupied, though nobody seems to mind more company.

The innkeeper welcomes her with a smile and a friendly wave, and Jurei returns the gesture before she leads her—and possibly Kaze and Koda in tow—to one of the empty tables. She sits down on one of the benches. The table is small enough that she can reach out and touch the tabletop from her seat. It's not uncomfortable though, and it gives them plenty of space to eat without having to worry about bumping into each other. She looks around the room once more and takes note of the variety of people here. Most are civilians but there are also shinobi among them. Some wear the standard Hoshigakure attire, while others wear their own clothes.

Afterward, the rest of the night goes by uneventfully, Jurei, during that time, makes sure to take a mental note of the food and drinks they order. She's not one to forget such things easily. It may be a place she may frequent with certain colleagues in the future should the opportunity arise. Not exactly the most luxurious, but the setting is humbling enough for her tastes.

The following morning arrives and Jurei wakes up feeling refreshed and prepares for the coming day ahead. Shortly after getting herself dressed and organized, when she rallies to meet up with Kaze and Koda, she only finds Koda present. Strange, Kaze was here moments ago during the past half or so missions and suddenly vanished. Duty calls, perhaps. Would make sense, considering her track record of stumbling across work while she expects to have the day to herself. And what more, she received confirmation from the mission facility that they'd mistakenly mixed up the orders for their missions given with another mission group and updated their to-do list with the appropriate changes. To properly compensate for the error, their rewards for completion of all mission assignments were adjusted accordingly to their rank.

No rest for the weary.

Nevertheless, their seventh order of business is to tend to the village plants near the gates. A simple task, really: water them and trim away any dead leaves. The duo quickly gets to work and finishes their task without any problems.

Afterward, they move on to the eighth assignment takes place at the same location: gate guard duty as interns. The supervisor responsible for shadowing them is a young man named Isao who introduces himself as a member of the Queensguard. He explains that he's been assigned to oversee their progress and ensure that they are performing well. Jurei and Koda are given a brief tour of the area, which consists of a small office building located next to the main gate. The building contains several rooms that are used for various purposes, such as meeting rooms, storage areas, and even a kitchen.

Once they have completed their tour, Isao informs them that they will be spending most of their time in the office building. He also explains that they will be working together with other members of the Queensguard to ensure that the area remains secure. Jurei and Koda are then given a list of tasks that they need to complete during their shift, which includes things such as checking IDs, patrolling the perimeter, and answering any questions that people may have about security procedures.

The ninth task involves a memorial of the late Queen Akihana where various restaurants and kitchens of the City Blessed by the Stars will regularly produce baked goods for the village's children, as Akihana had in the past regularly taken over the palace kitchens. Becoming a staple tradition within the village, Jurei and Koda are tasked with gathering ingredients or taking charge of distributing treats to the village kids. Jurei volunteers to distribute the confectionaries to the children while Koda gathers the required ingredients for whatever the kitchen staff needs. Jurei is more than happy to comply and eagerly sets out to do her part, but not before she makes sure that Koda is up to speed with his tasks.

And finally, the tenth task requires the pair to search and rescue a resident's puppy that'd gone missing a couple of days ago. The puppy was last seen in the vicinity of a local park and its owner has been worried sick ever since. Jurei sets off toward the park and begins searching for any signs of the missing pup. After several minutes of searching, she comes across a small group of children playing near a fountain. One of the kids informs them that they saw a dog running through the park earlier that day, but it disappeared shortly after. Jurei thanks the child for their help and continues her search for the missing pup. She eventually finds the dog hiding under a bush near the edge of the park and gently coaxes it out with some treats. Once she has the dog safely in her arms, she returns to its owner and hands it over to them. They thank her profusely for finding their beloved pet and promise to take better care of it in the future.

After completing all ten tasks, Jurei and Koda meet up at the administration facility to receive their dues. A series of good works well done and the pair are commended on their efforts. With their mission complete, they're given the rest of the day off and are free to do as they wish. For Jurei, she decides to retire for the day and catch up with a recent acquaintance later in the day and bids Koda farewell until the next time they meet.

---

WC: 1,129
New TWC: 1,129
Old TWC: 6,011
TMWC: Complete/7,000