Junko and Takehiko's Second Outing (Missions)

Missions Attempted:

Denkiteki headed towards the adoption center, if Junko was with him then the two were walking side by side as they made their way down the path. Den was dressed in what was starting to become his usual attire, a black Ronin Robe with two swords strapped to his right hip. Over his blindfolded face was a simple mask, the smooth surface painted white with two black marks that appeared to be eyeholes on the front of it. His outfit meshed well with Junko's usual attire, which was also black. As Den was blind he had no idea what she was wearing that day, but he guessed that the two of them looked like they were a part of some secretive group. Perhaps they were, now that they were starting to become allies. If Den was alone walking down the path then he was just randomly thinking about himself and Junko standing together and wearing matching outfits like a lovestruck fool.

The former Tenkage had managed to make the arrangements for the missions they were doing that day, taking up bigger job offers from the same two clients they had before. They were going to visit the adoption center and help the man running it try and groom some of the animals again, maybe even take some pictures of the animals and see about trying to get some of them adopted while traveling about. He also had several tasks to complete for the old woman who had bought the katana, a rather mysterious lady with an odd name, Sophie. The former Tenkage was surprised by the amount of money she had, being willing to employ two shinobi to help her with even more mundane tasks and being willing to pay an exuberant amount for them to do so.

The Adoption center was first on the list however, and that was where the two were headed as they initially made their way down the path towards the place they had first spent the night together. Den hadn't expected to get so close to Junko this quickly but something about the woman drew him towards her. Perhaps it was her trusting nature, from having watched her with his Mind's Eye Den felt like he had gotten a good read on her rather quickly and found her to be someone who didn't mean harm to anyone. Den couldn't help but feel a little jealous watching her go about and make new friends easily, not afraid of being betrayed or hurt. He couldn't tell if she was brave or foolish, but he was growing to respect her the more he accompanied her within this land.

As the blind man walked Denkiteki's hands would form the familiar seals for the Mind's Eye technique. At 90 speed he would quickly form the Rat, dragon, boar,  monkey, and horse seals as his chakra surged through his body, activating the technique and expanding his chakra senses out to 25 meters. The potency of the technique wouldn't be all that great, only 105, but Den found himself enjoying the benefits of the technique as he traveled. This would be the first time Den would perform the technique in front of Junko if she was accompanying him, but he hoped that his otherwise normal gait and posture would inform her that he wasn't doing anything dangerous.

With Den's senses enhanced he would feel more comfortable traveling, though he was curious as to what Junko was capable of if they did get into a fight. He still hadn't pieced together what the two strange advanced elements she possessed were, though she now wondered if one was related to being 'chosen by Jashin'. Whether it was the advanced water style or the combination of earth and water Den couldn't say.

If Junko accompanied him then he examined her chakra to try and gain some insight. He would be able to gleam a bit about her specialties as they walked down the road, finding her to be equally specialized in Ninjutsu and Medical techniques. Den wondered if he should try and teach her some techniques at some point, or see if she had any to teach him. His skill with Ninjutsu had grown atrocious over the years but he still enjoyed learning the techniques for academic sake, and as for medical techniques Den knew that there would always be new ones to acquire in that field.

As Den finally made it to the adoption center his ears would make out the sound of an argument being had in the building behind it. It seemed that the man's wife had returned since Den and Junko had last visited, and had grown any with him for not having an anniversary gift prepared for him upon her arrival. The man however would insist that he had gotten her a gift and that once the two shinobi he had hired arrived he would send them to grab it immediately. The man wasn't close enough for Den to detect his chakra and see if he was lying for certain but from his tone Den assumed that the man hadn't gotten her anything. The former Tenkage silently hoped that Junko would be able to take the lead on whatever it was that this man ended up needing them to do for his wife, he was terrible at this sort of thing.

Den had heard the conversation from some distance away and would relay the information about it to Junko if she was walking beside him. If not then he would try and inform her once she arrived if he got a minute alone with her. Afterward, or if the man noticed Den approaching and walked towards him first, Den would greet the man and ask about cleaning the dogs. The man very obviously had something he wanted to say but Den tried to keep him on task for the moment, inquiring about each animal and if they had any special needs as he made his way into the building the man operated out of.

Quickly getting to work, Den would start to wash some of the dogs as the man stood about awkwardly. If Junko was about the man would immediately turn to her and start informing her of his plight, hoping that a woman would have the answer to save him from this situation.

WC:1,056

-34 AP for Mind's Eye(1/5)[105 Power]
+10 AP  from Natural Berserker
818/842 AP Remaining
1/6 Nature Energy due to Natural Berserker

It was a beautiful sunny, but slightly chilly morning on the island of Moon as Junko and Takehiko began their walk to the adoption center. From what she was told, Takehiko had made arrangements for them to do some jobs so she was happy to come along. She was happy that Takehiko decided to stick around the moon for at least the time being, and she was slowly getting accustomed to him being around.

He didn't really talk about his past, or any of the things he was capable of so it was hard for her to get a good read on him. However, she didn't want to pry so she ignored the subject for now. For the time being he was proving to be a valuable teammate and fun company. Today they had a plethora of things to so she needed to try to remain focused on the tasks at hand. Takehiko informed her that their first stop was to return to the adoption center, apparently, the man needed a hand grooming some of the animals and wanted help getting some of them adopted. Also, Takehiko had acquired a few tasks from the old woman, Sophie, that they had previously taken shopping.

As they walked side by side Junko felt a bit more at ease. Usually, when traveling alone she would be constantly on alert, but now with Takehiko at her side, she felt as if she could be a little more relaxed. Today Junko wore a simple, lace-covered, onyx black dress that stopped just above her knees, and puffed out slightly at her waist. Along with long black cotton socks that stopped halfway up her thighs, and a pair of matching black boots.

As they walked, if Takehiko allowed Junko would wrap her left arm around his right arm and hold onto him. She had grown rather fond of him, and though she was unsure of how long he'd remain on the moon she figured it wouldn't be a bad thing to get close to him. As he began performing the hand seals she would loosen her grip on him, allowing him to do them unimpeded. Upon their completion, she would return her arm to the previous position and simply ask him what he did.

She would listen intently if Takehiko decided to explain the technique he used, however as it seemed like it wasn't a threat she wouldn't push him to respond to her inquiry. As they approached the adoption center, Takehiko remarked about the couple fighting and she couldn't help but give him a confused look. "How could he have possibly heard that" she thought to herself. She immediately felt bad thinking about the handful of times when she was given a significant mission bonus, and he had only got what was promised.

However the thought lost her mind as they made their way into the center, and soon the man approached them. The man then began discussing with Takehiko about what he needed to do around the center, and which animals needed to be groomed. Junko was taken a bit off guard as Takehiko took charge of the discussion with the man, maybe he was coming out of his shell a bit now. As they finished speaking and the two of them began work, the man took Junko to the side and began asking for her assistance in other matters.

Takehiko was correct, the man had in fact been arguing with his wife and wanted Junko's assistance in correcting his mistake. He explained that he wanted to do something for the anniversary, but due to his wife's absence from the adoption center he had been overwhelmed with work and it slipped his mind. The man then began explaining to her all of the things his wife liked, and disliked, and her various hobbies, hoping Junko would be able to come up with a good idea for a gift. After agreeing to help him, the man produced a small pouch of Ryo from a pocket and handed it to her.

To her, the pouch seemed a bit light but hoped she could still find something decent for his wife. She would then inform Takehiko that she had to run out to do some tasks for the man and that she would return in a  little while. Upon leaving she would make her way to the market square and look around there for a gift. Soon she would stumble upon a young woman selling different types of jewelry, mostly necklaces, and rings. Junko recalled the man telling her that his wife's favorite flower was the moonflower, so she attempted to find a necklace with a token of one as a charm.

Thankfully she was able to find one, however, the man hadn't given her nearly enough ryo to purchase it. Feeling a bit of pity toward the man, and now not wanting to back out of a transaction Junko used all the money the man had given her and some of her personal funds. After securely packaging it, the woman would hand Junko a small paper bag with the necklace within it. She then got the idea to hire a catering service to deliver a meal to their home later in the night, knowing she was going to have to use her own money for this, she didn't get the most extravagant meal delivered. However, she figured it would be better than the woman having to make a meal for them.

After submitting the order, and relaying the address information to the restaurant she began heading back to the adoption center. As she walked she couldn't shake the feeling that she may have accidently upset Takehiko and was trying to come up with a plan to make up for it. She ended up deciding that she was going to adopt a dog from the center and gift it to him. Worst-case scenario, if he didn't want the animal she would keep it for herself. She knew that if she spoke to the man about getting an animal, Takehiko would surely hear them discussing it since he was able to hear the couple fighting within their home earlier.

Knowing she had to be a bit secretive, before entering into the center she would pull out a piece of paper and a pencil from the pouch she carried on her waist. She then began writing her plan to surprise Takehiko, and upon completion folded it up and slipped it into the bag that held the woman's gift. Upon entering the center Junko would immediately find the man, and explain to him what the plan for his wife was. She would then hand the man the gift bag, and encourage him to look within. After opening the necklace and looking it over the man seemed to be appeased, soon he then opened the note and gave her a knowing nod.

Junko then soon quickly got to work in trying to find a dog that she believed he'd like. After looking through about ten different dogs she finally settled on one. The dog was roughly medium-sized, about 30 lbs and it was a female. She had a beautiful blue merle coat that was relatively thick and long. Deciding on the name Lady, she chose her and quickly began grooming her. After a quick bath, some brushing, and blow drying Lady was looking as sweet as ever. She knew she needed to wait for her application to adopt her to go through, and made a plan to return to the adoption center later in the night to retrieve her.

Soon she would reconvene with Takehiko after completing their tasks for the day and then they'd both receive their payments from the man. The man thanked Junko profusely for helping with his anniversary situation, and after exchanging goodbyes they left. After leaving the adoption center, while they walked to Sophie's home Junko would try to maintain a pleasant conversation, attempting to contain her excitement about obtaining a new pet.

WC:1,336

Den wasn't surprised that Junko was curious about his hand seals, he probably wouldn't have reacted as well if someone had performed hand seals in front of him like that. So she does trust me.

"It's a technique I use often. I'm a Sensory-Ninja, it's one of the reasons I'm still able to work despite losing my eyesight. This technique allows me to discern more details about a person when sensing their chakra. It could also identify someone trying to hide their presence, which is the reason that I use it."

As Den gave his explanation he would reach over with his left arm and lightly touched her right as she brought it back into position, lightly caressing it. He was surprised by how much he was starting to enjoy her company and hoped that she wasn't too off-put by his technique.

While Junko was off getting the gift for the man's wife Den would keep cleaning the animals, finding the task to be rather easy. One of the strange side effects of being in tune with Nature Energy was that animals seemed to like you more. It wasn't something that Den fully understood but he didn't mind using the ability to his advantage, his presence soothing even the more troublesome dogs and calming them down enough to be bathed without issue. He wondered if there was any way to develop this ability into something more useful, pondering how the ability functioned as he dried off yet another dog.

The man tried to strike conversation with Den as they both worked on grooming the dogs, though the man's focus was on women and relationships. Den did his best to try and counsel the man on how to not anger his wife and make her happy on their anniversary but admitted that he had rarely dealt with this sort of situation himself. The man seemed confused by that and asked him how long he and Junko had been together. The man was quite surprised to hear that Den and Junko had met the same day they had first visited him, remarking that they seemed to be quite the couple. Den attempted to laugh the comment off, but it affected him more than he expected. Do we seem that close? I am rusty, to think that a woman has caught me this off-guard. I wonder what Maku will say when he hears of this.

As Den and the man continued talking Den silently pondered why he was allowing the woman to get so close. Yes, he had examined her chakra thoroughly to see if she was a liar when they first met, but he still rarely let anyone touch him. Not unless they were long-time comrades or friends, those with shinobi abilities were too deadly to be allowed to get close. Den wasn't entirely sure what abilities Junko had, but for all he knew she could have utilized some paralyzing technique while they were walking arm in arm and proceeded to try and kill him.

The blind man shook his head, he couldn't believe he was being so infatuated that he was letting his guard down and slipping up. And yet, even as he shook his head he found himself smiling. He was starting to like her, despite his efforts to be closed off and aloof. He'd keep the feelings to himself for now, he didn't want to risk ruining their partnership.

Den had managed to clean most of the pets by the time Junko had returned, the blind man not taking any breaks as he slowly and methodically cleaned each animal. While Den was no professional groomer he knew that each of the animals was clean and their fur free of knots.

Den could hear Junko and the man conversing, it seemed that Junko had managed to save the man's anniversary after all. The blind man however was unable to detect the hidden exchange between the two and was somewhat puzzled when Junko began to walk towards some of the animals within the adoption center. She took her time choosing one before picking it up and cleaning it, Den wondered what the purpose was as he began to clean another dog himself. The blind man listened as Junko continued about her task, finding himself curious as he tried to determine her motive.

Den still wasn't sure why Junko had bathed a single dog as they both made their preparations to leave, taking their payment from the man and then departing towards Sophie's house. He decided against asking about it for now, figuring Junko would tell him when she wanted to.

As the two of them made their way down the road they would keep to polite conversation, keeping each other entertained as they slowly made their way to Sophie's house. Den didn't mind the pace as he didn't want to draw too much attention to himself, but he was curious as to why Junko didn't seem to want to utilize high-speed movements to get to her destinations. From the insight he had gained while observing her chakra, he knew she wasn't the fastest kunoichi he had ever met but she was quicker than the average human by far.

At their slow pace the two eventually reached Sophie's house, the old woman coming out to greet them before they reached her door. Denkiteki was surprised when he sensed the katana at the woman's hip, it seemed she didn't intend to carry that thing around with her.

The woman chuckled as she walked over to greet the duo, thanking them for coming over to help her. She explained that she needed help with shopping for food again, but this tie not for herself. She had some grandchildren in the next village over that she wanted to go and visit. She explained that the kids were being trained for a performance that was coming up, they would be singing and playing instruments as part of the celebration.

Den had to admit that he wasn't normally the type to attend a festival or ceremony unless he had to, but he knew that Sophie was surprisingly wealthy and would pay them quite a sum of money for accompanying her. She also seemed to be respected by several members of the community, though she wasn't native to the land of moon she was a kind person who had helped out many people who were in need during her long stay within the country. Sometimes providing them money if their issues were purely financial, but apparently, in her youth she had been quite the adventurer as well.

Den was surprised that he hadn't heard of this woman during his time as the Tenkage, he was starting to realize that he had never gotten to know the people who had lived outside Tengakure. He had been a terrible Kage, he knew practically nothing about the people he had once sworn to protect.

Den agreed to help the woman get to her grandchildren so she could see their performance, figuring that Junko would do the same. The blind man adjusted the simple mask on his face as Sophie went back inside to grab her bag for the grocery shopping, making sure it rested comfortably so that his facial features remained obscured.

WC: 1,211
TWC:2,267

-17 for Mind's Eye
+10 from Natural Berserker

801/842 AP
2/6 Nature Energy Stacks

While walking to the woman's home, Junko would attempt to loop her arm around Takehikos once more. If he allowed it, the two would walk arm-in-arm to Sofie's home. As they passed by various community members, Junko would smile and wave, occasionally taking the time to speak to those she had interacted with before. She wanted to make herself known more to the community she now found herself in and was realizing that goal was slowly coming true.

After being in the ruins of Tenga, and experiencing the somber atmosphere there, Junko couldn't help but be determined to help these people. With every mission she took she grew stronger, smarter, and more capable of interacting with the various forces on Moon. For the time being there was little she could do to improve the quality of life of members within the community, but she began planning on what to do. She contemplated starting a settlement but knew in her current state it would be a failure. She needed to gain allies and find those with a similar goal to hers.

She knew if she asked Azuki to assist her, he would probably agree, however, she was unsure about Takehiko. He hid his face from the world, so she assumed that he wouldn't want to be in the spotlight, and didn't know how to go about discussing it with him. For the time being she decided to dismiss those thoughts and focus on the missions at hand. She was rather excited to spend time with Sofie once more since they had treated them so kindly the last time they had done work for her.

Soon they would slowly approach Sofie's home, and upon greeting the old woman Junko would release Takehiko's arm, close the distance, and envelop the woman in a comforting hug. She never really knew her grandparents or most of her family, and she had begun thinking of Sofie in that regard. She couldn't help but find the tough old woman as someone to look up to. Though not native to moon, she was a pillar of the community. People respected and valued her input regardless of her quirkiness, and that's what Junko strove to be.

After releasing the woman, exchanging a greeting, and discussing the plans for the day Junko would also accept Sofie's request. She had often gone to various festivals and parties with her mother while they were traveling, so she wasn't too concerned. However memories of having to take care of her intoxicated mother after the performance rushed through her mind. As her mood shifted from excited to somewhat somber, her lilac purple chakra would darken but only slightly. However, she ensured that her body language and facial expressions wouldn't reveal that anything was wrong with the old woman. She didn't want to make her worry so she attempted to maintain her excitement with her.

After discussing the agreement, Sofie would wander into her home and retrieve a large whicker basket. Junko would offer to take it from the woman, and Sofie happily accepted. As she took it from her, she made a quiet grunting sound upon noticing the basket was a bit heavy. Inquiring what was in the basket, Sofie would explain that it was various snacks and food for the festival. She was a bit surprised that the old woman could even carry the basket from her home since Junko seemingly was struggling to hold it up.

If Takehiko offered to take the basket Junko would happily hand it over to him, however, if he didn't inquire, she wouldn't ask for his assistance. Soon they would begin to head off to the same market that the three of them had previously shopped at. Junko would walk arm-in-arm with Sofie, ensuring that she wouldn't fall or trip. While walking, Junko primarily would target questions to Sofie. Asking about what kind of festival, what her granddaughter was like, and more.

They would soon arrive at the bustling market square and begin looking at a variety of goods. Sofie had told Junko she was trying to find a good luck charm for her granddaughter to wear during the performance, so they wandered around various jewelry stalls in an attempt to find something fitting. After about three different stalls, Sofie finally found a beautiful full moon pendant and decided to purchase it. While Sofie was handling the transaction Junko couldn't help but gaze at the various silver jewelry in front of her. Her eyes lingered for a moment on a necklace, it was a shiny red garnet pendant hanging from a silver chain. She would only snap out of it as she heard Sofie ask for aid in counting out her money, and then would turn to assist her.

After stopping at a few other places, to purchase a few more things for the festival Junko would then begin leading Sofie to her destination. If Takehiko split away from them at any time she would wait for him to rejoin them and then leave the village. While slowly keeping pace, Junko again would walk arm and arm with the woman, and keep the conversation going.

The road they were on recently had some sightings of bandits, so she remained on high alert. She would mention this to Takehiko, though she assumed he'd be able to hear anyone skulking near them.

WC:893
Total WC: 2,229

Den felt a smile spread across his face as Junko moved to loop her arm into his, thankful for the mask to hide the outburst of emotion. The blind man wasn't sure what it was about Junko, but she disarmed him in a way he wasn't used to. Usually, Den avoided physical contact, as it could easily mean a death sentence in the shinobi world. Those he hugged or shook hands with usually were comrades and friends he had forged strong partnerships with, yet he desired to pull Junko in closer whenever she drew near. They'd only known each other for a short time, yet for some reason Den found himself allowing Junko to get closer than most.

At first, it had unsettled him and had him worried that perhaps he was under a genjutsu. He'd quickly disproven that hypothesis as they worked together, his sensory abilities having scoured his chakra to see if its flow was being manipulated and finding nothing. It seemed he was infatuated with Junko. He wondered what Maku would think when they talked next, he wasn't sure if his brother would mock him for falling for a woman so quickly or if Maku would share the same sentiment if he ever met her.

When the two arrived at Sophie's house, Denkiteki smirked as Junko ran up and embraced the older woman. Though he couldn't see the two he was able to sense the chakra of the two intertwine and grow brighter as they gave each other a heartfelt hug. Den's smirk turned into a smile of contentment, hidden beneath his mask, as he found himself fixating on Junko's lilac-hued aura again. The blind man remained quiet and relaxed until he noticed Junko's chakra briefly darken, causing him to wonder what it was about the festival that caused her to feel anxious. He didn't believe it was the number of people, Junko's chakra grew into a fluffy cloud when she was around others. Den would continue to ponder what caused Junko such alarm as the other two prepared to leave, his thoughts only interrupted when he realized that Junko was struggling to carry the whicker basket Sophie had given her. Walking over to Junko, Den would raise his hand and offer to take the basket from her. He didn't want Junko to be miserable during the entire trip and figured that the burden would be easier for him to carry. As he took hold of the whicker basket he'd gently carry it with his right hand, his 20 strength allowing him to hold it with relative ease.

As Sophie and Junko began to walk and talk their way to the market the blind man would follow close behind, admiring Junko's chakra as it seemed to warmly envelope everyone they came across and interacted with despite the stress she seemed to be feeling.

It didn't take long for the trio to arrive at the market, Takehiko split from the two women and made his way towards a food stall while Junko and Sophie went to look at jewelry. The stalls weren't too far apart, Denkiteki able to still detect the other two with his Mind's Eye as they went about their business. As the women tried to find a good luck charm for Sophie's granddaughter Den would be asking the man running the food stall about fruits and vegetables that Sophie wanted to purchase fresh before their journey. While Den wasn't able to look for any visual indications that a vegetable or fruit was overripe or going bad, his sense of smell proved useful in discerning such things.  

As Den gathered the food for Sophie he found that he was still checking in on her and Junko. In truth Den found himself to be quite anxious in public places, where it was all too easy for a killer to hide themselves amongst a crowd. Occasionally he would get distracted and have to ask the stall operator to repeat himself as he'd scour the chakra signatures of those around himself and Junko to make sure they weren't hiding any dangerous abilities that his Mind's Eye could gleam. Those within range of his normal chakra sensory would also be subjected to his chakra insight, Den double checking and making sure that none of the chakras around him were trained in the shinobi arts or possessed superhuman capabilities.

As Den was finishing up his purchase he noticed that Junko seemed to have suddenly gone still, his Mind's Eye allowing him to discern that she was looking towards an object on one of the stands she and Sophie were browsing. Curious, Den would make his way over to the stall as Sophie and Junko were leaving it. While Den wasn't employing any of his stealth abilities he would make sure to approach the stall from behind the women, trying not to catch their attention as he moved through the crowd and towards the vendor.

As Den approached the stall his adaptive deprivation skill was able to more clearly discern the jewelry displayed upon it, the former Tenkage deducing the piece of jewelry Junko had been looking at based on where she had been standing and the orientation of her gaze. Wanting to double-check, Denkiteki would inquire to the stall keeper if the beautiful woman who had just left his stall had been interested in any particular piece.

The stallkeeper would chuckle at Den's remark and tell him that Junko had been staring at the red garnet pendant that Den had just walked towards. Wondering if Junko hadn't bought it because of its price, he asked the stallkeeper about it and ended up bargaining with the man for it. While Den had initially walked over out of curiosity the stallkeeper was a charismatic man, and quickly had Den doubting his intentions. Soon convinced that he had walked over to buy the pendant because he knew Junko wanted it, Den paid the man for the gift and hid the necklace within a pouch on his belt.

After finishing this last transaction Den would make his way over towards Junko and Sophie, who were now at another set of stalls on a nearby street. Thankfully they had stayed within the range of his Mind's Eye, otherwise, he would have had to try and pick out their footsteps and smells from the crowd.

The trio linked up as Junko and Sophie were heading towards the exit of the village, and Den followed a couple of meters behind the two as they began to make their way to the next village over. Noticing that Junko and Sophie were locked arm and arm, Den briefly pondered if he should walk to Junko's other side and try and join them. His apprehension getting the better of him, Den opted to remain a couple of meters behind and keep on the lookout for any coming danger.

WC: 1,147
TWC:3,414

Mechanics
-17 to maintain Mind's Eye (105 Power) [3/5 Posts Used]
+10 from Natural Berserker
794/842 AP
3/6 Nature Energy Stacks

The three of them walked for roughly an hour, Junko feared it was going to take longer than that but Sophie seemingly didn’t need any breaks. Junko was surprised at the old woman's stamina, she was able to keep pace with Junko with relative ease and didn’t complain at all. As they continued to walk Junko would continue asking Sophie about her life, attempting to get to know the old woman more. The color of her chakra would deepen even more, now looking like a dark purple as the thoughts of previous festivals and parties hung in her mind. She would maintain a cheery demeanor towards Sophie however, not wanting to upset or concern the old woman though she felt anxiety racing through her mind.

As they drew closer to the festival entrance her internal panic wouldn’t be able to be seen through her happy smile, though she could feel her legs trembling slightly. She kept reminding herself that this was going to be different than the festivals she had attended as a child and tried to soothe herself. This however didn't seemingly work, she had completely lost control of her thoughts as memories flooded her mind. She wanted to have fun here, but couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that loomed heavy in her heart.

Upon entering the festival, Sophie would direct the two of them to follow her. Soon they came upon a rather large-looking family, that she could only assume was Sophie's family. Before heading off in their direction, Sophie would turn and take the items from the two shiobi. Then she would pull two medium-sized pouches from her bag, handing a slightly larger one to Junko with a wink. They exchanged goodbyes, and with one final hug from Junko, Sophie wandered over to her family. Junko, still feeling a bit panicked would let out a sigh of relief as her current mission here was done.

She would then tell Takehiko she wished to look around at some of the various stalls that they had put up. If he agreed Junko would walk beside him once again wrapping her left arm around his right. Now touching her, he would notice her body slightly trembling, if he inquired as to why she was trembling she’d simply tell him that something she ate wasn’t sitting right with her. This was a blatant lie, but she didn’t seem too keen on discussing whatever the issue was right this moment. As they walked she noticed small fliers placed around the area, asking for assistance with the children's choir. She would soon stop moving then she’d remove a flier from a wooden post and stare at it momentarily. Was she going to not help these kids due to some shit that happened years ago?

Looking to Takehiko, she would inform him of the mission and ask for his input. She would explain that she was no master singer, but she knew more than the average person. Her voice would suddenly sound a bit timid, as she explained that most of her childhood was spent in places like this, so she knew what kind of performance the crowd would be expecting. Also, these were children, nobody expected them to sound good anyway. She sat in silence, waiting for his response.

WC:547
Total WC: 2776

Den remained vigilant as the 3 of them traveled, listening out for danger and using his Mind's Eye to detect any nearby living thing. He made sure to maintain a distance of 2 meters behind Junko and Sophie as the two women walked and talked. Though Sophie was sharing fond memories with Junko, Den noticed that his companion's chakra was starting to take on a darker color as they made their way to the other town. He continued to ponder what was upsetting her, able to easily confirm that it wasn't the conversation with Sophie itself. He couldn't detect any lie in Junko's expression of interest, it seemed as if whatever had upset her earlier was starting to grow in intensity.

Den didn't want to intrude on Junko's thoughts in front of Sophie, so he opted to not say anything for now. He remained quiet as they walked, occasionally answering questions directed his way by Sophie.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for them to arrive, the town was close and Sophie didn't need to take any breaks. Upon arrival, Sophie offered them some cash for their current services and then left them to go spend time with her family. She waved to Den after hugging Junko, thanking them both and saying farewell for now.

Now alone with Junko, Den wondered if he should ask her what was bothering her. Junko spoke first however, Den took too long to formulate how he wanted to ask the question. She said she wanted to see some of the stalls and then moved to grab his arm like she had earlier. Now that she was so close Den was able to detect that she was shaking, not much but enough that he was starting to pick up the tiny vibrations of the small movement as she drew closer to him. Upon noticing that, Den moved instinctively. Rather than wrap his arm around hers Den would reach past and attempt to grab Junko by the waist, pulling her close to his side.

"What stall would you like to see first?"

Den would attempt to escort Junko to the stalls she seemed interested in, wanting to try and cheer her up and get her mind off of whatever was bothering her. Unfortunately, they didn't get far before Junko noticed a flier. Unable to read the print himself, as he'd lost the sensory ability that had allowed him to do such things, he was left waiting for Junko to say something as she looked it over. Whatever it was, it seemed to affect her. Den noticed her chakra sway as she internally struggled with some decision he couldn't guess at.

Eventually, Junko informed Denkiteki that there was a children's choir and that she wanted to assist in getting them ready for their show. Den admitted he was no singer either, but all the same, he was fine with taking the job. Surely he knew more about music than children.

Den would ask Junko what direction they needed to go and would begin heading that way alongside her if she was willing. Thankfully the building the children were practicing in was nearby, and the two would quickly find their way inside. They'd be greeted by several parents, who would assume that Junko was the teacher and that Den was some strange bodyguard following her around. It seemed that Den's mask was a bit offputting in this situation, the cheap wooden cover for his face making some of the parents uncomfortable. Fortunately, Junko's presence seemed to be enough to keep the parents from directly challenging Den from taking the job, and the two would be ushered towards a large room where the kids would be loudly practicing.

Den's enhanced senses allowed him to tell just how off-pitch each child was as they entered, his enhanced senses finding the experience to be harmful as he endured the assault on his ears. Hopefully we can get them to the same pitch... or maybe to be a bit quieter..

WC: 667
TWC:4,081

Mechanics
-17 to maintain Mind's Eye (105 Power) [4/5 Posts Used]
+10 from Natural Berserker
787/842 AP
3/6 Nature Energy Stacks

Junko would allow Takehiko to take her by the waist and walk alongside her as they browsed a few of the different merchant stalls. There were seemingly all kinds of food from a variety of cultures, different knickknacks, trinkets, jewelry, and more. She eased up, feeling comforted by her companion's relaxed demeanor.

After they decided that they would help the kids, they followed the directions on the flier and soon came upon a rather large building with a stage built in front of it. Junko had seen similar setups in places her mother traveled to and performed at so she felt confident that she’d fit in well. Her aura would return to its normal lilac color as her mind shifted from her past, to the here and now. She enjoyed Takehiko's company, and she was excited to “perform” for him as well, hoping to impress him.

When they entered the building Junko would look for the person in charge, soon she was directed to a middle-aged woman who seemed to be extremely stressed. She then would explain to the woman that they were there to assist in managing the choir. The woman gleaned at Takehiko and seemed a bit apprehensive to allow him in on the job, he did look a bit scary to be fair. However, after some reassurances from Junko that he was her bodyguard, the woman directed them to the choir room. While they walked, Junko would inform the woman of her extensive background in music, and offer to help in anything else they needed.

Before entering the room the woman would hand her a small folder that had the sheet music of the songs the children would be performing. Junko would thank her and allow the woman to lead them into the room. The woman would introduce the two of them to the small class of about 13 middle schoolers, and a man roughly 60 years old, that sat behind a large black piano. Junko would give a friendly wave and immediately greet them, hoping to come off as a fun and cheery instructor. Thankfully the children seemed to like her, as some said hello and others just waved.

The woman would thank the two of them, tell the children to be on their best behavior, then leave. Junko would take the lead, and begin leading them in vocal warm-ups. Thankfully a woman her mother traveled with had given her plenty of lessons, and she was able to keep on pitch with the piano leading the warm-ups. They did this for roughly 30 minutes before they turned to practicing the sheet music.

The children then pulled out folders similar to the one that was handed to her as she grabbed hers. Junko would skim through the songs, picking one at random to start with. Thankfully most of these songs were designed for children, and to be sung by children, so it was fairly easy to keep up with. They started a bit rocky, some of the children weren’t singing, and others would talk. Junko was unsure what to do in this situation, so she would simply ask them to quiet down but left the ones not singing alone. They sounded alright, as good as you would expect a class of middle schoolers to sound. It was obvious that they had been practicing for some time, so thankfully there was nothing else really to teach them, this was just rehearsal at this point.

They sang each song three times, and by the end of it Junko was feeling confident in their ability. As they finished up on the last song the woman from before would knock on the door and enter it slowly.

She would ask them how it went, to which Junko would respond with ”Honestly I had a great time, seriously if you need help with anything else we’d love to help.”

The woman would sheepishly as if they would be able to assist in the band department as well. She explained that she was significantly understaffed due to the budget of the production. The woman would mention that this was something they did every year for the kids to celebrate their graduation, but money had been getting tighter and tighter. Junko felt empathetic toward the woman and immediately agreed to help her. Junko would look at Takehiko, wishing she could read his facial expression. She was unsure if he’d be happy about her picking up more work for them, but she desperately wanted to help the woman. Junko would inform him that if he wished to wait for her outside or head home she would understand completely.

If Takehiko agreed the woman would thank them both, say goodbye to the man at the piano, and then she’d lead them to the back room. The woman walked in front of them and Junko walked beside Takehiko. She would attempt to reach her hand out to take him, and if allowed to she’d squeeze his hand gently hoping he felt her appreciation.

WC: 839
Total WC: 3615

Den did his best to assist the children's choir, but honestly, his knowledge of music was only a little better than theirs. Instead of focusing on trying to get the kids to sing in pitch he mostly tried to help them with their volume and timing, as well as occasionally telling them if they were too high or low in their pitch. He tried his best to not be too harsh as he spoke with the children, he knew that the people in the village lived simple lives and their children were expected to be sheltered.

It was sort of an odd experience for Den, witnessing what a normal school was like. He hadn't attended school very long as a child, and even he had only ever gone to a ninja academy. By the time had been the same age as these kids he had already become a Jounin and led teams of children even younger than the ones here on missions that involved assassinations and even the clearing of bandit camps. He tried not to let his confusion show through as he instructed the kids. Thankfully he'd spent the last few years living in a small village so it wasn't too difficult for him to adjust his behavior to that of a civilian teacher.

He found himself in a chair near the front of the classroom and sat upon it, doing his best to assist as Junko led most of the lesson. Occasionally Den would talk with a man who was playing piano for the choir, asking him some questions to be able to better help in the lesson himself. Occasionally the piano player would jest with Den about his lack of knowledge, asking him why he had decided to help lead the lesson if he knew so little. Occasionally when Junko wasn't within earshot the man would jest further and say he understood, he'd follow a woman like that anywhere she wanted to take him too if he was a younger man. Den would laugh at those remarks, though he wouldn't say much in response. He knew the man had a point though, Den likely wouldn't have taken a mission like this if Junko hadn't asked him to come along with her.

Fortunately, Den's lack of music knowledge ended up not being too much of a detriment, simply trying to get the kids to fix their timing and telling them to go higher and lower in pitch seemed to be sufficient with Junko and the piano player also directing the children. As they were wrapping up the class Den could hear Junko talking talking to the woman who had given them the job, noting that it seemed that they were going to be helping out with more classes. He wasn't particularly thrilled but he knew that Junko seemed interested in the endeavor, and he was happy to sense her chakra in better spirits after having helped the children.

"I'm fine with helping out with the other classes. I won't be as useful as Junko but I'll do what I can."

Den followed Junko and the woman as they went toward the next classroom, allowing Junko to take his hand as they made their way. He gave her hand a slight squeeze in response to the one she gave him, surprised at how easy it was for him to let his guard down around her like this. As they followed the woman to the next room he'd focus in on the band room, his enhanced hearing having been able to detect it on his peripheral for some time since they had approached the building. Thankfully these performers didn't seem to be as terrible at performing, and as he also focused in on the vibrations from that location he became aware that those present were a bit older. Thankful that he wouldn't be near a bunch of disorganized sounds this time, Den walked with Junko and the woman through the back room and toward the school's amphitheater where the band was practicing.

Den decided to play more of a support role in this exercise as well. He made sure the kids were all on the correct page of their sheet music this time and also informed them when they were playing an incorrect key. He let Junko handle trying to get the kids interested in the music and mostly kept to telling kids to be quiet if they started to act out or misbehave in any way. Thankfully these kids seemed to know their instruments for the most part, at least as far as Denkiteki could tell. He did his best to help some of the kids figure out how to properly use their instruments if they asked him but he wasn't too much help in that regard.

After a while, they would finish the lesson. Den felt bad that Junko had to take the lead on these missions, but he was thankful to be in her company as they went about these jobs. After finishing with the band Den would overhear that the production side needed some assistance as well. Figuring that Junko would want to assist with this as well he decided to make his way through the school to find some production members who needed help and offered to assist them in getting some probs assembled. He accidentally startled the men at first, walking up to them out of nowhere, but they quickly shrugged and accepted his help.

Den then quickly got to work helping them assemble props and sets for the musical and play that would be occurring. He didn't have much of an artistic talent for these things but he was decent at working with his hands. He quickly assembled backdrops, not going as fast as he could but making sure that he was moving at a quicker pace than the others who were working. It didn't take long for the work to get done, and Den managed to help the people speed up the pace to the point that they ended up finishing ahead of schedule.

Deciding to let Junko handle figuring out how much they would be getting paid, seeing as she had quite a gift in that regard, Den decided to sit down in the back of the amphitheater and get ready to watch the rehearsal that would be occurring soon.

[EXIT]

WC:1,059
TWC:5,140

Mechanics
-17 to maintain Mind's Eye (105 Power) [5/5 Posts Used]
+10 from Natural Berserker
780/842 AP
5/6 Nature Energy Stacks

Junko was happy to hear that Takehiko seemingly wasn’t upset by the fact that she agreed to a bit more work without asking him first. After locking hands she’d squeeze his hand, and receive a reassuring one back. After following the woman through the school halls for a little while, Junko began to hear coherent music coming from a nearby room. When they reached the room, the woman would turn to both of them and explain that this was the high school band, so they should be easier to manage. The woman then would open the door, and motion for them to follow her in.

Upon entry, Junko would only see roughly 13 teenagers with various instruments. Thankfully she knew how most of them should sound, so she felt she would be able to handle this. The woman would direct Junko to the sheet music and show her what their warm-ups were. Junko would happily accept and the woman would thank them once again before leaving the room. Her attention would now turn to kids as she introduced herself in a similar manner to the prior class. Quickly she’d gaze over the sheet music before her, and start formulating a plan.

After scanning the room, she was able to find a violin that could be in worse condition. She’d take a moment to tune it, a simple enough task. Once she finished, she’d begin to lead them for the warmups. Thankfully these guys seemed like they handled their instruments well, though there was the occasional wrong note. After they finished their warmup she’d begin putting the violin down, placing it back where she found it. Then she’d begin conducting them through the various different songs. She was thankful that Takehiko assisted the teens who were having issues while she was able to maintain the focus on the others.

Soon the lesson would be over, and the woman would come to retrieve them once again. Junko would inquire if they needed help with anything else, and with a sigh, the woman would list off a handful of things. Takehiko would take an interest in the production side of things, and Junko would request to assist in the costume department. Before they departed, Junko would ask to meet in the amphitheater once they had finished their tasks.

With a small goodbye wave to Takehiko, she’d find her way to the costume department, after finding the one in charge Junko would be directed to assist in makeup application. She had often found herself helping the other kids and sometimes adults in doing this same thing when working with her mother. Quickly she’d get to work helping a bunch of kids of various ages get the perfect look for their character. She would make sure to compliment them and attempt to get them excited about their performance.

After everyone had their makeup ready, she would move to assist more with clothing. As usual, the day of the performance was when costumes would rip, things wouldn’t fit, or set pieces would break so she would attempt to fix any issues that would occur. Thankfully she was able to solve most of the issues presented to her, and it was almost time for the show. With her tasks complete, Junko would find the woman who directed her when they first arrived and receive payment for both of them.

Junko would then make her way to the amphitheater where she agreed to meet Takehiko. Upon her arrival, she’d find him sitting in the back close to one of the aisles. She would approach him, and hand him the ryo he had earned for the work they did, then would take a seat beside him. She’d talk for a few minutes about how fun it was to be back in her element, she seemingly had enjoyed her day with him. Noticing that they were seemingly alone for a moment, Junko thought it wise to bring up her idea to create a village. She was unsure of how strong he was, or even if he’d like to join at all, but she felt a bit guilty not bringing it to his attention.

She’d lean on him slightly, resting her head on his shoulder, and let out a quiet sigh. After a moment she’d begin telling him about her idea to build a village and answer any questions that he may have asked her. She would sound rather ambitious about her whole plan as they discussed the logistics. However, the conversation would soon stop as people began to wander into the theatre and the show began.

WC;766
Total WC:4381

Mission Rewards
Base Rewards: 11,500 Ryo and 56 AP
Rewards doubled from Beloved Presence: 23,000 Ryo 112 AP
112 AP Converted to 5,600 Ryo
C Rank Vagabond mission bonus: 2,000 x 7 = 14,000 Ryo
Total Ryo Gained: 42,600

Strenght of a Hundred Skill 4381 WC converted to 172 AP
Previous Total: 396/600
New total: 568/600