In Defense of Tradition

Mission:

Hara ate a stale piece of bread as he sat on a grass hill overlooking a decently sized but modest home. He thought back to the conversation with the old man who had hired him for this job. This was one of the few jobs that Hara actually felt had some value, he couldn’t empathize with money or with selling more plushies, but he could empathize with tradition and honor.

The job was simple but important, break into this home and retrieve an heirloom. The heirloom was a crystal chrysanthemum about the size of a grapefruit, according to the employer it had been passed down through his family for generations before his brother lost it in a bet. The old man made sure to instruct him not to get caught as these men were dangerous. Hara scoffed at that to himself but ultimately agreed, he was more worried for his employers safety than his own, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

Finally, after some time, 2 rough and tumble looking men exited the home, no doubt to fleece more desperate people at whatever clandestine casino they frequented. Hara finished the piece of bread and moved silently down the hill to the house. He had already decided on an entryway, and it was easy to pry open the weak metal bars to the window and climb in. He looked around briefly, disgusted by the state of the place. Bottles and empty plates littered the floors, and the smell of cigarettes wafted through the air. Sitting unceremoniously on the table, amongst the trash, was the heirloom in question. He picked it up swiftly, careful to cup it in his hand and hold it to his stomach in a protective posture.

As he was moving to the window a commotion near the front door caused him to step away and into the shadows of the corner of the room. This was bad, he was told not to be found out. He pressed himself more into the corner making sure to make himself small.

A thug came in, smoking a cigarette and thankfully looking around for something, in his effort to find whatever he was looking for he didn’t notice Hara standing a few feet away in the darkness of the corner. He would have been an odd sight, 6ft 6 with a bear plushie tied to his waist, luckily Hara remained hidden.  He finally found it, a large kunai in a sheath. “Found it, told you it was here” He said to someone right out front as he left and closed the door behind him. Hara breathed a sigh of relief, peering out the window as he waited for them to continue walking down the road.

Hara climbed out of the window, caring to not damage the heirloom, and bent the bars back into place. They weren’t perfect but something told Hara these guys weren’t the most observant.

As he returned back to his employer he carefully set the heirloom down, briefly caught off guard by both his pride in a job done and his satisfaction at the old man's gasp of amazement. Hara was not a sentimental man, but an heirloom was a different thing altogether. It was history and tradition.

“I thought I would never see this again” The employer said with wonder in his voice. He looked at Hara with sincerity in his eyes, “Thankyou son, you don’t know how much this means to me.”

Hara shrugged off any sentimentality he was feeling and nodded. “Don’t mention it.” Before pocketing the ryo and leaving the man to his treasure.

[exit]

---

TWC: 600

Claims:

Hara wrote:

Mission:

Hara ate a stale piece of bread as he sat on a grass hill overlooking a decently sized but modest home. He thought back to the conversation with the old man who had hired him for this job. This was one of the few jobs that Hara actually felt had some value, he couldn’t empathize with money or with selling more plushies, but he could empathize with tradition and honor.

The job was simple but important, break into this home and retrieve an heirloom. The heirloom was a crystal chrysanthemum about the size of a grapefruit, according to the employer it had been passed down through his family for generations before his brother lost it in a bet. The old man made sure to instruct him not to get caught as these men were dangerous. Hara scoffed at that to himself but ultimately agreed, he was more worried for his employers safety than his own, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

Finally, after some time, 2 rough and tumble looking men exited the home, no doubt to fleece more desperate people at whatever clandestine casino they frequented. Hara finished the piece of bread and moved silently down the hill to the house. He had already decided on an entryway, and it was easy to pry open the weak metal bars to the window and climb in. He looked around briefly, disgusted by the state of the place. Bottles and empty plates littered the floors, and the smell of cigarettes wafted through the air. Sitting unceremoniously on the table, amongst the trash, was the heirloom in question. He picked it up swiftly, careful to cup it in his hand and hold it to his stomach in a protective posture.

As he was moving to the window a commotion near the front door caused him to step away and into the shadows of the corner of the room. This was bad, he was told not to be found out. He pressed himself more into the corner making sure to make himself small.

A thug came in, smoking a cigarette and thankfully looking around for something, in his effort to find whatever he was looking for he didn’t notice Hara standing a few feet away in the darkness of the corner. He would have been an odd sight, 6ft 6 with a bear plushie tied to his waist, luckily Hara remained hidden.  He finally found it, a large kunai in a sheath. “Found it, told you it was here” He said to someone right out front as he left and closed the door behind him. Hara breathed a sigh of relief, peering out the window as he waited for them to continue walking down the road.

Hara climbed out of the window, caring to not damage the heirloom, and bent the bars back into place. They weren’t perfect but something told Hara these guys weren’t the most observant.

As he returned back to his employer he carefully set the heirloom down, briefly caught off guard by both his pride in a job done and his satisfaction at the old man's gasp of amazement. Hara was not a sentimental man, but an heirloom was a different thing altogether. It was history and tradition.

“I thought I would never see this again” The employer said with wonder in his voice. He looked at Hara with sincerity in his eyes, “Thankyou son, you don’t know how much this means to me.”

Hara shrugged off any sentimentality he was feeling and nodded. “Don’t mention it.” Before pocketing the ryo and leaving the man to his treasure.

[exit]

---

TWC: 600

Claims:

Approved