Rain,Rain,Go Away

Mission:

At first the rain was normal, but then when it didn’t stop after a few days it became worrisome. And when it increased in its strength it became dangerous. The flooding of a lower lying district had already begun and all it would take is an increase in the rain to push it over the edge. With this in mind the leadership of Tsukigakure endeavored to begin evacuations of the threatened districts immediately, a decision met with some skepticism from the locals as it was unknown if it would really be as bad as people were worried it could become. Their mission was to help escort anyone wishing to leave the area and convince anyone stubborn enough to stay to do the same.

        Oda leaned against one of the pillars that comprised the gates to one of the many districts of Tsukigakure. He watched as refugees streamed through the gates and to designated buildings, occasionally giving reassuring smiles as they entered.His relaxed demeanor hid his internal fears. Floods were not to be underestimated, and he had heard tales of their destructive power.And, while he had never had to flee from one personally, Oda was no stranger to being a refuge. So when the rain came, and continued, and the threats of flooding began. He leaped at any chance to help. His fears were somewhat suppressed by his eagerness to meet his teammates he'd be having on this mission.

He didn’t know who his teammates were going to be but he was eager to meet them. Oda was early, but he was too nervous to do anything but pace near the designated meeting spot and burn energy. He tried to calm his nerves by reading his ‘training manual’, and catching up on his favorite romance series. He was in the first chapter of ‘In the Eyes of Her Heart Vol.24’, and it was quickly becoming his favorite of the series. He would occasionally look up from his book to look around for any other shinobi. Oda being Oda he would probably be enraptured in his book and oblivious to the outside world by the time his teammates arrived.

WC: 358

It was day three of pouring rain here in Tsukigakure, the lower village districts were beginning to flood over as Takashi leaned up from the cherry wood bar. He quickly poured his sake down his throat and walked outside as he heard the evacuation alarm, "Huh, must be in a spot of trouble." Takashi could hear the rain as it tapped across his sandagosa, he figured there would be a meeting point for those assigned to evacuating the village and set out to find them. He enjoyed his time here in the village and decided he would help out in any way he could, but first he'd need to find someone in charge and get details of the evacuation plan. After walking through the village toward the lowlands district gate, Takashi saw as Oda seemed to be pacing around in an anxious manner as though he awaited something important. Takashi approached from behind Oda, speaking as he lit his kiseru pipe and took a puff from it, "Hey, Oda! I heard the alert for evacuation. Do you know anything about this?" He would simply wait and puff his pipe, finding an appropriate moment to state "Well, I'm not an official shinobi here. However, I came to assist." His sandagosa dripped just outside of his kiseru as he smoked and grinned at Oda, "So, fill me in. What are the details of the mission?" Takashi could feel the flowery teal kimono on his back begin to absorb more and more water, luckily his multiple layers were enough to keep himself mostly dry from the pouring rain.

Assuming that Oda would elaborate on the current situation, explaining he was waiting on a few others to form a team to evacuate the lower district. Takashi took another puff from his kiseru, blowing the smoke into the atmosphere as he spoke "So a team is gathering here? I hope they don't take too much longer, the lower district won't take much more water." He used his eyes to flick Oda's attention to the water crashing at the floodgates below. He knew if those broke down the buildings and anyone inside would be in serious danger.

(WC 361)

Rainy weather followed the somewhat cold winds that danced across the shores of Moon Country as autumn began settling in. Though this happened nearly every year, this season had been particularly rough. Parts of the village began flooding that previously was untouched by flood waters and though barriers had been put in place to prevent damage, those were quickly overwhelmed. Alongside Junko, Kiko had been assisting in evacuations and leading rescue teams in hopes of saving some of the civilians. Today, like the previous day, Kiko was tasked with helping a small group of Genin assist in an evacuation.

Before leaving the Kage Tower, she’d quickly get dressed and ready for the day. Knowing she’d be getting soaked, she opted for a few layers hoping it’d keep her dry. For the base layer, she wore a plain black crop top, along with matching black spandex pants. Over that, she decided to wear something a bit thicker. She’d slip on a finely made, black kimono with a dark red belt that tied in the back. It looked to be made from water-repellent cotton and some fur on the inside. Once dressed, she’d pull her carrot red hair into a high ponytail, though a few strands of hair and her bangs dangled in her face slightly. After strapping her katana to her waist, she’d make her way out of the Kage Tower.

Soon she’d find herself rushing through the streets towards the gates of the soon-to-be flooded district. Thankfully she knew the village well, so after taking a few shortcuts through back alleys, Kiko was easily able to find the meeting spot. As she approached, she made herself known, not wanting them to think she was trying to sneak up on them. Once roughly 10 meters away, Kiko would give the two of them a slight bow before speaking up in a melodic voice. As she spoke, her crimson eyes would scan their faces, watching them for any kind of movement.

”Is one of you Oda? If so, my name is Kiko and I believe we were grouped up together, along with another Tsukigakure kunoichi named Hasu.”

Looking between the two of them, it was easy to tell which was a Tsukigakure citizen based off of clothing alone, it also helped that Takeshi didn’t have a village headband. Looking at the unknown vagabond, Kiko raised her eyebrow slightly as she spoke up once more.

”And who might you be? Er.. doesn’t matter for now, would you like to make some money? We have room for one more and the extra hands will help significantly.”

As she awaited his response, Kiko looked around casually for Hasu. Once the girl was in sight, she’d beckon her over to the group with a wave and catch her up on the situation. Soon introductions would pass and it was time to get to business. Kiko, being the highest rank among them, took the lead in this situation and began explaining a game plan.

”Yesterday we were thankfully able to get most of the people out of the district, but some of them decided to be stubborn and stayed. Now that the evacuation is mandatory, we need to save anyone we come across and get them to high ground. The hospital is being used as a safe haven, so direct those you save to there. Any questions?’

Kiko would pause for a moment and give them a chance to ask anything they needed. Thankfully it was pretty simple, so if they had any questions they were easily answered.

WC: 600

The White haired Oni would be easy to spot as she made her way to the district gate that Oda was waiting under. Dressed in a damp black garb that clung to her lithe body, Hana was poorly dressed for the storm that was threatening to flood the village. However she moved through the wind and rain with ease, seemingly unbothered by the long strands of hair that cling to her back. The woman’s long black horns were easy to spot even with the slightly obscuring weather.

To her right walked the short and miserable Hasumi. The younger kunoichi didn’t have any suitable clothes either, and was quickly moving toward their destination in a soaked red t shirt and long grey pants. Her raven hair was thankfully pulled back, with the ponytail stuck against her neck as the girl’s blue eyes sadly scanned the area in front of them. Originally her headband had been proudly displayed on her forehead, but in the downpour it had been displaced and now hung around her neck, the metal plate with Tsukigakure’s symbol resting on her collarbone.  

As the pair arrived at the scene where the team was meeting, Hasu recognized Kiko but not the others. Hana on the other hand looked at Kiko with a confused look, trying to figure out why Lady Junko had dyed her hair red.

Hasu gave a pathetic little wave as she shivered, trying her best to give a smile, “Hasumi and Hana, reporting for duty. What’s the plan?” She did her best to sound enthusiastic and upbeat, but her teeth were chattering somewhat from the cold and it was evident in her voice.

The two kunoichi stood closer to Kiko than the other two as the red haired kunoichi started to explain the situation, it seemed that most people had been evacuated but they had to secure some of the more stubborn occupants. Hasu wasn’t entirely sure how she’d want to go about that, hating to be forceful but knowing the people had to leave, while Hana looked puzzled as she heard the information because she would have just dragged the people out of their home if they’d told her they were going to do something so stupid.

Hana spoke up as soon as Kiko finished, hoping to get things going. The horned woman smirked and exclaimed “Well I’ll start grabbing the people closest to the river, if it ends up flooding over I’ll be fine. Hasu, you should probably try and help reinforce the floodgates if you can, just watch out I don’t think you could handle the current if things get bad.”

Once she was finished speaking Hana quickly made her way toward the most dangerous area, confidently sprinting at 75 speed. As she ran past the two Terumi’s she flashed them both a cocky smirk, the Oni enjoyed showing off her physical prowess and felt like this mission would be a perfect chance to showcase it.

Hasumi looked between the rest of the group as her bodyguard abandoned her, wanting to try and stay close to them if she could manage it.

WC:518

Oda jumped at the sound of Takashi’s voice, fumbling his training manual and nearly revealing the hidden novel within. He quickly pocketed the book and gave an unusually quick smile followed by a curt and serious nod. “Takashi, good to see you, friend. Yes, it's looking like the flooding in one of the lower districts could get particularly bad.” Oda’s demeanor was more serious and focused, but it softened at Takashi’s offer of assistance “I think it would be more than appreciated and I can vouch for you should it come to that.” He tried matching Takashi’s grin as he listened to him ask for a briefing on the mission, but could only muster a quick smile before reverting to a more serious look.  Oda would pull a map of Tsukigakure out and point to it. “This district is already flooding and at risk of much worse, it's our job to help anyone looking to evacuate and convince anyone who is trying to stay, to leave with us.” He would let Takashi observe the map for a bit before folding it and putting it back in his pocket. “Stick around with me and we can talk to whoever is going to be in charge-”

His head shot up at the sound of more approaching footsteps as Kiko approached. As she bowed Oda returned the bow respectfully and listened intently as the Shinobi introduced herself, standing at a little more attention as it became clear she was to be the leader of this squad. “Yes Ma'am that's me.”He nodded as Kiko mentioned the other shinobi assigned to this mission “We’ve not had a chance to meet, but I look forward to working with them.”

Despite his serious tone he perked up and took on a big smile as Kiko offered Takashi a spot on the squad. He would throw his arm around Takashi briefly and interrupt before Takashi could answer “This guy? This guy is solid. I can vouch for him bosslady” He would remove his arm quickly and the smile would falter and then disappear, wanting to appear professional he would give a quick nod. “I mean. Ma’am.” He would say quickly, the awkwardness only being saved by Takashi’s answer to Kiko’s question if he did so. If he didn’t it would sit a beat longer before Kiko began to wave to a shinobi that Oda assumed was Hasu, their 4th and final member, although there seemed to be two of them.

Oda’s eyes widened a bit as the two shinobi got closer, he had heard of Oni but never seen one in person. He quickly stopped staring at Hana as they arrived, not wanting to be rude. He set his gaze on the shorter of the two and gave a friendly smile as she spoke up about reporting for duty. He would take his shinobi vest off and offer it out to the girl upon noticing her shivering. If she took it he would activate his Hearthfire Technique and within seconds would feel the welcoming warmth and comfort that it provided. If she refused he would insist once but ultimately put the jacket back on. He would then listen intently as Kiko laid out the plan.

He would cock his head in slight confusion at Hana and try to say something before his sentence stopped in its tracks at the look from the Oni as she sprinted off. He was strangely intimidated by her. “Make sure to be carefu-” He would hold his hand up and look after her as she sprinted at incredible speeds towards the flooding district.

“Err… she do that often?” He would say before giving a chuckle.

As people asked their questions he would wait politely before nodding and asking his own. “Should we split up and go solo, or split up in pairs to cover more ground? Or are we tackling this as a group?”

If the answer was to split up solo he would nod to his mission teammates before splitting off and heading to the eastern side of the quickly flooding district.

If the answer was to split up into pairs he would wait to see what the pairs were going to be before moving into the district with his mission partner at 40 speed, on the lookout for any houses or people that might still be staying.

If it was to go as a group, then he would wait for Kiko’s lead and follow in behind, beginning to scan houses and alleyways for any people still present in the quickly emptying district.

WC: 745
TWC:1104

AP used:

Oda unfolded a map as he explained the details of his assignment to Takashi, he of course continued to puff from his pipe as he studied the map and took note of the homes closest to the barricades. He wondered as there were no direct indicators, just how many would have chosen to stay in this dangerous area. In his experience there was always one or two older citizens who never wanted to leave their homes, Takashi could understand as he never wished to leave his father before he had passed away. Takashi nodded at Oda as he said to stick around for whoever would head the operation, suddenly a woman appeared with rather vibrant orange hair. She bowed ever so slightly and spoke with a melodious tone, she was addressing Oda at first asking for clarification on identities. Takashi would first reach up with his right hand barely grasping the edge of his sandagosa, tipping in a respectful manner to the woman in response to her bow, followed by turning his head towards Oda when she asked for him. Just a moment after their interaction she seemed to turn attention to Takashi as the outsider who had appeared for an internal affair, was about to respond when Oda threw his arm over him interrupting any response he could have thrown together. Takashi was slightly taken off guard by this movement but accepted it nonetheless, it seemed Oda decided to jump at an opportunity to vouch for his friend and clansmen. However, it would seem his normal behavior would rein in quickly and be restored by a different more mannered Oda than Takashi had met before.

Of course after Oda seemed to snap back to himself, Takashi would choose to speak on his own behalf. "My lady, I am Takashi. I simply wish to help. I have the best of intentions, I heard the evacuation alarm and simply knew it was all hands on deck." He would throw a gentle smile her way in hopes she would see the sincerity of his words. There were two more approaching when Kiko beckoned them over, the girls seemed soaked and one even appeared to be nearly freezing. Kiko would carry-on to speak about most people listening the day before and escaping this disaster, however, many stayed behind and they would need to be ushered out before these floodgates gave way and washed away the citizens. It wasn't long and one of the two girls took off to start evacuating the lower district, Takashi was impressed at the speed. He began to wonder if all Tsukigakure shinobi had the determination he has witnessed since he came to their village, Oda was the first to show him this determination as he excelled since the first day they met.

He watched as Oda offered his jacket, Takashi would continue to smile at the comradery between them. He himself had thought to offer this extra kimono he obtained from a woman at the tavern. He continued to have it draped over his shoulders, however, Oda was faster with his offering and Takashi would not indulge in a fight of who is kinder. Takashi took a puff from his kiseru exhaling slowly as not to have smoke get in anyone's face, looking through the smoke he couldn't help but wonder about all these shinobi however, his eyes seemed to wander back to this red headed mistress and her ability to run the show so quickly. He began to wonder just who she was to the village, but this could be determined later as he focused back on the mission. Takashi understood the assignment and was about to turn and head out when he heard Oda, he had a valid question to determine what the best course of action should be. Takashi spoke up "The barricades are creaking, priority dictates getting the lower levels first. Don't you agree?" He would look to Kiko as though to say 'give me the word and I'll begin there' as smoke rolled from his lips.

(WC 673)

Thankfully it seemed as if her assumption was correct, and one of the men waiting near the gate was in fact, Oda. As she extended the option for employment to the man standing with him, Oda interjected and immediately vouched for him. Though this was unnecessary, she found him to be a bit… comical. She knew those within the walls, regardless of faction affiliation, were usually somewhat loyal to the village. Many vagabonds and missing ninja called this place their home, even though they hadn’t formally set down roots here. Her gaze shifted to the man as he introduced himself as Takashi. With her face remaining neutral, she’d simply offer him a nod of approval as she heard footsteps approaching them.

Kiko couldn’t help but sigh slightly as she watched the two girls approach, both poorly dressed for the occasion but she would keep any comments to herself. Quickly she’d begin to explain the situation, and without really much direction the young woman with horns decided to go off on her own. Though Kiko didn’t know Hana, she knew her sister, so if she was anything like Nariko, there was no need to worry about her. After watching her trail off, her attention moved back to the group as they inquired about their next moves.

”You will move as a group down each street, but the buildings will be cleared solo to ensure we do this quickly. With my dojutsu, I can detect people through walls, so I will push ahead to scout the area. For those with people inside, I’ll mark them with caution tape so you know which to look through. Once the building is clear, remove the tape and move on to the next one. After you’re finished, you may return to the Kage Tower to collect your payment. We’ll start with the buildings closest to the river and direct those we rescue back here so they can safely get to the hospital. Please be careful as you move through the buildings, some may be damaged by the flooding and unstable. Your priority is your safety, if you perish, that's one less helping hand we have so don’t do anything reckless. Any questions?”

Should they have any questions, she would of course answer them, though once they were ready, she would depart. Pooling chakra at her feet, Kiko activated the surface walking technique, ensuring she wouldn’t get pulled under by any odd currents. She gave the group one last glance over before giving them a nod and sprinting at 150 speed into the district. Thankfully it didn’t take her long to reach the lower end and she quickly got to work marking any buildings with people in them. Occasionally when she came across a building in a bad state, she’d stop and evacuate some civilians herself, hoping this would prevent the others in her group from perishing.

Though they seemed to be competent, Kiko didn’t want their potential deaths on her hands, and due to her speed, she was easily able to get most people out of harm's way. Some time passed, and eventually, each home that hosted civilians had been marked. Knowing there was still work for her to do, Kiko returned to the flooded streets and aided her companions in rescuing the remaining people. Before long, they had completely cleared the district and saved a large number of civilians from a watery fate. The group now stood at the entrance once more, in various states of exhaustion, and each drenched from head to toe.

Kiko’s face remained neutral as she spoke up, addressing the group. She sounded exhausted, but her posture and body language told a different story.

”You all did well, on behalf of the village and Junko, I thank you all for the assistance. Oda, Hasu, should you guys need shelter from the storm, the Kage Tower is open to you as a genin in the village so please stop by if you need it. Takeshi, should you need shelter, you’ll find safety at the hospital. I wish I could extend the same offer to you, but it’s policy, I’m sure you understand. I need to move on to the next district, so please get to wherever you’re going safely.”

After she finished speaking Kiko would offer the group a slight bow before quickly saying goodbye and rushing off towards another nearby district. Her night was only just beginning, and she needed to move quickly if she wanted to save as many people as possible. As she moved through the waterlogged streets, she couldn’t help but worry about how her dear creator was faring in this downpour. Though she attempted to move those thoughts from her mind, it was difficult for her to shake away her anxieties.

(EXIT)

WC: 800
Total WC: 1500
1903/2000 Heavenly Body Previous Training here

Mission Rewards doubled from the beloved presence
12,000 Ryo / 60 AP
+ 3k from Tokubetsu Jounin
Total Reward: 15,000 Ryo / 60 AP

Kiko Tsukiko wrote:(EXIT)

WC: 800
Total WC: 1500
1903/2000 Heavenly Body Previous Training here

Mission Rewards doubled from the beloved presence
12,000 Ryo / 60 AP
+ 3k from Tokubetsu Jounin
Total Reward: 15,000 Ryo / 60 AP

Approved

Oda grew serious as his mission leader Kiko laid out the plan. He had never done an operation like this, and he knew the stakes. Floods were nothing to be trifled with. As Kiko finished her briefing, he remained quiet, waiting for any questions from his teammates. As any questions would end, he would simply nod at Kiko as she departed. He would turn to his teammates with a look of determination and focus on his face. “Alright, I’ll establish a perimeter around each house we go to, and use my fire and lava jutsu to create some blockades, this should give you guys some space to evacuate people” He paused and looked down the main street they were going to head down. “If you guys need any assistance, call ahead and I will return. Stay safe out there guys, I’ll only be about 10m away if anything goes wrong.” He could tell his nervousness was getting to him as he rambled so he cut himself off.


“Preservation of life is the goal here, friends.” With that, attempting to put a confident air on he gave a big thumbs up and a smile. “Let's save some citizens!”. With that, he began moving into the flooding district making sure to stay ahead of his allies to provide cover. With a mixture of his Lava jutsu such as Lava Snake Bullet and Volcanic Eruption he would create small barriers and walls along the numerous alleyways and pathways that were flooding. This created at least a small area for Takashi and Hasu to operate in that wasn’t rapidly filling with water.

Next he would make sure to check houses as he moved, the cold of the rain already seeping into his bones, he reactivated his Hearthfire technique for some reprieve. He would give encouraging words to the citizens and ensure that help would be coming any second. With that he would continue his methodical push through the district.

 Eventually, their section of the district would be complete. He would reconvene with his teammates at the gate they started at with a smile.

”You all did well, on behalf of the village and Junko, I thank you all for the assistance. Oda, Hasu, should you guys need shelter from the storm, the Kage Tower is open to you as a genin in the village so please stop by if you need it. Takeshi, should you need shelter, you’ll find safety at the hospital. I wish I could extend the same offer to you, but it’s policy, I’m sure you understand. I need to move on to the next district, so please get to wherever you’re going safely.”

            He would listen intently to Kiko as she debriefed them. Nodding in agreement at her praise of his teammates, and giving a small frown at Takashi’s exclusion. Still, he understood the reasoning. As she would finish, he would smile and give a deep bow in response. Before he could say anything she was already off at blazing speed, he looked to where she ran off to wish a small wave. He wondered just how arduous her night was going to be, being a higher rank shinobi had its privileges but it also had it’s responsibilities. He broke his train of thought by turning to his teammates as they stood in the rain with him.

“Couldn’t have asked for a better squad to work with!” He said with a grin, his orange hair clung to his face and he wiped the hair away from his eyes as he looked at his teammates with a beaming smile. “I don’t know if any restaurant is open tonight what with the floods. But if you would like to join me at my apartment for some home cooked food then you are most welcome!” He would humbly bow to the three shinobi.

If any of them took him up on his offer, he would lead them back to his place, where he would cook some Yakitori and some ramen for them. The other shinobi would notice how…peculiar Oda’s cooking was, but he seems to think it was delicious. The Yakitori was burnt to a crisp and the Ramen was something he called “crunchy ramen” whatever that was. It was cold and undercooked ramen. Still, at least the sake was good. He would stay up and converse with his fellow shinobi however long they wished, delighting in sharing stories and jokes throughout the night.

If people were unable to attend, he would simply go home and plop down onto his bed in exhaustion, his wet clothes further soaking his bed and bedsheets as he passed out and fell into a deep sleep.

---

[Exit]

WC: 800
TWC: 1922

Claims: