Agápē [Contract Search]

[Yudaya Junnan]

Episode #2
Day: Sunday
Time: 18:49
Location: Somewhere between the Toraono Dojo & The Desert Expanse​

The approaching winter solstice was signaled by the shortening of days. Darkness had swallowed the desert sky ravenously after evening's descent. While the heat had subsided, humidity lingered thickly and clouds blotted out any possibility of a starry night. A rhythmic shifting of sands beneath the weight of a traveler's boots was all that broke the silence. It was like the wildlife had abandoned that particular stretch of the badlands, its surrounding habitation unfit for life as it transformed into a vast desert. Junnan wasn't exactly an astronomer, but he knew if the moon hadn't entered its new phase, then the foreboding clouds obscured its luminosity... Blackening all below.

The newly conscripted Genin's shadowed form could be identified hiking up the steep side of a dune. In the darkness, his wild hair and lithe frame seemed beastly, even more so whilst his bony fingers dug into the sands before him for support. By the time he'd reach the peak of the mound, his all-white eyes would reflect the lights of small villages, scattered off in the distance of The Desert Expanse. When he crouched down, his joints creaked as the probably dry bones grated against one another. Elbows covered in the rolled up sleeves of his leather jacket rested atop his knees, and his eyes narrowed in observation. It wouldn't be long before he reached his destination, that much was clear.

After having been conscripted and getting acquainted with a comrade or two, Junnan returned to the Kazekage Tower for assignment. Some would say that the Hidden Sand Village was being lax, forcefully recruiting an anomalous agent, and then sending him off without a handler. Junnan considered the same, but then a latter thought sat all its weight at the forefront of his cranium. The thought that he was being followed and monitored, somehow from some distance by some unseen means. It was that latter thought that was the most likely, a scenario that would see the evaluation of his aptitude for work in the field.

With acknowledgement of his peculiar circumstances, the council saw it fit to allow Junnan to work with unbridled freedom within the country... So long as he didn't attempt to leave its borders without permission. It wouldn't be required for him to reside within the village, but simply meet with an agent periodically to relay information and progress. Although now officially a member of the village's armed forces, he'd bear no emblem. His past record allowed for him to be expendable in the worst case scenarios, and any ties to the village were carefully managed. He liked it that way, having felt out of place in the bustling military state.

His new employers sent him off to investigate disturbances in the settlements of the Desert Expanse, the first of which was still several miles off. Their last words being, "We'll contact you." in ominous fashion. The region itself was fundamentally plagued. It was home to treacherous brigands, carried rumors of cannibalistic tribes, and savage beasts with the same intentions as the rumored latter. The Hidden Sand Village was incapable of handling everything, and after their successive tragedies in recent times, the number of shinobi at their disposal was barely enough to remain operational. A disposable asset such as Junnan himself was a blessing in disguise, another pair of hands to rake in finances for the resurrection of the village's lost glory. His complacent but almost indentured state of servitude saw that he only need be provided the bare essentials until his loyalty was proven, saving the village a small fortune.

Using the small stipend handed to him prior to departure, he grabbed the basics. A large bag of beef jerky and two medium sized tokkuri, deceptively filled with clean water, were appropriate rations. The rest of his money gathered warmth the pocket of his leather jacket, waiting to be spent at some necessary time. There were some paper bills as well as coins, metallic chips that clanks as he finally decided to stand up in a sudden jerking motion. At the same time, a low growling grew louder from behind him, and held him still. His left hand held the rope of the dangling tokkuri over his shoulder, while his right slid under his jacket to reach for something sharp. Upon turning to face what lurked in the darkness, half of his face remained lit by the faint lights in the distance, giving him a supernatural glow.

The pure white of his eyes seemed green as they reflected the sickly flesh of his countenance, and his savage smile slit his face wide open instinctively. What stared back at him were golden spheres, perfectly horizontal to one another belonging to a dust-colored lupine. It wasn't exceptional, but large enough to be a threat and about three feet tall and about ninety pounds. Neither being moved, only the canine's continued growls scraped away the silence. The beast seemed aged, toting numerous wounds and a somewhat starved disposition. Pupils or not, it was evident the two sets of eyes were locked. "Yeah, I bet you know who to fuck with and who not to." Junnan practically croaked lazily, berating the beast for not outright attacking.

Without another word, but not too suddenly, he pulled out the bag of jerk. After raising it to his chapped lips, he'd bit into three large pieces simultaneously. What was left in the bag was still the greater quantity, but without a care Junnan tossed it towards the old lone wolf. Not waiting to see whether or not the food would be accepted, he began to trod down the other half of the mound and continue on. It was best for him to travel at night, when he wouldn't be easily noticed or dehydrate himself in the sunlight. He still had a ways to go if he wanted to find place to shack up before sunrise...

[Using one Discovery of Contract of Your Choice card, purchased here.]
[Requesting the Kami Contract.]​

WC: 986
Notes: Information on the "Sand Wolf" can be found in the Setting Information [Flora/Fauna] thread.

 

[Junan]

The creature made off into the night with its meal, and the provider made his own way as well.

Moonlight lit the path, but in the desert the night was just as deadly as the day, the temperatures were freezing cold and it was the time when most of the wildlife was about which had adapted to the cold, like the lone wolf. Though it hadn't attacked the provider of its meal, an observer would have noted that the man would only have won through his skill, and his preparedness. After all, many had lost their lives to the desert underestimating its night.

Time passed and he searched for a place to find shelter.

Hours, and he knew that if he didn't find it soon he would be trapped. Tired from his night time wanderings, lack of sleep, clothing for the dead of night (though easily stripped off), he would exhaust in the sun quickly if he didn't find cover.

It was clearly fate however which had decided where his cover would be.

Stepping into quicksand he was dragged down, attempts to use chakra to climb atop it like one would with water didn't work, the sand seemingly dragging him to his death.

Darkness, suffocation, silence but for the sound of sand grinding on sand.

His chest would begin to convulse as his oxygen reserves would begin to run out. Was this how his life would end? At the hands of mother nature herself? There could be worse ways to go... but the feeling of helplessness certainly meant that there would likely be only a few.

And then suddenly, for barely a moment there was nothing. No pressure on him, he felt like he was flying, falling, had he died and gone to... *THUD*

Nope.

Alive.

There would be no light here.

 

[Yudaya Junnan]

Even though the stars had trouble sharing their light, eventually the moon's strength would break through for brief moments at a time. After about an hour, the decline in temperature began to take its toll. Fog smoked from his lips, warming his cheeks momentarily before the chilling winds rebuked it. Junnan's large, yet thin and bony hands seemed to bulge at their joints... Twitching periodically to fight the atmospheric influence. Irregardless of all this, and from all angles, the 'Dead Man' looked quite alright.

He knew not his limitations, his memories and full scope of life spanning a mere few months. The life that he had before his awakening at Soon's Haven eluded him entirely. Whom he was, as far as family, friends, and countrymen were total blanks. This would have been a problem for just about anyone, but not him. Since his eyes had first opened, his mind ticked incessantly, holding to a final conclusion. Whoever he was before, he couldn't have possibly been any good.

Without knowing many things about himself, he instinctively knew much about other things. One of those things, was that every cause had and effect. Without doubt, he had done something to deserve waking up in a pile of garbage, and to appear as death's property. It made more sense to simply forget it, Anything important enough was bound to show itself. The focus of his mind would be limited to the present matters, his obligation to the Hidden Sand Village, as well as that beautiful voice whispering so sweetly in his ear.

There was little room for concern about personal safety, or even the condition of his limbs. He viewed his body merely as something to transport himself. Whether he felt pain with every step or not, his goal of movement was in itself being accomplished. This blatant disregard for self was both a gift and a curse, the curses being obvious, with one of the gifts being increased tolerance for pain. A trait that would make itself evident soon enough. The next step he took found itself sinking into the sands, tugging on his foot and sucking his leg down rapidly. A frown appeared on Junnan's lips, like he'd slipped or something. "Man, if I'd just watc-" He began to complain casually, until the sand swallowed his head.

Unable to breath, and feeling the weight of the surrounding sands pressuring his ribs, Junnan's mind continued to wander. Surely all of this was more punishment for what he'd done in his past. There was little reason in fighting against something that was deserved, for if it was not so the circumstances would have been more in his control. Sand began to fill his nostrils and mouth, while his chest swelled and deflated in stuttering waves. Flashes of blurry faces jumped around his mind's eye like television with bad signal, until there was a sudden release and a hard drop. Everything remained dark, but he felt his bottom hit the ground first, but with such force his head slammed itself backwards onto a hard surface. His head was bleeding, but to him it felt like cool water.

There was about five minutes of simply laying there, and popping back in a bone or two. After soaking in the pain and wondering whether or not he was dead long enough, Junnan sat up. His head was throbbing, but he knew he wasn't badly disoriented and still he couldn't see. Opening and closing his eyes, and shaking his head from left to right he tried to clear his vision, until he was shaking like a wolf out of water... Then with one loud maniacal laugh he welcomed his situational imprisonment. "Don't you love me?" The voice was soft and sultry, mildly hoarse but gingerly so. It was a sound that only he would hear, making his heart beat harder and burn with warmth from its core. Coughing and snorting out sand to clear his airways, he fell onto his hands and knees before answering. "You know it." That savage smile of his cutting through the darkness and his face. "That love burns as hotly as ice if it can't motivate you to stand." She sounded mildly teasing, and a little concerned.

Junnan's wicked smile never faded, only thence splitting as he laughed horrifically. His eyes began to glow green, before he sat back on his heels with his hands on either sides of his thighs. Within his palms, the smallest light flickered then vanished as if blown away by wind. After several more flickers, the lights grew rapidly into green flames levitating over both of his palms and illuminating his environment substantially. The fire swirled and swelled, making Junnan's shadow swirl around himself. "This hot 'nuff for ya!?!" He shouted out, exhilarated and forgetting all his pain, hunger, and discomfort. Pain was really a matter of the mind, whether or not the amount inflicted is enough to take the mind away from its own deliberations... This hidden obsession, coupled with his supernaturally strange beginnings, were merely euphemisms for the steadfast nature deep within...

WC: 847​

Notes:
- Disregard for self and increased pain tolerance as applying for Steadfast CA.
- Green flames are merely flavor as he learns/uses Infernal Ember [1|E] to illuminate the place.
- I'm pretty sure I could have also gone Pyromaniac with this post as well, but trust me, fire's not that big of a deal in comparison to his ability to endure.
- The conversation going on in his head is... Nobody's concern but his own.

 

[Junan]

As the darkness never seemed to clear naturally it seemed that the man picking himself off of the sand covered floor would light a couple of fires in the palms of his hands. Their light flickered like natural fire, though the colour that issued from them granted a lower level of light than traditional fire might have. It didn't matter much as the light was enough to be able to see the room.

It was massive, the green hued light didn't seem to be able to reach the far end well enough to make out what was there, though it was light enough to be worked out that something stood there. On either side of the hall stood tall thick pillars, holding up the roof. Their strength attested to by the fact that the hallway wasn't filled with sand.

Where Junnan stood seemed to be more or less towards one end of the hall, and as he looked at his immediate surroundings he would see that by a mere foot he missed the corner of some kind of stone edge which stood at about shoulder height. Luck had shone on him... even in this unlucky circumstance.

On both sides the raised platform could be seen, and they seemed to run the length of the room, it was on these that the pillars stood. Reasonably nearby he would also see that there were sets of staircases leading up to their height, though he could simply climb up anyway should he choose to do so.

As his eyes adjusted he would also notice oddities. Almost triangular entities which remained pitch black. Unlike the end of the hallway which gave away that there was something there, an end to the passage, it seemed that these triangular shapes did not, or at least the light didn't reach them. What he could see though was that they were framed, and seemed to look like oddly shaped doorways with no door. There were at least three on either side, and perhaps more further up the hall.

Note:
- due to the flame being chakra based I've decided to roleplay that the chakra is the energy source being used to fuel them, not oxygen.