Apples to Corpses [Contract Search]

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Spoiler: Mood Setting (Link)

Music

The blazing sun started to dip below the edge of the walled city, casting an eerie shadow across the outermost edges of the bazaar as merchants struggling to eke out a meager living stowed away their wares for the evening. On most nights, this would be the prime opportunity for thieves and more depraved criminals to prowl the streets for their prey; however, tonight hardly anybody regardless of ill intent dared to linger in the streets tonight. The few that did hovered around the fetid and mangled corpse of a young man, gawking at the vermin infesting his body and gossiping about his fate.

"You did this to my boy, didn't you!?" a older man shouted at one of the merchants as his voice strained with rage and sorrow.

"No, of course not!" the other defended himself against the accusations. "I mean, alright, I've had issues with your hoodlum of a boy, but so did everyone else!"

"An apple stolen here and there didn't warrant his death though!" the father continued in denial.

"Enough!" a third intervened as he pointed to the remains. "It's clear this is not any of our doing; no ordinary man or woman could have done that."

"Are you saying a shinobi did this!?" the father bellowed as he clenched his fists.

"Get a hold of yourself, you fool!" the merchant replied. "Regardless of who or what killed your son, we can't bring them to justice if they're more powerful than us.

"We need help."

---

Hiroshi casually browsed the variety of merchandise among the vendors in search of his favorite imported fruit from Konohagakure--green apples. As he walked past the stalls, the denizens of the bazaar stared at him and began muttering among themselves, feigning disinterest whenever he turned his head towards them.

After ignoring the citizens' curiosity for a minute or so, Hiroshi unfortunately found the fruit vendor's stall in disarray as an older man held the merchant pinned against the ground and pummeled him.

"Why can't you let my boy rest in peace?" the first man cried out as his fist connected with the jaw of the second. "Why must you defile his memory even after what happened!?"

"Is there a problem here?" Hiroshi interrupted as he cracked his knuckles--an intimidation tactic meant to deter further violence rather than provoke it.

The first man turned his head towards the shinobi. "You . . . you're from Sunagakure, aren't you?" he asked Hiroshi as he let go of his victim and approached the newcomer. "Did they send you?"

"Send me for what?" Hiroshi asked in earnest. "I'm just shopping for apples."

"Apples?" the man asked in disbelief. "Apples!? My son is dead and you're too busy browsing for apples!?"

"Oh shut up!" the bloodied merchant belittled his assailant as he staggered to his feet. "It would take at least a week or so for even our fastest couriers to reach Sunagakure, let alone for them to process our request."

Hiroshi laid a gentle hand on the father's shoulder. "My sincerest condolences," he offered his sympathy to the bereaved man, "but this is indeed the first I've heard of such an incident."

"I . . . I'm sorry . . . " the first man regained his composure as he struggled out of his stupor. "I just want justice for my boy . . . so far the only thing we know is that no normal person could have done that to him."

Hiroshi nodded, knowing all too well just how terrible losing a family member is. "Don't worry; now that I know the situation, I will do my best."

"Good!" the merchant spat as he started to pick up bruised and dirtied fruit off of the ground. "Maybe you can also clear my name as well; I'm getting tired of this idiot harassing me."

The shinobi sighed as the sun started to set once again upon the bazaar. "Both of you, just go home where it's safe," he berated both of them as started his patrol. "I will conduct my investigation now."

[WC: 679]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

YOU HAVE FOUND THE INSECT
CONTRACT! DO YOU ACCEPT OR DENY IT?​

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

(OoC: Accepting Insect)

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

All the shouts and arguing would be an rude awakening for those unseen creatures of the desert. One such creature revealed itself. A small black fly buzzing through the marketplace landed on Hiroshi's shoulder curiousky taking in the converstation and gazing at the body they were discussing. Curious, the insect flew closer landing on the corspe relishing it's flesh. Excited, it began rattling it's wings as if calling out to someone and what followed would be a nightmare. Out in the distant sand, there could be a dark cloud that could be seen approaching the bazaar with a distinct buzzing sound accompanying it. Upon further inspection, it would be revealed to be nothing more than a swarm of every critter imaginable from grasshopers to crickets and even locusts. They raided the marketplace infesting the delicacies and getting into the fine fabrics. Termites began to attack the structures of the stalls collasping them. It was utter chaos. Soon, some of the creatures turned to more brutal ways confronting the marketgoers getting into their clother to harass them. The air was thick with them. It was impossible to make out any visibilty in front of you. Everywher yo lookeed, the creepy crawler were there waiting to pounce on you.

Among all this, one larger insect stood out. A fly, the size of an adult male and black in color landed before Hiroshi staring him down as if expecting a challenge. The other bugs backed away from him clearly showing him the deference he deserved. He flapped his wings making a rattling sound and the other creatures followed suit. Apparently, he was the leader of this pack and the one responsibile for this mess. He spoke to the Sunan, his voice raspy and breaking every now and then."We....bzz...have come.....bzzz to free the land. I bring....bzzz a message from.....bzz The Great One. Join us....or be....bzz absorbed."It stopped speaking stepping closer to the man expecting an answer. Several of the other creatures followed suit encircling the man. They entrapped him pressuring him for an answer. While in the background, the assualt continued as stalls broke down and food items were being infected. All the profit of the merchants was being wasted away.

"Thiss is...bzzz....what will happen....bzzz to those.....bzzzz who refuse. Decline...bzzz and I can not....gurantee...bzzz your safety. Accpect these terms....bzzzall activity here will cease."The large insect flapped it's wings impatiently and the others followed suit clearly trained to follow their leader's actions. Some of them took to the corspe poking around it and looking at it."Hey,
look...bzzz...dead body!""Maybe it..bzzz...has some goodies!""Ehh...bzzz..lets check it out!"Curious, the critters began to dig into the dead man's skin and clothes as if seeking to devour it. It was visible to anyone that these insects were very destructive in their nature and cared nothing for the aftermath. Several people crouched cowering with the critters hovering over them praying for a miracle. All eyes rested on Hiroshi. What would he do?

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

At first, Hiroshi paid no mind to the tiny fly that had landed on his shoulder; for all intents and purposes, the creature seemed rather consequential at first, and its presence was to be expected with the rotting flesh nearby. But, as it began it excited buzzing--loud enough to have been mistaken for many instead of one--the shinobi could help but feel like he was in for a bad time. He and several of the merchants looked towards the sky, seeing a cloud swiftly moving towards the walled bazaar.

"Well," he thought as the sky darkened overhead, the swarm of vermin droning ominously as it descended upon the land. "This doesn't look good." He turned to see many of those still in the process of closing their stalls for the night being harassed by the bugs--some opting to feast upon the fruits the merchants had failed to sell that day, others infesting the very fabric covering their bodies.

"What the hell did I just say!?" he shouted to everyone still struggling to escape the swarm. "Get inside, now!"

Before he had a chance to conjure some sort of fire jutsu out of desperation, a much larger fly landed before Hiroshi and started to stare him down. And then, much to his surprise, it spoke to him.

"'Free the land'?" he mentally quoted the unusually large insect's declaration of their mission as it continued its message. "They're literally just destroying everything they touch. . . . "

Unmei silently chuckled from within. "Freedom isn't free, pup," she reminded her host, her interpretation of the fly's words. "I suppose they're reinstating balance within nature, starting with humanity and its collective ego."

"You would know all about that, right?" Hiroshi mocked the entity within him as other, smaller flies began to discuss and examine the boy's body, much to his bereaved father's horror. "This is nothing but cruel terrorism."

"Either way, you can't stop them . . . not without my help at least," the Dread Wolf within teased the shinobi, both knowing very well that any involvement she would have in potential confrontations would be minimally beneficial at best.

With a defeated sigh, Hiroshi realized he had no choice but to comply with whatever the fly's demands were; not only for his own safety, but for the civilians occupying the bazaar.

"For the sake of everyone here, I must accept," the man addressed the sentient insect. "What exactly are your terms?"

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

The dominant insect nodded it' approval at the wisdom of the man's choice."You have chosen well...bzzzt. As for the terms, these shall be discussed...bzzt...at a much more undisclosed location.
The Great One awaits your arrival....bzzzt."Using his wings to send signals to the other creatures, the destruction ceased and the horde began preparing for flight back to whatever hole they had eruptes from."Mount my back...bzzzt...we shall take you...."It approached the Sunan to allow him to mount the enormous fly. Clearly, these insencts had a very well established sense of order and cooperation. The others were waiting patiently for the fly to take off before they did. These were no mindless creatures. They were far more than your average critter. These were superior beings, with a purpose in mind and and a focus on how to do it. The leader glanced around the marketplace and the remants of what remainined."This was necessary...bzzt...all will be explained in due time.
Do not try to follow us. There will be....bzzt....consequences if you do."The critter said addressing the people.

With that message sent, if Hiroshi accpected the fly's conditon, they would rise and take flight the swarm following as the sound of flapping wings and buzzing filled his ears. The horde soared across the desert dunes for what seemed like a eternity. Soon enough, they reached what seemed to be the ruins of a small town and it was literally infested with bugs of all kind. Apparently, this was their stronghold. The mass of insects landed and almost instantly, all eyes turned to the human riding on top. A sand scarab scuttled forward towering over the Sunan checking him out speaking in a rough voice."Eh! What part of leave no one alive didn't get across to you, you rock. Eh!"The bug said speaking to the large fly. The creature responded by flaring up it's wings in a attempt to intimidate."Bzzt! We had....a situation. I need to see the boss-man. Bzzt."The bug muttered to himself and turned around snapping at two beetles who happened to be dozing nearby."Eh! Get the big man! Tell him it's urgent! Thjs better be good. Eh!"He said in a aside to the insect.

As they proceeded through the ruins of the town, it was almost like it was alive again but instead, it was being operated by bugs. Literal bugs. They stopped before a rusty broken down shack. Termites were chewing on the wood structure paying no mind to the entourage approaching."Bzzt.
Now we wait, The Great One resides within. He will determine your fate..bbzzzt."From inside, all that could be heard was a omnious crunchung sound as if someone was munching on something. Other than that...silence. No one dared to go inside for some odd reason. The scarab crawled forward, its legs quivering."Eh. Wait here. Eh"He said his voice shaking as he went into the shack disappearing from view and the crunching sound stopped instantly. Who was this Great One this community of pests held in high regard. Whoever it was, Hiroshi was about to find out as a large shadow was cast over him. The Great One was present.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

"That's a good boy," Unmei teased as Hiroshi bowed before the insect, grateful the chaos would soon cease. "Now, shake!"

"Enough, Zasshu," he silently snapped at the entity within him, watching as the insect kept his promise and dispersed the smaller insects; fortunately they seemed to have a some semblance of hierarchy among their kind.

"Don't make me get the whistle, pup," Unmei teased before the fly offered to take Hiroshi to their stronghold on his back.

"Um . . . can I follow on land?" he asked the insect in earnest before gesturing to his six foot eight inch and two fifty plus pound frame. "It is quite clear you are strong, but as you can see I'm not exactly light as a feather." Realizing it may be a futile effort at best, he reached into the pouch at his side and extracted a small vial of a putrid-smelling concoction before offering it to his . "At the very least, please use this to keep your chakra reserves up; it's an energy drink brewed exclusively in Suna. It's also filled with sugar."

Regardless of the fly's response to the latter offer, Hiroshi sighed and complied with his instructions before giving a stern, yet still nervous smile to the denizens of the bazaar.

"Please do as he says," the towering man reinforced the insect's warning. "I don't want anyone else to die." With that out of the way, he turned to face the same direction as the fly. "Please, lead the way."

---

The flight over the massive Kaze no Kuni desert was tortuously long for both Hiroshi and Unmei, the former gripping the creature's carapace as tightly as he could. "My apologies!" he shouted over the cacophony of the swarm behind him. "I'm just more used to keeping my legs on dry land!"

Much to his relief, the fly carrying Hiroshi finally landed in a small town inhabited by a plethora of bugs much like the others. However, as the fly began discussing their mission, Hiroshi couldn't help feel a sense of dread hanging over him as the ominous crunching lingered in his memory long after it had stopped.

"Hey, Hiroshi-kun . . . " Unmei nudged his spirit. "Just remember, you're not alone in this."

Hiroshi smiled as he awaited for the Great One's arrival, prostrating himself before the shadowy figure as a sign of respect.

"I know, Unmei-sama; thank you."

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

As Hiroshi would look up to feast his eyes on the creature they called The Great One, it would be quite a sight to behold. It was a massive carnivorous beetle, brown inncolor, it's fanglike mouth crunching away at what seemed to be the remains of some other bug, blood caked part of it's face. Big, black eyes bored into the Sunan as if checking him out. It came closer saying nothing gesturing with it's front legs to the other insects to leave them. Instantly, without question, the other creatures faded away into the woodwork busying themself in their activites. Nodding to himself, he gestured for the man to follow him inside and trod inside the structure he had come from. Inside, he would be greeted by a disgusting scene. The walls were rotting almost peeled off and in one corner sat a pile of moldy food with a crowd of flies fighting over who got first dibs. Dead termits littered the floor and the stench of death was overbearing. There was a thump as the beetle spat out what remained of his meal on the floor. It was a mixture of green fluid fused with bug parts. It was a gut-wrenching sight."Welcome...Welcome to my throne room.
I am curious about you, human. Usually, those who encounter our swarms tend not to live. Something must have stood out for my minions to bring you back here. So tell me...what was it?"

While waiting for his reply, the Great One busied himself in the pile of food, that crunching sound starting up again. He gestured with his limbs to the non-edible food items at this point."You mjst be hungry after that flight. Come, eat. We have some delicous molded cricket legs and rusty fly wing pies."To any normal person, that vocabluary would be enough to send them packing. However, they were bugs after all and would act as such."Or if you want, I can have our cook whip up some great wasp crackers."He said turning to glance at an honeybee buzzing around here and there clearly in a search for something. At his mention, he nodded excitely flapping his wings to profess his pride before returning to his tasks. It was a very-well organized community they had. A leader and his people. It was almost like a village..except those were more hygenic.

"However, Sunan, I do have a bone to pick with you. Your kind have been hunting us for decades now. They deem us intruders. Pests. As such, violent action is taken to exterminate us. This is one of the last remaining safe havens where our kind can band together to live. This attack was a message...to your kind. We do not intend violence but are perfectly capable of it."The kingly bug said gnawing it's pincerlike mouth together in a threatning gesture."So what defense do you offer for your people,eh human?"This converstation had quickly turned sour quick. If Hiroshi did not provide a satisfying reply, he would most likely be added to that collection of rotting food in the corner at the mercy of the honeybee chef.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Well over a decade of shinobi training, his own familiarity with death, and an extraordinary determination steeled Hiroshi's resolve as he first beheld the Great One voraciously eating one of his lessers and once more as it welcomed him to his room.

"Thank you," the man expressed his gratitude as he bowed at the waist. "It is certainly an honor to meet someone with as much prestige as yourself."

As he stood back up, his stern visage betrayed the mission he was on. "As for why I am here currently or what your subjects saw in me, I do not fully understand myself. If you so wish, I will regale you with the events that led me into your domain over a few wasp crackers; after all, no need for me to be rude and deny your hospitality."

Regardless of whether he had to explain how a simple trip to the Bazaar for a few apples turned into a murder investigation then into a defending the Bazaar against the swarm and finally into meeting the Great One itself, a sigh would undermine Hiroshi's calm demeanor as the kingly beetle attempted to coerce his human guest.

"I just wanted an apple . . . " he silently commented to Unmei.

"Be careful, Hiroshi-kun," she responded. "We have no idea what this vermin is capable of."

A warm vibe perpetuated itself through the shinobi's body before he returned he attention to the insect sovereign. "If I had intended violence against your kind, I would have ignored your vassal's invitation and simply fought against your warning assault to my last breath. And if I had intended violence against you yourself, then one of us would not still be standing here conversing with the other."

Then a thought occurred to Hiroshi; he had attempted to play the mediator between the merchant and the late boy's father just before the swarm had attacked. Perhaps the tiny fly had bore witness to his attempts at peaceful intervention and saw him as the only way to save his kind.

"I believe it is clear to both of us is that more violence isn't necessary at the moment; you've lost too many of your kind to my own," Hiroshi continued. "However, violence on your behalf will just beget more violence on ours, and if this is one of your last sanctuaries remaining, then you are already at a disadvantageous position in regards to a full-scale war.

"What I propose is that you seek a peaceful yet active resolution to this conflict; if you remain passive, then those ignorant of your plight will simply continue to commit atrocities against you and your kind." Hiroshi scratched his chin for a second as he tried to devise a satisfying compromise.

"So, now that I've somewhat answered your question, I shall ask you a similar one; what do you and your kind have that you are willing to offer for your own safety?" Unlike the Great One, Hiroshi did not needlessly threaten his host or his subjects; after all, he certainly wanted to prevent any unnecessary bloodshed from either faction.

[MFT: 518]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

The beetle eyed Hiroshi, those dull pupils sizing him up. He was an interesting one, that was for sure. No one else had the mettle or willpower to address the dominant bug in this fashion. He was either very foolish or a man of courage. "You know, Sunan, if it weren;t for the current cirumstances under which you were brought here, I probably would have eaten you by now. No one has dared to address me the way you have but I am curious to know more."Plucking what seemed to be a horrid-looking wasp wing from his food pile and crushing it so it rolled into a ball, he slid it across to the man."Wasp crackers, have some."He said gesturing to the practically-non-edible food item. Hiroshi began to speak a tune about violence, something the Great One found in a sense, amusing. Upon the mention of an offer, there was nothing but laughter that erupted from the kingly bug as he shook his head to and from, his body racked with laughter."What am I willing to offer? You must be out of your mind, Sunan! It is your people that started this decade-long conflict. Why SHOULD I be the one to make a sacrifice?"He stopped his snickering and fell silent for a moment, the ominous buzz of the insects zooming around outside filling their ears. Gazing out over his little realm, the sovereign insect let out the equivalent of a sigh before speaking in a undecipherable tone to his subjects, commanding them to leave the room. They obeyed crawling, flying and slithering to get out of there as soon as possible before they became the next course on the menu.

"Though, you are right in a sense. I should be willing to do that much to preserve this community. I may not seem like the best ruler but this realm is all we insects have and I am tasked with protecting it from you humans or fear the wrath of the rumored great insect overlord himself."He said shuddering in response as he said the last few words."Tell you what, how about this, you go on a journey traveling the sand dunes visiting the other remaining insect nests and speaking with their leader. After you have done this, report back to me and tell me what you discussed, only and only then will I consider the prospect of ceasing this senseless war. Fail and the Hidden Sand village will suffer the same fate as that small, outlandish town. That was only the beginning."The threat was supposed to intimidate, despite it being a bluff. There was no way in thier current state of power that the Great One's forces alone could devestate a civillzation as large as the Great Sand Village. Perhaps with the cooperation of the few remaining insect towns but that was had caused this conflict to backfire on them. The dominant insect leaders were at odds with each other due to little trivial issues and as such, this war caused them many losses.

The beetle made a odd, scratching sound on the floor with his legs and instantly, a scorpion almost the size of the Great One appeared coming into view. Clearly, he had been there the entire time, listening in."This is my personal guard, we call him Samaki. He will accompany you on this journey. He is battle-tested and a veteran of this climate should you fall into any trouble."Samaki nodded gesturing with his stinger tail menancingly."If ya tick me off, I will make short work of you. I am only doing this for the boss. We are not friends, not partners. Nothing more, nothing less. Got it, small-fry?"He said in a gruff tone, glaring down the shinobi. The beetle, ignoring the threats his scorpion comrade made spoke one final time."So, what say you? Will you undertake this quest for the sake of both our people? Who knows, you might unconver something interesting along the way."Gulping down the last wasp cracker, The Great One nodded in approval enjoying the horrid taste in his mouth."I have some prepared meals for you along the way, that is if you do undertake it. Otherwise, I will just make you the meal myself. Haven;t had human flesh in a while."He said laughing heartily at the though of it.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Hiroshi raised an eyebrow at the Great One's overwhelming audacity as he bit off a modest morsel of the wasp cracker and chewed on it for the remainder of his conversation with the scarab--despite the bodies of wasp adults and larvae being a delicious delicacy in Sunagakure, their wings were another story entirely.

"My apologies, Great One," he bowed at the waist towards the sovereign beetle as the former's indignation summoned his subjects to him. "I meant no disrespect to you or those under your rule. I am simply an outsider who merely wishes to find a resolution to this conflict that will satisfy both your kind and my kind."

At the mention of an insect overlord presiding over the entirety of these sentient insects, Hiroshi tilted his head down just slightly and began to comb through his short beard with with his hand. "So he is just a lord himself," he thought to himself as Samaki made his presence known to the shinobi and proceeded to threaten him with his stinger.

"Can I please just purge this filthy stronghold with fire?" Unmei silently growled as Hiroshi merely nodded towards the Great One's personal guard.

"No, Unmei-sama. Our mission right now is one of peace." The man then returned his attention to the giant carnivorous beetle and bowed towards him one final time.

"Rest assured, your majesty," Hiroshi addressed the insect before rising. "I have every intention on seeing this quest through to its end."

He then turned towards Samaki. "You know these dunes better than I ever could, so I'll trust you to lead the way."

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

Samaki grunted a reply giving his carnivourous sovereign a nod before scuttling towards the entrance. He stopped and glanced at Hiroshi giving him a impatient look with eyes that that were coated thick with hatred."Well, what are ya waiting for, Sunan?! You're burning daylight and my time so get on it, pronto!"The scorpion said making it's way towards the exit of the stronghold. The Great One would return to his feast turning his back on the human having nothing more to say to them. As they would make their way towards the exit, all sorts of eyes would watch as they walked on, judging them, analyzing them and casting remarks."Bring back some food!""Hey, human! Hope Samaki doesn't make you into his dinner by the end of today!""That would be a new record!"Some of the creatures broke into laughter at the joke they had made as the duo finally got out of range of the stronghold and found themselves trekking the great sand dunes of the Wind Country. Samaki did not speak much, his dull eyes scanning the sandy surface as he led on stopping for a brief moment here and there."Righ so, our next stop is a old-run down temple close to the Hidden Sand. The insects there are rumoured to be very violent in nature and not too welcoming to other of thier kind or even humans so try not to be stupid. I know that is a challenge for you but please, I would prefer not to die side by side with a human."He said rattling his stinger as if warning the shinobi.

The trip in itself to the temple was fairly quiet. They trekked over the massive sand dunes for quite a while encountering a few obstacles along the path such as a few sand snakes who attempted to prey upon the scorpion warrior but were quickly rebuffed by his size or the field of cacti before them which Samaki navigated with ease, ,his rough and tough skin protecting him from the thorns as he tossed a smirk at the human."Better find a way around, Sunan because this is about to be the least of your worries."He decided to leave out the fact the tips of the thorns were coated with a fast-acting poison acid, a means of defense and a sign they were nearing the stronghold. The insects of this particular nest were extremely territorial and had set this up as a means of warding off any potential intruders. The scorpion would watch Hiroshi when he attempted to navigate the array of cacti, a most amused expression on his face."It must suck not bein-"He was cut off by the sound of a few screams and the sound of something falling to the ground with a thump."Quick, human! No time to waste, get up here, you sorry sack of rocks!"

The scorpion swiftly moved towards the sound of the conflict and stopped for a brief moment taking in the scene. The dead body of a traveling merchant and a few others being feasted on by swarms of sand scarabs. The blood soaked the sandy surface as limbs and flesh were torn apart, each bug fighting for a piece. Samaki watched this quietly as the feeding frenzy intensifed. Soon, all that was left was bare bone and a few remnants of meat for scavengers. He shook his head judging the poor soul's fate."All who venture into this land are victim to such brutality. This would not be happening if insects actually got along for once. We work in small teams but can not seem to function as a global collective. These are not nice creatures. Tread carefully and don't take anything they offer you. Seriously, don't. Even if it's wasp crackers."With that, the giant scorpion moved towards the rotting body, a feeling of dread overtaking him as the scarab group turned to face the duo, their pupils instantly alight at the though of more food walking towards them. What a bountiful day it had been for hunting.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Hiroshi followed Samaki outside of the stronghold, chuckling at the other insects' joke about his chances for survival. "We shall see," he casually answered before exiting their vicinity; while he had no intention of filling the massive scorpion's stomach at all, the man had confidence that the arachnid had no intention of eating him just yet despite his standoffish behavior towards the shinobi. Listening intently as Samaki warned him about the denizens inhabiting the first stop on their quest--ruthless insects within a derelict temple close to his own home--before agreeing with his ominous advice. "I have no intentions on dying today," he informed his guide as the two began their journey through the desert dunes.

Compared to the panic he experienced during the flight to the first haven, the earthbound trip to the second proved much more enjoyable for Hiroshi despite the fact his very life was at stake should he fail this mission; something about being on solid ground gave him reassurance that everything would be alright. Soon enough, though, the two would encounter a vast field of cacti that spread out before them. As the scorpion rushed past the needles unimpeded thanks to his hardy carapace, Hiroshi raised an eyebrow at his taunting.

"Is he not telling me something?" he thought as he garbed himself in a wreath of flames and marched directly towards where Samaki was perched observing the carnage below them. The poisonous acid coating the spines of the cacti evaporated into a toxic mist, causing a slight chemical burn to develop on Hiroshi's exposed skin as he forged his own path just as quickly as Samaki had.

But as he extinguished the flames protecting him and beheld the grisly spectacle himself, the shinobi couldn't help but grimace at the horrible scene. "Your kind must have been a great civilization before all this," he lamented solemnly to the scorpion as he followed him down. "It's a shame they've been reduced to squabbling like that."

Taking the initiative in greeting the voracious swarm of beetles, Hiroshi bowed slightly towards them. "Greetings, I have come seeking an audience with your leader."

[MFT: 355]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

The mass of sand scarabs turned to face the duo, their eyes darting around as they scanned what could be their next meal. Samaki eyed them warily as if daring them to try it"Alright, let's all just calm down now. As this oversized big lug just said, we are here to seek an audience with your sovereign. Nothing more, nothing less."One of the scarabs trotted forward getting almost face to face with the scorpion, brave seeing how the scorpion clearly outsized him."Aren't you from that other settlement, eh, scorpion."Samaki looked straight back blinking not even once."Yes, I am and I would very much appreciate it if you could back up a bit or my..companion here will not be too happy and trust me, he isn't very safe to be around when he is not around, isn't that right?"He said glancing at Hiroshi as if willing him to say yes. The bug snickered and turned to the others trotting back to them."Well, c'mon then, what are you waiting for, a invitation?!"Samaki shook his head muttering and gesturing with his tail for the Sunan to follow proceeded after the mass of bugs grimacing at the sight of the now ravaged merchant not trusting himself to look at it. The sight was purely too horrendous. They walked for what seemed like forever in the glaring sun finally coming into view of a impressive structure, a structure made of straw, sand and sun-dried brick, One could tell the duo were not welcome here as they made their way inside, a long, dark corridor lit by torches as eyes peered out at them from the shadows.

They came to the end of the hallway to a open archway that led into a open area that was flooded in darkness, no light source whatsoever. The scarab turned to the duo, his tone impatient and hostile."Right, tribute."Samaki stared at him as if trying to comprehend his words."Come again?""All who come before the sovereign must pay some form of tribute. It is the law of this temple."The pest explained calmly standing there blocking their route."Does it look like I have anything of value on me, you bug?"No, but I am sure your human friend here has something of value. Coins, jewels, food. Hand it over or we could just make you the tribute. Your choice really."He said turning a eye on the Sunan scanning his garb. The scorpion fell silent seething in rage knowing full well any more of his smart words and all of would be ending up as a feast for the very one they had come to see.

It was their way of extorting items from all who came. "That;s why you killed that merchant, right? He left without paying your cost.""Correct, and you are about to join him if you don't hurry up. See, our leader does not like to be kept waiting."As if on cue, there was a deafening hiss from the shadowy room behind him and the scarab nodded as if agreeing."Told you so."The oversized scorpion began wondering if this was really worth all the trouble they were going to. At this rate, they would end up broke from all the tribute they would have to end up giving."Human, please tell me you brought along some of those gold coins, what is it you people call them? Yen or something like that?"Currency was something foreign to insects. They did buisness in food, not these silly coins the human population used to buy items of luxury. The hiss came louder this time."HISSSsssss"

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Hiroshi folded his thick arms across his burly chest as the indignant scarabs provoked Samaki's temper as well as his own. "I advise you do as he suggests and step down," he glared at insect challenging the scorpion as flames flared up all over his body before dissipating into smoke and embers once more. "We do not seek any aggressive confrontation, but we also won't allow any transgression against our mission--violent or otherwise--to go unanswered." The lumbering hulk of a man nodded towards his guide, silently implying that he had his back in this endeavor as they followed the entourage.

The blazing sun continued to beat down upon them as them as they traversed the desert until they came upon a rather impressive structure composed of straw, sand, and brick; compared to the derelict state of the Great One's stronghold, the temple-haven of these voracious scarabs seemed to have weathered the test of time quite well.

"Perhaps they aren't as savage as their demeanor portrays?" he contemplated before entering the torch-lit hall, taking note of the countless eyes sizing him and Samaki up on their way to the leader of the scarabs. But as the subject of a tribute was brought up, however, Hiroshi couldn't help but grunt with aggravation. "Then again, they are still quite ruthless in their tactics."

He held up a hand, as though the gesture would be enough to quell the tension between Samaki and the scarab. "What tithe is acceptable?" he inquired before reaching into his belt pouch and procuring the requested amount of coins--with a few extra as a gesture of good faith if the request was modest enough.

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

The scarab quickly siezed the coins with his mouth which was disgusting in itself as some form of green goo dripped from his mouth onto Hiroshi's palm. Nodding in satisfaction, he disappeared into the dark shadows and the duo played the waiting game."I swear I'm going to kill them."Samaki remarked to Hiroshi grumbling as their guide came back."Her Grace will see you now."He said gesturing towards the shadow where a set of eyes loomed out at them, curious in nature. The scorpion raised the equivalent of an eyebrow scoffing at the title."I see nothing graceful about this.."He said rather smartly before proceeding onwards coming to an halt almost instantly."Oh...my..."He stared up at the supposed leader, a female termite too big for the room they were in chewing away on a mass of wood logs. Samaki for once was lost for words. This? This was their all-powerful leader? A freaking termite?"Welcome to my domain,pets."The bug said smirking at their reactions as she eyed the tribute she been brought adding it to the collection of valuables behind her, an assortment of jewels, coins and other precious metals.

"We hail from the Great One's domain and come with a message. My companion here can explain."He added gesturing with his stinger tail to Hiroshi."That fat,usless,bug?
What use do I have for creatures from his plus you are harboring a human, what a disgrace."She let loose a chuckle looking down at them."I have no use for you, be gone."The scorpion glanced at Hiroshi as if pleading him to say something."I assure you, it will be worth your time."He professed eyeing the scarabs in the backgrounds staring at them with hungry eyes."We wouldn't dare waste your time with trivial matters, you are after all, a very important being with a strong foothold this close to Suna."He added bowing his head. The termite smirked seeing his submissive nature."Fair point. I want to hear it from you,however human. The bug is of no interest to me."

Samaki bristeld with rage but held it within. He had to play nice for now, but she was really testing him. One wrong move and they could end up like that merchant or added to that tribute pile. Both options didnt sound as great. He mumbled under his breath to Hiroshi."I swear to god, she makes one more degreatory remark, I'll sting her and watch her choke in the venom."He said his lips barely moving. She thought she was above them, she considefed them peasants. Boy, was she in for a surprise. He also knew such rash action was unwarranted and stupid. She had to be powerful to hold this base so close to the village. However, the fact that it was a termite was still beyond him."Is that...all you...eat?"He asked hesistantly eyeing the wood pieces."Well, of course, foolish pest. I do not feast on flesh like the rest of you savages."He decided not to bring up the fact he had seen her lessers feasting on the merchant.

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Hiroshi grimaced ever so slightly as the voracious beetle claimed the coins in his maw and scurried away, leaving behind some sickly green substance on his hand. "Ew . . . " he commented as he wiped away the slime on his pants. "Samaki, as much as that would please me to no end, our mission is one of peace, not violence."

"Oh my . . . " Hiroshi's thoughts mirrored his companion's own words as he beheld the gargantuan termite with his own eyes.

"Your grace," he addressed the sovereign of this domicile, bowing his head as he prostrated himself before her. "Please forgive any insult to you on our behalf; much like I suggested to your subjects on our way into your magnificent domain, we do not wish any unnecessary conflict." The man stood up to his full height, which was still easily dwarfed by the termite within. "In fact, I could say that preventing further conflict is my mission for being here."

He gestured towards Samaki as he continued. "From what I understand with my conversations with my companion's lord--the Great One, as it were--my kind has foolishly declared the entirety of insects to be nothing more than pests; minor menaces to be eradicated with the swat of a hand or stomp of a foot." He paused for dramatic effect. "I, however, am no warmongering fool myself. I see there is a purpose for each and every one of you, and though I may not readily know what that purpose may be, it is not my place to deny you that purpose.

"I have also learned from these conversations that your kind has been divided through internal conflict amidst your kind." He gestured towards the audience of beetles in the background. "Indeed, that seems to be the truth from what little I've seen of both the Great One's stronghold and Your Grace's sanctuary." He returned his focus to the termite. "Yet I know of another truth; that your purpose is relative to one another. Imagine, if you'd be so kind, that the forest from which you and your subjects obtain your feast had been reduced to ashen cinders, unsuitable for anyone much less someone as majestic as yourself.

"Surely, you'd be forced to either sacrifice your dignity, or submit to death itself." He let the somber thought linger for a moment before continuing. "That is not what I want; I do not wish to see your kind reduced to such pettiness. Rather, I wish to see your kind bolstered; alone you are quite powerful, yet there is so much more potential in unity."

"My point is, there is a chance for peace--both among your kind and between your kind and my kind. As such, I implore you to consider an alliance, with both the Great One and humanity."

[MFT: 463]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

The termite queen listened nodding along as Hiroshi dived into his lecture about humanity and peace and so on. The female bug waited until he was finished talking, chewing slowly on her wood bark as if deep in thought."Human...our kind have been embroiled in conflict for centuires to come. We insects thrive as a collective whole, this concept of individualism is foreign to us but yet some think that being a lone wolf is....preferable."She had a look of disgust on her face as she spat the word out at them as if it pained her to say it."Yet, at the same time, we are a stubborn kind. You think our kind can simply put aside our differences just like that and come together? I'll have you know I have a personal vendetta wtih the Great One seeing as some of my kind defected to his side through the use of false rumours."Samaki shifted uncomfortably as if not too keen to hear what was about to come next."In fact, this insolent bug that claims to be your companion, he hails from this very temple. Now, he dares to stand before me and preach about your goals and values as a representative of that run-down dunghole you call a kingdom."She said, a smirk appearing on her face. Samaki raised his tail in warning shooting her a glare."My defection was justified for as you truly well know, pest.""Oh, but was it? How many times you have changed allegiance now, dear Samaki?"He said nothing, simply staring at her his tail raised ready to strike at any time.

"So, human, here is my proposal to you...no rather, here is my demand. You hand over Samaki here into our grasp and I will see to it your Great One and I can perhaps cease this conflict. Refuse and I am afraid you will have to be given up as tribute to the temple itself."She said, her eyes glinting with a sort of mischevious light,"What does that mean, given up to the temple itself?"The scorpion said growling taking a step forward and instantly was rebuffed by the same scarab who had escorted them there who rose to challenge Samaki."I suggest you strongly suggest about your course of action, scorpion. I trust you have not forgotten so soon the fate of those who defy the mercy of Her Grace?" The lesser insect said, the green slime dripping from his mouth onto the ground at a rapid rate. Conflict was beginning to rear it's head, something which excited this little collective of pests. The termite stopped her digestion of her wood kindling depositing on the ground and drawing herself up to her full height looking down on the scorpion who seemed small compared to her."No worries, it appears your companion has chosen for you. The trials it is."

She gave a commanding look to the scarab who bowed his head and scuttled away through a hole to retrieve something. It appeared the aggression had finally reached a boiling point and the sovereign had decided that discussions were to be over. "If you survive these, then I will agree to your demands, fail and I will take Samaki as tribute for his betrayal and you can crawl back to the Great One informing him of your failures to sway a mighty people and while you are doing my bidding, I will loot the Hidden Sand's stores for all its bounty."She said, a grin appearing on her face as she cackled madly."You poor little humans, think you are the true overlords of this world. You forget too often there are other creaturs who share the same land as you and are just as capable of subjugating you into doing their will. Today, I will make you learn that lesson and there is no option for failure, you either pass the course or you take a one-way trip to the land of the deceased. May your gods be with you, human."

 

[Ginyama Senshiro]

Unmei audibly growled through Hiroshi as flames flared up around the man's body once more, illuminating the termite queen's hall with a soft yet searing glow. "Don't you think highly of yourself?" she addressed her, the shift in autonomy evident by the now predatory tone in the shinobi's voice. "My host comes here offering you a pivotal role to restore the natural balance between humanity and insects, and not only do you force your will upon him and his companion, you have the audacity to suggest he is like any other human despite the fact that he is the only one of his kind actually making an effort to resolve your kind's petty squabbles."

"Unmei-sama," Hiroshi silently pleaded, but to no avail. "Now is not the time."

She glared at the gluttonous vermin through Hiroshi's gold eyes. "My host and I will undergo these trials of yours as an ultimatum for peace--should you fail to hold yourself to the pedestal you and your subjects place you upon and not honor your promise, then I will personally see to it all that is left of you is a charred husk to serve as a reminder of the risks associated with favoring war over peace."

[MFT: 203]

 

[Nanjirou Soku]

The termite queen showed no display of emotion at the threats thrown at her simply watching as the flames enveloped around the body."Are you done?"She asked in a bored tone as if the words held no meaning to her. Clearly, this monster if you could even call her that did not foresee them as something important or worth her time. 'Say, human, that's the first time I've seen you so riled up."Samaki remarked giving the equivalent of a grin as the awaited to be instructed on what their next task was."Mmmm, yes...your mission..."The bug nodded to itself as if in deep in thought."Righht...you want my cooperation so you'll do something for me or consider your time here wasted. Behind me is a stone creation or a boulder as you humans call it, behind that rock is a tunnel that leads into my collection of tributes and whatnot that I hold within this temple. Your task is simple, gain access to my treasure holds by moving this rock however I will prohibit the use of chakra as such things disgust me. You humans throw it around like you have it in stores, for that sole reason, you will not utilize any methods involving chakra. Raw, pure, effort only. Once you gain access to my treasure holds, bring me back three items. Number one, a beaded necklace which is brown in color, a ring with a scarab engraved on it and a shard of red-colored glass. All of these can be found within, you must bring these to me sucessfully and try not hurt my pet down there...he is very...protective to say the least."She said grinning at them.

Samaki glanced at the rock as if comprehending the task at hand."How on earth do you expect us to move that rock without jutsu, I'm surprised you even got that in here!The scorpion said sarcastically quite aggravated that they were still stuck in this rut of a temple. The termite offered no response gesturing to the rock before busying herself with other matters eyeing the tribute Hiroshi had brought in sighing in pleasure at it. It pleased her, the will of the people was at her command, she had gone hungry for the greed that had now consumed her. The scorpion scuttled over to the boulder tapping it's hard stony surface with his stinger making a dull sound against the material."Surely, there must be some secret way to get this thing to move. I refuse to believe that this rock is the only thing between us and her treasures, have you seen how protective she is of them. It makes no sense."He remarked to the human. The rock stood so tall it almost touched the tpp of the temple and it was all gray in color, in the center, there was an engraving of a pyramid that seemed to be worn out. Clearly, this boulder had not been moved in many years so that would add in the diffculty of the task.

Spoiler

Brown Bead Necklace:NOT FOUND
Scarab Ring:NOT FOUND
Red-Colored Glass Shard:NOT FOUND