The Whispering Woods (Mission)

[Takahashi Aki]

A singular figure stood at the edge of the Elderwoods. It was old, but not ancient. The form towered at least eight feet tall. It was primarily blue and grey in colour. The form was blocky and angular. It was humanoid for the most part, except for the fact that it had four arms. The being in question was armoured like that of a Bushido. The face was hidden though save for a pair of glowing green eyes. The identity of this person would have indeed been a great mystery if not for the Takahashi sigil on the chest. This being was a member of the house of the Steward, but exactly who was it?

The figure paced about as he waited for the company to arrive. They were not late, he was early. He was always early. There was something amiss in the Elder Woods. Something not proper. Wildlife was always on the rise, but upon certain seasons it would decline as animals hunted each other. Those seasons were few, but it was always known that life in the elder woods would go on and on. The figure paced about some more and finally drew a blade from a sheath. The busido would stop and drive the blade into the ground for a moment. The pacing would begin once more except now that the pacing would be around the blade in circles.

The company would arrive on time no doubt. It was a matter of time, but how much? Did the youth of today know to arrive on King's Time? Not a minute too early, nor a minute too late.

 

[Michi]

Not a minute late, but a few minutes early. That was just the way she was, she wanted to be where she was supposed to be on time and it was rather easy for her to get turned around. She was up late last night, it has nothing to do with this adventure but rather because she was busy baking muffins. It is a shame that the box of salt and the box of sugar have similar dimensions.

So came the somewhat sleep-deprived young woman, wearing knee high pink leather boots laced almost to the top and a cotton-candy colored pair of skinny leg blue jeans that she wore under the boots. Her shirt clashed with the candy-like appearance, a dark plum colored sleeveless blouse made of a silk-like cloth. Her long hair was left to hang behind her, somewhat shaggy from not using any product to tame her tresses. "Sousuke!"<i></i> She chimed, not knowing for sure that it was him, but knowing enough about his mannerisms to know that he would be the only one there early. She offered him a muffin.

 

[Kumiko]

Not so long ago Kumiko returned from a mission appointed to her by Sousuke-San. A mission which took her top side within the Diamond Sands fighting against foul beasts she could only imagine existed. A couple weeks passed since then, nothing more than a hand full of ANBU missions occupying her time. Yet once more she found herself summoned by the Steward of Suna. Not that this surprised her. Being an ANBU she was his to command, whether it be as an Uchiha or her code name. Luckily, within these two weeks, this Uchiha hadn't come across the one man in Suna she wished to avoid. Roku. Not since that one night after the Christmas party.

Getting her gear together Kumiko prepared herself for the mission at hand. Adorning her normal attire, a black bikini top and black short shorts with her Suna forehead protected tied about her waist like a belt, her black full length trench coat with the Uchiha symbol upon it's back, and her black and white knee high converse boots, Kumiko also affixed her belt pouch and sheath which held her Naginata. Finally she pulled waist length black hair into two pig tails. Ready for whatever this mission entailed Kumiko set off to the designated location, the Elderwoods. This would be her first time venturing there she wasn't too sure what to expect.

Having arrived Kumiko gazed in wonder, from merely the edge of the Elderwood, at the sight before her. Even while living underground the female Uchiha had never seen such sights as this. Crystals and stone sprouting up like trees, even entangling themselves with one another, she couldn't be sure which were stone and which were real. And there upon the edge of the Elderwood stood a figure...yet she couldn't quite tell at first who it was. Surely that wasn't Sousuke-San? He seemed to pace like Sousuke-San. The second figure, a female one, confirmed this for her. It was indeed their Steward. With that Kumiko walked up to the two of them. " Steward. " She bowed in respect to him. She knew her rightful place. whereas they might be friends outside of the shinobi world they partook in, during missions he was her Steward and she his shinobi. Turning to the female, Kumiko too, would bow to her in acknowledgement.

words: 387
[ MFT ]

 

[Okibi]

The underground jungle was quickly becoming a favorite hang out for Suna's resident violet haired trouble maker. Okibi swung and jumped from giant tree to giant tree, doint a decent job of imitating a monkey while she did so (making the sounds and everything). On the ground below her there stalked a shadow, watching her warily. He could have joined her up in the trees, but didnt want to risk snapping any of the lovely branches with his immense weight.

"Please be careful Okibi. Remember you arent really a monkey." The shadow called out after he saw the girl misstep on one of the branches, nearly causing herself to tumble from one of the monstrously sized trees. Okibi righted herself and straightened what little 'clothes' she was wearing. In reality it was little more than underwear (see the picture in my sig/mini profile for reference!). She looked down at the shadow and grinned coyly, showcasing her fangs.

"Not worry Seven. Okibi is ninja, can handle such small fall." The girl declared confidently as she turned her pink hued gaze forward again, readying herself to spring to another branch. A sharp bark brought her up short, and she looked down at the ground once more, blinking questioningly.

From the shadow of the large tree Seven emerged in all his immense, canine glory. The midnight color of his ragged coat almost seemed to suck up the darkness around him; he blended in so well, except for his glowing red eyes. The giant doberman nodded his head, indicating that he wanted Okibi to come down. "We're almost to the place where Sousuke indicated we would meet up with our team. Come down here so we can greet them together."

For a moment, Okibi just looked at him. It wasnt unusual that Seven spoke to her in such a fatherly way. He'd played that role for as long as she could remember. Still, sometimes she forgot just how mature and human her canine companion was. With another grin, Okibi lept from the tree and sailed through the air towards her awaiting friend. She slowed down using a gravity jutsu just befor she landed on his back. Even if his bones were made of metal, landing on him at full speed when falling from such a height would have hurt him. Couldnt have that. Okibi pat the monster dog on the side of the neck affectionately as he started forward again at a steady gait.

Before long they were breaking through the trees at the edge of the Elderwoods and they could see three figures gathered at not too far a distance. Seven made sure to approach them so that they could all see him, not wishing to startle anyone. Although they had long since made the village their home, it wasnt unusual for the humans to be wary of his appearance. Seven wasnt exactly what anyone would consider 'cuddly' after all.

Okibi watched from over Sevens head as they approached, and her ears perked up when she caught some words on the air with her slightly above average hearing. The two females had mistaken the tall third person with the four arms for Sousuke, which caused the girl to raise an eyebrow. He looked nothing like her pack-mate. Rising up in her seat, Okibi sniffed at the air in their direction, sifting through the scents that gathered around their little group. Snorting, she sat back once more, making a face.

"That not Sogay." She said once they were within earshot of the three. The four armed armor thingie and the female with the muffins were unfamiliar to her, but the other girl with the pigtails faintly rang a bell in her memory. Okibi was sure she'd seen the slight female somewhere before... Turning her mind back to the task at hand, Okibi slid off of Seven's back and approached the armored creature with the green eyes, sniffing once more. Raising an eyebrow, she cocked her head at it. "Smell more like Juju to Okibi."

Turning to the only other humans within the group, Okibi stood to her full height and smiled widely. She'd just turned sixteen years recently, and sprouted up a bit in height, now reaching a healthy-but-still-feminine five feet and seven inches. Her curves were still slight, but becoming more noticeable by the day. Okibi was quickly leaving her days of flat chested childhood behind her. "Hi, Okibi is Okibi. That Number Seven." She waved at herself and then her giant canine companion, not sure whether any of them knew who they were.

The doberman nodded his head at them all politely. "Greetings, you may call me Seven if you wish."

[MFT]

 

[Raizo]

Now Roku wasn't known for being on time but he was never extremely late, and thankfully it wasn't an ANBU mission otherwise his ass would have been in further trouble. Instead this was a request, a mission appointed through the main branch, so Roku was able to happily apply without having to wear that stifling mask, which meant he could actually be himself during a mission. Much more liberation in that, the steely figure of an ANBU was fun at times but tended to be a drag when his emotions got riled up.

Making his way to the gathering Roku would rub the side of his eyes and let out a yawn. While his demeanor was that of someone who had just woken up, his attire would give a different appearance. His formal black suit, white button shirt and solid black tie would make him appear as someone that had his act together even if that wasn't necessarily the case. Stopping once making it to the group he would not really take the time to notice who had already gathered within the group, which would prove to be interesting once he did realize as two of the faces would be familiar for varying reasons.

"Howdy gang, Roku reporting for duty."

 

[Asagao]

First to depart, yet last to arrive.

Having left the dojo at the break of dawn, Asagao spent the early morning hours preparing, gathering the necessary items and equipment that would help aide him during the mission. Having lost track of time, he would hustle through the streets, weaving his way through groups of people in the market district on his way to the edges of the Elderwoods. Familiar with the forest woodland, Asagao knew this area was not to be trifled with. The Elderwoods housed a great many secrets, and one would need to stay properly alert if he were to make it out alive. He was unaware of what the specifics of the mission were, but he knew that if it was located here, it was not going to be an easy going venture.

Arriving at the designated meeting area, he would spot a small lot of people gathering around. Figuring he was in the right place, he would approach them and fall into the group as if he had always been there. Bowing his head, he would address the other members, introduce himself, and begin mentally preparing for the oncoming adventure.

" Greetings, I am Asagao. It is an honor." He would raise his hands in a prayer like motion, and acknowledge the group with a respectful head-nod.




[ooc: Sorry! Was unaware everyone else had posted. =3]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

The metallic bushido turned to Shiori not saying a word. The giant first kneeled and then took hold of the muffin very carefully with his thumb and index fingers. He then proceeded to balance the muffin on the thumb alone, with one of the three hands he patted Shiori on the head. A chuckle of sorts escaped from the bushido which emanated. It was a deep and metallic chuckle as it echoed from deep within the chest frame. Secondly Kumiko came and as per proper bowed. The metallic bushido merely nodded his head at her. Though of course the Bushido wondered about her attire. Granted she wore a trench coat, it did seem slightly too revealing of flesh. Another deep chuckled emerged from the metallic frame as she called him Steward. Next came Okibi and Number Seven. The metallic bushido's green eyes proceeded to roll. Okibi's choice of clothing was worse than Kumiko. For an adopted Takahashi, the child would have to learn modesty and that even simple leathers could provide for better protection. The great green eyes seemed to narrow at Okibi. The bushido rose a finger and wagged it at Okibi and emitted a metallic 'tsk'ing noise.

Following Roku and Asagao, the metallic bushido spoke. The voice that came out was older, but recognizable to most. "Hahaha." Another laugh. "You're partially correct Kumiko. I am the Steward, or was once upon a time. " The voice belonged to Takahashi Judori. "I believe most of us are indeed acquainted... some better than others." The Steward past folded both sets of arms. "Now then... Sousuke had set off some time ago into a deeper portion of the woods to investigate the item I've summoned you all here for. Toraono scouts reported a portion of the Elderwoods crystallizing... a sort of corruption if you would. A disturbing thought, but one we must have a look into. In addition to that several life forms have gone missing. It's not a matter of relocation, it's a strange matter of them simply vanishing." Judori's metallic form picked up the sword he drove into the ground earlier. He sheathed the blade. "Sousuke went in his mark two armour, I think only a few of you have seen this, but he only uses it in extreme environmental conditions or when he has to face a foe of greater power. I am worrying about him, but ... I am certain in his ability to defend himself." The Steward paced about more. "I am operating from communications right now by the use of psionics. Should this frame be destroyed, you need not worry about me. This was one of my grand puppet designs back when I was in my prime as Steward." Now was the difficult part. Only Kumiko knew of the threat that was on the surface and that it had engaged the Bouldamites in their home. "We may be facing a foe of Ancient origins. It may have got in from the surface, that we will find out. It may have originated from these woods as a sort of mutation. That we will find out together. I would proceed with caution in the extreme. I will shield you as much as I can, as this model was designed to be more defensive than offensive. I will be counting on you to deliver a knockout blow or two"

((I'm not fussy about posting orders here, so you can post in any order you want. I'm going to need one post from everyone to proceed along though, but it seems like we're all eager and ready for some fun!))

 

[Kumiko]

' Oh no. ' Were her only thoughts as Roku walked towards the edge of the Elderwood. Why...Why would Sousuke request Roku for this mission as well! If he weren't the Steward...oh she would tear into him something fierce. Thank god Roku hadn't recognized her yet. How she was going to get through this mission she had no clue. Taking a deep breath she steadied herself. What mattered at this point was the mission, nothing more. Like the true ANBU she was, personal emotion would not get the better of her.

Besides Roku two more joined their group, Okibi, who she remembered from the party and as Sousuke's ward, and another who she had not met before, Asagao. She too would nod towards the unfamiliar face as he did to her. The female Uchiha did a remarkable job at hiding her embarrassment from addressing Judori-San as if he were Sousuke. Maybe Kumiko had become to used to the Steward's crazy contraptions and automatically assumed this to be one of his. Apparently he got this knack from his father.

Intently Kumiko listened to the debriefing. Everything seemed pretty straight forward. Yet she thought that about her last mission too. Nothing with Sousuke was straight forward. Somewhere down the line there would be a catch. " So it is this item which we are to seek? As well as investigating the crystallizing of the Elderwood. Yet you say these crystals corrupt. That alone is a very odd thing. " She trailed off into thought. The only time she had seen crystallization was with the bouldamites. But there was no corruption involved. The only corruption during that mission was....no. There was no way those things could have made it within Sunagakure. Just no way. It had to be something else. The fact that Judori spoke of an ancient foe...

" You say an ancient foe...from the surface..." She paused, giving the Judori puppet an uneasy look. " This can't be the same foe as my previous mission surely. " Just remembering that encounter gave her goosebumps. The only way herself and Kagai had defeated such a foe was thanks to her Ameratsu. But even then it was no easy battle. " If so I feel like the others need to know what they are up against. Knowing more about our enemy would prove useful in battle. " She was just hoping he would say she was wrong.

 

[Michi]

"Uncle," Shiori frowned," I thought cousin Sousuke was coming today." She was visibly disturbed by this fact, she was quite attached to her cousin, especially as of late. Although it was likely that the mission would go off without any difficulty considering Judori's position in her family, sometimes problems were what made life fun. Other people started to show up, she did not know most of the voices although she though she might have recognized some although it might have been in passing in the market or the tunnel paths. Introductions were made, names were announced. Hers was not, not because she was trying to be rude, rather she lacked the social experience to announce it. She muttered her name in greeting amongst that of her apparent peers, "Shiori... it is nice," she stated awkwardly. The number of strangers was somewhat overwhelming, not that the had a social phobia, rather she had to differentiate the sounds and their sources so that she could give a verbal face to the names given.

Judori and another team member she did not know began to discuss the details of the mission. She really did not know anything besides the fact that her parents told her to show up and to not embarrass her family while she was out. Her ears perked up at the mention of the surface, although the mention was in context of an ancient surface foe she did not care. She wanted to be up there, where there was better sounds and air that moves on its own accord.

 

[Okibi]

As two more people arrived, Okibi didnt pay attention much attention as she went back to looking at the giant armored guy. He smelled faintly of Judori, but he very obviously was not actually the man. Judori was, after all, very short, and this person was most certainly not. Why then did he smell like the small bald man? Even though just slightly...

The moment the middle aged man's voice came out of the armored giant, sounding less than natural, realization struck Okibi like a brick. It was a puppet, of course. Did that mean Judori was nearby? Okibi looked away from the puppet for the first time since the entire group gathered and scanned the area. She didnt find any sight of Judori, but she did spot another familiar face amongst the gathering of team mates. A wide grin stretched across her cheeks as she waved enthusiastically at Roku. She wanted to greet him verbally, but restrained herself from bellowing at that moment. She'd already been drilled by Seven before getting there about keeping her impulsive behavior in check while they were on the mission. Interrupting Judori while he was debriefing all of them, just to greet her friend, wouldnt have been a good idea, or so she figured. She could catch up with the golden haired guy later.

While still facing the group, Okibi leaned towards Seven and whispered out the side of her mouth in beast tongue. "So what was all that Juju was just saying? I got distracted and stopped listening halfway through." She admitted without an ounce of remorse. Seven gave her a look and shook his head with disfavor. What would the girl do without him?

"Sousuke is already here apparently, though it seems he's already out there." He explained first, nodding towards the dense crystal rich jungle. "There is a part of the forest that is being 'crystallized', which is a bad thing I suppose, and we are to investigate. Judori believes our enemy is something that originated from the surface and we are to exercise caution."

Okibi cocked her head slightly as she took in Seven's abbreviated version. He kept it short, knowing full and well that she would stop listening again if he took too long, impatient as she was about everything. She opened her mouth to ask something, but Seven beat her to the punch. "Judori is controlling his puppet from a very great distance using a different technique, so no, he isnt nearby." Okibi grinned, taking joy in the fact that her canine companion could so easily read her mind. "By the way, did you realize that young lady called Judori uncle? Apparently Sousuke has relations whom we've yet to meet." Okibi rose an eyebrow at this, looking sideways at the small woman with the muffins. She didnt make any comment on it though; there was no time.

"Knowing enemy is good." Okibi said from out of nowhere, turning her gaze on Kumiko. "You know ... Tails?" Okibi had to stop mid-question because she realized that she didnt know the girls name. Usually she would fret about it, and demand the girl introduce herself, but that could be handled later. Besides which, Okibi settled for a nice little nickname that would suit just fine. Nobody was referred to by their usual names when it came to the purple haired kunoichi. There was no discriminating in her book! "You tell us fast so we can go then, yes?"

(*pounces Asagao's cricket!* Bold italics is beast speech, just so yall know.)

 

[Raizo]

Someone speaking after him sort of caught him off guard, he had half expected to be the last to arrive and yet there was someone else. The fact that the man was standing and greeting, without having been felt beforehand, made Roku realize this person could be someone interesting. He would have to check out on the hunch later. Now it was time for him to get a better idea of who else he was working with as a string of female voices filled the air within the moments of his arrival. First his eyes caught on the female figure that had referred to the Steward-Kage as 'uncle'.

He really couldn't make out the front of the girl as she was turned toward, well something his mind would have to address at another point. Her backside, and really any backside of a young female in their prime that has been through the training of the shinobi lifestyle, wasn't all that bad of a view. A mental note would be made. And with that, the next assessment would fall upon another female, the tallest of the 'litter', but his eyes would stop their normal 'examination' as a cheesy, wide grin would appear on his face.

"Well if it isn't the little lady, Okibi!" Noticing her waving he would do the same, though at his tall stature it would be a lot more noticeable but he didn't seem to care all that much. He had been wanting to bump into her again since they first met but hadn't had the opportunity to track her down. She was an elusive critter. The sight of her definitely made this whole situation feel a bit different for him. What once seemed like a chore now started to feel a bit more lighthearted.

Lastly his eyes would lay upon the final female, who was shorter than Okibi but nearly half a foot taller than the first one, his eyes would start their 'duty'. The more he looked her over the more he felt like he knew the girl. She was short, athletic, and was running her mouth. "Oh shi..." And at that point he would realize two things; First, he caught himself in the middle of blurting out a thought that he believed he was saying within his mind, which had the potential to set off some alarms for this little posse. Second, the female looked familiar because she was familiar. Another female from his past that he hadn't seen in a while, Kumiko.

And with that, and not really paying attention to any of the important mission talks or trying to figure out what the hell the thing that was leading them was, his attention would turn back around to the only other guy, well the only other human male, in the group. "Sup?" And with that use of slang, so would begin the start of an awkward mission for Roku.

MFT - 480

 

[Asagao]

Tugging at his collar, a wave of uncomfortable emotions would wash over him. Odd man out. It was the only thought running through his mind. Everyone else already appeared to be well acquainted with at least one person in the group. Asagao would stand awkwardly alone while the other members caught up with old friends or engaged in casual banter with blood relatives. Seeking out a friendly face, he would notice the head-nod from the small female up front, and smile warmly back in return. Feeling more at ease already, this subtle acknowledgment did wonders for his broken confidence, as he was already beginning to relax and let the awkwardness of being the only unknown teammate pass by.

Startled by the sudden attention, he would jump slightly at the sound of an unexpected voice addressing him. Not wanting this moment to go to waste, he would move closer in the man's direction, and attempt to dip is toe into the shallow end of the social pool.

"It would appear we are greatly out numbered, my friend." He would chuckle lightly. "Though, I do not mind these numbers." He would snort at his own comment, hoping the other man found some humor in his joke as well. Suddenly feeling somewhat foolish for saying such a thing out loud, he would quickly return his attention back to the iron man, who was currently debriefing them on their task at hand. Perking up at the mention of the Toraono clan, Asagao would take a great interest in this. He was not aware any other members had been apart of this mission, but suddenly his inclusion made a lot more sense. He would be the lone representative for the house, proudly flying the banner of Byakko. And with these sacred woods being located in the Toraono Clan's backyard, this job suddenly just became much more personal.

[ Cricket Pounced - ♫ chirp, chirp ♫ <3 ]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Judori began to clarify. "Sousuke did not speak of the item he went to investigate. I would think that they are linked in one way or another." The puppet tapped his chin. "Maybe not. He was attacked in his own office not too long ago. Granted he took care of them in his own way... which may or may not have involved tying up said person and pushing them out a few stories." The puppet made a side glance to Okibi. "I have heard my son, say he was grateful for the fact someone made a mess in his office earlier that day. Something about spilling some sweet and sour sauce over his floors."

The team made various comments amongst each other. One caught Judori by surprise which caused him to outburst in a series of sounds. "Bah. Bur. Hrmph. Not quite. We are not outnumbered. I count as a male, as does Number Seven. Ours number four. They of the female gender number three." Judori eyes seemed to glow red as he shot Roku a disapproving look of sorts. Although no facial expression could be seen, there was a sort of disappointment to be read from the expression of the eyes. "Hrmph. Bur. Bah. Hrumph. Quite. We do not 'sup under my roof." The former Steward noted a sort of discord between Roku and and Kumiko. The former nearly swore. Why would have Sousuke tried to hook these two up? He knew that his son knew them separately. Then again Sousuke didn't always explain everything in a simple matter.

Kumiko brought up the topic Judori somewhat wanted to evade. "I will say it is a possibility. We are fighting a foe that ..." Judori paused for a moment. He was thinking of how best to describe them, "My mother once told me a story, that if I was a bad child the Sarro would come to steal away my flesh and my smarts. I'm not sure how or why they were named the Sarro, but they closely resemble a foe Kumiko and Kagai fought recently. They are called the Unbent, and they chief characteristics is that the absorb aspects of their prey. They appear humanoid in some aspects, like us they walk on two legs, they have a skeletal structure of sorts. From what we know most of them have carapaces." Judori paused once more. "I'm not telling the entire truth, Sousuke too has fought one that got into the hospital. That mark on his eye, that scar, came from one of them trying to cleave his face... he doesn't like to talk about it much because such creatures are outside of his realm of logic."

The giant puppet turned and proceeded to head into Elderwoods. "Let us proceed. We have a small walk ahead of us."

 

[Kumiko]

If Kumiko could inform the others about these Unbent it would not only make this mission more efficient but it could also save their lives, potentially. In all honesty the battle between herself and Kagai against this Unbent was her most challenging battle yet. One was more than enough to handle. More than that...Kumiko wasn't too sure.

It was Roku acknowledging Okibi which drew her from her pondering's. Did he know her? How did he know her? Where did he know her from? Why did she care? Okibi then spoke up, wanting to know more about these creatures Judori confirmed to be true. Wait...did the Steward's ward just call her tails? Quirking a brow she supposed that made sense. The she did wear her hair in pig tails.

Thankfully Judori drew her concentration away towards the topic at hand. " If the Unbent are involved that would be where the corruption is coming from. I have seen a severed limb of theirs completely corrupt a clone jutsu with nothing more than a touch. And they absorb what ever element is used against them, taking on it's properties within their bodies. " At this point Kumiko activated her sharingan, turning to the group and casting a visual genjutsu upon them. She didn't have time to replay them the battle, but she could at least show them what the creature looked like. " During the battle Kagai and I learnt they could only manifest an element one at a time and used that to our advantage. These things are pure evil. There is no other way to describe them. "

With that sorted out, Kumiko would cancel the genjutsu and follow the giant Judori puppet into the elderwoods.

words: 284
[ MFT ]

 

[Michi]

And so their adventure would finally start. She had never been to the Elderwoods and if she had, she certainly never recalled the experience. For the most part she stayed in the Kazekage Tower and Caudicus Tower, this would be her first actual outing in some time. She was disappointed that she was not going to get to share her adventure with her cousin. He has been on a lot of adventures, a lot more than her. Her rank was less a reflection of her field experience and more of a reflection of her academics thanks to her chosen field. In many ways this made her very immature, especially considering her age and her knowledge. But book-smarts and practical experiences and understandings are very different things.

"Mean old Sousuke... Going off ahead..."<i></i> Shiori complained to herself as she trudged along. She crammed a muffin in her mouth, it would have been better if the sugar and salt were not mistaken for the other in the recipe for most people but she actually liked them that way. It was like a fluffy potato chip sand the chip and potato part, so essentially not like a potato chip at all. She started to skip now that she was distracted and offered a muffin to Asagao. Yes, the muffin would most likely taste terrible, perhaps Shiori's taste buds had rotted away long ago from eating her own cooking or perhaps she just liked salt a lot. The truth was the former rather than the later.

WC: 252 -MFT

 

[Raizo]

He would let out a chuckle following Asagao's statement. "No, I guess I can't disagree with you there." Then came, what was now becoming common place with members of the 'ruling' family, a small outburst from the puppet. He wasn't sure what annoyed the old fart more; his use of the word 'sup' or the fact that there was acknowledgement that some of the group were females and others were males. The uppity, old rooster in the hen house, this was the mentality that Roku assumed the old fart held. Something did seem to not sit well with the final comment from the puppet, the whole 'under my roof'. Now surely the man was referring to his actual house's roof but since this was the man that put them in the ground, essentially they were always under a roof, his roof.

This fun adventure had quickly turned into a field trip with a prudish, old puppet. All the while dwelling on his own resentment about being forced to live under the ground, he would miss the bulk of the conversation having to do with the actual mission. The only thing that seemed to keep him focused on that was the sudden appearance of a strange creature within his eyes, which would quickly dissipate. Now he was getting genjutsu cast on him?! This group was already starting to make him realize why he liked to handle things on his own.

 

[Okibi]

When the picture of a creature she'd never seen before flashed in Okibi's mind's eye, she started just a bit, not having expected it. According to Juju, they were going to be dealing with an opponent similar to that? The prospect had Okibi both excited and a tad nervous. She didnt like the descriptions that Kumiko was giving.

After giving herself a full body shake, Okibi hopped onto Sevens back and used him as a springboard, launching herself at the Judori puppet's escaping back. She latched onto the giants armor and crawled up to sit on its shoulder. "If enemy corrupt what it touch..." She started in a low, disturbed tone. "That mean we not fight hand to hand?" This possibility had Okibi worried. She wasnt very good with long ranged jutsu; in fact, she barely knew any. Brawling was more her forte.

"How Okibi s'ppose fight if not touch enemy?"

(That is sinfully short. =_= Eck.)

 

[Asagao]

Having triumphantly climbed out of the awkward hole of being the only member to not know anyone, Asagao quickly found himself crawling right back in it for different reasons. His humorous comment to Roku, which was met by the man with a pleasant chuckle and response, was not found all that humorous to some others within the group. The iron puppet instructor did not seem share their same comedic view point, and quickly voiced his thoughts on the matter, stammering with a fit of noises and sounds, before scolding Roku, even though he was not the guilty party.

"I Apologize.." He would whisper to Roku under his breath, not wanting to disturb their angry, irritable mission leader any further. Looking over at the Dog - Number 7. Asagao found it quite odd that Judori had decided to include an animal into the discussion of man/woman ratio. Yes, the beast was male...but was that really the same thing as being a man? Shaking his head, he thought best to put it all behind him and just let go.

Setting off, he would follow his group deeper into the forest, hoping to make a better impression later on.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Judori watched the genjutsu from communications in what little way he could. His puppet form crossed its arms as he listened to Kumiko explain things. "Distance does seem to work best against these fiends." Judori assessed. "Perhaps that is only attributed to only a kind of them? We'll have to see, won't we? If we do engage such a foe that can absorb one can often coat their body with an element so as to not endanger their flesh." Judori offered as a means to comfort Okibi who was a melee fighter. "Sousuke battled one of these before and he's a close ranged fighter. He merely set his ebon blade aflame and slashed precisely at points to compromise structural integrity and movement." Judori further offered.

As the group made their entrance into the woods, a single solitary figure would warp in thirty seconds after standing on a tree branch. The figure for a time would be undetected. The figure was very much human, except the flesh was wrong. It was a carapace and even the carapace seemed off from Kumiko's earlier show of the Unbent. This carapace was far more angular, and spikey. The figure would kneel down on the tree branch and looked further. Four green eyes would open up as the figured squinted. There was no mouth. This figure would emit a hissing noise of sorts. This sound would eventually be picked up by Shiori, and its smell would soon enough be picked up by Number Seven and Okibi. The smell was strange, as it smelled of human blood and steel. Before the group could back track the figure would stand up once more and phase out.

A crystal formation could be seen as the group was getting nearer and nearer. The crystals were a mixture of colours, but in particular they were blood red, ocean blue, and forest green. They were pleasant as the very least to behold, but they were most outlandish indeed. Judori's puppet form stopped and he knelt down to survey the surroundings. "Strange. The formation from earlier reports were only red in colour. We haven't seen any wildlife out either... I had hoped at the very least to come across a couple of horses or something." The air did not smell of horse, and nor did it smell of their blood. A horse's heartbeat wasn't anywhere nearby either. "Can anyone get a chakra reading out of those crystals? Are they living? Genjutsu?" The puppet would inquire. For Shiori she would hear the sound of very faint heart beats coming out of the crystals. The sound of the heartbeats would quicken for a moment.

Once again from higher up the watcher from earlier would phase in. It was only a matter of time until his smell and sounds were detected. The four eyes would narrow upon the grouping. Then the four eyes would narrow upon something else, a great metallic figure would emerge out of the crystal woods. The shape too was angular, but it had taken massive damage. The figure would eventually reveal itself to be the mark two design of the Steward. "Enemies. The crystals... careful." The voice was off and crackling, but it certainly seemed to belong to Sousuke. With that three distanced crystals would burst and from them spawned what seemed to be corrupted wildlife. Three stags, with mutated flesh and ebony antlers that moved and twisted about as they formed into sword-like structures.

 

[Michi]

OC: I am going to assume it is OK to post since I was waiting on Kumiko but it has been a week since Ray's, sorry if everyone was waiting on me. Hmmm... I feel I should be walking around at night outside my house looking for the source of the strange sound I heard outside with nothing to defend myself but a pair of bunny slippers and wearing nothing more than a semi-revealing nightgown.

IC:

While there was a continued conversation about battle strategy, Shiori placed her attention elsewhere. To the sound of those around her, rather than what was said, what they sounded like. A person can learn a lot more about someone by how something was said in place of what was said. The relative presence or absence of a heartbeat, or breath... the clank of armor versus the soft rustle of linen. What an eclectic crew amassed. She did not know the Elderwoods, but she recognized when they departed from the sounds of familiarity. She of course could not see the intruder, but she could hear them. Her ears twitched as she heard the hiss. Ewww, Uncle... Shiori complained as she pointed in the direction of the sound and crinkled her face in disgust. She did not care about the spiky form nor did she at the time recognize the shape of the interloper, rather the sounds the mouth-less creature made which were unsettling. The noise that come from the maw of a creature differ from those without as that would suggest a barrier be it flesh, bone or something else entirely, this difference would be something that was recognizable and alien to the woman. Of course the creature had departed by the time her finger had pointed in its direction. Where or how it moved and its relative presence turned absence was also troublesome and frankly a bit creepy. Perhaps she was hearing things, the woods were quieter than she expected. She put her hand back down at her side and her ears twitched a second time as she searched the area for something, for some sound or for the reverberations of life... for some sound to bounce off an intruding shape.

Judori then made a comment about there not being any wildlife. That was true, the woods were silent. But that was impossible. She had to be missing something... not hearing some sound. Perhaps whatever normally roamed here was spooked by their presence. Shiori bit her lower lip as she concentrated on the world around her rather than the sounds of her travel mates and the strange hiss she had heard earlier. She listened for the movement of wildlife, the crack or crunch of earth underhoof or even the sound of a heartbeat. There was nothing but the pounding of the group and the bounding of her own. "There is nothing... no life but us in sound~" Shiori started to say before her attention was drawn to the crystals. "Wait... what are the smooth big things?" Shiori croaked. Whatever they were that were not supposed to make that noise. "...and w-why are their hearts beating?" Shiori stammered as she took a step back and pointed a shivering finger in the direction of a group of crystals.

Then there was another noise. Someone was coming. She turned around to face the new noise. "The crystals are moving!" Shiori declared as she heard something tromping in their direction. Shiori was not much of a fighter, she was a medic almost entirely less a few offensive wind techniques and some dabbling in illusionary techniques. She began to review her options. They were living crystals and hence no brain so illusions were likely out. Then there was the possibility of sound or wind, both ninjutsu arts she was practiced in. What could wind do to a crystal... likely little. It takes water millions of years to make a significant impact, in the duration of a battle the influence of wind would be negligible. Then there was sound, something that could in theory reverberate in such a way to damage the integrity of-- Then she heard his voice:</COLOR>

"Enemies. The crystals... careful."​

<COLOR color="#004000">

It was not his normal voice but it was his. Shiori's lower lip quivered when she realized who the words belonged to. "Sousuke," Shiori's voice rattled. What was wrong with him? How had he gotten hurt? She really was not paying attention to what he said, rather the fact that there were sounds made that belonged to him. She ignored the strange beating stones and without hesitation dashed for her cousin. She would have to heal him up with something, she listed several potential techniques and remedies in her mind as her hand started to release an emerald glow. As she was about to attempt to embrace her damaged cousin the crystals shattered. From the crystals came creatures she did not know, their bony legs and twisted horns manifested the image of devil-like creatures in her mind.

Her head twisted in the direction of the event. Her hand still in the midst of a basic healing technique she swung her arm around possibly clocking her cousin in the head if he did not evade her. "What the hell!"

WC: 848

MFT​