Event What Could Go Wrong?

[Sand Council]

Following the events of his first General Assembly, the Kazekage found himself volunteering to lead a group of youngsters and Uziuke out into the desert expanse. Thanks to the information provided by the Ranger General, Riyota [familial name pending], they had a general idea for their starting point. Whether it was fate or merely obvious, it would seem that everything pointed them back to the location of "The Shattering", a night in which the previous Kazekage, Sunahoshi Katsuo, and Sennin squared off with the previous Daimyo, Ishii Shiro, and his Sovereign soldiers. The rest of this battle was unknown, as most disappeared and were considered dead, while a series of explosions that seemed to coincide with this battle caused a disappearance in the formerly prominent resource known as Carmot.

What connection did this location truly hold towards that night? How was it related to the population of Unbent, creatures once believed to be a folktale due to their scarcity, known as The Swarm who had been plaguing the country since that night? And what actually happened to those who disappeared that night? Not all of these questions were going to be answered now, or maybe ever, but a group of Sunan shinobi were on their way in an attempt to at least unravel some of the mystery of The Swarm.

Yet, the desert expanse was a dangerous place, even with numbers...and the mystique of Godsfall, home of the historic battle between Primus and the Ancients, only seemed to amplify such danger.


OOC: This thread will serve as the Event thread for Group 0: Raizo, Uziuke, and any of the current Sunan Academy Students (and one bird-faced Genin). For now, this event will progress via the following standard: the next round of posting will start either in 1 week from now or at the conclusion of everyone invited posted (meaning Raizo will start and then the next round will start with him and whoever else posted within a week or it might be sooner if all related parties post before that cut off). Eventually this format may change to meet shifted dynamics or circumstances within the thread, but you will be notified of those changes at that time.

 

[Raizo]

The Kazekage stared out into the great sprawling desert before himself, a big, bold smile painted upon his face. It was time to get to work, and more so it was time for him to get to know the youth of this village. While he had formally invited a young student named Jintou to join him, by extension, both through Jintou and through his own messenger, invited the village youth to join him on a mission. Joining them would be one other experienced shinobi, Miroku Uziuke. Raizo wanted to use this time to not only get to know Uzi better but to explore some questions he had about the Miroku. Their goal for the day was simple; clean up any bands of The Swarm that appeared in their path, aid any tribes within the desert that they come across, and verify the report from Riyota about the Unbent seemed to be behaving strangle. Granted, for such creatures, it was truly hard to determine what was abnormal. Yet, from their experience thus far, and the work of Takahashi Sousuke, the information seemed to be popping up here and there to give them some working knowledge.

He would tilt his neck to the left side, slowly, letting the air release that had been pocketed within his spinal column and releasing a series of muffled pops. He would necessarily describe his emotions as nervousness, but more so excited. He genuinely was consumed by the thoughts of seeing the shinobi hopefuls at work. This mission would allow them to not only see and work against the Unbent of The Swarm but also learn a bit more from their interaction, something he always felt was gained more so by hands-on work and less on just reading about or hearing about them. He wanted to show them the threat head-on and give them the working knowledge to tackle the beasts, as there was a high probability that their missions out of the academy would probably lead them down a path to fighting, or at least running into them, in the near future. Because of how odd they appeared, he had heard that some shinobi, in their first time encountering them, would feel surprised or overwhelmed. It was time to rip off that band-aid, and hopefully inspire them that such a threat, while large in number, was something they could handle with the appropriate understanding.

"Ok... is this all of us? Alright, class, let's put in some work!"

Once they were all present, they would embark for the great expanse... their objective being somewhere in Godsfall.

Note from Kazekage Ryuzaki Raizo to all Academy Students and Instructors:

Hello! It is your Kazekage, and I am requesting all individuals who are interested in getting some field work in to report to the following coordinates...

We will be departing from here and heading to Godsfall out in the desert expanse. Please bring all your necessary equipment. While we will be avoiding as much life or death peril as possible, I still want to stress that just venturing out into the desert is dangerous enough. If you feel uncertain or do not wish to brave this adventure, fear not--I totally understand and our Academy will work with you in other field exercises that are a bit less...drastic.

Ok, young'ns, I will see you all soon! It's time to get to work

429 words

 

[Uziuke]

The Sunan desert. Uziuke traversed the sea of sand a few times throughout his years. It brought back memories of being a traveler of the shinobi lands. He was honored to be promoted and become a protector of the village. Though as for now, he wouldn't dwell on such things. The group was out here for a reason.

"What are we going to find out here?" He asked himself with his hands in his pockets. Still in the black suit with the red tie he wore during the meeting, Uziuke looked out to the seemingly never ending sands. His expression was bland. He knew to keep his guard up out here. Watching over the students wouldn't be much of a problem.

As Raizo spoke, Uzi looked to the students present. They were a tough bunch venturing outside of the village's gates to help out with clean up and such. When the squad was ready to move, Uzi would as well. He would stay aware of the groups surroundings.

[ Event Entered ]

 

[Jintou]

The real test of your shinobi way is when the unrelenting heat of the Black Salt Flats attacks your feeble body at summer’s onset. When the moisture is squeezed from your skin like a rag, altruism quickly fades and honor becomes a luxury. That kunai you might clutch so readily when danger arises suddenly stings your palm; and with no weapon in hand, your courage is ever fleeting. Yes, the rolling hills and desert flats that enveloped the Hidden Sand had a way of challenging those who dared to venture out from the safety of home. An omnipotent voice within the howling desert wind could often be heard asking “why have you come” in some primordial whisper.

For Jintou, the Third Son of House Oba, the stakes of Lord Raizo’s call to action were nothing short of personal. It took some easy courage bordering audacity to interrupt the Kazekage’s War Council, and the reward for this was this single chance to make his being a cadet something worthwhile. In the hours since the council meeting, Jintou used his weekly stipend to purchase a messenger bird in hopes of reaching out to his kin. He couldn’t have been certain if his tribe remained in place long enough for the warning to reach them: after all, if danger was close the Oba were typically fast to relocate. Under his father’s wisdom, House Oba often followed the grazing patterns of a roaming Auroch herd they shepherded. Through trusting the animals’ instincts, relocating rarely meant moving closer towards danger.

And as the pack of shinobi moved under the watchful vigilance of none other than the mighty Kazekage himself, Jintou kept his eyes peeled for signs of massive curving horns over the horizon. As a child born and raised under the constant heat and a roaming home, Jintou was fairly acclimated to their march. His typical sleeve tunic was rolled up, revealing his frail arms but they were coated in some protective cream which turned them a chalky white, contrasting his caramel complexion beneath. His haboob cloak, ruby red, billowed behind him in the flatland breeze. He seemed a bit taxed by the added weight of chitin jack custom made by the brilliant craftsmen, Akisame. It was ironic how Aki hated the blue tint, and how magnificent it looked under the sunlight— a proper reflection of his skill. But for whatever burden he might have felt by venturing out towards some lurking danger, Jintou felt a great boon in the friends who had answered his call.

He didn’t know many of the other shinobi in training during their brief enrollment, but when he reached out to his classmates from Doctor Saito’s class, he found true allies willing to go where danger and demise lay in waiting. Of course, it was no small matter to have Lord Raizo or that Uizuke fellow leading their band. If worse came to worse, they would have leaders to depend upon, even if Uizuke seemed unsure of just what they were bound untoward.

“Thank you for joining the expedition,” he said to his peers, though he managed an easy smile towards Kei and Ringo. “While I know we’re not going it alone, it really feels comforting to be in this together with all of you. “And…” his body turned in an awkward backward step the moment he focused on Moriko. “You could have let your house guards turn me away or beat me up but, you came too. “I really app—” his words were cut short as his heel clipped something heavy protruding from the sand behind him. Jintou stumbled back until he collapsed over the bleached bones of massive carrion left half-submerged in the soil. Before he could untangle the bident or overcome the sound of his peers’ reactions, he recognized the bovine bones to be a slain Auroch, picked clean by vultures.

-- Jintou has entered the thread.
-- wc644

 

[Egawa Yuno]

Yuno had not been able to make the meeting for this predicament, the sun was beating down harder and he couldn't bear to cover up to leave the house. However, when a letter was passed underneath his door from his parents, he knew how shameful it would be not to show up. Or at least, he would feel tremendous shame. Yuno wasn't even 100 percent certain what was happening, but he's heard about the battle at Godsfall. Maybe its something about that? Unfortunately he felt incredibly unprepared for what was going to happen next.

'God I'm so nervous.' For more reasons than one. First, going on a mission with other people, one that the Kazekage called for himself, made him more self-conscious about his progress than normal. On top of that, they were leaving the village walls, leaving the shadows created by tall buildings that allowed him to get out of the sun from time to time. Nothing but straight dessert out there, it will be scalding.

Yuno made his way to the agreed meeting point and looked around to see if he knew anyone. Which was a waste of time, as he never really interacts with anyone. Though there was a significant surprise. 'Wait... why is the Kazekage here?' He thought back to the message that said 'we' would be leaving. Honestly it didn't even process in his mind that the kage himself would be there as well. 'Oh god, oh god, why is he here? What if he thinks I skipped out of the meeting because I was being lazy? He wouldn't think that, right? Actually, if the Kage himself is here, what is this field training that we're going on? Am I strong enough for this? What if he has to save me? I mean that would be awesome, but also embarrassing. Oh god I've been standing here gawking at him for too long, he must've noticed me by now! Do I say something? What do I say?'

Yuno was standing still for so long that it felt like his body was frozen in place, a million thoughts per second, but he forced himself to move forward. He didn't want to bring too much attention to himself, so he made quick steps toward Raizo, bowed, and quickly said. "Egawa Yuno." before slinking away to the nearest place with shade. He looked around, realizing he knew nobody here, and could not physically bring himself to introduce himself to anyone.

[MFT]​

 

[Tsurara Moriko]

The main problem with going out on your first serious mission, in Moriko's opinion, was all the people trying to give her advice. It seemed like nearly every ninja in the family had a piece for her, from 'don't forget to bring water' to 'what to do if you see a sandworm,' which, come on, those things didn't even exist anymore.

In the end she just went with what the books said for the most part, and where those were contradicted by her relatives the books won as they weren't based on anecdote. Bow and quiver full of arrows, shuriken, her knife (she wanted a short sword at some point, but it'd have to wait until she saved up and could acquire non-clan weapons), two water bottles, and her usual ribbon substituted out for a dark purple bandana that could be pulled down in case of sandstorm. After some deliberation, she also put on goggles to block the sun that would shield her eyes in the case of same.

The fabric on her outfit would let the heat flow off her as best as possible--important, on a long mission--and was protective enough in case of storm. Instead of her usual thigh-high stockings she put on tights to prevent getting sand in them, and switched her usual runners out for something with a little more traction.

So she might have looked a little different than she had in the classroom setting, with the translucent blue-green protective goggles of a style that didn't much inhibit peripheral vision, and normally long pale blue hair tied up into a more practical braided top knot with the bandana tied over it. Not to mention heavily armed with her ranged weapons, something that very clearly signalled what type of role in combat she might be playing.

When the open invitation had gone out, Tsukiya had wanted to come but been snagged by his parents last-minute into helping with their stall in the Bazaar, something which he had been quite ticked with but had to do knowing he was the only one who was guaranteed to pay attention for the whole sale. So she would just have to remember very well what went on to report back.

'We.' She would be on a mission with not only her class but the Kazekage. Even her higher-ranking cousins couldn't boast that kind of thing. ...Albeit she might still be picked out as related to them.

She shouldered her quiver and headed out the gate to the meeting place, only dipping her head cordially to one of the guards when waved to.

Dressing for the heat and sand had been wise, as it turned out--it was a pretty damn hot day, and heading out to Godsfall it would be likely to only get hotter. Her clan's blood protested a little at this, but Moriko ignored it; heat and cold were preferences as far as she was concerned and they weren't in a threatening range yet. So she could still do things like quickly introduce herself to the Kazekage--name only, much like in class--and keep an eye on her classmates to see if they said or did anything interesting.

"Shouldn't it feel more comforting to be with the Kazekage?" Moriko asked with very little concern and a glance at Jintou. "You haven't ever seen any of us fight, but as he is the Kage he's undoubtedly so far ahead of us it's an insult to make the comparison."

No, she didn't have any nerves at all. It just didn't seem to be in her makeup.

"You caught me on the way out somewhere else or else I might not have, Bread." It's shorter to say, so yes Jintou, that is your name still. "I'm not really the one who makes the decisions on who gets turned away and who doesn't."

Technically true, but her word also counted for a lot. But then, she'd only used that once so far and might not for anyone else.

She paused when Jintou tripped, peered at the bones, and shrugged. He didn't need told to watch his step; the object lesson was liable to be enough.

They weren't the only ones there. Along with their class and the Kazekage, there was a scattering of others she didn't recognize, who might or might not recognize her or at least have a good guess at her surname. Some were more comfortable than others with the whole arrangement.

Moriko wasn't entirely sure why. What was the point in being anxious? Nothing had even happened yet. They were only on the way. Until there was actual danger, there didn't seem to her to be a point in being nervous. And being anxious of them? None of them were really anything yet, so the thought barely even crossed her mind.

The crow mask was cool, though. A-plus taste in birds there.

 

[Shenlong]

Some time earlier...

"Master Senku . . ."

Shenlong sat at his usual post within the halls of the Oroku Estate's library, a large wooden desk that was in a state of disarray that was typical of when the young lord was occupying it. Books were piled here and there with no sense of organization which could be clear to a casual observer but somehow appealed to the sensibilities of the eccentric young Lord Oroku-- or Lord Shenlong as he preferred to be called. At the desk sat the young man dressed in fine clothes, his legs pretzeled underneath him in a cross-legged sitting position in the rather large leather chair that was stationed at the desk with an equally oversized tome spread out across his knees. At least, both the chair and the tome appeared to be oversized in comparison to the young man that was currently occupying both of them. In truth, most things looked oversized in comparison to the waif-ish Shenlong as he was thin even for a young man of his age even if he was rounding out to be around the correct height.

A few paces just beyond where Shenlong sat in his almost comically-too-large chair stood a significantly older gentleman with short black hair and equally fine clothing, though his were tailored to the appearance of a servant rather than one who was used to being served. A black cloth sat diagonally over one of his eyes where an errant adventure in the older man's youth had caused him to lose an eye, a story that Shenlong had yet to wrest from the enigmatic servant that the adult humans which regarded themselves as Shenlong's parents had saddled him with to ensure that he did not escape into the world and sully their good name with his wild stories about being a reincarnated dragon king. This older man went by the name of Tenza but even as he struggled to acclimate to the limited nature of his new senses Shenlong had long since determined that Tenza was not the man's actual name or at least not his original one.

As Tenza spoke, Shenlong did not stir from his sitting posture with his chin propped against his left fist, his elbow resting upon the plush arm rest of the chair as he lounged and did the thing he usually did to pass his time when not planning a new attempt at escaping his incarceration within the walls of the Oroku Estate. Rather than move to fully acknowledge the arrival of his warden, Shenlong simply raised his right hand with his index finger fully extended to indicate that Tenza did not yet have his full attention. They had only been together for less than a year but Tenza knew exactly what the young lord wanted. He had known how Shenlong would react when addressed by his birth name before he'd even walked into the room but his employers, Shenlong's parents, insisted that Tenza begin any interaction with him by addressing him by his "proper name" in an attempt to normalize being addressed by what they considered to be his rightful name rather than the fanciful play name that he had assigned to himself.

"Master Shenlong." Tenza corrected himself with no hint of frustration or irritation. He was a professional, after all.

"Yes, Tenza?" Shenlong now finally looked up from the book that he had been reading, the chair he was sitting in rotating slightly as though pushed by an unseen force to face where Tenza was standing. He brought his eyes up to look at the old servant and despite the slightly disrespectful gesture that had begun their interaction, any hint of disrespect or condescension was gone from his expression and voice. Shenlong did not resent the old man for doing his duty-- he was only doing what he had been hired to do and that was see to Shenlong's needs. From the perspective of his parents, one of Shenlong's "needs" was to be kept inside and away from society at large but beyond that Tenza had been instrumental in acquiring a great deal of the literature that Shenlong spent the lion's share of his solitude engrossed in.

"A missive has come to the estate addressed to you. It is from the office of the Kazekage." Tenza bowed slightly as he was acknowledged by the young lord and then presented a scroll which was lightly wrapped and fastened with the wax seal of the Kazekage's office.

Instantly, Shenlong was on his feet with the book that had been sitting with him in the chair carelessly thrown to the ground and forgotten in the moment as he reached forward and snatched the scroll from Tenza's hand. Fervently he tore at the seal, breaking it and unfurling the scroll. His eyes darted back and forth as he took in the words scribbled into the paper of the scroll and with each centimeter of progress he made through the scroll a wide smile split his features.

"At last I am free! Free, Tenza!" He exclaimed, throwing his hands up in excitement as he stalked forward through the small forest of stacked books and manuals that were strewn about the library in the wake of Shenlong's day of reading. "Their Kazekage has summoned me hence to join him on an adventure for the good of the realm. There can be no excuse made this time to hold me here, I am loose the bindings that keep me bound to this place!"

Tenza said nothing to offer either support or condemnation of Shenlong's words. He knew that Shenlong's parents would resist his demand to leave the house but at the same time he was right. If this was truly a request from the Kazekage to join him on a mission then they could not very well refuse. It had been Lord Ishida's idea to enroll his son in the Academy in the first place in hopes that somehow the instructors of such a place would manage to find a way to curb the young Oroku scion's madness.

"Let us inform Ishida and Kaya at once. I am eager to set about this task and see what the world has become in earnest."

---

Now.

When he had pictured adventure, Shenlong has not anticipated the heat. Or the dryness. Or... any of it, really.

Dragons didn't get hot. They didn't get exhausted by the act of walking. They stopped and rested where they pleased without care for things like being out in the open or defensible positions.

But he was definitely hot. And tired. And hungry. And thirsty. All of these things conspired to put Shenlong in something of a sour mood and while he did not complain, it was easy to see that he was not having a good time as he wore that sentiment very plainly upon his countenance in the way that he furrowed his brow and frowned deeply in what might be described as a consistent basis. Still, this was an excellent learning experience about the limits of his human body. With Tenza watching his every move around the estate, Shenlong was rarely able to explore much of the outside world and while the open desert was certainly not the excitement that he had been picturing it was at the very least a new experience.

He wore about his shoulders the heavy Crimson Mantle, its length dragging every so lightly against the surface of the sand but somehow still remaining without any wear or tear and the fur length of the collar wrapped around his shoulders. The Mantle was a part of him and so had no effect on the matter of his being too hot. If anything, it was doing an excellent job of shielding the rest of his body from the unrelenting gaze of the angry sun that hung in the sky overhead. Otherwise he wore what was almost a comically out of place choice of clothing for trekking into the desert. Even if he had known what to expect in the experience from the perspective of a human, he really didn't own very much in the way of desert gear. He was only a recent addition to the Academy in the first place and this "adventure" as it were had come as a shock to the entirety of the Oroku family.

He wore a pair of boots that Tenza had been able to acquire for him on short notice before Ishida or Kaya managed to find or consider a way to stymie the efforts of the young lord to escape the estate for a period of time but otherwise he bore his standard slacks and an otherwise formal shirt and student tie ensemble. For his sake, Tenza had outfitted Shenlong with some supplies to make the trek to the assigned meeting place and they had included a number of shinobi tools that had given Shenlong perhaps more of a gaze into Tenza's past than the old caretaker had intended but what was done was done. For now, he had arrived at the meeting point unharmed. Hot and tired... but unharmed.

 

[Goki]

​

Unforgiving terrains teach even the least-sensed the importance of proper attire and preparation. For every creature, regardless of intellect, holds natural instincts for survival; or, perhaps more accurate to say, desire for it.
Even without human or creatural intervention, Mother Nature proved more than capable an assailant alone, with her impartial sandstorms and arid landscapes; especially against frail youths.
Kaze no Kuni was no dwelling for the light of heart, nor body. Yet, the young and undeveloped did hold one advantage against their predecessors—adaption. For, genetics and evolution played significant determiners in survival. Each subsequent generation proved more robust than their less initiated ancestors of bygone; like water borrowing the shape of its container.

Mandarin red locks waved in the desert breeze, its ambient rhythm soothing against the harsh; as a lullaby of comfort from Mother. Golden irises peeked from the hood of their cloak periodically, their unusual hue sparkling with interest underneath their dark grey protection.
Many varied emotions did the Empath feel, like sampling sweets in a candy store of abundant choice. A number of questions, curiosities, and desires danced through her thoughts, yet her caretakers inmistakably cautioned she’d do better answering over initiating interactions. It hadn’t been a matter of shyness—far from it, in fact. Goki naturally held deep interest in people—and it’d be for that explanation. For, her unusual nature often proved discomforting for others.
It’d not been intentional, she’d even been trying to fix it. Yet, like an infant tinkering with a complex device, social interaction was a puzzling behemoth. Maybe, one doomed to remain perpetually unsolved.
Each brain ticked with varied degrees; knotted with frustration, enthusiasm, insecurity, hope—trauma and depression also weren’t absent, nor uncommon. The Kazekage was taking her out on a field trip—that’s what it was called, right? Probably not.
Goki pondered what any alien encounters, preferably non-human, might smell like (As there’d already been more than enough available humans for study). Maybe like a hapless fish left to rot out of water for too long. Or a porta potty, especially one unintentionally toppled over; every impurity of the human body laid bare. Had the minds of abnormal things also proved just as fetid? Oh, the possibilities.
And Godsfall would be their destination to boot. While the Hybrid typically followed a “Didn’t Ask, Don’t Tell” route to avoid unnecessary trouble, it’d be a lie to claim she hadn’t been interested in deeply understanding more of the very origins discriminated against from birth. Undoubtedly, contentious, violent deeds would come to light—And this half-Ancient was enthusiastic to discover all about them.
As one of the party fell, the kind of manner that made Goki assume he’d been a kind of ‘class leader’—not failing to account the Kazekage as supreme—she’d wordlessly spectate his uncool topple over the large carcass, an ambiguous curl present on her lips; difficult to distinguish whether mocking, amused, or just inherently good natured. Candidly, she’d study his unique features, curious.
Her boots would make way towards one of the carcass bones, giving it a few whiffs—Its ticking had long ceased. Devoid of all flavor. Ah, what a terrible existence to be.
Nearing the boy as he worked to regain his bearings, the single hand would extend from its cloak, offering to assist him up.

“Goki thinks everyone takes you less serious now.”

[Topic Entered]

 

[Mugen Kei]

"--I mean, can you believe it, Ringo? We're going on a mission! With the Kazekage! I can't believe Muu is going to miss this. We're not even Genin; this is like, the deal of a lifetime! Man, and to think it's because of Jintou. Interrupting the Kazekage? What a mad lad! Also can we talk about the fact that he wasn't even supposed to be there? He always gets to do the coolest stuff. I wonder if he can introduce us to--"

Mugen Kei's continual string of excited chatter would echo throughout the streets of Sunagakure no Sato as he and his cousin made their way from the Mugen Clan complex toward the Bulwark. From the moment their classmate, Jintou, had arrived at their door out of breath and with an out-of-this-world request, Kei hadn't been able to stop. He was effervescent; if one looked closely enough they might be able to swear that he was actually glowing. Beyond just the 'cool' factor of going on a mission with the literal Kazekage - which was certainly something he would never get over - the teen could spot an opportunity when it was presented to him. Perhaps it was the merchant blood that ran through his veins, an understanding of the art of the trade that got the Fukui family's foot in the door of the 'room where it happens'. A less intuitive shinobi might snicker, saying "It's just a clean up mission." True, this would normally be bottom of the barrel work. But for the shinobi-hopeful and near ninja-school drop-out, this expedition could mean the difference between achieving his dream and losing sight of it entirely. One way or the other, you could be certain that he was not going to throw away his shot.

Kei arrived looking much the same as he might for class, plus or minus a few items. First thing of note was the hand-me-down kusari top, a piece of armor he had only recently started getting comfortable in during his more recent training spars with Ringo. The way it hung awkwardly on the thirteen-year-old's frame from being slightly too big made its second-hand nature apparent, and so he wore it underneath of a lightweight cream hoodie. (Kei never really understood cloaks when hoodies served more or less the same purpose, but without getting fabric wrapped around your legs when the sirocco blew - granted, cloaks look dope.) Around his neck hung a desert mask and goggles that he'd had to rummage through his trunk to find, given that he hadn't found much use for them since moving to the village from the coast. The walls served many purposes, and not least among them was keeping sandstorms at bay. (Well, nowadays, anyway.) He'd wrestled the most with whether or not to bring his sandboard. It wouldn't look the most professional since the boards usually were associated with the sport, but he knew better than many that they could provide a quick mode of transportation if needed for escape, especially when your chakra control was still… suboptimal. Still struggling with sealing jutsu and unable to just pop it in a scroll, he'd finally opted to bring a micro-board strapped on his back.

The Mugen boys arrived at more or less at the same time as the rest. The open land that stretched before them was a familiar sight for Kei, reminiscent of tagging along on trade routes with his parents. This time, he'd be going with some people familiar to him and some not, and so he began his work of inspecting the group. Spotting Moriko, Kei greeted her with a cheerful, "Sup, One." His mother might have died; Kei had been raised to know how to properly respect powerful clans from whom they could potentially profit, and the Tsuraras were not low on that list. Yet their comradery from their (well, his) near-death experience in Dr. Saito's class had given him a pass - or so he thought.

Next sighting was Egawa Yuno. Kei had entered the academy roughly two years behind the eccentric lad, and had never had a class with him but learned his name by nature of being "the kid with the bird mask" people sometimes talked about. It had always disappointed him that they hadn't met (who wouldn't want a class with the bird kid) and so as much as the boy seemed to want to keep to himself, Kei saw to it to finally seize the opportunity. Nearby was a student he didn't recognize, a thin boy with a sick red cloak, equally quiet as Yuno. With a smile he tipped his head toward Yuno and Shenlong, taking the initiative. "Looking forward to working with y'all, I'm Kei and this is Ringo," gesturing toward his cousin with the last bit.

Amber eyes scanned the rest of the group to see an older, white-haired shinobi that he also didn't recognize, and introduced himself to Uzkiuke in a more appropriate manner with a bow. "Mugen Kei." Before he could make the full rounds, a familiar shock of sandy hair and a red haboob cloak caught his eye.

"Pantou! The man of the hour!" Approaching his friend with a fist extended to greet Jintou, he couldn’t help but be mildly confused by his classmate's remarks. "'Course man. It's all of our country after all, isn't it?" Kei grinned slyly as Jintou indicated his thankfulness for their aid. He wouldn't have long to bust his chops before the other boy cut the chatter short by tumbling over the half-submerged cattle carcass. With a small chortle, Kei tilted his head as he looked down at the pile of bones. "Well that's… that's kind of ominous. But like, what could go wrong, right?"

The redhead moved to help his friend, but was beaten by another with a similar shock of red hair. "Goki!" The boy cheered. He hadn't spotted her before; in fact, he hadn't seen her since the last round of Genin exams. They'd shared several classes at the academy last year, and Kei had taken a quick liking to her quirky personality. Due to their similar coloring and his tolerance for her offbeat behavior, some of their classmates had even initially wondered if the two were related. "No you don't understand Goki! Pantou here is a hero! He's the one we have to thank for this!" With a wide smile and broad sweep of his arm, he would land to point toward the Kazekage who'd come to gather his flock of students.

With a deep bow, Kei steeled himself for the journey that awaited them. "Ready, sir!"

 

[Ringo]

​

"Nope. Still not believing it," he responded in jest as both cousins strolled through Sunagakure and to their assigned meeting point. Word travelled quicker than a Sunan scorpion aiming for a sting. Apparently, there was a huge meeting between village elite that Jintou managed to partake in. Ringo was not surprised whatsoever; the other boy, whom he befriended in Doctor Saito's 'almost-murder-Kei' class, was truly something else. He was someone that both Mugen cousins acknowledged as special in both skill and personality. Ringo was certain that this wouldn't be the last time their comrade conjured waves here in their land of Sand. "Yeah, Jintou is pretty awesome. I wonder if we'll meet up with some other people we know, too?" Besides their bread-loving friend, the only other person he really knew was Moriko of the Tsurara Clan. After their last class together, the young boy touched up on his Sunan clan knowledge. It turns out that her family was a bigger deal than he initially thought, which explained quite a bit about her and what she shared in class. Ringo still kept note not to ever compliment her looks if he were to see her.

The young Mugen adjusted his goggles onto his head as Kei continued to express his excitement. While his smile mirrored his cousin's enthusiasm, his mind trailed off elsewhere. Joining the Kazekage on an assignment before achieving a shinobi rank was nothing to shrug off; however, even though he felt honored to accompany their village's leader on today's "clean-up" operation, he couldn't stop thinking about his parents. At this point, it had been a few months since the boy's parents had disappeared on a mission. The village periodically sent out scouts to locate these missing ninja, but they always returned with no news about their whereabouts. As desperate as it sounded, Ringo was tempted to ask the Kazekage point-blank to help him find them. Another part of him, perhaps the side of him that was reaching a forced, accelerated maturity, realized that this was more of his own personal quest to fulfill. It wasn't his place to burden anyone outside of his family, or maybe even those within it, with his ultimate goal to locate Mugen Saeri and Mugen Sanbi.

Musings and boyish chattering aside, the two students finally reached their destination along with several others. For those who knew or met Ringo prior to this meeting, they would notice some key differences in his aesthetic. While his attire was casual, he appeared a bit bulkier than normal. This was because he wore light armor that he found in the Mugen clan's dojo when he last sparred against his cousin. Secondly, the boy carried a lengthy staff that was strapped on to his back. His new weapon, gifted to him by Master Hikari of the Monkey realm, was comprised of a foreign, dark wood with unknown golden symbols etched into it. Lastly, and perhaps most noticeably, Ringo now possessed a cross-like light pattern that permanently shined in his eyes. This new physical trait was representative of his awakened kekkei genkai passed down from the Mugen family tree; however, the luminous sparkle in his eyes weren't too piercing nor too noticeable unless you looked real close.

Before Ringo surveyed around, he was greeted by a familiar face.

"Hey, Jintou, likewise! It's nice to see ya," he greeted with a friendly smile while following his cousin's fist bump with his own. He then noticed Moriko, looking beautifully fearsome in her desert ninja get-up, as she was pulled into the conversation. Ringo chuckled a bit; she definitely had a point. The Kazekage's presence alone was more than comfort enough. "What's up, Moriko? Nice goggles!" Ringo complimented cheerily as he gripped his own. "We're the smart ones that are going to avoid getting sand in our eyes." As the students continued to converse, namely Kei who somehow knew almost everyone here, Jintou took a small fall over some type of beastly carcass. Ringo instantly shuddered. The remains of whatever that creature was reminded him of the lizard beast that he and Tengoku, his new monkey rival and ally, fought off not too far from here. Hopefully, he wouldn't run into that scaly monster again, but he was sure that he'd have the upper hand with this group beside him.

As Ringo moved alongside Kei to help the boy up, a red-headed girl beat them and came to his aid. She spoke in third-person, 'Goki', which reminded him of a small monkey he knew. Ringo grinned in amusement as his kin gleefully approached the girl by name. Man, Kei really did know everybody. Greeting her with a small wave, he finally took a moment to take a quick glance at his surroundings. Through Kei's earlier greeting, he met the reserved bird-masked boy name Egawa Yuno. "I wonder why he wears a bird mask? It does look pretty cool, though." Not too far from him was another boy who stuck out like a sore thumb due to the flashiness of his gear. The brown-haired youth couldn't exactly tell from where he stood, but that kid appeared to have a worn expression. Was he doing okay? Ringo made note introduce himself and check on him later. There was a peculiar man near them in a black suit and red tie, which was an interesting fashion choice for desert terrain. The student guessed that this man was a shinobi that would assist the Kazekage in supervising them today.

Lastly, there was Lord Raizo, the Kazekage himself. He stood confidently with his dark hair and buffed out bod. Ringo curiously looked at his own muscles in comparison. *insert baby bicep muscle bump here* "Maybe one day..." Matching his presence, their leader's words radiated authority as he gathered the group and questioned if they were ready to set out on their assignment. The young Mugen bowed and then saluted the man as to say 'aye, aye, Captain'.

 

[Sand Council]

Mod Thread: Round 2 | The Journey

And so nine representatives of Sunagakure no Sato would gather before the village and depart. For now, their journey would be quiet. In this moment they would merely take in the visage of the great desert unfolding before them. A vastness, at this point in the day, that seemed to sprawl out and almost create a blinding white void before them. Yet, they had to travel early. While the desert was full of rough terrain and unfriendly creatures, at night everything seemed to be amplified. The sheer size of their party would keep the animals of the dunes at bay for now. There would be no signs of the hive-like version of Unbent known as The Swarm at this time. After traveling for several hours, they would happen upon the outskirts of a location known as Godsfall.

Before them, Godsfall would mostly look like the previous stretch of desert they had been traveling through. Yet, those skills with chakra sensing abilities or who were sensitive to strong chakra signatures would begin to feel something. An unease. A feeling that all around them was something rotting, something that had been rotting and festering for centuries. The presence of death, while not overwhelming yet, would begin to creep around this group as they prepared to meet the task at hand.

For now, it would only be a feeling, one that most might not even detect. But how much longer would it take before these nine encroached too far or too deeply into this unmark ruins of a battle raged long ago. How much longer before it was made apparent they were now walking in a graveyard.

OOC: Starting next round, random rolls will be made to dictate certain results to actions party members take in this round of posting.
OOC 2: Within this round, you will cover a span of time from departing Suna and arriving at the border of Godsfall.

 

[Raizo]

He was excited to see all of the young faces, so much so that he was oblivious to the fact that some seemed to be awestruck with him, that one tripped and fail, that one addressed the tripping in a blunt manner, and that his own co-facilitator for this group outing seemed less than thrilled. In all honesty, he was over-the-moon excited that he could have this opportunity to work with the future of the village. As much as any of them might have seen this as an honor, he would see it in the same way reflected back to them. For them to put their trust in him, while potentially solely part of village obligation, it was still something he would never discount or dismiss.

"Before we begin, I want to thank you all for joining me on this effort to help this country. I want to let you all get some field experience with the current ongoing threat of unnatural creatures, The Swarm. We will, however, discuss that a bit more when we get to Godsfall." He would then tap his headset and let out a call to someone before turning back to the students. "Another thing I wanted to do before we got too deep into this adventure, is I wanted to go ahead and make everyone aware of the smaller group teams we will be splitting into once we get to Godsfall... or if we encounter trouble before then."

Pulling out a stack of papers he would begin to flip through it momentarily before separating the papers between two stacks. One stack, a smaller one, he would hold in his left hand, and in his right, the larger stack, he would merely incinerate by releasing a small amount of chakra. "Sorry, I wasn't sure who all would be attending today so I had my attendant pull paperwork on everyone who might appear. Ok, so here are the groups:

Leader: Uziuke - potentially in line to be my best friend, can be very serious and focused on the task at hand.
Second: Genin, Egawa Yuno - Showed tremendous promise in his Genin exam as strong support role; awesome looking mask
Tsurara Moriko - Of the famed Tsurara Clan of Wind Country, seemed "overly interested" in the poisoning of Kei
Oroku Shenlong - "Lord Shenlong of the Grim Dawn, First of His Brood, Black Serpent of Calamity, Dreadwyrm, He of the Crimson Eye, King of Blackened Cinders, Doom of Fools and Student of the Sunagakure Academy"... wait, who the hell wrote this?!

Leader: Me, Raizo
Second: Genin, Shiina Goki - Entered the Academy later than most but had zero trouble in transitioning to Genin soon after
Oba Jintou - The third son of the house of Oba, essentially created this field study by speaking up and showing guts
Mugen Ringo - Cousin to Kei; very polite, doesn't talk as much as Kei, and has a quiet focus to him
Mugen Kei - Cousin to Ringo; poisoned in recent academy class and seems much more outgoing than Kei"

He would incinerate the rest of the papers in his left hand as his eyebrow would quirk up a bit after reading through all that Yukina had compiled for him. "I'll be damned if you lot aren't already incredibly interesting!" His words would be followed by a full-bodied laugh as the sound of thundering footsteps would begin to approach the group.

Suddenly a flock of large birds, if you could even consider such large things birds, would appear before them adorned with some mild armor and saddled. These creatures were known as Sandrunners.

"We could travel on foot... but I would rather waste as little daylight and energy as possible on the boring stuff. I got a set of smaller ones for you all, but if you still don't feel comfortable mounting one then please buddy up with someone who is, someone who is brave, or myself... and maybe Uzi, right Uzi?"

It hadn't dawned on him how infrequent it seemed that Sunans actually made use of these creatures for travel. Him, on the other hand, used and abused the local farm.

"Without too many complications, we are looking at about a three-hour ride! All you need to do is sit down and hold on, your young'ns will instinctively follow my bird! LET'S RIDE!!!"

Barring any hitches, it would be just that; nine Sandrunners tearing across the desert until making it to Godsfall. Before fully riding into the location, the Sandrunner Raizo was upon would begin to slow down on its own before coming to a full stop, in which the others would follow. He would dismount and would begin to feel the presence before him. The anguish. The hatred. The sorrow. A stench that seemed to exist but could not be actually smelled.

"Alright everyone, dismount. From here we will stay as a group for a bit longer until we find something..."

His eyes would begin to scan around for that very something...

Spoiler: Sandrunner

 

[Shenlong]

None of the other young men or women approached Shenlong to visit and that was suitable enough for him. He was wildly out of his element here in under the hot sun instead of the cool halls of the Oroku estate manor and that was only if one counted the environment. The only human interaction that he had ever had up until now was with the man and woman that ostensibly presented themselves as his parents, Tenza in his supervisory protector role and with some of the servants about House Oroku's estate. Beyond that small number of people, Shenlong's experience with humans extended as far as seeing them walk the streets from the high windows of the library and the stories he read about them in his books. He felt that he knew quite enough about others from those books to be prepared for this moment but despite the confidence that he had in his level of preparedness there was an involuntary feeling of... what? Dread? Fear?

No, that wasn't quite right. It surprised him to find that he was nervous about meeting children that were supposedly his own age. Would they understand the predicament that he found himself in any better than the adults in his life? Almost assuredly not. And intellectually, Shenlong knew he didn't care about whether or not they understood it-- they were momentary specks to him in an indifferent universe. But then... still. His chest was tight, his throat dry and not just from thirst. Then finally the one that had been waiting for them that had identified himself as Kazekage Ryuzaki Raizo spoke up and began to list them off.

Perking up as Raizo began to list off his list of titles, the involuntary anxiety that had been pulling at the edges of Shenlong's consciousness was smothered by a rush of pride at hearing the old names given to voice once more. It was as if hearing them recited physically buoyed the young man's constitution and where previously there had been a somewhat sullen and exhausted looking youth now stood the picture of haughty nobility.

"Lord Shenlong will be fine, Lord Raizo!" Shenlong proclaimed, doing his best to sound as magnanimous as one could in the voice of an underdeveloped human whelp who had not had something to drink in some time. "But alas do I miss the old names!"

Giving much the appearance of a boy playing make-believe, it would be hard to perceive it as anything but that. When Tenza had escorted him to fill out the paperwork for his registration -- because of course his human parents had been much too preoccupied with whatever banal nonsense it was that ruled their petty, small lives --Shenlong had insisted on filling out the form with his entire name. Which was to say most of his titles and names that he had earned throughout his former life. Of course there were a few less important names that he had generously decided to leave off the form when the secretary at the academy had staunchly refused to provide him with a second form with more space for him to write additional names. He hadn't paid any attention to the names of the others in his group, so preoccupied with his own thoughts as he had been, but he would not have recognized any of them even if he hadn't been too wrapped up in himself to have listened.

The arrival of the sandrunners would likely be an event of excitement for the group of Sand shinobi and to this Shenlong was no exception. He'd read about sandrunners before of course but this was the first time that he'd ever seen one in person. They were not remarkably common in the city and so from his limited viewpoints in the manor there had never been an opportunity to glimpse one directly and such creatures had not existed during his former life. Or perhaps they had and he had simply not noticed. He was equally unsure of the existence of humans at the time, for such things which seemed so small and insignificant to him at the time rarely managed to peak his interest long enough for him to notice them.

"Beast! Before you stands Lord Shenlong and I am your master now." The young man declared as he squared up to one of the sandrunners, looking up proudly at the intelligent eyes of the large bipedal bird which cocked its head in response and warbled strangely at him. "You should know that it is an honor to bear a dragon upon your back in such a manner for no other creature can make such a boast! Now, kneel so that we may get under way."

Now of course Shenlong had read about sandrunners and had read that they were intelligent and proud but reading about something is a different matter than experiencing it. The bird's head turned again, regarding the small young man that had made his intention to subject it to being his mount for the day plain for a moment and then with another warbling chip fluttered its wings and brought the front of its skull down on Shenlong just hard enough to shove the boy into the sand but not hard enough to hurt him. Sandrunners weren't capable of speech nor were they able to understand human speech but not unlike particularly smart breeds of dog they were well-known among ranchers for responding to the emotional state and tenor of the voice belonging to those addressing them and so it was always advised that one address a prospective sandrunner mount with respect to avoid the fate that had befallen the young Shenlong.

"Submit to me beast of the land! I am your master and you will do as--" Shenlong's indignant tirade that he'd started as he stood up from the sand was cut short by another loud warble and a subsequent forceful push from the sandrunner that sent his slim frame sprawling back into the sand once more. "How dare you strike me? You shall burn for thi-- oof!"

The battle was over before it started, really. With a step, the sandrunner placed it's large clawed foot upon Shenlong's chest and firmly held him there all the while looking down at him with its large eyes that contained no malice or anything of the sort. It held him down almost in the manner that a large creature might hold down a younger one that had grown too rambunctious in it's effort to play with its elder. It was surprisingly gentle for such a large animal possessed of so much physical weight and strength in comparison to the weak and skinny young man that it held down under its foot. After a tense moment or two, the sandrunner stepped back and pulled the weight it had been placing upon Shenlong off of him and allowed him to rise which he slowly proceeded to do, brushing sand and dirt from his person while keeping a wary eye on the large bird that had accosted him for his rudeness not once or twice but thrice. Turning to face the bird once more, Shenlong placed his hands upon his hips and narrowed his eyes at the bird which stared right back at him.

"Very well beast, I acknowledge your strength. Partners, then." He too was proud, in more than a few ways, but Shenlong was capable of recognizing that in his current state he could do nothing to overpower the creature that was to ferry him to their destination. Persistence in this matter would only hinder his goals at best and at worst result in a maiming that would enable his re-incarceration within the halls of the Oroku Estate which was an outcome that he could not afford. "May we proceed with our task, at last?"

Once again there was a moment between Shenlong and the sandrunner where it looked like once again he would earn himself a trip to his butt in the sand but then with a more cheerful warble this time the sandrunner lightly bumped its head against Shenlong's and proceeded to kneel down low enough for him to climb abord the well-maintained saddle that had been fixed to the creature. Climbing into the saddle, Shenlong gripped the reins and hoped that the bird knew where to go for he had no idea how to communicate to it where he wanted it to go.

 

[Uziuke]

Upon hearing the names of his team, Uziuke looked to the students. He noticed the one named Kei as he introduced himself and bow. Uzi also gave a slight bow before the boy headed off to greet his friends. He also recognized the student from the meeting as he fell over some bones. This group seemed to have a heart. "Seems like we have some potential here." Uzi said to Raizo as a few of the students rushed over to help their comrade up. It was great to see them already working together. He wondered if he could take any of them under his wing as AiT.

As Raizo spoke of splitting into teams, Uzi listened attentively, trying to put the names he was given with the faces gathered about. "Nice, the Sunans ride in luxury." As the sand runners approached Uzi looked them over. "Right, if you're feeling that wimpy, you can ride with me." Uzi gave a sort of grin to show that he was kidding about the wimpy part.

"That kid seems to have the right idea." Uzi nodded in Shenlong's direction, noticing his confidence. He had already claimed ownership of his sand runner. But as the bird pushed down Shenlong, Uzi's expression went sort of blank. "...Er... " The boy's second attempt went just as bad as the first. Uzi let out a sigh as Shenlong eventually mounted the runner.

"Just make sure you have you're backbone when we get further out." A three hour ride wouldn't be so bad. He'd have time to map out the land just in case the group got lost. He'd note any landmarks or lying debris he saw while passing through. Uzi gave his sand runner a "Woah." calling it to a halt as Raizo dismounted. Uzi didn't want to scare the kids, but the presence he felt was something rather... ominous. "Raizo, you feel that?" Uzi would jump down from his sand runner in one fluid motion. Landing on the sands he would look to the kids.

"You guys keep your guard up. This place doesn't feel quite right." He himself would stay alert as well. His eyes began to spin, the dojutsu able to hypnotize even the boldest of opponents. He'd look out for anything out of the ordinary.

 

[Jintou]

Torrid summer sand was searing his backside after his tumble over the carcass. He didn’t know what burned more, the seething beads of sand just a few degrees away from becoming glass, or the latest rejection from Moriko. He would have laid there to make the pain of his backside reflect the pain in his soul but the day was long, with much still ahead of them. He floundered down there for a moment, and felt dense bone scratching against his armor; without it, he would have undoubtedly scored first-blood in their little mission, against himself. “All thanks to you, Big Bro Aki,” he whispered to the distant craftsman, likely causing him to sneeze abruptly.

But then there was Moriko, who seemed to go out of her way to be so snide. She really didn’t give a shit about him, or so Jintou was realizing as she said those harsh words and just kept treading along. He might have built up the courage to bite back if he wasn’t busy spitting the sand out of his mouth from the fall. Why was she like this? “Oh... right,” he answered absent-mindedly, stifled by the frustration and confusion Moriko frequently left him. Why did she vex him so? Even Ringo, who was like a polar opposite to Moriko, had an easy time with her... but that was Ringo— what’s not to like about him? Left crestfallen, Jintou couldn’t have lost sight of Moriko fast enough as the sun seared his retinas from an unfortunate glance skyward.

But then he found succor as a shadow hovered over him. One of Jintou’s new comrades stood between him and the rising sun and cast a long shadow: little did Goki know that she made a fine shield against a heavenly body. Her hair was splendidly long, catching sun rays in the bright orange with a tinge of red, glowing with fiery light in a comely halo that attributed to her mysterious appeal. When she extended her hand Jintou took it— perhaps a little too eagerly, and with Kei’s added help he was easily pulled back to his feet.

“Thanks” Jintou chirped in a sullen tone and untangled an auroch rib that stretched around his collar. But when Goki offered some strange criticism to follow, Jintou’s lips pursed as if his throat became paralyzed. He looked at her with a deer in the headlights stare full of contemplation, thinking “Less serious?” He flashed an expression of worry, but then confusion, and finally, surprising delight. “Wait, someone took me seriously?” He froze long enough for Kei to intervene, who spoke up on his behalf with words that were far too kind. No seriously, they had Jintou waving anxiously at the hype. “Let’s not get carried away…”

Carried away, you say? The timing couldn’t have been more superb as Lord Raizo revealed a considerable upgrade to their travel arrangements. See, this is what happens when you roll with the Kazekage: you ride with style. On came a flock of land-striding fowls, native yet trained for usage as war mounts. Jintou had seen sandrunners before, but never so up close and personally. Proceeding with caution, he meandered somewhere amongst the division made between their parties, closely between Kei, Ringo, and Goki. The blunder of the noble boy being trampled by his chosen Sandrunner gave Jintou pause. Secondly, consideration of the eccentric-masked shinobi by the name Yuno gave him a different kind of pause. He studied what Yuno would do then, wondering if the mask was for show or if he’d display some special bond with another bird… Could he speak bird? With his eyes narrowing, Jintou locked in on Yuno in a stare, only glancing away awkwardly when noticed. “I bet he knows some bird control jutsu or something” Jintou stage whispered to whichever classmate lingered closest. “Maybe the mask allows him to see through the eyes of all birds within a certain proximity… that would be so cool.” If the idea was only a suggestion, Jintou thought of introducing Yuno to Big Bro Aki in the near future to make his vision a reality.

Attempting to learn from Shenlong’s mistake, Jintou approached the sandrunner with an easy gait and his first reach into his snack pouch of the day. Back on the range, he used to lead the Auroch with food; most animals could be persuaded by treats, much like humans. Unsure of what Sandrunners ate, Jintou presumed that his typical snack cakes wouldn’t cut it so he revealed a handful of thimbleberries instead. Feeding the Sandrunner, and carefully stroking the nape of its neck with the grain of its feathers would hopefully ease the beast before mounting it for the long ride.

After the adventurous dash across rolling hills with the winds high, the Kazekage’s troupe arrived at this forlorn destination known as Godsfall. Upon arrival, the change to the land itself was noticeable to the likes of Jintou. His perception of energy wasn’t quite so keen yet, but it was a difference he could see. The typically tough plantlife was withered and frail; even rolling tumbleweeds went weakly, crumbly in despair with every turn. His hands tightened on his bident as he remembered the incident in the Quarry Hall of Toraono.

-- wc875mft

 

[Egawa Yuno]

"S-Second?" Yuno stuttered aloud to nobody in particular. Maybe he misunderstood, maybe the Kazekage was listing everyone just as first, second, third, et cetera, but only second was listed. Does that mean he was second in command? Yuno turned to the wall, and slumped his head against it as his mind raced a kilometer a second. 'I can't be second in command, what if I become first in command? What if I make the wrong choice and get people hurt?' He rolled his head across the wall as his mind raced. The heat of the sun made him sweat underneath his mask and cloak, agitating him even further.

Realizing he was making a scene he attempted to straighten up his act, and look toward those in his group. He was both older and of a higher rank than the two of them, so he had to lead by example. Unfortunately the Kazekage already had him pegged, he was a great support, and his leadership skills were severely lacking. He didn't have the confidence to order people around, but hopefully it would never come to such a moment. He gave his group a proper, 90 degree bow. "Egawa Yuno, pleasure to make your - oh my god!."

Yuno was immediately distracted by the arrival of sand runners. Immediately forgetting the existence of everyone else in the congregation he timidly approached the majestic creature. Of course, he had studied these intelligent and proud creatures as he did with many birds, but he never had a chance to encounter them. As he made his approach the runner haughtily blew air from his beak, reminding Yuno of his place. "Oh, my apologies." He gave the runner the same 90 degree bow as he did the rest of the group, waiting for the bird to return it before climbing back on. "Sorry if this cloak is too heavy, or if I become lethargic, the heat is unbearable. Though you probably already knew that." Yuno was now in his own world with his new bird friend, attempting to name him but getting a pretty dissatisfied response. After all, he probably already had a name.

Not even ten minutes into the dessert Yuno was already slumped over on the bird. Luckily the Kazekage was right, his bird followed the leader and didn't require Yuno's input. "Are we there yet?" He called out into the feathers of the bird, with his mask and the added soundproofing of the bird he wasn't certain anyone could hear it. However, the runner stopped, and Yuno was jostled to sit back up. "Oh, are we?" He was excited, but all that disappeared when he noticed the look on the two leader's faces. He wasn't attuned to the "feeling" that they felt, but he was pretty good at reading people's emotions. Something wasn't quite right. "W-what is it?"

[MFT]​

 

[Goki]

No few emotions flooded the boy’s being as he’d rise to his feet. So potent, in fact, one not even required empathic abilities to detect the bulk; for his own features quite clearly provided enough tell. Goki was slightly concerned he may’ve grown ill upon standing... Had the topple disturbed his immune system?
Returning a wave to the brown-haired arrival shortly after, golden irises would regard the seemingly more reserved individual; lingering, almost knowingly, despite it having been their first encounter. To a degree, they had been knowing—though to no concrete extent. For, even if one held the ability to feel the heart of a person, the details underneath remained unprovided.
If there existed a world where every individual’s visage plainly wore every emotion, though much might prove less misinterpreted, questions concerning why an individual had been smiling—or appeared saddened—would remain unanswered. Such was the case with this quieter boy; of which, despite the cheery demeanor—Goki couldn’t tell what was eating him up inside.
Perhaps for the best, less the socially inept girl might open her mouth to actually address the matter, the voice of the more lively relative—a polar opposite, it seemed—would snatch her attention. Ah, she recognized that voice—and that hair, and those eyes. It need not been said such striking resemblances between the two, in features rare of most individuals to boot, proved quite a phenomenon for two biologically unrelated.
They’d got along alright enough, yet Goki hadn’t seen the younger, extroverted boy for no few months. Which proved somewhat odd, given they’d shared many classes together. She hadn’t noticed him in her Genin exam either. Had he taken it with another group? The Academy held no few students, so it would’ve made sense. His brain in particular ticked at quite a faster pace than most others she’d oft come across. And his emotions smelled smokey. If Goki closed her eyes, she could imagine a blazing flame.

“Pantou... a hero?” Her head tilted at the words; relooking the previously fallen boy up and down, then back at Kei. “But Goki sees no cape.”
All heroes had capes, didn’t they? The Hybrid hadn’t been an avid reader of Shounen—partly because she couldn’t afford to purchase every new issue. But based upon what she’d heard the boys at Academy mention: Heroes, did in fact, wear capes. A cloak just wouldn’t do.

The mighty voice of Raikage would naturally command precedence, even if inadvertently so, from the band of unique personalities.

The Swarm ... Would they be murdering bees then? Perhaps wasps. There didn’t seem to be anything very unnatural about such creatures to Goki. In fact, they seemed very natural. Maybe this was another kind of swarm; one which her young mind had yet to learn of. Yes, that seemed plausible.
Mother and Father once mentioned in passing there would arrive a time Goki would have to sit down and hold some serious discussion with them, regarding what they referred to as, “The Birds & The Bees.” This sounded to be a kind of fairytale title to the Hybrid, and so she couldn’t determine why a fictional story might be deemed such a weighty topic. But when she’d sought to inquire, they’d both appeared quite reluctant, and nervous, to provide further information; repeating she’d not been, ‘Old enough.’ And so, Goki assumed she’d just have to wait for such answers.
Yet, here the Raikage appeared to be addressing this subject now. Hadn’t it still been too early? Goki had only aged but a few months since last it’d been brought up. And from what she saw, none of the other Genin or students appeared any much older than herself. Perhaps this subject’s disclosure depended upon strength, rather than age, then. The shinobi world was still new to her, so she hadn’t been sure of all its intricacies. A dull ache touched her brain as it labored to unravel this mystery. Adults proved exceedingly complicated at times.
Brows furrowed and arched amidst the Raikage’s document recitation... Despite her reverence for the village leader, some things sounded inconsistent to her. For one ...

The Hybrid would turn towards Kei.

“Goki doesn’t remember you being poisoned in class,” She’d candidly address, scratching the side of her head. “Or class being recent.” Was there some reunion or aftergathering she’d missed? Had administration not updated the boy’s information yet?

Second .. Goki was trying to understand who and where this ‘Jintou’ was. They’d been assigned to her team, after all. She’d look around, yet there didn’t appear any further potential members. All she saw, whom of which hadn’t even been assigned from the list, had been a Pantou. Maybe this Pantou had taken this Jintou’s place. Had this Jintou awoken too late and still hadn’t time for breakfast yet, it would’ve made sense.
This trip already proved confusing before it’d even truly begun. Goki had to understand whom her teammates were, after all, as this ‘Second’. She didn’t know what exactly she’d been Second of, but it sounded very important: The birdboy made this seem so.

“I bet he knows some bird control jutsu or something”
“Maybe the mask allows him to see through the eyes of all birds within a certain proximity… that would be so cool.”

Goki’s expectant stare mimicked the mentioner’s, albeit far less reservedly. She’d await the masked boy’s Torijutsu. Or indications of his ability to see through the eyes of these Sandrunners—if they had, indeed, actually been considered birds biologically. But she’d witness neither of the sort. And certainly nothing one might consider ‘cool.’ Only convoluted emotions; of which, he’d seemed in desperate need of an extensive brain massage for to address. Less they swell so severe he’d not be able to properly focus upon his duties as Second for the mission... expedition ... field trip ... clean up .... What was this really again?
Lastly, her attention would be drawn by: Lord Shenlong of the Grim Dawn, First of His Brood, Black Serpent of Calamity, Dreadwyrm, He of the Crimson Eye, King of Blackened Cinders, Doom of Fools and Student of the Sunagakure Academy .... For no few moments, one might add. Following the spectacle’s finale, the distinctive curl would return upon her lips; the meaning behind, this time, pretty easy to guess.
The birdboy hadn’t been the only convoluted mess, it appeared. But this dressed-to-impress boy’s was of a different nature. Rather than afflicted by knots and worms, the ticking of his brain seemed ... Off. A pattern abruptly ceasing for indefinite periods, afore resuming just as abruptly again, only to repeat the process. In a word, it was exceedingly inconsistent. To a concerning degree, one might add.
Ah, indeed; there proved many interesting minds here, all of distinct, rich flavors. Too many, in fact, to thoroughly examine and learn from. Goki would have to select prudently which she’d held enough time and opportunity for.
That said, the Genin would hop upon a Runner, as the rest, and be on her way.

 

[Tsurara Moriko]

So many...people.

Moriko hadn't been expecting that many; she'd been under the impression it was only going to be their class, the Kazekage, and maybe another person who'd been mentioned. As it was, with every person who arrived her discomfort grew. It wasn't at the dislike of being stared at, no, fortunately no one was paying her undue attention. It was simply there being so many...people. None of whom she knew very well, and the rest only slightly.

That so many of them had their own quirks and obvious oddities wasn't any help on that matter; she was from a ninja family and those tended to be common.Just...people. Everywhere. And not just a crowd like at the Bazaar, a cohered team.

She rubbed her arm unconsciously. Her discomfort now had nothing to do with the heat.

Well, she probably wasn't the one suffering most from that, ice blood or not. She'd at least dressed appropriately and so had most of them, but a young boy seemed to think he was some kind of royalty. A cape, really? There were some characters among ninja, but she'd always thought people cracked later on. Maybe some of them had a head start.

Just, if he was going to wear that getup out into the desert, he was going to have a bad time.

The apparent only other girl to arrive was dressed sensibly at least, a desert cloak that looked well-tuned for the heat. She was also more socially adept than Moriko (not that that was difficult), which was good; might take more attention off her. She did have an odd way of speaking, but she also had quite pretty hair, which hopefully meant that Jintou's attentions would transfer to her and Moriko could just operate without worrying about that. She catalogued the name Goki in her head and discreetly shuffled back and away a bit.

And there was the rest of the class, now, louder and less-so parts. The 'louder' part was actively excited and Moriko could somewhat excuse that; she had been fairly pleased to end up on a mission with the Kazekage too.

Kei had also dressed for the desert. Moriko was pretty sure that weirdo in the cape was the only one who had somehow made it to their age without remembering that he lived in a desert. But Kei also had a sandboard which piqued her interest. She'd never actually tried to use one before but had always been somewhat interested...maybe he had some tips for someone to start out?

It was also fortunate for him that Moriko had never had any particular time for manners, and did have some relief at gravitating toward people she knew at least a little whom she hadn't inadvertantly offended before. "Hello Four. Is that a sandboard? Do you have any tips on where to get one or how to start out? I've always wanted to try."

Of course, him being so friendly, he seemed to know a lot of the strangers she was hesitant around. Not wanting to trail around after anyone, she could just hang around the periphery, not obviously away from people but not getting so close someone might touch her.

Ringo AKA 'Two' seemed a little less gregarious but still more at-ease than her. Both of them had goggles, too, which made her feel better about her choice to bring some. Hers were a blue-green that hid the purple tones of her eyes while at the same time being close to her hair; her family didn't really 'do' many other colours with their gear and she was still not yet budgeting for her own private equipment. Not until she was a full-fledged ninja at the least.

"Hello," she greeted him. "Yes. There's a possibility of a sandstorm as well. Even if there isn't I'm expecting strong winds."

(As far as detecting unease and decay went--well. One might call Moriko the opposite of sensitive to those kinds of feelings. As has been noted elsewhere, she doesn't really have fear senses to prick.)

Ongoing threat of unnatural creatures? Was this...was this authorized violence? Toward vaguely humanoid entities, no less? The goggles might have hidden the sudden brightness in her eyes but the quick smile, possibly already noted down by others as uncharacteristic, might be a bit of a giveaway. Violence was something she already knew she was very capable of, and things being human-shaped wasn't remotely a deterrent.

Slightly disappointing that she wasn't in the team with the Kazekage, but then she could possibly get away with more unconventional things in a less-strict atmosphere? Not that...he seemed strict at all. Hm.

And oh, there was the name of the caped weirdo. Was he going to be the mission load?

Thoughts of discomfort around others were blown clear out of her head by the imminent promise of potential bloody violence. Sure, she was being split off from the rest of her former class, but: violence! Even the description of her that made her sound somewhat callous (from the perspective of most people likely accurate) was dismissed immediately.

The sandrunners caused a minor commotion, kicking up a fair amount of sand, and immediately proved her suspicions about cape-boy being the load correct. Given as he clearly didn't know how to handle one of the things, started a fight with a bird, and proceeded to lose in spectacular fashion. Superior. Riiiiight. It wasn't quite a look of disdain she gave Shenlong, but the arched eyebrow and pointed look between him and his chosen sandrunner spoke volumes.

The one that had pulled up alongside her had a rather striking feather design, with the body being a light cream and the wingtips, tailtips, and mane a striking crimson. It made a chattering noise at her and a curious beady-eyed look as she reached up to pet its neck, reddish-tipped feathers trailing down the back of it.

"Good bird," she said to it softly. It clacked at her and knelt so she could swing herself onto it. With the Kazekage's assurances, the fact that she hadn't ridden one before seemed immaterial. She'd seen them around enough before, and handled enough rabbits that animals were easy.

Easier than people by far. Way less complicated. Hers even allowed her to adjust herself on the saddle, then clacked again to let her know it was ready.

Moriko opted to ride side-saddle; it had a lower chance of making her sore--and her team leader had just advised them to not let themselves be once they got there. Because fighting. It had nothing to do with being demure, thank you; the position was far more natural than a traditional riding pose, and she didn't have to guide the bird anyway.

And yes, Jintou had already shifted his attention to the pretty red-haired Goki. Thank goodness. Moriko had no idea that he'd taken her earlier words as harsh, having relayed them in simple fact--she was twelve and not in a position to boss around her mostly-adult relatives, and she wouldn't have been able to even hear about the mission had they not bumped into each other. But communication was difficult for her, so she didn't grasp that in the slightest, and was only relieved to be free of a type of attention she disliked.

Bird control...?

Moriko barely caught the words, but glanced at the bird-masked boy curiously. Could he speak with them, or was it just some kind of affectation? It was likely immaterial now, but in the future...

...Well, he was talking to the bird. Whether or not it understood him or answered back in a way he did was another thing entirely.

Goki seemed much less inclined to fanfare, and Moriko was vaguely put-out they weren't on the same team. That being said it didn't seem likely they could trade away the 'lord' for another person, so oh well. Only action proved anything in the end; if her entire team was competent at the mission she'd be satisfied.

(And if they weren't--more things for her to kill.)

The ride didn't seem too long, which was mildly disappointing in that it was a unique experience, but also good in that they were closer to the mission. Moriko peered around curiously as she slid off of the saddle and turned to absently pat the sandrunner she'd been riding on the neck again. It clacked and gently nudged her before joining the others of its kind, presumably to wait for them to head back.

Both the Kazekage and her team leader seemed to have picked up on some kind of energy she couldn't sense. She rolled her shoulders and made sure that her bow was still in position to be quickdrawn in case she needed a rapid attack. It was.

I don't feel anything. She didn't say that out loud. Possibly she just lacked the training to pick it up, or maybe it required some specialized sense. Either way no point not being ready for anything.

 

[Ringo]

"Godsfall... The Swarm..."

As the Kazekage expressed his gratitude and introduced today's assignment, Ringo's natural glimmering eyes shone even brighter with utmost intrigue. He had never ventured out as far as Godsfall nor had he grasped the reality that the Swarm actually existed. His parents shared tales of their shinobi adventures and the battles that they endured, but his sheltered upbringing within the confines of the village disconnected him from the dangers that lurked about. Perhaps it was his growing confidence in his own abilities and his peers around him that he did not feel fear. A little nervous? Definitely. The glow of strength and dependability that radiated from Sunagakure's leader also amplified his sense of safety. This group of super-powered people could take on anyone.

Ringo honed in on the Kazekage's words as the man flipped through his notes and listed both teams along with miniature member descriptors. The first team was to be led by the silver-haired man named Uziuke, which confirmed the boy's hunch that he was a higher-ranked shinobi. "His suit is an interesting clothing choice for the desert for sure, but he does look powerful." His co-lead was Egawa Yuno, the seemingly reserved kid with a peculiar vizard. "Yuno's mask is pretty awesome," thought the young Mugen in agreement. Ringo grinned instantly when Moriko was listed next, especially after he heard her given introduction. At the time, she did seem "overly interested" in Kei's poisoned suffering, but she was just being a very studious ninja-to-be due to probable familial expectations. That was Ringo's justification and head-canon for her, at least. The last to be mentioned in the first squad was Shenlong, whom was the tired boy that Ringo previously made mental note to check up on later. Not that he had too much trouble recalling names, but Shenlong's would be easy to remember as he registered him as 'Shenlong titles'. ”I wonder how many more titles he has? Also, is he from nobility?"

By process of elimination, Ringo figured who'd be on the Kazekage's team before he even announced them. Goki, the red-headed Genin who spoke in third-person, was the group's co-lead. She was also Kei's former classmate and appeared very friendly, especially as she was the first to assist Jintou earlier. Ringo looked forward to getting to know her more. The remaining three members in this squad were Jintou, Kei, and himself, which sparked Ringo to beam an even brighter smile. He was stoked to be paired with two of his closest comrades in the Academy. His attention instantly shifted to his cousin; he knew Kei would be thrilled that Lord Raizo was their team leader. Ringo was also certain that Muu, his older shinobi brother, would never hear the end of this for decades to come.

As if on cue, the ground shook as they were all met by a herd of armored Sandrunners. Ringo’s mouth formed an ‘oooo’ as the tall, powerful birds neared them to provide the present Sunans transportation to Godsfall. As he had never seen a Sandrunner up close, he took a moment to let their emerging presence soak in as he also observed how everyone else interacted with them. Shenlong was among the first that tried to tame what was probably an already domesticated beast. His words were a bit harsh and were returned with physical aggression. Ringo winced. It took some time, but the clad noble soon reached a truce with his current familiar. “His approach wasn’t the best at first, but he seems like a quick-learner.” Yuno also appeared to have a slight struggle, but the Sandrunner complied with him after he spoke to it. He turned his head toward Jintou as he mentioned the Genin’s possible bird-manipulating prowess. “That’s a pretty neat ability,” he remarked in admiration. The brown-haired student nodded his head in full acceptance of his friend’s hypothesis.

Eventually, Jintou, along with many others in their pack, successfully saddled themselves to a Sandrunner. Ringo tilted his head and shifted his attention to the flightless bird before him. The creature stared out into space and moved its head in small jerks. How was he going to do this? “Um, Kei,” he called out to his cousin. As someone who normally lived outside of their village, the fellow Mugen was sure to have experience with this, right? “Will you please help me? I'm not sure what to do.” As much as he wanted to exercise autonomy, he was earnest enough to ask for help. Perhaps both students could assist each other in bestriding these large birds?

Whether Kei was able to aid him in this task or not, Ringo would eventually make his way on top of the Sandrunner. Both squads then rode off to their assigned destination. While their journey was seamless, Ringo did spend the better half of it balancing himself as he sat astride on the galloping beast. It wasn’t long until they all came to a halt and dismounted their transporters. The Kazekage began to scan around as their other superior, Uziuke, called out a chilling warning. The boy instinctively reached for his staff and entered into a defensive stance; his response was a clear indicator that he was picking up a type of battle sense from his previous classes and training. He kept his wits about him, but he could not sense anything out of the ordinary. For now, Ringo would have to rely on the sharpened perception of his comrades as he braced himself for possible combat.

 

[Mugen Kei]

"Hello Four. Is that a sandboard? Do you have any tips on where to get one or how to start out? I've always wanted to try."

At these words, the sparkle that had manifested in Kei's aura for the last several hours intensified and the fear of being seen as childish for bringing such a tool was washed away. As Jintou turned his attention to his female doppelganger, Moriko now received the entirety of Kei's, with much the same enthusiasm as he'd given her when answering her questions about the affects of his poisoning. "They're cool, right?! There are some places in Soons Haven you can get them from, usually along with the surf boards. They're kind of pricey there though, and I'm not sure if there's anywhere closer that sells them… haven't really seen any in the village, which is weird I think. But! My aunt was actually teaching me how to make them before we moved; I made a few decent ones I think. If you want I could teach you how to use mine sometime after class, and if you like it I can see if I can find some materials to try to make you one…" The onslaught was likely more than Moriko had anticipated or desired, but Kei was overflowing at the thought of being able to share his hobbies with someone (Muu had never had the patience for it, and until recently it had been a struggle just to drag Ringo out of the kitchen long enough to even consider any kind of sporting activity).

He wouldn't have too long to pursue this conversation, as finally Ryuzaki Raizo would gather their attention and divide their large group into teams. Kei's amber gaze met his Ringo's, flashing him an equally large smile and a thumbs up at the revelation that they would be on the same team. He hadn't particularly cared who he got put with, as he'd love to spend the time with friends but certainly wouldn't be opposed to making new ones (especially with dope bird masks and long fancy titles) - what was most important was he liked being able to have an eye on his little cousin. Okay, maybe that was second-most-importantly, because above all the idea that he would be on the Kazekage's team left Kei speechless, perhaps for the first time in his short life.

His star-struck daydream, of course, was cut short by the musings of their Second. “Goki doesn’t remember you being poisoned in class. Or class being recent."

Oh, oh no. 'She doesn't know I failed.' Panicked that he now had to explain this, in front of the Kazekage (who should already know because, records, but Kei's brain didn't work like that), took the wind out of his sails like a knee to the stomach. As the Sandrunners were presented which would normally send the teen into a whirlwind of hype, he did his best to cover his embarrassment by lifting a hand behind his head and flashing a shaky grin. "Ha ha yeah, weird, so like… what had happened was…"

"How dare you strike me? You shall burn for thi-- oof!"

Thank the gods for Shenlong, Doom of Fools and something about a Red Eye. As everyone's attention turned toward the poor lad, Kei took the opportunity to sneakily excuse himself, whistling a hushed tune as he approached a Sandrunner further away. He took a moment to consider the miniature versions of their leader's mount; sure, they might be younglings like themselves, but Kei knew a bit better than to underestimate them. He'd met merchants in their guild who liked to use them for travel, but between the fact that their family usually transported larger hauls and his mother's deathly fear of the feathered beasts, Kei hadn't had too much opportunity to interact with them, leaving him with a healthy respect for the birds. The redhead loved animals in general, and it had been a soul-crushing experience to leave his pet lizard Tora with his cousins when they moved to Sunagakure. Between the lessons he'd gotten from traders and the fresh reminder Shenlong provided, Kei was able to guide Ringo through the process of bowing low and then maintaining eye contact with an open palm out, then waiting for the creature to make the first move. Of course, Jintou's method worked too - who didn't like snacks, human and animal alike? Kei and Ringo's would be slower to coerce, but eventually they would find themselves atop their mount. As his Sandrunner's black-tipped beak nuzzled into Kei's palm, he grinned.

"This oughta be a piece of cake."

It was, in fact, not a piece of cake. Despite mounting with relative ease, the boarding-enthusiast was more accustomed to having total control over whatever he rode. This however was a creature with a mind of its own, and an instinctual drive to follow its leader. There was more than one occasion along their journey that when Kei thought they ought to turn left to avoid a dune and pulling on the reigns to indict as such, the bird would instead sprint full speed ahead and leap over the darn thing, leaving Kei uttering all kinds of strange sounds as he gripped the bird's black and orange patterned feathers in a desperate attempt to keep from falling off. With every passing moment, the sandboard on his back seemed more and more appealing. "C'mon man, help me out." He finally whispered into the feathers of the Runner after an hour - which seemed to only spur the thing on faster. Kei could have sworn the bird was snickering. The boy lamented internally - he'd hoped to use the ride to make conversation with Uziuke and maybe even Raizo, but alas it seemed he would be spending the next two hours attempting to bond with his animal companion.

Arriving in Godsfall, Kei was quick to comply with their commander's order to dismount. Catching a glimpse of Raizo and Uziuke's faces as he did so, he began to ask, "What's--" but before he could finish, he hit the sand and one foot quickly sunk into it. The top layer of sand had been gently covering a skeleton, likely once buried and now uncovered by the haboob as it was brittle enough for the teen's foot to crush the skull beneath it. Though he couldn't sense it the way the older shinobi could, a sense of apprehension filled the student as he looked down and then around the so-called desert graveyard. "…wrong?"