A Day in the Sun [Contract Search]

[Chikamatsu Shin]

His new friend expected him to turn tails and run? If Shin did that he knew that Katsu would be taken over. That was simply unacceptable. No one was going to die today. Not Shin, not Katsu, nor even these wolves. There was a way of maintaining this life without having to disrupt the tides of death. Acting quickly the boy would go into action against the wishes of the bird-man. If Katsu wasn't going to run Shin would have to make the first move. "Fine, if you aren't going to run neither will I." And with that the hundreds of poisonous petals pelted the earth below where the canines were feasting on the corpses of humans. Making eye contact with the bird the boy's bright blue eyes shifted to a deeper gold that was common amongst the greatest hunting raptors of the skies, the eagles. Slamming both hands on the ground he conjured up a field of greens significantly larger than the one before but this time things were different. Instead of vegetables growing they fields of green laid full of flowers. Multiple colors and designs these flowers seemed to fill the sandy dunes to the nearest peaks all the way around. Placing his hand on the large rock beside him before jumping out from behind it the boy would go into action.

From the earthy surface of the rock's face nearest the wolves a young boy would step out. In frame he looked just like Shin but in color he matched the sandy stone, nevertheless this boy emerged and was ready. Instantly darting directly at the wolves this mud clone would attempt to explode and cause this slimy goo to cover the wolves, with the intent to either slow them down or scare them off. The true Yamanaka child would make a series of handseals that would intern cause the flowers around the pack of beasts to release a Grey Fog. This toxic pollen would create a fuzziness of the wolves mind, though not particularly sharp to begin with, and make it more difficult for them to translate messages from neurons to muscle fibers. Hopefully this would also slow them down and weaken their attacks.

 

[Tomomi]

So, it appeared that Shin was not backing down and retreating as the birdman, Katsu, had told him to do which made the fella chuckle a little as it seemed that this little flower child was starting to get braver and more courage in himself as they had journeyed together. Unfortunately though, they should have probably made a run for it when they could as they were heavily outnumbered even with Shin being able to use chakra. But, they were here and they had to fight now since flight was not an option. Due to this, Katsu would move to the one side of the boulder and begin to hire off shots from his gun which promptly alerted the wolves. Of course, Shin had made a mud clone that ran towards the wolves and exploded that slowed them down before having his flowers, from above, give off a toxin that caused the dune bugs and wolves to collapse to the ground. Once again, it appeared that Shin had managed to show Katsu that death was not needed in order to handle a situation, but it would only last for so long. After all, some people were more immune to poisons and others to Ninjutsu while others were more prone to Taijutsu due to their frail bodies or Genjutsu cause their minds were weak!

In any case, Katsu would look at Shin and nod at him. Seemed that he could learn from this child, but Shin still had much to learn himself. The birdman would then speak in a low volume to Shin as all the creatures were slumbering nearby: "Good work, Shin. But, we must continue along on our journey. Are you ready to continue?" It was now the perfect opportunity for them to make a getaway before the wolves woke up and began to pursue them since they were going to be a nice tasty meal if the creatures were awoken due to the gang mentality and group cohesion that wolves displayed. However in the distance, there was also something looming and it appeared that it was getting worse as the ground was slowly beginning to shake and noises could be heard from where they stood. Yeah, it was time to get out of here.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Shin's attack seemed to be effective, which was a good thing as his chakra reserves weren't very high. At this point in his training there wasn't much more he could give as he had just recently joined the academy. These basic jutsus were about all he could muster up, but watching Katsuo step up and aid him brought some fight back into his veins. The young blond would take a few steps towards the falcon before dropping to his knees. Panting heavily he didn't realize how much chakra he had actually spent on that single round of attacks. Looking up to Katsuo the boy forced himself up from the ground before pulling out a canister of water from his belt pouch. Taking a small drink the sandy boy would respond. "Yeah, let's get going."<i></i> Completely unaware of the ever-looming thing in the distance the boy would take a few steps towards his new ally as he was ready to continue helping him with his mission.

 

[Tomomi]

A simple nod would be given from the bird-man as Shin acknowledged that it was time to continue on with their journey. Of course, Katsu knew exactly where they were going while Shin was on a destination unknown that was a far way from home or so it was starting to be as they had lost practically any visual representation of the village. Hopefully, he was prepared to brave the desert some more as he had gotten this far and survived so it was likely that he was confident enough to continue to go. But, he only was a child and thus this had to be a little bit overwhelming for him even if he was almost close to being a shinobi of the Hidden Sand; his partner on the other hand was aged and used to situations like this so maybe this unlikely duo would accomplish whatever task was set forth from Katsu and his organization.

But before this could be proven or not, they had to continue as Katsu looked down at Shin and simply said: "Very well. Let's continue." It was with those words that the bird-man with his gun at his side would begin to trek past the creatures that had all fallen asleep under one of Shin's techniques. The technique had been smart, but putting some lead into them also would have worked wonders. Different mindsets but likely the same end result in some shape or form, but we would never truly know! In any case, Katsu would manage to get by them and would motion for Shin to follow him quickly which if he did, they would continue on with their journey in the desert. If not, it was likely that Katsu would just look at him dumbfounded and want to bop him over the head.

Assuming that they did however both get past the wolves successfully, they would continue traveling in the desert with no other signs of life, but an occasional cactus that was situated elegantly or a random creature or two that scurried by them. In all honesty, it seemed like they were out of trouble and worries for the reasonable future, but that was more likely than not going to change as they continued to travel especially with the loud noises in the distance getting louder and louder with each passing ten or so minutes. Of course, nobody could truly know what was going on but it was likely that they would want to avoid whatever it was that was in the distance as it was shaking the very ground that they stood on and it could only meant that trouble would come to them if they interfered.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Nodding at the bird man the boy would follow him carefully through the pack of sleeping wolves. He didn't want to wake any of them causing commotion and possibly threatening the lives of Shin and his new friend. The boy would softly place his feet down on the sand to not disturb the ever changing dunes as he followed his veteran ally. Passing by the pack the two seemed to be safe, and this would be the beginning of a long trek in which they would make away from the village. This was probably the furthest he has been from home but it would not bother him as he wanted to help Katsu complete his mission.

The journey was long and Shin was able to tell this only by the shifting position of the sun in the sky, but along the way Shin saw many beautiful things. Stopping and gawking at the varying cacti and insects that inhabited these sandy hills the boy would have to remind himself that he was basically on a mission and to stay with the falcon, less he get left behind. Everything was going well until the boy could hear a loud sound from a far that grew louder and louder. This sound was also accompanied by the shaking of the ground below him. Nervously the boy would speak to his ally. "Katsu... What is that?<i></i>

 

[Tomomi]

The two of them would continue to travel as the ground beneath them would continue to shake. Things were certainly not going as planned as Katsu was having difficulties in continuing to stand upright as he kept having to grab the ground as he was falling due to the simple magnitude of this "earthquake." Now, he would hear the blonde haired child from the Hidden Sand ask him what was the sound that he was hearing in the distance which was obviously not going away anytime soon. Unfortunately for them both, the bird anthropomorphic creature truly did not have any idea of what was going on as he would turn around and address Shin as he trying to get back to his feet. It would say something along the lines of the following: "I do not know for certain, Shin. But, I also do not want to find out. It might merely be an earthquake, but as you also can hear, it sounds like there is a commotion in the distance. In fact, it almost seems like it might be one of those legendary creatures that I heard about before when I was being briefed for this mission. I think the creatures were called carnasaurs and sandworms? Yeah, that sounds right, but I know that I was told to avoid them at all costs as my bullets will not be enough to take either of them down. So, I would rather avoid that if I could, Shin."

In all honesty, Katsu had no idea what was going on nor did he want to investigate it and put the poor blonde in harm's way more than he already was in. Of course, he still wasn't overly pleased with Shin tagging along but they both knew the consequences if Shin would get hurt, or even worse killed, in the process. He did know however that they had to continue on so when he finally got back to his feet once more, he would nod at Shin and say: "We must continue. It won't be an easy journey with the loudness in the distance and the ground beneath us shaking, but we have to keep going to accomplish our mission." It was with this that he turned his back to Shin and they continued on into the wild unknown of the desert!

Little did they know, they were going to be in for a world of surprises soon that likely was going to be more or less a suicidal mission of survival. Now, I do not know exactly what Shin and Katsu would be doing, but I can assure you that it was not going to be a walk in the park and it was likely that Shin was going to be scarred for his life in more ways than one. It was even likely that he might lose a hand or a foot. Maybe, just maybe, he would be killed in the process! Who really knew as that was what one put their faith into when they decide to play the game!

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

The boy had to be honest with himself, he was pretty exhausted from this journey. Wiping the sweat beading up on his forehead with his forearm he would look over to the bird as he would answer Shin's question. The idea of Carnasaurs or Sandworms made the young Yamanaka become anxious. He was worried that this would not be the kind of adventure he was looking forward to. "I'm not sure how familiar you are with Sandworms but if that is indeed what is making that sound then we need to avoid it at all costs. They are the apex predator around here, even above our strongest Shinobi."<i></i> The boy's voice trailed off a little bit as he would take another sip of water from the canteen he had on him. Wiping his mouth before speaking the boy would continue. "Rumors have it that they can grew large enough that the entrance of my village used to actually be the skeleton of such beasts. I don't know how true this is though."<i></i> Taking slightly heavier steps than before the boy was able to tell that his chakra reserves were essentially empty. Nodding at the bird before him he acknowledged their need to keep moving. hopefully they weren't walking to the cause of such tremors in the sand but in all honesty Shin was unable to even tell which direction the sounds were coming from.

 

[Tomomi]

As they walked, the blonde hair of this duo would speak stating that it would not be ideal if the two of them would encounter a sandworm as they were supposedly the apex predators of the Hidden Sand. While Katsu had this assumption in his head, it was good to realize that his intelligence presented to him was accurate and he would do his best to avoid having to deal with any confrontation with a dangerous creature like this. There was no promises, but they would do their best to avoid any more confrontations that pitted them against animals, plants, or humans that decided to live in the desert for whatever reason they decided to have.

The two of them would just walk and walk and walk. It seemed like they were endless walking while the commotion in the distance was still occurring. In the distance, the two of them could see what appeared to be a structure of sorts. It appeared from their distance that this structure seemed to be circular, metallic, and quite possibly able to get off the ground and fly in the air like an airplane or a flying saucer! But, again, it was too far away to know for sure for the hero of our story. However, Katsu was well aware of what it was and he just kept pushing forward while looking back every now and then to make sure that Shin was following still. He knew that the child was likely tired and exhausted, but they were almost to somewhere safe from the chaos that was likely ensuing in the distance!

[OOC: Short post is short, but it will be better next time! Transitioning post.]

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

The boy could feel his chakra start to replenish, which was good as he had nearly depleted his reserves. The journey was long and hot, by now the morning sun was definitely at or pass the high noon which caused the heat to intensify. Letting out a little sigh the boy could feel the salt crystals on his forehead form as the moisture from his sweat would start to evaporate at a quicker rate. wiping away the salty sweat from his forehead he would look around. Nothing was in view, the occasional cactus sure, but nothing incredibly useful. He was curious where Katsu was taking him but he trusted his new acquaintance. Right before Shin was going to ask his feather compadre where they were he would see a large structure that was metallic. "What is that thing?"<i></i> He couldn't really see what it was from the distance that they were at but he was indeed curious what it was. Covering his eyes with a hand to try and get a better view the boy would notice it's shape but he still wasn't sure what it was.

 

[Tomomi]

Throughout their journey from the pack of wolves, who were peacefully sleeping, to the structure that was now in the distance, it had been a hot, humid, and often times unbearable journey. The anthropomorphic bird could see that his follower was slowly getting more and more tired as his feet had begun to drag, but he kept pushing on likely trying to impress Katsu, which he didn't need to do. In any case when they had seen the spaceship-like structure in the distance, he knew that they were almost safe from the dangers of this region of the world and he could rest a lot easier knowing that Shin was safe and sound since he was still much too innocent to see the more gruesome and gut-wrenching things that this world could offer that were even worse than death! As they got closer with every step, he would hear Shin's question and simply give a smile saying: "Safety."

It would only take a few more minutes before they were at the entrance of the structure that simply did look like a flying saucer, but it was not. The leader of this group would allow Shin to have a moment to soak in everything that was presented in front of him as Katsu pulled out his gun once again as he looked around. As he did, he would speak quietly to the boy: "Take all the time that you need, Shin. I will watch our surroundings though as it is likely that bandits or wild life are going to stumble upon our base eventually and we need to be ready for it. You are safe for now, but be weary."

As they both stood there, the stairs that led to the entrance would appear in front of them and the door would open up. However, it was important to note that in the distance, the sounds that they had heard before were much louder and appeared to be a lot closer than before. Was this a coincidence or had they accidentally gotten closer to them? Either way, one could hear loud thuds to the ground and what appeared to be a roar every now and then as the ground beneath them continued to shake and often times, it was unbearable and difficult to stand.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Shin followed his newly found friend closer to the metallic structure which the bird referred to as safety. Intrigued on what this thing was and how it got here would have to be pushed out of his mind as the sound of large clashing battle would appear to be growing ever louder and louder. The boy nodded at Katsuo as he would look into the structure. Sending out the telepathic thread to attach to the bird Shin would speak out. "If anything does happen think of telling me something and I will hear it. I'll be out in a moment's notice."<i></i> With that the boy would look up to the stairs and enter it as the ground would continue to shake, almost causing the boy to fall. He wanted to stay out but he knew that he was at the end of his ropes in terms of endurance so he needed a chance to sit and relax to prove that he could still be useful in a situation that would call for his strength.

 

[Tomomi]

Nodding, the blonde haired child's "friend" would look around with his gun at his side likely evaluating the situation around them to ensure that their "safehouse" was still secure from outside entities that may try to interfere in their affairs. While they were in the desert, Katsu knew that the harsh realities of this barren wasteland could have everlasting consequences on everyone that decided to get involved in them. Sure, they were safe due to their metallic structure from minor threads like bandits, wolves, and other shinobi that may or may not be aligned with the Hidden Sand; however, they were still quite vulnerable to some of the more mythological creatures of these lands like the Sunan Carnasaur and Sandworm. While encountering one of these creatures was rare, one could not allow it to pass through their mind without worrying about it at the very least since they were still quite honestly dangerous creatures that could and usually did cause chaos, destruction, and havoc for anyone that crossed paths with them if they managed to not die in the process. In other words, the bird-man still had his guard up especially with this pure, innocent child that had accompanied out here on his own free will. Hopefully, he was managing itself with no guidance from the elder bird.

Inside of the metallic structure, Shin would see numerous gadgets and buttons that were tempting him to press or toy with to see what they would do. The option was up to him if he wanted to choose to do so, but he had to be on his best behavior if he was being weary of his surroundings as a dark, blueish entity and a bright, reddish entity were watching him from the other side of the structure though, he would be unable to make out exactly what they were as they appeared to be shadowy-like figures. Aside from these strange figures and numerous shiny buttons and gadgets to play with, the rest of the enclosure was relatively boring as it certainly did not look like somewhere that people would be wanting to spend most of their time. Sure, it had a mini-kitchen and bathroom along with some mattresses laying around for individuals to sleep on, but it was bland and quite boring as there was truly no color to the place. Fortunately for Shin, he did not have to live here the rest of his life and merely just would need to rest up and recover from his journey thus far while Katsu watched over in the hellish temperatures of the desert with the sun radiating down on him.

The question that Shin likely would have to ask himself was what was he going to do since he was inside of the enclosure away from the elements and having numerous options to choose from? He obviously could just look around and then decide to head back out to Katsu to do their thing even though he still had no idea what exactly he was doing. However, he could also rest up and see if there was some food to chow down on and liquids to keep himself hydrated since he likely was low in every aspect of his being currently after trekking through the desert and being forced to indirectly help Katsu out with those wolves. But, there was also those entities that were standing there in all their shadowy glory which gave off a mysterious vibe to themselves while likely judging him silently. So, there were quite a few options for the blonde child of the Chikamatsu Clan to do and he had to think through each one likely and weight the pros and cons of doing so.

What would Shin do?

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

The metallic structure was, in all sense of the word, awesome. The form of what he assumed was a building was unique and clean. There was a sense of cleanliness that Shin associated with metal, whether these metallic forms were sterile or not. His eyes would wander through the seemingly open space before locking in on the kitchen. He would make his way over there with some haste without actually breaking out into a jog. His brisk walk took him straight to sink where he would find the closest thing to a cup he could find quickly and begin to fill it with water. Being of the Hidden Sand he knew the dangers of dehydration and he understood that gulping down water was problematic. He needed to balance out his sips with his own breathing to make sure he didn't drown as the small steady flow of water entered his mouth. A calming sensation filled his body as the cool water made its way down his esophagus and into his belly. After the slow and steady drink the boy let out a soft sigh before he would look through the kitchenette a little more. Looking through the cabinets and on the counters the boy would basically look for any vegetable or fruit that he recognized before plopping it into his mouth to hold as he would grab another cup. Still unaware of what else was in this structure the boy would quickly fill the container with water before heading back out to see Katsu.

Upon exiting the structure the young boy would walk up towards the humanoid bird before offering the cup of water to him. If he wanted it or not Shin would then make his way back inside to take a break. He was exhausted and wanted to find a place to relax, even if it was for a short little while. Not being outside for more than maybe a minute or two as Shin would reenter the metallic structure he would finally take in all of the contents. The first thing he would notice were the two large shadowy figures. A deep blue and a bright red, two colors that weren't common amongst the tan earth of the Land of Wind, but these figures were truly shocking. Dropping whatever vegan-friendly snack he had been carrying in his mouth into the palm of his hand his face instantly turned a shade of blushed pink. "Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to barge in here..."<i></i> He looked down at the food he had just taken for what he assumed was their kitchen. "I can replace this, I am sorry. Katsu just said I could relax here, so I didn't think anyone else was going to be in here."<i></i>

Then it clicked. He was being rude. "Oh, I am so sorry, how rude of me. My name is Shin, Chikamatsu Shin. May I know yours?"<i></i> Sounding rehearsed as if the boy didn't have very many friends he resisted the urge to shoot his hand out to shake as he knew that these two forms were to far away for that. He wasn't really sure if they would be able to speak back to him, but he had just spent most of his day so far with a bird that could talk and use firearms so Shin's realm of possibilities was pretty limitless at the moment.

 

[Tomomi]

As the blonde-haired child began to explore the structure, the overlords of all birdkind would watch from their shadowy figures in silence as he truly made himself feel right at home. It felt like their presence had not been felt by the child and that he was too occupied with making himself comfortable and getting himself hydrated once more to be aware of them. Nevertheless, they would just follow his movements and easily could tell that he meant no harm as his body language and actions could easily speak for themself; he was likely just a child that had been brought here for safety because his body wasn't accustomed to the harsh environment of the desert or the threats that lived in every corner. Nevertheless, he seemed to be doing quite well as he didn't appear too fatigued and he actually would bring a drink back outside for whoever traveled with him which they assumed it was Katsu.

As he returned back inside, he would eventually realize that he had intruded and notice the two shadowy figures that did not move and actually didn't appear to be breathing based on their appearance. Now, these shadowy figures were definitely Jo and Ko from their appearance if someone in the Library had ever taken a record of them, but it was highly unlikely that they were not written about in the books. In any case, the boy would actually apologize to them for barging in and being rude before he introduced himself to them trying to ease any issues that may have stemmed between them and also to try to be friendly more or less.

Initially, the boy would hear nothing from either of these figures and it might've felt like he was dealing with mere statues that just peaked his interest. Fortunately for him, they were not statues and actually living entities. The dark bluish one would speak first and the boy could clearly tell that this one was male and quite friendly as he spoke: "So, Katsu said that you were allowed to enter, Chikamatsu Shin? That is quite interesting that he decided to bring a child all the way out here in the desert when he was on a mission for us. It seems that he strayed from his mission and was thinking about your safety and well-being since he truly does care about others in this world even if he can come off as rude and assertive at times. He truly is a good individual, wouldn't you agree, Ko?"

Unfortunately, the female of this duo was not exactly the nicest creature in the world and she would be one of those mean girls. As she spoke, the blonde could easily tell that she was filled with annoyance and anger behind her words. She would ask the following: "While he may be a 'good' individual, Jo. He should've let the kid alone and proceeded to do his mission since we need this information as soon as possible. Let me ask you this, Boy. Did Katsu actually travel here with you because he wanted to or was it because you nagged him to come along because you were interested in what he was and what he was doing? Surely, a child of your age was curious, but you should've left him alone and allowed him to do his job. He doesn't need to babysit someone who can't take care of themself." Yes, Ko was definitely the more mean and harsh one of the two while Jo was the nicer and peaceful one. But, what could one expect from twins, they were never quite alike for the most part aside from possibly appearances and skill levels at times.

As Jo and Ko were doing their thang and taking a breather for a moment, the "ally" of Chikamatsu Shin who had helped him travel from the outskirts of the Hidden Sand would appear inside of the structure and simply ask: "Is everything alright, Lord Jo and Lord Ko? I heard you two speaking and thought it would be best if I headed inside to make sure that the boy hadn't done anything wrong." Honesty. That was a great thing for the Falco-like creature to do since he was showing that he cared about the boy and also the child's well-being. However, he would likely have to deal with the wrath from Jo and Ko after all was said and done since he still had not technically completed his mission that they had assigned to him. But, that would come in due time one could only hope.

In any case, Jo would respond to Katsu first in his calm, peaceful demeanor: "Shin is fine, Katsu. Please go back outside and protect our home while we talk to this boy. We will summon you when it is time for you to return inside and for us to discuss your mission. You are not in trouble." However, his sister would respond right after him and she was truly showing her bitchiness and her lack of care about feelings in this realm: "But, you have a lot of explaining to do, Katsu! I am quite disappointed in you right now, but we have more pressing matters like dealing with this kid."

In any case, Katsu would simply nod without saying a word and head back outside of the structure to stand guard while Jo and Ko would continue their discussion with Chikamatsu Shin. Only time would tell what truly would transpire between all of them!

---

OOC:

• Sorry for the wait. You waited far too long for me to respond.
• I will do my best to not make you wait almost a month again.

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Shin was in awe as the figures before him seemed to come to life and address him. "He did! We have been traveling together, watching each other's back while getting to know one another. We made an agreement at the very beginning that I was not to drag him down, and I actually was able to assist him in a few things."<i></i> The small boy would respond as he saw his friend enter the room and ask if everything was okay. As he would once again leave the young boy turned to look back at the duo. "Please don't be disappointed in him for having me come along. I was able to hold my own and I was able to prevent fatalities thanks to me ninja training! Sure we didn't agree to the exact way things should have been done but we were able to sync with one another and we defeated an opponent that we would have lost to if we faced them by ourselves.."<i></i> Realizing that he was kinda lecturing the two large beasts he instantly shut up, knowing that at times it was better to be silent. There he stood, awaiting to see what the two would do with him.

 

[Tomomi]

As Katsu left, the young Chikamatsu boy would respond to these two mythological creatures that stood before him in a sort of incorporeal form to them as Jo and Ko's facial structures and reactions could not be seen by the boy as he spoke to them. He would explain to them that Katsu and him had been traveling together watching over one another and through this teamwork had managed to make it to this base of theirs where he was standing in front of them right now. The story or response to them was a reasonable one as they had been watching from their position over Katsu the entire time as he had traveled with Chikamatsu Shin and in doing so saw their trials and struggles with one another to try to keep their attitudes in check and work together. To recall, the blonde haired boy in front of them wanted to protect and preserve as many individuals and animals in this world that was physically possible while Katsu had his gun and was ready to point it at something and kill the target in cold blood. They both had different thought processes and ways to handle situations, but maybe that is why they had managed to travel through this barren wasteland that they called a desert and make it back to this base in one piece or maybe it was simply luck!

In either case as the boy finished, this would prompt the male of this duo, if Shin could tell their gender from their voices, to respond to him. His voice was still calm and peaceful as he spoke to the boy as it had been before. He would say something along the lines of this: "We are well aware of the pact that you two formed with one another to get here in one piece. You have an admirable trait which is your kindness and looking out for the well-being of everything in this this world. It almost seems like you know that every thing had its own purpose and path in life that should not be taken from it by the strike of humanity or nature. The way that you handled those wolves that severally outnumbered you was quite amazing especially from a child of your age and caliber. Wouldn't you agree, Ko?"

If anyone was assuming that Ko was going to respond in favor of how this child had handled the situation that had been thrown in front of him through the hands of Fate, they had another thing coming truthfully. See, Ko was not particularly the nicest individual in this realm and she knew it as her brother also did. She never would hold back her words as she spoke and Shin would feel the wrath of her words as she spoke: "The fact that he got here in one piece is something that he can be proud of. But, he wasted so much time and energy trying to keep all of those wolves alive when he could've just murdered them all with Katsu. If I recall correctly, Katsu has a firearm at his disposal and you were capable of using chakra so while you were outnumbered, you had many more weapons at your disposal than those canines did. They had their instincts, teeth and claws...you had guns, chakra, and the capability of eliminating them all. You may even have the capability of eliminating Katsu if he wasn't paying attention."

The reaction from Ko was expected from her brother as he looked her at her, though Shin wouldn't be able to likely notice this, and he would respond to his sister with a short statement: "The boy values life more than he does death. Maybe he values that because he wants to see the purity and beauty of this world manifest itself from a small bud into a gorgeous rose garden. This kid is pure and has no mean or spiteful bone in his body. Honestly, I highly doubt that he would be capable of hurting anyone in this world unless it was absolutely necessary for his survive. Even then though, I feel like he would give the shirt off his back to try to keep things beautiful."

Of course, Ko wasn't going to allow Jo to get anyway with this shitty ideal world that he imagined and that Shin likely would love to have. No, she knew that chaos, destruction, and fire were the ways of life as she had seen them. Fortunately though for Shin, Ko wasn't actually going after him as much as trying to explain to her brother and Shin her view of this world: "That may be true, Jo, but he has to understand that life has to close its pages eventually to begin the next book called Death. That crow that he saw, when he stumbled upon Katsu, had reached the end of its life cycle and the hands of Death grabbed it forcefully even if it wasn't ready. Sometimes, we all need to understand that death is the optimal choice in a situation for our own survival and well-being. He is young and naive still, but if the hands of reality manage to take their grasp on him, he will learn quickly that Death is a part of life and it will come when the time is right regardless of the consent of the individuals chosen."

It was after this that the two figures in front of Shin would redirect their attention back to him as Jo would address the boy first followed by his sister back and forth almost like their minds were in perfect sync with one another. Their dialogue was something like the following:
"Tell us, Chikamatsu Shin..."
"...what do you think of life and death..."
"...do you deem it necessary..."
"...or do you think..."
"...that living in this world..."
"...trumps death in this world..."
"...or would you say..."
"...there needs to be.."

They both would finish by speaking at the same time to the blonde-haired soon-to-be Genin: "...a sort of evenness to them both?"

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

Shin would look to the blueish shadow as the deeper voice would begin to speak again. A soft blush took to his cheeks as the great power before him spoke to him about the kindness and skills he had shown during the adventure. Shin was naturally sweet and never wanted to cause unnecessary harm to anyone, which aside from being born of the Yamanaka Clan was a main reason he studied the art of Genjutsu. Bowing his head slightly the boy muttered out a soft thank you to the massive presence of energy and strength, but once Ko began to speak that soft blushing on his cheeks quickly faded away as she scared Shin. The idea of death and destruction seemed to be ever present in her mind. The boy grew silent as she criticized him for wasting time and energy trying to preserve their lives. Grabbing his left tricep with his right hand the boy looked at the ground, clearly curling up in himself. He wasn't the bravest kid and he was still just learning about himself. A soft step backwards as the two forms before him would argue and Shin was afraid of what was going to happen. He kept his mouth shut and his eyes down as they argued about life and death. Ideas far greater than any child should have to debate on but before Shin could could take a second step back it became obvious that they were focused back onto the young boy.

"I-I... umm... Believe that there is umm..."<i></i> He choked on his own words as small tears would dwell up on his eyes. He was truly frightened by the feminine sounding Ko, but he wasn't sure if Jo was much safer. Closing his eyes and clenching his fists beside his body the boy would yell back at the two birds, with much more emotion than he probably should have. "Life should be protected as much as possible! Death is inevitable but premature death is a waste of precious life, and can throw off the balance of nature."<i></i> Opening his eyes there was a red tint to his previously blue eyes, and if the two birds were truly powerful they would see the hidden soul of the body standing before them. Though Shin was in control there was a slight fracture that formed in a deep soul seal which homed his own sister. The two siblings were as opposites as Jo and Ko, but for now the girl named Kohana would remain a secret to Shin as he continued telling the bird how he felt.

The red in his eyes faded back to blue as tears began to drip down his face. Pulling up a fist to wipe his eyes he would continue on. "Life is so precious... Death is scary, but it is necessary in order to survive."<i></i> Not knowing why he was so emotional about this topic the soul known as Chikamatsu Shin may one day find out about his own reality.

 

[Tomomi]

Being left along with these two overlords was certainly stressful for someone who was so young and full of life and wanting to help everyone. However, neither of the birds would have thought that Shin would clench himself in what seemed to be some form of pain that he was feeling as he had listened to their words. As they both looked at one another at this scene that was unfolding in front of them, they would hear the boy in front of them respond slowly with much hesitation in his voice initially before practically turning the volume up into a scream of sorts at them all over the concept of life and death. During his "scream", his irises had changed from their blueish hue to a more dark reddish tone, but quickly would reside as he finished speaking and began to cry as he finished addressing them.

While he stood there in front of them crying as his teams fell from his cheeks, the two entities would once again speak to him and likely to his surprise say the following: "Very well, Shin. You have passed our trial. While one of us doesn't necessarily agree with you one hundred percent on your answer, the other one has persuaded the other to reconsider their thoughts and feelings towards the answer. You have proven your worth to us, Chikamatsu Shin."

As soon as the last word left their mouths, a poof of smoke would occur between them and a stout, thick scroll of illustrious golden paper that shimmered in even the smallest amount of light would appear between them as the smoke resided. This scroll would already be laid out and Chikamatsu Shin could see every signature that came before his that made a pact with these two mysterious entities in front of him. As he was likely taking it all in and trying to figure out what had occurred, the twins would speak once more: "Before you is the Rapport of the Skies which allows you to sign a pact with us who watch over all of the avian creatures in this world from your run-of-the-mill songbirds to some of those more mythological creatures like phoenixes which are real. However by signing this paper, you are agreeing to work with our kind in this world in exchange for calling upon some of them when you need them. Do not make a quick decision on this, Chikamatsu Shin, as you will be required to assist any and all birds that you stumble upon and you may be called upon at any time by either of us."

They would finish speaking to him after a brief pause as they wanted to allow the boy to have plenty of time to soak this all in and understand exactly what he had just been offered in front of him. This was also a big decision for someone so young in his life, but it was also a decision that could bring him good faith or terrible luck depending on what he chose to do and that nasty luck from a lady called Luck. Regardless, once a little bit of time passed, they would speak again: "When you are ready to make a decision, let us know. However in your right hand, you will see a quill and all you need to do is prick yourself and use your blood with the quill to sign the scroll if you choose to form a pact with us. This decision is yours and yours alone however."

[OOC: Sorry for the bad post, but we are just wrapping up now.]

 

[Chikamatsu Shin]

((OoC: I'm sorry if post seems rushed I am so excited for this))

Shin was shaking with emotions and he wasn't quite sure what was going on anymore. Using the back of his hands the small boy would continue to wipe the lingering tears from his face as a sniffle would take the snot dripping down his nose from sight. He was closing in on himself until he heard that two harmonous voices speak in unison once more. Looking up to them he was clearly confused. "I did what?" He would ask softly as he continued to listen to the masses of strength before him.

Smoke poofed and from nowhere yet now before him was a scroll. The Rapport of the Skies to be exact, but as the twins Jo and Ko would speak Shin would get confused in the details they were explaining. But he thought he had the general concept. "So, you are saying that if I sign this you'll be my friends?"<i></i> not much was needed after Shin said that. The sweet innocent child would grab the quill firmly and hold the tip of it to his finger.

Closing his eyes and wincing in the pain of the prick a small trickle of blood would appear and be absorbed by the quill. A smile took to his face as a chuckle slipped from his lips. "I Chikamatsu Shin of Sunagakure hereby promise to be your bestest friend ever!"<i></i> As he spoke the boy would sign his name on the scroll sealing the deal that was offered. If this was what he had to do to prove that he would befriend all of the birds he could.

 

[Tomomi]

And with the writing of his own blood as the ink for the quill, the young blonde from the Hidden Sand would sign his name on the scroll. Within seconds of him signing his name, the scroll would ignite into a beautiful, white flame as it disappeared before him as the boy would get lightheaded and collapse onto the ground of the structure likely due to excitement, but also because he had taken some of his life essence from his body to simply sign a pact with these elegant creatures that gave him access to call upon anything that was under them from a small songbird to a majestic, mythological being like a phoenix. Yes, the blonde boy had successfully proven himself to the overlords of all birdkind.

When he eventually would awaken, he would be laying on the outskirts of the village that he came from and had a simple letter on his chest that was quick and brief, but reminded him that he could call upon anything that was beneath Jo and Ko which included Katsu if he so chose to do so. The letter would also detail that he had made Jo and Ko quite proud to have him sign the pact between them and that he had collapsed almost immediately after signing it. It was through the anthropomorphic bird's assistance that Shin had gotten back to his home village safely without anything but a minor scratch or bruise here or there. But, Katsu would not be anywhere in-site nor would anyone else of this pact be nearby. It was almost like it was all a dream that Shin had experienced even though it was honestly reality that flashed so quickly before his little eyes.

What Shin did from here with his pact with them was anyone's guess. Hopefully though, it would be used for good and not evil!

[OOC: No worries. Congrats on obtaining the Bird Contract. My work here is done!]