[Mission] [Yumi] Not Lost

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|"Mmrm... Okay." What he didn't tell her was that he was feeling quite comfy at the moment. It wasn't just the coldness of the place, rather the familiarity. Highly doubtful that he'd ever seen her before, but he did originate from colder lands. It was much easier to drop his guard and fall right back to sleep in these areas. In fact, he was starting to see visions of the place he did come from. "Snowflakes... Used to catch on glass and look through magnifying glass." Grinning blissfully at the memory, he snapped back to attention once the flashback ended. "Release technique was first thing tried... Not powerful enough now. Do you know about Ob-sid-dian Palace?" The girl most likely didn't know of the chakra-sapping power of the area. Though it wouldn't have taken effect on Yumi, being a new arrival, Sora has been exposed to it for some time, despite how little he remembers of his time here. "Past, may have been able to, but now not possible."

Eyes now half-open, he noticed the girl was distressed about something. "You okay?" he asked, mimicking her own question.

[legend="Sleep"][progress]10[/progress][/legend][/col]

 

[Kazumi]

He was not entirely making sense to her, though he had not made much from the start. At first she had assumed he must have been dazed from waking up, but perhaps he was always like this? She mulled the though around in her aching mind for a few moments before dismissing it to focus on more pressing matters. "Mmm..? Yeah, I know of it. It is the shinobi prison. I don't really know much more than that." Who besides those who frequented those places cared to know much about them? "Why?"

It was just then that it hit her that he had inquired about her headache. She raised her hand and waves away his concern, "yeah, I am fine. Just been having headaches lately. Nothing to worry about... So, do you know which way we should go? Maybe just keep going straight? Does this thing even have an end?" She didn't relish the thought of being trapped her forever. In fact, her eyes widened as that very though first popped itself into her head. She could be trapped there forever if they didn't get out... Her heartbeat began to race a little and her headache began to subside. "There has to be a way out... can we just hurt ourselves or something? Snap ourselves out of it?" She had heard that pain was one way to snap one's self out of an illusion, and it certainly was better than the alternative.

 

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|"Chakra is taken if you're staying long. Need to get out fast," he replied, getting somewhat sleepier as the girl confirmed her 'fine' status.

"Hurting self only works if aware... right now, brain doesn't register as illusion... Not many have way to escape this kind of genjutsu," he said, pinching himself on the cheek. It produced pain, enough to wake him up a little more, but not enough to actually 'wake him up' from the genjutsu. Yawning still, he asked, "Try warmer path? This one might be dead end." He pointed at the sign, which was once more covered in snow. "Possible this is repeating every time we take this path."

[legend="Sleep"][progress]15[/progress][/legend][/col]

 

[Kazumi]

What he was saying had a point, but it just seemed to obvious to her. Though perhaps that was what they wanted her to think? Her heart continued to race as she wondered who a 'they' could even be. Who would kidnap her and put here here and do all this nonsense to her? She gave her face a good smack to recenter herself as she felt herself getting sidetracked. "I... guess so? Well come on then. We can atleast try it!" Adreneline had already began to work her way through her system in trace amounts and without any further urging from him she dashed through the snow towards one of the exits that she presumed felt the warmest.

Just then a thought hit her and she stopped in the middle of the path and began to look around for a brach, stick or some other longish object she could get a hold of. If she could find something she would take it and try to drag it hard through the snow and ground behind her as she walked, making as deep of a trail behind her as she could. This way they could be sure they weren't going in circles... if such a thing applies in illusions....

 

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|"Ah, wait-" was all that could register before he took took off after the energetic one. Once he entered the fog ahead, the sleepiness disappeared as if he'd been completely awake the whole time.

[legend="Sleep"]N/A[/legend]

"What..." Looking around... he was pretty much lost for words. And somewhat... irritated. Was it the heat? He had no idea. But he was feeling like he had much less tolerance than before.

[legend="Irritability"][progress]5[/progress][/legend][/col]

Yumi would have been able to find a fallen branch, and dragging it though the snow would prove to be rather easy... and that didn't change once the snow thinned out to show the two a clearing in a lush green rainforest. The trees' density as well as lack of fauna remained, but the trees themselves are now completely devoid of snow. The ground would still be soft enough to drag a branch through, and if Yumi chose to do so, running back towards the snowy area would give her that snowy area back, along with the associated coldness and (realistic) snow. The sign here would be less faded, revealing a few select words and letters.

[col3]|[legend="Sign"]G_ _ _ order
Read _ _ _ _ _ gn _
_ _ _ _ea_ _ _s _ha_ _e
_ _ _ _ _o in _ _ _ _[/legend]|[/col3]

There was a little parasol in the corner of the sign.

The same four paths could be seen on the other side of the green clearing, one to another green area, another to a now-visible purple-tinged area, a third to the same auburn-looking area and a final one back to the snowy area.

 

[Kazumi]

She stopped dead in her tracks once the snow abruptly gave way to summer. She paused and looked around in slight marvel. For that instant she had forgotten she was in an illusion, but after that could of wondered seconds she blinked and that nugget of information reaffirmed itself in her mind. Of course stuff like that could happen... it wasn't real. Does that mean she isn't running around and she is just laying in a bed dreaming? Perhaps she isn't in the Obsidian Palace after all... Yumi looked over towards her companion, wondering if he was a figment of this illusion as well, or perhaps it was him that put her here?

She walked forward, dragging the branch behind her as she did so. Pausing infront of the sign she leaned over and inspected it. It took her a few moments to guess, but she began to speak what she thought it said. "Go in order. Read the Signs..." she paused for a few more seconds as she stared at it. "the seasons that... he?" She couldn't guess what the rest said, but if what guess it said was right... "Umm... Sora? I think we have follow the paths in... seasonal order? Or maybe reverse?" She peered at it a few moments longer before looking up and then down the various paths.

Her brain rattled around in her head and her brow scrunched as she recited it out loud. "Winter Spring Summer Fall... That must have been winter and so this is... spring or summer?" It didn't help matters that her home country was snowy most of the time and Wind County was just hot all year round, and so the subtlies of seasons was slightly lost on her. "Maybe... that way?" She asked sort of to her self as she began to drag the branch down towards the auburn tinged path.

 

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|"Seasons..." He nodded, agreeing with the girl if only to hurry up and leave this area. It was definitely not sitting well with the man, and his long hair was not making it any easier. He'd follow along, and as he left the area it would become far less uncomfortable for him to keep walking.

[legend="Irritability"]N/A[/legend]

"Another..." Looking around... there were trees but no fruit. Without fruit... and with nothing to distract him from the lack of food... His willpower began to drain.

[legend="Hunger"][progress]50[/progress][/legend][/col]

This area was reminiscent of an autumn apple orchard, not that either of them would've known that that looked like. Still, the leaves had all turned a lovely fiery hue and many had fallen off their trees. There really was no fruit anywhere however. The sign was somewhat more legible this time.

[col3]|[legend="Sign"]Go _ _ order
Read _ _ _ signs
_ _ _ _ea_ _ _s _ha_ _e
_ us _ _o in _ _ ne[/legend]|[/col3]

There was a little acorn in the corner of the sign.

The same four paths could be seen on the other side of the auburn clearing, one to another green area, another to a purple-tinged area, a third to the same auburn-looking area and a final one back to the snowy area.

 

[Kazumi]

Aha! She was correct... at least a little. Yumi hurried herself over to the sign and inspected it as he managed to catch up behind her. It all seemed to match what she thought, except that last part which at least was more legible. Was this really just an elaborate puzzle? It definitely seemed that way, and based on the fact that the sign was more filled it only encouraged her. It could have been pure coincidence, but her desire to get out of this place and the mild excitement of being correct ushered her onward.

"Come on!" she called eagerly as she continues to drag the stick through the ground behind her. It likely wasn't necessary, but she might as well keep it with her. Besides, she might need to defend herself and... She took a moment to look back towards the branch, well if not a weapon it could serve as a distraction. Regardless, she hurried onward towards the snowy colored area.

 

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|Grinning somewhat tiredly at the sight of the uplifted little girl, he hurried along after her while she proceeded to the next area, the snowy one.

[legend="Hunger"]N/A[/legend]

"Cold, cold..." It was still freezing of course. He was no longer used to this temperature, despite having grown up in this sort of area.

[legend="Sleep"][progress]20[/progress][/legend]

Entering this place on a high note seemed to be beneficial to him, as it cut down the general need to sleep that he got as soon as the previous area was left.[/col]

The same four paths could be seen on the other side of the auburn clearing, one to another green area, another to a purple-tinged area, a third to the same auburn-looking area and a final one back to a snowy area. The trail Yumi left seemed to go all the way back, and there were no signs of them having accidentally gone in a circle... But that could all just be part of the genjutsu. After all, there was no telling what happened to the trail back where they couldn't see it from the spot they stood in.

 

[Kazumi]

Onward she pressed, the feeling of dread of being trapped by one of slight jubilation at making progress! She stopped next to the sign to give it a momentary inspection before she looked around the area once more. "Hmm..." she reached up and brushed her messy hair out from infront of her eyes as she peered down each path in turn. "Purple maybe?" Spring was by far the most foreign season to her, and while there were traces of it every so often in the north, they were few and far between. Yumi looked back towards the man to make sure he was able to keep up. "Come on, it can't be too much further!" With that she began to quickly walk ahead, still dragging the stick behind her. For better or worse she couldn't go all that fast with it, but that did help keep her from getting separated from the man due to sheer enthusiasm.

 

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|Still following along behind her, he couldn't help but wonder how she got all this energy, considering she'd been sleeping on a stone floor for less time than he's been sleeping in a warm bed... But those worries were quickly taken from him once they entered the purple-tinged area.

[legend="Sleep"]N/A[/legend]

"Flowers!" He was the most awake he'd been in awhile now! The flowers weren't something he saw often in the least, and seeing them now was quite exhilarating. So exhilarating in fact, that he might have forgotten a little about their purpose here.

[legend="Distracted"][progress]20[/progress][/legend][/col]

This area would by far be the least humid, and the sign was the most legible here. Fully legible in fact.

[col3]|Go in order
Read the signs
The seasons change
Just go in line|[/col3]

There was a small flower in the corner of the sign, and nothing else.

This clearing seemed to be full of cherry blossoms of all things. Purple cherry blossoms. Definitely not what one would regularly see anywhere, but they were indeed purple. The scent of flowers was somewhat strong, and only the ground around the center of the sign seemed to not have as many fallen flowers as the rest of the area. The same four paths could be seen on the other side of the flower-covered clearing, one to another green area, another to a purple-tinged area, a third to the same auburn-looking area and a final one back to a snowy area.

 

[Kazumi]

As she stopped infront of and read the sign a frown traced her lips. So she wasn't entirely correct. Well, the fact that she could read all of it now was a good sign... unless it only became more legible because she was doing poorly. She read "go in line..." with a measure of confusion as she tried to puzzle out its meaning. "Does it mean a straight line? Ugh, why can't it just be plain and say stuff without all this riddle nonsense." She looked back towards the distracted Sora, "huh? Yeah, I guess so." She was a little to preoccupied by the desire to escape to be enthralled by such simple things as she normally might have.

She furrowed her brow and peered back towards the board. "Guess we just keep going and see if it works?" She spoke more to herself than him, but tried to be loud enough so that he could hear as well. She made a mental note, assigning the auburn path as 'north' she did her best to remember what the other cardinal directions where. She didn't know if it mattered, but much like the branch trail it might... "Come on!" She called as she made her way towards the autumn path, keeping that same eager pace as she had before.

 

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|Though he couldn't read the sign himself, he figured the girl would need to just have her energy be used up before he'd be able to get a word in edgewise. As distracted he was right now, he was still able to think about the next course of action... But wait, didn't Summer come after Spring? "Is that the right way?"

[legend="Distracted"]N/A[/legend]

"Hmmm..." He rubbed his stomach a little. Looking around didn't help, and for some reason the smell of fall was getting to him even more.

[legend="Hunger"][progress]55[/progress][/legend][/col]

This area... seems to have remained exactly the same, sign still mostly legible, leaves still completely orange, with some brightly colored red ones dotting the trees. There was no trail however, no indication of them having gone through it at all. Even the trees' leaves seemed to have stayed the same, piles and all.

 

[Kazumi]

Yumi paused for a few moments by the sign as she turned back and waited on him. At his prompting she turned and looked around the area. "After the leaves grow they fall... oh!" She suddenly recalled that little nuance of summer that she was unfamiliar to. Sure Wind Country was an eternal summer, but they were underground for that. Hastily she rushed by him back along the path she had carved with her stick. Once through she would divert herself towards the green path!

 

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|They seemed to be going in the backwards direction now, from Fall to Summer... Either way, they arrived in Winter, so they'll still have to complete a full cycle of that. "Stop stop," he said, trying to get her to somehow calm down enough to think about their next course of action, holding onto her shoulder before she managed to dash back into the purple clearing. "The less running the better. Think first, run later, save energy just in case..."

They were now in the middle of the path between the previous purple clearing and the closest orange one, and it seemed he was feeling less hungry by the minute... though he was still rather distracted by the flowers ahead.

[legend="Hunger"][progress]50[/progress][/legend]
[legend="Distracted"][progress]25[/progress][/legend][/col]

Examining the path wouldn't reveal much at all, only that the trail left seemed to still be intact. If they'd gone more than a single clearing back, they'd be able to see that the trail was, indeed, disappearing... But in the middle of the path like this, everything seemed as if they were actually in the forest with its changing seasons. The gradual change was orchestrated carefully enough to provide the illusion of the area actually being connected to a relatively close area of a completely different time of year.

Depending on what is done here, they might be able to escape much faster... But the thing Yumi had unknowingly been searching for was also quite close by.

 

[Kazumi]

Hesitantly she stopped in her tracks once he got a hold of her shoulder. She tun and turned towards him to wiggle from his grasp in one smooth motion. "If we don't hurry we will never get out of here." She urgently reasoned as she stared up at him. "You can stay if you want, but I think we should just hurry and go! Besides, I'm not tired at all." His woes and weariness didn't even register in her mind. She was not entirely convinced that he was not either part of the illusion or the one who orchestrated it...

She took a few steps back and looked down both paths. "So if you wanna come, lets go!" Once gain, she heedlessly rushed off. Once entering a clearing she would immediately bolt down another path, following winter to spring, then to summer and finally fall. Until either something happened or he stopped her she could continue her run, though she would slow a little to allow him to keep up if he tried. She didn't -want- to lose him if possible.... but then again he was a prisoner.

 

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|There was no reasoning with the girl after all. "If you're sure..." He ended up just nodding and following along, not sure what the hurry was at all. It's not like there was a set time during which they had to escape, and that order might not even be the order in which they had to go in... He felt a twitch, and it wasn't related to any sort of external heat.

[legend="Irritability"][progress]35[/progress][/legend]

By the end of her mad dash, and his attempts to follow, a multitude of feelings were rushing through, and the more he tried to keep track of them, the worse they got...

[legend="Hunger"][progress]65[/progress][/legend]
[legend="Distracted"][progress]40[/progress][/legend]
[legend="Sleep"][progress]30[/progress][/legend][/col]

Nothing changed. The four paths were still there, as if they were the most natural things in the world, and there wouldn't be anything distinguishing them from the paths she'd already dashed down. The sign too, seemed to be an exact replica of the others she'd seen in the Fall areas. What would the next area hold, if she were to continue on to Winter...?

 

[Kazumi]

Yumi stopped once again and waited for the man to catch up by the sign. She was slightly winded, but nothing too extreme. Nothing had looked like it changed... well, aside from everything that had always changed. Once he was at her side once again, she'd look up to him and asked, "you alright? C'mon, maybe we just need to keep at it for a certain length. I don't know..." She was getting a little frustrated, and the adrenaline that came from fear of never escaping was starting to take hold again. Without waiting for his response she rushed off towards winter once more, letting the stick drop to the ground so she wouldn't have to drag the thing anymore. It didn't seem to be of much use anyway...

 

[Samejima]

[col]

Tachibana Sora​

|They'd entered Winter again. But there was a change in the pattern! The break alone caused the fatigue he was feeling to subside a little, but any actual happiness would need to wait until whatever that thing was was ascertained.

[legend="Sleep"][progress]30[/progress][/legend]

"Be careful," he said as he got closer, in case the girl was thinking of touching the chest behind the sign. There was something off with the whole thing, and he'd like to have the time to discuss it... But the girl's desperation wasn't something that could be calmed down by words alone.[/col]

The chest itself and its surroundings were completely unassuming, just a rather large wooden box in some snow. There weren't any footprints leading to or from it, but it was a genjutsu after all... wasn't it? Getting closer to the object would reveal some lettering, but if it was left alone it would reappear at every subsequent entrance of the Winter area.

 

[Kazumi]

A change! Change was certainly welcome. Perhaps she had finally solved the puzzle! That, or their captures were toying with them. How much control could a shinobi have over an illusion? There was still far too much she didn't know if she was to become a shinobi. The details of such things were unknown to her, but given that she was not one of the accepted yet it was to be entirely expected. She dashed forward and crouched next to the box. "We gotta open it, it was put here to be opened!" before he could offer any more sensible advice she tried to see ifshe could find a way to open the thing with her hand. Hopefully it didn't require the use of two...