Private The Land of the Lost (contract Search)

[Kato Hana]

The woods parted for Manzo as he ran though the woods. This was nothing new for him, in fact he hardly thought about it anymore. He had control over the woods and they obeyed his inner wishes. Right now his inner wish was that he was to move faster. For not the first time he wished he could still shadow step.

He had tried to summon Sluggy and nothing had happened. He was now worried about his friend and his brother. Had something happened to him? He ran to the slug sanctuary that he had helped to found, way back when he had first met Sluggy and he was just a small slug worried about birds and salt.

Well those fears still plagued him and why shouldn’t they but Sluggy had grown into a fearsome warrior. If it wasn’t for him Manzo most likely wouldn’t have survived his own trials.

It wasn’t long before he came upon the sanctuary, or at least what was once the sanctuary. The destruction was… total. There were bodies everywhere, both slug and falcon. The very foe that Sluggy had been afraid of when they had first met. The very foe that Manzo had first saved him from. It seems a war had occurred here and Manzo had not been here to help. All Sluggy had to do was summon him and he would have been here. But he had received no summons, no request for help. For some reason Sluggy hadn’t wanted to involve him in this matter despite knowing that they were family.

He numbly walked through the deviation, looking at bodies of friends that he had known for years. This was not just a fight with claws and acid, Jutsu had been used here. This appeared to be a scaled down model of a shinobi battle, but these thoughts did not touch Manzo as he numbly walked through the desolation.

Then he found him. His best friend Sluggy, lying dead on the ground, his little sword lying next to him. Manzo fell to his knees and cradled the slug in his arms, tears pouring down his face. A wail of pure anguish echoed through the desolation and it took him a moment to realize that it came from his own throat.

Softly rain started to come down upon them, quenching fires that Manzo hadn’t even realized was burning. He was numb to the outside world, only feeling the agony of loss, not moving despite the outside forces that might be going on around him.

Time passed and he did not feel its effects. He had long ago stopped wailing and crying. Not because he was done but simply because his voice had lost its ability to speak and he had no more tears to shed.

Slowly he got up, carrying his friend. He would give him a proper burial but not in this place. It may have been Sluggys home but this was no place for a final resting place. He would find someplace green that he knew that Sluggy would love.

Using Discovery of Contract of Your Choice Feline
TWC [510]

 

[Sazuki Nao]

'Curious...' was a thought running through the mind of the feline and she flicked her tail. She was one that had come towards the scene as the balance felt off here. But seeing how a Shinobi made it's the way here... Was something that was rarely seen.
She watched every movement. Till it started to rain, that was when she seeks shelter under something so her fur didn't get wet and soaked. She remained hidden until the point where he started to head off. She knew the pain that he felt, as she lost her own Shinobi a long while ago and ever since she became the head of her own clan, she never bonded with anyone anymore.

She rasped her throat before she spoke to make her presence known. "They all fought honorable." she would state towards the Shinobi and point towards the slug in his arms. "Many did. Sorry to see you lost someone valuable to you." She would mention further before flicking her tail once more. "The remaining slugs had scattered by the time we arrived, we fended off the Falcons till the point they retreated. We are here waiting for them to return, but so far no one.." She would after lick her paw clean, waiting for a reply from this odd person while many other felines were making their presence known, some by just peeking out others by just simply flicking their tail or miaow. They were all trying to remain hidden as if they all had set up an ambush. "And you?"

Hey hello! Owly here, I will be your Contract Moderator for this, however, by doing this the old school way, another mod will in the end judge if you gained or didn't gain the contract. =)
I will try to post as soon as possible in these things, if in any way I cannot make the 5-day timer I will come to your DMs in advance.
If you have questions, please feel free to hop to my DM box!
- owly out.

 

[Kato Hana]

Manzo was numb, that was the only way to explain it. He wasn’t even shocked by the fact that the feline came out and started talking to him. Somewhere deep he knew the cat was trying to give him comforting words but he was too raw for them to have an effect.

”They should not have had to fight honorably. They should not have had to fight at all.“ His voice was scratchy and barely worked. ”I helped build that sanctuary to protect them from the dangers out the outside world. We had wanted to build a place that the young slugs could grow up in safety. It was a homeland for them.“

He stopped his trudging and turned to face the feline, it was grooming itself, he could see others that were lying in wait ”I don’t know what I am to do now“ He answered honestly. ”If he had but called I would have been here to protect them all but for some reason he never did“

His brain could not get past this simple fact. It must have been slowing his brain because it didn’t even realize at first what the implications of what was going on. ”I thank you for helping them but I must ask, why are you hunting the falcons? Are they expected to return?“ there was a glimmer of hope that he could enact revenge for his friend and family.

 

[Sazuki Nao]

"I hope you are familiar with, the following words.... The walls of the Domain are said to be near impossible to escape under ordinary means, though due to nothing being gained upon entering an enemy's Domain, breaking into it from the outside is relatively easy. What if, in this case, it's the same. There was too much focus being placed on protecting them through walls... and other means, that you all have been blind for those attacks from above..?" She would purr and lay low once more and look towards the male as she told that little thing. It was actually a reason as to why they were roaming around now. "Our kind has had the same mistake on that matter if it was the same with you and them." She would flick her tail and one other, black-furred feline closed in. "Are we sure it's safe to tell the tale?" "I wouldn't see why not..."

She would hop down from where she was and walk towards the shinobi. "We are hunting them because we suffered the same fate once before." She would hiss a bit afterward before she would walk along with a tail high and might, hoping the other would follow her. "Besides... They are tasty.. They taste like chicken." Somehow, the food chain was often involved in matters like these. "What if... You are here to help us fend off the falcons, strengthen the weaknesses of this sanctuary... After all.. We aren't the only proud race around... But then we do need to make haste."

 

[Kato Hana]

Listening to the Felines words, Manzo slowly and reverently put Sluggy’s body down on the ground. He looked around at the destruction. He had planned on taking Sluggy away to someplace green and peaceful but this was his home. Sluggy was a protector of this village, would he really want to leave it?

The Falcons seemed to be a plague on the area. Sure there was a bit of the circle of life to it, a fact that dragged itself up from his subconscious even though he did not want to admit it, but something needed to be done about them.

The ground appeared to swallow the three foot tall slug before their eyes. Then a tree began to grow rapidly on top of the grave. It was an odd tree, in that the lower half looked normal but the branches and the trunk of the top half looked more like a devil’s walking stick, though the spikes were at least three inches long.

He had decided he would regrow the grove but this time he would need to take more precautions.

With one last look at the tree he pushed his grief aside for the moment. There would be time for that in the future, he would use the time to rebuild the sanctuary to help with his grief, but for now he compartmentalized it and prepared himself for what was to come.

”I will help you against the falcons. It is obvious there needs to be a culling if they have gotten this aggressive.“ He paused for a moment ”My name is Manzo, if we are going to be working together it would be good to know who we are working with.“

He looked at the feline that had voiced its opposition to Manzo being told the tail. ”I am guessing there are trust issues between your kin and humans as well. “

[MFT]

 

[Sazuki Nao]

She looked at how the tree soon started to form, it held... something unique to it, but it did creep her out a little bit on that mention. "We do not know why they have gotten this aggressive, however, so we are going to figure that out." It was clear that that specific thing would be the true test for the warrior before her. "Not exactly trust issues... We always have been more careful while spilling beans. The name is Mira." She would hop down, mentioning Manzo to follow her as she walked towards they had made a big grave and placed already a few of the corpses inside. "My scouts have told me... that we have roughly 3 hours to prepare..." She would head towards the clawed out map. "At this point, they are here.." With that, she would place a paw down. There was no open area in that place. "We aren't the best at map drawing, so I hope your geographic of this area is solid..." She would raise her head a bit proud on that one.

"Once the Falcons hit... I want us two to figure out why they have become this aggressive." She would move her paw over it. "We are trying to barricade a well here, if there are any slugs around, that they can enter the well, stay safe in there while we figure out what is going on. We do need defensive mechanisms.. Do you have any idea that we could do and or use?"

 

[Kato Hana]

Manzo looked at the map that had been laid out before them. It took him several long moments before he was finally able to translate the map to landmarks that he knew. Once he could orientate the map he realized that he knew the area and he told the feline so.

He looked around at the field before them. ”I can make the fortifications needed here. It shouldn’t be to hard partially when we are primarily focused on creatures that think from the sky, unless your scouts know about an additional threat.“ If he did not receive any kind of confirmation the would begin to help with the fortifications of the well. Vines began to grow out of the ground covering the well, leaving a path for the felines or slugs to get in from the ground. From the sky he left a few holes that were small. Anything that tried to get in through those though would find that they would be shredded from the razor sharp thorns that grew out of them. He infused the plants with his natural chakra to harden them. He then began to make identical features around the area to act as decoys. He did not want to leave the one safe haven out in the open like that and besides with these decoys the felines could use them to attack from.

He then began to pull out some ninja wire and using his knowledge of puppet jutsu began to set up traps around the area. The traps could be used as defensive or offensive depending on the situation. He was not the best puppeteer but he knew enough. Showing the felines the triggers he felt content. He had helped them with anything they might need as well. He could do more but not much more with the time constraints put upon them. If he and Mira were to make it to the falcon stronghold they would need to leave soon.

”If you are confident in your people's ability then we should go. I must admit I am almost wishing I could stay here to fight but I do recognize the need to end the greater threat and we need knowledge for that.“

 

[Sazuki Nao]

As the felines got to learn about the use of puppets, even Mira was taking notes on it. "I have to say... That this is a bit better..." She didn't wish to praise him too much yet, but she was already feeling proud of the other. It was moments later that she went over the plan with the felines, pointed one of them in charge while she was conducting a final check.

" I think they are ready to move along..." She would say and if Manzo let, she would climb on his shoulder. Whispering to his ear. "Now... even I were to fall, you are supposed to take it out, do everything you can." She was willing to go this far for their goal, and after a confirmation or a word back.. She would hop down again and start to lead them towards the last known location. The amount of victims became severe less till the ponit there were none around anymore.

"They... should be around... Let's wait for them to start the assualt." It would take an hour or two more before one of them started to go first... a scout, was send ahead and it soon flew back. Another 30 minutes started to pass along before a whole flocked went towards the felines and a group remained behind. "What do you think is the best action?" She would whisper towards the man and look at the small group that was behind, with one nasty looking Falcon in the middle. It had one blue iris with red eyewhite. The other eye was black, nothing was left in that eye as one would say and there were scars covering the beak and claws. Clearly he was knowledgeble in a fight.

Sorry on the hold up!
Posted from work pc.

 

[Kato Hana]

As they lay in wait Manzo pondered the situation. After the scout bird passed he spoke up voicing his thoughts. ”The problem with an ambush is their ability to flee to the skys. I can try an lure them down disguising myself and some clones as wounded slugs“ The wounded part would be new but he had used a transformation jutsu to become a slug in order to play with the little ones, something about a giant human stomping around just didn’t make for good play time after all. ”Once they come down to ambush me then you should spring the trap. Unless something goes wrong I will keep up the disguise to make sure they don’t try and get away.“

He pondered things for a moment. ”Once we have them engaged I can lock them down and prevent anyone from escaping the battle.“ He wanted to make sure it was clear that as long as he had the area locked down no one was leaving.

As they continued to wait Manzo created a few clones then used a transformation jutsu on all of them to make them look like helpless slugs, then as the falcons came into view all the pseudo-slugs would stumble out into view, away from the ambushers, looking like they were hurt and running.

As hopefully the falcons would take the bait. If anyone were trying to escape he would use the ANBU jutsu Black Blockade to prevent anyone from escaping. He could not maintain it forever but in that time he would be able to use the shear forces of gravity to rip falcons from the sky and bring them towards him. He did not have much experience with fighting airborne targets, most humans tended to fight on the surfaces but he had plenty of experiences and this was just another exercise for his mind.

As this all was happening he kept an eye on the falcon with all the scars, this one stood out from the rest and was likely their leader. Quickly he used a genjutsu Temple of Nirvana in order to put the falcon to sleep. If it happened to break some bones in the fall Manzo was not going to be too concerned about it. This one they would need to talk to.

[MFT]

 

[Sazuki Nao]

She would agree with the plan that the other had. It was a simple one and it could pretty much word like a dream. She would hide nearby in the bushes and waited for the falcons to get near.

Once they got near, she would wait till most of them took the bait and sprung the trap onto them, a few tried to get away, but just as she wanted to jump towards them, she noticed they were already down. "well then... That makes everything very clean..." She was a bit baffled by this stranger, he could probably have done everything himself at this point. She would sway her tiny hips as if she had done everything, trying to get some of that pride you know? "You really are something.." It was true, she had known from her past master that there were people stronger than him... but to see that now in her life, that was a different kind of cake. "I assume you are one of the stronger persons in your village...?" Her words were rather carefully chosen as she would walk towards the main culprit. "Pupils... very small." She said as she eyed the snoring Falcon.

One wing would seem to be broken by the falcon but that was all there was to it. "Let's get him secure first..." She would say before moving a part of the rope over the bird. "I cannot tie this down with my paws... could you please?" She asked the shinobi and would gracely sit down. "After that... we can wake him up... Let's hope he has some stories to tell..."

Yet as they would wake up the poor creature, there wasn't much to ask or tell. The falcon would be really questioning as to why he was there even. His whole demeanor had changed around. "Say... Could this be perhaps another one of those Genjutsu tricks..?" she asked the man and pawed to the bird. "His gaze is different too..."

 

[Kato Hana]

Manzo worked the battle like a conductor in front of an orchestra. Things were going far too smoothly. Sure the plan had been a good one and they were executing an ambush but something always went wrong. If for nothing else Manzo could not believe that Sluggy had been brought down but this group, he was far too strong for that.

When he was asked if he was strong in the village he simply shrugged. ”There are some that are stronger there are some that are weaker.“ It was a true statement though one that years in the ANBU had ingrained in him. Plus he really never had been one to brag about his strength.

As the interrogation of the commenced Manzo could only agree, the falcon was a bit out of it, for normal. ”It could be a genjutsu. I am not that strong with them, which is why I like to call out for help with them but let me see if I can break it.“ If damage could not break the genjutsu then there was only one thing to try. Using Cancel on the falcon he only hoped that he was strong enough to push his own will upon the falcon and override any will that was stealing the falcons own will.

That was what this was about right now. Who was stronger. There was a cold fire deep inside Manzo. He would not be ruled by rage but he would let it help fuel him when he needed it. He would use his emotions no matter how raw they were to help break whatever connection might be over this falcon, once he found who had done it to him, there would be a world of pain to be visited on them.

 

[Sazuki Nao]

The cat would walk around both of them while her tail was sweeping from left to right... A part of her hoped that there was no real Genjutsu as that would make things rather difficult... Mainly for her own personal feelings too. "Let's see who, what and where then..." She would say, her tune wasn't as pleased and she sat down once more.

Manzo would be left, perhaps with a bit of a struggle to get it off from the falcon, but in the end, he would manage. The leader of the falcon was freed from the Genjutsu, but its underlings were still fighting as they weren't controlled but now following orders. The Falcon was silent for a bit before his gaze would go towards Manzo, the cat, and then to the sky. "What..?" He questioned, he would eye them once more, gaze different from before.

"Sjeez! Just another fool being struck in Genjutsu... Guess we have no idea who is really behind this..." The cat hissed at the falcon moments after as she would start to walk back to the shrine. "Come human warrior, we need to discuss things. Leave him be there if you wish." She was very, very displeased at this but things were turning in her head.

[Taking search to the team, next post of mine will determine if you indeed got or didn't get it! =D]

 

[Kato Hana]

Manzo wanted to grind his teeth. All this work had turned out to be a dead end. The real murder was still out there and the trail had gone cold. He would have to take his anger out on building a new sanctuary.

It made more sense though. He couldn’t believe a group that fell so easily to this ambush. Someone or something was behind it and he would have to track it down. Not only had his brother and friend had fallen but this was a threat close to his village.

Further questioning of the falcon yielded nothing more in the way of useful information. As he turned to see the rest of the fighting he briefly thought about stopping the fight, it wouldn’t be difficult but decided that this was nature at its most primal. He was not here to get in way of it. If the falcons lost in the battle then the felines would have something tasty to eat, if they were able to get away then the felines were not good enough to get that meal.

He released the falcon and took a step behind the feline. ”Despite the fact they knew nothing I can not leave this matter be. Something is out there and a threat to all. “

As they walked away from the fighting and things got quieter, Manzo turned to the feline companion. ”What are your plans?“ He could use some help hunting this elusive person down and was not sure if he would find a better ally that this.

 

[Sazuki Nao]

The falcon soon took its leave once he was freed, the most nearby ones fled with him. They were just as confused as the feline was who was walking away from the scene. "I cannot understand this..." She would huff as she was using her hips more, tail high and head high as if they did win a battle, but the fact was. This felt like damage to her pride. "My plans... I would just try to find out more, try to find who was behind all of this." She would soon found herself stopping in her tracks, her tail lowered as she saw one thing sitting in the middle of the sanctuary. "Hidega-sama..." The feline spoke a bit out of breath as she couldn't believe her own little two eyes. The small feline would run up front and bow in front of the tiger. Hoping that the human would do the same as she wasn't one to bow quickly for anyone.

There was a tiger sitting there, she has white striped fur, yellow glowing colored eyes, and her size is only two times that of a normal-sized tiger. Upon her long tail, are golden trinkets similar to that of golden rings, and the same can be found upon each ankle. One of the more distinguishing features of this beautiful tiger is her completely transparent claws resembling that of glass. Yet these claws are much stronger than even the strongest of metals so they shouldn't be mistaken as only a frivolous aesthetic.

The gaze of the tiger went from the feline to the man and back over the sanctuary. "Report please..." waiting for a concrete answer before looking at the small feline. "I see..." Would her words be. "What may your name be..?" She eyed the human and her tail would fling to the other side as she awaited his name. Once she got his name, he would introduce herself too. "My name is Hidega, I am the overlord of the Felines. You have shown great courage in your personality... and you hold pride, not only in this place but as a human... How would you say what transpired here..?"

I know the banner says tiger, but she is the feline overlord.

 

[Kato Hana]

The conversation had been going well until the feline stopped speaking suddenly. After the last fight Manzo’s adrenaline still hadn’t subsided completely and he was instantly alert and ready to take on the next opponent. They were still within the area they had created for the ambush, what could have slipped in so unnoticed?

Manzo spun on his heels to face whatever had caught the felines attention only to find a very large white tiger. It truly was a magnificent feline to behold and seeing the smaller feline run up to bow before it Manzo could only surmise who this was. This was not the first time he had met an overlord after all.

Striding forward he calmed himself before presenting himself and bowing. He held the different overlords in higher esteem than most shinobi and gave it the honor it was due. He did not bow as low as the smaller feline did, it was not his overlord after all, but he still bowed deeper than he would for any other leader of a nation.

They listened to the report that was given before Manzo was addressed. ”Greetings Hidega, I am Manzo, sage of the leaf“ giving his title for the first time. It wasn’t something that he flaunted all the time, only bringing it up when he thought it was important to do so. He had to mentally school himself as he said it though for he was no longer the slug sage of the leaf. He could no longer feel his connection to them and it hurt.

”Your words bring me great honor. As for what has transpired here. It is clear that something larger is moving against the inhabitants of this area.“ His mind went back to the scene that he had come across that had started this whole mess. ”The falcons, while a natural predator for some in the area, appear to have been used themselves, at this time we don’t know who could be doing such a thing but we do know that they are skilled in genjutsu in order to hold it for so long and such distance that the falcons had flown.“

”As it stands I am going to need to stay vigilante in the area to keep an eye for this Power, but this will give me a chance to help rebuild the area“

MFT

 

[Sazuki Nao]

"Honor in mine too." She would bow slightly towards the man and listen. "I see..." She would think for a little before getting up, moving around the man. "That would mean, that we have a common goal... As such, I want to propose something..." She would sit down in front of him and out of nowhere she took out a huge scroll. "The Scroll of Autumn is one of the most humble of scrolls."t he scroll was no longer than the average arm, but shorter and thicker than the average scroll. The outside is of a glistening opal color, held together with a thick golden rope. Within it one would find a name, and below a note about the signer- a small first impression of him or her.

"We offer our aid, if you pursue this chase, to see who is really behind it."

[Feline contract offered]

 

[Kato Hana]

Manzo looked down at the scroll and did not move. This was not the first time he had seen one similar to it. In fact seeing it made his memory go back to the first time he had, an event that had been started because of his friend Sluggy. There was still a hole in his heart that was left from the absence of the slugs.

Could he fill that hole with a new group of friends?

He knew most people would jump at this chance but Manzo stood contemplative. Pain was still raw though he had pushed it down for a time. There was a time and a place to deal with it and this was still not the place.

The logical part of his brain said that this was what he needed. He was a Sage, his power came from his friends and his connection to them. The raw ache in his heart told him otherwise.

But it all came down to this. He needed to patrol these woods. He needed to find the beings responsible and he could not do it alone. Hannya was ill suited to help him in this task but the felines were perfect for it.

Time would heal the wounds, this would not fill the hole that Sluggy had left. This contract would simply be a new group of friends not a replacement.

”I am honored your would consider me for this.“ He took the scroll and unrolled it to the first available stop.

Pricing his finger he used the blood to sign it leaving a part of his soul on the contract, merging it with the felines and their power. He could feel the mantle of them settle upon him, feel their presence around him in a new way, much as he was sure they could feel him now.

Looking at the feline Overlord with new reverence. He was no longer just a visiting shinobi but fell under the Overlords aegis. ”Together we shall track down the culprits and bring balance back to this area.“

[Contract Accepted Thank you for the RP]
{MFT]

 

[Sazuki Nao]

Many of the felines were gathering around Manzo as he had forged the pact with them. The overlord would make a small bow, where other smaller felines would bow deeper to the shinobi. "Together, we shall rise further as friends and family." The smaller feline from before would say and walk till the point besides the man.

The overlord stood up and mentioned she would take their leave and a lot of the felines would remain on this place, helping thoes who needed but also looking forwards.

[Congratulations on the Contract, it was a joy to do it this way again and with this I want to say; topic left.]