The Road Goes Ever Ever On~ [Requesting Entry]

[Momochi]

The sun was hot, and Momochi was firmly of the opinion that before he had even seen Sand Village, he was sick of it. The heat was stifling, the sand was coarse and tore on his flesh, to top things off he ran out of water yesterday. Thus far, the experience had been grueling. But the road to immortality was supposed to be unpleasant. If it was easy, everyone would do it. His face was so burnt and red that he had a bleeding sore on his cheek and blisters. He was broke down, beat up, and felt like dying wouldn't be so bad. He finally spotted some structures beyond the dunes. He smiled, triumphant, believing his salvation was at hand and his determination was soon to be rewarded. But when finally he was within 200 meters... he saw it.

The damage.

Suddenly his slow travelers limp turned into a headlong sprint for the buildings. No no no no... his aches and pains coated every cell of his body, but what if somebody was bleeding out? What if people were hurt? He wasn't a med-nin, sure, but he could still do something. Momochi had a terrible case of knight-in-shining-armor syndrome. He couldn't stand the sight of innocents in suffering. She helped everyone... even me. Good people had rough lives just being good, let alone when life wasn't so good to them. Drawing closer he saw people rebuilding. His sprint stopped just in front of the Dojo and he struggled to catch his breath. It was now obvious that no one was in immediate danger or pain. Still, the scare had him panicked for a moment.

"Is anyone...around... who could... admit me to the village?" he managed through wheezing inhales, spitting out the fast part quickly so he wouldn't need an extra breath. His hands on his thighs to support his hunched over figure. He wasn't sure if he was actually out of shape, or just stretched too thin from walking in a desert for a week.


[Requesting Entry]

 

[Michi]

I promise to post here in the morning =( I am too sleepy to post here now.

 

[Michi]

The click of stiletto heels reverberated through the great hall of the Toraono Dojo. The sharp taps percussed to the rhythm of the maelstrom's melancholy requiem that battered the walls and the doors of the Dojo threatening to break away Sunagakure's final passageway to the surface. The Dojo would never relent to these storms, having existed long before the sandstorm's ghastly wrath. Despite the bustle of civilians and shinobi displaced, some merely taking a corner of the dojo as a temporary shelter while others were assisting in the rebuilding efforts of the community. The recent Cabal incursion dashed the morale of this subterranean community, how such a small group of formidable men and women could have subjugated an entire community albeit for only three days, for three days Sunagakure did not belong to Sunagakure as it had for centuries before.

There was a woman, at least in form. Her long fiery tresses reached the small of her back in a messy cascade. A fringe of hair hid her arched brow and revealed a pair of brilliant blue eyes that seemed foreign to the rest of her body. She was pale, the kind of pale you would see in a woman who had not seen the sun in decades. Despite her pallor, she appeared to be in relative good health - better off than many of her cohorts. Dirty, tired, and listless they were, toiling in the metaphorical mire as they attempted to rebuild this doomed society. She was wearing black, a shade commonly relegated for mourning but the darkness was broken was a deep red morning glory pattern that reached her ankles. She had recently lost some weight, perhaps times were trying for everyone as her mandarin collar seemed spacious on her long narrow neck.

It was strange that she was not sleeping, as she had found herself incapable of sleeping in the Takahashi household. It was even more strange that she was sober, by this time of day she had usually already partook but it seemed she was attempting a new-found abstinence. Her fingers fidgeted restlessly, with a seemingly fine tremor. "Hello?" Shiori called out in reply as she identified the interloper. It was strange how Sunagakure since their apocalyptic event became such a traveling hot-spot for foreigners. This would be the third... well, not individual but batch of entrant(s) she would have admitted as of late. "You have come at a bad time..." Shiori admitted, without taking an offensive stance. "The village is rebuilding from a recent attack, as long as you mean us no harm enter as we can use allies." Shiori announced, assuming no ANBU had admitted him in this brief introduction. The storm was terrible, and a death wish for those that wish to traverse it. Exiling him back into the wilds would almost ensure his untimely fate, Sunans despite their tribulations are not a spiteful, malicious people. Perhaps that was rubbing off, a desire for compassion that is not mere mimicry.

 

[Momochi]

"Hello?"

Momochi struggled in this barren climate. He hadn't ran since before he trudged his way into Wind country. He had entirely failed to anticipate that the air here would be much thinner. So even after he heard a woman's voice, he was still doubled over himself, supporting his upper body by keeping a firm grip on his thighs. His breaths slowed only a little as the moment passed, and he felt his whole body swelling from the thundering boomp, boomp, boomp of his heart.

"You have come at a bad time... The village is rebuilding from a recent attack, as long as you mean us no harm enter as we can use allies."

Momohi lifted his head enough to see her feet and the gentle shimmer of her black silken dress. He raised his eyes slowly, following the bright red dancing throughout its length. Her hair of beautiful scarlet, dangled playfully. She looked out of place here, an angel among mortals. She would've seemed more at home in a great lord's castle, the sweet vibration of her voice tickling corridors and columns of marble stone and breathing life into the dreariest of souls. So it was with Momochi, as he quickly stood as straight as he could manage and dusted himself off with several quick pat-pats. His garments were tattered, his appearance truly haggard. Yet he summoned what pride he could manage in his deep exhaustion.

Admittedly, he was tired. But not enough so that he did not question why such a creature greeted him. Most villages were guarded by Anbu, preserved by Anbu, watched over by Anbu. Could she be... Anbu? Her flesh was pale, like true nobility. Her frame lean, her appearance nearly gaunt. If she was Anbu it was most likely undercover work. Or there was the ever promising option that remained in every situation. She was going to lead him somewhere, wait till he was relaxed, and then stab him right in the eye. As options went, being killed by an angelic stranger wasn't so bad. Truth be told, if she offered him water, he would've been completely accepting of a knife in the face. He was dry as a bone, nearly ready to wither to dust. He attempted a polite bow, though the pinched nerves in his back made the gesture appear a little sad.

"You are most gracious ma'am." he said swallowing arid dust in his throat. There are worse ways to die than stabbed by beautiful strangers. The desert immediately came to mind. Hah haha ha... He heard the whisper of sinister laughter in the wind behind him. He craned his neck slowly, eyes searching over his left shoulder for the source of the laughter. Only sand and dust and hell greeted his eyes. But the laughter still prodded him. A voice beckoned from within him.

Worse ways to die? Momochi my friend. You lack imagination.

"I would be indebted to you... if you would lead the way ma'am... am a stranger and I... don't want... alarm anyone." he spoke through exceedingly strained breaths. The sand that caked his heavily chapped lips rubbed with every syllable making it even less pleasant to talk. He gathered himself to move, following on her impressive stiletto heels.

[Following you/Topic Left]
[OoC Note: The purple is just in his noggin.]
[MFT]

 

[Michi]

She was not going to stab anybody. The worst she had ever done was try to poison a student and that was only to protect him when she tried to knock him out. Sadly her plans are convoluted and nonsensical. Like the time she blew up someone's shoe to remove a piece of chewing gum despite the fact that there were better methods... probably... certainly. She was a screw up in most regards, making her a pretty sad human. For whatever reason, people kept on braving the maelstrom. Part of her wondered what they were searching for, their hidden village was obviously poorly hidden with the giant dojo in the middle of a storm. Anyone mad enough to enter in search of adventure, the hidden village or just terrible lost would be drawn to this village like a moth to a flickering flame as travelers attempt to escape the raging storm.

"You OK?" Shiori asked as she looked the stranger over. "Do you need to go to the hospital to get the sand out of your lungs?" Her voice sounded concerned at the very least. "ANBU, someone. Can someone get me some water for him!" Shiori called, hoping that someone would listen and provide her with a canteen or even a flask. They really should get a barrel of water or something to leave by the door. He is not the first ill-looking visitor that has traversed this threshold these past few days.

He told her to lead the way, it was an unusual request to say the least. "I can call you a medic if you need one." Shiori offered as he stated that he did not want to alarm anyone. Shiori looked to the left and then to the right. Well, whats another entrant anyways. She let in a group of armored giants and sword-wielding maniacs the other day and survived that mostly unscathed. "Sousuke should have a change of clothes that fit you," Shiori offered gesturing him to follow.

Topic Left​

Your choice: I can take you to Sousuke's house (aka Melkor) and get you a change of clothes and you will (probably) meet the Kazekage since we are in his house OR skip that scene and you are repaired, fed, hydrated, and wearing something better than tattered rags and I take you to find Orochi's heart (mini arc I have set up for some unfortunate... I mean, willing player).