The Spider Returns [Request Entry]

[Okada Kaji]

In the early hours of the morning, the sun crept upon the horizon as daylight pierced the veil of night, and a new day awoke the people of the hidden stone from their slumber. The face of the sea was just as frigid as the outer expanses of the water nation, and mattered none to Jomei as he stepped out of the interior of his tested, sea-worthy vessel. Churning black smoke billowed out of a steel tube that stood over his ship, and replaced the hemp-sewn sails that pushed massive freighting ships through the waters of Titan’s Keep. It had been far too long since Jomei saw the open maw of his home harbour, and the warm feelings of home began to slowly thaw his heart after months in the cold, dead lands of the water nation. Sailing in a meagerly-sized, steam-powered fishing boat, Jomei was returning to the stone after a mighty long voyage to Kirigakure no Sato-- a journey he almost failed to survive. His ship was painted a chipped and faded sky-blue, with a red stripe that ran forward and aft, to the back of the vessel. Jomei stepped up onto the nose of the ship, and watched eagerly as he approached the hidden stone’s newly rebuilt dock.

Jomei ignored the villagers who began to gather and behold his loud, clamoring ship as he passed them by on the water. The stone’s harbor was filled with sail-boats of various types, but steam-powered machines had yet to make such a booming arrival to their shore. With his engine still purring, and the metal gears still spinning, Jomei brought his ship to a rolling stop and threw his ropes ashore, as he finally rubbed against solid ground. “Come on out, Juntaro. We’re home.” Authoritatively, Jomei called to the large creature he kept stowed below deck until now, and the mammoth spider crawled out into the open. Like before, the spider carried a sack filled with wares from Jomei’s journey.

Jomei climbed onto the dock and secured his vessel while Juntaro nervously disembarked the ship, and caused a slight stir in the sailors and fisherman who worked at the docks. Strangers gathered around Jomei’s steel fishing ship and his giant spider, filled with wonder and varied first impressions. “Hey we’re not some circus act. Get out of here. Shoo!” Jomei warded off the strangers with his bravado and waving arms, while Juntaro reared his fangs and scurried along to shore. “Stay cool, Jun-chan.” Jomei served his companion a light warning in advance, and walked ahead of the creature. “Heh heh, let me do the talking when the patrol arrives, and we’ll be home in no time.” Donned in the standard Iwagakure ninja attire, Jomei made sure to present himself in the familiar form he knew the villagers could accept while he’d stroll through town with his giant friend following his every step.

WC482

- Jomei has returned the Mighty Village Hidden in the Stones

 

[Ii Hissori]

Woof, Woof, Woof. It seems like two people were at front of the hall waiting to be let in! It seemed that today the gates were rather void of people to man it. Instead today or at least for now, Hissori and his faithful dog Buru were a part of the patrol’s that were letting people in to the harbor. Or well Buru was working the patrol.

The large white wolf was sitting by the entrance of the village. The majority of the wolf’s white fur was covered by a large black and tan cloak that fell over his back and around the wolf’s strong paws. Even on his face the wolfdog, Buru had a standard, white ANBU mask with red and green markings on his face. The specially made mask that went all the way down his muzzle and then sides of his canid face would be found staring up at Jomei after a couple of moments. Then with a large woof, the ANBU dog would begin to talk.

“Passport please, and where are you coming from?” The Tsuchikage companion said in a deep voice that didn’t seem normal from a dog. He would look up with his icy blue eyes and wait for the passport of the human to be handed over. Of course, with Buru there anyone who knew anything about Inuzaka knew that somewhere the Tsuchikage would be.

Hissori in fact was sitting out a little distant away eating a lunch of fish dumplings in street clothes, hoping to hide out and get a moment alone from the chaos of running a village.

Spoiler

MFT 260

 

[Okada Kaji]

That familiar barking sound was the final ingredient needed to make his village feel like home once again. Jomei turned towards the beckoning call of Buru, the Mighty Stone’s titular beast of celebrated lore. He was found sitting as the base of the village’s gates, which reached high into the sky with spiraling bone points. Buru nearly blended in with the ivory lining their village walls behind him, but the mask separated him, and created an image fitting of the noble breed he was. “Buru!” Jomei said warmly with a grin, and a boost of pep in his step as he marched towards the familiar friend. With several skips up steps made from a dragon’s spine, Jomei drew near, and with a hand fanning behind him, he urged his large spider to become scarce during for the moment. “Keeping the peace as always, I see.” Jomei humored the hound, and approached him with his I.D. and passport, just as Buru so boldly requested. While Buru was a dog, he wouldn’t ignore the possibility that Buru was all his village had to spare for gate security.

“Can’t you tell who I am?” Jomei joked as he presented his items to Buru, by setting them in the grass in front of him, all the meanwhile settling on one bent knee. “Matsui Jomei… and I have returned from an Expedition to the Water Country. You can still smell the scent of the dead water-country sea on me, can’t you?” And with a sudden, softly reaching hand he planted his hand with gentle fingers atop the masked dog’s head, and pat him softly three times. “It’s good to be home, Buru.”

 

[Ii Hissori]

ANBU DOWN! ANBU DOWN! Was what Buru would be saying into his headset if he had one on. Instead, the large white ANBU dog just huffed a bit at the petting and moved away. After all, the Anbu dog was working at the moment while he master rested. He would just wait for the Passports and I.D to be presented to him. When they finally were presented, the dog would take them in his muzzle and put them on the ground to look at them.

“Its ANBU Woofs.” Buru would say in a low stern tone as he used the hook in his nail to flip to the latest passport entry in the chuunin’s book. He would give a bit of a huff and look up at him. “You have been gone for quite a wihle. Youngin.” Buru said as he returned the books to him in the same process that he was given him.

Would just woof again lowly as he then settled back to his sitting position. “Hopefully you will find your home hasn’t changed to much. Welcome back.” The dog said as he finally let the young man back into his village. After Jomei would leave he would return to Hissori's side who was of course watching this.

Spoiler

Access Granted, Topic Left unless stopped.

 

[Okada Kaji]

It seemed as if he had been away for a lifetime, and the moment was all too relieving when the masked hound left his signature of sorts on Jomei’s passport, permitting him entrance. Once the noble beast welcomed Jomei into their mountain metropolis he called him, he put away the paperwork and made haste to continue into the village. “Thanks Buru” he said with a few hints of earnest respect in his voice. “Send my regards to Master Hissori for me, would ya? I have to get home, but I’ll be by his office to visit him in a few days! Bye!”

Nearly overflowing with eagerness, Jomei parted from the vicinity of Titan’s Keep, and took on the challenge of running up the mile-high staircase crafted from Basilisk bones, which would take him to the highlands, and the starch-white cliffside manor he called home. If he were lucky, he'd still make it home in time for supper.

- Topic Left