Mission Vanishing Vegetables: A Group Effort! [STM]

[Sugihara Aki]

--​

Hikaru stifled a quick yawn as she strode up to the Phoenix Gate of the Leaf village. She had awoken early enough that the sky only barely showed hints of color, a lighter gradient beginning to stretch across the horizon eastwards. Only a handful of guards stood by the gate, and she waved to them as she waited, looking out of the village at the path that led away. She wore simple clothes and a red jacket, with a light travelling pack resting on her back and pouches fastened to her hip and leg. Although this wouldn’t be her first mission, officially, it would be the first time she left the village on one, and she was having some difficulty keeping herself from pacing in anticipation. Moreover, she was supposed to carry it out with three others, marking her first team mission.

The assignment had been delivered at the mission office the day before: an elderly couple living nearby had requested help tending to their farm. Although they would have to make a roughly half-day journey to the farm and back, Hikaru wasn’t especially worried about the mission’s difficulty. She had brought a bed-roll and enough supplies for two days or more, but it was unlikely that they would be needed- this was an E-Rank mission after all. Yawning again, she retrieved a newly-made map from her pack and looked over it absent-mindedly, glancing up and around periodically for her teammates. According to the assignment, she was supposed to meet with two other students and a team captain, none of whom she recognised milling about in the nearby streets this early in the morning. Hikaru turned back to the map again, trying to study their route, and waited.

​

[WC: 288 / 2000]
[Art Credit]
[MFT]

--
​

[OOC: Welcome to the Self-modded Team Mission, and thank you for joining! Quick reminder: this is an E-Rank STM, so each participant has to reach a total word count in the thread of at least 2,000, and we have to make 15+ posts total among the four of us. Looking forward to starting this mission with you all! ]

 

[Nakano Karasu]

Karasu woke early in the morning. She got up and took a shower before getting her favorite clothes on. A purple and black shirt with her clan symbol on it. Two crossing spears planted right on her back along with some comfy and convenient black pants. She had her backpack by her bed ready to go. She brushed her long white hair as he looked in the mirror anxiety stepped in. She was supposed to go on her first mission. She really hasn’t interacted with anyone since she came to the village. That was on purpose because she was really shy and the fact that she was used to having to leave with her dad for various reasons. The Village Hidden in the Leaves was the first home to accept her and her father. Still Karasu worried if she would be accepted by others. She was grateful to the Hokage for allowing her and her father to settle here but now it was time to see if the villagers actually accepted her.

Realizing she was brushing her hair too long her big blue eyes grew wider as she finally stopped brushing her hair. “I better go” she said then went to her father who was on his crutches. He looked at her and said “You better eat before your mission.” she shook her head. “I will take a toast. I'm sure that will be fine for now. “ she smiled at her dad then grabbed a slice of toast that was on the table. “See ya!” she said to her dad. She took a bite of the toast as she grabbed her sword that her dad had made her. She rubbed the purple gem on the hilt before sheathing it on her back along with the small backpack, then took off to the Phoenix Gate. She walked at a quick but not too fast pace. She knew she should have plenty of time. She finished her toast as she saw various shops opening up for business. She wondered where she would be going on the mission. She heard it was a farm and it was half a day a way. She didn’t catch the name of the village. In her mind she was also wondering what the others that were coming along were going to be like. She was getting more anxious as she saw the Phoenix Gate ahead. “Ok here i go” she said nervously as the closer she got she saw someone there. She walked up to the gate and gave a nervous smile “He….hello” she said quietly to Hikaro.


[WC: 432 / 2000]

 

[Ronin]

Mirio lay in bed, staring at the ceiling. After a few moments of waiting, his alarm goes off. Mirio turns it off and gets up from his bed.You know, you do that a lot. You’ll set your alarm and then wake up like five minutes before it goes off, but if you don’t set it, then you’ll wake up late. What’s that about?

”I thought you were sealed away. Why are you talking to me right now?” Mirio asked out loud.

Hey just because I’m sealed, doesn’t mean I can’t talk to you. The reaper death seal kills the user in order to seal something and even that one would allow me to talk to you.

Mirio sighs and proceeds to get ready for his mission. He brushes his teeth, showers, and eats a ton of food for breakfast like usual. Putting on his usual outfit, the boy grabbed his sword and left his house.

So when are we going to get answers?

”I don’t know.... wait a minute, aren’t you like 2 months old at best? How do you know about the reaper death seal?” Mirio asked.

Uuuuuuuhhh hello Megan? I know about it because you know about it?

”First off, what’s a Megan? And secondly, why do you know everything I know, but I don’t have the luxury of knowing everything you know?”

Everything I know comes from everything you know. So you know everything I know, it’s just that some of it is in your subconscious. I don’t have a subconscious, so I just know it. And idk, “hello Megan” just sounds funny to say when someone is being stupid like you were being a couple seconds ago.

Mirio sighs, deciding to stay quiet. He looks up and sees the Phoenix Gate in the distance as well as two girls. One was familiar and the other was not. Approaching them, Mirio waved. ”Hey there, Miyazaki, been a while since our ANBU class together, though for the life of me, I can’t remember how that one ended.... oh well, maybe it’ll come to me later.” Mirio said with a shrug. ”And hello to you too. I don’t think we’ve met before. I’m Uchiha Mirio, but you can just call me Mirio. If you call me Uchiha, I’ll be a lot less unique. In any case, it’s nice to meet you.” the boy said, extending his hand to Karusu.


[WC: 391 / 2000]
[MFT]

 

[Uchiha Hoheto]

It was a slow morning. Tinted grey clouds spanned as far as the eyes could see announcing the new day. Pacing through the nigh empty pathway leading to the Phoenix gate with steps akin to a baby's, Hoheto inched closer to the village's exit where he was expected to acquaint himself with a bunch of kids for their E-Ranked mission, probably their first, as team captain and as requested by the council—one that had come on a short notice. That however did little to deter the uchiha from accepting the mission as it in fact had him bubbling with excitement for several reasons. This was a glorious opportunity to relieve himself of the mountainous paperwork back at the research facility albeit temporarily. That, and then, the idea of meeting with 'exciting prospects' all of whom were academy students he hoped he could help nurture in one way or another to greater heights.

As he drew closer to his destination, Hoheto's tender features, transitioned into a brighter one. The aim was simple, make a first good impression with the kids. His eyes then went on a search for the trio he was to meet. He wasn't given any info about them to begin with, but little clues like clothing and whatnot would help in his cause. Finally, on the area just outside the village he spots them standing in wait. There he assured himself from their dithery preparation.

Now they would see a pale skinned figure of average build and height walk towards them. This person was donned in black robes tucked into dark blue pants, a green grey belt tied around his waist and a strawhat at the top of his frame.

"Oi, I am Uchiha Hoheto, adopted son of the fourth hokage and i believe we're here for the same reason." He spoke to them in a soft tone, flashing a grin. "On the subject of this mission, I have been contacted to oversee its completion and ensure that none of you get hurt, though that is unlikely to happen given its rank but in the off chance that things go south, it so happens that I am the med-nin chief of the research division of the medical branch. That means you all are in good hands and have nothing to worry about. Now then before we proceed, I would like to have your names."

WC [405]
TWC [405/2000]
MFT

 

[Sugihara Aki]

At the sound of footsteps, Hikaru looked up from the map and met the white-haired girl who had walked up to her. At her quiet greeting, the first girl replied, “Ah, hello! You must be one of the other students. My name’s Miyazaki Hikaru- I haven’t seen you much around the Academy, so hopefully we can get acquainted here!” While she truthfully hadn’t seen the white-haired girl at the Academy before, she hadn’t been around the place much herself as of late, and wondered briefly if there were more new arrivals she hadn’t gotten the chance to meet yet. Making a mental note to swing by the Academy the next day, she took her first good look at the girl in front of her. She had long white hair, her own pack for the journey- and the hilt of a well-made sword peeking out from behind her back. Hikaru had high hopes that the mission wouldn’t be too dangerous, but she was glad the other student had come prepared. “Well, nice to meet you! I think we’re just waiting on two others- and, here comes Mirio.”

The student motioned towards an older boy approaching the gate. He waved and addressed Hikaru, who grinned in return- strange that the outcome of that class mysteriously eluded them both. As Mirio introduced himself to her white-haired acquaintance, she noticed that he had brought a sword along as well- once again hopefully not needed, although she felt a little out of place with her pair of combat gloves and limited taijutsu knowledge.

The three waited together at the gate for a short while, until a robed man wearing a straw hat stepped towards them. He introduced himself as Uchiha Hoheto, the son of the hokage. At the mention of his surname, Hikaru instinctively glanced at the other Uchiha in the immediate vicinity, although there were so many Uchiha in the village that it was unlikely these two were directly related. As she looked back at their newly-arrived captain, Hoheto reaffirmed that the chances of a confrontation on the mission were low- however, he caught Hikaru’s attention as he introduced himself as the research division’s med-chief. The student had yet to meet someone from the village’s Medical Branch, and he was head of the research division as well; she wondered if he knew her father.

At the older ninja’s request, the girl introduced herself once more: “I’m Miyazaki Hikaru. Nice to meet you, captain!” She waited for the others to do the same, and gazed up excitedly at the steadily brightening sky. Now would be an excellent time to hit the road- whenever Hoheto gave the word, they could get going.

[WC: 446]
[MFT]
--
TWC: 734 / 2000
PC: #2

 

[Nakano Karasu]

Karasu looked on, staring at Hikaru. She noticed her red jacket and the pouches she had attached to her hip and leg. The girl introduced herself as Miyazaki Hikaru. Karasu gave a shy smile toward her then said “I am Nakano, Karasu, I’m new to the academy.” she said referring to her not being seen around. “It’s nice to meet you too.” she said thinking the girl was nice. Before Karasu could say anything else another person came. Karasu turned to see who it was. It was a boy and he called himself Uchiha Mirio. Karasu once again introduced herself. She noticed that he seemed to know Hikaru already.

She looked down to her feet wondering if they were going to accept her. They were nice so far but it was an insecurity that Karasu had and for good reason. So much was going through her head that she almost didn’t hear the next footsteps that came toward them. She looked up and saw an older person whom Karasu thought was the person who was going to lead them on this mission. The person was a pale skinned person of average build. He introduced himself as Uchiha Hoheto. He mentioned that he was the adopted son of the Hokage.

Karasu’s big blue eyes widened with surprise as she heard that this was the Hokage’s son. She was amazed and nervous at the same time. Her first mission and she gets the Hokage’s son as team captain. She gulped then said “Hello” she said quietly. She twisted her white hair with her finger as a nervous habit. She was glad to hear that the mission which was an E-Rank mission wasn’t going to be dangerous. Hoheto finished his introduction then asked them what their names were.

She heard Hikaru say her name then Karasu who was still twisting her hair started to speak. In her mind there was an inner voice saying go ahead you can do it. Karasu summoned enough strength to finally talk. “My name is” she paused for a moment then continued on with a deep breath. “Nakano, Karasu. Nice to meet you.” she gave a weak smile hoping she didn’t show her nervousness on the outside. She was always like this with people, especially those she just met. The young girl hoped she could get a hold of herself for the mission. She didn’t want her first mission to fail on account of her. She wouldn't be able to live it down or forgive herself. What would her dad think of her? She looked at the team captain as she waited for Mirio to introduce himself.


[WC: 439]
[TWC: 871 / 2000]
[MFT]

 

[Ronin]

Mirio smiles at both his teammates when they responded to his greetings. Hikaru, Mirio knew, but the new girl, Karusu, was not someone he had met before. So that’s Miyazaki? First time I’m meeting her... but also not.... hey, would you say this is the first time I’m meeting her or...? ignoring the voice in his head, Mirio’s attention turns to the captain who just arrived. Uchiha Hoheto.... Mirio didn’t know him at all. He subconsciously avoided other Uchiha. Aside from Asuka, the boy didn’t know any one else from the famous clan. That guy is enthusiastic to say the least. Almost makes me as sick as you do, haha. Mirio’s eyes squinted slightly when Hoheto mentioned the danger of the mission being low. Yeah, I know. The only reason this guys is here is because of what that sennin said.... hey, how does it feel to be the most dangerous part of this mission.

Will. You. Shut. Up???


Okay, okay, jeez... why can’t you be nice to me like you are with your classmates? I’m technically you... hey, does that mean you’re self loathing? While Mirio had his inner conversation with himself, the others introduced themselves at Hoheto’s request. By the time it was Mirio’s turn, the boy was already wishing he had a mute button for his internal friend. ”My name is Mirio. You’ll excuse me for not doing my homework properly, but what exactly was the mission again? Something about vegetables?” Mirio asked.

Woah there, easy now, you don’t want to get overwhelmed... hey... I just had a thought... you can be overwhelmed and you can be underwhelmed... why isn’t anyone ever just whelmed? Mirio let out a quiet sigh as he waited for the captains response.

[WC:287]
[TWC: 578 / 2000]
[MFT

 

[Uchiha Hoheto]

Hoheto tilted the brim of his hat to once more take in their features as they gave out their names. The uchiha was sure to make mental notes on the little displayed by their personalities—a habit he picked up in his long years as a medic. This survey, though not entirely accurate was primed to give clues on what they were capable of individually as well as aid the med-chief in his decision making. After all, this was a simple team exercise to provide them with experience and nurture their skills.


Hikaru generally had that cheerfulness about her. A conscientious fellow evidenced by her thorough preparation and was quite the extrovert too. She had the qualities needed of a leader. Whereas Karasu, like a biochemist studying a colony of bacteria under the microscope, had a knack of minutely examining her every thought, feeling, and action. Probing, futile questions like what the world thought of her, which was a constant nagging companion. Only she did not realize that other people did not spend as much time and energy analyzing her as she thought, well not Hoheto is this case. He would return an innocent grin as a gesture to her timid display, masking any physical indication of his examination of her so as to not get her more nervous.


Mirio on the other hand, was tough to get a read on. In comparison with the other two, the boy expressed little. He seemed off to say the least; inattentive to the happenings around him like he was constantly lost in thought. For what reasons though remained a mystery.


"An elderly couple in a nearby rural area of the Fire country has requested helo tending to their farm in preparation for a bountiful harvest. And yes that involves vegetables Mirio. Our mission is to aid them with that" He answered to the boy's question.


Turning to the rest of the team "The objective of this mission is simple, make the harvest a pleasant one. For that to happen, you three will have to do what I say, when I say it. Understood? Or do any among you have any questions?" He'd ask, taking a look at their faces. "If none, then let us proceed. Hikaru, you may lead the way" He gestures to the little girl, giving her the role of navigator.
#2
[WC 445]
[TWC 850/2000]

 

[Sugihara Aki]

Hikaru smiled approvingly as the others introduced themselves- the white-haired girl as Nakano Karasu and Mirio as Mirio. She thought for a moment as the other girl gave a shy greeting to the team’s leader. Nakano… she hadn’t met anyone with that surname before today. Perhaps her family was new as well? Or not- the village was a large place, much bigger than a student like herself often gave it credit for. She flashed a hopefully-reassuring grin at Karasu as their other team member spoke to the captain. Truth be told, the young Miyazaki was on the lookout for new friends- many of her peers had recently divided into groups that she had been excluded from because she was a ‘know-it-all’, ‘snore-fest’, or ‘girl’.

Hoheto tilted his hat, surveying the three of them as Mirio finished. He explained the remaining details of the mission, and while he did so, Hikaru made a short mental list: “So we make the journey there, meet the couple, tend to the vegetables on their farm, and journey back. That sounds like we can do it!” She nodded in response to the captain’s question, and answered, “Understood! No questions from me.” The girl paused for a moment to let the other students raise any questions, then, at Hoheto’s directive, unfurled the map once more, grinning. Their first real mission- it was finally time!

Hikaru strode through the gates and out onto the path beyond them, sliding her gaze down to the map in her hands every ten paces just to make sure they were going in the right direction. The route to the farm was about as straightforward as a mission route could be, but the student’s slight nerves were enough to convince her to be diligent with her directions. The group walked at a moderate pace, fast enough to reach their destination just before the sun reached its highest point in the sky. As they went, the dense gathering of trees around them gradually thinned to a few shrubs here and there, revealing a vast sea of plains populated by expansive acres of cultivated farmland. The sky seemed to burst with billowing clouds- some brightly-colored and airy, others gray and threatening storms. A large wooden sign by the now-gravel road welcomed the ninja to the ‘Ogano Fields: A Breadbasket of the Land of Fire’.

Hikaru stopped checking the map as frequently very soon after they entered the winding country paths that led between the fields simply because there was so much to see. Huge squares of rich earth dotted with tiny green shoots, groves of low-growing vines, rows of tall grasses interrupted by the occasional young farmhand who waved at the passing students and their captain. Smiling and waving back, the girl looked ahead at the path before them, then back down at the map. They were getting close to the old couple’s farm; she began to wonder what it would be like. “What will they be growing? Will there be other farmhands there to help? What will they have to-”

A plump raindrop fell directly in front of Hikaru, forming a wet circle on the surface of the map she was holding. Startled, she quickly rolled the paper up and sheltered it in her bag as more heavy rain began to drop from the thunderclouds she had noticed above earlier.

[WC: 557]
[MFT]
--
TWC: 1291 / 2000
PC: #3

 

[Nakano Karasu]

Karasu stood there as the introductions were going on. She continued to twist her long white hair in nervous fashion. So far everyone seemed nice but that was nothing new to her. For most of her life when she met people they were always nice at the beginning, until they got to know her and suddenly changed on her as if she was a freak of nature. She remembered all the villages her and her father would go to trying to settle down and have a home only to be forcefully driven out. It had been a long living nightmare that Karasu was trapped in. There never seemed to be a way out of it. The thought of her mother burning in their home had put a permanent invisible scar on Karasu.

Trust was something she didn’t know from others with the exception of her father. He was all she had and she didn’t know how long she would have until this village she is in now would turn on her. She did hope that this nice exchange would last longer than she was normally used to. She was trying to be optimistic with the hope that this village would be different from the several others she had encountered before. It was a small hope that had a small flicker of a flame waiting to be put out. Karasu always expected it to be snuffed out; it was just a matter of when. So examining herself constantly hoping to be accepted was something that she had very good reason to do.

Karasu listened as Hoheto explained the objective of the mission. They were supposed to tend a farm of an elderly couple so they could have a good harvest. It seemed easy enough, though Karasu had to admit she hadn’t tended a farm since she was real little. Even then she was so small and only helped out her family with minor things. She expected that this was going to be much harder than she was used to. Plowing and tending to the farm was going to be really hard manual labor. She tried to think back to her parents tending to their small farm. The memories were like flashbacks and a bit blurry. She wasn’t sure if she could trust it being that she had so much trauma that most likely blocked all the decent memories of her past.

The young girl nodded to Hoheto then looked to Hikaru as she watched the girl start to lead the way with Karasu close behind. She kept a steady pace with the group making sure she didn’t lag behind the others. It seemed like a nice day as the sun was out shining upon them as they walked. Sometimes trees they were passing by would give a bit a shade and block the rays of the sun. Karasu would look up from time to time watching the sky. She saw some clouds that were grey getting closer. She hoped that the weather didn’t change on them but looking at those clouds made her wonder. She continued to walk listening as Hikaru had a question about the farm. She thought it was a good question, one that Karasu wanted to know herself. She looked to Hoheto waiting for the answer.

As Karasu was walking she felt something wet drop on her face. Her hand motioned up to wipe the small droplet off her face. She looked up and saw that the grey clouds were now upon them. She felt another drop then another. She turned to the group. “Looks like it’s gonna rain on us. We will probably need to hurry to get to the farm. Even then the rain might slow us down.” She hoped they could still tend to the farm. The rain would make it harder to tend to it.


[WC: 641]
[MFT]
[TWC - 1512 / 2000]
PC #3

 

[Ronin]

Mirio shakes his head when the captain asks if anyone has any questions. It was such a straightforward mission, it’s no surprise it’s an E rank. Mirio brought his sword with him pretty much everywhere, but this time he probably could have left it home and there would be no issue. Shrugging that thought off, the boy starts taking Hikaru’s lead.

This was the first mission Mirio has been a part of. He looked at the others with him. The captain, Hoheto, seemed nice enough. It surprised Mirio that he was an Uchiha in the medical branch. Mirio has never met a medical branch ninja before. It was never even a thought in his mind to join. Not that he looked down on the branch or anything, he was just very inefficient at healing techniques.

Then there was Nakano. Mirio found her to be a bit weird. Not in a bad way or anything, but just in a neutral way. It was obvious to the young Uchiha that the girl had little to no social experience.

And finally, Miyazaki. Mirio didn’t know that well, but that was something that he would try to change in the future. Mirio scratches his head, still not being able to recollect what happened in that ANBU class. Chalking it up to all the craziness that had happened to him recently, the boy shrugs it off.

After a bit, the boy walks a bit faster so that h can catch up to the navigator. “So, Miyazaki, is this the first mission you have ever been on or...?” Mirio found it easier to speak to Hikaru. Before all these crazy things started happening to him, he was a lot more social and friendly. It was fairly easy for him to start a conversation with someone, anyone really. Nowadays, however, it was a lot harder for him to interact with people in general. The only reason he’s even here is because it’s a mission. But being that Hikaru was someone he had met before, he had no problem speaking to her. Kind of reminds him of the good, no so ol’ days.

Looking up at the sky, the boy noticed that it was cloudy. Putting on the hood on his cloa, the boy looked at Hikaru again. “How far are we, you think?” Mirio didn’t mind the rain, but they were going to a farm. A muddy farm. So that they can tend to it.

#3
[WC:406]
[TWC: 984 / 2000]
[MFT]

 

[Uchiha Hoheto]

No questions, good. A sense of relief greeted the captain as the assuring sounds of devotion rang out from the trio. He watched their faces light up in anticipation which indicated that they understood all he'd said and were ready to have at it. Without further trouble, the team marched out from the large gates with Hikaru navigating in front as the crown of the operation, Karasu and Mirio at her tail, leaving the debonair captain to lead from behind. Hoheto would continue in his mental evaluation of them, picking up from where he left—surely there was more to be seen. In the end though, little was of note save for what he already knew as at this time of their journey naught was said or done. Consequently, Hoheto would split his focus to the scenery around him albeit subtly just to get a read on things. This was an easy enough mission, sure, yet from experience the chances of things going awry was likely, however little. For that reason the uchiha had to assume the role of watchman, more especially when they ventured into new grounds.


This time, the plains was before them. Unlike the previous terrain that was penned in by trees, here he could see blue in every direction to the horizon; where it met with the golden color of earth. All that punctuated the dichromatic scheme were cultivated rows of greenery and the long strands of cloud being dragged across the sky by the wind. Hoheto would eye the sky nervously, returning his gaze to his team thereafter. The air was humid and smelt of storms—though to the outside eye, rain seemed improbable. Now he had to make a difficult call, should they march on to the Ogano fields or hunker down until the rains passed? He considered the flaws in each plan. He would have to chance it, there really was no choice. On they went into the gravelled road that led to the country's winding paths between fields, occasionally greeted by farmhands whom were impressed by the sight of ninja. Before long, the dazzling blue that had stretched into the horizon only broken by transitory wisps of white now threaded across the sky in thicker bands; the clouds were grey, ominous, and threatening, they were rain clouds far from the fluffy white cotton-balls of the afternoon.

Hope you guys aren't afraid of a little rain He thought to himself just as a crystal bead of water crashed onto the brim of his hat, splintering into tiny bits. Soon, it began sprinkling. Little droplets of water drenched his hair, robes, and skin. The water droplets began growing larger and falling frequently. The gentle strokes of rain turned into wet thuds as the icy water raced to meet the ground. The sprinkling turned into a torrential downpour. The coldness seeped through the layers of his clothes and chilled his skin. Hoheto's sandals soon found themselves sloshing through the thick, slushy mud—the hem of his robes collecting dirt. Only now did he air his thoughts, "Hope you guys don't mind a little dirt".


#3
[WC 563]
[TWC 1413/2000]
MFT

 

[Sugihara Aki]

The team of students and captain hiked through the orderly squares of green as thunderclouds gathered overhead. Hikaru walked at the head of the group, watching the fields go by and paying an occasional glance to the map in her arms. After a while, Mirio caught up to her and struck up a conversation: was this her first mission? “Yes, it is! I’m glad it isn’t supposed to be difficult or life-threatening or anything like that… I’m all for adventuring, but maybe not right out of the gate.” Besides, she wanted to take time to meet and get to know her fellow ninja before they were potentially put in danger together. Though she had only known Mirio for a little while now, she considered him a friend, and she was eager to reach that level of confidence with her other mission-mates as well. Karasu was a bit shy, but she seemed like a good person to get along with. She was glad to have met Hoheto, too- he was a ninja of the more laid-back variety, it seemed, and having a medical expert around was always reassuring.

Then, the rain began to fall, as Hikaru hid the map in her bag and covered her head with the thin hood of her jacket. In response to her teammates, she called back through the noise of water hitting earth: “Yes, we should hurry if we can! It shouldn’t be too much farther- I’m speeding up my pace!” And she did so, leading the party in a brisk walk through the storm. The way she saw it, it was probably better if they arrived during the rain; the elderly couple and any farmhands were sure to have moved inside to wait it out, as all the others in the surrounding fields had done. The ground became mud under her feet as the girl hurried to the furthest plot of land, the slight chill from the droplets settling around her body. Wooden posts and hastily abandoned wagons sped by, becoming noticeably more worn as the team moved on.

Hikaru spared a look up at the sky, trying to determine how long the rain would march on. Above her was nothing but a slow-moving gray mass of cloud, however, that gave no indication of calling off its assault on the green fields below. She focused again on the sodden path ahead of them. As she adjusted her hood to better cover her face, she stopped- the road no longer stretched far in front of the groups’ feet. It came to an end at the foot of a battered old cottage beside a meager plot of land, the last in a long line of farms larger and more prosperous than itself. The soil was like the scene of a shipwreck; dying roots and saplings drowned in a rocky brown sea, already weakened and choked from life by quite prosperous colonies of weeds. Wooden fencing leaned in on itself around the plants, apparently not doing its job- several of the lower sections were missing or splintered, and a rather conspicuous tunnel had been dug out under the largest opening.

Hikaru motioned for the team to stop, and found a sheltered enough spot under the overhang of the cottage’s roof. She retrieved the map, and inspected it momentarily- as it turned out, they were in the right place after all. “Looks like this is it… I guess they hired us for a reason. Let’s see if we can find-”

Before she could finish, the door to the shack clattered open and a silver-haired woman stepped out onto the porch beyond it. She was taller than Hikaru, though not by much, and she wore an earth-colored cloak over a simple dress. As the student approached, the woman spoke: “Come from the Leaf village? Well now, it’s about time. Get yourselves inside and out of the rain first, and then we can talk about what I hired you here for. Come on now!” She turned back into the house, gesturing over her shoulder for the four to follow her in. Hikaru glanced at the others for approval, then went after the woman.

The inside of the cottage was cramped, but cozy; the floors and walls were well-furnished and seemed well-lived, and the smell of flowers was everywhere. Once the team had all filed in, the woman turned to face them. “My name is Aiya. This land is the farm I share with my husband, wherever he got off to during a storm like this. Oh, no matter- fortunately for all of us, you ninja folk managed to get here before the rain stopped, which means we can sit here and chat for a while until it decides to. So-” she motioned to a table and several wooden chairs, a small smile brightening her face, “how about we start with your names, and a little bit about yourselves? The Leaf village doesn’t send many here, especially not as young as you lot seem to be.”

[WC: 834]
[MFT]
--
TWC: 2125
PC: #4

 

[Nakano Karasu]

The rain had started but it was not so bad. Only a few drops at a time. Karasu looked up at the sky and saw the angry dark clouds now upon them. She knew that it was just a matter of time before it started to pour down on their heads. In the meantime she enjoyed the scenery of fields that were passing by as they walked. She was keeping up with the others though she did get lost in daydreams once in a while. She heard Mirio ask Hikaru a question. Karasu listened as the girl confirmed that their mission wasn’t going to be dangerous. She thought about if she was ready if there was a situation where it meant for her to fight. She had never really fought before, so she was glad that they wouldn’t be put in a situation right now. Working a farm was for those of lower ranks and in the academy like herself. She continued to listen, trying to get some sort of insight on her new teammates. Hikaru seemed friendly and Karasu admired how she was leading the way to the farm. Mirio seemed like maybe he was confident. He definitely knew Hikaru previously so that relationship was more natural then meeting someone new. She looked at the team captain Hoheto who seemed to be very knowledgeable and capable to protect them if something bad did arise.

As they were walking the rain started to fall harder. Her long white hair was starting to get drenched. Karasu didn’t mind though. She felt refreshed as if she got some jolt of energy. A smile crept on her face as she felt the droplets fall on her face. She heard Hikaru mention about speeding up their pace. She nodded and sped up her own pace as well. The ground was becoming slushy as her sandals were sploshing mud everytime she took a step. It became clear that the rain probably wouldn't stop for awhile from the look of the dark grey clouds above. She knew they needed to hurry to get to the farm. Hopefully when they arrive they would be able to wait inside to stay warm and dry until the storm passes. Karasu continued to follow Hikaru and the others then suddenly she noticed that Hikaru stopped. She almost ran into her due to her thoughts being somewhere else. Karasu looked around and saw an old battered cottage on some land that was left to be desired. It appeared they had arrived at their location. The land didn’t seem to be tended to very well but then again that was what they were here for. By now her hair was a mess and her clothes were completely soaked. She loved the rain but she did want to get dried off. She was about to say something to the others requesting for them to contact the owners of the farm, but heard the creak of the door open. Karasu turned to see who it was. A silver haired woman appeared and spoke to them. The old lady invited them into her home. Karasu was happy to do so. She took off her sandals and left them outside since they were all muddy. She didn’t want to track the mud into the woman’s home. Plus it was tradition in their culture to take off their shoes before going into a home.

The cottage was not large but it had a charming feel to it with the smell of flowers about. . A home was a home and Karasu appreciated the kind gesture of allowing them to wait out the storm. The old woman introduced herself as Aiya and said that the land was owned by her husband who was there at the moment and her. She motioned to them to have a seat and talk about themselves. Karasu took a seat close to the fireplace which was alight. She could feel the warmth of the fire making her feel much better now that she was out of the rain. The young girl really didn’t want to get into who she was. Not with a stranger to say the least. In fact everyone here was a stranger to her and she was not yet ready to tell her life story to anyone just yet. So she thought about how much she would say to hopefully appease the old woman. With a quiet tone Karasu finally spoke. “Hello my name is Nakano Karasu. I’m ten years old and I’m a academy student in the Leaf Village.” she said hoping that would suffice. “Thank you for letting us into your home. It was very kind of you” she said with a smile as she continued to get warm.




[WC: 790]
[TWC - 2302]
PC #4

 

[Uchiha Hoheto]

The riotous beads of rain fell as if oblivious to the hardships around. It battered the dilapidated rooftops like a hail of bullets and hammered down on all who defied its commanding presence. On his part, Hoheto didn't seem to mind the rain as he had in fact been in much worse situations. If anything, it served as compensation for his time under the harsh noon sun. His only concern was for the kids. Like chicks entrusted to his care, he feared that they might catch a cold, or even get exposed to perilous microbes even as they ploughed through the mucky pathway with little concern for what became of their clothes and footwears. Should they should camp in a nearby shelter and wait out the storm?. He cogitated for the second time.


Much to Hoheto's delight, the students pressed on, determined to see the mission to its end. Such was the display of diligence in its unadulterated sense, it quelled the captain's fears and prompted him to recall similar experiences in his earlier years, if only for a brief moment. Perhaps this was to be expected of these young buds. Their thirst for experience in the guise of adventure was second to none. A smile etched on his face as he followed closely behind. After a while, Hikaru led them to the door of a battered old cottage with enough indication that whomever resided here wasn't doing a good job at farming. For a second it seemed like they were in the wrong place but not after her confirmation. Without warning, the door clattered open and from within came an old woman wearing an earth colored cloak over a simple dress that went down past her knees. Her hair, which was like a web of silver yarn, encased her head. Her face was wrinkled, but the lines on her face didn't make her look any less sweet. She offered the team shelter to which Hoheto approved. Once inside, he would take off his strawhat, unfurling a cascade of ebony outgrowth while he helped himself to the wooden seat (next to Karasu) at the old woman's request. Aiya as she had introduced herself was joint owner of the farm with her husband who was away for yet to be known reasons. She would then ask for their names and a little about themselves while they waited for the rain to die out. Karasu was the first to speak and as soon as she was done, Hoheto followed.


"I am Uchiha Hoheto, med-nin chief of the Leaf's research division where we are concerned with conducting informational findings on diseases as well as identifying primary benefits and possible side effects at different dosage ranges of newly developed medications. I am also captain of this operation and I'm delighted to make your acquaintance"


#4
[WC 476]
[TWC 1889/2000]
MFT

 

[Sugihara Aki]

Once the others had greeted the woman Aiya, Hikaru took her turn. “Hello! My name is Miyazaki Hikaru; I’m also a student at the Leaf village’s academy. Thank you for letting us rest inside for a little while!”
The elderly woman smiled, turning away from the window she had been observing during the group’s introductions. “It’s very nice to meet you all. I see- you two are still students, which I suppose explains your age. Eh, well… as long as you’re willing to work for a bit, I don’t care how old you are.” She gave the two girls a wink, then looked at Hoheto. “It sounds like you know what you’re talking about, and you’ve managed to lead a team of kids this far. Let’s take a look outside, now- the rain’s settled down while you were talking.” She started towards a door in the back of the house that led out to the gardens, motioning for the group to follow. The door opened, and she stepped outside, pausing a moment to add, “Oh, and I appreciate the courtesy from all of you! It’s not everyday that we get visitors, unfortunately,” she sighed.
Hikaru followed behind her into the heart of the sunken garden, still smelling strongly of rain. Now that they were standing properly inside the land itself, she could tell that the shoots buried in the ground were planted recently- somewhat late in the area’s growing season, if she remembered right. Aiya confirmed her suspicions when she traced her gaze down to the young seedlings: “We’ve had to replant, which has become more and more of a pain as the years have gone by. See those berry bushes over there?” She pointed near the inside of the fence to a clump of dark-leaved shrubs with tiny green circles peeking out from under them. “I have a hunch that some beastie keeps getting into our fence for those berries, since we always find them all chewed up. The problem is, they step all over our crops when they do it!” She gave several very exasperated gestures as she said this.
“So anyways, we’ve got plenty of work cut out for us today. You ninja can start by pulling up those berry bushes- just get rid of them. Once you’re done with that, we can take a short break, then see about finishing with the replanting effort. Any questions, come find me!” She waved, and turned back towards the cottage.

[WC: 410]
[MFT]
—
TWC: 2535
PC: #5

 

[Nakano Karasu]

Karasu continued to get warm by the fire. Though she didn’t mind the rain she had to admit she was happy to be inside to get dry. The old lady seemed nice and from the looks of the farm there was a lot of work that needed to be done, once the rain subsided. She looked around the cottage which seemed charming. Had a bunch of knick knacks on top of the fireplace mantle. Karasu smiled as one of the knick knacks reminded her of her mother. It was a lady tending to her garden.

She turned her head as Hoheto was introducing himself. She thought about the branch he was in and the division. It sounded interesting. She knew it was very important especially on a mission. Not that they would encounter anything that required medical assistance. Most likely just a few scrapes and bruises would be had nothing fatal. It was now Hikaru’s turn to introduce herself. She kept it nice and short as well. Karasu looked at the old lady as she started to speak.

Aiya seemed to not mind that Hikaru and herself were still academy students. She gave them a wink which made Karasu smile back at her. She turned to look out the window. The rain had finally stopped, which would mean they could go out and do their mission. Karasu got up from her seat and followed the old lady to the garden. The ground was soaked from the rain which made it very muddy. The old lady mentioned that she had to replant seedlings of the berry bush several times. Karasu listened as she looked inside the fence at what seemed to be trampled and torn shrubs all around.

“Yes it probably is some sort of creature getting into your berry bushes. “ she responded as she walked toward the berry bushes while she put on some gloves. She crouched down as she got a glance of the old lady going back inside the cottage. Karasu looked at the fence which appeared to have a couple of broken boards. She looked at Hoheto and Hikaru and said “I’m not much of a building type, but if we can somehow fix the fence maybe we can prevent further damage to the garden by whatever animal is going after the berry bushes.” she said. She started to pull up the weeds and damaged crops of the berry bushes by her. The rain had made it an unpleasant job getting Karasu’s gloves all muddy. Still she continued on doing her best.


[WC: 425]
[TWC - 2727]
PC #5

 

[Uchiha Hoheto]

After he was done with the introduction, Hoheto placed the strawhat he held down by the fire place so the warmth that now clung to him could get it to dry. He looked around the old couple's home as Hikaru spoke and was pleased at what he saw. Time had performed irreversible deeds upon the once proud structure of bricks and cement; the shutters were crooked, the walls had sections where paint had long peeled off, the floorboards creaked and the furniture well-lived yet the cottage was cozy and thoroughly tidied, and the robust fragrance of flowers permeated the airways, welcoming all within. This house was indeed home to the old pair. His featureless eyes would return to the woman in time to catch her speaking to him.
"Well I agree. Let us go outside and begin our business here."

Hoheto would respond, getting off his seat. He tailed Aiya to the door with Hikaru and Nakano sandwiched in. On getting to the garden, the old woman paused and spoke. She seemed relieved that they had come to her aid but frowned at her lack of visitors to which the uchiha replied.
"You are welcome. The team and I love to be here working your garden. You see, they need the experience whereas I need a break from the stacks of paperwork back in my office. But no worries we'll make our time here count." Those words, reassuring as they were would in no way take away the feeling of loneliness but they held promise that her garden would be taken care of. Hoheto then tuned in to her ordeal as she narrated in a chafe tone how she and her husband had been forced to replant the same crop severally after coming to see it trampled upon time and time again. Each time they did the berry bushes nereby got eaten hinting that something was at fault for this. As to what exactly the culprit was, was left to speculations.

"That'll make three of us" Hoheto concurred to both Aiya's as well as Nakano's sound theories. Looking at the berry bushes, it had stalks which once held the berries gnawed off. The solution presented was simple enough, rid the garden of the plant and reinforce the fence so that whatever troubled it before now would cease to do so anymore.
"Alright young buds, ready to get your hands dirty?" The captain asked with Aiya gone. It was finally time to get down to business and he knew this was going to be a dirty one. It didn't take long for him to start dishing orders. "You two on clearing the bushes around the garden while I go ask the old lady for some wood to repair the fence."
The captain sauntered to the cottage and called out to the old woman when he was close by. "Excuse me Aiya where can I get some wood to repair the fence around the garden?" She probably would be by the fire place resting and Hoheto deemed it unnecessary to stroll in with his garments and sandals twice as dirty. If there were none then there is the option of using ninjutsu as he had mastery over the wood affinity.


#5
[WC 562]
[TWC 2451/2000]
MFT

 

[Sugihara Aki]

As their captain sought out the old woman to find out if there was any wood nearby to fix the decaying fence, Hikaru knelt beside Karasu, pulling on gloves of her own to shield her hands from the soaked earth. She worked carefully, trying to select the right spot to cut the plants with a Kunai so that they wouldn’t begin to spread again. “Good idea, by the way! I think Aiya and her husband are good farmers- there’s definitely something unusual going on if they’ve been successfully growing crops as long as that house has been around.” The air was still chilled slightly from the rain, and the ground was soft beneath her feet as she cut along the clump of bushes.

Aiya was indeed resting near the fireplace, and she paused a moment before replying, “Ah, you’re going to fix the fence, too? I’d appreciate it very much- there should be a hefty wood pile a few paces into the woods behind the house.” The woods marked the edge of the long path the team had followed to reach the couple’s cottage. Short tangles of brush sprouted up around the perimeter of the area, flanked by thin trees that grew closer together the further one ventured in.

A little while later, the students had made very good progress- the garden was nearly free of the berry bushes completely, and the half-trampled crops had been cleared as well. Hikaru stood up for a moment, breathing heavy, and gazed forward into the woods. The air was warmer, but not by much; thankfully, the sun was still hidden by a layer of lightening clouds.

Suddenly, the desperate yell of an elderly-sounding voice echoed from the woods: “Nooooo, wait! Please!” Hikaru looked up in time to see a knee-high form crashing through the plants in the woods beyond, on a beeline towards the garden. She replaced her Kunai and hurried carefully but urgently across the soil, making sure not to trample any more of the precious plants. Standing at the fence, she saw the animal burst through the trees- a sizable wild boar, with a rich brown coat, and... a bright red checkered bowtie tied around its back. It stopped for a second, taking in its surroundings, and Hikaru didn’t move. Could this be the culprit behind the vanishing vegetables?

Before she could say anything, a similar crashing form made its way through the stretch of woods- another wild boar, she assumed quickly- emerging next to the first one. It was similar in nearly every aspect except its bowtie, which was blue this time and rested loosely around its large head. It stopped, too, and Hikaru heard more cries of protest from someone coming their way. Before long, an old man climbed out of the brush, clearly in hot pursuit of the two animals. He dressed in a similar fashion to Aiya, but had only a few silver hairs covering his head, and wore a bowtie around his neck of a minty green color. Struggling from his run, he looked around the garden and noticed the ninja watching him in awe.

Before he could speak, however, the wild (?) boars seemed to notice his presence, and evidently were not pleased. They bolted, starting for the nearest entrance to the garden, and the man gave another cry. “Oh, you must be the Leaf Shinobi!” he said hurriedly. “Please, help me stop these two hooligans from running rampant again! Don’t hurt them, just detain them for a little bit so I can get the bowties off!” He rushed towards the blue-tied boar, which was charging to where the gaping tunnel had been when it last visited the garden. The red-tied one, however, shot right towards Hikaru, and she hopped over the fence as quickly as she could. Running through a rapid pattern of handseals, she pushed her arms out towards the charging animal, directing a gust of wind its way that slowed its onslaught as much as she could. The boar slowed, but did not stop, and Hikaru had to catch her breath for a moment.

[WC: 681]
--
TWC: 3216
PC: #6

 

[Nakano Karasu]

Karasu smiled when she heard Hoheto ask the old lady if there was any wood. That means he was going to take her suggestion and fix the fence. She was happy that she was able to contribute. Her gloves were getting dirty but she didn’t mind as long as it wasn’t her hands. She smiled as Hikaru joined next to her. Karasu couldn’t stop grinning when Hikaru complimented her on her idea about the fence. “Oh thanks I just thought it would help and I agree I wonder what’s going on?” she said as she pulled more of the trampled berry bushes. She also had her kunai out to cut it away.

After a while Karasu could see they made a lot of progress with berry bushes. It was nearly all gone. “We're getting there.” she said in her usual quiet high tone of a voice. She stood up after Hikaru trying to catch her breath. “That was hard work. I didn’t expect it to take a lot out of me.” she chuckled. Everything seemed to be going really well since the rain stopped. Then from a distance Karasu heard a voice which sounded a bit like an elderly person. They were yelling and Karasu stood there wondering what was happening.

It didn’t take long to find out. Something came crashing from the woods and heading toward the garden area. It was a wild boar with a bright red bowtie around its back. Karasu’s eyes widened with surprise. This must be the animal that has been trampling through the old lady’s garden. She thought right before an old man appeared, who was obviously the one who was yelling.Another wild boar this time with a blue bowtie appeared. The old man asked them to detain them while he took the bowties off. Karasu quickly shouted to Hoheto just in case he was still in the cottage. “Wild boars running amuck” she yelled quickly as the one with the red tie came charging toward Hikaru.

Karasu had to think fast and did some hand seals. Chakra was charging in her fingertips. She aimed at the boar close to Hikaru and released a bolt of lightning at the boar. She hoped it would stun it but she had no idea if it would work. She didn’t have a lot of jutsu in her arsenal. The storm bolt was her strongest jutsu. She turned hoping Hoheto would hear her. “Do you have any jutsu that is like some sort of barrier or cage to trap them?” she said her heart beating fast at the turn of events.


[WC: 434]
[TWC - 3,161]
PC #6