Starring:
Ogosokamaru, Kioshi, Ai, Sanado
Date: November 19, 2012
Summary:
There was a request for produce to be picked up at a local farm near Kumogakure. As those assigned to retrieve the goods arrive, they discover they were a bit earlier then expected and asked to offer a hand.
"Like a ninja. Farming for the very first time."
Half-mile outside Kumogakure.
A simple D-rank mission, nothing really worth mentioning at this point. Ogo had rented a cart and buggy in which he was going to pick up some stuff for a guy that sells things in the market. Fresh fruits, veggies, and the like. He had brought Kioshi along, whether he wanted to or not, and the orderlies back at the hospital could whine all they wanted.
Ogo had also requisitioned the allowing of a student to come along with them, one he had seen once or twice, thinking a day out of the academy and out with real nin on a real mission might do him some good. There was no threat of combat, and Ogo was confident enough that if anything did happen, it wouldn't be too much he couldn't handle.
Now, they had set out just before sunrise, and the sun was just coming over the horizon when they got outside Kumogakure. They had three pick-ups to accomplish, load them into the cart, and head straight back into Kumo.
Ogo would stop the cart at the road just in front of the farmer's house, hopping out and looking around for where the farmer may be to negotiate the pickup and where to load the cart.
This was like a dream or something, not even out of the academy and already being invited to join a couple of other Chuunin on a mission. Though Sanado wasn't quite sure how he was chosen as he didn't enter a raffle or lotto, so he could only assume that they were some how impressed with his exuberant nature. So he definitely wasn't going to let them down in that department. Especially considering they were leaving the village, something he had never experienced.
"Oh wow!" Sanado would shout from the back of the buggy, "We actually left, I can't believe it." Unable to control his joy, he'd climb over the seats peeking his head over the sides to watch the road go by and then look out into the distance, curious and unable to wait to get where they're going. "You think we'll have to beat people up? It could be a possibility you know." The boy would flex his chubby, uncovered arm with all his might as if to show a muscle that might be there, his face straining in the process.. "I'm ready…" Exhaling his held breath, "if that's the case."
While Kioshi wasn't exactly keen on picking stuff up and loading it in his current position, he was also ready to get out of that hospital room and to see the countryside of the Land of Lightning again. He flips through a book as they ride along, attempting to catch up on a series he was reading before he went into his coma. When the boy mentions beating people up, he blinks and peers up at him, lifting an eyebrow and then looking back down. "If we have to fight enemy shinobi just to load vegetables into a cart, I'm kicking Ogo's ass when I recover," he comments as he starts to read again, waiting for Ogo to say what they should do.
What was an average mission for these shinobi was a strenous task that Ai had to do at least once every other week. The garden crops at the Yubabo Estate had been growning at an abnormal pace, prompting them to bundle up their harvest every week to be sold within Kumogakure and other neighboring villages. Today the Yubabo family had been out to conduct some business of their own. Ai, technically the families steward, was tasked with organizing a quick escort of shinobi to send their crops to the destinated area.
"Hey! Over here!" A voice suddenly exclaims to the group gathering just right outside the farm, and finally from within a thicket of vines a young female with hair as black as obsidian, eyes a glistening amethyst revealed herself, arms clutched along a brown woven basket filled with an assortment of vegetables. Slowly she moved towards them, cheeks flushed red from the weight of her carry. "Are… you guys from Kumogakure? Shinobi and what not?" Ai scanned around briefly to find those headbands she was so accustomed to seeing, though her eyes began to water at the burden of the weight.
Ogo laughs at the student, "No, no combat," and looking at Kioshi, he just felt the need to pop him on the back of the head for a comment like that, but whatever, he let it go. The call out form behind the vines was behind him, and he had already moved next to the horse to check the lashings and tightness of the harness and reigns.
When Ogo turned around, all went slow motion for a few seconds. The Violet eyes, dark black hair. Ogo blinked, and only when she was nearer the cart did he snap out of it and reach to help her with the basket, easily lifting it with one arm to lower easily into the cart. "Yes- Kumo- We.. um.." He looked like he just saw a ghost. And to him, he had.
"Nuts." Sanado would proclaim his displeasure at being told there wasn't going to be any combat. He was entirely ready to show off what he had learned at the academy. So when the cart came to a stop, he'd hop out and begin punching at the air in front of him before throwing in a kick for good measure as if he just took on some invisible Shinobi. The thought of doing such putting a giant smile on the boys face for a job well done.
Just like Ogo, the shout catches Sanado's attention and he'd turn to see just whom it might be. The first thing that crosses the boys mind was, of course, enemy shinobi! It's something he'd probably always consider as being the first possibility outside the village, where it isn't exactly safe for a student. Though watching Ogo offer his assistance in helping with the basket, he knew it must be safe. "How can I help!"
Sanado would shout up at Ogo and Ai, possibly interrupting the awkward silence. "I can lift things too. I'm strong as well." The boy glanced around looking for things to pick up before running off toward the vines the woman came from.
When the voice comes from nearby, Kioshi looks up. The first thing he notices is that dumbfounded look on Ogo's face, which brings a lift of an eyebrow before he looks over to the approaching girl. He ponders a bit on what could be the thing here. The guy didn't spaz this much when he saw Eri… Then he realizes what it is, and his eyes narrow a bit as he watches Ogo go to help the girl. "Yes, we're Kumo shinobi. Excuse my friend with the speech impedent. Sometimes he gets nervous around pretty girls," the older shinobi says, going to grab his crutches and put them on the ground to hoist himself out of the cart and to the ground safely, using the side of the cart as a sort of safety device so he doesn't fall on his face.
Ai couldn't help but to blink idly at Ogosokamaru for the moment, her eyes were screaming for help as she pushed the basket towards him though it seems like all she could catch from him was an idle stare. " Everything okay? It looks like you had just scene a ghost!" Ai spoke while offering Ogo a sly grin, she played off the moment while offering Kioshi a nod of her own, the other older shinobi that seemed to be in the right mind of business. " Oh! It's no worries at all, as long as we can get everything saddled up that would be nice…This is only the first batch though," Ai explained, running a few fingers through her hair to keep them from sticking against the swell of her cheeks, it was then she caught glance of Sanado, a wide smile warming up on her face.
"Wow… You guys really have come prepared haven't you? Hey you…. Would like to help a little further with this mission?" She directed to Sanado though everyone else was included as well. " You guys got here a little quick… I haven't been able to pick everything yet… Do you think you can help with filling a few baskets? I'm afraid if it's just me it might take another hour or so to finish up,"
Ogo would just keep looking at Ai. Not that he was staring. But he was staring. He didn't know whether to hug her or slap the sense out of Kioshi for playing such a sick prank on him! Wait, but Kioshi hasn't been out here, he had no idea about this mission before I told him. Then what-
The white-haired teenage chuunin blinks, coming out of some sort of reverie and looking at Kioshi when he says pretty girls. Then the request of help comes up from Ai, and Ogo barely utters out, "..yeah, sure.." and he just looks past Ai, and moves towards the vines at a quick walk, looking at the ground with a furrowed brow.
Stopping in mid sprint, still keeping the form as if ready to take off again, freezing only due to the Ai calling out to him. "Would I!" Sanado jumped up into the air, attempting to kick his feet together in excitement only to fall into the dirt from not being quick enough at correcting his stance. "Oof. I did that on purpose!" The boy would then roll onto his back and then back onto his hands for no apparent reason other then getting a bit dirtier before picking himself up.
Eyes peering around, looking this way and that, "I just need a basket right and then I start picking things? Like all the things?" Not entirely sure what they came out here to pick up, only that it was to pick up a delivery. Still, he wasn't going to let not knowing what to do stop him from completing the mission as he ran toward the nearest basket that he'd hold in front of him with both arms before running around some more.
At the request to help pick the crops, Kioshi turns and makes his way over to the field, though a bit slower than the others since he's on crutches. He brings his hands into a seal once he gets there and brings up a few chunks of rock from the ground, which he then manipulates to turn into disks to chop at the crops with. "I'll do what I can to get some of them down so they can just be picked up, but that's about all I'll be able to contribute to this part."
Ogo was a little confusing for Ai, he seemed enthused to proceed with the mission at first but that seemed to go away fairly quickly, a sweat drop trickles down her cheek as she reaches back to lightly scratch behind her head. " Ha… Well um… Try not to pull too hard on the vines okay? And try and keep them assorted from soft to hard vegetables!" As Sanado began to flutter with excitment she was glad that at least someone was a bit more interested in helping her out just a bit more, she grinned and nodded her head in response to him.
"Right, Just need the basket right over there, for the most part you can just drop them in the bag, just make sure soft vegetables don't get squished okay?" She gestured a pointing finger towards him, wanting some assurance that he was going to becareful.
Lastly her attention was on Kioshi, noting the sudden earth moving beneath them caused her skin to suddenly crawl, and the disks formed from them caused Ai to squint her eyebrows in disbelief… "Oh um… How about you just allow me to help you? It might work a little…safer that way," Ai confronted Kioshi with a smile, though it was definitely fact… She was almost begging him silently to take her up on that offer.
Ogo went to picking, and the entire time, he was completely distracted. Always casting a look to Ai, like he hadn't seen her in a decade. A longing look, but he would always look away if she tried to meet his gaze. He was quick enough to work, and fast! With his tanto out cutting the veggies off of the vines and bushes was quick work for him. Now, sorting them into soft and hard, that was a bit much for him, as to him, all of them were the same, completely squishable. So he just sorted them into their individual types for now, probably needing more baskets than actually required. Yes, Ogo probably had a natural brown thumb.
"Soft is soft and hard is hard. Copy." Sanado continued running about with his basket in hands, jumping over vines as he did, looking this way and that for a spot to start. When his eyes fall upon Kioshi, who began manipulating the earth, the young boy completely forgot what they were there to do. "Whoa. That's amazing. Do you think you could teach me that as well?" Dropping the basket he started to make handsigns as if copying Kioshi, "Like this right?" As if it were that simple.
Catching Ai moving over toward Kioshi to stop the man from doing any more harm then good, Sanado figured he better stop trying as well. So he picked up his basket and rushed over toward a patch of similar looking vegetables and began to fill up his basket until it couldn't fit anymore. "One and done!" The boy exclaimed as he grabbed the sides of his basket and heaved with all his might to pick up the basket only to no avail. Though he wasn't going to let that stop him as he grabbed onto the edge and began dragging it across the fields to bring back to the cart. "Come on….Come on….Almost there…One more step…and another…."
As Ai speaks to him, Kioshi looks over to her and blinks then shrugs his shoulders and lets the disks of earth fall to the ground and crumble. "Very well," he says, shrugging and then making his way over to grab a basket and hold it before turning back to Ai. "Shall we then?" he asks, apparently waiting to following her into the thicket to pick whatever she is going to pick.
"I knew you would understand, come with me now hmmm?" She offered him a hand though blinked at her gesture, there wasn't going to be much hand holding if he was settled up on crutches, instead she shrugged her shoulders and turned the other direction, slowly moving forth to guide Kioshi into the vine garden to help her pick out a few of the vegetables, "I'll get a few of these and hand them to you…. All I need you to do is just drop them right in the basket, I'll focus on harder vegetables so we don't have to worry about that much, Okay?" She smiles and slips into the vines, every now and then coming out with an arm full of vegetables to be dropped out into the basket. Ai wasn't paying much attention to Ogo and Sanado at this point, at least while they were working, it wouldn't be long until all the vegetables were ready to go, a basket from each of them.
Ogo was done with his basket, looking around to see if he missed any while cleaning his blade on the small rag in his waistband and slides it back into its sheath. He looks over just in time to see Ai offering her hand to Kioshi- Nani!?!?!
Ogo blinks, and has to look straight down while the stormcloud just rages over his head, some of that anime angry-twitching of the eye, but he calms a second later, remembering, that this girl just -looks- like her. Ogo grumbles to himself and grabs his basket, lifting it over his head with one arm and walking over to the cart, not looking at Ai or Kioshi while he passes them, and puts the basket into the cart.
Pulling and tugging, kicking against the dirt for leverage, Sanado continued to drag the basket to the cart and he was almost there. He was going to be the first one done, which was exciting for the boy. Naturally, this was a race. At least it was to him and if no one else knew, then that's their loss. "Almost…there….Hey, wait." Jaw dropping as he watches Ogo carrying a basket over his head with one arm and passing the young boy with ease. It was a little disheartening to say the least, but it wasn't like they were racing or anything >.>;
Still Sanado pulled against the basket until reaching the cart just after Ogo, "Here's another basket." Not waiting for Ogo to notice before running back in through the vines, this time making his way toward Kioshi and Ai. "Hey, can I help? Where do you need me? What can I do?" Stretching his arms out and making grabbing motions with his hands. Though if they tried to hand him the basket he'd end up spilling them all. So hopefully they didn't…
Kioshi lifts an eyebrow at the gesture, snickering a bit and then following the girl into the vines. Of course, Ogo's response to all this should be… entertaining, to say the least. Kioshi casts a brief glance at Ogo just before going into the vines, shaking his head a bit before looking to Ai. As she brings the vegetables, he starts to place the right ones in the right basket, sorting them as the girl asked. "So, you take care of this field all by yourself? That's pretty impressive, especially for a girl your age. You must have a crazy green thumb, not to mention dedication." Perhaps making some small talk will make the situation a little less awkward, though it might be seen as flirting or something in Ogo's mind. He's really going to have to help that guy get a grip one day… which is kind of sad since he's the one that's been asleep for ten years. When Sanado starts getting really hyper to help more, he blinks at him and chuckles a bit."Be sure everything's stowed correctly where it won't fall over while we're on the road, bud."
"Your friend appears to be somewhat stuck in the mud… Or at least that is what I what mythe family here would say…" Ai spoke softly to Kioshi as every now and then he would pass without even as much as looking in their direction, it doesn't appear to bother her entirely too much, instead she shrugs her shoulders and follows through with the conversation. " Not all by myself, but I do tend to help out perhaps a little more than I should, I get paid a little bit more though so…. it all actually works out in the end," Ai answered with a smile,"Though I do wish to think that I'm at least good at this sort of thing…Almost as if I was born to do it," She smiles wider as Sanado approaches them, he was still blistering with excitment causing her to poke at the basket they had made. "Can you help us get this basket back on the cart? It looks like we are done here… We can start being on our way back to Kumogakure, you /all/ did quite a bit of nice work. See! I knew this would be quick!"
Ogo picks up the basket that Sanado left next to the cart and puts it in next to the first. He heads over to where the others were, and with Ai offering for Sanado to get the next basket, Ogo would attempt to reach over him and pick the basket up, and maybe, just maybe if Sanado were holding on, and Ogo lifted it over his head, Sanado might be in for a ride. "Speaking of time, we must be leaving," he would say either way, without looking at Ai anymore.
Given an order to take another basket, Sanado would salute, understanding what was expected of him before running over toward it. Though before he even attempt to pick it up again like the last one, he clenched his fists really tight and flexed his muscles as if trying to warm up. Then after he believed he was ready, grabbed each side of the basket and heaved!!!! Surprisingly enough the basket moved with ease, as if it weight next to nothing. In fact, it just might have, as it continued to go up and over his head picking him off the ground as well.
The boys feet dangled and kicked in fear before realizing Ogo was the one that had lifted the basket. "Oh!" Laughing, thankful that he was being carried off into space. His arms could only hold on for so long before he fell to the dirt, pushed himself up and ran over toward that cart and jumped in. Kioshi stated prepping the baskets for take off and that's exactly what he was going to try and do as he pulled and slid each one away from the edge, shifting the vegetables around in their respective baskets so none would roll out if they hit a bump. At least that was the plan.
"He'll be alright. He just thinks too much sometimes," Kioshi says, glancing to Ogo as he comes to grab the basket with Sanado attached. "For what it's worth coming from a soldier, you seem to do quite well." With that, he turns to make his way back over to the wagon. Once there, he grabs the side of it and hoists himself back up to go back to the spot he was sitting in before to pick up his book. "Ready to head out, Captain Grumpy?" he asks as he goes back to the same page he was on before to start reading again.
