Starring:
Date: December 22, 2015
Summary:
A quick D-rank mission in which a farmer loses his cattle, but it's mostly just Yori and Sakuya catching up. Mostly.
"Quick Cattle Culling Troubles"
Border of the Land of Lightning and Land of Frost
Sakuya and Yorishiro were ordered to solve a small mystery on the border of Lightning and Frost Country. It surely didn't give them much time to catch up after Sakuya had returned to Kumo from Konoha. Luckily, this mission wasn't too difficult. Sakuya was restricted to D-missions, and Yori was the only one available to take her to it. Works perfectly fine. The mission? A farmer's cattle had been stolen by another farmer across lightning's border. This meant that the cattle was technically in Frost Country, which meant this was indeed an iteration of Yori and Sakuya's first D-rank mission together… Yet with a twist! The Administration did not feel this was going to be a difficult mission, but sometimes these things change. Hoping for the best, the most tomboy of snakes rubs her chin as she narrows her eyes.
Indeed she did not like wrangling cattle still, but this was apparently proper punishment for slacking off on a another D-rank mission. "ing cattle…" Sakuya ways rather softly. Zuzu was around Sakuya's waist, visible, as he flicks his tongue and attempts a snake's best cackle. "Yesss. Doesn't this just bring the memories back? Ah, and your sensei isn't here to penalize you if you take a seat to rest. Beautiful." Zuzu was getting bigger and bigger, and his tone appeared more annoyed and annoyed. "Well, Yori-kun… Over there is the border between our land and frost." She wished to keep her eyes open, but at the same time she hadn't seen her best friend, and perhaps more in a long time either. "Ehehe… Yori… So… How've you been hanging?" That expression might have been borrowed from Ryouji. "I mean, Translation: How have things been since… You know." She walks forward towards the border now
Yori didn't mind any mission he was given. He gave his all on each and every one of them whether it was a D rank or an A rank! He goes along with Sakuya and seems quite happy that she's finally back in Kumo. As they travel along towards the border he keeps his eyes open for danger but also glances to Sakuya from time to time. When she speaks he actually smiles a little. "Um, well, nothing much changed while you were away Sakuya-chan. I'm glad you're back though. I did miss you being around. It was kind of weird not seeing you all the time." Gold-brown eyes slip down to Zuzu when the snake speaks and he nods. "Um, hai, Michiko-san isn't around but I expect you both to help on this mission."
Zuzu of course retracts his earlier statements with a soft hiss as the snake's purple eyes look up at Yori. It appears that Zuzu was indeed going to push his limits this mission. Sakuya flicks her tongue as she sighs. "I'm glad I can finally have a moment in which I can catch you not busy. Made you a Toukubetsu and used it as a means to keep you away from me." She reaches her hand out to rest on Yori's arm. Soon enough, both of them had stepped over the official border. It wasn't as if there was a clear change in the temperature as soon as they did. It was still a continuation of what they had been in. Pine trees and hills along the road… "Well, let's get started…" Time to look for where the cows went.
RPCOMBAT: Sakuya defends against with a HEBISUUHAI-SENSES…29
Who let the cows out! Er, wait, wrong lyrics. Yori glances over to Sakuya and smiles before reaching up to take her hand off his arm and hold it in his own. See, holding hands isn't so bad! "You also decided to go to Konoha Sakuya-chan, that makes it even harder since I couldn't leave with Hiei-sama and Michiko-san both in Konoha as well. Someone had to stay and work." When they cross the border and it's time to start exploring around Yori does so, looking around as best he can to try and find any trace of where they might have went.
COMBAT: Yori focuses 2454 stamina to turn it into 3000 usable chakra!
RPCOMBAT: Yori defends against with a PERCEPTION…31
Sakuya might miss it, given she was tracking scent. Yori would likely be able to see footprints tracked through mud that had hardened due to the dry cold air. Definitely ungulates. "I didn't want to go to Konoha." Sakuya says as she crosses her arms. "Just like I don't want to go on D-rank missions. I had to. I -really- couldn't deny it, Yori. I've been getting in a lot of trouble… The fresh air was nice. I got my butt handed to me regularly. All in all, it wasn't bad. It just… isn't Kumo with you. You're a bit more interesting than the entirety of Konoha." The Bovine's footprints seem to diverge from the main path, leading towards a large field. Strange they were so close to the border. Any sensible theif would get them deeper into the country. Perhaps this was just the cattle getting out and crossing the border. "… I miss sitting in the office and doing paperwork with you. Even if it's really quiet…" She loves distracting him from paperwork too.
Yori blinks as he glances back over to Sakuya at her words. "You didn't want to go to Konoha? Then why did you go? Someone made you? That seems odd." He frowns at that thought and decides to look into it more later. "It was very quiet when you were gone Sakuya-chan. I missed having you around too. I'm really glad that you're back now, even if we are only going to be doing D rank missions for a while." He smiles at Sakuya before looking at the ground once again and hmming softly. "The tracks go this way…strange." He turns to follow the tracks though since that's their duty and all!
Yori would get a bit of a glance. "I'm not a Chuunin, you know. I can't simply go places that I want to." Sakuya informs. "You know that! Michiko wanted me to go for… For reasons I'm not quite sure, but I certainly managed to grow and improve." Sakuya supposes she improved. She doesn't feel any stronger or anything. The snake rubs her nose as she smiles lightly. "I'm glad I'm back too. I have people that care for me here, as strange as it seems." Given that lately, it hasn't quite been the best of experiences for her. Zuzu would spend a moment to seriously take a look at what was going on himself. "Well, strange that the cattle would be hearded off. Not unheard of. Likely options are that this meadow ahead is simply ideal for grazing. There is always the chance that someone is waiting for the farmer to come back for his cattle, and wishes to kill him to prevent shinobi from being hired. Given that it is across the border, it would not be in the jurisdiction of the Daimyo of Lightning to investigate the murder. No justice would be done." A possibility. Better keep those perceptions up!
"That seems unlikely," Yori says softly at the mention of them maybe wanting to murder the rancher. "After all it would make sense for him to send for shinobi right away when he suspected something might be wrong. And with the tracks leading out of the Land of Lightning…" Yori just shakes his head a little as he continues following the trail. "You do have people who care about you here, and that are glad you're back. Um, maybe if you are a little better about being good on missions you won't have to do D ranks for much longer."
Sakuya was hoping Yori was wrong and Zuzu was right. No one can help if they are pressed into accidental C-rank missions, but so far it seemed that this was merely a D-rank. "Yori is right. The Rancher is just old and can't do this for himself. There is no reason to murder the innocent." Sakuya would stop when the heard was seen up ahead. Everything is peaceful. "Let's hope so. Well, what is next? Herd them all in like last time?" Sakuya asks.
Just then, it seems as if… The cows were under attack! It seemed there were actually individuals in the woods that might not have caused the cattle to come here, but were certainly not going to let this opportunity pass. They weren't trained individuals, but they did hold weapons that one could use to cull cattle. "They're still here! Great!" One of the guys said. "Let's just cull one or two and carry them back. No one is going to miss them."
"I think we should herd them back…" Yori agrees but trails off as he sees and hears the others. He frowns in displeasure at the men before he starts towards them at a fast walk. "These are not your cattle and you have no right to touch them. Leave them alone!" He yells as he tries to step between the men and the cattle, glaring at them angrily.
[NPC System]: Hungry Frost Civilian roll(s) Culling the Herd from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 26. - Rolled by: Sakuya
[NPC System]: Hungry Frost Civilian roll(s) Culling the Herd from 15 to 30 and get(s) a 20. - Rolled by: Sakuya
COMBAT: Sakuya attacks target 1 with INTERRUPT with a roll of: 41
RPCOMBAT: Sakuya defends against with a WEAPON-BLOCK…18
RPCOMBAT: Sakuya took 100 damage.
It seems that the rather hungry looking individuals would not be deterred from preying on the cattle. They were indeed just hungry civilians who wanted a meal, driven to do so with or without Yori's blessing. "You're just a kid. Get out of my way." They would both just walk around Yori and raise their weapons to cull the cows. Simple as that.
Sakuya however, would move in to block the weapons from ever reaching the cows. "Not so fast… These -aren't- your cows." Sakuya pulled a Kunai out to try and block the sickle that the poor individuals were using to kill the cows, but she must have not anticipated how to properly block a scythe-like weapon. Her Kunai scraped against metal as the scythe came down and buried into her shoulder softly. Sakuya grunted a little and shook her head. "They -aren't- your cows." She repeats. There was still the other cow of course that was soon to be beheaded by a nastier looking weapon… Zuzu would hiss to deter the individual from further attacks. Snakes are scary.
COMBAT: Yori attacks target 1 with INTERRUPT with a roll of: 49
RPCOMBAT: Yori defends against with a MURAKUMOU-BLOCK…34
Yori moves quickly, his blade sliding out of it's sheath to meet with the sickle as it comes down. "I am Saito Yorishiro, Tokubetsu of Kumogakure. If you stop now and apologize I will let you leave in peace. If you continue in this endeavor then I will be forced to respond. You've already hurt one of us, so I could very well kill you in self defense. Be wise." This is one of those moments that, despite his age, he's acting very adult.
Sakuya would rub the wound of her shoulder, quickly taking out bandages as Zuzu provides further defense. Yori's declaration makes the hungry individuals back off, because they weren't gunning to hurt shinobi. "I'm not going to die for a cow, I'm out of here…" The other one raising his arms in defense. "Alright! Alright…. It was just a cow or two."
Sakuya would close her eyes and sigh, "Well, I'm sure you can work hard and earn your own cows then. Move along, please." Sakuya was rather ashamed to not be at least a chuunin, so doesn't pull her rank on the destitute foreign nationals. The last one moves along, though clutches his tool tightly. The destitute do not often give up things easily. "That went well. Can't exactly clame that I've improved if I couldn't even block a farming tool…" What a pain. Sakuya would wrap her shoulder up with a bandage. "Zuzu, let's get herding before more hungry people come with more tools."
COMBAT: Sakuya heals Sakuya for 239 with FIRST AID.
COMBAT: Sakuya finishes her turn.
COMBAT: It is now Yori's turn.
Yori sheathes his sword as the hungry individuals depart. There wasn't much more he could do for them unfortunately. They weren't even of his nation, so he couldn't offer them help in Kumo. Once they depart he turns concerned eyes to Sakuya. "Are you okay Sakuya-chan? Don't worry, it didn't get you that bad and you weren't really ready for it. I think you did well and you protected the cattle."
Sakuya raises a hand and grumps. "Yori, stop being my opposite!" Sakuya would say cryptically. Though, it was more along the lines of him always encouraging and she herself always beating herself up over things. Opposites. She would tap Zuzu a moment before declaring that she needed a cattle prod. "Zuzu, I'm going to kindly as if I can tap the behinds of cattle with your body…" No easy way to break that. The snake would raise his eyebrow if he had one. «Hold on, did you -openly- ask me to become a staff for the purpose of herding cattle? You're a sick, sick person.» Sakuya makes a seal. »I did, Zuzu… Come on, let's get this over with…« Zuzu soon launches off Sakuya, and is quickly grabbed by the Hebisuuhai as he turns into a rod. A rod that is soon used to bap cattle on the rear to get them going. "You did better, anyways. Did you hear yourself? You sounded more mature than Michiko for a moment."
RP: You can only transform during your turn.
RP: Sakuya transforms into STAVE-OF-SERPENTS.
COMBAT: Sakuya attacks target 1 with PHYSICAL with a roll of: 24
"Your opposite?" Yori asks in confusion, looking around to see if there was someone else she was speaking to also named Yori. Don't see anyone. So he's just confused. He looks back to Sakuya and scratches his head. "Um…sorry?" It was the best he could do. After that he turns back to the cows and reaches out a finger to the rump of the nearest one, using a bit of lightning to the tip of his finger to get the creature moving.
Zuzu clarifies. "Opposites attract." Zuzu would say aloud, from the staff. "No wonder no one likes you Sakuya. You're a little downer, aren't you? You got hit by a weapon, stop being sour over it." Sakuya sighs and whips Zuzu against the cow's bottom in a most unregal fashion. "No, I didn't mean to… What I meant was… … Let's go eat after this is over…"
"Um…okay Sakuya-chan, that sounds nice," Yori agrees as he moves along the area of the cows and just gives the ones that aren't moving an electrified finger to get them going in the right direction. He's also mindful to watch for any people that may try and cause problems but so far so good, right?
Seems as if this relatively short mission appears to be over. Sakuya and Yori would drive the herd onwards, leading them to pens. Relatively uneventful, but still… Mission accomplished. The old man whom applied for this duty to be done would give his thanks to the two. "You've both done me a good service. I'm satisfied. There's… twelve cows in total still right?" the old man would say. Sakuya is sure though, that there were actually… "Fourteen… Fourteen cows, sir. We're glad we could help!" After dealing with any finishing touches, she would go home to have a meal with her team-mate…
