Starring:
Date: May 31, 2015
Summary:
Kaido and his companions are on their way to the Land of Grass. Along the way, they encounter a bit of trouble…
"Turtles and Tanuki - Into the Grass"
Land of Grass
The trio (now apparently a foursome) have decided to travel together, Kaido and his nin-ken having deviated slightly from their plan of crossing the Land of Earth into the Land of Lightning. Instead, based upon the recommendation of their new companion and friend Doborou, they are now making their way to the Land of Grass where the Tanuki will guide them from there. What the the group might encounter is a mystery, one which Kaido is curious to know.
The conversation picks up as they just about to cross the border into the Land of Grass, Kaido was saying, "So Doborou, we're just about to the Land of Grass, would you like to tell us what you'd like for us to find or do when we get there?" Bolt for his part says, "It Grass Land! If grass tall, new friend can play hide-go-seek with me!" Bandit says, "How's THAT fair with your training and senses Bolt? It's not like you can turn it off to make it more even." Bolt looks affronted, "But game not fun without challenge! New friend faster than me, can move better on ground to hide!"
They pass through the border unchallenged, Kaido having taken an unused trail that leads into the country that's hardly traveled due to it not being maintained by the Lands of Earth and Grass. The border is easy to spot as the hills and valleys of the Land of Earth sharply contrast with the grasslands and plains of the Land of Grass. The wind blows gently, ruffling the tall grasses that are almost as tall as Kaido is, cutting visibility down to almost nothing. Only disturbances in the grass will allow someone to see someone (or something coming).
The trio (now apparently a foursome) have decided to travel together, Kaido and his nin-ken having deviated slightly from their plan of crossing the Land of Earth into the Land of Lightning. Instead, based upon the recommendation of their new companion and friend Doborou, they are now making their way to the Land of Grass where the Tanuki will guide them from there. What the the group might encounter is a mystery, one which Kaido is curious to know.
The conversation picks up as they just about to cross the border into the Land of Grass, Kaido was saying, "So Doborou, we're just about to the Land of Grass, would you like to tell us what you'd like for us to find or do when we get there?" Bolt for his part says, "It Grass Land! If grass tall, new friend can play hide-go-seek with me!" Bandit says, "How's THAT fair with your training and senses Bolt? It's not like you can turn it off to make it more even." Bolt looks affronted, "But game not fun without challenge! New friend faster than me, can move better on ground to hide!"
They pass through the border unchallenged, Kaido having taken an unused trail that leads into the country that's hardly traveled due to it not being maintained by the Lands of Earth and Grass. The border is easy to spot as the hills and valleys of the Land of Earth sharply contrast with the grasslands and plains of the Land of Grass. The wind blows gently, ruffling the tall grasses that are almost as tall as Kaido is, cutting visibility down to almost nothing. Only disturbances in the grass will allow someone to see someone (or something coming).
Dorobou enjoys traveling back and forth between Kaido and his ninken, occasionally dashing ahead like an excited puppy. When he comes back to Kaido and the Inuzuka voices his question, he gives small nod. "Yup yup! We goin' home! Bin a while since I bin back, so I's gotta return for a bit. You help! Yes?" He's half picked up Bolt's way of talking… great. "Going home~. I can show you me dad and mum, too! They're grand! Have lotsa shines from their past, but they can't go out so easy. Gram and Gramps, though… Lotta shines! I allus liked lookin' at 'em."
Kaido sighs, now there's another one who talks like Bolt. He makes a mental note to get Bolt to speak with proper grammar because he sounds like a caveman. Kaido listens to Dorobou, translating the Bolt-speak as he nods and says, "I'd be honored to meet your parents and grandparents." At this point, he's not thinking anything else but helping out a creature that was being chased by people who'd more than likely kill him or else cage him.
Bolt looks at Dorobou and says, "Are parents fast as you? Be good playmates? Do hide-go-seek, play rump-over-tail, pounce-and-chase?" Yes, even though Bolt's grown up a bit, he's still a kid at heart. Bandit groans and says, "Bolt, do you EVER think about anything other than playing games?" Bolt blinks and says, "But Rocket Raccoon is Bolt's friend, Rocket Raccoon's parents will be Bolt's friend too! What wrong with playing games with friends??" Kaido chuckles and says, "I think he's got you there Bandit, besides, even /I/ feel like playing kid games once in a while. What the heck are we fighting for as shinobi if not to be able to be silly and enjoy ourselves once in a while. Why so serious all the time Bandit?" Bandit makes a face, "That's because ONE of use needs to be, I end up saving all your butts." Bolt yips laughter and says, "Bandit butthead! Bandit butthead!" Bandit growls and baps Bolt, "Stop being such a sawdust head… AND DON'T CALL ME THAT!" The foursome make their way in the direction indicated.
Dorobou grins cheerfully. "'course they are! Le's go!" then the tanuki dashes off, the grass shaking lightly as he moves through it. "Catch me if ye can, Bolt!" is called behind him, the tanuki seeming even happier now that he's in his home turf. Well… Home land. It's not quite his home, but it's more familiar.
Naturally, things tend to go wrong after a time of peace. And it's not long after the rustling grass swallows Bolt that there's a yelp from the Tanuki… Then an angry… buzzing? Bees? Yep, a swarm of them are all buzzing angrily as they seek to sting whoever just stepped on their hive! (dern tanuki)
Kaido and Bandit both sigh as Doborou and Bolt disappear into the tall grasses. They both know it's useless for them to try and call either of them back and Bandit even says to Kaido, "They're going to get themselves into trouble…" A few minutes later the yelp and buzzing of bees and Kaido says, "Yeah, called that one… Let's go extract them before they get themselves in danger."
Kaido reaches into his vest and pulls out a gas canister and extracts the deadly poison vial carefully from it, putting it in a special lead lined pocket that's cushioned so that the glass doesn't break and says to Bandit, "Get in there and find them and do what you can to help them. I'll mix up a compound that'll disperse the bees without killing them, it'll take me a second. Try to lead them and the bees towards me and then I'll drop the cannister and hopefully get rid of them before they do any damage to us."
Bandit sighs and says, "Yeah, just be sure to make some bee sting salve, because I'm sure we're ALL going to need it before we're done." With that, he runs into the grasses and barks, "Yo! Bolt! Doborou! Follow me, we're going to make the chase us for a few minutes while Kaido makes something that'll disperse the bees so that we can escape." With that he leads the trio through the grasses, trying to buy time.
Kaido for his part is working furiously to mix the right chemicals to confuse and disable the bees, not wanting to hurt them as it's not their fault their hive was stepped on. He finishes in about 30 seconds and closes up the cannister and then whistles shrilly. Bandit pants and says, "He's done, let's lead them back towards the hive and Kaido so that he can take care of them for us." Kaido watches the grasses intently and when he sees the displacement he tosses the cannister in front of the trio and just as the last member of the trio passes, the gas disperses towards the bees.
Dorobou and Bolt both head towards Bandit, following him until the signal is given to start heading towards the hive. Since Kaido knows what he's doing (hopefully), it turns out that all the bees end up dropping like flies and drift lazily (or just fall) back into their hive. When the trio of animals emerge from the grass in front of Kaido, they definitely have more than a few bee stings on them. Bandit has the fewest, but the Tanuki has the most. "It huuuuuuuurts!!" he whines, unsure what to do about bee stings. Poking them… scratching them… Leaving them be… Any action he took made them hurt.
Kaido sighs, Bolt whines himself and scratches at the stings and whimpers, "Sting not feel good! Now know not mess with Kamizuru!" Bandit is smart enough not to scratch at any of the stings and says, "Just wait a moment, Kaido can make salve that'll help take care of the sting." Kaido bows to Bandit and says blandly, "Thanks so much for your confidence Old Friend." Bandit makes a face and says, "Just get on with it, will you? I don't enjoy bee stings anymore then they do… but I'll wait until you take care of them first."
With that said, Kaido sits on the ground and pulling out some leaves and a few common weeds, he takes his mortar and pestle that is always with him and pouring in some water and a small vial of honey-like liquid, starts to smoosh all it up into a paste. When it's all mixed, he motions Dorobou over and carefully starts to apply it to all the stings and says, "Now don't lick it or touch it or rub it off. Let it dry for half an hour and it'll draw out the stingers and venom and ease the pain." With that admonishment he then applies the rest to Bolt and finally Bandit and says, "Let's just stop here for a bit until the stings are healed and then you two…" He points at Doborou and Bolt, "Are going to be more careful, aren't you?"
Dorobou wrinkles his nose at the pungent herbs, but nods quietly. "Hai, hai. I won't go messin' with 'em bees," he grumbles, resisting the urge to poke at the stings. They hurt, though… a lot. "Le's go, then, lugs! We're not too far from- oh. A break… Well, I guess that's okay, too." He plops down on his but, which gets another 'ow' from him. "So-so! Where you guys from? Leaf, right? But why ya up by the rocks?" he wonders, having mostly played with Bolt up until now. No time for questions while you play!
Kaido offers some trail rations to Dorobou and the rest and says, "My nin-ken and I were on a journey with our cousin Inuzuka Takeo. He was a Jinchuukiri, the host to Isobu and thanks to being kidnapped by a group calling themselves the Recluse, had it ripped from him. Before Isobu was pulled from him, he told Takeo to seek turtles. When he managed to survive and recover, that's when he decided to go to the Land of Earth and seek the Turtle Clan, thinking it was what his partner wanted him to. He found the great Turtle Harukaze and managed to get accepted to be taught by him. That's when we decided to head back but on a bit of a roundabout route."
Bolt munches on the rations and says, "Yeah! I saw BIG BIG Turtle with island on back! It make BIG waves just moving and laughs REALLY LOUD!" Bandit for his part says, "Yes yes, you were lucky, he could have squashed us all like bugs if he was offended by your questions." Bolt sniffs, "Big Turtle Island likes Bolt, he not hurt Bolt, he Bolt's friend… like Dorobou friend!" He gives a doggie grin at Dorobou and gives him a big friend lick on the cheek (away from any stings).
Dorobou accepts the trail rations with good enough cheer, listening to the story with perked ears. "That's too bad fer him… 's Good you were helping out, though. Sounds like a grand adventure, too. I like adventures like that," he says, munching on his food between sentences. "Oooh! Maybe I can join your adventuring! My parents have to give the okay and all. But they should be fine with it!" He blinks at the lick and rubs his cheek, muttering about sappy dogs.
Kaido blinks as Dorobou says he'd like to go on an adventure with them and says, "Uh, really? That's… kind of you." He's a bit taken aback, as this wasn't what he really expected. Kaido eats his trail rations and says, "I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd be glad to have you aboard." Bolt and Bandit both nod and Bolt says excitedly, "I like Dorobou! Nice to have friends to play with, Bandit too mean to play with Bolt much." Bandit just gives Bolt a withering glare and says, "That's because you want ME to be the one you mess with."
Kaido just chuckles and shakes his head and says to Dorobou, "So how far is it from here to where your family is? We'll need to stop at a village soon to get supplies if it's a long journey. We could live off the land, but that could weaken us if we're attacked by the Recluse or bandits."
"Not far at all! Actually, … wait, no. That's restricted… Dern… Too many of ye, too.." He sighs, wishing the easy way wasn't closed off. "A'right. It's about two days more of traveling. We gotta get to the heart of the Land of Grass. Then I can get us where we need to go." Dorobou stands and shoves the last bits of food into his mouth. "Let's go, slowpokes! Time's a wastin! Town up ahead to restock, so we can stop there for the night!" With a goal in mind, he's set in reaching it.
Kaido blinks and then says, "Well… you heard him… let's go…" Bandit groans and slowly climbs to his feet, Bolt not that much more willing than Bandit to have to get going. Kaido says, "This time you guys, let's not step on any bees nests again, ok?" And he motions for Doborou to be careful in the route he takes through the grasses.
