[Nakahara Ichī]

ROUND INFORMATION

Group C - SECTION ONE: COMPLETE
SECTION TWO: ROTATION 4/5
Rotation Period Ends: 5:30 PM CST 6/4/2024

POST

-- Land of Crossings and Rivers --

There was a loud shifting in the storm as wood rose from the earth and became a truly massive row of buildings. The river's flow seemingly cut off by the now blockaded flow, creating a crossable bridge for the caravan to cross alongside its protectors. The sheer speed in which the wood release rose though seemed to bother the water it displaced greatly though as the terrain would start to pool slightly off to the sides fo the river. Not wasting the opportunity given though, Jinjin would send out a shrill whistle that signaled that the group was to start moving now.

As the caravan safely crossed the river and continued on the sight of lights out in the distance would become clear even in the darkened sky that currently lacked most of the natural light the sky would provide the group of intrepid travellers. At first unclear the idea that they might have been approaching a settlement soon started to become clearer and clearer. A good thing too, as, at least Shosuke, was more then spent from the trek so far that day. Perhaps a warm bed and a hot meal would greet them soon enough.

[Kisei Takatō]

With another impressively massive display of Mokuton ninjutsu, Shosuke did what Taka thought was impossible. He just… made a bridge. Not without great effort, it seemed, since the technique seemed to use up the vast majority of what chakra he had remaining, and Taka once again felt a rush of guilt that he had given in and allowed the young man to heal his wounded eye, wasting precious resources. If the situation had been worse, more dangerous— He pushed the thought out of his mind. Fuu was making sure that Shosuke was taken care of, so Taka pushed ahead alongside Jinjin, ensuring that the caravan made it safely across the Mokuton bridge; they were lucky this time, and no threats were in sight. They cleared the obstacle safely; even more fortuitous was that, as the day passed on, it became clear that they would be spending the night in a real town, sleeping in actual beds. It was unlikely that Taka would get much in the way of sleep, but with a settlement came access to some basic painkillers, and even he would be able to get a few hours’ rest and reprieve from their trials thus far—though not before first checking on the rest of the group. He was like a mother hen fussing over his chicks, ensuring that everyone, including Jinjin and her group, had eaten and hydrated and had somewhere comfortable to rest for the night.

Nakahara Ichī Fuu Kazama Senju Michizane Yamamoto Shosuke -- 239

LAIKA OF THQ

[Senju Michizane]

"In protecting oneself, others are protected; In protecting others, oneself is protected."
- the blessed one

TAG - Yamamoto Shosuke , Nakahara Ichī , Kisei Takatō , Fuu Kazama

NOTES No more sand, just sandals.

Just when it seemed like they were at a collective impasse, Shosuke came through for them all in a big way. "Gods' sake is right..." he said in response, still racking his brain. The med-nin's next warning caught him a bit off guard, however. "Huh?" Michi asked.

Stopping scratching his head as the Kumo-nin spoke, then widening his eyes in amazement as the young man summoned forth a massive row of large wooden houses across the flood to act as an impromptu bridge for them all to cross. "Holy..." he mumbled in awe, turning to steady Shosuke if he looked wobbly. "Woah, buddy."

The young Senju spoke, offering him any assistance he might need along with Kazama. "We got ya." Still his eyes flicked back and forth, between the incredible display of Mokuton and its molder, his usual grin returning in full force. "Bit of a miracle worker there, ain't ya?" Michizane could only chuckle, sending a mental message to his Moku Bunshin to catch up. "Yo! Lend the caravan a hand!" He shouted over his shoulder at the clone, who itself was stunned by the sight of the bridge before nodding and beginning its duty.

Sure enough and they had overcome the obstacle, with nothing but Shosuke's jutsu to thank for it. As soon as the Kumo-nin was safely across, Michi hoofed it back to lend aid to the rest of the moving train. Using his strength to assist on any hitches it might've hit. Once they had all made it to the other side he'd motion for his bunshin to take off. "You know the drill." He said, and the double nodded.

Resuming its forward scouting duties even as the prospect of reaching a new settlement appeared on the horizon. Despite the idea of reprieve, Michizane remained far more alert than he usually might, keeping his eyes and ears open for any signs of trouble and reminding his clone to do the same. Getting out of the rain and eating a warm meal sounded nice about now... but getting through the rest of this mission without further injury sounded even nicer.

So he took his place near the fore of the caravan and stayed vigilant. Raising a hand to thumb through the wooden juzu hidden beneath his cloak as he recited a small, wordless prayer to himself.

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
N/A


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

菩提心 | BODAI-SHIN - E.C.R.
Blessed with a great font of chakra, Michizane views this as a sign of his Aspiration For Enlightenment. Warm, bountiful, and steady, his vast reserves of this precious resource make him able to utilize many jutsu back-to-back without tiring. Allowing him to overwhelm lesser foes with sheer quantity of techniques alone.

木遁 | MOKUTON - KKG
Luck, to Michizane, may be a sign of divine interference. So by virtue of him being born into the Senju Clan he was granted their Kekkei Genkai by the heavens. Combining his Doton and Suiton chakra natures allows him to create life itself in the form of Mokuton. He uses it to great effect to summon up chakra-enhanced trees, shrubbery, and craft intricate wooden constructs to combat foes. All of the wood created by his Mokuton is dark brown in color and has ridged bark like that of a black oak tree.

行力 | GYŌ-RIKI - ENHANCED STRENGTH
The Power of Practice is not to be undervalued. Many years of intensive training has solidified his body and tempered his very spirit, turning Michizane's body into a weapon of its own. Allowing him to not only lift objects several times his body weight but also strike much harder than those of his rank. Bone, stone, and even metal gives way underneath the force of his physical blows.

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Karla]

[Yamamoto Shosuke]

As everyone around him seemed to be making a much bigger deal out of this than he had expected, Shosuke was first to come to terms with the idea that perhaps his idea of what was and wasn't impressive was skewed by what he dealt with on a daily basis.

Shosuke was someone who wasn't used to giving less than 110% to anything he put his hand to. If something had to be done, he had always figured, it was better to be done properly first and then it would only need to be done once. This was especially true when it came to saving other people, making him an asset the Kumogakure hospital was still direly missing even nearly two years after he had left.

it was indeed fortunate that he had both Michizune and Fuu with him, as he was clearly wobbling, struggling to stay on his feet. Accepting the arm of the shadow clone, he headed back to the caravan before the wagons moved to roll on. Soon enough, Fuu would be able to feel that Shosuke had fallen asleep on her, using her clone's shoulder like a pillow as he collapsed, exhausted.

In this case, it was an unfortunate case of having used up quite so much chakra without having any adrenaline to keep him going. With no immediate threats or signs of danger, his body was about as normal as it could be given the situation, allowing him to fall into a hard sleep, his body clearly exhausted from the overexertion of having to use so many high-cost jutsu on the same day.

Having removed the cloth from his face after they left the Land of Wind, his sleeping form was notably cute and innocent, reflecting just how young he actually was compared to his fellow companions.

302 words | @open

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None

[Nakahara Ichī]

ROUND INFORMATION

Group C - SECTION ONE: COMPLETE
SECTION TWO: ROTATION 5/5 - COMPLETE
Rotation Period Ends: 4:00 AM CST 20/4/2024

Recovery for this section was improved due to making it early enough to rest. If any of you have jutsu or gear purchases you would like to make you have UNTIL THE 20TH AND NO LATER to get it into Notify Staff.

POST

With the impressive displays long past, and the caravan reaching the town it would seem the leg of the journey would be reaching an end for the time being. Rest was calling for the drenched merchants, the beasts of burden, and most of all its protectors. A brief check through by the city guards would see the group entering town and being let into a caravansary where the merchants were quick to stable the animals after wheeling their carts under the great number of coverings that was being provided to them. Jinjin wanting to take care of this here had shoo'd the shinobi into the inn to warm up and rest, food and warm baths, a greater level of rest then any of them would otherwise be able to enjoy for a night. The land of rivers simply continuing to be under full fire from the harsh rains above.

Given the evening the four protectors would be given room to do as they needed to. With the great number of tasks being handled by the Aiel caravan the rest that was left to be worked was simply relaxation. Following their evening the storm would clear into a gentle misting for the the remainder of their time, however before setting off in the morning the group would be given a chance to stock on anything they may have needed for the journey ahead. Potentially allowing them to pick up new gear, food, and more. Their more restful night of sleep helping them recover as well for the journey that was still ahead. Little did they know on the duration of the rest of the journey, but head way was being made at the least.

[Kisei Takatō]

Shosuke had overexerted himself, that was a certainty, but the reward for his efficacy was felt by everyone within the caravan: a full night and long morning of real, genuine rest, hot food and baths and warm beds. On some quiet, selfish level Taka had hoped beyond reason that there would be a solution to his current problem, but the town doctor had taken one look at him and shaken her head. With the time allotted there was little she could do that hadn’t already been done for him, except to clean up the splatters of dried blood and quietly help him into freshly laundered clothes. There was little he wanted to do at that point aside from retreat into solitude and allow his mind to go soft and quiet and away from his body, but downtime did not mean the mission was over. So he brought himself out into the bustle of activity of a caravan winding down for the night; thanked Fuu again for the book she’d given him, checked in on Shosuke to make sure he was recovering well enough, made sure everyone had eaten and was comfortable. Something Michizane said had stuck in his mind, hazy as the first few hours post-severance had been: you need but one arm to pray. He dreamt of a temple blanketed by snow, Hope which acted as its keeper; when the opportunity allowed as the evening wound down, he asked with quiet curiosity, "Which gods do you pray to?” During quiet hours he would do as he did before: prepared seals. This time he focused on a new formula he’d only recently mastered, Shishi Heiko, a seal that jammed up the chakra pathway to great effect. One each to his three comrades, and two for himself, plus an additional bevy of high-powered explosive tags for the journey ahead. If he was able to refresh his supply of Kisei beverages he’d gladly do so, but there was little else he needed for the remainder of the journey to come.

Nakahara Ichī Fuu Kazama Senju Michizane Yamamoto Shosuke -- 341

LAIKA OF THQ

[Senju Michizane]

"In protecting oneself, others are protected; In protecting others, oneself is protected."
- the blessed one

TAG - Yamamoto Shosuke , Nakahara Ichī , Kisei Takatō , Fuu Kazama

NOTES Who do I pray to? I dunno!

It didn't take all that long for the caravan to enter the settlement, and Michizane did what he could to assist along with his clone.

Part of him felt like little more than a glorified pack mule— but he had enough sense to recognize the familiar pang of guilt when it reared its head. Inferiority, a sense of helplessness... he knew these feelings stemmed from misplaced pride. It was unlike him. And despite the stubborn knot that had remained in his stomach since Takatō's injuries, he knew better than to sulk. Such wallowing in one's own pity was uncharacteristic of him. Best to leave the brooding to others, acknowledge his weaknesses, and use that as fuel for future training. Loss was a great motivator.

And aside from that... lending Shosuke a hand alongside Kazama was a bit of a mood booster. Especially considering the Kumo-nin's rather peaceful appearance when he was sleeping. "Ain't he precious?" He asked the girl jokingly with a smile.

Once the train had settled in and his assistance was no longer needed, the young Senju would disperse his Moku Bunshin and head inside to his room... if only to drop off his things and grab a quick bite to eat. He still felt restless, and so he decided rather quickly to clear his head. Michizane's hair still hung loose about his shoulders, and after removing his wet cloak and jacket, his wooden juzu were clearly visible wrapped around his hand. He'd been just about ready to head outside when their leader approached him, asking what should've been a simple question. The young man glanced to the beads, back to the Kusa-nin, and laughed.

A small, sincere chuckle. "All of 'em," he said, closing his eyes in a smile. "Or none of 'em, from a different viewpoint." It probably sounded odd... but that was the truth of the matter. "If I'm being real, I got no clue what's out there any more than anyone else." Too many religions, too many people claiming to know the ultimate answer to life. Michi opened his eyes, staring at the beads on his wrist. "Figure there's gotta be some kinda divine architect, but if I'm right, they'd be well beyond our understanding." Their motives, plans, and even morality had to be of an entirely different dimension. Mortals had no real hope of comprehension. "Still... maybe with enough effort, we can get close. And whatever, or whoever it is..." his words trailed, and his smile grew into a full-blown grin. "Has gotta be grand."

Michizane paused for moment, then held up his hand so the man could see the juzu. "I contemplate meaning a lot. In everything, all the time." The beads were his conduit, a tool to help him collect his thoughts. "Meditation keeps me centered, especially in times of trouble. Lets me channel my anger, jealousy, or... hurt—" His words trailed as he glanced at where the man's arm used to be, then to his eye. "...into more positive things." He glanced to Takatō, then slipped the beads from his wrist. Thumbing through them idly before he reached out and offered them to the man, his usual goofy grin softening. "Mind holdin' onto these for me? Just for a bit." Michizane was never one to push his beliefs unto others, but the Kusa-nin seemed curious.

Maybe he could benefit from a bit of it himself? "I'll be outside if anyone needs me." He said, parting from Takatō with a gentle clap on his good shoulder. Then he left, outside of and to the roof of the very inn. To meditate alone for a few hours, cross-legged. "Inhale," he told himself. "Exhale." He remained up there for some time.

After which it was time for a well-overdue bath, then sleep. They had to be fresh for whatever still awaited them. And considering their lack of hardship on the last stretch of the journey... he was expecting trouble.

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
N/A


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

菩提心 | BODAI-SHIN - E.C.R.
Blessed with a great font of chakra, Michizane views this as a sign of his Aspiration For Enlightenment. Warm, bountiful, and steady, his vast reserves of this precious resource make him able to utilize many jutsu back-to-back without tiring. Allowing him to overwhelm lesser foes with sheer quantity of techniques alone.

木遁 | MOKUTON - KKG
Luck, to Michizane, may be a sign of divine interference. So by virtue of him being born into the Senju Clan he was granted their Kekkei Genkai by the heavens. Combining his Doton and Suiton chakra natures allows him to create life itself in the form of Mokuton. He uses it to great effect to summon up chakra-enhanced trees, shrubbery, and craft intricate wooden constructs to combat foes. All of the wood created by his Mokuton is dark brown in color and has ridged bark like that of a black oak tree.

行力 | GYŌ-RIKI - ENHANCED STRENGTH
The Power of Practice is not to be undervalued. Many years of intensive training has solidified his body and tempered his very spirit, turning Michizane's body into a weapon of its own. Allowing him to not only lift objects several times his body weight but also strike much harder than those of his rank. Bone, stone, and even metal gives way underneath the force of his physical blows.

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Karla]

[Nakahara Ichī]

ROUND INFORMATION

Group C - SECTION ONE: COMPLETE
SECTION TWO: COMPLETE
SECTION THREE: 1/5
Rotation Period Ends: 6:00 AM CST 23/4/2024

POST

-- The Land of Fire --

After their stay in Kawa, another two days of continuous travel had gotten them over the border of Hi no Kuni, the home nation of at least one member amongst the group of the caravan. The route north looking like a rather short trip all things considered. If they managed to keep their pace they would be at their designation by the end of the week. Beating the majority of the crowd back to their home countries. Needing very little input, the group had had a very easy time over the last two days mostly being allowed to continue resting while they kept watch.

Surrounding them massive trees between pines and oaks had taken the open brooks of River Country and turned it into a shaded road with less visibility, but that also didn't mean it was any less pretty. The blue sky above leaking in the perfect level of light for the green canopy to shine in all of its vibrancy. The quiet road almost sleep-inducing from how good the weather was and the gentle trotting of hooves and clanking of the wheels made it all the harder to stay awake. The only thing that could seem off would only be to the native of the nation - Hi no Kuni's forests were peaceful, but often not this quiet. It was some cause for concern, as no fauna had been seen the entire time they had spent so far inside the nation.

[Kisei Takatō]

Taka was no religious scholar, but Michizane was accurate in his estimation that Taka was curious, at the very least. The work and time he’d put in to overcome the worst of his anxieties, to navigate through sleepless nights and sickening episodes with a steady hand and a clear heart—it sounded, to an extent, like Michizane’s meditation. Though Taka had always found more stability in the tangible evidence of the physical world around him, grounding himself in what was present and certifiably real, he couldn’t deny that the idea that there was a point to it all sounded… appealing. Especially now, when what was present and certifiably real was exactly what he needed to distance himself from, lest he lose his ability to carry on entirely. "Just for a bit,” Taka echoed, accepting the beads that were given to him. It felt like too large of a gesture, like they held some secret power that he couldn’t hope to divine; the little wooden beads felt warm and weighty in his hand. "Thank you, Michizane,” he said softly, after a moment. The transition of surname to given name occurred automatically without Taka’s full cognizance; the other man having quietly slid from colleague to friend in Taka’s subconscious mind between one moment and the next. Carefully he looped the juzu around his wrist with a deft twist of nimble fingers, feeling oddly off-balance, a little vulnerable. "I’ll take care of them.” There would be time to let himself sink later. For now, there was still work to be done. The pain in his shoulder had dulled in an odd way—it still hurt beyond measure, but it was a constant ache spread across his shoulder and down the length of his phantom arm, and the consistency of it made it perversely easier to compartmentalize and persist through. As they took up their journey again he was careful to arrange his clothes to hide the missing limb, and he again took up his spot on the roof of the rear of the caravan. He worried the wooden beads of Michizane’s juzu as the hours slipped by, the unconscious movement allowing his mind to go quiet. And, of course, he had his coffee, the final of his four servings. Absence was difficult to perceive; how could you prove a negative? But the noise of the caravan made the silence of the forest beyond all the more deafening as they traveled through the forests of Hi no Kuni. He wasn’t unfamiliar with the country’s wilderness, having escorted Sachi to Konoha and back a time or three, and the wrongness of it tickled at the back of his brain… though he chalked this up only to his own latent paranoia, and kept his peace.

Nakahara Ichī Fuu Kazama Senju Michizane Yamamoto Shosuke -- 467

LAIKA OF THQ

SPOILER: Click to show

Tags prepped: 1x Lion Closing Roar each to Shosuke, Michizane, and Fuu
2x Lion Closing Roar to Taka
1x High-Chakra and 2x Medium-Chakra explosive tags each to Shosuke, Michizane, and Fuu
1x Very High-Chakra explosive tag to Taka
misc. number standard explosive tags made as well

Coffee Consumed: Rotation 1/5 (second use of the thread, final serving consumed)

Galaxy Brain | Improved Cognition
This intensely caffeinated beverage is a potent stimulant. When consumed, the user will feel more focused and alert, increasing their perceptive capabilities, attention to detail, and mental acuity for five rotations.

Gotta Go Fast | Improved Reflexes
The high caffeine content of the beverage increases the circulation of adrenaline in the body, improving the user's reaction time for five rotations.

These effects work simultaneously. They can be gained twice from one bottle of coffee, should the user choose to drink half a bottle at a time or share it with a teammate. There is no increased effect for consuming the whole bottle.

If the entire bottle of coffee is consumed in a single thread, after the benefits of the drink wear off, the user will experience jitters and heightened anxiety for the remainder of the thread.

[Senju Michizane]

"In protecting oneself, others are protected; In protecting others, oneself is protected."
- the blessed one

TAG - Yamamoto Shosuke , Nakahara Ichī , Kisei Takatō , Fuu Kazama

NOTES I got a bad feeling about this...

That Takatō accepted the beads brought him a small measure of joy. "Don't mention it." He said to the man with a nod, and a smile.

Michizane liked this little team of theirs, each member seeming to round out the other in terms of personality and skillset. Often, he was too familiar with people up front. But in this case that didn't seem to be an issue... and his assumed friendship was reciprocated.

The young Senju finished his outdoor ponderings, bathed, and rested. Before long the caravan was ready to set out again, and he took up his position once more near the train's front. "Almost done." He thought to himself as he kept pace, all of this trotting doing wonders for his endurance. Soon they crossed into Hi no Kuni...

And Michi found his usual smile returning to him, his worries and guilt having been assuaged some by his conversation with Takatō. "This way!" He chirped to Jinjin, doing his best to serve as an impromptu guide while they traveled the forests of his home nation. As he did, he repeated the cautionary measure of the previous portion of the journey, performing a series of hand seals to summon two trusty clones using his Moku Bunshin no Jutsu once again. As the ridged, black oak formed from his shoulders and morphed into two identical copies of himself, he sent one ahead of the caravan and used another to bring up the rear. For scouting purposes if nothing else. At first, he'd only done so out of habit, but a realization quickly dawned on him the further they got into the trees. "Something's off." He said.

Brown eyes scanning the area as they moved, his smile slowly but surely beginning to wane. "The forest..." Michi said, his gaze flicking back and forth. "She's too silent." No birds singing, no game skittering away as the wheels of the carts disturbed their routines. The many woods of Hi no Kuni were usually teeming with wildlife... so their absence was beyond strange. "Eyes open, everyone." Michizane would warn the rest of the group, his left hand moving to rest atop his hip pouch, where he kept the seals that were prepared by Takatō. He shifted from guide to guard, his gaze becoming more serious than joyous as they continued on.

Maybe it was just paranoia, but after what they'd been through in Kaze no Kuni, he was unwilling to take any chances. As the caravan moved, he made sure to keep in constant mental contact with his clones in order to receive regular updates as to their status. Between them and Shosuke's sensory capabilities, he hoped to avoid any further ambush. But only time would tell if that was the case.

SPOILER: Click to show

OFFENSIVE TECHNIQUES:
NAME: Moku Bunshin no Jutsu [Wood Clone Technique]* (x2)
RANK: B
CHAKRA USAGE: Medium
CLASSIFICATION: Ninjutsu
ELEMENT: Mokuton
HANDSEALS: 3
DECRIPTION:
A clone that is created by altering the user's own cells with chakra to create vegetation. Possessing more endurance than the normal shadow clones. the doppelgangers are more resilient to damage. The clones have the ability to travel far distances from the user and are able to communicate with the original albeit the can only pass reconnaissance or simple messages with more complex thoughts and strategies depriving them from their full combat potential. The clones can be as simple in function as a wooden dummy for use in the Body Replacement Technique.

This makes this technique extremely convenient and a perfect clone technique that only the most powerful and fully developed dōjutsu will able to see through. By directly touching the wood clone with their hand, the user can absorb the information it gathered or change the shape of the clone. Because clone is made up of the user's own cells.


SPECIAL ABILITIES:

菩提心 | BODAI-SHIN - E.C.R.
Blessed with a great font of chakra, Michizane views this as a sign of his Aspiration For Enlightenment. Warm, bountiful, and steady, his vast reserves of this precious resource make him able to utilize many jutsu back-to-back without tiring. Allowing him to overwhelm lesser foes with sheer quantity of techniques alone.

木遁 | MOKUTON - KKG
Luck, to Michizane, may be a sign of divine interference. So by virtue of him being born into the Senju Clan he was granted their Kekkei Genkai by the heavens. Combining his Doton and Suiton chakra natures allows him to create life itself in the form of Mokuton. He uses it to great effect to summon up chakra-enhanced trees, shrubbery, and craft intricate wooden constructs to combat foes. All of the wood created by his Mokuton is dark brown in color and has ridged bark like that of a black oak tree.

行力 | GYŌ-RIKI - ENHANCED STRENGTH
The Power of Practice is not to be undervalued. Many years of intensive training has solidified his body and tempered his very spirit, turning Michizane's body into a weapon of its own. Allowing him to not only lift objects several times his body weight but also strike much harder than those of his rank. Bone, stone, and even metal gives way underneath the force of his physical blows.

MADE BY MIZO

[googlefont=Karla]

[Yamamoto Shosuke]

Beyond a momentary stirring by Takato to get some food, Sho hadn't moved from his spot since he had first fallen asleep. No, instead, he slept exactly where he had fallen asleep, looking almost like a Daruma or Yao Bikuni - stock still, the only movement being the slow rising and falling of his chest, as his body sought to make up for the chakra deficit it had been working with when he passed out.

Through the night and into the following day, Sho remained in that position. It was unclear if nobody bothered to wake him up, or if he simply refused to be woken up, but either way this was the first true movement of the boy since the day before, something clearly stirring behind his eyes.

Finally, Sho's eyes opened, his sunglasses having fallen off his drooping face and onto his knees where he had slumped. Those white, scarred eyes of his seemed to flit around the area, looking for anything and everything that it could see within his limited scope of vision. Feeling his sunglasses resting against his leg, he quickly snapped them up, sliding them on and moving to stand up.

From his position within the cart, he could feel the surrounding area, and within it he could see his erstwhile companions. From what he could feel, it looked as if some time had passed, though he couldn't tell how much. In his asleep state, it could have been minutes or it could have been hours. The fact that it had almost been a complete day didn't even factor into his imagination, as all he could think about was the mission.

Or, at least, so he would have liked to say, as the moment he stood up his stomach let out a rather loud, empty growl - the sound of someone who hadn't eaten in almost a day. Immediately, Sho wished he had thought to bring food pills with him, but he had to banish such thoughts to the side for a moment.

Stepping down from the cart, Sho moved to where his companions were standing around, able to read through the ground the sheer tension and discomfort obvious in their body language.

"Did I miss something?"

372 words | @open

SPOILER: Click to show

Jutsus Used: None