[nashida]

SPOILER: Click to show

Special Delivery
MISSION RANK: C
NPC REQUIRED: Yes/No
RANDOM MISSION SCENARIO: Enabled/Disabled
PARTICIPANTS: Repeatable
DESCRIPTION:
Hyōzan Keep has sent a request into the main Village for medical supplies to be delivered, as their stocks are beginning to dwindle. Unfortunately, a buildup of ice on the tracks has made it impossible for the direct route from Yukigakure to pass. While the tracks are being cleared, an assignment has been given for shinobi to deliver the shipment.

Nashida was honestly a bit disappointed that she had to perform this delivery mission once more, but who could she blame? Well, other than Hyozan Keep themselves for not learning from previous mistakes and learning to stockpile for months before blizzard season so as to avoid requiring an emergency transport team, especially when this seems to happen very often and their roads become iced over on a regular basis. Unfortunately, Nashida herself doesn't really have the kind of rank that might be necessary to give them a harsh tongue lashing that their leadership clearly deserves. At least this time around, she'd be accompanied by somebody she was familiar with once more, something of a mentor or a sensei, though not in the official sense of the word. As it is, she's wearing her newly made Tantetsu armor, though one would have easily mistaken it for her usual bear skin cloak in the form of a black jacket with a white fur trim along the neck and the lining. She tightens the white gloves on her hands as she stands otherwise stock still in the freezing wind that blows across the landscape, wearing her usual militaristic blue clothing underneath while her long blonde hair blows all around her, carried somewhat on the wind.

While she'd done a bit more training and improvement on her clan's techniques, she needed more experience in preparation of the Chuunin Exams, but Daigo might be able to sense that some of that training had already paid off in the way her chakra reserves were naturally far greater than they had been when she'd started training on improving her ability to use more chakra. She turns to look at the sound of crunching snow. She was standing next to the sled, already loaded up with the much-needed medicine necessary to help Hyozan Keep with their medical and logistical emergencies. Her face is still quite stoic and emotionless, but her blue eyes show a brightening at the sight of her previous mentor. She was honestly more happy than she'd been for a few years, since Kazeo had been returned to Iwagakure after her showing of the armor she'd made on her own. It made for a much less stressful home life, and that certainly helped to make her more relaxed in general, regardless of the fact that she was now being given this mission to take supplies to the settlement.

[Nakajima Daigo]

    Sitting behind a desk signing documents, stamping others, and writing notes in his main office, there was a knock on the door and then it began to open. Only one person ever opened his door without directly being told to enter, which meant he had to at least partially pay attention. As he looked up, a woman dressed very similarly to his own outfit, long black hair, and a stern look on her face walked into the room holding a scroll out before she had even reached his desk.

"I believe this is what you were asking for."

    She was used to dealing with Daigo by now, not the one most of the village saw on a daily basis, not the extra charismatic man with the smile a mile wide, but the true Nakajima Daigo. Not only was she something of an assistant, but she was also technically his bodyguard, not that he needed one, but she was rather insistent all the same and he couldn't be bothered with arguing with her. Giving her a nod, he took the scroll from her and opened it, read for a few seconds, nodding once more and handed it back.

"Very good. I'll go and retrieve her then."

    Nashida would find herself listening to unfamiliar footsteps walking towards her, seeing a Nakajima woman with similar clothes as Daigo, but with blue accents over green, black hair, but looking surprisingly similar. She was at the very least a close relative, perhaps a cousin, but she wore that same look that was between a fake smile and a blank stare as she held out a scroll. By now Nashida would have already been made aware of the mission she was going on so there was no real need to read it a second time on the scroll, but procedures all the same.

"Nakajima Daigo is getting ready for your mission. If you'll be so kind as to follow me, I'll lead you to his office."

[nashida]

Nashida is a bit surprised that Daigo isn't the one showing up for the mission outside the gates, but the other woman has at least explained that he's getting ready for it at the moment. While she doesn't say anything, she herself is so kind as to follow this stranger, since she's read the scroll that shows that this is regarding this mission. She looks back at the sled packed with supplies for a moment, then decides that the gate guards will keep an eye on it for now; it should be safe where it is. She sighs, her breath turning to frozen vapor in the air. Even with how little she's protected from the cold, it doesn't seem like she's bothered much by the temperatures.

She leaves behind the sled for the moment in order to follow the other woman back towards Daigo's office, noting that her appearance is reminiscent of Daigo's own. She wonders if they're actually siblings or simply from the same clan, but decides that asking might be a bit too personal. After all, she and this woman were strangers, even if Daigo had assisted her in training up her chakra reserves before. So she keeps silent and merely assumes that they're at least from the same family. Once inside, the sudden warmth heats her skin, causing her to redden slightly, but it smooths back to its fair complexion swiftly, since temperature changes were also something she'd become accustomed to while forging for Yukigakure as a blacksmith.

[Nakajima Daigo]

    When reaching Daigo's office, the woman lead her in the building, not far from where most of the Nakajima themselves stayed. This was not just a general office, but one that was meant for the leader of the Nakajima, and Daigo was both the only current member of the council, and also the only member of their clan with the standing to hold the place as a leader, meaning this office held a lot of importance to their clan. Inside was a long hallway and multiple doors, and the door at the far end opened as Daigo appeared, adjusting his clothes as the woman who had gotten Nashida was leading her there, stopping in mid stride.

"Sorry about this, but I'm going to handle it myself."

    The other Nakajima looked a bit surprised, but handed an envelope she pulled from within her pocket to Daigo, and despite a slight annoyed look, she said nothing, moving back against the wall to let him pass. Nodding to Nashida he handed it to her and motioned for her to follow him.

"Put that in whatever the most secure pocket on your person is before we leave this building and do not lose it. If you ever need to reach me, there is a card inside, show it to any Nakajima and they will either find me or bring you to me. Do not show it publicly otherwise."

    Whatever the reason was or the significance to giving that to her, he didn't bother sharing it, and began simply leading them back to where Nashida had already been waiting at the front gate.

"I'm sorry to have you come over and immediately leave, but that is in fact not something to openly flash in public."

    By the time they made their way back to where Nashida started, the weather had begun to pick up with a light snow, far from anything either of them would have been the least bit bothered by. Nodding to each of the guards who thankfully had kept watch over the sled, Daigo gave a stretch and stood by Nashida, thinking to himself for a moment, before looking up ahead.

"I'll let you lead unless we get into some thick snow, then I'll walk ahead and melt it. Otherwise, ready to go? Oh, and nice armor."

    

[nashida]

Nashida is a bit surprised to see Daigo actually walking back towards them, with the older Nakajima ordering his family member away so that he would handle it himself, before being handed an envelope by Daigo himself. She turns to rapidly follow him as he heads back out, and as he orders, she places the envelope inside a hidden inner pocket, within the lapel of her military uniform. If such a card can immediately grant her access to the office of the clan leader of the Nakajima, then it's certainly important. Regardless of most of Yukigakure's feelings of the Nakajima, they were still a strong clan, and having a cordial acquaintance with their clan leader was certainly a boon to anyone. Being told that it's also not something to show in public makes her wonder for a moment, but she's already proven to be unlikely to comment on much.

"I see. In that case, I will treat it as a closely-guarded treasure."

Thankfully, the guards kept their vigilance and ensured that the sled had not been touched by anything other than the snow that had started to come down, and so they should be able to get a start on the mission right away. The blonde woman pulls the harness for the sled onto her own shoulders, as her natural physical strength should allow her to keep up an even and quick pace for their travel, at least until the first checkpoint for a rest stop. The last time she'd taken this mission, she and Jun had managed to run into some bandits during the night, thanks to erecting their camp near a small settlement that seemed all too happy to keep brigands. She's also a bit surprised that Daigo seems to recognize that her long jacket is, in fact, a form of armor, and she feels a bit disappointed, as it was meant to look mostly like her usual coat. As she starts to jog, she finally asks him about it.

"How could you tell? It's really meant to resemble clothing, so I was hoping it could be a bit of a surprise during the Chuunin Exams for my opponents."

[Nakajima Daigo]

    Pointing at her clothing, he made the same movement she had earlier when he told her to put the envelope away, then gave her a wink. Catching the small details was what he did, it was how he made a point to pay attention to them in hopes others wouldn't catch his own small details.

"That movement you made, the way the clothing moved, and more so the way it didn't. It's my job to notice those kind of details."

    When she began to move with the sled, he took the chance to look a bit closer at her clothes, trying to see what differences there were from the outside from what he remembered from before. Unfortunately he hadn't paid close enough attention the first time, which was something he wouldn't say out loud, but their meeting wasn't exactly the longest in recorded history. The difference in their style of clothing was almost amusing even to Daigo, as he wore incredibly expensive very equally casual clothing, hanging loose on his body, exposing his skin in more than a few place. The contrast to the military fashion Nashida sported, plus her side in comparison to Daigo, likely would have had most questioning which of them was the higher ranking shinobi if not for the way that Daigo otherwise carried himself.

    Even as Nashida lead them, Daigo kept his hands behind his back, looking like he could be as much a leader as any of the other roles he held. The years of being raised by not just the Nakajima, but wealthy Nakajima at the top of the social ladder, and now the high position he held not just as a shinobi but in literal ranking positions at the side of the Lady Shuka. He was well aware of his status in the village and didn't shy away from it.

"So, you've done this mission once before if I'm understanding correctly. I'm fairly certain this would be third third if not fourth time for someone to take this mission in the last year in fact."

    There was a hint of annoyance in his voice, not at her of course, but specifically those last few words.

"Either those at the keep are incompetent, or incredibly incompetent. I'm sure I'll see for myself once we arrive."

[nashida]

Nashida can breathe a sigh of relief when Daigo explains that he was able to notice how her armor moved and didn't move in order to tell that her armor was, in fact, armor. With her worries assuaged, she focuses more on just getting to the next part of the mission. She's really not worried about whether or not Daigo is more relaxed than her, she'd seen his ability to use very high level techniques before, and knew he was a much harder worker than the air he gave off. She still turns her head when Daigo speaks up again, and she does actually manage to smile when Daigo gives voice to her own thoughts about the situation involving the Hyozan Keep and this repeated problem that they've had to be dealing with.

"This is likely true, Daigo. However, their incompetence is our income, so although their incompetence is likely harmful to their citizens, it is a boon for us. Both we and the village is paid to fix the problems their incompetence produces."

Still, the Tantetsu had to non-verbally agree with the older man and his assessment of the keep as they make their way through the snowy landscape. She'd been unaware that this was a continued occurrence, as she'd completed the same mission just once before with Jun. This did not bode well for the settlement, but she wasn't sure if that kind of thing could be changed permanently without some serious problems for both the keep and Yukigakure itself.

[Nakajima Daigo]

    Deep down, Daigo had a love for their village that many might not have expected even with the outward face he put on. Inside he wanted nothing for greatness for Yukigakure, just not quite the same greatness those currently in charge had in mind. He did not hold the same care for the country at large, but that was a long thought even for his inner monologue to handle. It extended to this keep they were headed towards, having little empathy for their own problems given how often they seemed to have the same problem, and it in truth he didn't think them so much incompetent as much as he thought perhaps something else was going on he wasn't vocalizing. 

"If things are as bad as I believe them to be, I might have to station one of my own there to take things over on a more permanent basis."

    His statement was blunt, but it wasn't something said lightly. He had already had plans on pushing outside of the village and setting up other outposts or grabbing for land for the Nakajima. If something here was a matter of thieves or perhaps malicious hording then he could send men to provide support. If it was a matter of terrible or ignorant leadership then he'd have no second thoughts of pushing to put one of his Nakajima in charge of the keep. 

"I suppose we'll find out once we get there what's going on. In the meantime, tell me, how's your training gone?"
    

[nashida]

Nashida nods once when Daigo expresses his idea about stationing one of the Nakajima there on a more permanent basis, which she honestly does think will do the people of Hyozan Keep some good. While she did give a reason for why the problem might not be considered one that needs to be solved by the higher ranks in Yukigakure, it was ultimately harmful for both villages, causing the keep to require to give away its people's money to Yukigakure in order for the ninja village to load up on necessary supplies from its own stocks in order to prevent the settlement from suffering needlessly. It was certainly a negative cycle, and now that Daigo has put this doubt in her head, she's starting to wonder if perhaps this cycle isn't actually caused by incompetence, but something worse than even that.

She's starting to get quiet again as she worries about what this might mean for Hyozan Keep, as this destabilizing act might harm its people even more, but in the end it would possibly improve their lives, in the long run. So it's good that she's brought out of her reverie by Daigo's next question involving her training, and she actually gives him a bit of a smile before drawing from her own much larger chakra reserves, though only for a moment in order to expel chakra from herself, just enough to cause the snow around her to temporarily stop from falling due to the pressure of her own chakra, then continue falling again as though nothing had happened. Even someone who wasn't a sensor ninja should have been able to feel it, though it wasn't nearly as strong as when she'd seen Daigo performing Ninjutsu.

"It's certainly not going badly. I'm going to be even better by the time the next Chuunin Exams occur..."

[Nakajima Daigo]

    Her show of progress was certainly one she might have found impressive, but it took a moment for Daigo to actually notice. It wasn't as if he wasn't impressed with progress, let alone hers specifically, but such an act was so far out of his normal thought process that it took him a moment to realize what had happened. This was one of the many reasons he kept telling Shuka why he would make a poor teacher, and why he flat out refused to teach classes or courses at the academy. These Academy Students, Genin, even the Chuunin, they had a much lower base level of experience to draw on and every gain was like reaching a mountain top, where to Daigo they were like stepping over a shallow puddle. Chasing after Seika and Emiri as a younger shinobi certainly forced him to improve quick or be left behind immediately.

"Glad to hear you're going to be participating. I received word a few days ago that there is an exam taking place in the mid point of this year. If you need any specific training, I'm sure I could help."

    For as much as he wanted to mention Chuunin exams and Jun participating, he kept it to himself. There was a certain level of superstition in his mind, and Jun was likely one of the only younger Shinobi outside of the Nue and Nakajima he felt a bond with. He hadn't quite gotten to that stage yet with Nashida, but there was something about her that he was certainly interested in training and sculpting where possible, so he was slowly extending his umbrella over her as well.

"You'll have to show me in more specific detail what you've learned since we last trained, when you have the chance."

[nashida]

Nashida turns her attention forwards again when she sees that Daigo hasn't reacted right away to her small show of her own increased reserves, since she'd been so proud of her own progress in this way, but she was not dissuaded from continuing and even increasing her training. It only makes her determined to become even stronger, since she has to prepare herself for the upcoming exams. At least he states that he's glad to hear that she's participating. Of course, that also brings Jun to her mind as well, and the unbidden thoughts of her lover also motivates her to push even harder in preparation. Even with all of her training, she hadn't been quite as prepared as she liked, as she had admitted to the taller blonde in the middle of their exams.

The suggestion for her to show him in more specific detail what she's learned since the last time they trained brings a smile back to her lips, remembering the excitement involved in this same mission the last time she'd done it with Jun, though now there was an even stronger ninja with her this time around.

"If this mission has some of the same dangers as it did the last time Jun and I trekked past the hamlet on our way to the keep, I might get that chance sooner than you think."

[Nakajima Daigo]

    He knew well enough she had taken this mission, this same path more than likely, but what he hadn't done is look too much further than that. He had looked through a few reports on the keep itself, and the post mortem from the two that had come back successfully hoping to find something worth knowing, but that was as far as he had dug. Moving in front of Nashida, a visible heat began to radiate off of Daigo, but no flames. It was clear how hot the temperature around him was as the snow was completely melting around his feet, creating a path in the snow and even leaving burn marks on the grass under his feet. He was starting to move a bit faster as well, looking back to Nashida to make sure she was doing the same.

"Tell me what happened that was so dangerous."

    His hands had barely left from behind his back all this time, but now his posture was somehow even more strict and straight as he took the lead. 

"How far is this hamlet?"

    He began to snap his fingers behind his back and a flame appeared on his finger, then with the other hand, then back again, as if he was amusing himself with the act, or perhaps out of some sort of idle habit.

[nashida]

Nashida is actually a bit surprised when Daigo begins increasing his pace, and the blonde herself reflexively increases her own pace as well, moving faster in order to ensure she doesn't get left behind. She barely even has to breathe any harder, though her breath comes out in plumes of white fog as the water vapor freezes in the air. Her large stature also makes it easier for her to use her weight to pull the sled across the snow, so simply leaning further forwards is easy enough for her to gain some speed in order to keep up with Daigo. She hadn't expected such a response from the older shinobi, though she realizes that if he hadn't read the full mission report of what had happened during the transportation, he might have thought her statement might be somewhat worrying.

"We were beset upon by a small group of vagabonds, whom we dispatched without much worry... Jun had set up a perimeter with Fuuinjutsu in order to protect us during the night. While I was on watch in the second half, a half dozen of them attacked us. They were untrained and barely armed..."

As they approach the small alpine forest, she nods at the few candle lights flickering past the wooded area, showing human civilization as they quickly approach the somewhat thick copse, causing Nashida to slow up so that she doesn't end up with the sled running straight into the trees, gradually slowing to a stop while Daigo is playing with the flame on his fingers.

"The hamlet is just through there. It's not a large settlement, and we're fairly certain the bandits either passed through the small village, or came from there..."

[Nakajima Daigo]

    There was a disappointment in his mind at not being able to dispatch a foe worth taking down, for no other reason than needing some new test subjects in truth, but he certainly wasn't going to share that openly. There was a relief however in now having to bother fighting anything at the moment, as frankly he wasn't in the mood to kill anything or exert the effort to do so. It didn't slow his pace however, as now he was speeding up just a bit more, as he more than anything wanted to get to the keep and get this all sorted.

"I see. So nothing I should be concerned with."

    As they got closer to the trees he slowed down again, and his temperature lowered, as did the flames on his fingers die out once more. The last thing he needed was a forest on fire, especially one burning with bright green flames pointing an arrow right over the top of his own head. 

"So would you prefer to avoid them, or are you looking for a fight? If you want peace I can assure you no one will be able to bother us while we rest."

    It wouldn't take much more than putting up a few simple barriers and nothing short of Daigo himself was getting through them unless he wanted them to. As they got closer to the equivalent of civilization she pointed out, his face contorted, as this was far from the kind of accommodations he preferred, and had he thought better of it he would have brought something to create a better sleeping environment. 

"Since you've been here before I'll leave any talking to you. Personally, I'd rather not stop, but I'm not the one pulling a sled, so you'll have to tell me how long you need to stop and rest."
    

[nashida]

Nashida looks upwards at the sky, judging the time of day as well as the weather they're currently experiencing. While it had been a severe cold snap that caused the usual route to become frozen over, she didn't feel all that cold, but if it was getting close to night time, even she would end up feeling the chill of freezing temperatures. She has to give it some serious thought, though the decision to avoid the hamlet altogether or go in looking for a fight was left up to her, and it took a lot less contemplation to make a decision on that question.

"It would be far easier to simply avoid them. They're not really worth the effort, and it's more important that we get the medicine to the settlement than to let ourselves be attacked. I think we could even make it to the keep before the night comes."

She looks through the trees at the settlement, but she simply slows to a stop in order to lift the sled with the medicine in her arms, before holding it above her head in order to get it through the forest without needing to go around or slow down considerably. She still walks a bit more slowly than when she'd been simply dragging the sled along behind her, but she seems intent on getting through the forest and to the keep before nightfall. At the very least, if they didn't quite reach the settlement itself, they should be able to rest there, which would also give Daigo a good look at their leadership, which made good sense to Nashida as well.

"Besides, even if we get there too late to return to Yukigakure today, it will give you a reason to stay in Hyozan Keep overnight You'll get to see the city function, at least for the night."

As soon as she's on the other side of the forest, she sets the sled back down and begins jogging through the small town, with the lights of Hyozan Keep already showing on the horizon.