Official Passage Thread

Mission Name: Silvery Shark: Unhaul
Mission Type: Chore
Mission Rank: C
Mission Goal: Help the sailors unload their goods to the market.
Description:
Simple job as really anyone can do it. The sailors of a particular crew known as the Silvery Sharks request help from the shinobi with decent pay to unload their goods at Ota. It’ll be roughly half a day’s work and hard labor as most of these crates + barrels are quite hefty to lift especially after an hour or two.
Payment: 15,000 Ryo
Requirements: C-tier Strength & Stamina

Hana was still geared towards the welfare of the village despite recently being promoted to Mizukage. She was more interested in carrying out her usual Jounin duties than anything else. She fought the lifestyle change as much as she could preferring to live her comfy life as a run of the mill Jounin. But more often than not, life didn't work out as one would expect. She was flexible enough to deal with the changes though. Today she tasked herself with helping at the docks. It was easy enough work. It'd be hard labor to the ordinary man, but Hana was far beyond those standards. She figured it was easy enough for a Genin to handle. The Kaguya and the Hozuki were on fairly good terms. The previous clan leader Tsubaki was responsible for building these relationships, and given the Kaguya's most recent transformation maintaining them was no challenge.

Hana knew the name of her mission partner but nothing more. She didn't bother researching any Genin unless they caught her interest. A pair of heavy-duty black combat boots covered both feet made with exceptional craftsmanship and reinforced with steel toe caps and soles embedded in the leather. A set of heavy black pants were worn over her lower body. These were equipped with iron shin guards which were fashioned as bands going across her shins lined up next to each other leaving no gaps for weak points. The knees had hard plastic and cushioning backing it to allow ease of comfort when crawling through tight spaces. Hardened plastic was also sown into the upper legs and hips of the pants as well. Like all Shinobi she wore a utility belt to hold her pants against her body and carry her essential supplies.

A single blue holster was on the right side of the belt and a hip pouch around her back side just above her rear. Both were filled to capacity with ninja tools. A short sleeved undershirt was worn as her first layer. This shirt was one fitted with riveted steel mail designed to be flexible and lightweight providing protection and encumbering her minimally. Her second layer was a long sleeve black shirt similar in craftsmanship of the leggings. It was a heavy and durable top with steel rings sewn at the elbows in a cuff providing maximum protection at the joints. Rings of steels were sewn in at the upper portion of the torso as well providing protection at her upper chest and back and around her shoulders. This top was secured with the final piece of body armor being the Kirigakure standard flak jackets, this one made especially for Hana being much more superior in craftsmanship compared to the regular stock option. Black leather gloves covered both hands being basic in design providing warmth and protection. These came with small steel plates on the backs to provide protection against blades.

Hana wore a baldric over her gear to support a tanto she had horizontally on her back just above her hip pouch. This was sheathed in a blue scabbard which matched her Shinobigatana which was sheathed vertically on her back on her right side with the handle sticking up over her right shoulder. Like most Kaguya her skin was deathly pale. This was coupled with long white hair which was relatively thick compared to the long, silky strands a lot of the more feminine clan females had, which required day-to-day dedication to maintain. Hers was a bit untamed and high in both length and volume extending as far as her lower back. Her eyes were the only true difference in her appearance compared to the rest of her clan having an alluring golden hue to them.

Hana waited just outside the tunnel which ran through the fort and to the outside of the village walls. They were kept gated shut at all times unless traffic was moving through. Due to the Eastern Gates still being cleaned up they were advised to use the alternative passage.

The news following the succession of the Mizukage’s office was something that spread quickly throughout the Hozuki Clan, with whispers of it and gossip disseminating throughout the clan nearly the exact moment the news broke. It was important and worth talking about, of course, having a great deal of significance to the running of Kirigakure, enough so that even the lowliest of Genin would likely feel its impact. At the same time, Chigetsu was indifferent to the news. For both the current and former Mizukage’s, he only knew their names. How was he supposed to feel anything about the change when he really didn’t know either of them? He had heard about their exploits of course. Both were famous enough for him to know about just from how famous they were, but that wasn't really enough for him to form a political opinion. The most of an opinion he could form was about the difference between Kaguya and Hoshigaki, which he at least knew a bit of general information about. Of course, as Chigetsu never spent too much time outside of the Hozuki District, he hadn’t really ever met too many of either clan, but he was at least educated enough to know the basics regarding both. Still, it was difficult for him to be much more than indifferent towards the whole thing. His life would continue on as it normally had either way.

He believed all of this up until the moment when he received notice that he was being called to perform a mission with her. Her, as in the new Mizukage, Hana Kaguya. Typically, at least in Chigetsu’s current experience, missions were something you applied to take rather than were requested specifically for, although this could be just because his only experience so far has been with only the most basic D-Rank missions, which were more or less glorified chores. So to say that the news came to him as a shock would be an understatement. It was baffling as to how this possibly could have come to happen, especially as he was probably one of the least skilled and most mediocre Genin in the village.

And so the day that the mission occupied became a symbol of dread within the young male’s mind. The days preceding would have Chigetsu locked away in his room, bathing in anxiety as he went through a million different scenarios in his head. The question especially of what he would wear was a particular sticking point, especially given what his wardrobe looked like. He normally embraced flamboyant things, even despite how much crap he would get for it from his parents. Now though… The idea of wearing a skirt and some sort of colorful blouse now was enough to make him want to melt into a puddle. As the day did come, he arranged an outfit that was at least passable. A pair of black combat boots had been pulled out of his closet and had the dust brushed off-- It had been a long time since he had worn these, but at least they were still somewhat fashionable while also being practical. They were at least passable together with the pants he wore, which he felt absolutely obligated to be in despite how much he absolutely hated them. A simple white undershirt together with a dull orange-tone hoodie would complete him into looking at least somewhat normal. A water bottle had been quickly stuffed into the hoodie’s pouch, which bulged out in a pretty obvious manner. The only thing that might be overly questionable though would be his brightly dyed pink hair, which fluffed about into messy bangs that hung around his face while also being collected into a thick braid that trailed down past his waist. Together with the black bows that adorned his hair, it was one of the few things that he couldn’t compromise on.

As the time came, Chigetsu go where he was required. Given that he had never so much as left the village before, getting so close to the village’s walls was something that made a little tremor of anxiety shoot through him. As much as he was sure he would be safe with the Mizukage, it was still something that was a little frightening. By the time he had arrived a woman, who he could only assume was who he was looking for. He wasn’t exactly sure as to the physical description of the new Mizukage, but her general outfit tipped him off that she was likely at least a very skilled kunoichi.

“Are you… Lady Mizukage?”

Hana stood with her legs locked gazing blankly at the foreground trying to find anything interesting to look at. A group of ducks or something to sate her boredom. Unfortunately the perimeter wall was as interesting to wildlife as it was to people. There were no points of interest or even a bench between the walls and the outer parts of the city. And that was intended to not make loitering close to the walls. The walls were an important military operation where sentinels stayed watch and military personnel moves in and out of. They also served as the village's first line of defense. If an attack were to occur, civilians too close to the wall would suffer serious injuries or even death.

Amidst her daze she heard a voice which immediately snapped her out turning her head towards the source. A young lass who seemed young and fresh out of the academy. Appearances could be deceiving, but Hana wondered if she had it in her to life some boxes. "It's Hana..." Her face wrinkled at the honorific. She was never one for the whole professional etiquette. She was only twenty three after all. Being called "lady" was an odd feeling to her, especially when not attached to sarcasm or used as a weapon against her for not being feminine enough. "But you aren't wrong. I'm the Mizukage as of yesterday. But don't let that mean anything to you. More importantly, we have a mission. More of a chore, actually. I hope you aren't as squishy as you look, because this requires a bit of muscle." Hana turned her head to the checkpoint desk where she spoke out to a single ANBU guard. "Go ahead and open."

With a nod of obedience the guard pressed a button on a control panel where the gate from the inside of the village would rise up. Hana would step into the tunnel which was lit naturally by the daylight. Despite the condition being overcast it still provided adequate lighting in the area. She expected Chigetsu to follow. Once both of them were inside the underpass the guard would press the same button closing the gate behind them. Once that was closed the gate on the far end of the tunnel which led to the wilderness would rise open. As the couple began their walk to the end of the thirty meter tunnel some inaudible communication could be hear thru radio between the guardsmen on the opposite ends of the Fort sharing the detail of Hana and Chigetsu departing.

Her eyes discretely scanned Chigetsu's attire from her peripheral finding the lack of combat gear disconcerting. "I would imagine you'd have at least some body armor under your shirt. Self-preservation is a big deal among the Hozuki. If I'm not mistaken, there's not a single knife on your body." Her perception of Chigetsu's gear went beyond printing. The way she walked or carried about her movements were "tells" on whether or not she had anything concealed— even in the most unsavory areas. Hana would stop just before they broke the other side of the tunnel turning her full attention towards the girl. "Although there are no rules against it, I cannot confidently take you into the wilderness without a weapon. I can give you my Ninjato, or if you feel that is insufficient you may turn back and pick up what you feel is necessary in the market. Our mission is basic cargo unloading at the docks. The port town, Ota, is safe enough. But I can't guarantee the journey there will be free of conflict. The choice is yours."

The number of mistakes he had already made was quickly becoming clear to Chigetsu. How absolutely unprepared he was for an event like this was probably immediately obvious to someone as skilled as Hana, and the comments she made about how squishy he looked just served to drive it in further. Unfortunately, Chigetsu was exactly as squishy as he looked. Muscle wasn’t really something that he either could build easily or even desired to have and so the prospect of a mission that consisted of a day of hard labor wouldn’t have been something he would be looking forward to in even the best of situations. He would definitely end up floundering in some pathetic way, Chigetsu could already tell that this was all hopeless for someone like him, but it was now the worst-case scenario that his embarrassing failure would end up right in front of the head of the village.

That alone wouldn’t have been so bad. He was more than used to embarrassing himself when it came to these sorts of things. If anything, it could be said that he was rather experienced in the art of failure, especially given all the practice that those kendo lessons had given him over the years. It would be embarrassing, but that would all pass after the moment was over. What was really bad, and this was something he truly wasn’t prepared for, were the comments that Hana had made as they reached the other side of the tunnel.

There was no planning around his lack of muscle, but the moment that she pointed out the issue of self-preservation it dawned on him just how unprepared he really was. As a result of his relatively privileged upbringing, having never left the boundaries of the village before, he was ignorant of just how dangerous this world really could be. Was it really so dangerous in this country that even traveling a little way over to a port city would mean risking combat? It struck a chord in his chest. It became immediately clear to Chigetsu that he should have taken all those lessons his on combat situations a bit more seriously. While he hadn’t been exactly slouching before, the newfound fear unconscious made him stiff and straight as a board. In fact, now under the full brunt of her attention he would nearly shrink. His voice would shrivel to a mere squeak.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I don’t want to waste any of your time, so I…” Returning all the way back to the market, after they had already come to the walls and had been flagged through the gates, just so he could pick out a weapon to buy? Chigetsu had no concept for how long that could take, or if this mission was supposed to be particularly time-sensitive in the first place. “If you don’t mind letting me borrow it, I will.” He knew how to wield a sword at least semi-competently at the very least, so if the worst came to worst, it wasn't like he would be completely helpless, but the prospect of it still was frightening.

"... Is it really that dangerous out there?" It was something he was a little afraid to ask, but just now hearing what she said he had to know.

Chigetsu was fairly straightforward expressing her interest in not wasting any of their time. Hana felt that was the best option as well. "I don't mean to scare you either, but anything can happen since the jungle is not as monitored as the city. I mean we have patrols, but as a ninja you should know that we're fairly good at improvising in any environment." The Jounin's hand moved back and unclipped her tanto from her baldric before securing it to her belt. From there she loosened her baldric by tugging a leather strap allowing it to free its tension around her body. Sliding the sling over her head she'd pass it over to Chigetsu. The baldric was a basic light brown with a few slots and buckles for countless applications left up to the creativity of the user. The Ninjato secured itself firmly in one of the pockets which ran along the length of the baldric. It was a basic blade, though basic was far from ineffective. Chigetsu was considered armed and dangerous despite how unskilled she might be.

"Anyways, we should get going. Strap up and lets go." Hana would take the few steps necessary to break the other end of the tunnel. The waiting observer from the balcony above wouldn't give the signal until Chigetsu was besides her. When she was the gate would shut close behind them. This exit led them to the front of the wilderness. A small dirt path naturally formed from years of foot traffic by ninja but quickly lost significance a few meters out from the gate. "We should find the main road a few kilometers ahead. Then it should only be an hour to Ota from there." Hana led the way keeping Chigetsu close. She would not dare to challenge her by leaping through the trees or even running. Although it was preferable she could tell the girl was just not up to spec.

[Exit -> Ota]

With the baldric placed into Chigetsu’s hands, he would pause only a moment before slipping it over his own head. While Hana was just a touch taller than him, their similarity in builds made it so that it fit well enough, especially as he adjusted it into place. With the straps taunt around his torso, Chigetsu would now be ‘armed’, at least in the literal sense of the word. Whether he could actually do anything with this weapon was another matter entirely, and would hopefully not be something he would have to prove himself with. At least, not right now. Even if unskilled with blades, the act of wielding one wasn’t unfamiliar to Chigetsu. He knew the stances and such, at least theoretically. It wouldn’t be the first time he had held a ninjato should it come down to it, although holding a blade in a training exercise was very different than using it to potentially defend your own life.

Not wanting to be left behind, Chigetsu wouldn’t daddle with the straps and blade any longer than was necessary. He would follow along behind Hana, keeping as close of a pace to hers without it being uncomfortably close. Once the two of them were together at the edge of the gate they would be waived to pass. Stepping out into the wilderness began as the walls ended brought with it an especially alien feeling, together with a sinking in his gut. That he was stepping into the unknown right now wasn’t something he could admit right now, not even to himself, even if it would explain the fluttering butterflies in his belly.

“Alright. Only an hour to Ota.” The information would be repeated, whispered under Chigetsu’s breath as a reassurance to himself. As much as his was a moment of anxiety for the young male, the crisp scent of the fresh air filled him with a strange and unsteady confidence. Even if he knew failure would be inevitable for him, having so casually just now explored into territory that had previously been unknown to him felt like a small accomplishment of its own. Perhaps that was a bit pathetic, but one had to take solace where they could find it.

[Exit -> Ota]

Hana and the wagon, along with the precious cargo (Arisu and Chigetsu), would arrive around evening time. It wasn't so bad for a day's work, although all things considered it was mainly Hana doing the job while Chigetsu did little bits of work where she could. Aside from finding Arisu the day was fairly uneventful. Hana didn't mind since it was just another paycheck for her. The wagon broke off from the main road cutting into the jungle. There was a very faint path leading through the wilderness that took them to Fort Yuki. It was one of the alternative entrances to the city and not very well known primarily because it was used exclusively by Kirigakure ninja. Traders and visitors were not permitted to use the passage unless granted special permission. It was also something a person would have to know about. From above or from the tree line the fort would appear just as that. The passage could only be seen from ground level which made it ideal for remaining hidden.

The wagon approached the gate before halting a few meters from the barrier. Hana hopped off and approached the gate operator window. Reaching into her pants she retrieved a wallet with her ID. "It's us again, returning back from the mission. Also I managed to pick Arisu, who had left with Ann Yuki for a mission. She managed to get lost on her way back." Arisu's excuse she gave Hana probably wouldn't fly with the operator. Although Hana had the authority to override any potential punishment she may receive it was probably best for Arisu to not appear as a rebel under the eyes of Kirigakure's ANBU. "Very well. Pass through one at a time on my signal."

This process was very standard for Kirigakure's gate security. Returning visitors, or otherwise Kirigakure ninja returning from being outside the city, have their chakra signatures recorded by the sensors at Kirigakure's sensory center. Upon passing through the sensory barrier the sensor ninja confirm if the signature is identical. This is Kirigakure's basic yet effective measure to prevent infiltrators. The gate would raise as the operator changed the frequency on his headset. "Go ahead." Hana entered the underpass while passing the sensory barrier. After a several seconds of silence he would nod. "You're clear. Next in line step forward." Whether Chigetsu or Arisu approached next was on them. But Hana was done for today. "Good work, Chigetsu. I'll be in contact with you in a few days for our next mission. Get some rest. And I'll see you around, Arisu." She'd casually stroll to the far end of the tunnel knowing well it wouldn't open until the others were done anyways. By the time she'd reach the end the gate would open and the other gate close.

[Enter Kirigakure]

Returning back into Kirigakure felt different than leaving had. For one, Chigetsu was now riding in the back of a wagon piled high with cargo. Secondly, there was now another girl with them. Chigetsu would steal a few glances at her, but otherwise would stay in awkward silence for the entirety of the trip. She didn’t feel like it was her place to ask. Keeping herself occupied then by instead watching the scenery, the pink haired girl would stare out into the slow moving landscape as the ox-driven cart took them all back to Kirigakure. Just as before though, the gently moving scenery and general silence within the cart would begin to make her eyes heavy. Fluttering every so often, Chigetsu would return to the sleepy haze they had been in earlier. As uncomfortable as the side of the wooden cart was, it was surprising how easy it was for Chigetsu to nearly doze off now.

Hana’s voice would snap her out of it. Eyes opening again from their momentary rest, Chigetsu would sputter awake in confusion. Again, she would instinctively clutch at the handle of the ninjato she had been given, although again it would be quickly released as she realized the situation. They were in Kirigakure again. Back home. Looking up, Chigetsu would marvel at the sight of Fort Yuki from the outside. Maybe it was a bit more impressive in her sleepy haze, but she hadn’t realized how grand it had been on the way out. A still somewhat sleepy gaze would be turned to the ANBU guards as the wagon stopped. Slowly Chigetsu would lower herself from the wagon, and after stumbling a bit would steady herself on her feet again. Following the directions, Chigetsu would return in the same orderly fashion as she had left, following the instructions to pass through as the ANBU guard had asked her to.

“Thank you, Miss Mizukage.” She would give a slight bow towards Hana after being praised, wanting to be respectful but perhaps being a bit too formal. Following being dismissed after that, Chigetsu would begin off on her way home. She wouldn’t realize that she was still wearing the baldric with the ninjato attached until she would actually get back to her apartment, at which point it would be much too late.

[Exit]

They returned to Kirigakure in mostly silence. Rather, Arisu had very little to say, as she wasn't exactly the most talkative person in the world. Especially to someone who had literally grabbed her cheeks as if she was just a plaything. And Chigetsu, well, Arisu didn't know her, so she didn't speak to her, and Chigetsu didn't initiate any conversation either. All in all, it was a peaceful ride, with Arisu staring out over the side of the cart as they traveled.

They arrived at Fort Yuki, an entrance to Kirigakure that Arisu hadn't used before, and Arisu was slightly puzzled why they didn't just go through the Eastern Gate, but ultimately, she decided she didn't particularly care all that much in the long run, so she kept silent.

Arisu let Hana lie about what she had been doing and nodded quietly, playing the bashful role quite successfully. Lost indeed. The process of checking in was pretty quick, and nothing was amiss, so Arisu entered Kirigakure, and moved to depart back to her home for a bath.

"Yes, see you around." she said quietly as they parted ways.

-exit-