Aiding the Hospital: Outbreak(mission)(closed)

Posts : 542

Spoiler:

Dawn was over the horizon. The time had normal villagers starting their day like any other average day. The sun warmed enough so that the bite of the chill in the wind was not unbearable. Fall had started to turn to winter. Of the two cousins, fall had been the most short-lived, summer having hungrily extended past is season and deprived the lesser cousin of its rightful reign. Now winter started to encroach into the very same domain. Only spring would understand the injustice of the bully seasons on their poor smaller kin. So it was in this situation that Kana stood at the entrance to the village. The hastily inscribed summons on his hands. He had been on his way to his duties at the hospital when a currier Genin had asked him if he was currently involved in crucial matters. Kana felt his job was important but that he himself was not crucial so he responded no. So he had been presented with the mission scroll now in his hand and a promise that he should get help by 0800.

Judging by the position of the sun and the sudden influx of people into the streets, the time was drawing near. Kana was not very fond of surprise assignments, as it gave him no time to prepare and study to better tackle the problem. He would not be a true shinobi if he was not able to be flexible and so he accepted his fate hoping that whoever was to be his partner had the same mentality of not resignation as the bronzed Genin. Kana was glad that he was wearing his new attire that his mentor had gifted him, a long poncho looking robe that was made of thick yet breathable material that would protect him from the elements, a long sleeved grey shirt and matching trousers. His Genin pouch was full and stocked.

He read the mission scroll again trying to formulate a quick plan and hoping that somebody more briefed came along. The sparse details indicated that village had issued a distress call. The reason this required such immediate attention was that the village was a border town and that the daimyo did not want the neighboring Grass Country to discover the dirty laundry. Kana was not much for politics but understood them enough to know that such sort of information could be used to gain a footing in the ever changing arena of power. It had been perhaps faith that the nature of the emergency was of a medical nature. The currier Genin could not have known that Kana was a medic, merely a novice, but a medic none the less.

Kana looked towards the village yet again and hope to see a few more bodies headed in his direction. Aid would be greatly needed if the cause of the emergency was to be found out. He had not yet learned the valuable Shadow Clone Jutsu, which would enable him to not only cover much ground and fast, but would be able to relay the information quickly and efficiently. A small exasperation sigh escape the lips of the Genin. It was not that he lacked in patience but when lives hung on the strings of fate, he was not one to carelessly dawdle. Deciding that his would be partners would probably catch up to him, having the same information as he, he decided to shoulder his travel pack and head out. The road stretched ahead of him, inviting. This would be the first time he would leave the confines of Konoha for such an extended journey. It was only a day’s travel but Kana had never been this far away. The young Genin took a deep breath and took his first step in to his journey of a thousand miles, so to speak.

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

If you were to miss the attracting smells of the numerous bakeries, the spring-like colors of newly made sweets sitting in their allocated place in the window of a shop, or the wafting scent of strong, fresh coffee, all located in the shopping strip, then there was a chance you would eventually end up in the quiet neighborhood were a genin resided. The buildings were mostly two stories, but as you progressed further west, the rooftops began to rise, until you reached the point where the apartment blocks height peaked. About a dozen floors above a tea shop, opposite a clothes outlet, was the spacious flat where Saitou Masaki slept each night, and most mornings. Today was no different. He lay in bed, his shock of purple hair falling across his indigo eyes, the rise and fall of his body a consistent rhythm, only disturbed by a loud interruption of his peaceful state, the clear ring of his alarm.

With a groan, he slowly rose, in the right mind to smash the aggravating clockwork object, but when he remembered why he'd even bothered to set it, he shot upward, in a dash to get ready. The orders his dreary self had received the night before stated that he he was required to meet his undefined partner at 8, but he had his alarm set for dawn, so that he could allow himself some time to compose himself. Saitou didn't want to turn up badly dressed, with wild, bed-ruffled hair and ten minutes late; after all, the nature of this mission was a serious one, it wasn't a boring chore, or a job that needed doing, if he failed, it was potentially life-threatening. However, he wasn't an expert on this type of mission, but he was sure that he could get it done with little error, as long as he stayed awake and was attentive. But after he'd met Kimiko in the clearing, and poured out all his tears, he felt much stronger, and perhaps this was to be his first task in which his renewed ambitions could shine through the barrier of his skull; these missions were no longer about making others proud. The outbreak described in the note the courier had delivered might claim lives of good people, and this was about making Saitou proud, proud that he could save people, that he could do his duty, and the tasks assigned to him. Quickly throwing on the clothes he'd prepared the night before, he happily cleaned himself up, and made his way to the meeting point.

Saitou had spent a while picking his attire; he wasn't a fashion slave, but he didn't want to look embarrassing, seeing as how his partner could be nearly any Shinobi in the village, and thus he went against his normal garments, instead choosing something he'd taken to wearing now, feeling like his old selection was a bit immature. Now, as he walked past tweeting birds and lunging trees with aging leaves, the first signs of an overdue Autumn, he wore a smart yet casual outfit, not exactly shorts and a t-shirt, but neither was it ballroom style. As a substitute for his black t-shirt, he had donned a white shirt, complete with a collar, and the top two buttons undone. Over this casually worn smart piece, there was a black jacket, a soft cotton, with an undone zip, and the long sleeves rolled up to his elbows, leaving half of his bare arms in view; arms which swung over a pair of black trousers, similar to those he normally placed around his legs, minus the belt, with bandages tied around his left leg. As he bee-lined through Konoha, he cursed himself for not taking another route; the shopping strip was clogged with busy shoppers, even at this early hour, but he didn't worry much, he would simply take an alternate route, still available to him and with no need for him to re-trace his steps. With a few practiced leaps, he planted one white sneaker lightly onto a wooden table, carefully avoiding the coffee of an astonished and soon-to-be peeved customer, using the surface to push himself skyward, his hand grabbing a window ledge on the upper level, before he managed to swing his other foot round onto the tiled rooftop. It would be easy going from then on.

An hour before 0800, the arranged meeting time, Saitou was sat in the low hanging branch of a side-swept tree just outside Konoha, with a clear view of the village gate, wide open and, as always, heavily guarded. The inevitable thought that had been meandering at the edge of his brain had finally made it's way into his thoughts, taking the hours wait as it's opportunity to receive some thought, but the boy did not mull over the question for too long; and the question was, who was his partner going to be? He knew that there was very little chance he could make a guess, even an educated one, and get it right; after all, the genin he knew of were just a small portion of those in Konoha, and it was essentially a raffle, with all those who met any requirements for this mission, and weren't currently already embarking upon one. In the end, Saitou simply pushed it away, knowing that wondering would be painful, and that the only way he could possibly know was for time to open it's mouth, and share some of it's plans for him.

In the hour spare time, Saitou had begun to amuse himself inside his own mind, his thoughts flickering over possible plans, ideas for jutsu, things he had to get done before whenever, and lost in his thoughts, he didn't manage to keep an eye on the height of the sun, or those who passed through the gate, and more importantly, those who were waiting. It was only as the corner of his indigo eyes notified him of a familiar figure; Kana-kun, the boy he had met the other day, when the two had coincidentally met each other, before they'd walked together, conversing politely, and topped it off with a friendly spar, one that had been evenly matched and well fought from both sides. Then it clicked. The penny dropped so loud that Saitou felt his ears burst, as he jumped from his resting place, quickly smoothing out his shirt, re-arranging his hair into a more presentable fashion, and quickly double-checking all his equipment, making his speedy way toward the boy that his eyes were fixated upon.

"Kinoshi-San! Fancy seeing you here. There isn't any chance you've been assigned a mission, perhaps with an undefined partner, is there?"

He spoke with a smirk on his face, glad to think that his mission might be with someone he was already acquainted well with, especially as that person was Kana-kun. They'd already sparred, and so he knew a bit about his style and specialities, meaning that any pre-mission discussion was now deemed moot, and in all truthfulness, he respected the other, in a way, was inspired by him, and the fact that he too knew the pain of having lost a parent made it all the better, considering the recent occurrences in Masaki's own life.

Age : 36 Posts : 340

A small house, set within a large village. It was nestled between two larger houses, where the members of Kaguya and Yamanaka reside. Keiro was used to the village keeping everyone together by clan, and he was lucky to have inherited the house of his parents. It was a small house, only two floors, with three bedrooms upstairs, and a bathroom. Downstairs was a Kitchen, a Dining Room, a Living Room, and a parlor. It had a basement that was also sectioned into four rooms, but they held no importance and was used for storage. Keiro looked outside the window of his bedroom, which was up the stairs and to the immediate left, and noticed it was still dark outside. He mumbled under his breath something about not being able to sleep ever. He rose out of bed and dressed himself after a warm shower. He walked downstairs into his kitchen, made some cereal, and then entered the dining room. He sat at the table and ate, and then left and locked the front door.

He checked his mail, and saw he had a mission scroll. He opened it and read it, and began making his way toward the mission. He wasn't sure who else was meeting him, but he didn't care. He walked towards the front gate, and was allowed outside after saying he had a mission. It was at that point he decided to wait amongst the tree line for everyone else. When he saw the first boy run out, he gave chase. He wanted to know why this boy was running. As he ran he looked back and saw the purple-haired boy from before. 'Saitou is on this as well?' He ran back into the tree line sticking to cover, hoping Saitou didn't see him. He followed the first boy as he continued to run, and fired an arrow right in front of him so he would know that he was there. Though, most people would probably attack Keiro for that, He was hoping Saitou would point it out to this boy.

Posts : 542

Kana had not taken but a few steps when he heard his name being called. Standing before him was the purple haired Genin who had not only shared words but fists in the forest that cool morning not long ago. The bronzed teen could not help but smile at the realization that his former sparring partner would be his aid in this mission. Konoha was full of capable young people that far surpassed Kana but he was glad that it was Saitou who would be the one to join him. Kana bowed to the newcomer respectfully his tone as that of one who has deep respect and camaraderie for the other. “Saitou-san, it is good to meet you as well. As you have surmised, I am indeed assigned to this mission though I fear there is little that I can add to what you may already know. I am pleased that you will be participating as well; there will be little need for us to go through a battle plan. I am sure you will be more than capable at tackling what lies in store for us. I was meaning to wait for any further company should we have it but I fear that if the issue is as dire as I have come to believe due to the rashness and urgency in the mission scroll, then we must head out and let whoever will come behind us catch up. I am afraid that I was only able to pack a few medical supplies but I hope that they should be enough. I am sure that we will receive further instructions once we get there.”

The salt and pepper haired young man started at a brisk run, apparently catching Saitou off guard as he was a few steps behind him. The road was dry due to the chill in the air as winter approached the woods and village of Konoha. The two young Genin picked up some dust as they started on their run. Once more Kana had gained but a few yards when a whistling object sailed through the air. The trajectory was not lethal but it was meant to startle. With a deft thud, the projectile impaled itself about a foot in front of Kana. The bronzed Genin skidded to a stop putting his weight on his left foot digging it into the ground to use it as a pivoting point. Twisting his hips and core, he used the momentum to turn his body towards the right, the likely direction the arrow had come judging from where it fell. His right hand automatically went inside his pouch and his fingers closed around three Kunai. His left rose up to eye level with the fore arm parallel to the ground and his palm open, his typical ready stance.

Wary eyes scanned the trees as deep as the shadows and foliage would allow. Shades and mirages danced in the sunlight of the early morning and it was hard to determine who and how many attackers there were. Kana was certain that the shot had not been a miss, a sniper, even against a moving target, would have buried the arrow that now rested on the ground deep in his skull. The bronzed Genin cursed himself for his lack of situational awareness. He had let the apparent safety of the near village gates rob him of the alertness that every shin obi should posses at all times. It would not be unlikely that bandits and those wishing the village harm would be this close as it would give them a vantage spot for surveillance and strikes of opportunity such as two Genin rushing about blindly. Using his loudest but most professional voice Kana called into the woods. “I am Kinoshi Kana, a Genin of Konoha. I request that you please show yourself. Further attacks or lack of cooperation will force me to tag you as hostile and will proceed accordingly. We mean you no harm and we will no pursue if you wish to leave. Please reply!” The tone was even and respectful no threat or fear could be found in it but it was firm. Kana continued to scan the area and his ears strained to pick up either signs of attack or compliance.

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

Saitou was jovial at Kana's announcement that he too was embarking on the mission, and was startled when his comrade began the pace with a purposeful run. His sneakers scuffing the stone covered floor, the purple haired boy followed, a short, speed-fueled run to catch up, which he quickly changed to match the run of his companion, as the two left a trail of dust in their wake, as they left Konoha. To Masaki, the day seemed glorious; an early morning rise, a warming sun passively battling against the cold knife of the bitter wind, and for the first time in a while, he felt like he had a purpose, a reason. Small clumps of dew had avoided the sun's rays, hanging onto the grass sheltered by leaves, and the air had a slight chill, not the type to make one shiver, but a pleasant, early morning frost, one that was welcomed by the light skin of the boy running. However, his thoughts of pleasantness, of fulfillment, were short-lived, as he heard a familiar twang, and the zip of an incoming projectile; Although his speed wasn't anything impressive, the arrow had been flung infront of him, and he re-acted with the skill of a trained Shinobi, not following the lead of his partner, who was turning to skid to a halt, instead grabbing a shuriken in his left hand, with about a meters string attached. He threw it downward, a foot or two behind him, and it lodged into the earth with little resistance. The string went taught as Saitou's momentum carried him forward, and pulled his rotating body backward, causing his feet to skid, kicking up a cloud of dust in the direction he'd been originally heading, and with his momentum challenged by the nested shuriken, he pivoted his body gracefully to face the direction the arrow had been fired.

The fluid movement had been easy to execute, and succeeded in stopping his run with little effort, and with a casual flick of his wrist, he pulled the shuriken from the ground by the connecting string, catching it and returning it to his pouch, before grabbing another three, one with a faithful companion, capable of destroying a decent area at the signal of the boy's hand. In the case that there may have been additional assailants, Saitou scanned the area behind his fellow shinobi, but his indigo eyes saw little more than trees, and he simply kept a cool, controlled face on as his companion spoke, loud and fearless, the traits of a true ninja. Of course, the question that couldn't be kept away was flung into the boy's mind, and he didn't have much to guess, after all, there wasn't much chance that anyone would want to attack the pair of low-ranking shinobi. The note flickered through his brain, the scrawled writing that stated there may be a chance of human's being a culprit, and if a person was to blame, then conflict may be inevitable, but no-one was insane enough to attack two people right outside the gates of Konoha, in the knowledge that hundreds of extremely skilled bodies could be called as back-up nearly immediately; no-one, that is, bar another Shinobi of the leaf. Slowly, the smirk returned to Saitou's face, and he began to softly chuckle.

"That you, Karaito? Only, you seem to have a habit of trying to shoot me,"

However, Masaki kept himself armed, on the off-chance it wasn't a friendly with no proper perception of the words 'over the top', or 'too far', still ready, and facing the tree-line, feeling confident beside his friend. However, Saitou had merely assumed that he would only have one comrade for the mission, and there was a chance his superiors had deemed the mission a challenge, and thus worthy of more than two shinobi. However, some unwelcome emotions surfaced at the thought of working on a mission with Keiro; his cold demeanor made him impossible to work with, and his general cruelty meant that Saitou's glorious day had just been turned upside down. Never before had he worked with the pink haired boy on anything official, but with a personality like that, he highly doubted he was much of a team player. Sighing, he decided it was best to get this over and done with.

Age : 49 Posts : 1036

When people complained about how the gods were out to get them, Toshiro was among those who would politely nod while laughing inside in the firm belief that if there were higher powers they would have far more important things to do than make a single persons life miserable. At least that was what he had thought. Today was making him reevaluate his outlook on the whole "some deity hates me personally" situation.

Bad enough that a party the clan had thrown to celebrate one of his cousins engagment had resulted in his getting considerably less than a full nights sleep due to having to stay for the whole thing that had only ended at five in the morning. Worse was that apparently somehow he had ended up drinking something he normally didn't, and had gotten enough of it to be suffering the effects of a hangover. Topping that was having what he had intended to be his day off turned upside by an courier-nin whose idea of "knocking" on a door was more akin to a failed attempt to batter the door down with his fist. After that getting a scroll that said little more than "get your gear, meet a team comprised of an unknown number of individuals, oh and you should have been there 10 mintues before the scroll was delivered" didn't invoke nearly the irritation it would normally have due to Toshiro's having become mentally numb by that point. From there, and with many sighs that wouldn’t have been out of place coming from an academy instructor dealing with a nightmarish pupil, it had taken almost two hours, and several extra-strength aspirin along with enough water to drown a Grand Fireball before he had finally been ready to leave.

From the clans compound he had spent the rest of the intervening time (which had been more than a little hazy) between now and then making his way to the gate, with only a small detour to the closest place to buy six of their largest hot drinks in the hope of using them and aspirin to drown the throbbing in his head. Between that detour, a slow pace, and frequent pauses when a loud noise would almost send him to his knees in pain, it had taken him almost another hour to cover the distance and thus he had just caught up with what he hoped was the right team. Just in time to, based on the garb worn, that one of the two figures ahead was Kana, and to see the arrow land in the ground and the following banter.

'Whatever I did to deserve this I am truly sorry for. Can we just skip the pain and get to the part where you smite me with a lightning bolt now? Please.'

With that thought, Toshiro carefully set down the tray holding his lifeline to sanity, took two steps to the side and one forward to put it out of the line of fire, and drew his tanto with an audible scrapping of the blade along the scabbards mouth to announce his presence. He might have called out but with his head still throbbing in pain, and the hope it was just some crazy fourth member of the team, Toshiro opted to spare his throbbing head and settled for a quite voice that carried.

"Kana, please tell me this is just a teammate with a crazy way of saying hello and not someone you pissed off enough to be after your head.”

Age : 36 Posts : 340

Keiro stepped out of the deepness of the woods with a smirk. He approached the group calmly, and grabbed his arrow out of the ground. He had his hair spiked as usual, and his face mask up and over his nose and mouth. He had his body suit on, and nothing else. He looked like a stereotypical ninja except his hair and eyes were showing. "Greetings Saitou. It seems we meet again." He looked towards the man who called out to him. "I am Keiro Karaito. Genin of Konoha as well. I wish to alert you that I am the kind who likes to hide in the shadows, and hit my targets directly. Had you been a target, you would have stopped in your tracks and fallen to the ground. I received a mission scroll early this morning on my door step. I figured we would meet much further out, but I figured I would slow you down so as to allow our fourth to catch up." He looked to the new man who had asked about someone after Kana's head. "Believe me, had I wanted to harm him, I would have." Keiro chuckled a bit. "Here's some things to keep in your mind during this mission, One, If you can't see me, than that means I'm doing my job. Two, if you can see me, You're not my target." He looked to the group and slid his arrow back into it's sheath. "Shall we begin?"

OOC note:

Posts : 542

Kana shifted his eyes in the direction of Saitou as he spoke to the shadows. If it indeed was somebody the purple haired companion knew, then there was little to fear, he followed his partner’s lead and stayed alert in the small chance there would be further attacks and his eyes actually started to look for cover spots and his mind started to formulate a plan to flush the assailant out. Despite the current situation, Kana could not help a brief smirk as he hear a familiar voice and his eyes shifted once more to identify the newcomer. As he had guessed, it was Toshiro though not his usual perky self. There was no time for welcomes as the attacker stepped out of the shadows. The person seemed to be about their build if not their age and dressed in an outfit that indicated he could be no less than an experienced fighter but more than likely a shinobi. A voice calm and with an edge of danger, introduced him as Keiro Karaito.

The bronzed Genin relaxed his stance, and replaced his weapons back to their cousins in his kit. He faced Keiro and bowed to the newcomer. “It is a pleasure to meet you Karaito-san. I am sure that you are more than capable of accomplishing what you have said. It is to our fortune that you have been also assigned to this mission. I pray that we have no need of your skills and that this mission turns out to be no more than aiding some sick villagers. However, if this is something orchestrated by a hostile party, I will rely heavily on your skills.” The tone was quite respectful and his second bowed drove in that point.

Turning to his older acquaintances he replied to Toshiro. “Toshiro-san, it is an honor to serve with you as well. It seems that currier found gleaming diamonds in the proverbial rough. With you, Saitou-san and Karaito-san, I am confident that we will be able to handle whatever this mission will have in store for us. Now if there are no further things pending, I would ask that we hurry to the village. If an emergency summons was generated the need must be urgent.”

The young man awaited any reply taking note of his partners. He did notice that Toshiro seemed a bit paler than usual, enough to almost match his snow white hair. His active mind could not help but conjure a comical image of their different colored hairs bobbing up and down as they hurried to their destination. Even when his shadow self was laughing, Kana’s actual face showed little but a stoic appearance. It was not due to his previous acquaintances but for the benefit of Karaito who seemed to be quite direct and to the point himself. Digging into his small pack of medical supplies he had hastily borrowed from the hospital, Kana produced an aspirin and tossed it at Toshiro, the grimace in his face could be no less than discomfort. Four Genin stood ready to embark on a mission that held the fate of a small village in their hands. The thought made Kana shiver, but as a medic he was to be in those situations more than once. He figured he would have to deal with it sooner than later. He did not consider himself the leader in any sort but he knew he was the only medic in the group so he felt the most pressure. His body was half turned but his social etiquette would not allow him to leave until the rest of his group was ready.

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

Saitou was grinning as Keiro emerged, as he had expected, buth there was emotions hidden behind the purple-haired genin's smile, mostly of a loathing for the other, but he was determined to put his personal dislike for another aside for the duration of the mission, and enjoy it as much as possible; after all, this was probably the most serious mission he'd been assigned so far. Another had also turned up, seemingly pale and possibly hungover, not in the greatest state, although clearly the boy had half a sense of humor. From the way he spoke, clearly he and Kana-san had already met. His indigo eyes scanning around, he was glad to see a group of four had been chosen, and he felt a small pride in the fact he had been deemed worthy; however, Saitou knew that Kinoshi was probably the key member, being a medical ninja. Masaki knew Keiro used medical justu, as he had said the first time they'd met, but he had admitted it was more in they way of poisons, not antidotes and healing, and there was a chance that the newcomer, whom Kana addressed as 'Toshiro', did too. Sincerely, Saitou hoped not, as he didn't want to be the only non-medical member on the team, and as he watched Kinoshi-san pop the pale boy an aspirin, he found himself agreeing with the words the salt-and-pepper haired boy had said. Any social pleasantries would be formed on the way to the village, for they had a mission to do, with lives possibly in stake, and precious time that couldn't be wasted on formal, idle chit-chat.

"Well, it's an honour to work with you all. Toshiro-San, isn't it? I'm Saitou Masaki, but drop the formalities. I think it's best we go with all haste, am I correct?"

Saitou examined the boy infront of him; the purple haired genin was quite a tall figure, and about a whole foot taller than the top of the head, but Toshiro's hair was spiky and long, completely white in color, which made him seem slightly higher. Looking down, he saw turqouise eyes, weariness lining them, no doubt from lack of sleep and perhaps to much drink, which was surprising, considering that he looked a few years younger than Saitou, and he avoided alchohol most of the time. From the ninjato on his back, it could be easily said that he was looking at a kenjutsu user, meaning most likely a close-ranged fighter, the opposite of Keiro, which would make a contrast; already, a portion of a battle plan was forming in the boy's mind. Toshiro-san upfront, using kenjutsu and whatever else he was skilled in to clear the path of any hostiles, himself and Kana-san in the middle, so that they could fight with Saitou's lightning jutsu and Kinoshi's wind ninjutsu, something the purple haired genin had encountered in their friendly spar, and from the middle, it would be easy to give medical support to friendlies on either side, and finally Keiro-kun, using his bow from a long range. Masaki told himself he might be getting ahead, that this illness may just be an ordinary matter, and he would get to gather some herbs; but of course he was raring for some action. This mission was his first outside the village gates, and he was in a full four-man cell, not by himself. To say that this assignment was glinting with promise, an opportunity ready for the taking, was not an understatement; Saitou didn't really believe in any gods, or fate, or anyother scare-mongering superstition, but he was being offered what could be the start of something, like a plum, plump and juicy, it's skin a deep purple, hanging on a branch that lunged so far from the trunk in his direction.

He was all set to go, for his feet to scuff the road that would take him to higher places, to embark on a journey that he would remember as his first major one, and his heart had begun to race with the anticipation. At that moment, Saitou truly felt like a real Shinobi, as he stood with his comrades, prepared to go face whatever dangers, wether or not they exsisted, and hopefully, fight side-by-side. This was it. He slowly reunited his shuriken with it's family inside the warm confides of his pouch, before padding down his legs, pockets and pouches to make sure that everything he would need was with him, and he felt the reassuring bulge of his flute, the small, eight inch blade concealed inside. Taking a deep breath, he looked toward the way they were headed, running a hand through his vibrant shock of hair. It was time to go and do his duty, no matter who stood in the way.

Age : 49 Posts : 1036

With the danger of immediate conflict past, Toshiro had been more than happy to put his tanto back in it's sheath with his right hand while catching the aspirin mid-air with the other, giving Kana the barest nod of thanks, before swallowing it dry and downing the rest of his coco to wash the bitter taste it down. The act of gulping the whole cup at once also hopefully had hid his grimace at Keiro's little lecture. Perhaps it was just his lack of sleep or the dulling pain in his head, but something in that whole speech rubbed him the wrong way - maybe the confidence bordering on arrogance. Oh well, at least the one who called himself Saito seemed relatively normal and Kana was a known quantity, making two of his teammates for this mission at least tolerable.

"Hinamori Toshiro, but I prefer Toshiro. And if speed is important then let us get moving.”

With that he carefully picked up his tray, took out another steaming hot cup of sugar and caffeine, and gestured for one of the others to take the lead. While normally he would be one to take the “point”, given that he had absolutely no idea where the village was due to the lack of information in the scroll, this time he was more than happy to let one of the others lead the way.

Age : 36 Posts : 340

Keiro bowed his head and shot back into the woods. He ran amongst the trees following close to the road, but keeping himself hidden. He ran in the direction of the village, dodging trees as he ran. He wanted to get there quickly, and he had to move. He knew saving these people was important to the rest of the group, and he wanted to be there to get some credit. The quicker the village noticed his talents and promoted him, the quicker he could become who he wanted to be. He moved with such precision and grace, that one would think he was born amongst the deer, yet when he fought, they would assume he was born amongst the wolves. He kept his mind occupied with thoughts of what to do when he got there. Should he help out the other ninja with healing the village? Or should he stay in the shadows in case someone attacked? Anything was a possibility, and he was hoping to get there a little early, so he could scout in case of an attacker.

Posts : 542

Having consent from all his partners, Kana bowed slightly and took off. The road was wide and flat, a testament to both its use and importance. Roiyaru road was known world wide as a main throughway and Kana was thankful for that. Civilized road systems mean that they would not have to cross through wilderness and loose time. Saitou was right behind if not evenly running with Saitou, the one named Keiro had slipped back into the shadows whence he had come from, no doubt his sharp eyes and sharp skills would keep the squad both protected and scouted. Toshiro, to the bronzed Genin’s surprise, was lagging a bit behind. Kana hope that the white haired shinobi was not ill beyond the small aspirin he had given him. A mental note was made to check up on him regularly. A slightly faster pace than normal was set, but the young man knew his partners would more than match it, knowing he was possibly the least physical of the four of them.

Having left early that day, the small village came into view just as the sun had started to set. The urgency of the matter had made Kana forget just how fast they had gone. With their destination coming in view, he started to feel a bit winded but not exhausted. The village that greeted them was a farming one. Woods have been cleared to make acres and acres of farming land. Long rows of wheat and grasses extended as far as the eyes could see. Humble, yet practical, huts dotted the landscape ranging from single dormitories to long multi family affairs. A quick scan would probably count about 2 to 300 people not including children. Statistically speaking, this should have been a small town but the lack of infrastructure had it classified as a village. Two large structures stood in plain view near the main road. The first was no doubt the village chief’s house. It stood in a plot of well maintained yard with a porch going all around. Stone steps led up to it in a serpentine fashion from the road. The other was slightly smaller and bore the tell tell signs of a small shrine.

A local river ran alongside the village, watering the many fields and the populace. After crossing a small, if intricately carved bridge, the group would be in the village of Ariku. Kana looked turned to his companions, at least those he could see such as Toshiro and Saitou. “I believe we need to gather as much information as possible. If you don’t mind, I would like to interview the regent myself. I believe he would perhaps have the best information, at least logistically. Knowing how charismatic you two can be, I would that you interview the villagers and learn from them firsthand what is happening. I am sure Keiro-san, would no doubt already have scanned for any danger and would warn us as applicable. If you have any suggestions as to how we may proceed with this please let me know.” With that, Kana awaited the response from the purple and white haired counterparts and looked around for any sign of Keiro though he knew there would be none if the other Genin was as skilled as he claimed.

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

As Saitou ran alongside his comrades, one stealthily moving through the shrubberies and wildlife, unseen, he felt a surge of determination within him; he wasn't the most useful on purely medical missions, but any tasks he was set he would execute with utmost efficiency, for he wasn't going to let anyone down. The brick road was thankfully easy to follow, although the purple haired genin had never visited the destination they were headed, or even travelled this far down the Roiyaru road, however he knew the general direction they were headed. Kana started in the lead of the run, but Saitou managed to maintain the fast pace he set, the above average speed showing the haste required, the importance of arriving as soon as possible clear, and with that simple hint, the genin was keeping up with, if not often breaking past his comrades, his eyes scanning the scenery that whizzed by for any signs of a hostile presence; he was beginning to feel a bit edgy, as there was a possibility of someone trying to intercept them before they reached the village and dealt with the situation. However, had there been one or two genin, they would've struck without hesitation, but four, now that was a different story. Also, if someone was going to make an attempt to jump out on the team, then there was a large chance Keiro would spot them; but this was all chances, no certainties, which was what Saitou preferred, for reasons none should have to explain to none. His feet slapping the cobble with a fast, repetitive rhythm which he sustained, he kept moving, thinking of what could come next; and thinking of the future never has a good ending.

The day of travel was a long one, but the purple haired genin had performed it without slowing, without having to take a break, fueled by his determination; and finally, as the sun spilt it's secrets, it's pastil rays shone across the darkening sky, their colors the epiphany of beauty, the peak of perfection, like a jewel encrusted scar across the sky. A small grimace crossed his face, knowing that the night may be a long one of hard work, but he was beginning to develop butterflies, but said creatures were going made inside him, and his guts were churning him, as if a farm boy was trying to make them into some dairy product, with an electric fence instead of a churn. Anxiety wasn't really part of Saitou's character, but his heart was hammering his ribcage. Anticipation and excitement lead him onward, toward the wheat blanketed land, where humble huts lay, dozing in the fading sunlight. The village was quite a scenic one, and normally the genin would've enjoyed the visit to the village, had he not had such serious business to attend, and a weary mind to complete it with; and as they stopped, Saitou listened attentively. After receiving his well thought commands, he turned to Toshiro, before speaking.

"Looks like you and me are together then; how about we do this door-to-door? People will probably be trying to sleep soon, but if we work fast, we could get the major streets done,"

looking toward the village, he saw that the structured layout of the area would make their search much easier; leading inward were four large, wide roads, lined with the other buildings of large size and importance, such as shops and inns, and the homes unofficially designated for the more wealthy, although the difference of wealth here seemed little, most seeming like members of an honest folk who worked for their living, and hopefully, the kind of people who would co-operate with those trying to help them. He nodded to Toshiro, scanning the area; there was about 10 buildings on either side before the main building, a structure much larger than the ones around it, and it wouldn't take long to do this street. Formulating a plan quickly, Saitou dug through his pouch, drawing out three ear-pieces which he held out to his companions, before he spoke again.

"Kana-San, you go ahead and interview the regent, as you said. Me and Toshiro-kun will speak to the locals, try the pubs and what-not, I think it is best we split up, try to cover as many buildings and people as possible; we'll meet in the center of the village in two hours. After all, I don't think these people will take too kindly to being woken up. I'll take the left, Toshiro-San, go for the right. If you find out anything, use these to tell us, so we have a better idea of what to be asking about in particular, and if anyone sees suspicious or hostile activity, report immediately, tune your ear-pieces to frequency 7, and we'll be there. Also, I'm holding a flare, so if you see that, you'll know somethings happening,"

He finished the last line with a smirk and small chuckle, but a small part of him was serious; it could be a last resort. Rounding on the sole of his sneaker, he made his way toward the buildings. He'd been a bit bossy, but he was mostly going on Kana's orders, and trying to add were he believed he could be of assistance and use, for he was determined to make a good impression, not just on his peers, but on his superiors too.

Age : 49 Posts : 1036

While the pace of the teams travel wasn’t particular hard compared to the one he had set with Kana on their last outing, it wasn’t exactly the sort to encourage idle chatter - something Toshiro was more than happy about. He put the time on the road to good use putting the pounding in his head to rest until he was almost normal, if still a bit grouchy from lack of sleep. Between that and the rapid approach of nightfall Toshiro had opted to simply listen to first Kana’s then Saito’s suggestions and simply nod his assent when appropiate. Even the offered headset radio had only gotten a raised eyebrow, being something most genin didn’t carry much less have extra of, and it had taken Toshiro a few moments to adjust the gadget according to Saito’s suggestion. Though he would still rely on worn pad of paper and the stub of a pencil he pulled from his equipment pouch unless something extremely unusual came up. Though it was only after Saito was a distance that would be inconvenient to ask without yelling or broadcasting his ignorance for the others to hear that it dawned on Toshiro that he really didn’t know what he should be asking about beyond the vague “what is happening here”.

'Argh! I knew I should have paid more attention when Asusha was quizzing me on the medical stuff. What would be the important stuff to know when dealing with disease?’ It took a minute or two of racking his memories of being used as a teaching subject on something he never really paid attention to (being far more interested in breaking people than fixing them) but eventually Toshio dredged up enough bits and pieces of all those study sessions to have a rough but workable idea of what to ask. Putting down the questions on an open page of the note pad in his barely-legible “chicken scratch“, muttering them to himself just in case the words would knock anything else loose.

“One: When people first noticed it happening.”
“Two: Any sudden increase or decrease in the number of strangers passing through town before or after the outbreak.”
“Three: Anyone who has gone missing just prior to the outbreak.”
“Four: If the ones who got sick did anything different that stood out.”

Once that was done and no further questions were obliging enough to make their existence known, the snowy genin started to look for the best place to start asking questions. Some people would start with the pubs, others would go for the first house and work their way down the street. Toshiro instead looked along “his” side of the street for a home that gave any indication it was the dwelling of an elderly person. It was a bit of a gamble, but if the local elderly were anything like the ones in Konoha they were up to date on all the local gossip and in a town this small that would be just about anything that wasn’t a day-to-day occurrence. That they were less likely to mind “wasting time” talking to a “nosy kid” about what was happening to other villagers than people who spent most of the day in back-killing labor to make a living was just a nice perk of that plan - less chance of getting a black eye for waking someone up or getting a guard dog sic’ed on him. And for once in the day Lady Luck was on Toshiro’s side - halfway through searching the street he spotted an elderly lady just finishing taking clothes off a line in front of what really was little more than a brick cottage with a thatched. No sooner had Toshiro started walking towards that home than the elder began to stumble when the full basket proved a bit too much. Never being one to look a chance when it happened (and having a fair respect for his elders anyway), the white-haired genin had broken into a sprint just in time to stop the old ladies fall with one hand and grab the basket in the other to keep the clean laundry for spilling out onto the ground. “Are you okay? Let me give you a hand with that.” Taking the elders smile and nod as a yes, Toshiro hefty the basket onto his shoulder and started for the cottage’s door. With luck he would be able to gather enough information without having to irritate a good number of townsfolk.

Age : 36 Posts : 340

Keiro had arrived at the somewhat large village before his group had. He scouted along the perimeter of the village before his teammates had come along. His eyes scanning the whole area as he moved. He didn't spot anything that seemed Hostile, and he figured even if they attacked while the team was working, Keiro's bow and arrows were just a reflex away. He saw a few black silhouettes a good bit away from the east side of the village, and he figured he'd report it to Kana. He ran back to the village entrance from the road and spotted the party.

"I saw a few figures about a couple hundred feet east of here, hopefully they don't come and attack. However, I'll be ready for anything. So would you care to explain more about this mission? Or do I just have to...heal" He said the word with such disgust. He hated being thought of as a healer, and would rather people consider him a killer. His ego was big, and he wasn't about to let it shrink with such 'weak' titles.

"everyone I see." He continued from his last pause. He looked to the group and wondered about Toshiro and Kana. He knew Saitou wasn't a medical ninja or else the last training they had, He would have healed the injuries Keiro embedded in his feet. But he had not seen Kana or Toshiro in action, and did not know whether or not they had healing capabilities. He would have much rather left all the healing to any other medical ninja in the group, if he wasn't the only one, however, he figured that wasn't going to happen, because if he did, the rest would have to carry the medical ninja back. A village this large would be a huge drain on resources for any ninja, to having to heal this many people.

"Perhaps we should ask the man who lives in the big house where to start? Saitou, I know you have no medical capabilities. Would you mind scouting the East side of the city for us? Let us know if those figures move closer? I know you have good eyes, you spotted me in the woods during our training." He smirked. He was ready to do what it took to get this mission completed and turned in.

Posts : 542

With the agreement of Saitou and Toshiro, Kana watched as his two partners made their way into the village. They had not crossed the bridge when from the shadows themselves Keiro appeared to deliver his report. Kana took it all in, making sure not to shift his head in the direction the shadowy ninja had reported to have seen some activity.”Thank you for your report Keiro-san, Please continue to survey the situation or help in any way you can. I shall request a report from the regent of this village. “ Kana excused himself and headed to the village chief’s house. The house itself was nothing spectacular, but in terms of the village, it set its inhabitants apart. Though it was times like this when the title was more trouble than it was worth. Kana felt eyes peering through the windows and door of the village. It was clear that their presence had been detected and with good reason, the villagers were wary of them.

His steps led him up the stone path towards the front door of the big house. A small bell was available to announce his presence. A few minutes passed and slowly the door opened to reveal a gaunt man. Age could be estimated in the sixties and though the garb was casual, his eyes told of power and responsibility. Regardless of the man’s station, Kana bowed deeply and introduced himself. “Good evening. I am Kinoshi, Kana a Genin from Konoha come to aid this village. I would like to request and audience with the lord of this village…” He was about to continue when a sharp wave of the man’s hand stopped him.

“Cut the formalities young man, there is no time for them. My people are dying and I am powerless to protect them. I had wished for more able help but it seems even Konoha is uncaring of our plight. Come, and see for yourself if you would be able to help.” The old man walked faster than Kana had thought and with strong quick steps he led the young man in the direction of the shrine. The sight that welcomed Kana was not one of holiness but of death. Lined along the outer walls of the small courtyard of the shrine were bodies of dead and dying. Groans and whimpers could be heard. Two monks, dressed in white robes tended to the physical and spiritual wounds. The scene was indeed heart wrenching and a small fire of anger started to flicker in Kana’s heart with fury against those humans, if it was humans, who could be responsible for such pain.

Kana walked among the sick and inspected them. He noticed the similarities, the patients would spit up blood and have fever. But what was the most disheartening of it all was the discovery of limpid lumps forming either under the armpits or on the neck of the diseased. He saw all he needed to see to formulate his conclusion. He walked with the regent back out into the streets and asked him about any activity on the fringes of the village. The regent nodded and took Kana in that direction. Yet another woeful sight greeted the young man. Rows of unmarked graves lined the field that was previously used for grazing of the farm animals. He could not be sure but he counted at least 50 and more being dug by the people who probably caused Keiro to alert the group.

The young Genin took a deep breath and bowing to the regent excused himself to discuss his finding with his partners. He walked back to the bridge where they had separated and waited for the four of them to gather. Taking a quick inventory of his thoughts and findings there was no other way Kana could explain what he had seen. Using the most even tone he could he relayed to his partner’s what he had discovered. “I am afraid the village has been inflicted with a terrible disease. There is little else that I can do without proper lab equipment but my assumptions based on the available data there is only one thing I can think of….they have the plague.”

Age : 49 Posts : 1036

Plague. The word was enough to send shivers running rampant up and down Toshiro's spine. This was the sort of enemy he couldn't destroy by weapon or jutsu, and yet it could and would depopulate an entire village with no regard for rank or ability. It wasn’t often but this time Toshiro felt completely lost - here was an enemy none of his training or knowledge would be of use against. He had started his search with a stroke of luck and things had gone downhill from there; little to nothing of use. Having gotten nothing that seemed to indicate if the now-identified disease was natural or being artificially spread, Toshiro had returned to the bridge where had had leaned against one of the rails to brood over his lack of success while waiting for the others to return.

“Looks like I’m not going to be much help this time. None of the people I talked to knew of any common thread in the plague victims. The first casualties included the family of one of the richest merchants in town, a recently married farmer and his wife that were returning from visiting relations in the next town, and a number of local vagrants. Zero common habits, interaction, or activities among the victims that would point to a single source of infection. No missing persons around the time the plague started and the only non-locals they remembered were a few traveling merchants that come by every year around the same time plus a handful of minor nobles heading back to the capital from visiting relations in Kusa. Those were over three months and a month ago respectively and the plague claimed it first victim about two weeks ago.” That said he turned to look each member dead in the eye before turning to face Kana. “As much as I hate to say it, I think it would be best to quarantine the village. Right now it’s a few hundred people who are at risk; if this stuff gets into the general population we’re looking at tens of thousands instead.”

Having said his two bits, Toshiro settled down to wait for the other two members of the group to give theirs then for Kana to make a decision. As the only official medic on the team, Toshiro would have been a fool not to accept that unless some hostile force was discovered to be behind the plague, Kana would be giving the orders due to both knowledge and the unwritten (or maybe written - he never was sure) rule that when it came to medical matters even the Hokage couldn’t overrule the decision of highest-ranked medic present.

Age : 36 Posts : 340

Keiro shuffled through his mind. his thoughts were racing at a mile a minute. He looked at the sickened individuals through the window. Pale skin, vomiting, high fever, and possibly other symptoms. "Hold that thought for a minute." Keiro took off into the woods near the village. He dropped near a few mushrooms under a large oak tree. He sniffed them, touched their caps, and studied them. Yep, they were edible. He studied the surrounding area, and gathered up large quantities of other plants. Aloe was the most common one. He ran back to the village, "Kana. Do you have any mortar and pestle on you? Perhaps even a brush?" He smiled. He shook his head, and began to crush the herbs on top of a rock, using another rock. He was thinking quickly, and he was working just as quickly. 'Who needs to be a medical ninja as an Eijutsu user, when being a craftsman can be just as handy!' He thought to himself. He ground the herbs into a fine powder, and sprinkled them onto a few mushrooms. He took the paste of what was left over, and scooped it onto a flat rock. He found a bushel of pine needles, nature's dust broom. He picked it up and walked inside the house. He walked over to a sick individual and asked the nurse. "Is he allergic to either pine or mushrooms?" The nurse nodded, "He's allergic to pine." He pushed the pine bushel away, and opened the sick man's mouth. He pushed the mushroom in, and used the man's jaw to chew the mushroom. Once Keiro felt it was ground up enough in the man's mouth, he massaged the man's throat to make him swallow. Now, to find out if his concoction had worked, was a matter of time.

OOC Note:

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

(OOC: Sorry for the delays and all)

Saitou returned to the bridge where the group had first convened their plan, with a few small clusters of information that held little relevance to the objective of the mission; he was no medical specalist, and so he couldn't examine patients like Kana-kun, but he wanted to do his part, and so he decided not to try and knock the doors of homes down and then question the innocent townsfolk inside, but instead he tried to find the more influential locations of the village. Of course, this led him to a small bar with a smaller crowd, but gossip was plentiful there. Unfortunately, the muscled, greying men who clearly used to work the fields when they were young had little to say about the illness, and so over a quick half glass of water Saitou listened more to any strange happenings, which, again, there was little to be said about. To these old timers, the illness was taboo to speak about. One curtly informed the Shinobi of his daughters illness and death, and a silence enclosed the bar, disturbed only by the snoring barkeep, and the boy probed no further, sensing it was a sensitive matter. The talk of the day was the sudden disappearance of someone's sheep. Saitou quickly noted to himself the name of the victim, who was called Hazumi Shinji, just another farmer with land around the village, which he doubted would be useful, but the way his luck was going, anything he could pick up was good. After paying of his tab and leaving a decent tip, he made his way out of the sullen room, revelling in the fresh air and feeling 20 years older.

Stifling a yawn, he felt slightly disappointed with his progress, but Kana's discovery sent shivers down his spine and suddenly he was reminded of the serious nature the mission held. Listening to Toshiro-San speak, he tried to think of the best plan of action. Of course he wanted to be helpful, and he would have to try hard to throw in his two pence, considering he wasn't as well suited to the mission as the others, and so as his comrade spoke of quarantine, a thought came to life in his brain, the sparks offered, all he had to do was simply start the fire and it would begin to blaze by itself. Looking behind him before his indigo eyes turned back toward his teammates, he cleared his throat and made his idea known.

"I agree with Toshiro-San. If this is indeed plague, then it is in our best interests to protect the general populace and make sure that we contain any damage caused. But on another track, although I am no expert in medical matters, is the disease not spread by germ infested rodents? It took us the best part of the day to travel here, in the time the first victim contracted the plague, whatever the source of the disease is could've made it's way out of here and be in even Konohagakure by now, in which case the damage could be much more widespread and the quarantine useless. It's all very well curing it, but we can't allow the plague to spread any further. The best plan of action is to track down the source and eliminate it, thus stopping any more areas from being infected; but from the evidence I've gathered, there is nothing known about the origins of the disease. But in the time it would take for us to gather enough information to know the source, hundreds could die. We need to be efficient. I'm no leader, but I'd like to suggest that Kana-san and Keiro-kun attempt to treat those infected, as they have much more developed skill in medicines, whilst myself and Toshiro attempt to locate the source to contain the damage, as there is little help we can offer in medical situations,"

As Saitou spoke, he felt an odd confidence and calm in him, which was odd considering he wasn't the most confident nor a great leader, and speaking his mind in such a way wasn't something he did often. At least he'd contributed; he felt slightly small to the others, as if he were in their shadows. Kana was calm, skilled and professional, Toshiro, although he'd arrived in not the greatest state, had an air about him that suggested strength, and Keiro... Well, Keiro was Keiro. And that meant cold and deadly, not to mention egotistical. Saying his bit felt slightly mandatory, and he disliked the way he'd come to consider himself the least experienced of the group. Saitou told himself that everyone here was equally professional and that trivial standings and strength were of no use here, that on a mission, brains and skill mattered.

Posts : 542

Kana saw how his proclamation had an effect on the group. Indeed, of all the foes in medical history, the plague was one of the most formidable and there had been records of it almost wiping out a country. The bronzed Genin heard the other’s reports and nodded as he received it. His face became even more stone like as he listened to perhaps Toshiro’s and Saitou’s surprise he spoke with a resolve that almost bordered on mechanical. He by no means felt himself as a leader but to his knowledge he was the only commissioned medic in the group and as such the huge responsibility of the group, the village and the entire region rested solidly on his shoulders. He took a breath before addressing the party again.

“Thank you for your reports. You are indeed correct Saitou-san. The plague comes from the fleas living in rodents. Quarantine is best. There is little time and resources to completely heal, if at all, those already infected. Our best course of action is to separate those that are from those that are not and in some way ease their passing. I believe the best suited for the task of attempting to heal and caring for the sick would be left to Keiro-san and me. Saitou and Toshiro-san please use your water clone jutsu to cover more ground while figuring out who has and who has not been infected yet. Please try to use your clones as much as possible so that you do not get infected if at all possible. Once the quarantine has been set up, one of you must enforce it and the other must search for the source.”

He turned to the white haired Genin he knew as Hinamori, Toshiro. “Believe it or not Toshiro-san, your report has given me a good place to start. Rats tend to inhabit cool and damp places. Seeing that this is a farming village, granaries or warehouses to store the grain must be around. I spoke with the village elder and he said that trading will not commence until after winter due to the snow and cold. This will also keep the rats in place. Please look for such places and kill all rats that you find. If we need to, Keiro-san is probably more than capable in making some sort of poison seeing how handy he was with raw materials.”

Kana looked now at Saitou with a sort of apology in his eyes which only flickered for a second. “Satiou-san, I hate doing this to you but you will have to be security for the quarantine. Many family members will try to see their loved ones. Death is a very powerful motive, so people will be savage. Please try to use caution but your safety is more important to me above all else. That goes to all of you, we serve the people but if we go down the people hurt.”

He turned to Kerio and spoke to him respectfully because he had never worked with him and did not know his work ethic. He especially did not want him thinking that he was ordering him around. “Keiro-san. It seems to me that you are experienced in medicine, the pharmaceutical side of it at least, and your skills might aid us in either combating or at the very least easing the pain of those already ill. Would you please make enough for 50 people as those are the ones currently in the later stages and we will address those that are just in the initial stages as applicable. I shall try to use the Mystical palm and see what effect this has on the virus. I wish you all luck and may we save as many people as possible. “With that he bowed to his group and headed towards the village elder and then to the shrine, now converted into an infirmary. Their battle had just begun.

Age : 36 Posts : 340

Keiro nodded to the man. He was indeed much better off with the pharmaceutical side of his medical knowledge. He had gathered enough plants to cover about 10 people, but he would need to gather more. He would also need supplies for rat poisons, in case the group of them couldn't catch them all, he wanted to make sure they killed them all. He ran out of the building with much haste, ignoring the calls of those around him. He took off into the woods, collecting many different herbs. The left pouch on his belt, held the herbs and mushrooms and other various things that were poisonous. The right pouch on his belt, contained the non-poisonous, actually even positive herbs and mushrooms. He returned to his rock, and began to crush the herbs into the powder and paste medicine. He made batch after batch, and every time he finished one batch, it seemed they were asking for another. The requsts weren't coming quickly because of the intensity, or the time, but mainly because, there were so many sick. After he finished the task of creating that healing salve, he gathered the other herbs. He began crushing those poisonous herbs into a paste. "Saitou, Toshiru, I need some small little foods. Cheese, nuts, berries, anything a rat will eat."

Age : 49 Posts : 1036

Toshiro had nodded at each assignment Kana had given him, committing them to memory and trying to shake lose anything else he could add, while also silently cursing his lack of interest in the “putting people back together” part of a shinobi’s knowledge. That said, he at least had something that might be of use immediately. Having searched through one of his pouches, Toshiro pulled out half a dozen snack bars that he kept on hand to offset the “flavored cardboard” taste of typical ration bars. As far as he knew, there wasn’t a rodent alive that wouldn’t be able to resist nibbling on the concoction of nuts, grain, and dried fruit that was held together with honey. Not only was it sweet enough to mask the taste of “additives“ but the bars were also very sticky - so much so that even powders would stick to them. “Would these work? And if you know of one, a poison that works quick then breaks down would be best. We want the rats to die but not the animals that prey on the rats - we need ever bit of help we can get eradicating that problem.” His piece said, Toshiro waited until Saitou had added whatever he needed to before gesturing for the other combat-orientated genin to follow him before walking towards the main road and speaking his mind once they were clear of the other two.

“I would advise against splitting up initially Saitou. If we’re going to basically be busting into people’s homes to forcibly remove their dying relatives someone is bound to go over the edge and try to stop us with force. Having to kill or maim a local, even if it was purely in self-defense, would not make our job here any easier. Two of us plus whatever clones we make is enough that most won‘t try anything out of fear and the few that do we can over-power without having to cause lasting harm until people start to realize we’re doing this for everyone‘s good. We’re also going to need some means to transport the sick ones. Carrying them is out and I didn’t see any horses on our way in even if I was willing to risk something that important to a farming town. The more comfortable we can keep them the easier it might be for the relatives to accept what we’re doing. Something like ... like that!” That turned out to be a fairly normal cart that would likely be drawn by a single pony or a pair of large dogs with a bed wide enough to hold roughly three adults lying down without crowding and more if some sat upright. Most importantly though this cart had a harness set up for two (large) dog-sized animals to pull it. If something could replace that missing source of motive power, it would allow the two genin to transport multiple invalids relatively humanely and without needing to make a new clone each time and expend precious chakra they would soon need for patrolling and rodent-eradication.

Running to the side of the cart, Toshiro gave it a quick inspection using every bit of knowledge he had gleaned from a handful of C-ranks as a caravan guard and from listening to the clan members who were involved in trade. Once he was satisfied that the wagon would be (relatively) safe and sound, he stepped back and added the missing element with a quick series of handseals and a whispered “Suiton: Suiokami” that brought into being two large wolves. Without a word or growl the two constructs ambled to the cart and took up the places in the harnesses and Toshiro began strapping them in as best he could from based on spotty experience. The resulting fit wasn’t perfect (wolves being much leaner than the typical drover canine) but it was close enough that it should work. After adding a water clone to help with moving the cart and handling the afflicted, Toshiro took a step back .

“Now we just need a few stretchers and some means to keep the fleas off us.” Again looking up and down the empty street to see if it could provide a solution to either problem, Toshiro’s eyes landed on an apothecary’s shop whose sign in the shape of a cedar tree jogged loose a memory. In particular a memory of him and his sisters helping treat Aunt Amaru’s cats and their own dog for fleas using cedar oil. If the shop had some of the strong-smelling oil that would be one problem down for the entire Konoha squad. “Lady Luck might just be on our side Saitou-san. If that shop sells cedar oil we can smear that on us to keep the pests away. Fleas hate the smell of the stuff and if they linger too long it kills them. I’ll see if the apothecary has any of that in stock. If you can find us something to use as a stretcher we‘ll probably need several of them before the night is done. Also some blankets to wrap the sick in.” Reaching into an inner pocket of his jacket, Toshiro pulled out his worn wallet, took an uncounted amount of bills, and handed them to Saitou. “That should be enough - get as much as you can. This might not be the only day we have to collect people and bodies.” That was another thing that irked him about Konoha (along with the “arm thyself” bit) - even if the expenses were mission-related he didn’t recall any sort of expense account for genin. Hence his willingness to front the funds to purchase what they hadn’t been able to bring as Toshiro suspected that among the four genin he was likely the only one who didn’t actually need the payment for a mission to live on. With his partner now armed to borrow or outright buy whatever was needed Toshiro strode off to the shop in hopes of finding the one flea-killing substance he knew of that wouldn’t also kill the user. And just maybe a few other items of use - he wasn’t a medic-nin but he knew that certain types of roots could dull pain (useful for keeping a sick person comfortable & quiet) while others could keep the two genin alert even after without sleep.

No sooner had Toshiro opened the door with the bells above it chiming out then his nose was assaulted with uncountable smells. Some were common, some pleasant and some reminded him of the one time he had poked his nose into Rukia’s workshop when she had been making an extra-potent tear gas and gotten a lung full of it due to startling his sister (since that time he always sent a water clone to tell his sister dinner was ready). Apparently the short man who bore a bit of a resemblance to the gnarled roots he in his stock wasn’t terribly affected because he only looked up from whatever he was grinding in a small bowl to glare at the genin and ask “what do you want stranger?” in a sullen voice. ‘Obviously not overly friendly but I can’t hold it against him. Most people probably ran to him for a cure and when nothing worked blamed him for it. That would sour anyone.’ “Cedar oil and as much of it as you have. Also something that can dull pain, and something that can counter exhaustion - preferably when chewed.” His request placed, Toshiro took out his wallet and prepared to pay whatever it would cost. Better an empty wallet than the plague.

“Pfft. Finally someone with a lick of sense - I’ve been trying to tell them that cedar oil will keep the fleas spreading the plague away but no one listened. Even the priests aren’t convinced.” The old man didn’t even bother to turn around, instead reaching under his counter to pull out a dark bottle with a stopper and a hand-sized block of something wrapped in waxed paper. “This bottle should do and this brick is a resin form of the oil. If you put it in boiling water the stuff will go back to a liquid but this way it keeps nearly forever. Apply it to anything you don‘t want fleas on and it will keep them off for several hours. At Toshiro’s nod of understanding, the shop keeper did turn around and rummaged in several draws before pulling out two bundles of twisted rooted, one a wood-brown the other almost white.

“This pale one is asteraceae; put it in the mouth and have them chew it to bring down the pain. Also helps a bit with fever. This brown one is a ginseng from Yuki no Kuni - chew on it and it should keep you going no matter how many people you have to move when you put down the quarantine.” When the old shop keeper said quarantine Toshiro had instinctively taken a step back - he didn’t know how but if a shopkeeper he had never seen knew what the genin were planning then things would be getting a lot harder. “How did..”

“Kid, I may be old but I am neither blind or stupid. The only reason Konoha-nin would be in this place is the plague, and all this stuff screams your going to be moving plague victims. There is only one reason to do that - quarantine to keep more people from getting infected. I hope for all our sakes you guys can do what no one here had the guts or sense to try when the plague first showed up and try to save the living instead of the walking dead.” With that slight reassurance, Toshiro managed to recover his composure enough to pay for the items he asked for and took his leave of the shop and it’s gruff if wise keeper and walked to where the wagon, and hopefully Saitou along with a supply of blankets and a stretcher, would be ready to go.

Spoiler:

Toshiro CP: 36
OOC: Yes cedar oil DOES work against fleas. It’s no substitute for a good dose of prescription-only topical medication but it does work. Just has some ugly side effects if used for too long or too much is used.

Age : 25 Posts : 1767

(OOC: 1700+ words there Nuclear... I need to up my game x3)

Kana-Kun was quick as ever in assessing the situation, and when Saitou received his orders, he just nod, his jaw set firm, his eyes burning with desire to complete his task, no matter how long it would take, how many times he might have to come into contact with the disease, or how many dead he would have to deal with; the worst that could come was the stench, he told himself. He would shut of his emotion for the sake of other's lives. All of a sudden, he wondered if he was in too deep; the mission could prove difficult, tiring and stressful, what with emotions running high from the villagers and anger at being quarantined, Saitou suddenly felt as if he was taking the first major step toward becoming a Shinobi. It was taught that Ninja's should bottle all emotion to follow orders and do what was best for their country, no matter the personal pain they would endure or the stress that might come. Suddenly, he wondered if he'd honestly wanted to become a Shinobi. He wanted to protect those he loved and make people proud of him, he did want to serve his country, but for the first time, he would have to become seemingly heartless; at only 15, he would have to forsake the lives of innocent farming folk for the larger population. It was a decision no person should ever have to make, but Saitou told himself that if he didn't do what was required of him, not only would he let his comrades down, he would place large numbers in danger. Gritting his teeth, he told himself to man up. Today, he would watch people die. He would watch as their distraught loved ones cried. Through the night, he would endure cursing and shrieking, cries and weeping. And he wouldn't be able to do anything.

Keiro-Kun set to work with pace, crushing and grinding, preparing concoction after concoction as instructed, and Saitou couldn't help but be in the slightest amazed at the Genin's pharmaceutical knowledge and ability to work with such natural materials. Sometimes, the purple haired boy wondered what it would be like if he'd chosen to pursue an art other than that of Ninjutsu, or Genjutsu. He was certainly amazed by the intellect and efficiency of the Medical Shinobi, and watching them work made him feel slightly insignificant, as if his own knowledge and skills were void of anything out of the ordinary. Inside one of his deeper pockets, he felt the reassuring weight of his incarnate silver flute, and he was filled with a surge of determination and will; he may not be experienced or full of knowledge, but he was a Shinobi of the hidden leaf, and he would not allow himself to feel small, or pathetic. The night would soon bleed into day, and both promised to be long ones. Saitou would need all his will power to keep going, and confidence was going to be vital now, as his actions would depend on the lives of others. Still at work, he heard the pink haired boy speak, and in reaction, he turned, digging into the pockets were he stored his non-essentials, the items and objects he only carried on occasion and were of little importance, and it seemed that one of his habits had finally payed off. Digging out a small, cloth, drawstring pouch, he softly threw it at Keiro, the small objects inside rattling together like beads as he turned and nodded at the Medical Ninjas.

"Looks like my sweet tooth may have finally payed off. That's my food pouch, there's chocolate and sweets, as well as some bread and cheese; feel free to use all of it. I'll hop to it then. Good luck, fellow Shinobi,"

Saitou then turned on his heel and waked beside Toshiro, nodding as his comrade spoke, agreeing with what he was saying to the most part and twiddling his fingers which hung by his side, feeling sweat trickle down the his forehead. To say he was a little surprised was an understatement when his teammate exclaimed and began to examine the lonesome cart that stood with no clear owner by it, although it looked in a good condition, definitely useable. It was odd to find such a thing on the roadside, but Saitou guessed that around the town locals assumed nothing would be stolen; which rose another thought that someone might just be angry at the thought of their cart being used to transport plague victims. However, a cart was a cart, and the arrangement of wood was neither rare or expensive, it wouldn't be missed, and it was easy to replace if someone mourned the loss of the vehicle. His partner sprinted toward it, throwing an eye over it. Saitou knew little of these basic carts, but his comrade seemed confident it would work, and it certainly didn't look too bad; after all, it was a simple build in most respects, just a harness, a sitting area, some wheels and something to drag it. Then it dawned on him. How would they move it? But before the Genin could ask, Toshiro was already half way through utilising a justu, the likes of which Saitou had never seen before; in seconds, two large canine figures appeared, apparently made of water, and although they seemed a bit bulky in their large frames for the cart, however the conjurer of the constructed beasts began to strap them into the harnesses with an unpracticed, fumbling speed. Saitou wasn't much better with ropes, so instead he closely inspected the others handiwork; and not just the rope work. The purple haired genin was marvelled by the jutsu which had formed the animals, and he made a mental note of it. If he ever had a spar with the other Suiton user, the jutsu might be one to avoid, and it was certainly quite a unique technique. After Toshiro had finished, he went on to create an additional clone, and Saitou wondered if his comrade might be tiring his chakra sources too quickly; they had a long night of work ahead of them, and although they wouldn't require masses of power, it was best to conserve energy for now.

Saitou perked his ears when Toshiro spoke again, and clearly, there was something to be happy about; the Shinobi explained his thoughts of how they could repel pests, and once again, the purple haired boy was bowled over by the practical knowledge of his comrade. He nodded, saying little as he drew his eyes away from the water conjurations. Once again, he was rendered mute by the actions of his teammate; a teammate who had just handed him a hefty roll of bills from a worn wallet, and although Saitou opened his mouth as if to speak, no words came to his gaping lips, as he tried to roll the question from his mind to his tongue. Nothing came but an embarrassing 'Wha?', and the genin felt extremely stupid, blushing like a thousand suns burning. Clamping his jaw shut, he changed the expression on his face back to the serious one he'd maintained throughout most of the mission, and with his indigo eyes burning, he nodded his thanks and took the money. He decided to count what he spent and pay it back after the mission was complete, as he wasn't one to take from others. With a small smirk offered, Saitou rounded on his heel and jogged in the opposite direction of his partner and funder, thinking about how to construct makeshift stretchers; there was no doubt that in a farming village, there would be an untold number of sheep, and with sheep came wool, and if someone wanted to sell wool, then they might even go as far to sell materials such as cloth and linen. What he needed to find was a tailor, or a clothes shop at least. Not to mention, he was also in need of some poles, wooden or metal, which he didn't have a clue where to find; deciding his best bet was to search multiple streets at once, he quickly moved his hands in a blur, summoning a water clone with the same jutsu Toshiro had used to create another him back by the cart. Coming to a Y in the road, Saitou and his replica split up, just after the money was evenly transferred between the two.

The solid yet not real version of the purple haired genin sprinted for perhaps another 50 meters, turning left into what he deemed to be a small shopping street, the ideal location for shopping, but there was still a chance it wouldn't possess what he needed. Feet slapping the cobbled floor, he scanned around. There had to be something. Bamboo. Plastic. Metal. Anything would do; something sturdy, something long and handle like, surely someone could sell it! Head turning frantically as he ran around, he realised what he would have to do; he didn't like it, but peoples lives where on the line, and he would leave some money and hope that later the villagers would be grateful and acknowledge why he'd done it. Leaping into the outside area of a small, closed café, Saitou's clone jumped into the air, kunai bared, and began to work at the umbrellas fixated in place by bolts. Carving the metal was slow work, but 8 umbrellas stood by the wooden tables that groaned with the soft wind, and if in two minutes he'd freed them all, bolts slashed to free the vital metal, and so the purple, water embodiment of the boy threw down some ryo inside the shops open vents, hoping it would replace what he'd taken. There was enough for four stretchers. More would be needed. But were could more be found?

Meanwhile, the other Saitou, the real one, had skidded to a halt by a carpet and curtain shop, were, through the heavy iron bars, he could see the linen and cloth he needed, but despite what Toshiro had said about lady luck, the shop was closed, and the genin remained outside. he could break the glass no problem; the metal was another story. Then it clicked. The jutsu that Oka-san had taught him when he'd been called to the academy for a routine check on his progression; he couldn't remember the exact words his old sensei had said, but he knew the gist, and that was enough to know that now was the perfect situation for it. The jutsu had been one mostly designed for escapes, but also useful for break ins. 'Often, a Shinobi will have to escape from capture, or infiltrate guarded territories. This jutsu is ideal for breaking physical obstacles that might obstruct your way in or out of buildings or areas, and thus deemed useful to be taught,' With a grin, the boy placed threw a quick punch, not much power, as he was hardly a close combat fighter, but the strength of a ninja was enough for the job, and, after the shattering shards quick descended, slashing at Saitou's unguarded wrists, he put his hand next to the iron and concentrated. Moments later, the iron cracked under the pressure of the jutsu, a gap just wide enough for the Genin.

Slithering in whilst avoiding any more cuts or scratches, the boy quickly raced toward the curtains, finding the cheapest products possible, finding his ideal item when he reached a thick, undecorated linen roll, at the sight of which he pulled the flute from his inner pocket, took of the cap, and with the sharp blade of steel, he slashed at it, making 16 different sections, roughly 6ft long each, the haste in his cut easily noticeable. Chucking yet more Ryo onto the floor, he picked up the material and ran. However, on his way out, he spotted long, wooden curtain rails, and sighing, grabbed 12, about as much as he could shoulder, and after paying once more, he began to sprint back to the cart, arms laden with his not exactly bought load. As the cart came back into view, he saw his other clone waiting for him there, 8 metal poles by his feet, and Saitou wondered how the others were doing.

OOC: Jutsu, Chakra and equipment

Spoiler:

Posts : 542

Kana walked in the direction of the village elder and bowed upon his approach. With respectful, but hurried tone, he delivered the report of all the instructions he had given his fellow teammates and expressed his personal trust in their abilities and offered to take all responsibility for any complaints that might come from the performance of their duties. As they walked Kana attempted to get as much information as he could from the village elder now that he understood the situation. From the report, 50 people were already dead, about 50 were sick in different stages and the total population of the village consisted of 300 villagers. That meant that by raw calculations about 200 were still seemingly un affected. With a respectful tone he addressed the chief. “Sir, we are going to need your aid in maintaining the quarantine. Please address your villagers and inform them about our plans. I will do all in my power and skill to aid either by curing or by easing the passage of those too sick to save but you must understand that my responsibility is also for the whole of Hi no Kuni. Should somebody try to leave the area or attempt to harm my partners in any way, we must act with prejudice. I swear by my honor as a Konoha Genin that I will not leave this village until you are satisfied with the results. Please make haste in this and remind the villagers that all this is under the authority of Hokage and the Fire Lord of which I take personal responsibility. “With that he bowed to the village elder and excuse himself as he entered the shrine which had been converted into a make shift hospital.

Kana bowed to the monks and spoke with the head monk and explained their plan to have all the sick be gathered in the shrine for quarantine and administration of treatment. Kana made sure the monk knew that he and his three assistants did not have to participate in the very real event they too might get sick. The older monk, a small framed man about his sixties with a long beard and dressed in white robes smiled back at him with a paternal look "Young shinobi, our charge is the service of the people in this village in whatever way necessary. As you tend to their bodies I shall tend to their spirits and if the price is my mortal body then so be it. The Kami will judge. Please young man; let us know how we can help.” Kana bowed his deepest thanks and started issuing out instructions.

He helped the monks separate the sick by stage of the illness so as to prevent cross contamination and for easier monitoring. The shrine had three inner rooms that consisted of the dormitories and a spare room for offering sanctuary. The main courtyard was to be used for the least sick so that they may still exercise and not feel confined. The head monk’s dormitory, which had a small back door, was to be used for the sickest of the villagers to move them out of the shrine in secret so that the others would not see and cause panic. Kana and the head monk concentrated on the sickest ones while the other monks tended to the other people. The bronzed Genin racked his brain for possible cures but his knowledge on this disease was limited.

From time to time he would go out and see Keiro delivering his concoction to those least sick and the bronzed Genin hoped the shadowy Genin was skilled for the people’s sake. He approached him on one of his deliveries and spoke to him in the same respectful tone he had used earlier. “Thank you immensely for your help Keiro-san. I am sure that your potion will bring much aid to these people. When you are finished with the administration of it, it is your choice if you want to patrol and make sure no body leaves the area or aid Toshiro-san with the eradication of the rats. Please feel free to ask anything or if you have a better plan please let the team know.” Wit that He bowed deeply and held it for a second or two to communicate how much he thought of the other’s skills and abilities.

He returned to his task and was encountered by the head monk. “It seems poor Shika, will not make it son. She is far too gone. Is there anything that you can do to ease her passing?” The young Genin nodded to the elder man and headed towards the person in question. Shika was a little 7 year old girl who had been in the second wave of those to fall sick. It seemed that though this was a plague it was not as potent as those he had read of. Only the elderly and very young had been affected at the beguiling and only after the third wave had some middle aged adults and teens taken ill but those were still in the early stages and probably able to be saved if Keiro’s concoction worked. For the time being Kana knelt besides the makeshift bed of the young little girl. She was a red headed, freckled little thing and was always lively even as sick as she was. Kana brushed back the young ones hair on her fevered head. She was pale white and her breathing was shallow and uneven. It did not take a medic to know she was hanging on by a mere thread. Kana spoke to her in a soft tone. “Shika-chan, can you open your eyes?” The little girl slowly opened her tired eyes and looked the bronzed Genin. He voice was weak but still cute “Kana-ni I was talking to my mommy, she says that I can go see her. Can I? I would like that Kana-ni.” The girl’s mother had died while she was still young. Kana’s voice suddenly felt choked but he managed to nod. “I will help you see your mother Shika-chan.” Knowing that her passing would other wise be painful Kana decided to err in the side of mercy. Performing the needed hand signs, he placed one on her head and one on her folded hands. Slowly he drained her of chakra and life force. The young girl would slowly fade as if to sleep but her dream would be eternal.

The head monk stood behind Kana and watched as few tears ran down the bronzed Genins face like liquid pearls and fell upon the sweet face of the newly departed little girl. The elder man would place a comforting hand upon the Genin’s shoulder and would say in a soft voice. “If tears could heal son, yours would be the cure of the world. However, the Kami have blessed us with them being able to heal a broken heart. Young Shika is truly smiling back upon you this night. Mourn her passing but remember there are those that still need your aid.” Kana looked up and around at the small room with about 8 extremely sick people. He knew that shika would not be the only one to die from this plague and that strengthened his resolve. There was the majority of the sick that were on the early stages and they depended on him pulling through. Pushing the girl’s hair back again he placed a small kiss on her fore head, and stood up. He bowed to the wise elder and proceeded with his rounds. He was tired and hungry and stressed but he knew that he and his partners stood in the way of death for this village and he would be dammed if he would let these people go without a fight.
(OOC: when you guys want, we can do a time jump from the quarantine.)

Age : 49 Posts : 1036

Toshiro had used the short walk back to the cart to apply the pungent oil to cover any opening a flea could find, even splashing it into his hair and working that in. In the process he gained a whole new understanding of why dogs & cats reacted so badly - already his eyes were watering and his nose burning from the intensity of the smell. 'Whew, now I understand why those cats did their best to cut my eyes out when we opened the bottle up. If I didn't know what it does I would consider it torture too.' Given the slower pace walking while doing so had required lest he drop something important, Toshiro had arrived last of the three 'So I'm not the only one here with a solid clone - then again Kana did say for both of us to use our water clones.' Despite the seriousness of their situation, Toshiro took a moment to enjoy the realization that accompanied that thought. He had finally someone outside of his own clan who he could actually compare and sharpen his skills with water with. Maybe Saitou even had an interesting jutsu or two that Toshiro could trade for. His moment of joy done, Toshiro picked up his pace and managed to reach the cart just a few seconds after Saitou did. A quick inventory of what the other genin was carrying made it apparent that the other genin had been able to procure by whatever means exactly what would be needed for the stretchers. While the blankets might have helped, it couldn't be helped if there were none to be hand (likely for the same reason Toshiro figured the cart wouldn't be missed - the plague) - they would just have to improvise. Still he managed to send a satisfied grin at the other genin. To have found what was needed so fast and in enough quantity to allow for spares was a minor victory.

"Perfect. It looks like we both found what we were after and without unnecessary bloodshed." It was only after that was said that Toshiro noticed the blood on Saitous sleeve and found himself torn between worry that the other genin had literally made a killing on the material and a desire to use the whole situation to crack a joke. In this case (and given Saitou's lack of looking over his shoulder for pursuit), the white-haired genin opted for the joke while pointing at Saitou's sleeve. "Is that your own blood or should I expect a mob to come howling down that street soon demanding your head for getting a killer deal on the poles." Chuckling a bit at his own (rather morbid) humor, Toshiro handed the other genin a roll of bandage material from his pack along with the bottle of cedar oil. "Smear this around every opening in your clothes and over any exposed skin. Don't forget to rub some into your hair too. I also got some roots that we can have the sickest patient chew to keep them calm and some others that we can chew to keep alert if this takes too long." Having a guess as to what his partner might say about shinobi needing an outside substance to stay alert, Toshiro raised a hand to forestall the expected objections before verbally plowing ahead into his explanation. "Yes I know shinobi aren't supposed to require things like that, but the more I see of this place the more I think this isn't going to be the only night none of us get any sleep and we need to be as alert as possible. There is still security and rodent-eradication to be handled after this."

Hopefully having at least stalled any objections for now, Toshiro took the half the metal poles from the clone and several the lengths of the cloth from the real Saitou before sitting tailor-fashion on the ground then starting to make the first stretcher. Using a kunai he first gouged a notch into each end of the pole to anchor the wire then with a sebon in place of a sewing needle and much swearing every time the ninja-turned-inept-tailor stuck himself a series of holes was made through which he passed the wire before winding it around the pole. The result after maybe five minutes was three rather ugly looking affairs but they should (emphasis on should) make adequate stretchers for now. With a mutter of "this looked a lot easier in the books", the shortest member of the Konoha team quickly slide the first batch of stretchers into the back of the cart before checking to see if his partner for this was ready to go. Maybe it was the slightly ghoulish nature of their task getting to him, but Toshiro again found a rather inane (if rather humorous) thought popping into his head that. Whatever it was, something was certainly making him a bit more willing to open up from his slightly reserved self around the other genin. Then again maybe it was just the fact that if this mission went pear-shaped the four of them could die in this town along with the locals and it would be weeks before anyone noticed that made Toshiro not want to die among absolute strangers. "I hope you didn't enlist to met girls Saitou. Well unless you consider looking down the blade of a kitchen knife aimed at your eyes while carrying her dead or dying relation a good sign for a future relationship. Ready to go?"

OOC: Fit in whenever you can Tennu - Saitou and myself can RP getting people until you're ready.