Ishiaki appeared in his usual manner, a puff of smoke and suddenly he was perched atop something. This time however, he held a small scroll in his hands. "Goooooooooooo
od morning squaddies! I've got something you three just might want to see." He called, his voice traveling through the house. It had been well over a week since they received word of how well they had done during the demonstration. He knew that they were quite eager to begin doing missions, to be honest, even he had begun to get a little antsy.
The responce was less than riotous from Oita's end, in fact he didn't even appear from his workshop. And that's where he was, it's where he always was when he wasn't coming out for food and other bothersome bodily functions. Around a week, that's all they'd had to get ready, Oita had been repairing puppets for that entire time; at least it looked that way, who could really tell what he was doing in there?
Akane had been practicing kung fu alone for the past 3 days. Kami was hardly speaking to her and Oita was always locked up in his room, giving Akane more time to meditate and focus. In her own quarters, she worked on her crane forms the most but had been playing around with snake style as of recently. She even had observed wild crane fighting, in hopes to learn the technique more quickly.
"What is it?" Akane asked, walking out of her room and into the living area where Ishiaki was perched. Seeing the scroll in his hands, she wondered if he might need someone to read it for him.
Kami swung in threw the window, her hair a little messy and grass stains on her knees. Her comings and goings over the last week had been mysterious, but the general idea was that she'd ether been investigating this thing they called town life or running around in the forest. Sometimes she came back damp, denoting that she may have been practicing her jutsu since it sometimes resulted in rain.
Ishiaki waggled the scroll in his fingers. "It's mission time boy and girls. You've proven yourself worthy of missions, but the degree of them still is yet to be seen. Like most ninjas, we'll be starting small. However, seeing as how well you all performed at the demonstration, we won't be starting at the bottom of the totem pole, with say D-rank missions. Though don't go counting on any S- or A-ranks for a while. What we have here is a nice and comfortable paced C-rank." He paused a moment to allow this to sink in. "Now I know you would all prefer a B-rank, well so would I. But in order to get B-rank and higher, you've first gotta do some C-s."
There was a soft creak as Oita joined them, opening his workshop door and shuffling out. He looked badly in need of a shower or at least standing outside while it rained; he was covered in wood shavings and saw dust head to toe, every step he took and every movement he made sent a little cloud of the stuff up from somewhere.
Ishiaki quickly unfurled the scroll and ran his fingers across it's surface. At first glance, it appeared as though there was nothing actually written on the parchment; however upon further inspection one would see small bumps and raises all along its length. "Alright. What we have here, ladies and gentleman, is a C-Rank Escort mission. We're to take a delegate to a meeting place safely. I know it doesn't sound like much, but we're here to show the neighboring villages that we can do what we say we can. The easiest way to do that, is by protecting them on their journeys." He bobbed his head to the side at that last part, almost as if he were rolling his eyes beneath his headband. "Believe me, I know full-well how lame this mission sounds and the three of you performed admirably before the Council and certainly should be getting more higher ranked missions. However, it is in the opinion of the Council, that we start slow and work our way up. It could be worse, they could have stuck us with a D-rank."
Oita nodded, a shower of dust falling to the floor as he moved his head. "I don't suppose there will be time to bathe first?" he asked, wondering if he was going to have to suffer a case of "carpenter's rash" again. He didn't mind they started low, it was better to work upwards than to throw yourself in the deep end and pray to swim.
"It's not our place to question the orders of the council." Kami said. Honestly she felt that escort duty was a little bit beneath them but she also understood that before you must dash, you must learn how to run.
"Who are we escorting and to where?" Akane asked, wondering if they would be leaving this village or not.
"We'll be escorting one of the delegates from a neighboring village back home. They were here for your demonstration and had a few meetings with members of the council to see about joining this Coalition we're representing. It is our job to see them home safely and punctually." Ishiaki explained further. "We'll be departing tomorrow afternoon after they meet with the Shimagunikage. The final decision of whether or not they join us, depends solely on how well their trip home goes. So be on your toes."
The words no pressure dangled over Oita's head like a lead weight, but he ignored the urge to say anything and simply nodded. "I will need to bathe" he said, sticking to the simple facts as he turned away and headed up over to his bathroom. He had sawdust in places he didn't like to talk about.
At this news Kami's heart jumped and she was forced to ask "Ishiaki Sensei... may I ask who we are escorting?" really hoping it wasn't her sister.
"Kami if you're thinking it's someone from your village, relax. The Village Hidden by the Smoke is already a contributing member of the Coalition. As I said, we're escorting someone who was here to observe and consider joining." Ishiaki explained further, hoping to quell any nervous thoughts going through the young ninja's head
"I hope that it is not someone that our clans have had a vendeta with" Oita spoke aloud from the doorway, keeping it open while he ran his bath so he could listen in on the others "It would be troubling to protect someone we are meant to hate."
Kami was relieved by Ishiaki Sensei's words "That would indeed pose a problem." She replied to Oti's trepidation.
Akane rolled her eye and leaned against the wall with her arms crossed. She didn't understand why these two cared so much about the person they were to escort. "When can we start?" she asked quickly.
"Even if you are supposed to hate their clan, Oita, it is our job to protect them and see them home safely." Ishiaki specified yet again. "It shouldn't matter whom the person is." He sighed greatly when Akane asked her question. "Does anybody listen to me? Seriously. I've just had to repeat myself once. For those of you who appear to be hearing impaired...We're leaving tomorrow afternoon after they have a meeting with the Shimagunikage. It's someone from a village looking to join the Coalition. For crying out loud."
"Merely an observation" Oita said before shutting the door behind him and going over to his bath. He might need several before he got rid of all the sawdust, but at least now he had an entire day to get ready.
"it will not happen again Sensei." Kami said with a bow, feeling completely foolish.
Akane scowled and hustled to her quarters without a word.
Despite how foolish Kami felt she needed to ask another question. "Will this be a long mission Sensei? If so I shall prepare some rations for the group." She didn't mean out right food, but rather some protein balls and a few other helpful things she'd learned.
"It certainly could take some time. You should always be prepared for the worst really." Ishiaki told her with a smile. "It looks like it could take a week at the most to escort them back to their village. Hopefully we'll make good time and won't be gone quite that long."
"I will get started right away." Kami said and without being dismissed she hurried off to the kitchen to access the ingredients she would need. She could already see that she would some of the day foraging.
Oita came from the bathroom, he was spotless but the bath seemed rather... messy. It was as if the wood shavings had absorbed the water and left a slight slurry in it's wake; he'd cleared it out as best he could but still it was a mess. He had a towel wrapped around himself, everything below his navel was hidden behind a sheet of flannel and his glasses were heavily steamed from the bath.
Ishiaki twiddled his thumbs and then hopped down from his perch. "Alright then, I don't want to disturb your packing. So I'll be off to do my own." He looked at Oita curiously. "Are all your puppets in working order? Or did you need to make new ones since the demonstration?"
"My puppets are fixed, but I have been making a new one as well" Oita said, pausing in the doorway to his workshop again "Though I do not know if it is ready for battle yet."
Akane slid the door closed when she entered her room. As she moved across the room, Akane untied the large bow that wrapped around her waist. She laid out the thick cloth and began to pack medical supplies into it.
Kami emerged from the kitchen with something packed in a draw-string pouch. She took this to her room and from there slipped out the window instead of using the front door. She often did this when she left, rather than announce her departure via the front door. She had foraging to do and she wanted to hit the greenhouse first, hoping to save on time.
"Well we have a little time before we have to leave, you think you can get it up and running by then?" Ishiaki asked him. He was curious to see what his student had been working on for so long.
"This puppet is still the prototype but I shall have it up and working to satisfactory standards by tomorrow" Oita said, bowing to his sensei before moving into his workshop again. He really needed to get dressed.
Akane finished packing her medical supplies and various other tools. She wrapped up the ribbon and left it on the dresser for tomorrow. Figuring she wouldn't have a chance to tomorrow, Akane settled on the idea of taking a bath. She moved down the hall and stepped into the bathroom, sliding the door behind her.
"Well, either way, I cannot wait to see it, Oita." Ishiaki told him before he vanished into the workshop again. He saw Akane scurry down the hallway and enter the bath, for a split second he thought of moving down there to make sure all was well with her...He banished the thought with a chuckle and a smirk and headed for the door. He had to pack for their trip as well, after all.
Akane started the water and carefully undressed. Finishing, she slipped into the shallow wading pool. Kneeling into the warm water, she started to bathe, pouring a small bucket of water over herself. Akane's own little birdbath.
The familiar sound of Oita's tools could be heard through the wall; he'd come out bathed and gone back to work... He'd forgotten to eat again. If he wanted to be strong and good on the mission Akane would probably need to give him some food.
Hearing Oita's tools, Akane sighed. She couldn't have a soothing bath for crying out load. Trying to ignore it, she dumped a bucket over her head.
The occasional sound of wood being grated, rubbed, occasionally hammered and smacked seemed to come from Oita's room, though not frequently. It was fine design now, keeping the new puppet's body in check, making sure it all hung together well.
Akane was content to relax in the bath until the water was cold. Shaking her head, she flung water out of her hair. Leaning back, she floated with her head resting on the edge of the tub. She exhaled slowly, enjoying the relaxation.
After weeks upon weeks of no one else posting, Akane rose from the bath and stepped out. Grabbing a towel, she wrapped her teal hair up, making sure each hair was properly tucked in. Akane proceeded to dry herself.
Oita was coming out of his room again, saw dust was starting to cling to him again; he'd gone right back into preparation. They boy needed to get out more, that was for certain. He'd come out for food, his stomach finally complaining to him loudly that he'd forgotten to eat.
Wrapping a towel around her torso, Akane slid open the door and wandered out into the hallway. Heading to her room, her and Oita crossed paths.
She didn't see his head turn to look up at her, but it was pretty obvious that Oita had seen her since he hunkered lower down and moved faster towards the kitchen, a slight blush lingering around his cheeks. He wasn't used to people, let alone half naked women wondering through the house.
When Oita passed, Akane gave herself a once over to make sure none of his dust and debris flew off onto her. In the clear, she proceeded to her room to get dressed.
Oita stopped up and down as he walked, letting the dust drop to the floor as he stomped through to the kitchen. He would feed himself, this would be a new challenge to him, but it shouldn't be too different from making a puppet.
Akane quickly dressed herself completely and removed the towel from her hair. Although she could easily dry her hair with her wind chakra, she always preferred to let it air dry. Adjusting her eye patch, Akane exited her room, bored to death. She made her way into the kitchen on her tippy toes, not wanting saw dust on her feet. "Hey-"
Oita blinked behind his thick glasses, cheeks colouring again as he kept making his sandwhich "Hello." He didn't know what to say to Akane really, he wasn't used to dealing with people on a daily basis.
Akane walked around the table and ruffled her wet hair with a hand. "Oh how sweet of you, is that for me?" she asked politely, obviously sarcastic. "Thanks man."
Oita paused as he put the last of the sandwhich together, seemingly thinking for a long moment, before pushing the plate along the counter towards Akane. He reached out towards the bread again, planning to make himself another sandwhich.
Akane chuckled lightly, "Heh- I didn't really mean it." she said, amused by how gullible he was.
It wasn't gullibility that had made him push the plate aside, the fact that Oita hadn't been in the mood for a joke right now. More of a push over than gullible. "Do you want the sandwhich or not?" he asked, pausing while holding the knife just in case he did need to make a new sandwich.
"You can have it." Akane said plainly, shifting her weight and moving towards the fridge. Opening it, she leaned down and looked around for something to drink, whistling a songbird tune.
Oita bit into the sandwhich finally, looking over at Akane for a moment, then blushing again and closing his eyes tight as he turned away. Two women. Two. In this house with him. He would NEVER get us to this...
Grabbing the carton of milk, Akane unscrewed the cap and placed the him on her lips. She tilted it back and drank from the carton without a care.
"Germs!" Oita said loudly, colouring brightly the moment he said it because he was not used to being loud like that. He shivered for a moment before saying "We have to drink from that as well Akane. We do not want it full of the germs inside your mouth, alright?"
Akane didn't cut her chug short when he spazzed. Easing the carton away from her lips, she looked at him and offhandedly said, "Relax- I brushed my teeth this morning."
"Your mouth is still full of germs" Oita pointed out, crossing his arms and frowning... though his glasses rather disguised this fact "Your saliva will cause that milk to curdle quickly... and to be honest I don't want to drink your saliva."
"Oh-" Akane looked down at the carton of milk, "Well....looks like you need to buy more milk." She shrugged her shoulders.
Oita let out a low grumble and began to eat his sandwhich again; Akane needed to learn how to live with people apparently. Well so did he, but he knew the ettiquette at least.
Akane smirked and put the milk back in the fridge. "No? Well then you can have to rest of mine." she gestured to the milk before closing the fridge.
She probably drank from that one with her lips as well... Oita sighed and placed the rest of his sandwhich on the plate "You're not used to living with people who do not have to care for you conditionally are you?" There was something behind those emotionless words that was perhaps insulting, or perhaps intentionally hurtful. Oita was not a puppet, no matter how much he tried to hide the emotions "What do you actually wish to happen within this team Akane?"
"What?" Akane shot him a glare, not intimidated at all by this thick rimmed kid.
Kami came in threw the kitchen window with a flat of small pants under her arm. She'd not yet become accustomed to using the front door, but so far no one had complained. She sat down her plants and wiped her footprints off the counter and windowsill. She was very excited, Ikiashi Sensei had promised her some hands on training once they were complete with her mission and she'd gotten a job at the green house. Right now not even Akane couldn't ruin her good mood. She immediately began pulling things from the cabinet and set to work.
Akane jumped back a bit when Kami shot through the room, "Jeez! There's such things as doors, ya know?!" she shouted.
Kami hardly glanced up at Akane as she set to work grinding her herbs and applying ones that Oita had in the house to a bowl on the counter. She was too excited with the future to bother letting Akane get to her.
"Good to see you Kami, we will leave you in peace to concentrate on your herbology" Oita said to her, moving to leave the kitchen, and gesturing for Akane to follow. He was going to keep talking to her, but he doubted doing it in front of Kami like this would be a good idea.
Akane rolled her eyes at Kami's actions and followed Oita out of the kitchen. Adjusting the wrap around her waist and the bow that rested on her butt, Akane waited for Oita to explain what he had planned.
"Do you intend for us to remain a team?" Oita asked, turning on the spot and crossing his arms as he looked up at Akane, his glasses reflecting the light up into her eyes.
"Well- yea. That's kinda the point." Akane said as if it were obvious. Was this all from drinking out of the milk carton? Jeez..some people were so sensitive.
"Then perhaps I suggest you revise your behaviour. This team is made up on rocky terms in a strange place with a group of people who, honestly, don't seem to get on with other people. It will not take long to disturb the working order of this team, and if this team breaks up then a LOT more will happen than you never seeing Kami again" Oita was talking very authoritivly for such a small and... frankly meek looking boy. But he was trying to make his point come across to Akane "I asked you to be mindful of your thoughts and actions a week ago and I have seen no hint of you doing so."
Akane immediately got defensive, "Hey- I'm sorry if we don't click and aren't the best of friends, but it's not all my fault." she explained. To put it honestly, Kami sometimes just annoyed the shit out of her and there was nothing that could change that. For the past few weeks, Akane had tried her best to ignore her.
"I am not asking you to be best of friend, I am telling you to try. To show Kami some... good aspect of yourself which she might be able to concentrate on when she gets annoyed with you. Have you attempted to talk to her yet? Properly... talk to her?" Oita felt tired with this, people unable to control their emotions and doing foolish things that might jeopordise something much larger than themselves.
"I'm just a bit annoyed that you keep on pestering me about this and not her." Akane said stubbornly. She was starting to get the hint that no one liked her around here.
"I am talking to her about it, but I have not done so in front of you, the same reason I am not talking about this in front of her" Oita said simply, sighing and shaking his head slightly, rubbing his eyes beneath his glasses "I am just trying to look out for the team."
Akane fluffed up her wet hair some more, hoping to distract herself from Oita a bit. "Well what the heck do you want me to do?"
This, honestly, stumped Oita. He didn't know how to react to people, he just tended to try and avoid them. It wasn't working very well. "You could... I don't know... talk to her? Ask her to train with you? Girls night in?" he'd read about those... no idea what girls did on them "I don't know."
Akane raised a brow. Did she really look like someone who enjoyed slumber parties? "So it's completely alright for you to avoid both of us but I can't avoid Kami....makes perfect sense."
Kami could hear them in the kitchen. Though the house was spacious the walls were paper thin and she'd stopped working on her rations for the moment. She didn't know much about Oita but he was proving to be a very good friend already. He was looking out for them and that was good. She was trying to do that too with her work here in the kitchen. So she set to work again, shoving the first tray of pellets in the oven to bake and harden. Using this modern stove was much different that a coal lined hollow in the ground with a clay pot, but it was more effective and she set to work on the second batch.
"I am not causing friction between the team" Oita said gently "While I am... strange... and yes I will need to change I realise that, your behaviours are a more pressing problem. Mine might cause problems, perhaps, but the emnimity between you and Kami is likely to rip the team apart."
Akane wasn't one to admit she was in the wrong. Especially when it meant that Kami would 'win'. "You know what though- this is probably the ballsiest I've ever seen you, Oita. I'm impressed." she crossed her arms and leaned on one leg.
"Yes well..." Oita's cheeks flushed, his hand shaking slightly as he brushed back his hair "Don't... don't get used to it. It's just... this is important. I don't want anything to go wrong." He closed his eyes, not that Akane could see behind the thick glass "Just try."
Kami was done rolling her pellets and while she waited for the first batch to bake she transplanted the remaining herbs into the flower box outside the window. Once she'd done doing that the pellets in the oven were done. She removed these and slipped in another tray. She waited for the others to cool before tipping the tray into a small pouch. Each pellet was roughly the size of a blueberry but they would go a long way. Two other trays waited for the oven, each holding a different sort of pellet.
"Yea yea..." Akane shrugged him off, adjusting her bow on her back, disinterested in this topic.
Oita frowned slightly at Akane and sighed "Yes... I will go talk to her now." He closed his eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and headed back inside the kitchen to find Kami.
Kami had her head in the oven removing the other tray. She turned and placed it on the counter and slipped the other in before greeting Oita. "Almost done." She said with a smile. "One more pan to go."
"Wonderful" Oita said, poking the tray full of balls gently; it was human nature that hot things should be touched to check if they were hot, so he got the small burn out of the way before it caught him by surprise. "I do not doubt you listened to me and Akane speaking..." he said slowly, watching Kami while sucking his finger.
"It is hard to help." Kami admitted. "But I did not listen on purpose."
"I just want it to be clear I am not taking sides... and I just wish this to keep our team together" Oita said slowly, sighing and going over to get a glass of water for himself. "I do not like being emotional or... around people... so I dislike the fact I am having to do this to make sure this team stays functional."
"I understand Oita." Kami told him as she emptied the cooling tray into another pouch. She pulled the drawstring tight and tied it before depositing it with the others. "and I do not wish to cause friction among out group, but I will not let her walk all over me any longer." Kami didn't sound angry, she was too happy for that. She'd gotten a job today and the promise of one on one training with Ikiashai. Nothing shy of a giant wild boar could deter her happiness. "I will not... (she paused as if looking for a word)... start trouble, but I will end it if I must."
"I just wish to avoid trouble from happening" Oita said slowly, looking over his shoulder at the door he'd come through. He hoped this mission would make the two work together... Perhaps if he managed to get in peril so only both of them together could save him? But would he put his life on their working together?
"I will not start anything" Kami told him as she removed the last tray of pellets from the oven. She closed up the grates so the flame inside would suffocate on it's own. "I promise to you and to Ikiashi sensei." It wasn't one of those promises a teen gives their parent or a friend. This was of the ninja vow variety and Kami had no intentions of breaking it.
Starting wasn't the problem though was it... Oita simply sighed and nodded, looking over towards the door again "I should probably work on my puppet again... get it opperational for our mission."
"Would you like any assistance?"Kami asked. She was curious about Oita, he seemed like he would make a good friend. "I am nearly done here."
"I... I would prefer to make my puppets alone" Oita said gently "It lets me concentrate... and I do not wish to make you dirty with the saw dust I will likely create. Thank you... but I will be fine."
"Alright." Kami told him. "I shall call you when Ikiashi retrieves us?"
Bored again, Akane walked over to the couch and flopped down onto her stomach. Exhaling out of her nose, she turned and dug her face into the cushion. Her hand rested on the floor.
"Yes... please do" Oita said with a short bow to Kami "I will probably not hear him when he arrives." Looking around slowly, Oita seemed to become nervous for a second as he was unsure what to do, then simply gave another quick polite bob and left to his room.
Kami gave him a small bow in return and went back to cleaning up the kitchen. She'd planted her herbs, made her pellets and now her packing was complete. She made short work of tidying up the kitchen and rigged a watering pouch above the herbs in the widow box should their mission take longer than expected.
Akane turned her head so that her face wasn't digging into the couch anymore. She stayed laying down and watched Oita scurry awkwardly back to his room. Their team was so weird on so many levels. Akane wondered if the other team got along as perfectly.
A few hours later...
Ishiaki strolls in through the front door, a very odd entrance for him. "Anybody home?" He called.
Akane opened her eye and looked around. Realizing that she had fallen asleep, Akane rose and sat on the couch. She wasn't all too excited for whatever it was Ishiaki was about to announce.
Hearing Ishiaki Sensei at the door Kami rushed out of her room, a few extra pouches were slung around her waist, all ready for their mission. "Ishiaki Sensei!" She exclaimed, excited that they would soon be on their way. She seemed to remember something and rushed right back out of the living room to rap sharply on Oita's door. "Oita, it's time! Come, hurry!"
There was a moment of silence, then Oita appeared, pushing an extra puppet scroll into his backpack. "I hope" he said as he emerged "I will not need to perform tests on this puppet out in the field. I am unsure of it's abilities as of yet."
"ou should take a proven one also." Kami advised "Just in case. You wouldn't want to be caught with your kimono down."
"I am leaving behind candle, if we are venturing into the forest then he may do more harm than good. Other than that my team is complete as ever" Oita said with a firm nod; he'd never had to chose before... Maybe he needed a bigger backpack to make sure everyone came along for this trip.
"Good morning, Akane." Ishiaki said with a wide grin. "Everyone ready for their first mission?"
"Mornin'." Akane said, yawning a bit. "Already? Alright... gimme a second." she said, slowly getting to her feet. Lifting her arms up, she stretched before heading into her room to grab her things and take a piss.
"ready, never" Oita said simply "However I am... willing to go." He gave a small smile and sighed, patting his pack and waiting for someone to tell him what to do.
"I can respect that." Kami said. She understood Oita's reluctance to ignite an entire forest.
Akane soon returned with an empty bladder and a ribbon around her waist packed in the back with minimal supplies.
"Alright! Now that's everybody's ready, it's time to move out." Ishiaki told them proudly. "We'll be doing a simple escort mission today, guarding a special someone on their journey back to their own village, and insuring their safe arrival."
"Are we getting that person's name or are we just protecting them?" Oita asked simply, wondering if this was one of those cases where the kids were just told to do what they're told and not ask questions.
Kami Was excited ether way. She didn't have to know who they protecting so long as they returned quickly to get to the training Ishiaki had personally promised her.
Akane got a really weird sense of deja vu and she wasn't very happy about it. She lifted an unenthusiastic brow and winced at her teacher.
"Now I know that escort duty isn't the most glamorous of jobs, but at least we're not off hunting a giant animal like the other squad is." Ishiaki offered with a light smile. Hunting was easy, but not being allowed to harm the animal made it far more difficult that one would believe.
"WHAT?" Kami exclaimed. "Why did they get to hunt a giant animal and we didn't?" Kami had to admit that given the two options she would have preferred the other team's mission.
"Perhaps" Oita said gently as he thought "It's because they thought we might do too well with that. This is meant to be a challenge after all..." He glanced over to Kami and shrugged slightly "Why give us easy missions?"
"You make a good point Oita." Kami told him. "I am sure they know what they are doing." She smiled at him, now even more excited to think that this mission was a challenge for a purpose.
"Where and how far do we have to go with this ....escort?" Akane asked, leaning to one side with a hand on her hip. She didn't really like the sound of this mission to begin with. Like Kami, she much rather would've preferred an offensive mission.
"The option was up to the squad leaders. Tsu and I agreed that this would be a better use of our squads separate talents." Ishiaki explained, looking at his squad members. "They're not allowed to harm the animal in any way. It is a Sacred Beast." He paused and chuckled, "Apparently, they are supposed to obtain milk from it."
Akane snorted and couldn't help but laugh. "Damn- glad we didn't get stuck with that."
"Somehow" Oita said slowly "I am finding it difficult to imagine the other team milking an animal. They do not seem the type to be able to do so." He hitched up his backpack and looked towards Ishiaki "Should we head out now?"
"We are escorting a dignitary that was here to discuss the possibility of joining the Coalition. They are afraid for their safety, and that is why we are escorting them home. So make sure that you're on your toes." Ishiaki told them sternly. "If we fail at this mission, we're going to be in some serious trouble."
"Yes Ishiaki Sensei!" Kami said happily. "We are all ready to go." She couldn't exactly speculate for Akane but she knew for a fact that she and Oita were ready.
Akane turned her torso and cracked her spine 4 times. "Ah-" She was ready to go. Who knows, maybe this would be cake. Akane wasn't too worried.
"Excellent. Our dignitary is waiting for us at the gate." Ishiaki explained, vanishing with a loud POOF!
Oita stared at the place where Ishiaki had dissapeared from "He really needs to make a habit of actually taking us to places." He adjusted his backpack and glanced around at the others "We're heading off then?" he asked to confirm they were all ready.
"Yea- no shit, right?." Akane said in regards to their anti-social teacher. "I'm good." she said finally, walking to the door. Opening it, she didn't bother waiting for Kami's answer. She was a little teachers pet and was probably carrying her gear all day. The two of them were still on thin ice since earlier.
"Isn't this fun" Oita said with no emotion, simply walking over to the door himself. He stood there however, turning and gazing at kami as he waited for her to join him as they headed out.
Kami finished quadrupole checking her gear once more and almost headed for the window out of habit. She closed the door behind her and looked at Oita "I have heard that town's people sometimes lock their doors when they leave home. Is this customary for you as well?"
"I don't know" Oita said honestly as he found Kami beside him, locking the door behind him anyway "I barely left the house... that and it was easy to tell who had crafted what puppet. No point in stealing the precious things then."
"I see." Kami said, thinking she understood him. The concept of theft was new to her also and she wondered why someone would want to take something that wasn't theirs. "We should get to the gate." Kami said, knowing perfectly well where it was since she'd been all over the village and surrounding area in the last week.
"Yes" Oita said simply as he hitched his backpack up a bit more "Lets head off then..." He needed Kami to guide him, while he might be able to discern where it is by himself he'd much prefer it if Kami showed him exactly where it is.
Kami didn't bother addressing Akane, she'd only sigh and roll her eyes at her any way. She headed east towards the main gate where Ishikaki had told them to go.
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