The Island of Eternal Frost is a small island within the Coalition's protection. Here there is no spring, nor summer, or fall, only winter. It is a harsh existence, but the people here flourish nevertheless. They use the snow and ice to build their homes, there's wood to burn and- animals for fur and food. What nature does not provide for them, they trade amongst their neighboring islands.
On this day however, there was little snow left in the area. Great steam and smoke filled the skies above the little village on the island. Screams could be heard echoing through the hills. Whatever had happened on this once peaceful island, it certainly wasn't natural.
The Tardis docked and the hull itself steamed as the water made contact with it. The gangplank extended and Captain Kenkyu stepped off, standing off to the side to allow the others to disembark.
Akane winced and started shivering already when she excited the cabin. Snow or not, this place was horribly cold. It was like walking into a freezer. She strode a bit awkwardly in her thick boots, not used to all this weight on her feet. She couldn't stand how uncomfortable the socks were on her feet as they got tangled up in her toes. Wrapping her arms around her torso, she headed to the gangplank behind the others, not too thrilled with this island so far. Why didn't they ever get missions in the tropics?! "Woah..." she said slowly, seeing her own breath in a wisp of smoke as it left her mouth.
Oita emerged, a little ball of cloth in front of the much larger backpack. He was so tightly done up that practically all you could see of him was a pair of shining glasses and the puffs of smoke from his mouth as he breathed. "Fascinating" he said, observing the multiple houses created from the snow "Though... by- the sound of it we should be busy soon."
Tsu dashed down the gangplank, skidding slightly on the icy floor but managing not to go right off the edge. She was looking around rapidly; screams in the distance, she wasn't trusting them to arrive completely safe. Her eyes were on the surrounding areas. "Right lads, you can hear the battle waiting for us. Hope you're all set up, because I don't fancy waiting around."
Kami stepped from the gang plank bundled in blue fur. She was the only one who'd had clothes for this sort of weather. Beneath her furry hood you could only see her eyes and nose. She felt more incumbered than usual having gotten used to the temperate weather of the INC Village, but she was accustomed to moving in her gear. The others however looks a little less excited about the cold.
El stepped above deck and the chill nearly knocked him over. He ducked down out of the wind and put his hood up. He had not expected such insane cold. He came back up and immediately felt as if this was a very bad idea. He could hardly move in his clothes and he already missed his sombrero. He drew the strings on his hood tight over his face so all anyone could see were his eyes. He'd seen snow before. In small scattered patches sometimes. The last time had been when he was very young, but it had been ages since it had been that cold in his homeland. While the nights were cold he was still so used to the insanely hot days. He would rather walk on the surface of the sun than spend another moment in this frozen abyss.
Akane took another breath to see the smoke, but coughed suddenly. The sheer bitter temperature stung her throat instantly. When she inhaled again, it was shorter and hesitant. Even the air here was terrible. "T-this is s-s-so stupid." she grumbled, moving her scarf in front of her mouth and nose to warm them.
Kano couldn't help but grin as he made his way down the gangplank. He was wearing longer, thicker pants and snow boots rather than his shorts and sandals, but his chest was still bare beneath his vest. It mattered not how cold it was, his people did not face the weather like others might. It was dishonorable to admit defeat to the weather. He put the pants and boots on to make Master Tsu happy, but total submission would never do.
Ishiaki looked at the others and couldn't help but smirk. They were young and inexperienced, but they would do. He nodded and called for his team. "Let's get to the relief center. The others have their own part to carry out."
Kami moved off the gang plank to join Ishiaki and despite her snowshoes, which should have only let her sink a couple inches, she suddenly found herself nearly knee deep in the snow. Perplexed by this she tried making her way towards Ishiaki.
Akane was behind Kami now, walking slowly in her snowshoes. After seeing how far her comrade had sank, she grew a bit nervous. She could use her wind to jump over it, but that would only waste her chakra unnecessarily. With a gulp, she stepped off. Being lighter than Kami, she didn't sink as much, but with the weight and unsteadiness of the snow sinking her, she fell flat on her face in the white powder.
Kami heard Akane fall face first into the snow behind her and looked back. She didn't at all laugh, not considering that Kami was having just as much trouble. Unable to turn around completely Kami reached back to help Akane to her feet again.
For being 'Miss poise and grace',
Akane sure looked like a fool right now. Only two steps off of the ship and she had managed to get a face full of snow. "COLD! COLD COLD!" She planted her hands to push herself up but they only sunk deeper, not yet seeing Kami's hand as her face was blinded by melting flakes.
Ishiaki moved over to his students and hauled Akane up by her bow. He looked over at how deep in the snow Kami was standing. "Kami, are you wearing weights?"
Oita didn't so much step through the snow as furrow was way through it; every step would sink like anything, so he just plowed his way slowly through the snow. "This might hinder us quite a bit" he murmured, feeling his pack pulling him down.
Tsu clicked her fingers at Hinji, Kano and El "Come on boys." She started to move off, heading off already "We'll find the relief centre quickly before getting out there. Got those scouts ready Hinji?"
"They are already scouting the surrounding areas."
Hinji said, catching up with Tsu quickly, "I can recall them if you wish and get a quick report."
Kami assisted Akane as best she could as Ishiaki helped her up, when he asked his question she looked up into his ... well, to his headband and answered, "Um... Yes sensei..." It was almost more of a question, as if he'd told her to take them off earlier and she was unsure if she'd been listening.
Kano walked unencumbered by the snow as he approached Master Tsu. He couldn't believe that all 3 members of the other squad kept falling in the snow rather than walk where the snow had already melted...
"I'm ok, I'm ok."
Akane said, feeling a little stupid all of a sudden. She grabbed Kami's hand and righted herself. "I got it." she said, unable to wait until they were in the village and buildings. She brushed her hands against her face, trying to get the snow off as fast as she could. Her cheeks, nose and chin were already red.
"No thank you"
Tsu said to Hinji "Give it a few minutes, no reason to bring them in now. El!" Tsu glanced back towards him "Come on, catch up. You alright back there?" Kano and Hinji didn't seem to be too bad, though Tsu was surprised about Hinji, considering he had lived inside of a cave most of his life and probably saw very little, if any, snow.
No,
El was not alright. El could hardly stand upright it was so cold out here. In the desert one could expect maybe a temperature of twenty degrees in the coldest of winter nights. On those nights there might be a dusting of snow, but never a lot. But this... He could hardly breath. He swore his lungs were freezing closed with each breath. His hands were balled up in his sleeves and he'd bent his sleeves against his sides so the air couldn't reach his hands. How was he supposed to play in this inhospitable environment?
Kano looked back at his friend, he was clearly struggling with the cold. "You need a hand, El?" He offered, the snow was melting as soon as it came in contact with his skin.
Ishiaki nodded in acknowledgment to Kami. "It would probably be easier for you if you weren't wearing them right now. Right?" He looked around and saw Oita plowing his way through the snow. "You alright there, Oita?"
"Yes Sensei..."
Kami said, feeling extremely silly that she'd forgotten. She removed her weights from her arms and began to remove the ones from her legs also. She returned into the ship and left her weights on one of the bunks. She emerged, trying to hurry as to not cause them any more time, but as she came up from the hold she launched herself completely from the small staircase, over the end of the boat and into the snow at the bow where the boat had docked. She'd only once removed her weights and then she'd had a heavy pack to compensate. Now she had nothing but a few extra clothes and she wasn't used to moving at such a light weight.
Akane was freezing, keeping her arms wrapped around her torso. She was only a few feet from the ship ramp and was shuffling her feet carefully, staring down at them and the blinding white snow, not wanting to sink or fall again. Her teeth started chattering, unable to help herself.
"Chilly but manageable"
Oita responded, glad that he had his own fire chakra as well. He wasn't wasting it, but he was keeping his toes from going numb. The boots didn't help too much after all. The backpack kept the wind from him though, which was good.
Tsu carefully approached El, frowning and looking up at him "Temperature shock. We should get him some warmer clothes the first chance we can get. Here." Tsu pulled out a pair of socks from her fannypack, spare ones she had brought along. She had a few spare items in there. "Put these on your hands, they'll help."
El nodded, but with all his shaking it was hardly noticeable. He brought his hands up for Tsu Sensi to place the socks on.
Akane wasn't doing much better, but at least she was managing to slowly shuffle in the large tennis rackets on her feet. Her teeth were chattering and she was unable to stop them. When she tried, her whole head trembled. Going from a toasty, high tech ninja ship to this... it was unbearable. How on earth was she expected to heal people in an environment like THIS? Akane coughed again, unable to get used to how chilled the air was here.
"Wont be able to keep those on for very long." Hinji said pointing out something he felt was obvious, "He wont be able to do much more then fumble with his guitar with those on."
"He can take them off when he's going to be really using his powers, but for now I want his hands to be warm"
Tsu said, wondering why Hinji thought "taking things off" was a little too tactical for El to handle. When both hands were encased in the socks she nodded to El "Hands a bit warmer now?"
"Judging by all that smoke up ahead, my guess is it's going to be getting warmer as we get closer to the village."
Kano pointed out to everyone, hoping that they wouldn't see it as an obvious thing. They had all come prepared for ice-cold weather and now it was looking as if the majority of the snow was either melted or on it's way to becoming slush. The smoke up ahead though didn't appear to be coming from chimney fires, the plumes were far too thick and far too black for that. The village was on fire...
Kami came back towards the group, moving in spurts as she tried to run to save time. she quickly understood that she was going to have to start training how to control her new speed.
"I certainly hope so..."
El said, his teeth chattering wildly.
Tsu sighed softly and patted El on the back "Come on, we'll go quickly, that'll warm you up." Tsu turned around, checking the boys once again, before quickly starting to move towards the tree line, walking on the snow as if it was solid ground. "Try and stick to the trees, alright?"
Kano nodded and then stole a final glance at Kami before jumping up into the trees to propel himself towards the village.
"Let's get a move on it team. The injured aren't getting any better on their own."
Ishiaki told his team as he headed toward the village as well
Akane lagged behind for only a moment as she untied the snowshoes from her feet. They were too much of a hindrance right now. She could barely walk, let along run or jump. Stepping onto the snow with her boots now, she actually didn't sink too much. Besides, there wasn't much snow ahead. Doing her best to ignore her shivering and chattering teeth, Akane focused and ran, though not nearly as fast with all this gear on her person.
Oita looked over at Tsu as she balanced on top of the ice. Ah yes, why didn't he think of that? Oita took a step back in the furrow he made, then jumped. He stood on the solid snow, sinking slightly as he took steps, but managing to stay relatively upright. He was using his chakra control to support himself.
Kami followed behind Akane. She kept her shoes, intending to not put any unnecessary drain on her chakra. She consciously had to remember how to run to keep from overshooting Ishiaki sensei and Akane.
El followed Tsu sensei and tried to imagine his body getting warmer as he moved. All he could feel were the icy patches on his exposed cheeks and how the wind seemed to cut right into his chest and thighs as the fabric of his winter clothes drew tight across them as he moved. The young Mariachi was miserable. he would be of no use to anyone in weather like this.
"No problem there."
Hinji said, thankful to be in the shade of the tree line as he moved along quickly with the rest of the group.
"Come on"
Tsu said, slowing down slightly as she looked around at El, who was the slowest "Try to stick to places that the others have just leapt from. It'll disguise our numbers, and it'll give you a bit of protection from any snow on the branches."
Kano slowed down so that he fell in line with El. He knew his friend was suffering from the cold, but he himself was barely even feeling it. He hoped that maybe his natural heat would maybe rub off on the Mariachi.
Akane hurried as quickly as she could in these boots, but the faster she ran, the colder the air was against her face. It stung like a thousand tiny kunai, reddening her cheeks and nose. Being here was a horrible experience, she could only hope that all healing would be done indoors.
It wasn't long after the ninja squads took off that they came to see just how terrible the devastation was. There was but one garrison left standing on the entire Island, where 3 once stood. The troops within the garrison were worn out, exhausted and in desperate need of the reinforcements that the ninja squads represented. When the 2 squads arrived, the Captain of the Guard met them at the base of the tower-like building.
"Coalition Ninjas! Thank Nicholas!" The Captain exclaimed with a sigh of relief. Nicholas of course being the patron saint of the Frost Island.
"Reporting as requested, Captain."
Ishiaki said as they all came to a stop before the building. "Which way to the relief center? We have medic ninja to aid with the injured. Our other squad will deal with the rogues."
Kami was the first to arrive. She'd gotten the hang of keeping up with everyone rather than outrunning them.
Hinji remained quite and waited for Tsu to receive their orders and get them under way. He kept an eye out for his raven, but all the smoke and steam made any possible spotting nearly impossible.
Oita arrived in a moment as well, gazing around at the destroyed buildings. He didn't offer to help right away, awiting for Ishiaki to give them the orders around the place. He hoped that the others could help... he couldn't heal, but he hoped he didn't have to do MUCH defending.
Tsu looked around, sniffing, looking towards the smoke in the backround. "How many people attacked?" she asked quickly to the captain "Are they still up there?" She hoped that a few had left, make this an easier fight at first.
Akane was slower in these boots, and she had lagged back behind Oita as they came up to the village. She just managed to catch the tail end of the conversation from the captain.
The only one slower than Akane was
El who was trying his best to keep up. His snow shoes were cumbersome, walking atop the snow would be easier, but he wanted to save his chakra for the battle. He came shivering up behind Akane, wheezing as he tried to breath in this thin air.
Kano had been right in step with El the entire way. He clapped his comrade on the shoulder and smiled. "A little warmer, El?" He really hoped that his heat was radiating off enough to help him a little...
The Captain of the Guard looked at Tsu sheepishly, he was ashamed at how horribly he and his men had failed so utterly to stop the insurgents. He swallowed hard and held up his gloved hand, holding up all 4 of his fingers. "Just four...and a bear...." He spat on the ground and looked at them. "They're powerful...wip
ed out the other two garrisons at the same time. They're searching for something...they almost have to be. There's no reason for them to have decimated us so thoroughly..." He swallowed again and looked away from them. His clenched fist shook at his side. "The injured and anyone who made it out are down south at the Frost Relief Center. If you plan to go after these animals, the Eternal Frost Village is directly to the west." He looked directly at Ishiaki and added, "Give them hell for us, Master Hirameki."
El nodded, his jaw still quivering, but his nod felt a bit like a lie. He did feel a hint warmer, but it wasn't noticeable enough to make him feel any better. He considered for a moment unzipping his coat and giving Kano a very close and personal hug.
Akane leaned over to Kami, "I thought Ishiaki sensei was coming with us?" she asked. The way the captain spoke, it sounded as if he was going to be fighting...leaving the girls to do the healing by themselves.
"He is." Kami told Akane quietly. "But Ishiaki Sensei has a reputation. Among the coalition he is well known. We may also encounter resistance between here and the relief center."
"No worries about him!" Tsu said with a wide grin, throwing a thumbs up to the man "My team has got this covered. Ishiaki, you take your people to the relief center, we've got the ninjas covered." She giggled slightly as she looked back at her team "Come on you guys. If you don't mind, I'll take on the bear. I like my fights a little tougher." She might have just winked at Ishiaki, who was blind, so... no real reason to. Still, she LOOKED as if she had winked. "Follow me" she said, jumping past the Captain and running off towards the Eternal Frost Village to the west.
The Captain of the Guard looked at the four of them as they headed towards the village, then turned his attention back towards Ishiaki. "You are not going to be fighting them, sir?"
<H>
Ishiaki shook his head and held up a hand in his defense. "I have other talents that are better suited at this time for the Relief Center. Will you and your men be staying here or will you be accompanying us to the center?"
"Well, there's really not much of a reason to stay here any longer. We were told to wait here for your arrival. There's nothing to keep us from going south like the rest of the village." He explained with a nod.
Akane tried not to show it, but she was very relieved that Ishiaki was going with her squad to the relief center. She was still new to healing and should anything come up, he would be there to guide her. As Tsu rallied her group, Akane looked over at El, giving him a silent 'good luck' nod should he glance her way. She knew just how disadvantaged he was against the cold...she wasn't much better.
El's eyes lingered on Akane's for a brief moment before being forced to depart. Little did he know he would see her sooner than expected.
Akane stood next to Kami and Oita, ready to head to the relief center now. Judging by the look of it, things weren't going to be very pretty.
"Should we leave now?" Oita said gently, looking around the garrison. It did NOT look good around here. It looked relatively peaceful here though, so he probably wouldn't have much to do. That would mean he would feel pretty much useless.
"Lead the way, Captain." Ishiaki told the guardsman with a nod. He gestured ahead of them,t here was no point in sticking around here at the garrison.
The Captain of the Guard nodded and called for his men. There were only a handful of them left here. They filed out of the garrison and headed south at an easy jog. "We just head south along the road, if you feel the need to pass us by, go right ahead." He told them as he then followed after his men, leading the way to the Frost Relief Center
Stumble!