There was one person Roku was hoping he would get to escort when you took another merchant escort mission, and when he saw that wagon filled with boxes pulled along by that shaggy creature called an ox, the pale teen had to crack a smile. He'd been standing outside the gates of Suna for about half an hour waiting for his charge, passing the time by bothering the gate-guard Hayo to keep himself occupied, and the two had been discussing the odd guard they worked with just a few days ago. Rokumaru mentioned how the tall and thin guy had broken his Radio somehow and tried to get Roku to give up his own, which made Hayo even more suspicious than he was before. The middle-aged Chuunin guessed Creed was working for either himself or someone else rather than being loyal to the village, and might have been trying to get something smuggled in while Roku would be unable to call it in. The two agreed that such a thought was likely just paranoia, however, and mutually agreed to keep an eye on the bald creep for the time being.

As the cart rolling along slowly old man Ichirou waved his cane at the redhead and greeting, which the boy returned with enthusiasm and a wide smile. Roku gave a quick goodbye to Hayo, who returned with a scoff and an order to stop slacking, and walked over briskly to meet the old man as he exited the village. "I was hoping you were the one who needed watching over, Ichi!," the teen said in lieu of a greeting. Not only did he already know the hunched old man from a previous mission, the route he traveled while delivering supplies was rather deserted of both people and wild animals. As far as missions went, they did not get more easier or relaxed than walking along leisurely beside the cart talking amicably with Ichirou, occasionally scaring off some jackals or coyotes or collecting snakes for them both. And, the man knew how to make a mean snake stew from the recipe he had given the boy last time. Perhaps he could wriggle another tasty concoction from the old man again.

Ichirou smiled down at the boy with his slotted eyes, quite fond of the boy. "Seeing as I noticed you were available for escort and I specifically requested you, you weren't going to end up with anyone else, my boy." The old man gave his shaggy ox a poke with his cane forcing it to begin slowly moving, and the redhead followed along in a slow walk alongside the cart. Ichirou pulled out his pages of inventory and orders and began to determine their first stop, and settled on a rather sizeable ranch a mile from the village that grew crops to sell to Suna; beans and corn, pumpkins and squash, all grew well in the hot climate of Kaze no Kuni with a little help from some oasis water. It was one of the many farms that the village relied on to supply food to them, and seeing as it made Suna just a touch less reliant on exports from other nations it would be an important establishment in Roku's book.

A short walk later brought the man, boy and ox to the farm in question, a wrinkled but wiry old guy standing by the fence wearing a wide-brimmed hat that blocked the sun. It was a quick and easy exchange; Roku unloaded a certain marked box that held the man's supplies while Ichirou took an order for his next trip as well as payment. The old farmer was even nice enough to have a fresh carrot for the ox, and the shaggy beast gave a snort of pleasure as he devoured the vegetable. Hearing how crisp and moist the carrot was made Rokumaru a bit jealous. As slowly as they arrived the left, plodding along the sandy road nearly unmistakeable from the dunes around them.

They met a few ambitious creatures along the way; snakes that were bisected by a few Wind Release: Slash techniques the young Suna-nin was eager to show off, hungry coyotes and wolves he had to drive off with Sand Bullets. If the old merchant was impressed he didn't show it; he had traveled through every land on the continent, and probably saw many more impressive jutsu than what the young Sabaku could whip out. As Roku collected the snake carcasses in a sack Ichi gave him he wished he could do more to the larger animals than give them a few bruises. Wolf meat wasn't all that great, too lean and stringy even for his refined palate, but their hides and bones fetched quite a price in the markets. Old Ichirou even mentioned he had a few customers who enjoyed buying their hides and one that worked as a taxidermist, mentioned the boy could make a nice lump of cash if he could manage to hunt the beasts. Well, baby steps until then.

Just like the last time, the missions was relaxed and leisured. The two men went along their route delivering the goods, Roku unloading boxes while Ichi scratched along in his notebook taking orders. Between stops Rokumaru would have to deal with any creatures that got curious about the hairy ox, knowing it would make quite a tasty meal of they actually managed to kill it without being crushed by its hooves; the redhead actually managed to fill an entire burlap sack with snake carcasses which Ichirou offered to buy from him, but instead the two agreed to split them.

Soon the sun was drifting behind w distant dune as night approached the sandy village, and the cart was rolling back towards the village with the men's work complete. All the boxes had been dropped off at their stops and the ox was happy to be pulling a much lighter load. As they stopped by the gates and Roku waved to Hayo, Ichi filled out a mission report and handed it off to Roku to return for payment. As he handed off the scroll Ichi mentioned he would be leaving for Konoha on a merchant trip in a few months, and he was hoping Roku would make Chuunin just in time to accompany the old man. The redhead smiled at the offer and promised he would consider it, and the two parted ways.

WC: 1071/1000
Mission Complete~