Mission name: Checkpoint Setup.
Mission rank: D.
Objective: Help set up a camp in the Wilderness.
Location: Wilderness - Kaze no Kuni.
Reward: 150 ryo + 25 ryo/100 wc (max +150 for 600 wc)

Mission description: Fairly simple: since we've started scouting out the dunes that make up the Land of Wind, we've found some pockets of stable ground and rock formations that make really well for rest stops. For us? Yes, that's true. It also helps for us to keep track of...visitors.

Mission details: All you have to do is ward off a few animals while the caravan reaches its destination, before assisting them in pitching tents, hollowing out natural caves, building divider fences, and so on.

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WC needed: 1000 (1600 for max ryo payment.)

"You alone?", the leader of the shinobi team asked in confusion. "Where's the rest?"

Akemi shrugged, a full backpack covering her back. Seeing how stuffed it was, one would imagine her to be out on a camping day, but less was true. The backpack was filled with plenty of scrolls and weighted barely anything compared to what was to be expected. As was typical for the kitsune, she had gathered a bunch of scrolls and sealed every item needed for the caravan, then stuffed those scrolls inside her solid quality backpack. If anything, it would cost the Village much less to hire a single Fuin contractor bearing a whole caravan, than hiring a full caravan with animals, carts and materials. And she was much easier to protect than a slow caravan as well.

"What about our materials?"
"I have them with me. As per our contract, full inventory was taken, sealed and stowed away in the backpack. You only need to protect me to the destined place."

It was simple, really, but the team leader just didn't seem to grasp the idea a full caravan could fit into a backpack. It really wasn't too hard, if you thought about it. There were plenty of people who could seal items away, and some even stuffed a whole arsenal within a single scroll. Akemi had done exactly that with the inventory for the new checkpoint.

"It'll be fine, trust me."

The leader shot her a dour look, and sighed. Considering there was little more to be said and done about this as the mission had been clearly explained even to him and the rest of the genin, the small group prepared and finally left. Departing from the mission centre, the road towards the gates was an easy one. A team of five genin and a chuunin had been assembled for this mission under the impression they'd have to protect a small caravan with the help of an outsider, but the caravan had been replaced with the outsider instead. So now Akemi had a big team of shinobi serving as her escort instead, much to her amusement.

The road on itself was said to be rather safe, which explained the team holding mostly low ranked shinobi of the Village. They were there to keep an eye out, and eventually help out with setting up the checkpoint as they, at least, knew where they had to be - Akemi, as a newly arrived stranger, had precious little insight on the layout and importance of certain spots within the Village, and even less so in the treacherous sands of the desert outside. To her, all the sand looked the same, but Suna-nin knew what to look for and were trained for things as this.

As the group departed, a long walk through the streets began. A boring walk, as all it consisted of was just walking until they reached the gate. People briefly glanced at the passing group, but few showed any real interest in a handful of shinobi that seemingly casually made their way towards the Village's only exit. Even if the others wouldn't do so, Akemi commended herself for her sealing. By removing the requirement of a caravan, the group was far less remarkable and would thus not as easily attract the attention of robbers. A successful diguise, even if she said so herself.

Eventually, they reached the gates, briefly stopping at the posted shinobi. As the leader of the group stated their business and explained their mission, the same confusion played upon the faces of the guards before they shrugged their shoulders and wished them a good trip after a brief notion of whereabouts they had to be. The group moved on, quickly leaving the safety of the Village behind them.

"Keep your wits about you, we're not in Sunagakure anymore.", the unofficial leader spoke, reminding them of the mission at hand. Even if this was just a genin mission and would hold little reason to be in real danger, they genin took their training serious enough. The kitsune smiled at that, flicking a pair of tails lazily in a sign of approval as she appreciated the growth these youngsters were trying to achieve. Growth, in all its forms, was a much needed aspect of life and the Shinko valued especially that aspect about their divine Inari.

That said, the sands of Sunagakure were rather lacking of any potential of growth in comparison. It was a poor sight to see, really, as the wind swept countless grains from one side to another without ever really gathering everything together. As far as the eyes could see, there was only sand, the monotonous sight only broken by the occasional appearance of cactii or a stone pillar serving as a lone guardian. What Akemi did like about this place were mostly the mirages that came up. Shimmering images of whatever she made of it, dancing in the distance as they attempted to lure her closer - a person, a pillar, an oasis. In many ways, this was what made her feel home here. Suna's warmth combined with the wind and the sand created opportunities only known by those who allowed their minds to wander.

What wasn't a trick of the mind, however, were the laughs of the hyenas nearby that followed in their wake, seemingly hoping for something edible to be left behind or seeking an opportunity to take down an easy prey for their starved stomachs. Shadows circling around the ground betrayed the presence of vultures high in the sky, following the hyenas in turn as they hoped something of a cadaver would be left behind after they had finished their meal. The shinobi on the road had little intention to give away such opportunities though.

"How far still?"
"Not that far. It should be a little passed Scorpion Rock."
"Scorpion Rock?", Akemi asked curiously.
"Yes, you'll see. The rock formation has an odd 'tail', so to speak. It's how it got its name."
"How quaint. Sunagakure sure is creative with its names."
"Imagination runs wild in an otherwise boring place."

Indeed, this so called 'Scorpion Rock', another lone guardian having lost the fight against the wind since unknown times, laid resting within the sand with just a small tower of a strange stone formation seemingly rising up at the end of it. With a little imagination, it could have passed for a giant scorpion, Akemi grinned to herself. And shortly after passing the landmark, the beginnings of a camp, resting against a huge chunk of stone, came into sight.

Having been spotted by the few shinobi that were waiting for the caravan, simple greetings were exchanged before a more lengthy explanation was given as why there was no caravan to be seen. The stationed shinobi, guessed to be at chuunin rank, eyed the kitsune as he rubbed the beginnings of his beard, not sure what to make of her juts yet.

"Well, I guess the first step is to unseal all the goods, then. We'll need them to continue the build up of the outpost."

Akemi nodded, dropping the overly full backpack on the floor and placing a Fuinjutsu seal around it. As she remained within the jutsu, she seemingly took out various scrolls out of thin air, throwing them one by one at the shinobi around her as she stated what they contained. Surprisingly, she didn't take a single scroll from the backpack and was passing far more scrolls than the backpack could possibly had contained. Out of curiosity, one of the genin stepped inside the squared Fuinjutsu seal and gaped in wonder under a, "wow" as he found himself suddenly within a small room with countless drawers.
Taking little note at the amazement, Akemi simply proceeded to open yet another drawer and hand the genin a scroll she took out of it.

After an intense moment of taking out countless scrolls, Akemi stepped out the seal and allowed it to vanish from sight before starting to unseal the small mountains of scrolls which contained the full inventory the outpost required. Another fifteen minutes or so, everything was unpacked and Akemi flopped down in exhaustion. While her techniques were a marvel when it came to winning out a bunch of coin and time, in a situation as this they were equally exhaustive - its own way to pay the price for such efficiency, she guessed.

Still, taking a quarter of time to come back to her senses, the others had already started putting everything in place. The chuunin delegated the duties of building up defences, strengthening ropes, setting up tents and stocking food and water. After her brief break, Akemi joined in to help out, being given simple tasks such as stocking blankets, cameo cover, lamps and oil and other placing of small tools that quickly gave the makeshift camp the impression someone was actually making use of it.

The whole job took another few hours before it was set, and at the end of the road, Akemi considered it to be rather mediocre for the time spent. It very much looked like it was still in a poor state, a camp overrun by invading sand, with the exception that it now had a means to offer some sort of basic provision. The kitsune didn't quite consider it her sort of accommodation. Not that she had to. The road back to the Village was waiting, and she could hear the call of her soft bed in the monastery already...

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[Exit]

1600 wc
Using full word count for mission + bonus payment.