Mission name: Quarrel among villages
Mission rank: C
Objective: Settle the unease between the two villages.
Location: Hi no Kuni - Wilderness
Reward: 300 Ryo
Mission Description: A village has requested the aid from Konohagakure. A feud has been going on for far too long between a village and it’s neighboring village and it’s time to put an end to this. Seeing as the opposing village won’t listen to what they have to say, they have requested the help of a third party.
Mission Details: You are to settle whichever the villages might have with each other. This can be done through a peaceful solution or a more aggressive one. If you’re to choose for the more aggressive solution you may not kill anyone, however inflicting pain until they’re subdued is allowed. Do keep in consideration that any C-rank or higher damaging technique has a chance to end up killing a villager. Further you will have to deal with a range of angry villagers, anywhere from 6 to 18, who won’t hesitate to harm you. They might end up killing you if you’re not careful however, but it’s not their intention to do so. (If you're with two people, you have to fight at least 7 villagers; If you're with three people, you have to fight at least 13 villagers).

NPC:

The sun was shining today as Tsuneo left his humble little home. When he awoke he made his way to his refrigerator and grabbed a gallon of milk, with the same step he reached outward to a cabinet and grabbed a box of cereal and a bowl. He set the bowl down and poured the cereal in as well as the milk, then put the gallon back in the fridge. A knock on the door caught the boy’s attention as he jerked his head at the intruding noise. Sucking he teeth the boy wondered who it would be bothering him at such an early hour. Opening the door there was no physical body there but he could feel a trace of chakra that had just recently left the immediate vicinity. Grabbing the side of the door he walked halfway out the door bending his body outward and turning his head to look both ways outside of his door to the front of the house. He sighed as he looked down and noticed a scroll, tied up in a small red string. Tsuneo picked up the scroll and turned around making his way back into his home and to his cereal, grabbing it along with a spoon before taking a seat at the kitchen table. One by one Tsuneo set down the cereal bowl, the scroll and then the spoon. He took a moment deciding on which to grab first. His hand hovered over his spoon and the other hand hovered the scroll, work comes first right?

“Fuck it.”

Tsuneo grabbed the spoon and started eating, untying the little red string. As the string untied completely the scroll opened up seemingly on its own. He stopped eating his cereal mid-bite and eyed the scroll. Indeed, his curiosity was the killer of his own pleasurable endeavors. Reading the scroll he pretended like he didn’t care. Two villages pissed off at each other? Who cares? It’s not Tsuneo’s problem, he was here just eating his cereal trying to wake up. Tsuneo rubbed his eyes letting the spoon fall into the almost empty bowl of cereal. But then again, villages that were pissed at each could potentially be a good thing. He could possibly gather allies for when he decides to confront The Nin again back at Otogakure. He scratched his chin before lifting the spoon once more making sure it had some cereal in it scraping at the side. He took the bite and let the spoon fall once more. While swallowing he began thinking about the situation at hand, weighing the pros and cons of the mission. He did need ryo for rent as well as possibly buying items he might need. He also needed the experience to one day get promoted within Konoha, not that he didn’t have experience as a real world ninja from his past life making a living from stolen goods. But then again, it wasn’t his problem. He quarreled with these thoughts as he put the bowl into his sink and rinsing it out with water from the sink. He went to his room still pondering his options. Coming out of his room he was fully decked in his mission uniform.

“Fuck it.”

Tsuneo left his house off to do the mission with the scroll in hand, he might need it for weaponizing purposes during the mission. Doing this solo was a risk seeing as probably everyone would be pissed off not just the leaders or elders, but everyone. Bouncing on rooftops the young man exited the scene and made entryway into the forests into the outskirts of the Leaf Village. The morning air met his nose happily putting him in a better mood now that he was outside, the dew that the morning always produced laid along the grass that he could see but he was still in the village at the moment. He waved to the people on the streets should they choose to wave at him, in fact, civilians just might think seeing a man running rooftop to rooftop was a modern miracle and might wave indeed. Tsuneo’s hair was flowing in the wind as a big smile took hold of his face as he realized what he was doing. He was changing. He was better than a thief, he was better than some hired hand for some evil organization. He was a good man and it made Tsuneo very happy to know things like that.

750 TWC

Tsuneo’s feet planted into the earth as he landed firmly on the ground in the forests. The outskirts of Konoha was beautiful just as the village itself in its own right. The forest’s vastness was part of its beauty, the capability to hold not one, but two minor villages within was astounding to say the least. Tsuneo reached to his side and flicked open the scroll once more to go over the mission. “Bamboo Village and Hoshigakure huh? Well, whatever they got going on I better help them out.” Tsuneo said with a big grin pushing the past where it belonged, the past. Rolling the scroll back up with a flick of the wrist, Tsuneo put the scroll back on its holster at his side. He noted his weaponry should he need it, three kunai, five shuriken and then he pointed his thumb physically on his headband. The chin protector mixed with his headband to provide a sort of cushion should any type of small physical attack land there. Continuing walking the boy would hear birds chirping in front of him almost welcoming the sun shining through the slight openings that trees gave way to at the top of the treeline of the forest.

Tsuneo looked up to try and spot out the birds that were singing in the morning, they always woke him up at home and annoyed the living hell out of his but today, at this moment, they were pleasant to his ears. Although, he couldn’t find the birds. It was something quite strange to him. He could always spot the little bastards cutting off his sweet release of sleep. His brow furrowed at the thought of the invisible birds but didn’t think too much of it past that. Tsuneo would simply shrug off the sounds and continue his stroll toward the two small villages that laid on the outskirts of the Leaf Village. His steps broke dead leaves underneath his feet crackling through the birds’ chirping. The young man was on a mission. He came across a small river stream and decided to take a break. Even though it was so early in the morning he had already drank his water supply from his water bottle. When he reached the edge of the stream the young man crouched down and cupping his hands, Tsuneo would grab some water between his hands pouring it into his mouth to make sure it was okay to drink. He couldn’t taste a trace of any poisonous substance and with that information, Tsuneo put his empty water bottle into the river filling up the contents to the brim. “Okay, time to go.” Tsuneo said twisting the cap back onto the water bottle and left the edge of the river.

Something didn’t feel right. Something about this mission just didn’t sit right with the boy and he could feel it since he was given the scroll this morning. Tsuneo continued walking before he came across a ledge in the forest. Underneath the ledge a much larger portion of the forest could be seen, treetops were as far as the eye could see. Wait, scratch that, Tsuneo noticed two villages sitting almost directly next to each other. Something this size laying no more than fourty meters from each other, no wonder they were having issues with each other for whatever reason. His job was to first identify the reason for the problem and then solve it for the village and its people. Tsuneo made his way down the side of the ledge utilizing the Supernatural Walking Practice, his feet stuck to the side of the ledge making simply walking down the side almost as easy as walking on a street. He went to take a sip of his water bottle but as soon as he twisted off the cap some water spilled out due to the gravity acting on the strange way the bottle was tilted as he was walking downward. “Well fuck, that was an obvious thing dumbass.” Tsuneo said as he quickly twisted the cap back onto the bottle and continuing his walking toward the base of the ledge.

Upon reaching the bottom of the pseudo mountain the young man noticed the trees looked slightly different. Something about the density of the forest was off, he could see farther than he normally could at Konoha’s forest. Could be nothing, but it could also be part of the reason the two villages were having differences. One village wanted deforestation and one wanted the forest to stay? One of the villages were of Bamboo while the other one was one of the Stars, it would make sense. Tsuneo shrugged and continued on his way. The boy was swaying his head as he moved noticing different things on both sides of the forest as he walked. He came across a thick luxurious patch of bamboo trees as he got closer to the villages. He hadn’t seen bamboo in forever, Tsuneo decided to grab a bamboo stick and play with it as he walked. Bushes rustling around off to his right would catch the young man’s attention, he didn’t look he just noted where the noise came from thinking it could possibly be some animal but it could be a potential threat. That idea would mean the details of the mission were incorrect. Nonetheless, the boy continued on to the villages. He came up to a bridge planted into the earth that covered a large rivene and split in two ways half way across. One way led toward the Bamboo village and one led into the Star village. It was time for the boy to decide which village to visit first.

957 | 1,707 TWC

As Tsuneo stepped on the bridge it would shake slightly. The young man clutched the rope railing as his reaction, purely instinctive. “Phew. We need to fix this.” He said as he exhaled a deep breath as if he inhaled all the air in the world at one moment. He continued his travel to the village, on his way he swayed his head looking around him at the long drop below him. He couldn’t even see the bottom of the fall. Tsuneo let out an elongated whistle at the sight, or loss of sight rather. He didn’t know what to make of it. These were minor nations yet they had only one way in or out it was rather strange. What secrets could they possibly have that warranted a very limited entrance point? Tsuneo wouldn’t worry too much about it but it was surely something to wonder about indeed. Upon coming across the edge of the bridge noticed they too had a large torii bridge like Konoha had, but the one where he ended up at had a star etched in the middle of the wooden sign housed by two large red poles. It was a sight to gawk at for sure and if he was a tourist he probably would, but he was here on a mission not to act as a civilian.

He could hear hollering about within the walls of the village and it piqued the young man’s interest. Tsuneo made his way to the big doors that looked like they haven’t been closed in quite some time. When he got within the borders he noticed two people arguing, each having clothing signifying different villages seemingly from each villages’ traditional garb. Behind each men were a small group of villagers from both villages, the groups were mixed. Tsuneo scratched his chin at the thought of one of these men infiltrating their neighbor and wondering why he did so. They were yelling at each other so loud and at the same time like children, why would they expect each other to understand one another? Tsuneo walked forward and one of the groups laggers noticed him and pointed yelling out that Tsuneo would be the one to settle their little argument. Tsuneo’s eyebrows slanted as he threw his hands up wondering what he meant, he had just got there and didn’t have any information about what their problem was. How could they possibly think he could help already?

“What’s the problem here?” Tsuneo said after collecting himself. All of the people now went in on Tsuneo with their own versions of the problem facing the two villages. Tsuneo sighed trying to listen to each of them at the same time but obviously having a problem to do so. “Look, someone please show me to the leader of the Star Village, I’d like to have a conversation and get their take.” He said trying to dissolve the escalating situation. “For now, I’d like all of the Bamboo villagers to take their leave and go to your own place. I’ll come after I’ve spoken to the leader here and get your leader’s thoughts as well. Fair?” The Bamboo villagers wouldn’t have much of a choice to leave now, both villagers requested help from the Leaf Village and now that a representative was here they could only listen if the advice was sound. The members of the Bamboo village scuffled their feet murmuring to themselves inaudible to Tsuneo, they were most likely scoffing at why they were chosen first but it wouldn’t really matter, as long as both sides were listened to and taken into consideration when the solution was presented. A woman from the crowd took Tsuneo by the arm and dragged him to a large cottage where their elder would be.

The man was very old, wrinkles on his face and all. When he spoke it was like a forced whisper through his lips. He could possibly be close to death by old age honestly. Tsuneo listened intently to his problem with the other village and nodded at certain points, responding when needed to signify that the young man was listening. He didn’t want to seem like an ungracious guest. The problem the Star village was having is a sort of complex one. Each night they gather outside around a bonfire and prayed to the stars for their various things. It was a mini festival of sorts every night for the people of the Star village and it was totally understandable. “So you want the trees to be cut down, before I go, do you know why the Bamboo Village is so opposed to this?” Tsuneo said as he stood up and attempted to take his leave of the cottage. The elder would reply with what was in his mind about the Bamboo Village’s elder’s thoughts and reasons for wanting the forest to stay erect which was kind of obvious but not at all a valid reason to stop these people from praying as a collective. With that in mind, Tsuneo made his leave to the Bamboo Village.

866 | 2,573

Tsuneo made his way to the edge of the Star Village’s walls and was about to scale it to get to the Bamboo Village before he was stopped by the same woman that showed him to the Star Elder. She was a beautiful young woman with long flowing brown hair shining in the sunlight and wearing a pink kimono with white flowers scattered about and skye blue trimmings along the edges of the kimono. “Sir, please don’t let them take away from our prayers. Some of us thrive on this tradition and believe in the mystical powers that the stars hold for their loyal members.” She exclaimed with tears running down her face. It was clear that this praying tradition meant a lot to these members. Tsuneo stopped scaling the wall and jumped down to the base of it to meet the woman face to face. “My father’s sick and praying to the Stars is the only thing that makes me feel like he will get better. Please…” Her voice became soft in tone, it almost brought Tsuneo to tears at how this woman was pleading with him, opening up about her problems to someone she doesn’t even know. She had faith not only in the stars but Tsuneo and his ability to stop this problem altogether and it made him feel good but at the same time a weight would be felt on his shoulders that was almost too much to bear.

Tsuneo took the woman’s hand and held it on his chest. “I promise. I will stop this.” Tsuneo said, lowering his head closing his eyes and after that, the woman gave Tsuneo a hug, her own breast rubbing against Tsuneo’s. He opened his eyes after the hug and he pulled away knowing that he had to leave to the Bamboo Village if any of what he said would become true. Using his hands and feet the boy scaled the wall and jumped over it with ease. After this he scaled the borders housing the Bamboo Village. When he landed there was an angry mob standing guard around him holding pitchforks and knives and things of the like, things that wouldn’t bother a shinobi much but apparently it’s all they had on such short notice. They ranted about Tsuneo taking the side of the Star Village before their own and it was apparent that these people were very one sided either not capable or unwilling to listen to the Star Village’s proposal of deforestation. Tsuneo sighed throwing up his hands stopping at shoulder height. “Look guys, I’m not taking sides I just landed at the Star Village first, now take me to your leader and I’ll hear him or her out like I did at the Star Village.” His statement calmed the crowd, they lowered their items and a man stepped forward. This man was of the big and burly variety, veins popping from his bicep muscles.

He led Tsuneo to the wooden cottage that held the Elder’s quarters. When he looked around he noticed that everything was made of wood, there were no straw additives helping the wood hold together like in the Star Village, it was an odd site seeing that this village was all about Bamboo and one could only assume wood altogether. His eyebrow rose at the thought, maybe these people had a stake in destroying some of the trees as well? What game were they playing at exactly and what would they gain from deforestation? Tsuneo shook off these thoughts as he entered the shack. Warm weather could be felt as torches were lit on both sides of the room giving light to the otherwise dark area. A rug was laid out in the middle with the village’s symbol stitched into it. Tsuneo couldn’t help but be taken aback by the sheer beauty that this shack held within its dimensions. It was strange, an all wooden shack seemingly something from a backwood hick’s part of town would be so elegant. Interesting indeed. Unlike the last Elder from the Star Village, this Elder was much younger by far. She stood around the same height as Tsuneo, her bust was rather decent size held together by a brown leather band with an equally brown armor-clad miniskirt. She was breathtaking. Her whispery voice offered an air of seduction the likes of which Tsuneo hadn’t seen before outside of Otogakure’s thievery ring.

She spoke of the Bamboo Village’s thoughts on the matter, why they want to keep the trees erect in memory of their first villager. There was a mighty tree within the forest marked with the man’s name. It was a story, but the reason wasn’t anywhere near as important as the Star Village’s reasons for wanting the trees to be gone. Tsuneo stood firmly and listened to the woman’s ideals, nodding trying to seem empathetic but without knowing about the man or why he would need a tree to keep his memory alive, he just couldn’t understand the reasoning. When voicing this, the woman told Tsuneo the reason. She was a long decendant of the man, all of the rulers of this minor nation were and so the family crest that was marked with the man’s name was an important symbol of the village. “Ahh. There it is.” Tsuneo said as he now understood the reasoning. But now with the reasons, what could the solution be that would satisfy both villages? It could be as simple as planting a tree within the middle of the Bamboo Village’s ground and marking that tree with the same as the one the elder spoke of.

963 | 3,536 TWC

Tsuneo paused a moment after listening to the Bamboo Village’s Elder’s reasoning and her thought process in this whole situation. So they want the forest to stay up, Star needs the trees to be slain so they can pray. Hmm. Tsuneo thought. He then rose his hand motioning for the Elder to follow him. When they stood outside the young man let the Elder outside of the village’s borders and placed her in the middle between the two villages. Tsuneo then went within the Star Village’s borders and grabbed the Elderly man from the village of the Stars and held his arm bringing him to the other Elder. When the two were together Tsuneo would stand them next to each other facing each other. The villagers from their respective villages would stand at the edge of their borders at the doorway, trying to listen in on the conversation. It was a good thing they wanted to be here, they all should hear what was about to be said as it would be the advice to end this fued the two villages had. Or, at least, that is the plan that Tsuneo concocted.

“Okay.” With a nod, Tsuneo was ready. The Elder from the Bamboo Village held the Elder from the Star Village as if helping him to stand. The empathy could be seen in her thoughtful eyes as Tsuneo would begin his speech. “The Star Village needs the trees to not overcast their village so that they can pray. Some of these people need this prayer in their life, it brings them peace of mind and serenity in this world so often bringing violence just for the sake of violence.” Tsuneo spoke, this part would be surmising the Star Village’s thought process in a more thoughtful, compact version of that the Elder of the Star Village said. The Elder nodded at Tsuneo’s summarization, he could notice the woman from the Star Village that stopped him earlier off to the side. He looked at her, the emotions brought forth from Tsuneo’s speech was enough to bring her to tears once more. Her father couldn’t be there to witness Tsuneo’s plead for his village but he would be proud. Or, that’s what Tsuneo would think to keep his political mind going in attempts to solve this problem.

“With that being said, the Bamboo Village’s first Elder’s name and namesake is etched on one of the trees to mark their historical significance. He branched a long line of Elders for their village breeding like-minded rule.” Tsuneo’s hands were out, speaking with his hands as well as his mouth. His mind was racing trying to gauge the audience’s reaction to Tsuneo’s speeches. Each group that represented their own village respectfully would be nodding and murmuring to themselves. Each group obviously agreed with Tsuneo’s words about their own reasons for what they wanted. But that was obvious, who wouldn’t agree with a public speaker only audibly summarizing their own thoughts? The young man thought he was doing good, the mission was going swimmingly and it made Tsuneo feel proud to be the one selected to come here and solve this issue between the villages. His heart swelled with pride as he continued speaking, catching reactions of the groups.

“I propose a compromise.” Tsuneo said, breaking the air of confidence around the area. Each village’s groups broke out in their own small rants, the villagers from the Bamboo Villages made their pitchforks visible in a comedic tone as if they had them at the ready the whole time in case Tsuneo hadn’t followed their vision. The young man flinched at the thought of being impaled by all the members of the Bamboo Village. “I say the Bamboo Village plants the tree with their namesake in the middle of their village, and the Star Village cut down any insignificant tree in the way of their religious tradition.” The Bamboo Village’s members started an uproar in frustration. They obviously didn’t agree with Tsuneo’s suggestion but it wouldn’t matter. He was brought here on their request and so they would have to listen to the young man’s advice and take it. This solution was best for both of the villages respectively even if they didn’t see it just yet. “I decree that the Star Village will not cut down all trees, only ones that are in their way of their religious practice. And that the Bamboo Village will not create any trees that block the view of their trees. Or I will be back as a shinobi, not as a peacekeeper.” He ended with a slight threat to both villages. It might not seem like much but if he had to, he would do anything he had to to keep the peace between the two villages, as was his mission.

The groups of the villages were silent. The Elders were silent, still holding arms together as if they were processing what Tsuneo said. Tsuneo then looked directly onward to the Elders themselves with his arms extended outward to them. “Does that sound good to you two?” The completely different Elders were separate in almost every way imaginable but they did agree on one thing, they must keep their villages safe and protect them from danger. Even if that danger was right outside their door next door. They looked upon each other and with a smile, nodded to each other in agreeance. With that, everyone then uproared in a cheerful chant mostly relieved that the situation was resolved without any physical conflict. None of them really wanted to lose any of their villagers even if they had threatened each other, it was all empty threats to try and prove how serious they were on their views. After everything was resolved and night had befallen the world, Tsuneo was invited to the Star Village’s festival. He graciously accepted, he would spend the night in the Star Village.

A roaring flame lit up the night no less than the stars did. The Star Village’s members would gather around in a circular formation passing around plates of their very own traditional foods for the festival. Tsuneo wasn’t sure if he would be able to eat it but they insisted and Tsuneo wasn’t one to deny someone’s culture. The woman from the Star Village sat next to him while they ate, she goaded him into prayer with her and he wasn’t sure what to pray about. Her eyes watered, Tsuneo knew what she was praying for. It wasn’t a stretch to imagine her father was on her mind. Tsuneo looked on her with empathetic eyes, not knowing what do say so he didn’t say anything. The boy would simply follow in the culture, lower his head, close his eyes and begin to pray. So Stars, I’m new here and uh. I don’t know… I guess I just want to be accepted. His prayer wasn’t anywhere near the woman’s was but at least it was something to pray about. He didn’d believe in all this mumbo jumbo but he felt like he had to follow suit with the rest of the members of the Star Village after all they’ve been through. After the praying the festival continued with some welcome guests from the Bamboo Village including their Elder. It was a beautiful thing to see cultures intertwine and meld together.

During the festivities the woman took Tsuneo by the arm, he was healthily drunk by this time and he assumed she was as well the way her body swayed backward leading him to her quarters. He assumed she wanted sexy fun times. Upon entering the small shack where she resided his eyes would fall upon her sick father. Guess not, that was a dumb thought. Comedic Timing. The sickly man motioned for Tsuneo to come close and so he did, crouching down slightly so the man could whisper in his ear what he wanted to say. It was oddly sensual for the setting but whatever, it’s not like he could really help it being sick and all. He offer a humble thank you to the young man to which Tsuneo graciously accepted, “No need sir. It’s my pleasure.” is what Tsuneo would have said if the man didn’t disclose how he got sick. He let loose the news of a man bearing an odd village symbol attacked him with a poisonous mist. He said that the symbol resembled a music note.

Tsuneo’s eyes widened as he listened and shot up in reaction. The man didn’t know Tsuneo’s past but he felt like he needed to get it out if he should die from the poison, he wanted someone to know what happened and who could have done it. The music note village symbol rocked Tsuneo’s mentality, he knew it was Otogakure. The woman looked shook at Tsuneo, her hands were up and balled into a fist in a saddened guarded position. She didn’t know what to think of what she saw. Tsuneo looked at the two and didn’t say a word before exiting the small shack. He left the village not replying to anyones good byes. He sprinted out of the Star Village and through the bridge, cracking leaves with each step when he got into the thick forest. He was terrified at the thought that one of The Nin’s henchmen had found him and have been hunting him the whole time. He didn’t know exactly what to do. Every sound that resembled someone moving would cause Tsuneo’s body to jerk toward the noise in an instant. The young man was paranoid after learning there was an Otogakure Shinobi in the midst, or at least was the culprit behind the woman’s father’s sickness. The young man sprinted back to the Leaf Village as fast as he could to get to better safety.

1,697 | 5,233 TWC

• Double Ryo Mission Completion | -2,700
  
  
  
  • 2,533
    
  
  
  
• Learning Pitfall [D-Rank] | -750
  
  
  
  • 1,783
    
  
  
  
• Learning Pitfall Dome Style [C-Rank] | -1,000
  
  
  
  • 783
    
  
  
  
• Learning Gravity Seal [D-Rank] | -750
  
  
  
  • Discarding 83 Words