Kasai is a large town-city located at the southwestern sea border of the Fire Country in the Taika Province. It is the second most populous town after Teichaku, not counting Konohagakure. Kasai’s economy is currently suffering a recession due to a lack of ability to export their goods via boat as a result of an increase in piracy. Their poor economy has left them unable to afford the same protection that the vastly more successful Teichaku manages.

The architecture of Kasai is modern, typically employing the usage of wood, stone, and plaster. The majority of the population are general labourers and seafarers such as fishermen or naval tradesmen.

Demographics
Population: 240,000
Population Density: 2,666/km²
Land Area: 90/km²

Economy: Recession, stagnated
Relationship with Konohagakure: Poor
Relationship with Akagahara: Poor

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The weather was, to say it kindly, a pest. Dark clouds had caught the ship off-guard - that's what you get when you don't let the Hyuga in the crow's nest? - and the rain was pissing in the faces of the sea dogs scurrying on deck. The captain was barking orders against the howling wind, half of them blown away, the other half drowned in the roars of the raging sea. The Schooner was in trouble, everyone could see that. The thing with sailors at sea is... A ship is their life. It what keeps them afloat. Every pair of hands, young or old, heart as salty as the sea or as young as an untouched maiden was now throwing in their best efforts to keep the only thing standing between a cruel death and survival afloat. Even when the orders were barely caught, the crew worked like a hive mind at this point. Instinctively, trained or driven by sudden revelation, everyone suddenly seemed to know god-damned well what to do at this point.

A Schooner was marvellous ship any day of the week. A bit of wind, clear skies, few would be able to capture one of the fastest ship types ever come to be build. Passenger ship, raiding ship, exploration ship. The light build, the many sails, it had everything to be the terror of the seas. But in a weather as this, the ship was just too light, and the crew too inexperienced. A massive wave of water would crash on board and drag a poor man with it into the sea. The sea was a cruel mistress if she wanted to be. That man dying a lone death, painfully choking as water would run into his lungs and drag him under never to be found back. The rest of the crew would scramble wherever and grapple whatever they could as they came out of the wave hacking and spitting.

The only one barely worrying about the whole ordeal was a teenage girl whom the crew had considered an 'interesting addition'. Mostly for the colder moments. They had disregarded her experience as sailor and ignorant of her shinobi training, the cut-throat crew out for raids believing all of this mattered none with such a tough crew as theirs. In fact, it looked much like she was enjoying this struggle at its fullest, body bound tightly against the mast, feet nailed to the ground with chakra. And if that didn't suffice, she had her ways to course through water with the swiftness of a fish.

A second massive wave would crash on board. The herald of one more coming right behind that made the men's jaws drop in fear and disbelieve. Yep, it was that moment. The moment where the ship would either scale the sea's ultimate angry lash or go under ingloriously and sink to the bottom of the sea. Eyes fixated on the wheel, byakugan active, kugutsu technique out and about, the Konoha-nin manipulated the wheel as good as she possibly could from her tied position. The wheel had been unmanned since the last water wave, the helmsman still recovering somewhere in between the crates and last bundles of ropes. Doubting between holding on tight and save his hide or run in to grab a hold of the wheel and potentially drown as he tried to save the rest. Unaware of the kid's games, he'd decide on rescuing the crew and ran up with the last of his strength to claim the wheel. Hoping to turn the ship in what he believed to be the best course to sail - a rookie's mistake.

The wheel wouldn't budge, much to his panic, and the sea waves would ruthlessly slam on the ship's deck once more. The helmsman would vanish from sight, two more men dragged along. Those who remained were far and few, but had found the brains to hold on tight until the storm was over. All there was left for the remaining sailors now was to pray to whatever gods they knew in hopes they'd survive the rest of the storm...

---

700

Strutting across the deck like nothing happened, Alexa brushed and spat out the hairs that stuck across her face. She took her favourite hat out of her leather vest and put it on her hat, disregarding the discomfortable sensation that came with cold, wet clothes sticking to ones body. As the thought of a warm bath peeked in, she marched passed the remaining members of the ship's crew and took position behind the helm where she allowed her byakugan to assess the general damage to the ship. For a heavy storm as this she had expected more damage, praising her own reaction in the storm with a grin. Water was coming in slowly, the lower section requiring immediate repairs and the sails would eventually need to be hoisted again. There was also the matter of not really knowing where they were, the ship surrounded by sea without the slightest hint of land to be seen.

"Oi, no sleepin' on deck! Get yer ugly mugs fresh'ned up, tis time to get t' work."

The handful of remaining crew would slowly crawl out of their uncomfortable positions, slap their cheeks and slap their arms around their chests as they gathered to the wheel. Confusion and scepticism was visible on their faces, some looking about and scratching their head as they noted how few had survived the storm. As was to be expected, they would have none of it that a brat as Alexa would be barking orders around.

"Who made you captain?"
"Me thinks I did. Unless ye wan' to go blab agains' the real cap'n? He's with the feeshies, if ya wan' I can help you fin' him fast 'nough."
"No chance, girlie. I believe it's better a real sailor gets his ha-"

Not leaving him to finish his sentence, the Hyuga's Gentle Fist would find his tenketsu twice before a fuuton-enriched blow would send him flying back against the mast. As he sank to the ground, she'd nonchalantly check her finger nails before eyeing the rest of the crew with a face that told them she wouldn't mind sharing a few hits with them either.

"Ye think that wheat-brain of a helmsman had any idea wha' he was doin'? Tis I who got this ship straight in the storm, ye pox-ridden dogs. And tis I who will take command now. If ye got problems with that, jus' let me know and I'll help y'out with it. Anyone?"

Checking the guy who had been smashed into the mast several meters further, then sharing glances with each other they seemed to be of a mind that it wasn't quite the time to oppose the kid's claim. For now. In complete synchronisation, a resolute shake of the head would acknowledge Alexa as the unlikely captain of this rag-tag crew, and not a second later she'd start delegating the first tasks.

"Ship's makin' water. First order is to get tha' repaired, aye? No ship means no one gets home to brag about this 'venture. So you two get to it, and take big-mouth there with ye.", she'd nudge her chin towards the man stumbling back with a daze. "An' you two, go check how much of the materials we lost. I need to know where we at on provision 'n ropes, fishin' lines and other means to get us through."

A not quite convinced yet 'aye captain' would follow as men moved to their appointed tasks. The moment they were out of sight, Alexa would lock the wheel for the time being and make her way towards the captain's cabins to see what he had in store on terms of navigation plans. Chances were big there'd be water inside the room, and if the man had been dumb enough to leave the maps open during the storm they'd be ruined as water and ink generally didn't quite get along.

---

669
Total: 1369

The captain's cabin was luxurious compared to the bunks of the crew. Not that luxurious meant that much in this context, but it made the difference. A single person bunk instead of a stapled one, a small desk where the former captain's clutter still remained, now unloved. And a single table, surprisingly large in size with its one by one meter, that could serve as quite a good spot to check upon sailing routes. With the raging storm having drenched most of the ship, the water in the cabin reached Alexa's shins, and because the former captain had not bothered to stow the charts away the table now carried blurred maps marked by ink stains. Of the ink pot itself there was no sign, the little trinket having drowned in the cabin water. Its contents mingled to the point it was no longer distinguishable.

"Ye truly had the brain of a mollusc...", the shinobi sighed as she muttered between her teeth. Without maps to pinpoint their position it would be hard navigating the churning seas. Figuring out which direction they were sailing was easy enough. Knowing which direction they had to go sounded damned impossible at this point. Even if they found land or stranded on an island, there was no saying they'd recognise the area and know in what direction they'd have to sail. Would it still be Konoha domain? Kirigakure's perhaps? Or was it an undiscovered island in uncharted waters? Too many questions, too few answers.

At this point, drifting about in search of land was still an open option. It would come down to having sufficient provision to last while avoiding scurvy and mutiny. The first probably the harder part since fruit had a limited preservation and could not be replenished without finding a trade port or lush lands. The second one was a matter of staying on their good side, or sufficiently intimidate them. For the moment, she held the upper hand but five men against a lone girl remained a dangerous disadvantage. Caution was advisable.

Deciding she could begin with cleaning up the captain's cabin, the Hyuga drew in a large amount of fuuton chakra within her lungs and proceeded to blow away the water out of the cabin and into the hallway. From there the water would flow down the stairs and into the lower section where it gathered with the rest of the water that was still flowing into the ship at this point. Under the sound of hammer hitting nails, Alexa would proceed to do the same with the water in the shipmates' cabins until all but a good mopping was required. The rest of the water problem would be left to the men downstairs to have it pumped out of the ship and back into the sea.

Returning to deck for the time being, the Hyuga ran up the mast and into the crow's nest. With a hand above her eyes, she'd peer as far as she could in hopes to find something resembling land but all she was met with was water. Vast, endless amounts of water. Deciding to retry another time she gazed instead at the rising sun, discovering with it the ship was directed southwards. The Hanguri Gulf was a long sail before the Munmen Ocean was reached. If her memory served her well, that meant the Land of Wind laid to the right and the Land of Tea was to the left. That's to say, if they hadn't reached the ocean yet, because if they did there was no saying how long it would take to reach land in either direction. Turning a 180 degrees in the crow's nest, Alexa would face north. Direction civilisation. She had been dispatched into the Land of Winds before, the vast sea of sand possibly larger than the the waters she was sailing now. There had seemingly been no end to the country no matter the direction taken. Long treks through the desert, she remembered those well, but it was better to find the Land of Wind than to remain adrift on open sea.

Having made her decision, Alexa jumped down, landing on deck with a roll and returning to the wheel. Once the crew was done with their chores, it'd be time to turn the ship northwards.

---

730
Total: 2099

The first few men of the crew returned to deck. Counting stock hadn't taken all that long, most of the cargo having been swept over deck by the storm. What remained had been gathered on deck, bound tightly by nets and ropes. Alexa gathered around to see what was left, estimating it on a four day ration. She scratched her head. Four days left meant that more than half had been thrown to the sharks. The road back took longer than that. Even if food was rationed, the whole deal was a tight business. Morale would sink, the skeleton crew they currently had already pushed to its limits would weaken with every passing day. A situation every captain preferred to avoid but one that possibly could cross their path.

"Aight, go help out the men below so we can stock this."

Just as she was done speaking, the trio on carpentering duty stepped in the light of the sun, dusting off their clothes to report they were done. The ship's hull was fixed for the time being and the water was out. Alexa would flash them a smile, glad things were moving up smoother than she had expected. Perhaps these newbies would make fine sea dogs after all.

"Well, you three raise th' sails and you two get tha' below decks. No point driftin' 'bout when we should be gettin' home. Storm blew us adrift, an' the previous cap'n goofed up by leavin' his maps open on the table. Water ruined them. Better not waste a time, aye?"
"How far are we off?"
"Cannae say. Took days to get out of the Hanguri Gulf. 'T will take days to get back too. Better ration food some, an' throw out fishin' nets along the way to supplement. That, or we be starvin'."

Glances were exchanged as the severity of the situation sank in. When everyone was sobered up to reality, Alexa clapped her hands with a "Chop, chop, now get to it, lads.", watching the men go about their tasks again as she took the helm. Flapping wildly, the sails were hoisted and the schooner would pick up wind. Slowly it'd pick up speed, the ship not quite in the ideal position to go all out. With half sails the ship would turn as Alexa steered northwards, making a 180° degree turn, before ordering to raise the sails to the maximum and have them catch the wind in full. As the orders were executed, the schooner eventually glided over the sea with about 11 knots speed. Still not quite the top speed it could achieve but seeing her cut through the water raised a sense of comfort into the remaining crew.

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454
Total: 2553