[Cold Country] Kusari ni Tsunagareta Toshi

[HotelBravo]

Following the expedition into Cold Country and dealing with the Forgotten King, Lightning Empire had successfully set up an operating base in what the native nomads referred to as the ‘Cursed Lands’. The forward operating base was built on what one could call a leyline. Strong streams of chakra flowed through the region and converged at an underground lake, which had since become the home of the Lightning Empire’s expedition forces. As a result of the creatures in the region being attracted to the chakra’s presence, the security forces had been occupied with dealing with these threats. Yet, as the scouts continued to explore the region and the work crew set up a more permanent outpost, some scouts had notified Asuka about a city spotted deep within the mountains. A city meant people. It was an odd occurrence that a city would be this deep into Cold Country, when all they had met previously were nomads. One would presume the place was empty save that the light of fires and civilization seemed to emanate from it when the night fell.

Asuka had called on the services of their translator, Miyako, and the Nomadic Suriqai tribe to bring word back to the Outpost in Yaseyama that she was requesting additional forces for a C rank mission. It had taken some time for the message to return to Kumogakure, but the mission was approved and assigned to Kumogakure Team 11. For whatever reasons, one of the original members wasn’t able to make the journey at the present time, so a new assignment had been placed on the team. The team would have traveled from Kumogakure to the sea where they would take a ship and cross from the Empire to Yaseyama, the newly acquired territory. Once in Yaseyama the genin would have had to travel to the outpost on the border of cold country where they would meet with Miyako, the translator, and the Suriqai guides.

The Suriqai guides would bring the genin to the encampment in the underground lake at the Cursed Lands. Despite her impatience, Asuka had let the genin team catch their breath after the long journey. It wouldn’t do to ground the genin into the tundra before they could even begin their task. She would have gone herself, or sent Mariya or the Security team to explore the strange city in the mountains if she could, but frankly she was occupied and so was Mariya. Asuka hadn’t wanted it to come to this but considering the danger there was no other options.

The genin were gathered at Asuka’s command tent, which was a buzz of activity with people entering and leaving. A table in the center of the tent sat on a carpet and was covered with a rough map of the area that had various markers to represent the movements of the expedition. As she noted the team’s arrival, she had the Engineers step aside for the moment so that she could deliver instructions to the genin team.

”Chihiro. I know you had once mentioned that you didn’t feel ready to be a leader, but you are the most experienced genin on our team. Take this flare. If there is anything that the team can’t handle use the flare and the security team and myself will come immediately. To the rest of you…” She would pause seeing Jin Hirano. A New face that she wasn’t familiar with. ”I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure. I’m your commanding officer, My name is Ichiguro Asuka. I apologize that I don’t have time for much pleasantries. Your team’s mission is to investigate the city in the mountains. Its whereabouts are located in this vicinity.” Asuka pointed to a small block of wood which indicated an outpost on the map. ”I need you to scout out the city. Your main opponent is the terrain and the cold; we don’t want any hostilities with the city, but we need to know who they are - especially if they belong to Kirigakure, or maybe Heart Empire. Otherwise bring back as much information as you can about this place. Chihiro will be taking charge of the team. This qualifies as a C Rank Mission. May the Kami look favorably upon you.”

[DisgracedDairy]

There's a lot to be said about the academy of Kumogakure. A recent graduate himself, Jin could tell you where the paths curved around the bend, and how the sun shone through the warped wire fencing that wrapped around its campus at just the right angle to completely blind you walking to the cafeteria. He still remembers the soft whispering of the students in the morning, curious minds and fearful hearts all congregated around a modest breakfast, preparing to venture forth into the new world they found themselves in with every day. In his head, he can feel the weight of steel in his hand, the familiar motion hurling it through the air into the dummy every time he stows his kunai into its proper place on his person. It wasn't much of a dummy really; just a circular disc of wood hung from twine, paper haphazardly plastered to it in order to create the 'scoring zones,' by whose worth your instructor would deem your instruction to have been sufficient or not. But, there is another, perhaps more reserved remark levied its way by the genin graduates. For all the good that it does for its students... It does very little to prepare you for conditions on the field.




[Pictured: Jin's winter uniform.]


Of course, Jin had to learn this the hard way. It's hard to be kind when you aren't ready to undertake that kind of hardship, after all, the people most in need lived in those conditions. Breathless mountain trails, filthy foliage and deepwood... All that Kumogakure had to offer, he had seen more than once lending a helping hand to the tradesmen of the village. He found bitter cold waiting for him when delivering some freshly sawn planks to a couple out in the outskirts, and unbearable heat while carrying a caravan's extra stock. When he found himself among his colleagues, many of them felt the rigors of their school days all over again, body and mind once again put to the test in ways that they hadn't expected before in the form of simply adapting to the harsh weather. But this cold was a special kind of hell. Jin had wrapped thick bandaging around his hands in an attempt to keep what little warmth he had from sapping away into the frigid wastes. In truth, he had bound them on the ride to the land of cold desolation, only to find his efforts growing more and more ineffective the further the ship plunged into the cold fog. Clasping them against his cheeks and letting loose a hearty 'haa' into them, hot breath brought heat into the numbness that had settled itself onto his face. If only but for a moment, he felt relief, before it was taken from him yet again. There was little to be done about it, and there were more pressing matters before him. Reflexively, he pulls his trench coat tightly onto his person, the furs on its interior brushing against the fabric beneath, and a soft jangle of gear accompanies it.

The length of the journey to the outpost had left him somewhat absorbed in his own thoughts. There was little else to do on the trail there but lament the cold, and if you got bored of that, you had to find other ways to entertain yourself with god-knows what else. Maybe you could rotate an apple in your head. In truth, he was a little startled when someone addressed him directly, sending whatever train of thought he had previously into the deepest abyss of disarray as he entered the tent. He could feel Asuka and the others' gazes scrutinizing him, every weakness or strength to be had within his mortal body being measured within fractions of a second. 'If first impressions really mattered, this would be the moment to make it count,' he thought to himself. Standing at attention, he bowed before the imposing woman, and the rest of his squad members.

"Jin Hirano, Genin. I'm here to support you."

He sat in silence for a moment, head still bowed, contemplating. 'Is it appropriate to mention the fact that I'm replacing someone on their squad? Would it be rude to console them for something so inconvenient? Would I look like a jackass trying to suck up by doing that..?' The tip of his helmet pressed against his forehead, a natural result of having bowed forward. It may have only just been a mild inconvenience, but it only added to the pressure that he felt, though now a portion was quite literally physical, if small. '... I won't know unless I do something, will I?' Standing upright once again, he takes a gulp and prepares to speak.

"I..." The words caught in his throat for a split second. Hesitation lingered still. He dismisses it yet again, more forcefully this time. "I'm sorry about your absentee genin." Furrowing his brow, gritting his teeth, and locking eyes with his superior, he mustered all the pride and confidence he could. "I promise you, I won't let you down."

[Hayate]

Finally, a chance to prove myself.

Chihiro had grown tired of finding wily missing pets and running errands within the village. She longed to search the expanse. To explore the new territories. To be a part of building the Empire- of finding new friends and comrades. It was only here where she could truly make a name for herself and push for her goal to become the leader of Soul Country. She brushed off her winter gear and checked each and everyone of her blades meticulously as the light rail reached the camp and the doors opened to the melodic tone.

Cursed Land Base Camp the voice said gently. She took a deep breath and lept out the train onto the platform, then off once more into the snow as she headed off for the meeting point, Asuka's command tent. Command tent. Wow. She had totally misjudged the tightwad Asuka. She had a freakin' command tent. How could you be that cool? Chihiro wanted a command tent. One filled with maps and important things and papers. Plans everywhere. She imagined herself smoking a pipe as she pointed to a map, national themes of patriotic harmony filing the air in a plenitude.

Shaking her head, before long she had arrived at the tent. Entering she'd bow her head slightly then wait for the "commander" to address them. Before long- she'd learn that their other teammate wouldn't be making it... and that she'd be the leader now. She paused for a moment.

What? Wait a second. Hey!

She didn't have time to really discuss it as Asuka laid out the mission and hander her a flare. She tucked it safely in her pack. Oh, who was this Jin guy? "It's okay, I didn't know her too well. She’s no longer with us..." jabbed Chihiro. She knew all very well it would make it sound like their last teammate died- even though that was far from the truth. This Jin guy seemed so spooked it would be funnier that way.

As her brain realized it was an exploration mission. She nearly salivated. Nodding to this Jin fellow, and Ina, she'd straighten herself out. "Yes Ma'am. Sir. Sir Ma'am? Sir'am? Uh commander." she said fumbling about, then with a raised eye-brow turned to her team.

"Today... we trek out. To boldly go where no one of the Empire has gone before. Our mission is to find out what is in the city- but we should also remember the Prime Directive of the Explorer." she put her hand to her chest and looked up to the sky- well, the ceiling of the tent.

"We mustn't interfere with the natives. We merely observe." she said proudly, prancing about the tent.

"So Jin, what do you do? Like how and all that?" she questioned, her arms behind her back.

[Bexhex]

As the train approached the platform outside the encampment, Ina sprung up in excitement. She quickly zipped up her heavy coat, tied her smaller family coat to her waist, and hauled her kanabo over her shoulder. She must have felt exhausted than she realized from the trip as her large weapon felt much heavier than it normally would. Not even giving the train time to fully stop she thrust herself at the door and opened it as the train crept inch by inch. Ina smiled and said to herself, “alright my first adventure, Lets go..,” As she stepped out onto the platform. However, whether in excitement or sheer clumsiness she caught the lip of the platform and careened head first followed by several rolls off the back end of the platform with a loud, “OOF”, eating a large pile of ice and snow as she landed.

She was lucky the travel bags were sturdy and they survived the tumble keeping their contents safe. However, she herself, sat up spitting out chunks of snow and ice. Her facemask and hair wet from melted snow, and beginning to refreeze in the cold air. Her face was beat red from the cold, and partly to embarrassment. She stood up a bruise settling below her eyepatch, wincing as she touched it. Not much that could be done, her face now cold now being exposed to the frigid air she hoped the pain would subside by the time she rendezvoused with everyone. The ends of her hair, which had been dampened by snow which had melted on her natural body heat began to freeze in long strands poking her like icy daggers. She looked like a mess, and she couldn't help but laugh. “What a day” she thought to herself, “I’m gonna be such a mess,” she thought looking down the slushy and muddy path, down to the encampment. She saw a large tent near the center, and surmised that it had to be the base of operations, due in part to the frequent traffic of bodies entering and leaving its opening.

Ina walked up towards the tent, and before entering took a deep breath, it was time for her war face. She tried her best to brush off mud and slush, as well as settling her hair back down but she felt she just appeared disheveled and like she was fighting a losing battle. So she caved and opened the tent flap expecting her teammates to give her some slack in her appearance. Stepping in she felt relief as the bitter wind outside was met with the calm air within. ”Hiya, Miss Asuka, Chihiro..,” she said casually waving her hand at them both as she walked in. ”Senkuma Amaki reporting”, she saluted, and stepped up towards the table, hearing in the moment Asuka telling Chihiro that she would take the charge as the team leader, in place of their absent member. Ina felt relieved by this, the seasoned shinobi was a good fit, she seemed to have the aura of leadership emanating from her. This all came with a sudden silence as another boy entered the tent, he stared at them, and to Ina she wondered what could cause him to be so silent. When, “Jin Hirano, Genin. I’m here to support you” the boy said as he bowed.

Ina’s initial impression was that the boy seemed, in a way, awkward, it reminded her when she met Miss Asuka initially. She let out a small silent chuckle at the thought that she was once making an awkward introduction their senior had that look to her and in all fairness she still felt some semblance of fear she would be in trouble if she stepped to far out of line with her. Before she could say anything however their appointed leader spoke up, and they were given a brief mission outline. Chihiro’s quick speech made Ina giddy with excitement, the mission seemed easy but truth be told it didn't matter the danger or lack thereof, she was just happy to be on the trek, to explore many more new experiences.

Following the rundown, she looked over towards Jin and did a small childish jump towards him. ”Hiya, I’m Amaki, although we are teammates soooo you can call me Ina,” She tried her best not to cut off Chihiro, but the excitement of meeting Jin took over. “Sorry Chihiro I did not mean to cut you off—--”, her stomach made a loud gurgle as if on cue, and she went beat red. ”Uhm, eh-heh, you don’t suppose we have time to eat yet… would you?” she said, rubbing the back of her damp head. ”I have hardly been able to keep anything down since getting here,” Still awkwardly rubbing the back of her head.

[HotelBravo]

Asuka nodded at Jins introduction. ”Hirano-san I appreciate that.” Her manner of speaking was to the point and direct. She wasn’t angry or hostile, but many people often felt like that her manner of speaking made her seem like she had lost her patience. This really wasn’t the case, it was simply that she was being efficient with her time. Chihiro had a lot more spirit for this mission than Asuka had recalled on their previous meetings. It seemed that the girl was actually excited about this. Hah. the reluctance to be a leader was a fib. She was just being humble. Thats fine, but in this instance there was a job to do, and since Asuka couldn’t personally advise them, she would have to rely on the more experienced genin to keep her fellows safe. She then looked over to the newly appointed team lead, after hearing the complaint from Ina’s stomach. ”Gang Hua-san the mission is yours. Please let me know if you need any additional resources. Also, Please make sure to feed Senkuma-san before you leave. We have a train kitchen car pulled off to the side of the tracks that is working as a makeshift mess hall - that could be a good place to start.” Asuka gave a salute to Chihiro.

They all were sweet genin. She wished that she didn’t have to be so hard on them and send them out into the cold on what could be a very dangerous mission. She would take on all the burden herself if she could, but her business mind had made her far too valuable at managing the project. then turned and moved across the tent to where some other staff members were awaiting her attention and she began to converse with them. Soon enough Asuka was pulled away from the command tent to oversee another portion of the project elsewhere. She lifted the flaps of the tent with her arm and stepped through following the pair of engineers. There was a lot of building to do and only a limited number of supplies to be found here in the cold. The fact that they got the Lightning Rail up and running so quickly was no for any kind of convenience - but rather it was an essential for bringing tools and supplies to the expedition’s campsite.

The Expeditioin’s camp was becoming something more like a small town. There were a number of buildings that had already been established, the priority had been on having places to store materials and places for the men to sleep. There was also the train depot that the genin had used to arrive here. One of the Rail cars was set aside and set on blocks. Rather than building another messhall Asuka had simply directed that the diner car be used as the mess hall instead, to save time and resources that were otherwise being used in other construction projects. This place was built underground next to a large lake, the water here was cold, but it was clean and it was warm enough that it didn’t turn into ice on its own.

The walls of the caverns also had markings made by the ancient Suriqai ancestors. They were warnings about the cursed lands and the dangers that one might find here. One of the warnings was about the Forgotten King, a beast that Asuka and Mariya and the security team had to hunt down as it had kept praying in their camp. Some of the other murals depict artwork of the city in the mountains, long lengths of chains hanging from its heights.

OOC: Asuka has left the scene for now. I will now be Story Telling the mission.

[DisgracedDairy]

Jin's heart stopped. A chill ran up his spine, running colder than anything he had ever felt, a cold rivaled only by the frigid air of Cold Country. He could feel his hand tremble, made painfully aware of the precarious and horrific situation he now found himself in. 'No longer with us? No. That can only mean...' A cold sweat began to build on his brow. His usual calm, broken, and panic making itself known to him in its place. For such a breach of etiquette, he thought there would be no forgiveness for years to come. If nothing else, he knew would be unable for forgive himself at the very least. Jin knew he had to do something, anything to salvage this situation. No less could be demanded of him in such a compromised position. He had already begun preparing to utter a thousand apologies, his mouth agape for just a moment before he saw- A smile?

He had gotten so wrapped up in his own distress, he had all but failed to notice the subtle glee from Chihiro. As the moment had begun to pass, and his mind to finally clear, he watched as her grin finally was unable to be hidden from the others. She may have feigned misery like a bad actor at a school play, but a mischievous smile could be seen curling on her lips as she watched his composure sink further and further into anarchy. But why? Nobody could ever be happy about that sort of tragic happenstance. At least, nobody short of a complete psychopath. Jin considered the weight of such a judgement for a moment, something he knew he had naught to substantiate and even less reason to accuse her of, before quickly dismissing it. 'No. Such an assessment would be incorrect. But that only really leaves one option. A... joke?'

Jin breathed a sigh of relief, the immense weight on his shoulders finally rolling off of him like condensation off the cave walls. Of course he was frustrated, but even more content to know he hadn't accidentally tread on anyone else's grave by unfortunate happenstance. And at the end of the day, it was mostly harmless fun, right? Something to break the tension, some might say. While he may not have appreciated being the prey of such antics, he couldn't bring himself to get angry about it. In a similar situation, he could see the rationale for such a thing. When somebody finally bothered to query him about his role on them team, he was comforted to be speaking about something that he could say with confidence, now that he was done making a fool of himself.

Watching their commanding officer exit into the dark underbelly of the mountain to resign herself to other duties, Jin took a moment to collect himself before speaking. "It's nice to meet both of you. I'm a physician, with a specialization in Genjutsu. I'm sorry to have to ask, but I don't quite know what title to call you, miss... Chihiro, was it?" He took a moment to think back to the Jounin's instructions to the team. 'Yes. It was definitely Chihiro,' he thought to himself. Turning back to the squad, he took a moment to actually examine his comrades. The first thing that stood out to him, (aside from a bruise on Amaki's face which he would of course address later,) is just how young both of them were. Chihiro couldn't have been more than 13 years old, and Amaki barely older. He felt a pang of shame, to have graduated the ninja academy both so old and so meek, but he brushed it aside as other worries overwhelmed him.

He thought back to the other genin graduates, some of them no older than these two themselves, as prodigies weren't unheard of in Kumo, but he thought back specifically to just how often he would see them break down and cry. Witnessing that kind of thing wasn't easy; especially when you had your own troubles to worry about on top of that. Binding injuries, he had done before, and had even done so for the other genin after they inevitably came face-to-face with the unexpected. But when the dam finally would burst, and he found himself being the only person able or even present to console them, he often found himself at a loss. A cut, he knew how to dress. But there are few people that can confidently say they know how to mend a broken heart. A hug could go a long way, for sure, but both parties always knew that moment was only fleeting. Eventually, you had to go on your next mission. Youthful optimism and curiosity could only take you so far before the reality of life as a ninja finally humbled you to your knees, to where you simply could not take anymore.

Of course, the question is what to do about it, and in Jin's mind, there could only be one answer. 'I have to be strong. For them, if nobody else.' He may not have been strong enough to wield a Kanabo, or some demigod's child blessed with unfathomable prowess, but he had the will to persevere. The mountain could crumble around them, the cold could put them on death's door, but he couldn't afford to give in. It could have conceivably been the one boon his age granted him and few others; a strong heart. While of course, there is little way to know how the others would weather the storm until they came into conflict with it, he could afford to be there when their hour of need was nigh. Whether that was to dress their wounds, or to bolster their spirits, it didn't matter. After all, he did come to support them. Girding himself, and doubling his resolve, he carefully considered their next course of action.

In this line of thinking, Jin took a moment to reflect. 'They say an army marches on its stomach. It would be good for all of us if we started this expedition with a proper meal.' Turning to Chihiro he proffered forth a modest suggestion. "Perhaps we should visit the canteen? If we're expecting to be gone long, it would be prudent to acquire some provisions for the journey, and to depart without any kind of need slowing us down." He had worded it carefully to appeal to Chihiro's strategic acumen, or even to inspire some if none happened to be present. Which in and of itself, would be unfortunate, but one could always learn. He glanced at Amaki's careless injury for a moment before speaking again. "... And if you'd allow me to, I'll see what I can do about that bruise." Of course, he knew the solution was to 'apply an ice pack,' which was ironic given their current location, but it couldn't be helped. He patiently stood by the others, waiting.

[Hayate]

Chihiro would wave her hand in a classic tondemonai-yo gesture. She wasn't one for titles or names.

"Chihiro is fine. If we become really close, you can call me Chi-chan." she said with a wink.

Their squad, even with a new member, was complete-in-role perfection. With Jin's prowess in medicine and genjutsu he would play a strong support role. Chihiro, though young, had been through war. Medics were to be protected at all cost. Only Jin would be able to patch them up or stave off death for anyone in the team if something went wrong. Amaki on the other hand was capable of some taijutsu and general ninjutsu, and Chihiro held a strong battlefield control trump card. This mission though... seemed like one that wasn't meant for combat however. At the very least they'd be wise to avoid it at all costs.

"You all raise good points. Let's make way to the mess hall before we leave- we can get some extra rations and make our plans as we walk and eat." she said as she signaled for the group to move, leaving the tent out into the large spacious cavern and in search of the disconnected dining car. Asuksa-ne-chan really was stingy. Didn't even build a new mess hall. For a moment, Chihiro wondered if cost savings on this campaign was something that Jounin got rated on.

She'd look out the the lake and then about the cavern, her eyes seeing the Suriqai cave paintings.

"Let's make sure to look at those paintings more carefully for clues before we set out... but first, to pull you up to speed Jin, I'm a specialist at magnetism. The game is simple- I cover the battlefield in swords and weaponry and then I turn it into a graveyard for my foes with magnetism- turns out storms of weapons- oh yeah also covered in some poisons, is quite deadly." she said with a grin.

"I'll let Amaki tell you what she can do- but I'll ask you stay behind us always. As long as you're up, we're up." she said as she crossed her arms. The mess hall was in sight.

[Bexhex]

Hearing the two of them exchange their specialties, Ina felt herself lost in fascination for her allies' abilities. Following Chihiro’s lead, she looked over at Jin and proudly said, “I hit things with this chunk of iron,” her face grinning comically as she pointed to the large slab on her back. “Oh… I also utilize a bit of raiton and jikiton myself, but nothing flashy," she quickly added, "I won't let anything passed us," she said confidently flexing her tiny arms addressing both of them. She tried to imagine Chihiro's rain of weapons, causing her body to shudder, thinking to herself it was good she was on their side. Imagine the nightmare of dodging something like that, terrifying she thought. She was happy with the team she was on it seemed they all managed on paper at least to fit together quite nicely.

Gingerly skipping along the path towards the rail car, she tried to keep from letting silence take over. ”What kind of clues are we looking for? Anything we should keep our eyes peeled for Chihiro,” she chimed, holding her hands over her only good eye like a magnifying glass. She could almost smell the food wafting from the railcar, her mouth began to salivate at the thought of whatever food she could snag away. She hoped there was something sweet behind those doors, it would be good for the mission, keep her energized and on her toes.

As they further approached the car, Ina found herself blushing when Jin offered to help with her newest bruise, the gesture being, to her, something foreign. Her frequent clumsy mishaps leaving her scraped, bruised, and battered, she was always the one having to nurse herself back to full health. To be honest, aside from her long hospital stay when she was younger, she couldn't remember the last time a physician had seen her. Even though it was his specialty it was a gesture that made Ina feel secure and safe. “O-oh, uhm yes, that would be great, it is rather unsightly” she said shyly, gently kicking her foot in the snow as they walked towards the mess hall. For a brief moment she stopped, adjusted her eyepatch securely just above the newly formed bruise, then leaned towards Jin as she pressed out her cheek for him to examine. “Think ill make it doc?,” she said with a smile, and a small chuckle.

[DisgracedDairy]

Jin reached out his arm, carefully cradling Amaki's chin in his hand, and turning her face to the side. A painful purple blot had already begun to form, and the skin had become tender to the touch. Of course, it was nothing that he, or any other physician hadn't seen before, and certainly nothing fatal save in the most dire of circumstances. But by that point, you would have had other problems. He gave a gentle smile before he delivered his prognosis. "Good news; you'll live." Setting his duffle on the cold ground and kneeling, he removes a gray handkerchief from within. Scooping up some of the snow that hadn't yet been trampled underfoot and soiled by the tradesmen of the camp, he packed it tightly into a white lump, tucking it into the handkerchief and tying its corners together around it. At the end of all of this, a makeshift ice pack was held in his hand, which he gave to Amaki. "This should help the swelling go down. Your body will do the rest. Let me know if you really feel like you need something for the pain." Tidying himself and his belongings, he quickly dusted himself off before marching to the dining cart alongside the others.

The path to the dining cart wasn't particularly troublesome, but was still lengthy nonetheless. Jin could feel his gear press into him as he paced, cool air blowing past his face as others hurriedly rushed by. The hustle and bustle of the camp was apparent to all, as workers carted various building materials and supplies to-and-fro. Much of the camp at the moment was simply empty space, boot-prints and filthy trails found wherever one turned to look. Several zones for construction had been cordoned off, and many of the buildings had already begun to rise with the aid of skilled hands. By no means was it glamorous; but the framework of a functional base of operations could be seen already. Jin felt out of place, with naught a nail nor a hammer to pound it with on his person, but knew that his own task should be just as important regardless. Jin still held onto some apprehension, and felt a queasy feeling in the back of his throat. He was sure that it would dispel itself proper once they had actually departed for their survey, but the feeling remained still.

The topic of the survey itself was largely a mystery to Jin. He had been in these lands for all of the better part of a day, but the knowledge that he would now be surveying it came as a shock to him. Of course, ninjas were admittedly adept at gathering intelligence, but were by no means cartographers, or explorers at that. Even more, to think a city lied within the cold wastes seemed all but miraculous to him. He briefly glanced at the paintings on the walls, the archaic portrayals of the beasts, curses, and demons of Cold Country scrawled for generations upon generations to witness, even if they did not immediately understand. He wondered to himself just what lied out there in wait for them. But more importantly, he wondered if they were ready for it in turn. The last thing he wanted was to find himself the last man standing. "We should ask other members of the camp what they know about the region we'll be investigating as well. Even if it's just rumors, it would be better than going off of nothing."

In between his own cold breaths, Jin saw a group of men sat around a campfire, sharing food and spreading mirth among one another. A cloud of steam rose from a pot hung above it. The men plunged metallic cups into it, clearly taken from whatever mess kit had been issued to them as part of their dispatchment to the camp, from which the warm aroma of a hot drink could be seen wafting into the air. His thoughts turned to the dining cart, and to the supplies they would invariably end up taking with them. With little else to set himself at ease aside from some relatively minor conversation, he turned to the others. "... Out of curiosity, does anybody here have a preferred drink? Or, if we do end up cooking something out there, would you prefer anything in particular?"

[Hayate]

Chihiro took a deep breath as memories flooded her mind. She was reminded of her very first meeting with Asuka. Asuka had been a purveyor of art- she'd learnt the history and meaning of cultures through it in a deeply analytical sense that impressed the young warrior. That memory, for Chihiro, was a mercurial moment. A wave of a tumultuous emotion finding herself in the presence of someone who perhaps had understood her better than anyone else she had met prior. By the Emperors breeches... she thought at the idea that she was.. that her and Asuka were at all in understanding.

"Art has an interesting overlap with history..." Chihiro said replying to Amaki. "It can tell us much about the world at the time the artist created it- the truths of the time..." she said in an oddly and uncharacteristic wisdom for the otherwise brash girl. Asuka had perhaps rubbed off on her more than she would have liked to admit- Mariya too.

Chihiro would give her teammates space for Jin to inspect Amaki, and nod in agreement with his suggestion to question some members of the camp. It would be wise to do so- especially if they could ask a Suriqai more. Arriving finally at their destination, Chihiro would smile and get a basic meal kit.

"I like jasmine tea." she said with a wink to Jin- before moving away to take a seat near the men with her meal kit.

"Any of you explore this place?" she asked blankly to the men. Hopefully they would allow her to feel a little vindicated in their idea by providing some sort of useful intel.

[HotelBravo]

Among the drawings on the wall was a crude design of a city in the mountains with a chain criss crossing before it. A monster with a crown stood before the city and it was seemingly chasing people away. The suriqai had called this creature the Forgotten King. A monster that had haunted the camp prior to the genin’s arrival, and one that Asuka and Mariya had put in work to hunt down and slay. "Any of you explore this place?" Chihiro would ask the men in the dining car. The men in the dining car stopped their own conversations as it was interrupted by Chihiro’s raised volume in her voice, having spoken over just about everyone in the car. An older man stretched and got to his feet before making his way over to the table that Chihiro and the other genins were sitting at and slid into the open seat. ”I heard about you lot. You’re the genin team that are supposed to be doing the scouting right? The name’s Mamoru.” He introduced himself. He was a lean man, his hair was slightly balding, and his face was lined with crows feet and was tan from time in the sun.

”I’m one of the surveyors, so if you want someone that has snooped around this place I suppose I’m the guy to ask. Here. Your lunch is on me. Hey Chef!” He gestured to the chef who nodded back in return. ”A hot meal for these kids here.” the Chef nodded and returned to his work, busying meals for the three genin. ”What do you want to know exactly? I’m no shinobi, but I’ve looked around this place and we’ve been placing stakes to mark the measurements that we’ve been taking. There was a mean critter that was harassing the camp a few weeks ago but Ms. Ichiguro and Nakajima hunted it down. That thing was something out of a horror story.” The man shivered. ”Thats all well and done with now.”

[Bexhex]

Amaki held the cold compress across her face, it was going numb as she held it there and she would frequently feel the need to change hands. Jin was right it definitely did help to bring the swelling down, and she felt better not having a huge knot on her cheek. "O-oh ha ha, this will be plenty, the pain. Well I've had worse, but it's nice to not have any new beauty marks on my face," she said with a chuckle, pointing towards her face. She looked away, and saw the state of the encampment, many taking a break around a warm fires, swapping stories and doing whatever they could to keep their minds off the bitter cold. Amaki shivered after a few minutes and pulled the handkerchief away from her face shaking out the snow that had gradually compressed into a large ball of ice. "Thanks Jin, I really appreciated this, it may be getting a bit to cold for me now though," she smiled holding out the handkerchief for him to take back.

She listened as Chihiro spoke about the drawings, and to her surprise, the young girls words holding a wisdom Amaki didnt take her for, that made her take a moment to look at the etchings, more deeply. "I never really thought of it like that, pretty wise to", she said in response. The moment of wisdom wasn't lost on her, but rather she felt there wasn't time in her potentially short life to really enjoy these things. Maybe it was something when she returned home she would pay more mind to. But for now all she had were the drawings to pay attention to, some of which seemed, to leave a lot more questions than answers in her head. "I wonder, what the chains are over the city?" she said Moreso thinking out loud than expecting an answer.

As they entered the rail car, Amaki smelled the aroma of a warm meal. She looked back towards Jin, "I like sweet foods, oh and its cold so hot chocolate perhaps?," she pursed her lips in contemplation, "I suppose I can really eat anything though." Her mouth was practically watering before a tray of food was sat down in front of her. While not appetizing it was not her place to complain, being that it was given at the behest of their new friend Mamoru. Stew, with bread, chunks of meat, and vegetables that were stirred in together. The stew made for a great dip for the older bread, it was a cheap meal to be sure, but one that would keep you warm and full.

Amaki thanked Mamoru for the food, the man looked tired but jovial, someone she thought at least she could get along with off of first impressions. Amaki decided she would listen intently while her teammates took the lead in the conversation. She was just happy to be able to stuff her face for the first time since getting off that boat.

[DisgracedDairy]

Taking the handkerchief into his hand, he untied it and flung the packed ice through the door and out into the cold. Tucking the slightly damp rag into one of the pockets on his coat, he stared down the simple metallic bowl in front of him. It was rare to have such a luxury in this kind of outpost, as usually any personnel would have to bring their own dishware and utensils. It seems as though the dining cart had become a permanent enough emplacement that the powers that be had deigned it worthy of its own supply of dishes. Every now and then you could find somebody being served something into their own mess kit, but they were few and far between. Jin leaned over the counter and looked at the stovetop, which had several pots placed atop it. Frothing and foaming could be heard from across the dining bar, as one of the open pots continued to broil its contents. The stove had a blazing fire within, and the crackle of burning wood would occasionally escape from the furnace as they opened the its hatch to load more firewood into the apparatus. Smoke snaked its way up through a connected exhaust pipe and out the top of the dining cart. The chef gave Jin a wary look as he leaned over the counter, prompting Jin to utter a quick apology and take to a sitting position once again.

Jin pulled his bowl closer, peering into the murky brown mixture. Various chunks of food floated atop the broth, only to sink back into its depths. The broth itself had been spiced, its wayward aroma forcing open the nostrils of anyone who got a good whiff of it. Jin hesitantly grasped a spoon in his hand, the cold metal harshly juxtaposed against the warm stew, before turning to Amaki. Like a man in the deepest dunes of the desert, Amaki greedily gobbled her food as if it were an oasis after miles of sand. Turning back to his own bowl, he carefully considered its contents. He was hungry after the long trip to the camp, sure, but he was convinced it wasn't anything that couldn't be filled by a warm drink or some trail rations. Amaki on the other hand... If she was this hungry, a second serving wouldn't hurt too much, right? Taking a deep breath, Jin slid his bowl over to seemingly famished girl. "I don't mean to make you worry, but I want you to have mine too. It's probably going to be a long journey, and I don't want you to have to worry about when we're gonna eat out in the field. Captain, I'm going to go-" He stopped himself mid-sentence, before properly addressing Chihiro again. "... Sorry. What I meant to say, Chihiro, was that I'm going to go find the quartermaster and requisition some supplies for us. I'll try to ask about the drawings and get some copies if I can, but I think you should talk to Mamoru about what he knows. Of course, I really shouldn't do any of this without your permission..." With that last line, he shifted his gear and looked at Chihiro expectantly, clearly awaiting some form of response from the young girl (who happened to have been appointed as his superior for this operation).

[Hayate]

"Thanks." Chihiro said as she dipped her head to the elder as she firmly took her seat. [color=#77]"Measurements of what, and staking for... what... exactly?"[/color] she asked as she looked at the warm, hot slop she was handed in a bowl. She was sure by the smell of the stew that despite it's lack of color or texture it would be a nice, fulfilling meal. Especially given they might be eating ration packs for a while. She took a deep breath.

As the group dug in, Jin would ask for permission to go get supplies and do preparations, seemingly uninterested in his food and offering it to Amaki... Chihiro wasn't a fool, and understood he was concerned at the girls hunger. But she also wasn't happy with the idea of him eating from their rations later, once they were on the road.

"I'd prefer you to finish your food first..." she said as her eyes flashed to Amaki. She knew what it was like to be truly starving... there was a time when the capital of Soul had fallen that had taught her, the daughter of a shinobi and a noble, the true struggles of what it was like to not be one so fortunate... It was a grim moment, but one that had formed a core memory for Chihiro, and something she was thankful for. It had taught her the empathy she needed to understand the suffering of her countrymen.

"If Amaki needs more food- we can get her seconds. It's on Kumogakure's tab." she said as she crossed her arms. Jin's plan was solid, but beyond making sure they didn't use any more rations than they needed to... she wanted to make sure the team stuck together for this meal. It was a form of bonding in her culture above none other- to share a meal with your friends.

"Beyond the beast the Commander and Captain Mariya killed is there anything else to worry about there? Widow makers, things children are told about before bed, that sort of stuff?" she'd say, adding one more question to Amaki's about the chain.

She began to gobble down her stew as she awaited a response.

[HotelBravo]

---

”Hmm… ” Mamoru rubbed his chin as he gave the question proposed by Chihiro some thought. ”I can’t say that we’ve run into other creatures. The Natives do call this region the cursed lands though, so there is that, we haven’t run into much that would give one the impression that this place bears any kind of curse though. As far as the chains - I’m not sure. We haven’t gotten close enough to really get a good look at the place, but I can tell you that the place doesn’t look to be abandoned. One can see lights up there at night so there’s got to be somebody up there right? Yeah, but the main troubles you’ll deal with are probably the cold and possibly whoever is up there.” Mamoru shrugged. ”I don’t know if I have much else more I can tell you about the city - It seems to me that the Commander is taking this situation pretty serious if she wants to send genin to explore the situation - so we can’t help but be grateful. It is cold here and treacherous terrain wise - so if there is any kind of dangers to be careful of - you should make sure that you take proper safeguards to deal with them. Although you’re all shinobi so I don’t expect they could put up that much of a challenge right? Shinobi can’t be defeated by us common folk or even mountain critters after all.”

[Bexhex]

Amaki let out a loud sigh as she finished her meal, she slid back over the bowl of stew Jin offered. "It's okay Jin, I agree with Chihiro, eat up. You'll need that just as much as i do, besides like she said seconds are on the villages tab" she said tilting her head with a smile. She looked over to Mamoru listening to what he had to say. Amaki felt the unease about the 'forgotten king' leave her mind as he spoke. "At least one less demon I'd have to see," she said under her breath. The fear she felt that something like that depiction could be running amuck horrified her, roused old memories she wished to leave vaulted. She reached up touched her eye patch reflexively, quickly bringing her hand back down to her lap before speaking up. "Well I'm glad to hear your confidence in us Mamoru. More so that the bump in the night things are gone, even if they weren't they would be no match for us," she said with a half-laugh trying to flex her skinny little arms.

She wasn't used to missions and such she felt the excitement to see what was in that city. All her fears aside, her curiosity was brimming forth, she was eager to go meet whatever people where in that place. She stood up and returned her tray and empty bowls before asking the person behind the counter for something sweet. If there was something she knew well it was to ensure there were plenty of rations of emergency sweets for the trip. Wrapping up whatever the man behind the serving counter brought she would return to the table before looking over to Chihiro. "I'm pretty sure I'm prepared for a trek, wheres our next stop?....OH, Thank you for the meal again Mamoru," she bowed before giving the man a big smile. She sat down, prepared to wait as the team finished their meal. chomping at the bit to go out and play in the snow and explore the old mysterious village. Maybe if she was luck she would get to see those lights in the sky, hmm, what were they called again, borealis?" Amaki was lost in thought, trying to remember the name of the lights in the night sky that she dreamed of seeing outside of picture books.