Pebble and Glass

[zory_alechiv]

The desert winds battered the earthen that protected Suna just as the sun began to peek over the horizon. In the gap where the two ends of the wall met, stood two figures cloaked in the wall's shadows. Both figures were short, yet one of them was taller by half a foot. Both of them were covered from head to toe in loose-fitting gear and over their eyes were dark sunglasses. Not a speck of skin would be seen, and had it been dark, the two could have moved like shadows. Both of their frames were straight and thin, with no defining covers or muscle structure.

Despite the similiarities, there were key characteristics in telling them apart besides the difference in height. The taller one had a long, blond braid that protruded from his hood and stopped at his waist. He also carried himself with the grace of a warrior, his movements fluid even when just walking. The shorter of the two had no hair peeking out of her hood and because of her young age, she could have passed as a boy due to her lack of curves. She was far more impatient than her partner as she paced the shade between the two walls with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Kioku," the shorter one spoke, her tone young and feminine. "Why can't we travel at night? Or better yet, not at all? I am here to study, not take missions. The sooner I finish reading the scrolls that my mother's family has, the sooner I can go back home. Don't you want to go back home, Kioku?" The girl whined and the taller of them straightened up and dropped his arms.

"You know I do, Tsumugi, but I am also here as a duty to our family. You must endure for now." Kioku sounded bored, the repetition of an argument they'd had before evident.

"Yea, but an escort mission? Why couldn't they just let me be a courier?"

"You need to be well-rounded, Tsume. Now, save your energy. I'm sure our job and the remainder of our team will be here soon."

Tsume huffed in annoyance before dropping down in the sand with her arms crossed. Kioku leaned back once again against the wall as the duo waited.

[King of Cats]

Today's assignment was a special scenario for Seiji. The green-lipped Kouseki had been elected to lead an escort mission. The decision had been placed into the records at the last minute, but the decision had been well thought out. Seiji had recently been named a Chuunin. His skill was undoubtedly rising to the surface, like desert heat over-top the soft, brown sands of Suna. He had been elected for this mission thanks to his strong social skills. Seiji was expected to guide the group through the desert, without taking the roads. It was expected that the weather would put the ninja through their greatest trial, but it was possible that wild animals would attack them off the roads. The trek was sure to be dangerous.

The person the ninja were escorting was a salt sculptor of Sunagakure. The man was famed for his artistic interpretation of famous people of the village, like the Tsuchikage. The sculptor, a man named Jiji, was a known supporter of Iwagakure's occupation. The people in the village had attacked him twice before, and he was requesting the village protect him. Seiji was the leader of such an endeavor, but he didn't much care for the idea of protecting a traitor to his village.

Seiji believed that Sunagakure should be free from the chains of Rock Country. He didn't like this mission at all, but he was a loyal servant of Sunagakure, no matter where the allegiances took him. He would serve his village without question, but his mind certainly had some doubts. He wasn't exactly sure this was how a ninja should act, and that made Seiji wonder if he was really meant to follow Sunagakure. The Jade Dragoon's allegiance was tentative, but he knew he had to follow through with his word. Seiji had sworn to protect Sunagakure. No matter what, he was destined to protect the Village Hidden in the Sand.

Arriving at the rendevous point with Jij the Sculptor, Seiji walked in silence. Two people were already ready to meet him there. Thinking about the state of Suna, Seiji was lost in his own monologue, but when he saw the familiar sight of an Iwagakure ninja, he perked up. Smiling a devilish grin, Seiji waved to Tsumugi.

[Shizue]

The weather from the east did little to make Shizue comfortable as she bundled herself into one of the nearby buildings, waiting for the redezvous time with the others that she was told to oversee. There had been strange things happening to the caravans that were headed from Iwagakure into Sunagakure, and after doing a bit of digging, Shizue had sent her escort back to Pebble with the message that there was something dodgy going on with the supplies from Iwagakure. She wanted to get the feel for the supplies going from Sunagakure to Iwagakure and decided that she had best try to pick up a mission from the locals, offering herself as sort of a 'medical mercenary.'

She had heard the term called a 'sawbones' on a ship once, and fancied the term, as it got to the nitty gritty, grizzly bit of the business that she usually engaged in. Shizue had decided that during her free time the day before the caravan was supposed to be leaving that she would buy herself some nice clothing to match the weather of the desert. The outfit was a flattering brasserie like top that was sinched at the top and at the back by metal clasps, the top clasp was worn like a necklace. The bottoms reminded her of bikini bottoms, with a flowing skirt that moved much the same way that her eyes did, catching the light on the strands and making them dance with the ambient colors of the day. The golden necklace was complete with a sapphire the size of her thumb encrusted in it and she had bought a matching pair of bangles, a golden belt and some gold-trimmed sandals to complete the ensemble.

She had paid a pretty penny for the luscious fabric that hugged her physique and showed off her natural curves, leaving little to the imagination, but keeping the worst parts of the sun off of the worst parts of her. She had gone around that day, blending in mostly with the locals, her headband hidden in her bag that she kept at her side, milling about the town. She had bought some heavier clothes, hearing one of the locals talking about how they would be getting a wind storm that night, but that the weather would die down about mid-morning the next day.

Shizue had decided, in the meantime, to set herself up in a little inn on the corner overlooking the supposed meeting place the next morning. She shuttered the window, peeking out every couple of hours to see whether her companions were there early before getting herself ready in the morning.

She never slept well before a mission, her stomach turning sick with the bile of meeting new people, nerves running ramshackle over her sleeping patterns. She combed through the tangle of her hair and decided to dress in the finery that she had purchased the day before.

Putting on a plain white wrap that bundled her entire body, along with a face covering and head covering which were of the same material, a finely woven, tight, and light fabric, she stepped out into the biting wind and walked down the wall toward her companions, who were below her. Two shadows waited, watching toward the inward part of town and another had just met the both of them. A fourth lagged a bit further behind, seemingly more bothered by the elements than the other three, she picked him out to be the person that the four shinobi were supposed to be escorting. She would have to patch up the other three, and perhaps save this one’s life if the whipping winds turned southward. She dropped behind the man they were to be escorting silently, and walked to meet the others.

Not really being one for introductions, her rainbow eyes flashed beneath her head-covering dancing a golden red hue with the first light of dawn. Even if she did introduce herself, it’s not like they could hear her anyhow. The howling wind took care of all of the senses, kicking up enough dust to cloud scent, enough debris to limit vision, enough of a racket to drown out sound, and enough grit to dull touch. It was a miserable existence, and one that Shizue was grateful would be over in a mere couple of hours. The wind already pounded at her ears, protected from the brunt of it by her head covering.

She waited, there, squinting against the wind, grateful that everyone else looked like she did, and she couldn't tell if there were furtive glances being exchanged or if they looked like a pack of miserable beasts of burden with a wizened old crackpot sculptor, standing out in the elements when no one else had any business being out of doors in such a gale-storm. Shizue sneezed, barely hearing herself over a gale that ripped through the streets, sent tumbling and howling between the cracks of dilapidated buildings and screaming down alleyways that were littered with human filth.

[zory_alechiv]

"You're impossible," Tsume said as she sat next to the wall and remained in the shade. Despite being half Henrin, she couldn't stand the sun anymore than Kioku. That was a consolation as her cousin merely stood next to her in the shade as well. She wasn't looking forward to the long trek across the desert, but her father was right. It would help build up her endurance, and she was wearing whites and tans. It really shouldn't be that bad. In fact, she could do this, perhaps learn a few new things, bug Kioku to teach her something along the way, and it wouldn't be a waste. No, things were starting to look up.

That was, until movement caught her attention and she looked to the trio that was slowly closing in on the Iwa nins. Standing, Tsume quickly dusted off her clothes. It wasn't uncommon for her to be the youngest, or the smallest, but the hiate tied around her waist said she was more than capable for a mission such as this. The first of the three figures she took notice of was the sculptor they were to be escorting. A Suna native, the man had received several threats for being happy with Iwa's occupation. She'd read the scrolls and had committed them to memory flawlessly. His name was Jiji and he was paying for protection.

Her eyes next fell upon what was undoubtedly a female. Her white wrap clung to her like a second skin, showing off every curve. Her rainbow eyes glittered in the morning sun and Tsume wondered if she would look that curvy when she was older. Perhaps she could leave this gangly body behind eventually.

Finally, her eyes fell on the last one and though the man waved, Tsume did not return it. Instead, words were quick to fall out of her mouth. "Oh no, you've got to be kidding me," she groaned and quickly moved to stand behind Kioku. "Quick, hide me. We gotta go back. We can't do this mission, Kioku." The white-haired man blinked from his charge to the waving kid and inclined his head thoughtfully.

"You can't tell me that out of everyone in the village, your one friend you found when you were five is the one leading this mission," the older man snorted and pushed his glasses higher. Despite being a tokubetsu, he was not a part of this mission. He had been charged by his own family to stand beside Tsume wherever she went. Her father and mother had wanted to send her to the Henrin archives, but neither could escort her, so here he was. "It is, isn't it?" He laughed when Tsume groaned even louder before peering around his shoulder. Her sunglasses had fallen down to the bridge of her nose. It was there that her Shoshiki lineage disapepared and also defined her as a child of Suna. Her eyes were nearly all black, including the sclera. The only exception were the two red rings that outlined the outer and inner line of the irises. "Go say hi, Tsume. It won't be as bad this time."

He all but shoved her to meet the trio walking up on them, nearly sending her sprawling in the sand. It was only her grace as a ninja that kept her upright. She looks from Seiji, to Jiji and finally their third, before bowing as they entered the pass where the wind couldn't reach. "Hello, I am Shoshiki Tsumugi. It is a pleasure to meet you all." She paused and frantically waved Kioku over. "And this is my chaperone, Kioku."

Kioku waved before pushing his hands into his pockets. "I am merely here to ensure little Tsume stays safe. I will not intervene unless I have to," he informed, automatically turning to the Chunin to assure the Suna Nin that he would not encroach on his mission

[King of Cats]

It was quite a surprise when Shizue appeared and Seiji had half a mind to cry out, but he was too cool of a customer to be caught shrieking in the desert. Instead, Seiji merely walked with Jiji the Sculptor further towards where the little ninja was waiting for them to arrive.

Jiji wasn't nearly as cool as Seiji, however. He cried out in surprise when Shizue made herself known. "Not cool, dude." Seiji chuckled and gestured for the group to hurry on.

As they arrived to meet with each other, Seiji took notice of the small girl waiting for them. She looked incredibly familiar, but he couldn't quite put his finger on the face. he was pretty sure the genin was a troublemaker, or maybe some kind of bully. There was something about this girl that Seiji found unsettling, but he wasn't sure what it was.

After looking at Tsume for a second, once she introduced herself, Seiji blinked dumbly twice. "Aha!" Seiji said and brought his painted nails up to his white hair for an itch. His memory has returned to him.

Tsume was a punk kid from Iwagakure that had tried to duke it out with him in the streets of Sunagakure, some years ago. He remembered her tomboyish gait, and there was no doubt about it once Seiji heard the girl's voice.

Quickly, Seiji decided not to say anything to Tsume. He remembered her name now that he thought about it, and it was undoubtedly her. Seiji wondered what kind of ninja she was, but he thought if he wanted to learn, it would be best to play it safe.

"Well, Tsume, Shizue, we are here to escort Mr. Jiji to Sakamoto Village. We can't take the roads, but I know the way. So just follow me and guard the flanks. Should be an easy mission." Seiji was smiling widely. The green color of his lips gave him a mystical presence, but his friendliness was very familiar and welcoming. "Shizue, I know you are a medic, so your priority in the event of battles is to guard Jiji. If he's hurt, be there to help him."

Seiji looked at Tsume and gave her a mischievous grin. "Be careful for sand wurms. if you see any burrows, stop moving immediately. Sand wurms are attracted by vibrations." Seiji put his hand into the group, signaling for a team moment. 'Let's go girls!"

[zory_alechiv]

Shoshiki Tsume

Tsume's shoulders sagged and she glared at the boy behind her black glasses. It was way too early to be this excited. In fact, she'd much rather return to bed and wait till it was dark. At least then she wouldn't have to wear layers in this kami-forsaken heat. She wanted to go home, she already hated it here and she hated her companion even more for listening to her mother's wishes. Instead of continuing to look at the irritating, loud boy, she turned to their other companion.

This was...definitely a woman. Despite the cloth that covered her body, her curves were visible leading Tsume to believe she was a lot older. No young teenager had a body like that. Especially not a genin which was what Tsume was led to believe she was. How terrible of a medic was she? Tsume shot a look to her companion and caught his gaze looking from Shizue back to her and he tilted his head. So he didn't think much of her either. Kioku would likely have to protect the medic to help the mission become successful.

"Sand wyrms, got it. See a tunnel, stop moving," she said more to herself than acknowledging anything Seiji needed to say. She'd listen to him because he was in charge, but it didn't mean she needed to be obedient. Clasping her hands behind her back, she moved to Jiji's left side. "You're going to love Iwa so much better, Mister. It's less hot, and the people are not as rambunctious in the mornings." She continued to chat with him, rambling about how great her village was as they moved into the rising sun. A part of her was hoping she was getting on Seiji's nerves and while she knew Kioku's cough was a warning, she ignored it.

Once the sun had reached its morning apex however, Tsume slowed down. It was hot, she was tired, and if it weren't for the threat of sunburn, she would have already shed her layers. Behind her glasses however, her eyes remained vigilant (mostly for burrows) but also in case there were bandits. After a few minutes of walking in this heat, she spoke up to Seiji.

"Please tell me we will be stopping in some shaded outpost this afternoon." Her and Kioku had stopped at outposts during the day, but she wasn't sure she'd survive the sun in the middle of the day, even with her layers.

[King of Cats]

Standing with the group, Seiji noticed that the older female was particularly quiet. He wondered if she had only prepared herself for an introduction. Nevertheless, the rest of his team seemed ready to go and Jiji was pressed for time. The group set off with a route in mind and with Seiji leading they did their best to steer clear of sandd wurms. The group didn't have too far to go, just north east a few hundred kilometers. It would have been a short days run for the group but Jiji required they walk at a more normal pace. They traveled in relative silence for the most of the trip, until Shizue let out a squeel.

The woman was standing in the desert sand and just i nfront of her was a quickly forming pit. It seemed that a sand wurm was passing underneath of her. "Don't move!" Seiji aid, careful not to make any sudden movements himself.

Shizue jumped back and drew her kunai, ready to fight the sand wurm, but that was her final mistake. The sand wurm sensed her movement and adjusted it's travel to upwards, quickly emerging from the sand with Shizue in it's toothy mouth. Shizue was greatly mangled, with the worms rotating teeth tearing into her guts and spewing her entrails all over Tsume, Jiji and Seiji. The woman/girl (?) screamed for her life as the worm twisted her in it's mouth and swallowed her alive.

[Shizue]

((this didn't happen, Shizue just walked off at the beginning of this))