Melting Hearts(Cold Country)

[Tsedas]

The morning frost turned the dead grass brittle as it crunchy under foot. Stepping across the field, the early morning light was just threatening to push against the fading night sky. Hints of oranges and yellows tickling at the far edges of the horizon, the impending light and warmth of death crawling up from the chill of night. The clouds that dotted the sky were few and far between, but played their part in catching this coming rays of light, looking like puffs of color silently sliding slowly across the sky with forms stretched then by the winds. Another gust picked up, pushing against a pair of travelers moving through the country, the chill of it cutting to the bone as one of the figures shifted beneath their thick winter cloak. Pulling it tighter, they exhaled loud enough to make it known to their companion that the bone cutting chill was getting bothersome.

Clad in the thick cloak, it was enough to keep the woman within warm when the wind wasn't actively trying to remind her that the country was actively trying to carve it's name into her soul. Cold Country lived up to it's name this morning, the frosty ground, biting wind, and piercing cold air all reminding the pair that this wasn't a place they were accustomed to living in. Another puff of steam escaped the woman's mouth as she grunted in frustration this time, stepping on a rock the wrong way before stopping to shake her leg and ankle, the offending matter dislodging from her boot and tapping across the ground. "The sun needs to rise faster, a little warmth would be appreciated after how cold it was last night." She stated plainly, raising her head to gaze ahead of them instead of at her foot and the rock that tried to bother her.

Cyan eyes scanned the way ahead before spotting the silo in the distance. A good sign to say the least, finally their first true stopping point on the journey. Taking a breath, Bayushi Kachiko heaved a sigh of relief before looking to her traveling companion and partner for the mission they had been assigned. "Looks like our destination is finally within sight. Are you good to continue on or do you need to take a short break, Nakajima?" Kachiko asked, taking a moment to stop and listen to their response before she'd either take a break with them or they would continue on.

Turning her head, Kachiko's eyes looked to the horizon again as the bright light of dawn pushed harder against the lingering purple and blue hues of night. The stars were fading from the horizon as the more brilliant light of the sun started to show it's face, the shadows behind them bowing to it's presence as they shrank down to let the world fill with color slowly. Kachiko let a small smile tug at her lips, the sunrise giving her confidence as it meant the frost was soon to be melted and the chill was to dissipate.

[Kabu]

Having been entrusted with a number of duties back home some time had passed since Eiko had last gone on a mission, much less one that would take her out of the country. While more than glad for the opportunity she had been a little reluctant to abandon her teaching post for an extended period. Luckily a friend had been willing to act as a substitute while she was gone.

As they traveled through the frozen wasteland that was Cold Country Eiko couldn't help but be glad that she had opted for a thick blouse and pants instead of her usual skirts. She had honestly agonized over it for a while, knowing that it would be cold but still wanting to dress up nice for meeting with their eventual hosts.

She however hadn't expected it to be quite so cold, the young woman knowing deep down that she would never take the winters back home for granted ever again. She was grateful as they stopped to take a breather, knowing that she had "Let's continue on for now. We're almost there and I would love to get out of this cold. And please just call me Eiko. I may be here as dad's representative but there's no need to be so polite or formal." she spoke in response to her partner's question, looking over at her as she did. She was quite grateful to have companions for this journey but there was an air of formality that she desparately hoped to be rid of... In more senses than one.

While Kachiko was admiring the scenery she herself turned around, hands on her hips. "Hisako get your butt over here! Please just walk by my side and stop acting so nervous." she called out to her pink haired bodyguard, marching over and pulling her by the hand over to where Kachiko stood. She had insisted on tagging along and had been walking several paces behind, claiming that she was just keeping an eye out for potential danger. Eiko however knew that was only a half truth at best.

"But I..." Hisako began, only to just as quickly close her mouth as the words escaped her. "Fine." she knew that there was no winning this argument.

As they returned to Kachiko's side the sun had begun to come up, Eiko letting out a small sigh of relief as just a bit of warmth seemed to come with it. However she could stop to admire it later. For now... "Oh yes Kachiko, my apologies but we've had a tagalong." she spoke, gesturing over towards Hisako whom was standing by her side though awkwardly looking down at the snow covered ground. "This is my bodyguard Yukana, Hisako. She's... shy and something of a workaholic. She can be awkward in her dealings with others, especially when it comes to protecting me, but she always means well so please do try to get along with her."

[Tsedas]

The sunrise was captivating in that moment as it brought color and warmth to the world, but the sound of her partner yelling was cause to pull her gaze from the burgeoning daylight. Shifting her foot back, Kachiko twist her body while turning her head to take a gander at whomever Eiko was calling out to. A person named Yukana Hisako joined the two of them, the Jounin giving them a once over before turning her attention back to Eiko. "Very well then, we're almost to our destination anyway so having her turn back would be kind of fruitless at this point." With those words spoken, Kachiko turned and started trudging through the snow once more as she continued on to their destination.

"As for calling you Eiko, we're not really that familiar with one another. I'll stick with Nakajima and Yukana." The woman stated, not sure of how to approach calling people by their first names like that. It's a level of social interaction she'd never reached with someone too often and it felt a little bizarre going by a first name basis with someone she didn't know. Almost felt like she should be yelled at for doing it. Besides, the professional in her thought it poor form to be so laid back when they had to conduct themselves in this kind of.... emissarial fashion? She knew the mission wasn't that kind of thing, but they were talking with people leading these tribes and their actions might reflect back onto Kumogakure.

Whatever the case may be, the tw-er three of them were here to meet their translator and then a chieftain's first born son at Silo base. From there they would travel to a festival being held by all the tribes so their team could attempt to meet the other chieftains. It was supposed to be a peaceful mission to help build ties and garner the makings of a mutual alliance with a sprinkle of trade mixed in. It was also supposed to bring them under Lightning Countries protection and allow people to migrate to Lightning if they desired.

Breathing out, a large cloud of steam escaped the woman's mouth as she pulled the cloak tighter around her body while walking. The Bayushi woman was just glad to be on solid ground and not having to go someplace like the ocean. If there was one place she'd outright refuse to go, even if it meant disciplinary action it was there. Still as they walked, Kachiko looked back at the pair. "I don't suppose you two have any idea on how to conduct oneself before tribal chieftains, do you?"

[Kabu]

Eiko frowned deeply at Kachiko's refusal to call her by name, brow twitching all the while. Why refuse such a simple request? It wasn't often that she felt a sense of frustration or anger but this was one of those moments. "Fine. Do whatever you want." she muttered while pulling her cloak tight around her, a mix of frustration and disapointment evident in her tone. She had so many more things she wanted to say but she held her tongue, not wanting to cause an upset. Of late she had been having more people acting so formal in front of her and she hated it. She knew she had to get used to it but still it made her deeply uncomfortable. She was also thinking about the mission... How would it reflect on them if they acted so distant and unfamiliar with one another in front of their hosts?

Resisting the urge to sigh she followed along behind Kachiko, Hisako walking by her side. She had remained silent the whole time but was nonetheless keeping a close eye on Eiko and watching the shifts in her mood. She knew how difficult things had been of late but she knew that if she tried to say anything it would likely make things worse. All she could do was keep an eye out and try to keep the peace if trouble broke out.

The trio walked for a while in silence until... "I don't know much about chieftains specifically but at these times I think the best way is to just act natural." Eiko spoke in response to Kachiko's question. "We don't want to be rude or impolite but being overly polite or courteous won't do either. At least that's what I've learned in my short time as a teacher thus far." she continued, a wry smile on her face as she glanced over towards Hisako.

"I... I have no experience with these things but I'll do my best." Hisako responded nervously. Some part of her honestly felt an urge to turn around and run back home. That wouldn't do though... It would reflect badly on her in multiple ways if she were to do that and she very much wanted to avoid that.

With that said she did have one idea that came to mind, a reminder of her time in black ops. There was an easy way to gain trust and subsequently entrance into a protected area... Of course there was no need to go that far at a time like this but... "Perhaps we should have brought a gift?"

[Tsedas]

The muttered words were lost to the wind brushing past Kachiko's ears, masking their meaning but the noise of it still rose enough to be registered. Paying it little mind, the cloaked figure moved forward towards the base in the distance. She didn't know what to expect but from the sounds of things, it was going to be one hell of a learning experience for all of them. Lowering her mouth into her cloak's collar, Kachiko heaved a sigh that let a trail of steam escape into the air. 'Hopefully I can relegate myself to a bodyguard role and let Nakajima handle the talking. Talking in social environments isn't my strong suite.'

Raising her head, she turned her gaze to the Silo as they trudged along. "Might be better to ask our contact about the gift idea. I haven't the foggiest idea what these people would deem a suitable gift. At the very least, we need to observe our hosts and see what we can gleam of their customs and rituals." Kachiko stated as they continued on. It was quite the walk as they covered ground, moving closer and closer the higher the sun rose into the sky. At one point the air around them started to grow warm enough that Kachiko's huddling for warmth in her cloak had ceased and she'd risen back to standing comfortably and her stride was returning to a more normal gait as she pushed through the chilly landscape.

Scanning the terrain, the woman kept an eye out for any distant threats from wild life or ne'er-do-well alike. Nothing visibly came to pass or stand out, but it was to be expected this close to a Kumogakure outpost. Still, something wasn't sitting right in her mind. Maybe it was anxiousness about the mission being one more suited for those in a diplomatic role or perhaps it was how relatively uneventful their journey had been, but something was gnawing at the back of her mind. As they approached the Silo, Kachiko kept idly tapping her fingers against the kunai holsters on her thighs as she walked, seemingly waiting for something to go wrong.

[Kabu]

As they walked along Eiko couldn't help but observe both of her companions, noting that they seemed to be alike in many ways. Notably they both appeared to be jumpy and paranoid, keeping an eye out for any potential danger. That's not to mention the air of awkwardness that Hisako and Kachiyo both carried. It honestly was enough to cause some concern... Was this really the best team for this kind of task? In the end they had a job to do and she was going to make sure it got done but for now she could only pray that things would go over smoothly.

In any case she felt some relief as the silo came into view. She beckoned with her hand for Hisako to follow as she sped up her pace to walk by Hisako's side. "I must admit I am feeling a bit nervous. As a teacher I've gotten some practice in dealing with civilians but this is my first time handling such a delicate task." she spoke, putting on a practiced smile as she stared ahead, hands laced together. "The most important thing right now is for us to relax and show that we come in peace. Being all tense and on-edge when meeting with our host won't do anyone any good." she added, briefly looking over towards Kachiyo and Hisako in turn before returning her gaze to the road ahead.

With that said they finally arrived at their destination and she called out. "Is anybody already here? I apologize if we've gotten here later than expected."

[Tsedas]

As the group walked, closing the gap between them and the visible structure, Eiko began speaking on her nerves and how she'd been getting used to talking with people as a teacher. Her words about being tense and on-edge cause Kachiko to glance over at the other woman. This statement made some sense to the pairing that was constructed for the two of them. Eiko was the more socialable type who had history in dealing with people. Kachiko was a soldier skilled at combat. While she was sure Eiko had her fair share of combat prowess herself, it made sense that she'd be the one who should do the talking and Kachiko was more of back up or a body guard in these endeavors. Shifting her cyan eyes to Hisako, the Bayushi woman assessed them and was left with a big old question mark in her mind about that person.

"Nakajima, being tense and on-edge in the wilderness is a perfectly natural thing to do. It's not like wild animals aren't just gonna go 'oh sorry for the bother' and wander off if we say 'please' to them. When we get to the Silo, I'll be less tense then." Turning her gaze to the front, Kachiko noted the snow was melting away and dead grass was beginning to take it's place. She found it odd that the ground around the Silo was freeze of snow, but it was then that she stopped walking for a moment to kneel down. Placing her hand against the ground, there was a subtle warmth to it that would explain the melted snow. Rising up, she kept walking as her eyes settle on the Silo.

Living up to it's namesake, the Silo looked like just that. A large cylindrical structure with roots growing up the side of it. It was a something to behold but the plant life growing up the sides confused the shinobi. Pressing on with her two comrades, she looked over as Eiko called out. Glancing around, Kachiko attempted to make note of the area and looked for signs of any other shinobi, let alone their contact.

[Texas]

Aki and the main contact were waiting for around an hour in the cold for the crew to arrive. Multiple times the representative would ask why they were doing this. As to which Aki would say "Trust me, it will be worth it." After some time of waiting, The group could be seen literally coming towards them. Aki would put his right arm on the representative and snap his finger with his left. "Well Well Well! It took you guys long enough!" Aki, although was somewhat short, would stand tall and puff his chest as if it was a hero's entrance.

After they seemingly appeared out of nowhere, the representative would puke a little bit. Most people not used to the Limbo Realm, especially that much exposer would get somewhat sick if they weren't used to it. The representative looked at the group, going from as pale as the snow, to gaining back color slowly. "Can we please go. The tribes have agreed to meet on the other side of the canyon." Aki would giggle and skip off back inside the silo. As he skipped off he would shout "If you guys need any provisions, feel free to take whatever you want!" He would than snap his finger and disappear from sight.

It would be a marvel of a site. A large, not a massive flat lands with silos built all around it in different sections and circles. 4 Large Mountains that have been fully outfitted from the top half of the mountains all the way to the peaks. It was borderline an impenetrable fortress. Well guarded and well supplied with resources. If the crew needed to stock up on anything the representative would go with them. If they were all set the representative would simply say. "Alright follow me."

The man was covered in fire dog fur combined with clothing and he had red fire tattoos everywhere around his body. He would lead them through one of the mountains, of which was mined out for traveling. When they got to the other side it would be around a half a mile before they got to the temporary camp site of all of the tribe representatives.
There would be almost hundreds of tents and lanterns placed throughout the area to keep it lit for when the sun would go down. The representative would turn to them with a smile. "How about we rest tonight and enjoy the area a little bit in the day. Tomorrow night at sunset will be the official council meeting. There is a wing of tents put to the side for us. They were kind enough to prep it." The guide would show them the wing of tents, and begin to walk to his own. "I'll see you guys at some point during the day. Why don't you just walk around the compound and soak in the differences in the tribes."

The next day, when the crew would walk around, they would simply see a varying of different tribes people. At a glance they would look similar, but each section of their own tribes had a specific theme to them. Some worshipped the white raven, some worshipped the flames of god, some worshipped the man eating moose god, some worshipped the shadows, and another tribe simple worshipped the cold as a whole.

[Tsedas]

The sudden appearance of the pair caused Kachiko spread her legs to be shoulder width apart while bending her knees. Her eyes snapped to the movement as both free hands shifted to her legs, each of them drawing a broadhead style kunai that looked like an oversized arrowhead with a handle. Seeing the man and a person who was most likely their contact. her hands slipped the weapons away before she stood upright and adjusted her posture. Looking to the local man who couldn't help but lose a bit of his lunch. Luckily Kachiko's momentary reflex of preparing for combat was during his bought of regurgitation so hopefully he didn't witness her drawing steel.

Turning her cyan eyes to the other man that must have brought the representative to them, she quirked an eyebrow at their behavior before they left as quickly as they had arrive. Shaking her head, the rings on the end of her braided hair swaying with each shake of her head. "I require no further supplies if our destination is as close as you say. Nakajima, Yukana, what of you two? Do you need to resupply? If not then it might be best to depart so we don't keep the others waiting." The Bayushi woman stated, moving over near their contact, taking care to walk around that small pile the man left on the ground. Steeling herself, she tried to avoid inhaling too much while passing the pile as she wasn't eager to be goaded into releasing her own stomach contents.

If Eiko or Hisako needed supplies, the Bayushi woman would follow until it was time to depart. Once departed, the trip through the mountain tunnel to reach their destination, Kachiko would take a moment to look over the man before pondering if there was a method of dress they should have indulged in for this. She simply wore her standard uniform for her shinobi duties. The cloak upon her body did wonders for hiding such a form fitting outfit, but she wasn't sure if it would be considered offensive or not. As they emerged from the mountain, the Kumogakure woman could only marvel at the sheer number of tents sprawled out before them.

"Not what I was expecting. Almost looks like a town that just popped up overnight." She muttered aloud to herself before their guide showed them to the wing of tents that had been prepared for them. With their guide departing, Kachiko looked to the others and gestured to the tents. "Take your pick, I plan to go for a walk and see the layout of this place. Maybe I'll see something interesting."

[Kabu]

As the two men appeared Eiko smiled, shooting Hisako a glance as she saw her begin to tense up at the sudden arrivals. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Nakajima Eiko. The two tense ones are Yukana Hisako and Bayushi Kachiko." she spoke to their contact, gesturing towards each of her companions in turn. It was a brief introduction but that would suffice for now as they appeared to be rather in a hurry.

"Nope, I'm good." she spoke in response to the offer of resupplying, Hisako quietly nodding along to say she was good as well. They had both made sure to prepare as much as they could before leaving home.

WIth that having been said the group went on their way, soon arriving at their final destination. "I have to say, this is quite impressive." Eiko couldn't help but echo Kachiko's awe at their surroundings. It wasn't quite like a village or anything but still it was impressive to think that a place like this existed in such a land.

She nodded in response to Kachiko's statement, turning towards Hisako once the other woman had left. "I'm thinking that I want to have a talk with the locals. I don't think I can relax until I get a good grasp on what or who we're dealing with." While it had been getting better over the years her shy and anxious nature hadn't fully faded.

Hisako smiled at those words. "But of course. That is the kind of person you've always been." It was good to know that no matter how much things changed, some things would always remain the same.

And with that the pair briefly entered a tent to drop off any extraneous supplies and then went on their way to chat up the locals and explore the town. "Alright, let's go see what kind of things we can learn about the natives."

[Tsedas]

Waiting just a moment longer to get a reply from the pair, Kachiko gave a nod before turning away. Slowly taking steps forward, she let her eyes wander across everything she could find, making her way into the sea of tents and other structures. Glancing back, the Kumo shinobi watched her two counterparts dip into a tent and she made note of which one it was beflore glancing at the empty one that was to be her own. Facing foward, the lone figure moved through the camp as a silent observer.

Taking in the sounds or people talking about this and that, Kachiko listened for any information that might be of use in her time here to help give them a leg up in any meetings they had tomorrow. She also tried to watch the way people interacted with each other. While Kachiko wasn't the best at talking with people, she was always fascinated by the way people socialized. Perhaps it was her own desire deep down to get better at talking with others or maybe even the wanting to get over her own socially awkward behavior. Her eyes dropped if for but a moment as she frowned slightly, hating how she'd been so serious in her work that she never took the time to try and make friends or get to know people outside of work.

Raising her eyes, the dutiful part of her mind shoved those personal emotions to the back as she was here for a reason and it was better to see that through first before lamenting her social inadequcies. As she passed multiple tents and people, she felt eyes following her movements wherever she went. It was clear that she was an outsider, she supposed that some would be curious and others would hold resentment. However her thoughts on the view of outsiders was cut short as a tantalizing smell wafted across her, her nose sniffing eagerly as she closed her eyes.

The smell of spices and herbs, the subtle mix of seasonings and maybe some rudimentary sauce brought a soft rumble to her stomach as she tried to hold back an embarassed blush across her cheeks. Opening her eyes, Kachiko strode forward and let her nose lead her along toward the lovely scent of grilling meat. Reaching her destination, the Bayushi woman stood outside some pavilion like tent, a cooking fire manned by a chef as people drank and talked. But the thing that stopped her wasn't the sight of people, but the notes of a flute accompanied by a woman's soft voice. Letting out soft notes, the flute said out the accompanying melody while the woman's voice took the lead in setting the tempo and pace. Standing there, listening to the pair with rapt attention, Kachiko was lost as the words began to leave the woman and fill the small pavilion space and seep out beyond.

Run through the cold of the night, as passion burns in your heart
Ready to fight, a knife held close by your side
Like a proud wolf alone in the dark, with eyes that watch the world
And my name like a shadow on the face of the moon

Broken mirror
A million shades of light
The old echo fades away
But just you and I
Can find the answer and then
We can run to the end of the world
Bayushi Kacihko had not been one to indulge in music much in her life, her focus and diligence merely on progressing her life as a shinobi. But this? She could feel the words, the emotion behind them. Kachiko couldn't place what that particular emotion was but it was enough to cause her features to soften as her blue eyes stayed glued to the performance unfolding before her. If there was any information to be gleaned from the people chatting away while eating, it was lost on the woman as she stood hypnotized by the performance.

When it finally ended, she blinked and realized she'd been standing there like a fool for some time. Lowering her head, she slinked to one side before watching the people of the pavilion once more. Taking note of how they would get their food, how they'd sit and eat. It kept her occupied for a moment as she listened to those around her for any information. "I should probably get some food..." Kachiko muttered to herself from the side of the pavilion entrance.

[Kabu]

For the time being Eiko and Hisako wandered the camp hand in hand, listening in on the conversations happening around them and taking in the atmosphere and general vibes. It wasn't much but she could gather that these peoples were't quite as different from them as she may have thought. "Perhaps this will serve as a lesson in not having prejudices." Eiko whispered to herself. At the very least this would make for a good lesson for the students when she had her next class.

Hisako for her part was distracted by all the eyes she could feel on her. These people knew that they were outsiders and she couldn't help but feel like she was being judged and watched wherever she went. She was able to keep her cool thanks to the firm grasp that Eiko had on her hand, Eiko having insisted that they hold hands for this very reason, but stilll... She couldn't help but feel nervous.

The pair continued to wander for a time until the sound of music caught their ears, the two turning in the direction of the beautiful song being played. "That's a lovely tune..." Eiko quietly spoke, tightening her grasp on Hisako's hand as the latter nodded in agreement.

Catching sight of Kachiko nearby, the woman also seeming to have been captured by the music, the pair quietly made their way over towards her. "It's lovely isn't it?" Eiko asked the other woman. A part of her felt as if maybe she should be asking about their mission but really at the moment she didn't care quite so much about that. With that in mind, there was however one thing to be said... "I think... I think that maybe we don't need to try so hard. These people really don't seem to be all too different from us."

[Tsedas]

Kachiko was watching the people go up to a cook area at the back of the tent, grabbing food and sitting down to enjoy their meals. She was wondering if there was any kind of coin or currency needed when a voice broke her train of thought about the music that had been playing. The Bayushi woman wanted to swear at herself for getting caught being distracted like that, but turned her gaze to the woman who spoke and saw her fellow Kumogakure ninja. "It had it's charms, sounded like a love song I think."

'What would I know about love songs?' Kachiko chastised herself as she was lacking in the understanding of such things. If there was one lament she had about taking this mission, it was that she didn't possess any social graces to help her talk with these people. But as if her emotions were picked up on by Eiko, Kachiko blinked as her expression softened a little from her brooding state. "I haven't really been trying, I just assumed they assigned me along in case combat was required during transit and in the event that something happened. You seem more inclined to understand and navigate social ques than me."

Looking back towards the stage, the blue eyed kunoichi watched as the bardic performances were about to move onto their next tune. "I've the social skills of a rock through a glass window." Kachiko admitted, deciding to be honest about this. It wasn't like she was trying to fool them into thinking she knew how to talk to people, she was just obviously duty oriented in her day to day. As she stated this, she watched the woman begin plucking at a stringed instrument as the man waited. Letting the woman play a rather soft and almost longing set of notes the man lifted his flute and added an undercurrent of soft lilting notes that accompanied the longing of the stringed instrument. When the two finally reached a harmony, their notes lifted a song of both longing and soothing calm that washed across the pavilion tent. It felt like listening to nostalgia in the form of a song that brought thoughts of home, loved ones, and bygone halcyon days.

[Kabu]

Eiko tilted her head as Kachiko spoke, tightening her hold on Hisako's hand all the while. "That may be true but it took me a long time to get here." she responded to Kachiko with a gentle smile, some part of her holding back the urge to lecture her about the self deprecation. Not only would she be a hypocrite in doing so but Kachiko was a grown woman who didn't need to be talked down to like a child. "When I was younger I was beyond shy and had to rely on books to teach me about how to interact with others. Given my love of romance novels it led to more than its share of embarrassing incidents." she giggled, a nostalgic smile on her face as she watched the performers. Those days felt so very long ago, so much had happened and was yet to happen. She and those around her had changed so much... Perhaps in the near future she would make an attempt to reconnect with friends she hadn't spoken to in quite some time.

With that said... She did recall something she had once heard from Ikuyo, the woman in charge of the orphanage back home. "I do think that interacting with others and forming bonds with those around you is very important. You never know when having just one close friend will save your life." These words were addressed to all three of them, a reminder for herself just as much as a point of advice for her two companions. Perhaps at this point she was delving into teacher mode a bit but she couldn't help it, this side of her had been coming out more often of late despite her best attempts otherwise.

Well... maybe it's fine from time to time. Even experienced shinobi need a lesson every now and again.