New Foundations (Group Mission)

"In the early hours of the morning, when the sand is cool and not heated to a scorching glare by the sun, when the sun peeks over the horizon, and lights up the flowers and plants of the desert with the glittering gold of the dawn, when the white sand twinkles back up to the sky in answer, there can be found the true beauty of the desert."

Mikomi glared down at the book in her hand through the blurry eyes of someone still half asleep. This quote was clearly written by someone who has never actually lived in a desert. Even now the air was dry, and her lips were beginning to crack from the wind. The air was a dull warm, and getting warmer, it would be blistering soon enough. Well, the light wasn't terrible. She immediately revised this statement as she glanced toward the rising sun and had to squint in pain against the glare. The desert was awful, at all times.

She had woken up slightly too late, and had to run to the gate to await whoever would be joining her. She had arrived only a moment before, flipping open the book to await her partner as casually as possible. And now the nervousness was getting to her again. This wasn't her first mission, but she still felt like an impostor. Not a real shinobi, just a girl from the slums. She shifted the Katana at her side uncomfortably, it still felt wrong there, like it was someone else's.

spoiler:

Name: Fortify the outpost
Rank: C-Rank
Participants: Moon Village, Sun Village
Type: Group Mission
Reward: 25 EXP, 10 Ryo
Details: Your local village is in the process of setting up out post in the region, used to patrol and keep peace in the area. Your job is to help build and fortify these outpost, doing whatever is needed. This can include actually building the out post, equipping it with supplies or weapons, cleaning up the area of debris or standing look out for wild animals or criminals.
Requirements: Each person must make at least 2, 400 word post.

The day had begun like most days within the Nikkousato, dry and humid, with the heat from the sun quickly intensifying as it itched closer one the top of the scattered clouds. The blinding sun rays would have surely fried the brains of many who had taken a trip back to the village from the desert this morning, but Kensei had grown accustom to treks in the heat, his body enjoying the added environmental pressure, which pushed his training to higher limits of exertion. If it weren’t for the ninja bag on his back and the flak jacket tied at his waist by the string of his pants, he would of felt weightless running along the desert sant, his long unkept hair frizzled by the humidity. He picked up his speed a bit as he paced himself through the desert, the temperature around him increasing with every wave of humid air that stirred. The wave of heat bounced off of Ken’s straw hat, protecting his head and eyes from any unintentional malice brought by its beams, he was tired and the hot air around him had prodded his fatigue, cursed his insomnia. He only had a few kilometers to go before he’d reach the village so he had decided to take the scenic route, taking the extra time he had at his disposal to enjoy a quiet sandy morning smoke. Reaching into his black loosely fitting sweats he pulled out what appeared as a smaller sized cigar, bringing it to his mouth a short spark of lightning leaked from his fingertips, wrapping around the cigar and sparking its end, after a few long puffs he continued forward to his destination.

The sun beneath Kensei feet however, felt cool against his dampen bare skin as he moved sluggishly through sand dunes right outside of the village, along the desert outskirts. He had spent the day before cycling between long periods of drinking and even longer periods of training, his already colored skin further darkened by the suns wraith and beading sweat across his body proof of his overexertion. Sometime during his training session the night prior he received a message which stated he’d been assigned a new mission, Securing another outpost, with a new Genin from his village. He was to meet her at the front of the Sun village gate house by dawn, and they were to push immediately towards a new outpost west of their village. He didn’t receive any further indications of mission expectations or information pertaining his partner, but there was something odd and unusual about his mission note, as it bore the Uchiha sigil crest notarizing the letter. He could only assume that this mission was either important to the clan or the Uchiha had vaulted interest in its outcome, regardless he’d make sure to leave an impressionable mark if his clan leaders had shown interest.

As he reached the Village gates he flicked the cigar bud to the side before entering its, looking up to the sun he had realized he was late once more. “So much for first impressions”, He thought to himself as he put on his oversized black cloak. He paused for the moment taking in a deep breath as he walked slowly, eyes closed into the Village. Once at the gate house he’d lean agains the wall, surveying briefly the area, almost immediately spotting a curious looking girl armed with a book to her face and a katana strapped on her back.
“Hey you, Girl!”
He called out to her his voice sluggish and tired. “Are you assigned to the western Outpost today? “
As he spoke he stepped closer towards her, adjusting his cloak and securing his flak jacket over his shoulder.

Mikomi looked up from her book as the other shinobi called out. She put the book away. Judging from the position of the sun, the new arrival was late. She wasn't going to bring it up, seemed like a bad idea.

"Yes sir, I am Uchiha Akegata Mikomi, Genin." She spoke as politely as she could. She had already blinked the sleep from her eyes, and was fully awake. Now she stared at the other shinobi, she felt like she had seen him somewhere before. But she couldn't place it.

Mikomi stepped forward to shake hands with the newly arrived shinobi. "I haven't been a shinobi long, so I'm looking forward to learning from you sir." His tone of greeting had rankled her slightly, especially his form of address as 'girl'. It was slightly insulting. But Mikomi was used to far worse. She shook it off easily. "Are you aware of the mission parameters?"

Kensei stopped once he reached her, closely looking her over, realizing who’d he’d come to meet. It was one of his own kin, a Uchiha and one he had yet met. He shouldn’t have been surprised given the markings in the letter he received but had wondered why he had heard little of the girl, as he heard he introduce herself.

He rubbed the middle of his forehead gently with his left hand, eyes closed hidden by his hand. “Here I thought I’d be meeting a moon villager.” He thought before putting his hand in his pocket, extending his right hand to meet her greeting. “Hm. Didn’t realize there’d be another Sun shinobi assigned to the outpost today.” In fact he was surprised that the clan had willingly placed two of its members in a remote outpost without it benefiting the clan. “My apologies for the informalities, Mikomi Uchiha. I wasn’t told who’d I’d be meeting.” Or rather he might have skipped reading the rest of the mission dossier during his late night binge, suggesting it being irrelevant information. “I’m Kensei, you don’t need to be address me as sir. We are both competent genin on equal standing or else we wouldn’t have been assigned out to the outpost. It’s been raided multiple times in less than a fortnight. I’m pleased to meet you Mukomi.” It was strange to him having not met her or have heard of her before. “I hope she knows less of me than I know of her.”

He turned towards the western village gates walking steadily out of the village at a pace she could easily follow.

“We have to get to the western outpost just a few clicks from here. If we hurry we should get there in less than an hour without breaking a sweat. The head of the site believes a small band of misguided folk might return to extort them for some goods. All we have to do is make sure they learn we don’t take kindly to banditry. Hopefully you won’t even need to use that katana of yours.”
He turned his head and gave her a warm smile before turning and bursting into a full sprint ahead.

"Good to meet you as well Kensei." She was raking her brain to come up with who he was. He looked very familiar. She shook off the feeling, it was unimportant at the moment. All that really mattered was the mission. "I am new even as a shinobi, so I would appreciate your guidance as my 'upperclassmen' if you will" She gave a small bow. He seemed friendly enough, a bit younger than her though. That always unsettled her, these shinobi who should be worrying about teenager things, having to risk their lives in combat and missions.

She pushed away the feeling again. And set off in a run after him. As they were travelling toward the outpost, she looked over at him, "Have we met before Kensei? I can't seem to place your face, but you seem very familiar to me. Again I am very new and very green. I don't know really any faces yet"