Tuscany Superb

Mission Details:

There was word that there would be an attack against Iwagakure. And Mitsu was heartbroken to hear it. The idea that war was happening at all was agonizing and the fact that it was headed to her new kingdom was almost more than she could bear. She had only lived in the Land of Earth for a year, but it had been a wonderful year. While it had been an interesting period of acclimatization she had come to love the people of this land and she knew she would do everything necessary to keep them safe. The only thing she could really do for them presently was get them to safety and so she would begin packing up some supplies to aid in the evacuation.

Through her inability to alter the weather in the mountains, or well. . . anywhere, she had needed to adapt to the colder climate. Not that it was cold exactly, but compared to the desert it was positively frozen. Her clothing choices had become more modest as a result, covering more of her skin was apparently the only way to not freeze when Masaru wasn’t nearby. The man was practically a walking furnace and even just being within a few meters of him was enough to take the chill out of her bones. Today she decided that she would need to dress for clambering through the rocks which unfortunately meant pants. She was not a fan of pants, they were too restricting and often got in the way of her dancing. She’d had some clothing designed for her, a pair of skin tight leggings that allowed ease of movement and a structured vest that she wore over a flowing shirt. The entire ensemble was red with gold embroidery and emerald gems inset along the bodice that sparkled as she moved. Her long white hair she would tie back with a strip of red leather that matched her tall red leather boots. It was a heavier outfit than she was used to wearing but it was durable and would protect her snow white skin from damage as she moved around in what she assumed would be a dangerous and frantic situation.

Completing her ensemble she would take a rose from a vase in her room and weave it into her hair, throwing a satchel over one shoulder and attaching her tessens to her waist. For the most part she went around without her weaponry, but if there really were invaders coming she would be at the very least horribly embarrassed to not have her beloved razor fans with her. Heading to the hospital she would gather some basic first aid supplies. She hoped she didn’t need to use them, her whole goal was to ensure that people weren’t going to be hurt. Doing one final check of her equipment she would walk to the general center of the village and wait for a few minutes for anyone else that came to help, a welcoming and gentle smile on her face.

Chen had expected this. Well, not this exact scenario, but something close to it. When the Mountain-Nin had attacked him and his sensei in the Land of Iron, he sensed a certain desperation in their actions. They truly wanted to murder the Tsuchikage and they were willing to risk their own bacon to do it. A minor country attacking a major country was unheard of but given the mass upheavals of late, Chen figured it was only a matter of time before one of them tried their luck and what better target than the Earth Country? The nation had been a failed state for nearly five years straight. Konoha had taken it over and left it to rot, only paying attention to it when it came time to collect their due. Of course, after the chaos that went hand in hand with electing a cat as your Hokage, Konoha was forced to take their boot off of the Earth Country's neck. Yet that hadn't magically restored its prestige in the eyes of its neighbors. They saw an opportunity. Before Iwa could get back on its feet, they'd move mountains to kill the sleeping giant. Chen was moderately attuned to global politics. He needed to be. It was how he ensured his survival in a world fraught with conflict. He had known that Iwa was the sick man of the far west and he had latched his wagon to the village nevertheless.

Why would the ordinarily cold and un-sentimental alien do this? One reason: Masaru Tetsudashi. Chen saw in him a man who would force his enemies to heel by sheer willpower. When he had first met Masaru, he saw someone who hungered to turn Iwa into a superpower. It was that type of hunger that Chen himself felt and thus he took a gamble. When Masaru, Chen, and Oda had beaten off the Mountain-Nin, Chen had come to believe the gamble was worth it even though the game was far from over. He knew that more was coming but he was now confident that the Tsuchikage would not fold so easily. Thus, when he marched into the town square to assist with the evacuation, there was not a trace of fear or emotion on his face. Masaru was not only coordinating the defense of Kariforunia Island, he was taking part in it as well. He was fighting in the sky and that meant his student would be leading on the ground. The goth, like his counterpart, had dressed for the occasion. He wore a black turtleneck sweater, a black trench coat, and a black and silver Keffiyeh which hung around his neck like a scarf. A pair of thick cargo pants and steel toed boots rounded out his thoroughly depressing appearance. The child had slicked his hair back mafia style and wore his Iwa headband tied around his left bicep. Since he was usually around his sensei, he'd probably recognize Mitsu although her relationship to his sensei and the village as a whole was still a mystery to him.

He joined her without a word. He was the Tsuchikage's student and that meant Masaru expected him to take charge of the situation. Chen kept himself from jumping as a fleet of ships burst into the airspace above. Their engines roared and their cannons hummed as energy was gathered. These Mountain-Nin didn't know when to give up. He swallowed his fear and instead projected a will of solid stone.

"We need to get the civilians to safety" he told Mitsu. "My sensei has informed me that there are specialty shelters not too far from here. They were designed specifically as a contingency plan in case Kariforunia Island fell. Apparently the last Tsuchikage wasn't totally useless. Its less than a couple miles from here"

He wasn't much of a talker or a shouter but the situation demanded that he break out of his mold. If Masaru was going to put his life on the line to protect these insects then the least he could do was order them around like the vermin they were.

"All civilians! Listen up! The Battle of Kariforunia Island has begun and you are all in mortal danger! Evacuate the area immediately! My partner and I will take you to shelter!"

The townsfolk looked at him as if he had grown a second head. Many of them were scared but not scared enough to start taking orders from a Black Sabbath fanboy. Chen clenched his fists as he debated attacking them so as to drive them out of the town and towards the shelters.

"Well?" he muttered behind gritted teeth. He hoped she had some ideas for making them listen. Chen had a feeling if push came to shove, he'd be left with no choice but to institute pain compliance.

After recovering from the shock of thunderous noise above her from the gathered airships, Mitsu noticed Chen approach, the ever shadowy and gloomy looking young man and she would direct her smile at him. She knew it wouldn’t much matter, she’d been here for a year and couldn’t recall ever seeing the boy smile. It made her heart ache a little for him, she didn’t know what had caused him to be so stoic, but a life without joy was not something she would wish on anyone. His words came quickly and with authority, no time for greetings and social niceties. Ordinarily Mitsu would have paused and inserted the greeting herself, however In this particular instance with her husband’s life and the lives of his people on the line she would waive that habit. ‘My people now.’ She would silently remind herself that this was her home now, it still felt strange at times to think that she had a new homeland. ‘As long as it stands.’ Her gaze would flick from Chen to the airships above them, worry creasing her face as the reality of what was to come sunk in. She would nod at Chen’s words, it was a sound plan and one that shouldn’t be too difficult to carry out.

She didn’t have a good idea of how to convince anyone to come with them, but as Chen barked at everyone within earshot she knew she would have to come up with one quickly. While his words were accurate, they were not exactly inspired. She would look around the town square trying to judge the reception of his orders and was disappointed to see the people gathered there just stand and stare. She could hardly blame them, the sky was filled with hostile metal behemoths and there they all were with nothing to do but wait for death to reign down upon them. Mitsu would turn to Chen as she heard him ask for her help, noting the clenched fists and frustration in his voice. She would smile at him again, a reassuring gesture and spoke quietly to him in her melodic voice. “They’re scared, we need to be gentle. Scared people might panic and that would make this harder. Don’t worry Chen, we’ll keep them safe.” Her hand would reach out to pat the boy’s shoulder reassuringly if he allowed it. She’d seen fear like this many times before; civilians that felt helpless, with no way to defend themselves or change their fate. Every time there was a bandit raid on whatever caravan her family was travelling with at the time, she would see the looks of incredulity, the people standing frozen in terror. During those times her parents had taught her a valuable lesson that she carried with her now. Hope was stronger than Fear. Give a person hope and they can accomplish anything.

Mitsu was a fairly short person standing at five foot four and so she often had to stand on top of things to get a clear view of the people she was speaking to. In her mind she remembered her first meeting with Masaru and how she had stood on top of a boulder just to be able to speak to him face to face. The thought of Masaru brought a wistful smile to her face and helped steel her resolve. ‘You can do this Mitsu, you can do anything. Just have to let the universe help you out.’ She would jump up on a nearby crate, turning slowly to look over the crowd that had gathered. Gathering her courage she would clear her throat and speak loudly and clearly, turning slowly to include everyone in her message. “People of Iwagakure, do not be afraid. Your Tsuchikage has foreseen this threat and has made a plan to keep you all safe. Even now he goes to defend you and has entrusted your safety to his protege.” She would pause and gesture towards the brooding young man before continuing. “Not far from here there are shelters that will keep you and your families safe. Please, gather only what you need and follow us. We must move quickly to ensure we arrive before the fighting begins.” She would look imploringly at the gathered faces, praying silently to the universe for its aid. Her words were sincere, she truly believed that these people would be kept safe from harm if they could just get them all to the mountains. Glancing down at Chen she would speak quietly, words meant just for him. “How was that?”

When Mitsu opened her mouth to give him platitudes, the goth merely shot her a glare. She was, of course, correct. Threatening them with violence would only add to the chaos. They wouldn't run to the shelters, they'd scatter like cockroaches until they were killed by debris or worse yet, the island itself. Regardless, Chen found the girl's chipper demeanor irritating. Masaru was cold and rather detached from his surroundings. It was trait that Chen had admired. Mitsu, in contrast, appeared to wear her emotions on her sleeve. It didn't help that those emotions were often the ones he deemed weaker. When she reached out to touch his shoulder, he took a calculated step back. He didn't dare strike her. He knew little about this woman but from what he had gathered, she was important to the Tsuchikage. The emotionless stare he repaid her with would speak volumes. Despite the danger and death from above, Chen was not going to buddy up with his mission partner. Chen thought he'd have to take control of the situation himself when Mitsu sprang into action.

The woman jumped on a cart and tried to rally the people. She spoke highly of Masaru and went as far as to give Chen a shout out. When people looked at him in amazement, he stared back. This wasn't the sort of attention he fancied. As if to punctuate the end of Mitsu's speech, Chen made a single seal and cast Earth Flow River. A river of mud burst from the ground and extended in the direction of the shelters. Chen pointed in the direction of the mud river and added:

"Listen to her. Follow this mud trail and you will be taken to safety. I'm sure many of you have never been to Iwa but you know my sensei is not someone to be trifled with. This is his land and you are his people. He will defend you until his last breath but in return he expects unquestioning obedience....Move or you will be moved!"

The imagery of hope and discipline evoked by the pair seemed to have done the trick. People were moving now. Slowly at first, as the shock of aerial warfare coming to the continent of Kishin did not easily pass. Once it did though, the small town was a bustle of activity.

Chen looked to Mitsu and nodded. It was his way of saying good job, but that was all she would get.

People were now grabbing what bare necessities they could and running to the shelters. It wasn't orderly but it was a start. Unfortunately, as the mortal threat became clearer, the town descended into anarchy. Many were shouting for loved ones, there was screaming, a couple of people started fighting over a wheelbarrow filled with flour. Chen eyed the altercation and decided whether they were worth saving. Before he could make up his mind, a woman ran over to him. She was blubbering and begging him for something. It was something about milk. Suddenly breaking up the fight over the flour became a top priority.

"Tch!" Chen pointed at Mitsu. He didn't have time to deal with a troublesome mother and her welps.

Chen stomped off in the direction of the melee.

Chen’s glare did not go unnoticed, but Mitsu tried to bury her doubts. She had come back from the Heavenly Emporium with the intention of doing everything she could to put on a brave and happy face. It wouldn’t help anyone for her to drop that mask now, not when these people needed her. She could see that the teenager was in a mood, like usual, and she wasn’t about to take it personally. Chen was entitled to feel his emotions, just like all the people around her were. She did wish that she could do something to help with the angst he was experiencing though, until recently she had not known what it was like to experience angst, and it was all she could do now to keep her pain and shame at bay. She was quick to hold her hand up apologetically as he rejected her touch. She hadn’t intended to make him uncomfortable, but overall she wasn’t surprised. It seemed that everything she touched lately was bound to crumble to dust, even a gesture of comfort.  

As Mitsu finished her speech she looked to Chen expectantly. She was hoping that he’d follow suit and lessen his doom and gloom manner of speaking. She was sadly mistaken and groaned internally at his final words Move or you will be moved! It was not what she would have chosen to say, but despite her misgivings about his choice of motivational speeches, the people did move. She suspected that what Argent had said was true, she couldn’t just romanticize everything and everyone and expect the world to conform to her previously held beliefs. For a moment as she watched the villagers her face would drop into a frown and her eyes would darken. ‘I’m so sorry.’ Was all she could think as she watched what she felt now were futile attempts at these people saving themselves. They moved slowly at first and then with more panicked fervor. It was the exact situation she had been trying to avoid, on the other hand his methods were effective and she did admire him for that.

She was impressed by Chen’s casual use of a jutsu to help show the people the way to the shelters. It was clear to her then why Masaru called Chen his protege, that sort of effortless control over his chakra was just one more thing to add to the mystery of Chen. She would take a deep breath, pushing down the heartbreak and smile at the young man as he nodded at her, not expecting anything in return as he tended to only have two facial expressions from what she could tell. Detached or angry.

The cacophony of citizens shouting to each other, or at each other was becoming insistent and Mitsu could see as she looked around that more management would be required for everyone to make it to the shelters in one piece. She could see the fear and panic on people’s faces as they gathered unnecessary items; large pieces of furniture, one man had six dogs all barking angrily spurred on by the rising confusion of the scene, and still more were trying to tug along pets and carts and even a bed. Mitsu had no idea how to calm this many people, especially when the very real threat darkened the ground where they stood in the shadows of the airships.

It was almost a relief when Chen, somewhat dismissively, directed a wailing mother towards her. ‘Maybe this I can do, I can help just one person at a time. Please don’t let me ruin it again.’ She silently begged the Universe to help her through her uncertainty and moved to the distraught woman with a sympathetic smile on her face. “What’s wrong and how can I help?” Her melodic voice seemed to calm the woman somewhat, and now that she was closer she could see the woman carrying a small child wrapped in a roughly woven blanket. “Oi can’t leave withoyt me goat, me sprog needs de coy juice. She’ll die if she doesn’t git fed an' den wat gran' is it gonna de shelter at al'!” Mitsu would blink and try to process what she had just heard the woman say. She’d only been in Iwagakure for a year and there were still some dialects that she had trouble understanding. What she thought she’d heard was that the woman needed a goat, probably for her child? Nodding she would extend her hand to the woman’s shoulder and speak reassuringly. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to find a goat for you. For your child right?” She would gesture at the bundle the woman held. The woman nodded and hugged the bundle closer. “Your child will be safe, I will make sure of it. Now please, hurry along to the shelters. Take anyone you see along the way with you, just follow the mud river.” The woman would nod her head and head off down the hill. “Tanks miss, me sprog t'anks yer.” Leaving Mitsu with the problem of finding a goat.

Moving towards the angsty teenager Mitsu would lower her voice and speak quietly to him, hoping to not startle him as he appeared to be invested in a fight over flour. “Chen, you wouldn’t happen to have seen a goat anywhere would you? We apparently need one now.”

Chen walked up to the two men fighting over the wheelbarrow of flour. He was just a kid so for awhile his presence hadn't really been noticed even though he was the one that was directing the evacuation of this town. The men were cussing, grabbing each side of the vehicle, and trying to wrest it from the other without damaging the precious cargo. Chen watched them for a few seconds before shouting out:

"Enough! What's going on here?"

He hated raising his voice. He especially hated raising it to beings he saw as inferior to himself. The men ceased their melee and looked at the impudent lad. Their expression was one of incredulity. Who was this child to speak to them this way? They had governed their own affairs through the collapse of Iwa and to be ordered about by a mere boy was enough to make them angry. But then they remembered the stories that people were telling about the Iwa gates. This stranger was Masaru's protege and in the event that the Tsuchikage returned from this war alive, there'd be hell to pay if someone messed with his student. They clammed up but the look in Chen's eyes made it clear that unless someone spoke, neither would be making it to the shelter. A man wearing no shirt and some dirty cargo shorts blurted out his version of events:

"Dis bastard bought four bags of flour from me for 100 Ryo five minutes ago! That was before I knew food was gonna be more important than money! Gimme my flour back asshole!"
"Hell no! A deal's a deal! Call me a bastard again and you'll be fucking your wife in the shelter with a wooden cock!"

Chen was getting irritated. The conflict was reasonable but the men were not. The second the wheelbarrow started rocking again. Chen intervened.

"Each of you gets two bags of flour. The Iwa government will compensate you for your loss merchant. Share the wheelbarrow and use it to get to the shelters. Once there you may each take your allotted amount."

The laborers looked at the chuunin with murderous intent. One of them (the man who had sold the flour) released his hold on the wheelbarrow and stomped towards Chen whose fist rocketed out and slammed into his stomach. He had applied a bit of the Heavy Weight Rock technique to add more oomph to his strike. The result was critical. The man was dropped to his knees and he clutched his stomach as though he were on the verge of giving birth. Without missing a beat, Chen turned to the still standing combatant and with all the chaos surrounding them he coolly said:

"Congratulations. You are now the owner of three bags of flour. No reimbursement will be necessary."

Chen looked down at the crumpled blue collar worker.

"Now you only have one bag and I know your face. Cause any more trouble and you won't make it to the shelters. Obey my commands and the worst you'll suffer is stomach pain. Your fellow Earth countrymen will help you to your feet and get you to safety."

Chen looked at the buyer and the man was quick to help the merchant up. Together, the two left the scene and followed the mud trail he had created. No sooner had the altercation been resolved did Mitsu approach him regarding the same nonsense he sought to avoid. He had heard rumors about how the negotiations had gone and her incompetence was beginning to grate against his psyche.

"No although I suppose I can find one. You are after all, more or less useless"

It was possible that Chen might catch hell from Masaru for this but it was worth it. Iwa needed allies. The battle of the sky had made it clear that their enemies were willing to do whatever it took to destroy this country. Chen didn't know the details but the state of the war was proof enough that she had failed. He wanted her to know this. Chen walked away from her and began looking for this infernal creature.

The words were like a slap in the face, the kind that stung all the way to your heart. The pain was almost physical. Mitsu would stand still, staring after Chen as he walked away, a look of utter shock on her face. She could feel a lump forming in her throat as she stared after him, and the now all too familiar sting of tears forming in her eyes. She didn’t dislike Chen, she barely knew him. What little she did know was from the lips of Masaru, and he always spoke highly of the boy. If anything she found him to be a puzzle that the Universe had plopped down for her to solve, which in a way meant she did like him. But in those eight words she felt something she hadn’t expected. She was angry. Furious in fact. Some of it was directed at Chen but most of it was directed at herself. ‘No Mitsu, you can’t be angry with him. What he said wasn’t even wrong.’ And she knew it, it hurt so badly - because it was true. She immediately released her venom on herself, recognizing her anger at Chen for what it was; pain. All she had to do was go talk a man into fighting for Iwagakure. That was it. It wasn’t hard, and didn't require extraordinary skill on her part. Nothing. Just a simple conversation. ‘And somehow I managed to fuck it up.’

She knew she’d been standing there too long, not doing anything. ‘Useless’ So she would shake her head to try to clear her doubts and hurried after Chen. Her throat was still raw with the pain of unshed tears but she knew in her heart that she had to keep her brave mask on for now. She would have plenty of time to cry alone later, for now she had to focus on her task. ‘If you don’t fuck up this one too.’ But her thoughts were growing loud and insistent, impossible to ignore as she looked around the swath of panicking people for a goat. Of all damned things.

The cacophony of shouting, airships, running feet and panicked crying and screaming almost blocked out the noise she was trying to listen for. She could hear the faint but anxious and unmistakable bleating of a goat. The white haired woman was bending low, trying to pinpoint the exact direction of the goat between the legs of fleeing people. ‘Really Mitsu? Crawling after a goat? If you had tried half as hard to do your job before maybe this wouldn’t be an issue now.’ Finally getting a clear view of the animal Mitsu would sigh as she saw a small brown goat frantically pacing in circles, it had a rope tied loosely around its neck with the end frayed as though it had been snapped from where it was tied in a hurry. “There you are. Please come with me, please. If I can’t save people, maybe I can save you.” She would hang her head in defeat as the goat just looked at her with its strange eyes and kept bleating. “Great. Now I’m talking to a goat. Useless.” She would mutter derisively to herself as she slowly reached for the frayed end of the lead.

A telling smile made its way across Chen's face as he witnessed the effect of his statement. Mitsu was wrong. Chen did in fact have a third emotion beyond anger and detachment...amused malice. The alien turned away from Mitsu but not before she saw the pleasure he took in humiliating her. Chen searched high and low but he couldn't spot any goats. He helped a few people that had fallen down and prevented a kid younger than himself from being trampled. He continued to weave through the bustle as he did his best to locate the animal. Chen turned to see Mitsu making conversation with a goat. He didn't even roll his eyes. Once eye contact had been made and it was clear that the beast was now in her possession, he turned to help someone else.

A man of elderly age was sitting in front of his home. A longsword rested across his knees. He had a stern expression on his face and Chen stopped in front of him. Chen would have thought the man feeble minded if it wasn't for the look in his eyes. It was a look of pure defiance. He was being challenged. Chen turned his body to face the elder and he drew himself up to his maximum height. He waited for the badger to explain himself but all he got was silence. The crowd continued to follow the mud stream and as progress was made the area was slowly being emptied. Yet this old man was content sitting right in front of his dilapidated dwelling. Chen finally gave in and spoke first.

"Did you not hear what we said old man?"
"I heard. I mean no disrespect ta ye lad but...I'm not leavin'. I have all the love in the world for his excellence Sandaime Tsuchikage but I was born and bred here. I ain't abandonin my home to some third-rate Mountain ninja. Let em come and take it!"

Chen's normal dispassionate persona began to crack. He eyed the old man with more anger and intensity than he had shown the brawlers. He balled his hands into fists and he did his best to look menacing. He found this individual disgusting on a spiritual level.

"You're going to die you old fool..." he growled. "As we speak the air is ablaze.....you'll be crushed by a ship or worse yet the island itself. Go to the shelters now...."

Chen couldn't fight this old straggler, not here. If Masaru learned that he had attacked a civilian (an old man no less) he'd be disciplined. One of the few things Chen disliked about Masaru was that servile dotard that followed him about. Masaru's concern for the elderly was not shared by this inter dimensional refugee. He loathed them and it took all of his willpower not to strike down the one before him.

"I can't do that sonny....I won't hurt ye but I won't move"

It was clear that the old man had given up. One less body in the shelter meant more room for the young. It was a noble gesture, but to Chen it was insolence coming from the worst sort of people. Chen was breathing deep and low now. The smart thing to do would be to knock the man unconscious and drag him into the shelters, but Chen did not trust himself to stop at a knockout blow. If he laid hands on the old man he'd keep going until there was nothing left but a corpse. The second best option was to leave the man to his honorable death but that would be cowardice. It would be letting him win. Faced with two impossible choices, Chen only stared at the man hoping he could will him into movement. But nothing happened. The crowd continued to evacuate the town and Chen just stood there. Staring.

Mitsu had never had anyone be mean to her, bully her or try to humiliate her before. At least not that she’d been aware of. It was entirely possible, and she supposed likely, that those things had occurred but she had simply been too naive to notice. As she pleaded with the goat she wondered if this too was one of the things that made her naive. Thinking that somehow she could make the goat see reason, that if she was just kind enough or convincing enough that it would help save Iwa. Baaaa Mitsu would shake her head as the goat’s bleating shook the lapse of clarity from her head. Catching Chen’s eye she would nod as her stomach roiled and she fought to keep down her food from the day before.’C’mon Mitsu, at least try to be graceful.’

The goat was fortunately either very stupid or panicked enough that her soothing voice actually did help. Tugging gently on the rope she would lead the goat along with her as she smiled and helped direct people towards the mud river. She knew she had to find Chen and deal with things properly. He could be as angry as he wanted with her, that was fine, she thought she deserved it anyway. But that smile. . . She’d seen the types of people that wore it - back in the Land of Wind. She’d seen significantly less of it in Sunagakure itself, but while she was growing up with the caravans and tent cities? All the time. On the faces of bandits and raiders, and it never ended well for anyone in their path.

Not that she thought that Chen was like a bandit or raider. But he was so young, and dangerously impressionable. If there was a chance she could steer him away from enjoying causing discomfort then she had to try. ‘You’re getting ahead of yourself again Mitsu. You’re just one person. . . one person and a goat.’ It didn’t take her long to find the sour looking teenager. Who appeared for once to be silent not out of petulance. He was staring intently at an old man with a sword laid across his lap. While she had missed any exchange between them that may have happened she could see the tension that existed now. Internally she was panicking. Full blown, run for the hills panic. ‘Keep it together Mitsu.’ She couldn’t tell exactly what the expressions on both males faces meant, but whatever it was she could feel in her bones it was not good. Pushing aside her panic and with the barnyard animal still in tow Mitsu would move to stand between Chen and the old man with a sword. It was not a great plan, but she figured they would at least have to maneuver around her if there was going to be any fighting.

“Is everything alright?.” Mitsu would say as she looked back and forth between the two. ‘Pleasedon’tfightpleasedon’tfightpleasedon’tfight.’ The elderly man would turn his attention to Mitsu, not that it would be easy for him to ignore her, she wasn’t completely blocking their view of each other, but she tried to plant herself firmly in plain sight of both men, Chen on her left and the old man on her right. The elderly man had a rugged but kindly looking face, she saw kindness around his eyes, in the tiny wrinkles that only came from smiles doled out over a lifetime. She could also see a tiredness and determination in him that made her heart sad for him. He took his time weighing his words before finally speaking in an equally tired and determined sounding voice. “Well now Miss, I was just tellin’ the lad here that I’ll be stayin’ right here. I won’t move until those bastards come. On ma life I’ll be stayin’ ta defend what’s ours.” The man’s right hand would stay rested on his sword while he used the other to gesture towards Chen. Mitsu’s reddish-pink eyes would widen slightly at the old man’s words, she could hardly believe what he’d just said. She’d imagined many different ways that this evacuation might go wrong, but she hadn’t counted on someone wanting to stay and fight. It made the weapon on his lap make more sense, and at least momentarily quieted her worries about an altercation. But the larger meaning of his words were still settling on her shoulders, and it chilled her.

In a way she admired the man, he clearly loved his home and wasn’t willing to give up on it no matter what the cost. It was the cost though that bothered her. She couldn’t force him to go to the shelters, he had a right to live and die as he chose, but she couldn’t see a future where he wasn’t hurt or worse, killed. He could have been an aging sword master, and in all likelihood he was more adept with a weapon than she was - but if he was some hidden gem of a martial artist, wouldn’t Masaru have hired him into his army? ‘Maybe he was hired and he turned it down, or mayb- No. Stop. Having this kind of blind faith in people is what started this whole mess in the first place. Use your head Mitsu, he’s going to die if he stays.’ Mitsu would take a deep breath through her nose and exhale it slowly through her mouth, using the exercise to help ground her and cease her pointless and negative ruminations.

She couldn’t just let him choose this, it couldn’t be the only way he could get what he wanted. It looked like he wanted a fight, like he wanted to not feel helpless. She would look out at the people moving around and an idea came to her. If she could convince him that protecting these people would help, then maybe, just maybe he would go to the shelters. Her voice was soft when she spoke, its usual sparkle faded away and replaced with a gravity that mirrored the look in her eyes. “You could do that. I couldn’t stop you even if I wanted to. But please don’t. If you can fight, then help them. Go with them and defend them.” She would gesture towards the throngs of people; lugging goods, running and arguing, crying and wailing in despair as the threat from the Mountain Alliance loomed overhead. “You might die. Oh help me, Universe, you’ll probably die. And if you’re so set on dying. . .” Her voice would crack as tears pricked at her eyes, and she would have to swallow hard before picking up where she left off. “. . .then die for something important. Die for your people, to save them. Not a bunch of rocks.” Assuming Chen was still beside her she would turn and look at him pleadingly. “Please Chen, help me. Tell him.”

Chen's expression visibly hardened when Mitsu got between him and the old coot. He was internally grateful though. He had it in him to harm this old badger but he could not harm Mitsu. Not because he cared for her, but simply because she was too important to Masaru. By superimposing herself between them, she had made his life somewhat easier and although he would never admit it, he was quite grateful.

She asked if everything was alright and Chen shook his head. He despised that ignorant and naïve voice of her's. Perhaps it was what Masaru had found endearing. He knew it was not beyond the appetites' of older men to enjoy weakness, submission, and innocence. He was trembling with rage and hatred now. The old man repeated his plans to stay and Chen added:

"He's being suicidal...except his life is not his own. It belongs to Tsuchikage-sensei. He has no right to forfeit it."

It was a cold statement but perhaps that would wake the elder up. He simply didn't have a choice in the matter. He had to go to the shelters and he had to go now. Chen was about to push Mitsu aside and force him to submit to his will when Mitsu gave her heartfelt reply. She invoked the universe and explained that if he was to die protecting something, then it might as well be the people of the nation. The infrastructure could be rebuilt. The land could be retaken. But the people were irreplaceable. If Chen was a softer boy with a kinder childhood, the words would have moved him. But he was not that and did not have that so he merely stared with a stone face.

She asked for him to agree and he gave a nod. He then further added:

"Cooperate. You are a stupid but brave old man. The people going into those shelters are neither. Atrocities tend to happen not only by enemy forces but fellow countrymen turning on one another. We can't police every inch of the shelters. I don't care if you die....but if you do die make it worthwhile and in proper service to your liege"

Chen wasn't a talker but he had a way with words. He was far more vicious and demanding in his language but the general approach was the same. He stood there and watched as the old man scrounged up his face in consideration. Chen could see tears form behind his eyes.

"I lived in this here house since I was a babe. I got married here, raised my own here, my folks are buried here...my wife too....I can't leave em. I won't. I want to but I won't. I'm sorry."

The man's voice was starting to crack. He was on the verge of breaking down. If his goal was to create a sense of sympathy in Chen then his tearful plea was having the opposite effect. The boy was growing irate. The old man was now staring at the ground and shaking his head. A tear fell onto the dirt ground and he appeared to be muttering something to himself.

Chen stepped up close to Mitsu and whispered.

"We don't have time for this. See to the others and make sure they get to safety. If he wants to die here fine but I won't give the Mountain-Nin the satisfaction. Leave now and don't tell anyone what happened here."

The implication of Chen's words were dark. He didn't think this girl was too bright but even she would catch the hidden meaning behind his statement. She had tried her best, and though he found her frustrating, he did see her persistence as an admirable trait. Unfortunately, she simply didn't have the stomach to do what needed doing and he doubted that she could save him from himself.

Mitsu could see how much this was affecting both Chen and the old man. Both of them seemed stubbornly set in their decisions and she was at a loss as to how to make either of them see reason. She had tried appealing to the man’s empathy, hoping that the opportunity to save his fellow citizens would inspire him to change his mind. She had also tried to appeal to Chen’s apparent need to order people around, hoping to lessen some of the anger he felt that she thought was due to a lack of control. Neither idea had played out the way she’d hoped.

Chen was an angry teenager, and Mitsu was not well versed in how to handle angry teenagers. Especially not angry teenagers that were probably infinitely more powerful than she was. And as Chen so eloquently put it ‘suicidal’ old men were also not something she was familiar with. ‘Now what Mitsu, you’ve succeeded in pausing what could be a fight. But how do you stop it?’ She was frustrated, and frustration was among the emotions that were new to her, and since it was new she wasn’t able to hide it very well. Her brow would furrow as she looked between the two, her reddish pink eyes narrowing as she felt powerless to stop the two headstrong men.

The crack in the old man’s voice hurt Mitsu’s heart, she didn’t know what it was like to lose something that dear. But it sounded painful. So when Chen approached her and whispered of his intentions her eyes would widen with horror. She was by most standards that mattered, naive. She had gone her whole life thus far without ever being part of any violence. And now to be asked to turn a blind eye while Chen killed a man, a civilian no less, was beyond what she could handle. After the initial shock from his request faded her cheeks would flush and her voice lowered, it’s usual melodic tone replaced by a trembling rage. “No. I try to make it a policy to never say that word, to allow the Universe to turn as it’s meant to. But I cannot allow that Chen, I won’t. You can’t possibly think that. . .” She would lower her voice further as she spoke the next word, “killing him is the right path. If it takes me actually having to stop you, then I will. Believe me, there is no Universe where I will knowingly allow that kind of violence.” As soon as she finished speaking she would move pointedly between the old man and Chen, setting her feet firmly as she intended to physically block any attacks made against him. It was among the stupider ideas she’d ever had, but she was unwilling to stand by and have this old man’s choice taken away from him out of anger.

Chen was taken aback by Mitsukira's steadfast refusal. Despite her seemingly passive personality, the young woman refused to back away from the situation. He looked her in the eye as she demanded that he leave the old man alive and breathing. Ordinarily, the plea would have fallen on deaf ears. He had power and he was fairly certain this girl had none. He could exert his will over the situation and force events to conform to his liking. The people with wealth, power, and influence could have their way with the world and those without were powerless to stop them. It was old men like the one crying before them that had taught Chen this lesson and if Mitsu wasn't who she was, he'd have taught her as well.

But Alas! She was not just a naïve girl. She was special to the Tsuchikage. Masaru-sensei would not tolerate him harming her and there was no conceivable scenario where he could kill them both and get away with it. Chen still had much to learn and covering up a brutal murder with so many witnesses was a feat that was still beyond him. So instead, all he could was stare bloody murder into her eyes. It was as if he was communicating his hatred for her, the dotard, and the whole planet. A few tense seconds passed before he turned away in a huff.

"Fine. Either leave him to die or convince him to come. I'm done humoring the both of you. There's more work to be done."

Chen was trembling with rage and Mitsu would be able to see that his hands were balled into fists so tight that his skin was turning red. The pale preteen started herding the rest of the stragglers out of the village. He saw an aircraft tumble out of the sky and was rather thankful that the impact would be far from here. He couldn't save everyone and he didn't want to. The less of these lower lifeforms he spared, the better. Soon the town would be empty and Chen would be able to accompany the caravan to the shelters proper.

Mitsu had intentionally placed herself in a precarious position. She had seen the tension rising between Chen and the old man, and regardless had been willing to physically block any incoming violence. Heroic? Maybe. Stupid? Definitely. She was far from a physically strong person and she had no hope of being able to soak damage and also protect the old man from anything Chen could throw at him. Other than the technique she had seen from the angsty teenager earlier, she had no concept of how powerful Masaru’s protege was. Except that Masaru referred to Chen as his protege, so that was some indication that Masaru believed Chen to be strong. And that was something coming from Masaru, who was difficult to impress.

But, against her better judgement, she stood up for what she thought was right and fair. Literally. And the Universe smiled on her that day. She could clearly see the hatred in Chen’s eyes, and knew it was directed at her. She hadn’t had anyone look at her with murderous intent before and she felt a chill go through her spine as she held his gaze. In the short period of time that war had besieged Iwagakure she had been threatened more than once and that was more than the entire rest of her life put together. It was unsettling and she felt a lump of fear form in her throat and deep regret in her heart. If Chen chose to fight her right there, she wouldn’t win. She knew she wouldn’t. Other than training and sparring while in the Academy in Sunagakure she had no combat experience. While it was possible that the Universe may decide to grant her some luck, that’s all it would be. Pure luck. But with everything she had been granted by the Universe so far, she didn’t feel her predicament was unfair. The least she could do was stand up for this one soul.

She sighed in relief as she had her first tiny win in the battle of wills between the flower child and the goth. He relented, even if it was angrily, and she watched as he turned away from her to continue the work of rounding up the citizens. His hands were curled into fists and that worried her. It could have just been a way to channel his frustration, but with his eagerness to treat every problem like a punching bag she suspected that it was more than that. With a complexion even paler than usual, if that was even possible, she would turn back to the old man who still sat with tears in his eyes. “I can’t force you. But I wish you would reconsider, I know this place means something to you and I can respect that. Memories are important. But your life is important to me. I’m going to go help the others, you are always allowed to change your mind and if you do, I will see you on the way to the shelters.” She gave the man a sympathetic smile as she turned to follow after Chen. She was at a loss, she didn’t know how to convince either of them of anything at this point. And the feeling of helplessness that left her with weighed heavy on her already burdened heart. She truly hoped that he would see reason, but in her mind the interaction was already counted as a failure and the old man’s soul was added to her debt.

As she hurried through the crowd directing people and keeping an eye on the teen she would gasp as an Airship dropped out of the sky. She didn’t know how many were in it, how many would be hit when it finally impacted the earth below. But her heart skipped a beat as she thought of Masaru. She knew he was up there somewhere and she prayed to the Universe that he was not on that ship. She couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to him and as she took a moment to watch the plummeting piece of metal she felt her adrenaline rise and her movements become shaky with the increased energy. She had to get these people to safety. The reality of the situation was finally hitting home, the mortality of everyone around her. Catching sight of Chen again she would call out after him, he was the only other person here that she thought she could rely on. That she thought might understand. “Chen! Please wait.” She called out with a ring of urgency in her voice, she couldn’t do this alone and unlike most people she had met, she had no shame in admitting it. And she thought that maybe, just maybe, if Chen knew that she needed him it might cool some of the anger she had seen. Running up to where he was she would breathlessly continue. “Please don’t be angry with me. I need your help to do what Masaru asked. There’s ships falling out of the sky now and Masaru is up there somewhere. It was the last thing he asked of us before heading up, I can’t fail him again Chen. Or you.” She knew she needed to get him on side to avoid another standoff, and being honest with him was the only way she knew how to do that.

The crowd cried out in horror but Chen ignored them. The ship's occupants and those at the impact site meant nothing to him. When he heard his name called, he turned to see Mitsu running after him. He gave her a blank stare. It was as if the anger and hatred he had shown earlier was gone. It served him little purpose now and if he fed into it then he'd take actions that he'd regret. The orphanage had taught him that if you wore your anger too often, it made you a target. When she started talking however, it was impossible for Chen to hide his contempt.

The way she begged and pleaded reminded him of himself. It was before he knew the futility of tears. She uttered Masaru's name and that was enough to get him to calm down. He had been balling his hands into fists again. It was only when she reminded him of his duty that he released them. She was correct. Masaru had ordered them to help others but this was well beyond his paygrade. He said nothing for a moment before replying. There was a tone in his voice that showed he was far angrier than he was letting on.

"What do you expect us to do about it? Can you fly?"

Chen could but Mitsu didn't know that.

"Do you seriously expect me to risk my life trying to stop unidentified aircraft from falling out of the sky? This area is being assisted by shinobi from all five major nations. If they can't stop that ship then neither can you and I."

Chen turned his back on her and continued herding the people to the shelters.

Mitsu was getting nowhere with Chen. That much was plainly obvious, even to her. The first few times he’d looked at her like that she’d given him the benefit of the doubt and assumed that he was angry about some other thing, like the war for example. But as the contempt in his eyes grew and she noticed his hands balling up again while she spoke to him, even she could no longer explain it away. ‘That’s fine, I don’t need him to like me. I just need him to help.’ She considered that maybe it might be best to leave him be, and then she remembered his dark suggestion regarding the old man just minutes before. ‘No, I can’t leave him alone with any of these people. He’s too filled with anger, that very nearly cost a man his life. He’ll probably get more angry, but I need to stay with him.’ It was her second worst decision so far that day. Or perhaps tied for first, but only time would tell on that one.

She understood that people did and said a lot of things they didn’t mean to when they were angry. Chen was angry, and so in her mind he was more likely to do something he, or someone else, would come to regret. She didn’t have experience with anger, other than observing it in others. So while she didn’t know how it felt she knew what it led to, and that was almost always violence. She’d seen it once already from him, it would be irresponsible of her to pretend it wouldn’t happen again.

His derisive answer to her question had her shaking her head sadly. The truth was she couldn’t fly, but she had. Once. The memory of her first dance with Masaru caused her eyes to look skyward, worry creasing her features as she did. “No, I can’t.” She said the words quietly, and not to Chen. She wished she could go up to the island right at that instant, stand by Masaru and help protect the Land of Earth with him. Not that she would be much help realistically, but she wanted to all the same. With a sigh she listened to Chen’s reasoning for not helping. It didn’t make sense to her.

“Yes Chen, I do expect that. Risking your life when it’s something you believe in is always worth it. That’s why Masaru is up there, and if he is willing to risk his life, then so am I. Although I didn’t mean stopping the airship. We aren’t meant to help everyone, the Universe doesn’t allow for it. But what separates the good from the bad is the willingness to try Chen.” She was not the least bit surprised when the teen turned away from her again and she would sigh and move to his side, helping to direct people towards the shelters. “Masaru would be proud of you Chen. Because you try.” She knew in her heart it was true, Masaru loved this country and seeing Chen help to defend it would make him proud. Chen was a spiteful and jaded youth, with momentary lapses in self control. But he was still out here helping people. In his own angry way, he was trying to save the people of the Land of Earth, and that was good enough to give Mitsu hope. Not good enough to let her leave his side, but it was a start.

“No, I can’t.”
*Derisive Snort*

Chen continued herding the stragglers into the shelters. She couldn't help outside of encouraging these sheep to do as they were told. He had no use of her and he was not about to let her order him around. She started up again and he turned on a heel to face her. She had a way of provoking anger in him. She explained that risking his life was important and that it was the reason Masaru was fighting for their freedom. When she spoke of Masaru, he turned away from her, gritted his teeth, and stopped in his tracks. He replied:

"Speak plainly simpleton. What do you want me to do?"

She was right. He hated admitting it but she was right. Masaru would want him to try and save as many people as possible regardless of the circumstances. Chen was a transactional shinobi. Masaru had promised him food, a bed, security, and above all else, power. Sweet. Delicious. Power. It was all his for the taking and all he had to do was learn from a strong man. However, the bargain went both ways. Masaru expected him to defend Iwa and perhaps even lead parts of it. Chen enjoyed his freedom but he was bound by the terms of their contract although at least he had agreed to this one instead of it being forced upon him. If Masaru willed it then he had no choice but to comply. He would not be a leech that did not honor the terms of their agreement.

He'd do as the woman asked, but first he needed to know what she wanted him to do.

With a shake of her head Mitsu would sigh sadly. There was simply no getting through to him. She wasn’t going to give up any time soon, but it was frustrating. And frustration was still new to her, turns out she didn’t much care for it. She tried not to take offence at being called a ‘simpleton’. It was true she wasn’t the smartest person there was, but she didn’t think she was stupid. Not completely. Or at least not in any way that actually mattered. She was fully confident in the abilities she did have, and tended not to worry about the ones she didn’t.

“Once we’ve gotten these people on their way to the shelters I think we should go and see if there is anyone injured. Because unless you have some magical way of stopping it from hitting the ground, it’s going to hit. And with a ship that large I doubt everyone will be able to get out of the way. I know some medical techniques, but even just finding people and making sure they’re safe from anything else that falls will be helpful.”

She would continue to direct the people around her, touching shoulders and offering smiles to those that met her eyes. It wasn’t much, but in the face of a war like this a small moment of comfort was all she could give. Assuming he agreed to her ‘simple’ request, she would give the crowd a look over and satisfied that everyone was headed in the right direction she would start making her way towards the site of the crash.

Chen listened as she explained that her intention was to heal the injured. He didn't have Ijutsu but if she did then perhaps it was indeed a worthwhile endeavor. The goth's anger slowly subsided as he understood her purpose. It fell within the bounds of his deal with Masaru and so he'd assist with helping the injured. He grunted something close to an affirmation and directed the last of the individuals to the shelter. Just as the last group was streaming in, someone was hobbling towards them. As the individual came closer, Chen realized that her recognized him.

The old man....


The senior was doing his best to run with his cane. There were tears streaming down his face and he cried out to them:

"Wait! Please wait for me! I want to go! I want to live!"

The old man's progression was impeded by a scabbard secured to his hip. If the man was a swordsman in his olden days then Chen was unimpressed. The alien vowed that no matter how old he got, he'd always be at his peak. There'd be no "twilight" of his life. Whatever Mitsu had said to the old coot had gotten him to comply. Chen didn't know whether to be furious or impressed. He settled for indifferent. Before an expression could come across his face, he killed it and turned stoic. Chen pointed to the shelters and allowed the man entry. The man babbled something resembling gratitude or sorrow. Chen didn't even listen. Once the old man was safely inside, he followed Mitsukira to the crash site. He couldn't heal anyone but he could use his ninjutsu to move debris and if necessary kill any Mountain Alliance pilots that might have survived.

Mitsu nodded as Chen seemed to agree with her plan. ‘Seemed to’ was generous as he only seemed capable of making less angry noises when he wasn’t trying to insult her or someone else. A less patient person would have insisted on a definitive answer, but not Mitsu. She understood that with the amount of anger rolling around in Chen that an unintelligible grunt was about as good as she was going to get.

She would begin heading off towards the crash site, only to pause as she heard a familiar voice calling out. Turning to look she saw the elderly man that she had tried to convince to come to the shelters. A warm smile would grace her features as she took a moment to walk up to him and place a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for changing your mind. Keep them safe.” She would nod her head towards the shelters, indicating the other people already inside, and then turn and quickly head towards the smoking rubble.

The scene was about what she had expected, twisted metal and crumbled buildings, smoke and fire and screams. But while she had been expecting it logically, her heart hadn’t been ready. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves and pushing aside the pain she felt at the horrific scene, she moved with purpose to the first injured person she saw. A young man had been hit by debris and was now lying on the ground clutching at his mangled leg as tears streamed down his pain twisted features. He was bleeding profusely and although Mitsu wasn’t trained in the art of triage, she could tell that without immediate assistance he wouldn’t have long. Kneeling down beside the man she would quickly examine his leg for any bits of metal or stone that were still embedded, and seeing none would form three hand seals and hold her hands gently over the man’s wounds. The bright green glow would draw enough of the injured man’s attention as to quiet him for a moment as she focused on stopping the bleeding. She would be unable to completely heal his leg, she required far more training to repair an entire limb. Assuming Chen had followed behind her she would half turn towards him and issue instructions. “See if there’s anyone else that needs help. Anyone that isn’t injured, get them to help you.” As much as it pained her, Mitsu was at least informally trained by her parents, in how to handle an emergency; calmly. Her voice was steady and calm as she spoke to the injured man, reassuring him that he was safe now and that he would be taken to the shelters.

There was a level of satisfaction in watching the man admit that he was wrong and comply with what he had been told to do, but it was spoiled by the fact that it was achieved by Mitsukira and not by him. The result was a net neutral effect on the child's disposition. As he followed Mitsu to the crash site, he nodded as she instructed him to help with those might be injured. She seemed more sure of herself now that they were in her line of expertise. Chen despised her attitude but he was more responsive to take-charge leadership and so he agreed without another word. Chen saw several corpses laying about and was about to search another section of the debris zone when he heard one of them croak weakly from underneath a pile of rubble. He knew nothing of Ijutsu so he decided that the best course of action would be to wait until Mitsukira arrived. He used the Lightweight Rock technique to lift the massive remnants of a collapsed building from the man. He then used Dust Wind Technique to clear the area of debris. He would then move on to another area of the crash site collecting the uninjured and organizing them into work brigades.

Mitsu was thankful that Chen quietly agreed to her plan, she wasn’t sure how she would handle another evil glare or dismissive comment. Probably patiently as she always did, but no one had ever pushed her this far before, so she couldn’t be certain how she would react. His heart seemed to be in the right place though and she trusted him to help the people here. She kept telling herself that if Masaru trusted him, then of course she had to as well.

She went through the crash site pausing to heal those with injuries and reassuring everyone that there was somewhere safe to go. After a while she realized that she didn’t have infinite reserves of chakra and she began treating what injuries she could without it. There were more injured than she had anticipated and as she walked through the debris she became more and more dejected. ‘This is war? It seems so. . . pointless.’ A tiny seed of hatred burrowed itself into her heart as she looked at the dead and bleeding. She had known what would happen, but seeing it was something altogether different, and terrible.

Chen dutifully continued his work. He directed the injured well enough to work to Mitsukira. Those that were not, he had them carried by the work brigades he had formed via able bodied men. Some of them took umbrage with being ordered about by Chen but all the young lad had to do was slap them around a bit and they fell in line. Eventually, the area was cleared of the injured and the crash site was about as cleaned up as one could do via Doton. Chen had utilized a clever combination of mud and stone to clear most of the debris. In doing so, he had rescued a fair number of trapped individuals. Some of them were so badly injured that he doubted that Mitsukira could save them.

He'd relish watching her realize that there was truly no hope for some of these people. The despair would sustain his placid attitude for the next few hours. Once he had completed the task, he went back to Mitsukira and looked on as she healed the multitudes. She didn't have the chakra to make whole all the civilians but she was apparently skilled in standard first aid. He didn't like being useless but he knew that if he tried to assist he'd probably make things worse. He was content to guard the area and have his work brigades carry a few of them to other medic tents in the area.

After a few more minutes of keeping himself busy, Chen walked up to Mitsukira and crossed his arms. He said nothing but his body language communicated his thoughts clearly.

Enough is enough. Its time to go.

Mitsu was devastated as she realized that she couldn’t save everyone. It was the way the Universe meant for things to turn out, and so she wasn’t angry or resentful, but her heart hurt at the loss of innocent life. She did her best to maintain a peaceful and calm manner, allowing those that passed the dignity of a restful last few moments. She kept an eye out for Chen as she worked and could see him rather efficiently clearing debris and organizing work groups, and it helped to ease the sadness she felt. Chen may be an angry person, but he was a hard working angry person.

After many hours of healing and first aid, giving words of comfort and sympathy, Mitsu noticed Chen walk up to her and cross his arms. With a sigh she nodded in answer to his unspoken statement. In truth she was done as well, her chakra reserves were dangerously low and there were no more grievously injured people that she could attend to. The remaining citizens that Chen had organized would be more than capable of ensuring everyone that could do so made it to the shelters. Standing and brushing the dust and dirt from her clothing, which was more or less a futile endeavour since she was covered in blood and grime, she would move back towards the village hoping Chen would come with her. “Thank you for all your help today Chen. I really couldn’t have done it without you. We make a pretty good team you know.” She would offer him a smile as she spoke, then make her way back to the village to see what other help she could offer there. War was not something that she had ever expected to see, let alone be a part of. And it was horrible and useless and broke her heart. But being able to help, to make a difference in a few people’s lives, had made it seem less chaotic and less purposeless. She hadn’t been able to save everyone, the Universe had not allowed it. The ones that she had though, their continued existence would help her carry on.

[Exit Thread]

Chen was disappointed when he stole the occasional glance at Mitsukira's reaction. Contrary to his prediction, she appeared to be at peace with the fact that she couldn't save anyone. He wore a mask of indifference but underneath it, it bothered him more than it should have. When Chen indicated that it was time to go, Mitsu thanked him and expressed the possibility of them working together in the future. Chen stared at her for an uncomfortably long time before walking away. He didn't say another word to her. He felt as though he didn't need to. Chen's thoughts on the girl had been made abundantly clear during this mission and no amount of words would change that. Where she saw comradery, he saw dead weight. With the mission complete,  the young man shuffled off the scene and headed back to Iwagakure.

Exit