stone in the cloud.[M]

[| J.im Kelly |]

SPOILER: Click to show

name; blocked passage
rank; c
description; One unfortunate disadvantage that Kumogakure no Sato extends is sometimes the jagged peaks drop rocks amongst the Kumogakure no Sato passageways. Sometimes they’re simple small rugged rocks and other times they’re promontory boulders. Sadly when the immeasurable boulders land on Kumogakure no Sato’s passageways it falls upon the Kumogakure shinobi to clear the avenue. With the war ending there are a large amount of pathways that need clearing, unfortunately. So go clear those streets.
reward; 40 experience, 500 ryo
minimum shinobi; one
mission status; interminable

After leaving the mission compound, Gin took the lead as he usually did when directing the two toward the mission locations. With the grace of an eagle he glided through the air, taking the pair over to an old blacksmith's who he knew from trips with their father. Unlike his Taijutsu based partner, he didn't have the physical strength necessary to break down large stones with simple punches. He required a mining tool, a pick. The stop was short and quick, as knowing that the boy was trustworthy, he allowed him to borrow a personal one which to use, as long as he returned it after his mission was completed.

Now fitted and ready for action, the pair went over to a site where there were an extreme amount of fallen stone. Out of all of the areas they could have picked, it had to be the one that required the most work. As the approached the location, Gin's eyes widened at the blocked passage. It was almost as if someone was pushing the rocks down from the mountain with the intention of blocking off the street. Clear that this mission would take some hours to completely remove all of the stone to make way for walking, he wasted no time with explanation and began to work as soon as he got there.

From over his shoulder came down a point that smashed into the body of rock and stone. The smaller rocks seemed to smash quicker, creating piles of miniature stones that could be tossed out of the way. The larger, denser required a different kind of work. More strength was exerted in dismantling them, and to destroy one felt like more of an accomplished deed than it did with littler ones. The sounds ricocheted off other rocks and expanded, carrying over a large distance. The disturbance he created attracted some unneeded attention. Often was there a shop keeper who complained about the customers being scared away simply because business was slow, and they needed something to blame.

Not only did the random events halt the Shintarou from getting much progress, it produced an awful headache that only worsened with every one of his strikes. Minutes passed by like hours, and his body became more and more exhausted. His hard work would pay off in the hours to come when he was leaving the compound with a larger pouch of ryo than he wielded previously. His lips curled upward in a wide grin at the thought of his reward, money was always a delightful gift. Additionally, the muscles he was working to break and carry the rocks away from the path would increase in strength. Despite that meaning nothing to him, favoring his affinity for Genjutsu, it would prove to be useful in other missions similar to this.

There was a point where he reached the peak of his exhaustion. Where his stamina had been the lowest of the day. The constant smashing and moving of rock was a great strain on the teenager. Unlike his brother, who seemed to have little trouble removing the stone and keeping himself composed, he had to take a break to relax his muscles and bring himself nutrition. He was sweating his balls off, and if he had continued he would have probably passed out.

"Shit. How can you sit there and pummel them like that? Don't know how you do it, personally. You're a wonder, Satsui."

He had to give his brother some props. Anyone who could stand around and carry boulders and break them all day was one durable son of a bitch.

After several minutes passed, he stood, going back at it again. Oh the joys of doing missions...

[Dagron Hoshigake]

Taijutsu had been in the Shintarou family since the beginning. Or so their father had once said. It was the reason why despite Gin's natural distaste for maculinity, he was still built like a fighter without the hardened experience of physical training. Satsui was dramatically different in that he embraced the family tradition. In doing so his body beneath that shinobi shozoku was a rippling wall of muscle and sinew that continued to grow every day. Training was a ridiculous and overly spartan routine that led the young man into every challenge the physical fighter could endure. Challenges that strained and shaped the adaptable body into a machine of primal physical prowess. It was in his blood. An innate bestial power that exploded in a vigorous display of rock crushing punches.

Pebbles shuttered and splintered off larger, more durable boulders. The larger boulders, though resistent, crumbled gradually into smaller pebbles and sometimes sharp jagged shards of rock that went hurling to either direction with no definite defense to hinder them. Each punch was precise and angled so that instead of simply shattering whole boulders or larger rocks with his fists, portions could be chipped away in a similar fashion to his brothers pickaxe. They were powerful blows that would have broke the hands of any who did not practice similar arts. Lacking strong bones, callused hands, and a practiced punching technique that assured whatever it hit was crushed or destroyed thoroughly only assured self-harm. It was the kind of brutal art that only the brave and physically able dared practice.

Though it wasn't through endurance that Satsui preservered under the arduous work of clearing stone from road. It was the desire of strength obtained from doing work in a method harder than what others thought necessary. Even when his muscles ached and burned from carrying stones out of the way, or the throbbing of knuckles against solid stone, he pushed forward knowing that the effort would be returned two fold in experience and power gained. That knowledge that every punch thrown and every boulder moved would improve his abilities is what drove him into an insane frenzy of trial. The sound of brutality echoed fiercely and frequently.

Gawkers and complainers to the racket gained only a labored glance and a grunt. Gin was the only one with the sharp mind enough to bother with gatherin crowds. Hurling and rolling rocks would only harm them had they stayed. Shooing them must have been a task while Satsui continued to pound into the earthen spheres without much acknowledgement to their safety. He was a beast without pause, determined to see the mission through even though it hours would lapse before it was through. They had chosen the most blocked, crammed passed to clear. One that seemed almost man-made in appearance knowing that removing them would be no small feat and that it would make life difficult for any who needed the route.

It wasn't until a few minutes after Gin stopped to break that even Satsui refused to continue, letting Gin return to the frenzied madness alone. The loose black material of his suit was soaked with sweat and clung to his skin. Muscles bulged through the moist clothing, creating the appearance of an action figure-esque villain. He settled between the main road and the rock littered pathway that seemed to be no more done than when they had started. Would it take more than a day just to work the stone down to rubble? Satsui couldn't imagine anyone without proper jutsu ckearing these pathways. It was a wonder they even allowed to try with such limited resources.

The time gave way to childhood reflexion in the days when their father was still alive. He was tall, strong, and admirable. His prestige as a taijutsu fighter was known but not reknowned. His dream was for the family name to be carved into the fighting world. Strength unparalleled, skill unmatched. The perfect system implementing three basic philosophies that encompassed many arts but never realized it's meaning. Shoshin, Zanshin, and Mushin. Being the foundation for the ultimate techniques of the Shintarou family art. He taught several of his children the basis for the art but never was capable of training them personally before sickness settled in and gnawed his life away. Satsui had been one of the only children to take his father's dream on as his own.

Satsui wiped his brow with his forearm and adjusted his gloved hands. Work resumed. There was an end, but it would be hard earned.

[| J.im Kelly |]

The work was overwhelming. His body ached and he longed to be over with the mission as soon as possible. He looked over the gathering of rocks, realizing that his dreams would come crashing down when he saw they had quite a bit left in the passage way. It was unfortunate that they had to be set up with such a chore, when their abilities didn't provide them with enough skill to simply mow through the path like a weed whacker over grass. Instead, they had to stand in the public and do labor, working their asses off while getting complained to and nearly blacking out from fatigue.

Under his breath with every swing be cursed the village for requiring this of him. Swing, smash. Swing, smash. The repetitiveness of it was becoming almost aggravating, and did nothing for him but further increase his headache. His head was starting to boom, almost mimicking the same pattern as his swings. He was almost going insane with the amount of work he had to do. His tiredness brought him to the point where he accidentally whacked the side of the mountain, and several pieces of rock fell and almost knocked him on the top of the head.

Over the next few hours it went from bright outside, to the sun beginning to set, and they were still only about ninety percent done with clearing the path. His movement was sluggish and it took him even longer to crush the larger rocks, which there seemed less of now that they reached the back of the blockades. Even the smaller stones took one or two more swings than they usually did. This line of work was definitely best left up to people who could easily dispatch the rocks with ease, using a technique to do so. Instead, they hire Genin so they don't have to pay them as much or something.

"Stupid..Kumogakure. Blah.."

At least they were almost done.

[Dagron Hoshigake]

It wasn't until the sun faded beyond the horizon and the moon crested the mountains tops that the final rock was smashed. Would the mission compound still be open? It wouldn't be till early morning that they arrived anyway. A quick rest would turn into a long nap if they stuck by the newly opened route, woken by the noon sun or the bustle of village life. Satsui had no comment on the matter. He'd worked just as hard as Gin but with better results. His poor brother was wiped out by the strain. Anyone would have been placed under such rigorous work with little to no jutsu to help knock out the rocks.

Satsui's hood had been pulled back and draped over his shoulders. Where only mystery had been was an unkept mess of fiery red hair that cascaded here and there, pouring over his shoulders. His eyes a deep, cold blue, his face strong and bold, one scar spread across his cheek. Unlike his littlest brother and even compared to Gin, he was a dark young man with abnormal eyes and a cold demeanor. Having shed his hood was a rare event in itself, but out in public only meant that he was exhausted and didn't care. After having carried all the small stones and stacked them out of the way, he was ready to sleep.

"Gin-- I think we're done here," his hand waved toward where the blockade had once been. The ground was riddled with minor rubble but nothing that couldn't be brushed aside or walked over or crushed. In a matter of days the route would be entirely cleared and flattened by common activity. Most of the heavier or larger rocks had been stacked up and away to either be carried off or discarded by others. The path was clear, that was their mission.

"It's time to go."

[| J.im Kelly |]

"Right."

Gin tried to crack a smile, but was unable to. His body had been completely worn out, and to pretend that he had a good time sevring his village would have been a lie. However, it wasn't the village he did it for. It was for the ryo and the physical training. Gin wasn't the biggest of children, and was no doubt one of the smallest in his family. His size and muscle density paled in comparison to those like Satsui. Taking a detour, Gin had to go and drop off the pick he had borrowed from the old blacksmith. Unfortunately, he may not have wanted it back. Both of it's points by now were completely dull, rendering the mining tool useless. Ah well.

Off to the compound they went.

[THREADend]

[Kii!]

Gin: 22 EXP
Satsui: 20 EXP