Reflections of the Moon

Junko that morning after making breakfast for those who were at her she would prepare herself for a patrol. She had heard of some disturbing events happening within the ruins and wished to see for herself what information she could find. She would slip into a very loose and flowy pair of pants, that appeared to be a skirt when she wasn’t moving. She then would pull on a tight black top, then a red jacket whose sleeves stopped just above her elbow. If Yume was able to be found she would inform Yume of her outing and would tell her she was welcome to come along if she desired.

If Yume decided she wanted to come with her, Junko would wait patiently for her to do whatever preparations she needed to complete. Regardless if she came or not, around noon Junko would make her way to the ruins at a relatively slow pace. As she walked she liked to take in her atmosphere, and appreciate the beauty she now found herself surrounded by. If Yume accompanied her, she would talk with her about Tenga, explaining what little she knew about the fallen village. However, if she walked alone, she’d remain quiet and focused on the task at hand.

Soon they would arrive at the fallen village gates, and Junko would stop for a moment to observe the immediate area. Like the previous times she had been here, she could see no signs of life. If Yume was with her, she’d ask that they remain within roughly 30 meters of each other, just in case something did pop up. They spent the next few hours searching the ruins with little to no new information gained. Junko was growing frustrated but seemed as if she was going to give up anytime soon.

As night fell they could see what looked to be a little bit of light escaping through cracks in a ruined building. Junko would inform Yume of her discovery, and begin slowly approaching the building. Once within eyesight of the building, Junko would activate her ketsuryugan and look into the building. Due to her Blood Chakra Vision, she was easily able to see through the wall separating them. She was able to see one body seemingly sitting on the floor and looked around for others. She couldn’t find any other sources of blood in the nearby vicinity, so she assumed that the lone figure she saw had no others accompanying her.

Junko would call out in a clear, confident but soothing voice, hoping the one inside would hear her.
” To who is in the building, with a fire going? Please step out, I’d like to speak with you. My name is Junko, and I’m investigating some issues that have been going on in the ruins, so please come out here and don’t make any sudden movements.”

Junko would keep a close eye on the body inside, watching for any signs of danger. She knew if things took a turn for the worse she would be able to defend herself long enough for Yume to make a break for it.

WC:531

In yet another perfect and calm morning inside the house of Junko, Yume woke up to the smell of a nice breakfast being prepared, and decided to eat with the lady of the house, indulging in good fried eggs, and fresh fruits. She wore this day a large dress like kimono of all off white thick cloth, ample and open, letting her torso almost all visible all the way to her waist trough the front oppening loosely tied. The bandages covered her chest to keep it decent, but this outfit was clearly a more layed back outfit suited for the climate, and for once showed a more feminine and seductive side of Yume, explosing her skin and being more sultry than before. Being a woman of simple clothing, the most outstanding feature of her right now was her exposed skin, wich spokes volumes about her past. Indeed, Yume skin was covered with scars and old wounds from her time as a slave, countless proofs of the abuse and torture she lived trough, as well as her near death experience of escape. The worst part was, that her mind was so hurt by these events that most of those scars wouldnt even be remembered by the purple haired woman, whose memory was foggy to say the least. 

As Junko and her ate and left for their patrol of the afternoom, Yume followed closely, once again unfurling paper all around to protect, and attack should the need arise. After walking trough the land for a few hours, with Junko explaining the story of the old village that once stood there, Yume was attentive, wanting to learn the history of the island of the Moon, as it would be the place of her new home. As they arrived in the ruins, Yume realized they werent too far from the plains where she landed with her paper bird when she arrived in the island herself. But the most striking tought was when they saw the large gate structure, in ruins, but still standing. It made her think about building again, recreating a village on top of the ruins, a haven for people like her, and Junko.

keeping the toughts in her head for now, Yume followed the instructions of Junko as they explored the ruins, close to one another should any danger arise. After a while, they arrived at a ruined building, and Junko seemed to find someone laying inside of it, someone still alive by the reactions and information she would communicate discreetly to Yume. After a few seconds of thinking, Junko herself would speak out loud, showing their intention. Should the person be an ennemy, Yume would weaved handsigns and unscroll her paper roll, and create 2 constructs of paper sheets that would be identical to Junko and Yume, and cover both of their body with it, creating a layer of paper that would perfectly immitate their true appearance, but create a additionnal defense. Beside them, she would create 6 more constructs, all shaped in the form of flying snakes, as if there was 6 5m large chinese dragon made out of paper origami, floating and twirling around to protect or attack should the need arise.

Shisou having finished her meal, sat there for a bit before hearing an abrupt sound from outside of a young woman calling herself Junko, it seemed like company had already arrived. Tired from hunting and extending her senses for so long she would walk out her arms up in the air. Opening her mouth Shisou would respond plain faced but yet very matter of fact,  “Listen Junko I don’t know who you are or why you are here but there is a creature that may or may not still be here and while I may not know exactly what it is I’m pretty sure it’s not natural for this area at least from my experience. Ok since you introduced yourself I am S.H.I.S.O.U and we should probably go somewhere to wait this out as the creature is definitely still hunting in this area, the fact there are more of us now, it is definitely coming back.” She would stand there fairly calm not showing any intention to fight but also trying to listen for anything.

Focusing some more she would sense a slight disturbance on the walls beside them, it seemed to be the same size from the sound of the steps as the creature that had attacked Shisou. She listened to the steps seeming to creep closer up a wall nearby and seemed like it was gathering up some energy to propel itself forward Shisou would shout out to Junko “Watch out!” as the creature seemed to vanish from her senses again for a second before reappearing behind her for a second she reached her katana sheath and all downwards as she was tossed forcefully by a force backwards, hoping in her head that Junko had gotten out of the way. The creature would roar out again a high pitched sound eliciting from its throat again, a claw going inwards, to anyone else they would see a creature appear out of nowhere mostly plagued in shadow, a set of sharp teeth sticking out of a ragged hood covering most of the features of the creature, a blindfold covering where the creature’s eyes would be. The most noticeable thing about this creature was how high it stood, standing roughly 9 ½ feet tall. Despite being cloaked this thing definitely moved fast, seeming not only to vanish from sight but from any senses as it moved, attacking anything in sight with a pair of massive claws that seemed to taper off as if they were scythes.


WC: 415
TWC: 1079

Junko would watch closely as the white-haired woman walked from the ruined building. She listened intently to her words, she didn’t seem to be a local so assumed that her arrival and the bandit attacks were completely separate from each other. This put Junko’s mind at ease, and she relaxed a bit. However, things would quickly change as Shisou alerted her of an incoming threat. She’d watch as the shadow-like creature formed behind the woman, it loomed over her as it grew to its full height of 9 feet tall. Thankfully Shisou seemed to be battle-competent and quickly moved to strike at the creature.

Junko would quickly look to Yume and speak to her in a sweet but hurried voice.
”Yume, restrain it would you please? If you can hold it’ll be able to trap it.”

She would watch both of the women in front of her spring into action, as the creature began its assault. Curious about Yume’s battle prowess she would take a step back from the encounter and allow her to take the lead. Once she felt as if the creature was properly restrained, Junko would whistle a string of hand seals, completing the requirements for earth style wall.

A dome would quickly grow over the creature, completely encapsulating it in stone. Though she was unsure of how long it’d last, she figured it would at least give them time to escape. She’d quickly glance between the two women before motioning for them to follow her towards the gate and then out of the ruins.

Hastily she’d say ”We can retreat to my home, we’ll be safer there”

As they left the ruins, she could hear the creature beginning to break out from the dome. If Yume needed assistance keeping up with her, she would attempt to pick her up, carrying her like a bride then would continue sprinting to her home. After running for roughly 10 minutes, Junko would slow her pace and set Yume down if she was holding her. For now, she believed that they were far enough away to no longer move at her top speed.

While catching her breath, Junko would turn to Shisou and say ”What was that thing? I couldn’t sense it with my dojutsu, which is something that is rather rare.”

WC: 398
Total WC: 929

As yume heard sweet voice of Shisou discussing with Junko while she was on the lookout all around to protect her host, the purple haired woman gaze scanned with great precision and analytics the forest surrounding them at the small ruins. In the deep tree line filled with dense plants and foliage, nothing out of the ordinary alerted her. Even if she wanted to get out of her guarding post to jump into the arms of her blind friend and protégée, Yume would keep calm and maintain her position to not have them ambushed. 

But as soon as junko and Shisou mentionned the presence of the large creature around spawning close to them, Shisou allerted and yelled to lookout. Yume turned immediately toward both girls, jumping trough into the ruins to face the danger herself. Junko, keeping her blood cool, as usual by nature, would ask Yume to restrain it with her paper magic. With a nod, Yume would focus on her paper flying celestial snakes, all 6 of them, and would morph them by doing handseals. One of them would immediately and at an incredible speed implode into a large mass of fluttering and flying around hundreds of paper small sheets, before forming all around the creature at an incredible speed into a shape of like a bodysuit, covering it all and restraining its movement so tightly that it would not be able to move anymore. On top of it, seeing as the purple haired paper wielder restrained, Junko made a large ball of earth and stone all around it, encasing it for long enough to not be a hindrance or a menace to them. But Yume wanted to neutralize the danger and keep both of her friends safe, and as such, continued to weave handseals. 

All around them, the 5 remaining flying celestial wyrms would explode too, in a thousand fold of paper sent all around in the air like confetti, covering the whole area and ruin in a mere instant. As the paper sheets were all in supsension, slowly dropping into the air all around the trio like petals in the season of blossom, or like snow in a calm winter morning, Yume would focus, close her eyes, and move in a sort of dance-like trance, as if she was folding something into the very air itself. Immediately, the paper started to form into shapes, gatering into 5 different masses, before soon after taking more and more form as 5 large spikes made out of paper, all 5m long each, floating around all around the earth ball, aimed toward it like missiles and arrows toward someone about to be executed. With her left hand now raised, her 5 fingers up and spread appart, Yume lowered it, closing her 5 fingers all at once, and dropping her hand rapidly toward her side. At the same time, the 5 spikes empaled the sphere, piercing it totally and reaching the iner creature, forming a impaling coffin, a sort of combination of ninjutsu together with junko to create a sort of Iron Maiden device, disabling more permanently the creature, if not outright killing it. As she was worried for both of them, Yume approached Shisou and reunited with her, hugging her strongly.

''Shisou! I missed you my dear! Why havent I been informed of your arrival on here? What happened in the flying to here?'' Said the purple haired one eyed artist, confused and unsure as to what happened to her dear friend. But there was no time to waste, and Junko soon brought back the woman to reality, and how they needed to go back to their house and retreat back to safety! With all 3 woman running, Yume realized she wasnt fast enough. She focused on her inner chakra and channelled one again a jutsu of hers with paper, making her whole half bottom of her body fall into paper sheets that would form and fly around her in an aura of little swirling sheets, and with her half legs and feets gone, Yume started to hover and fly, travelling at a speed far greater than when she ran, even faster if she wanted than Junko and Shisou. As all 3 escaped to safety, Junko was catching her breath before asking what kind of creature that was, explaining how she couldnt sense it with her dojutsu. Yume was still maintaining her gaze all around should it or anything else came back, but she was mostly looking to go back to their safehouse. After the two girls discussed the creature, Yume would too take her turn to speak.

''Ladies i dont think we should linger here any longer to find out if that monster will keep following us! Lets go home and  talk there.'' Suggested the purple haired woman, her too catching her breath, exhausted after using so much jutsu of her paper release, demanding on her system.

Knocked backwards Shisou struggled hitting a wall lightly, hearing a scuffle commence between the creature and Junko she believed. She heard the creature cry out as suddenly the noises from it were muffled and the sound of the earth moving sounded. Getting up, Shisou shook her head lightly getting ready to defend as well when she heard Junko call out a very familiar name to her, it seemed Yume was with this Junko lady. Adjusting her footwork Shisou got ready to move in with her blade drawn before jumping back upon hearing the sudden sound of projectiles and something coming from within the space of the creature. Not fully understanding what had transpired, Shisou was slightly alarmed as Junko told them to make a break for it now. Shisou would run following the sounds of her compatriots footsteps, eventually they seemed to make a stop in their journey, as the others were catching their breath.

Finally reaching a break the group settled down, Shisou was surprised to feel someone embrace her in a hug, it was Yume saying she missed her in response to Yume’s concerns Shisou would respond in kind,“I only just arrived on the island a little earlier in the ruins, the construct seemed to crash into a building luckily it hit a floor. I assume it was some sort of shift in the wind but can’t be sure. Glad to see you safe as well though.” Shisou would kind of awkwardly get out of the hug not really used to that sort of contact, she would use this time to relax a bit, feeling around for a place to sit before just sitting on the ground. Hearing the sound of Junko catching her breath she heard her footsteps approaching her as she asked Shisou what sort of creature that was and seemed to be concerned that dojutsu wasn’t affecting it in response Shisou would response pretty simply,“I’m not sure entirely what that creature could have been, it did seem to vanish though from any sort of senses. All I have is some of its blood on my sword, but even then when I impaled it with my blade earlier it didn’t really respond, it just vanished. There is a probability but I doubt it’s the case.” Shisou would kind of trail off when she said the last part before she would continue lightly,“But let’s not worry about that for right now we all made it out safely and that’s something to be proud of, good job you all.” ending this statement Shisou’s mouth would return to the usual blank expression as she seemed to go quiet.


Luckily the rest of the journey to this Junko’s home went reasonably peaceful though it was hard to tell how much time had passed. Shisou took this time to settle down and clean her blade off with a spare rag and laid down on a bench she had found while trying to rest and settled down for a nap to let her slight wound heal as the day came to a close.

[EXIT]

WC:514
TWC:1593

Claims:
15 points into Speed

1000 Words towards Quick Draw (1000/1000)
500 Words towards Shimi Daikon (Skill) (500/2000)

Junko would watch as Yume embraced Shisou and was relieved to hear that they had made the journey to Moon Country together. She felt lucky to have run into such capable people, from what she witnessed from Yume who thought her to be a valuable combatant. She would remain silent as they conversed with each other, not wanting to interrupt their reunion. Soon her breath would return to normal as Shisou began explaining her knowledge of the creature. She felt a bit uneasy at the thought of a creature skulking about that she wouldn’t be able to detect, however, Shisou didn’t seem like she had too much on it so she decided to let the subject rest.

As the conversation concluded, Junko motioned for the women before her to follow. Thankfully due to her visiting the ruins quite frequently, she knew a bit of a shortcut that would get them back home significantly quicker. At a moderate pace, Junko would lead them through various fields, plains, and dense forests. While they walked she would attempt to keep the conversation relatively light, primarily informing Shisou about the various things going on throughout the island.

She would address both the women and say in a sweet voice ”We have had some troubling run-ins with some mutated bandits. I’m currently working with a few others to find out the source and eliminate it, however, I’d like to request that you remain close to my home if you plan on taking up any work. Obviously, I’m not in charge of you, and you can do as you wish, but I’d hate to have something happen to either of you because of my negligence. If you do plan on venturing far, I ask that you simply inform me or another member of the group so we can provide backup if necessary. From what we can tell, the ruins are where their base of operations is so it may be best to avoid the area while not in a group.”

Junko wasn’t trying to boss them around or control them in any regard. She simply wanted them to be aware of the danger that lurked nearby. If something happened to them while under her protection Junko would feel responsible for it. She knew that this group didn’t just kill those they came across, Takehiko informed her that one of his clones had been captured when he encountered them so she feared that something similar may happen to them.

Soon they came upon Junko's home, and she’d address them again. This time however she would ask if it was alright if they shared a room. Her home was quickly running out of space, and she was unsure of where to put Shisou if she declined. If both women agreed Junko would allow Yume to show Shisou to their room, however, if she declined Junko would set up a temporary spot for her on the couch. After ensuring that they were all set, she would quickly begin preparing them all a meal. It was rather late so most of the others were seemingly in bed already.

Regardless she would make them each a nice warm bowl of ramen, after they finished eating Junko would clean up the kitchen and then excuse herself. She could feel the dirt and grime on her from the day's events and wished to take a bath. After soaking for roughly an hour the water would become cold and she’d make her way to her room for the rest of the night.
(EXIT)

WC: 591
Total WC:1520

Reserving WC claims until previous thread is approved.