Finding Safety in Haven [Village Entrance]

The sky overhead was dark. The clouds were bulging, full of water, about to burst. As Koshou looked to his left, he saw the sun start to set. Most people would have liked to get back to shelter by now, but Koshou was a little bit different. As a Yuki, he was naturally resistant to the cold. However, he was scared by the rain. There was nothing more miserable than being soaking wet.

As the man scanned the landscape around him, he saw lights twinkle in the distance. He couldn’t be more than a mile away from the village. Judging by the number of lights, Pepper Jack guessed that what he was looking at was a village. His expression turned sour. He hated nothing more than villages and government. But he was lost. The landscape around him was unfamiliar, and Koshou was hungry. He also didn’t know how long it had been since he had broken out of prison, but he assumed it had been a while. However, no matter the risk of capture, he knew that it was worth it. He had been wandering for what felt like years. After 3 years of prison time, and what felt like about 4 years of wandering, he knew he had to find civilization. No matter the government or people that lived there, he had to return to society.

Koshou was dressed well for a man of his background. Luckily, he had bathed in the river yesterday and washed his clothes, so he was relatively pleasant looking. He wore a black button-up shirt, with black plants. Pepper Jack wore leather boots as well as a crimson red top hat. His treasured belt buckle sat across his belt, freshly shined. As rain started to pour from the endless sky, he pulled up his cloak to keep himself dry.

The black-haired Yuki started running towards the village in front of him. As he drew nearer, he saw that it was Hoshigakure. Pepper Jack breathed a sigh of relief. This place was far enough from Yukigakure that they likely didn’t hear of his criminal past. The man slowed down when he was about 50 meters from the gate. He didn’t want to run up to the village, which would draw suspicion to himself. He moved at a brisk walk before he entered through the gates. He saw a light on inside a small shack to the side of the gate. He went up to the window and knocked on it, hoping a guard was there.

WC: 420

The rain poured down around Koshou, as he walked through the gates of Hoshigakure. His boots splashed into the puddles on the ground, and mud was sent flying onto his boots. Pepper Jack would definitely have to find some sort of way to clean his clothes after this. He would definitely have to buy new clothes after this. The Yuki’s clothes were old and tattered, only kept together by the sowing he had done. It put a whole new meaning to the word threadbare. The man was fortunate that he didn’t mind the cold weather. Otherwise, his thin clothing would’ve left him cold and frostbitten years ago.

The Yuki saw someone approaching him. Koshou hadn’t had much human interaction in a long time, so his instincts went back to some of his last ones. Which were, unfortunately for this situation, from when he was in prison. He scanned up and down the body of the man in front of him. There seemed to be no weapons on his body. The person in front of him seemed, not fully matured yet, but about to enter full adulthood. Koshou estimated his age to be around 15 to 16. The boy looked relatively fit, quite threatening to Koshou if they were to fight. Knowing this, Koshou’s instincts told him to reach for a weapon. His hand drifted to his right hip, ready to draw a kunai.

As the boy stopped 15 meters away from him. Weirdly, the rain stopped. Koshou looked up to the sky and it was still raining for everyone else. For a boy of this age to be able to stop rain, Koshou was interested. Such strength at such a young age almost reminded Koshou of when he was this boy’s age. He knew that if they were to fight, Koshou would have no chance, so he withdrew his hand from his hip.

Koshou’s serious face melted into a courteous smile, as the stranger asked him a question. Pepper Jack replied to the boy in front of him, “Hello good sir. Thank you for this warm welcome to this village. It takes one of great strength to halt the rain as you have done. I come to this land searching for refuge. I descend from the people of Yukigakure, coming from the frozen wastes of the north. As I imagine one so strong and, likely well educated, as you, you probably know of the unfortunate demise of Yukigaure? I was fortunate enough to escape, the perilous situation that many citizens found themselves in. May I ask you of your name, kind sir?” Pepper Jack was a rebellious person who hated authority. However, to reintroduce himself into society after all these years, he would have to suck up to those in charge, at least temporarily.

WC: 464
TWC: 884

Koshou was surprised by the boy’s casual nature when Koshou reached for a kunai. Most would respond with aggression, but not this man. As the boy in front of him heard the Yuki’s words, Koshou noticed an expression forming on his face, one that could be described as solemn. The boy’s words matched that facial expression so well, expressing his sadness for what happened to Yukigakure. Before the boy could continue, Koshou would cut in and say, “Your words of sadness are not needed, it has been a great length of time, almost a decade since that day of destruction. I was only fortunate enough to live the perilous events because I was kept away from the village, not allowed to return there for many years.”

The boy, who Koshou would soon know to be Enishi, would continue to speak and describe the things Koshou could do to possibly make a living here. The Yuki’s mind drifted off, as all his years in the criminal underworld made him want to continue committing crime and make lots of money that way. As the red haired boy in front of him would finish speaking, Koshou would say, “I greatly appreciate the lengthy efforts you have taken to welcoming me into this grand village. I would love to meet someone in the government tomorrow. I can greatly understand why the village would have special circumstances surrounding one such as I, and I can empathize with your efforts to welcome people that society would see as less desirable into this village.”

Koshou would pause for a second, before realizing the Enishi had given him his name, but Koshou had not done the same. The black haired boy said, “I apologize for my rudeness, my name is Koshou Yuki.” 

WC: 294
TWC: 1174

Enishi would be for the most part pleased to hear that Koshou appropriately complied with his words without any sort of retort nor equivocation. Normally, the understudy wouldn't have needed to take such precautions with travelers who wanted to enter the village - and it would have not even been a thing a year ago; however, with the recent defection and village subjugation attempt led by Stein - the last S-Rank Missing Ninja who was welcomed with open arms - Ayato Hyuuga decided to crack down on who would be allowed to enter Hoshigakure or not. Missing Ninja who had higher notoriety than others on the surface would be turned back on the spot...and if they resisted, well, they'd likely have the same fate as Stein - a swift decapitation caused by the cold steel of a shinobi's blade. Thankfully, there would be no blood spilled today as the man Enishi now knew as Koshou Yuki would humbly accept the terms of living in Hoshigakure and explain the surface of who he was. No doubt that a hidden feeling of relief would wash over the understudy as Koshou accepted what he needed to do upon entering the village.

"Alright then Koshou Yuki," Enishi would say in a more casual tone with no longer a temperament of solemnity enveloping the atmosphere. Whilst he spoke, he would pull out a stack of blank cards with a large number of seals on each of them; choosing the card on the top of the stack - Enishi would put the rest of the stack away in his pocket. Holding the card he selected, a burst of chakra would appear once he infused his own chakra into it - resembling that of a flame than anything; soon, the chakra burst would cease as the card would be filled with a lot of information concerning Koshou Yuki. His appearance in his cloak, his birthplace, a picture of him as he looks right now, and most surface-level information would all be found in this ID card. Enishi would hand the waterproof card towards the Yuki as he spoke, "This is your ID card; it will be valid for approximately seven days. With this card - you will be considered a visitor of Hoshigakure and as a visitor, you will be given plenty of amenities such as free housing, food found in the hotel you will be invited to stay in, and the facilities the hotels and Hoshigakure provide such as the Training Grounds, bars, and restaurants. As I've said before, this ID will be valid for seven days - in order to become a registered visitor or permanent resident of Hoshigakure, you will need to talk to our Hogokage during this time period to gain an extended or permanent ID. Since it is evening time, we'll talk with Lord Hogokage tomorrow morning. Be prepared, Sir Koshou." Enishi explained sufficiently, feeling that he explained enough to the adult Yuki.

"Come, it's nearing nighttime. Let's get you checked in a nice hotel." The Sage of Pleiades said with great confidence, walking back to the gates of Hoshigakure - turning to Koshou with a smirk, hoping the man would follow him.

[Exit into village with Koshou Yuki]

WC: 528
TWC: 2219

Claims:
+44 AP 
Claiming Koshou Yuki's Chakra Signature
2219 WC Towards Mastery: Increased Power of Seal of Absorption [2219/2750]

Approved

Koshou saw the boy in front of him pull out a deck of cards. Koshou was confused by what he was doing, before he saw words infuse themselves into the paper. Pepper Jack raised an eyebrow, before accepting the card the boy gave him. The black haired Yuki’s eyebrow lowered and then he heard the news that he would be visiting the Hogokage soon. Koshou was internally annoyed, but to work his way up in society, he would have to network himself with others. The Yuki said, “It would be an honor to meet with the great Hogokage, and I thank you for all you have done to welcome me into this village.”

The Yuki would then follow the brown haired boy Enishi into the village.

[exiting topic and entering village]

WC: 126
TWC: 1300

Claiming:
+13 Vigor (40 > 53)
1300 towards Pureblood (1300/2000)

approved