Just Another Day At Work (NPC/Finished)

[Makuro Shin]

"Konoha! " Shin called out as he noticed the tree sprite. "Thank god you're alright. And thanks for the distraction. I'd be in a big trouble if you hadn't came in time."

He looked around at the group of fey. Some of them were hurt by the mercenaries in the fight earlier. He hope that at least no one died in the fight.

"Gather around here if you're hurt, " He announced, "I'll heal you all after I found my stuffs. "

[Minor NPC]

The motley assortment of Fey paid half attention to his summon. A pair were already taking care of their own wounds. One gruff figure, blood still dripping from his arms, just walked of silently into the forest. The rest slowly approached the dragon-like humanoid, still on guard from a lethal fight that put most on edge or disabled. They waited for Makuro to do something.

The great white wolf, seemingly unharmed, padded slowly among the downed bodies of the Fey and humans alike. Some stirred slowly and groaned in pain as a wet nose prodded them into wakefulness. The wolf made sure to crunch their weapons under paw before they got too much up.

The tree fey, responding to some kind of silent summons, went over to the waking humans. Vines rapidly grew up from the ground and tied their hands behind their back as soon as they got into a sitting position.

[Makuro Shin]

Another siddham alphabet produced a purple line of light, extending from where the dragon stands towards the tent he went in earlier. He followed it to a box, and opened it to found his belongings inside. He gathered them before pulling out a few of his ofuda and go back to the group that awaits.

Holding them up in front of him, He concentrated his mind on them until the words on them are glowing with a green light. With a swift movement, he flug his arms outwards, and the light leave the ofudas like speckles of shining dusts, twirling in the air around the wounded group.

Bleeding stopped and wounds closed, leaving behind a few sighs of relief as the pain slowly receded. Shin then turn toward the bound group of mercenaries, which is also healed by his earlier act.

"I could've leave you all bleeding to death," He said, "but it's not up to me to decide whether you'll live or not. I'll just......" He trailed off, pulling out a piece of paper out from his bag. He wrote something on it before folding it into an origami bird. A purple hue surrounded the paper as the origami jumps to life, flaps its wings and then flies off into the sky.

"I just noticed the shrine about this situation. They should be here soon." He explained before turning towards Konoha. "I can wait for them in case you want to return to your home."

[Minor NPC]

The delicate tree fey nodded her head slowly, her fingers threaded together in front of her now.

"I want to go home," she said softly, looking around at the burn damage caused by laser fire. "But ... the trees are -"

The large white wolf's paws padded heavily toward the center of things, before lifting its head up in a mighty howl. There was practically an explosion of plant life beneath the wolf, and it rippled outwards like a wave of energy. Burnt sections of grass covered over with green and flowers. Destroyed tree branches grew out again, with leaves bursting forth from their tips. 

It was as if the sonic wave just made everything more ... alive. 

And with that problem solved, the tree fey just stood, and smiled, and basked in the feeling of brightness that came with it all. 

"Nevermind," she said, so much more happily. "I can go home now. I'd like to go home now, but ..."

She turned once more, to look directly at the dragon in humanoid form. Her big glistening eyes looked meekly downwards, and she took hold of the dragon's much bigger hand. 

"Thank you," she finally got out. "I ... I wanted to thank you, for saving us... for saving me."

[Makuro Shin]

Surprised by the sudden closeness of the tree sprite, Shin eyes widened as he took half a step backwards, but he didn't make any actions to pull his hands back.

"Don't sweat it," the dragon smiled. "It's my responsibility anyway."

"If you really want to thank me, though, " He added with a wink. "You can always ask me out for a date later. You know where to find me."

[Minor NPC]

The tree sprite looked up at the dragon's face with her wide eyes marred in confusion, clearly unfamiliar with the concept.

"Out for a date?" she repeated the phrase, trying to wrap her mind around the idiom and still unable to place it among her limited knowledge of city culture. The closest she could come to involved a schedule.

"A date, like ... on a calendar?" she asked innocently awaiting the answer.

[Makuro Shin]

The reaction had Shin burst out laughing, and he fights to hold it in by covering his mouth. He forgot that magical beings had little knowledge to their culture.

"Well, a date is..." The dragon explained, all the while trying to prevent himself from letting out a laughter. "A date is two people going out, doing stuffs that deepens their relationship."

"...And you usually do it with a love interest." He added.

[Minor NPC]

The tree fey's features took on a pinker hue in the face of the dragon's laughter, and even more so as he tried to explain. Her own wide eyes gazed nervously around at the others.

Those who still remained had turned them half a look to see what the noise was about.

Laughter felt strange, emotionally, to be heard so soon after the small war. Konoha only shifted uneasily on her feet, long tresses of her hair equally shifting with the motion.

"Do ... stuff..." she repeated, trying to imagine what that was supposed to mean in regards to 'love interests'.

The images in her head only turned her pinker.

[Makuro Shin]

"Mostly first dates is just two people hanging out, so don't give too much thought about it." The dragon smiled.

"Well, I understand if you don't want to go out with an old dragon like me though." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

[Minor NPC]

The delicate tree fey pondered a small moment, obviously not as bashful but still a rosy shade as she started to gently walk away.

"I just want to go home ..." she said, trailing off as she started to walk backwards. Her hands reached up and clasped themselves in front of her chest, and she said it again. "I want to go home... So ... thank you..."

"Perhaps ... we shall meet another day?" she said almost hopefully.

[Makuro Shin]

The dragon smiled. "Of course, I wasn't planning on a date tonight anyway." Shin turned his head to look at the bound mercenaries. "Well, at least not without them taken care of."

He then turned his head back to look up at the great white wolf. "I suppose he'll escort you home?" He asked.

[Minor NPC]

Konoha stepped back slowly, her gaze wavering from the dragonic figure, the ground and the rest around them.

"I can find my own way," she said softly, before giving a small wave of her hand.

"Goodbye now..."

Her large eyes blinked slowly, and as she met the underbrush behind her, she turned and darted away. She may as well have teleported for the completeness of her vanishing, the tree elf practically merging with the native flora.


Unseen, left alone as he was, stone restraints were left empty. The once-caged gunner of a mercenary had vanished himself.

[Makuro Shin]

Shin stood there, his eyes stayed on Konoha until he's sure that she was gone. Then his smile faded immediately, so quickly as if he's taking off a mask and putting another with a serious expression.

"Come out now," he said, "and please get to work. The mercs wont get their own asses back to the shrine."

Miko dress in full black with their face covered with ofuda showed up from the forest, as if they were watching the events all the time and only chose the moment to reveal themselves. They moved towards the trapped mercenaries with fluidity of shadow and started to prep them up for heading back to the shrine.

"Keep your eyes on the leader-" He talked the miko nearest to him, and stopped dead as he realize that he's gone.

The dragon's jaw dropped, but only wordless choking sound came out from it and he struggles to form a reaction to the sudden disappearance of the captivated gunner. He turned to look at the miko, but the lack of any reply only adds weight to the silence between them. It took some self restraint for him to choke down the F word before face-palming himself.

"I guess I'll have to leave the manhunt to you all." Shin sighed as he walk towards the half-burned tent. He peeked inside, and found the tablet on the ground. He picked it up and dusted the dirt off. He'll need to get the data translated later.

He started to ponder what should he write in his report, and not even the possible future date can bring any hint of a smile to the dragon's muzzle now.