The Color of Sunrise [Mandate Members]

---

Mon, a man of fiery hair and and warmly-colored robes, sat quietly in the early morning. He sipped a cup of tea as he watched the skies. Distant purple and black gave way to gentle blues. The air was cool and crisp today in Kiora. The air smelled like freshly cut maple. According to farmers just north, the crop this past harvest was good. Some say the food will be enough to get the Kiora natives through the next couple of seasons. This was good news, all things considered. Yet, Mon sat and stared at the sky as if awaiting something. Like a terrible misfortune would befall them now. The sky may split open and swallow the island whole. The sea may churn violently and drag everyone down into it. Calamitous events of the world shattering and reforming, vacantly.

And yet, nothing came.

The temple was one of the few places not directly in the control of the Mandate of Judgement, but is loaned for meetings with official dignitaries, diplomats, and other such important figures who may feel better about meetings on neutral ground. The temple is often where Mon escaped to in times he needed to think. His Retainers knew this well, and so it should have been little surprise to them when missives were sent out where he wished to meet them. Avians of the corvus genus, ravens, crows, etc. were all distributed to collect each of the Four Most Resplendent Heavenly Retainers from their current objectives.

He sipped his tea quietly, sitting upon a small pillowed mat. Ahead of his were four more mats, laid out in a line parallel to him. At each mat respectively sat a cup and in the center between Mon and the mats was a large teapot, steaming. Maidens from the temple came to tend to Mon frequently, though he did not trouble with them with desired services or the such. Short conversations ensued about the recent sightings in Jadai. There was little he was able to infer from the little information the maidens knew, but anything was something. Mon did not move much that morning, only sipping his tea and awaiting the arrival of his most trusted people.

Pure white hair flowed amidst a gentle breeze. Deep violet eyes peered off towards a horizon far out of reach. A girl clad in white stood at the temple's entrance, back leaning against a supporting pillar, gazing out across the landscape. The sight was, as it had always been, beautiful- A sight she had seen countless times by now, but would always stop to take in again, just one more time. In the few brief moments where she found the time to admire this landscape, her endless troubles would melt away before the dawn's first light. It was peaceful, safe. The wind always carried a tender touch, the sun's rays always a comforting warmth. For the last seven years, this had been one of the few paradises she'd known. This was one of the few places where he never dared to speak.

A quiet place. A silent place. And that silence was hers, for however long or short a time it might last.

Letting go of a deep breath, the girl in white pushed herself upright and turned on her heel, ready to make her way into the temple proper. While she wished she could have enjoyed the silence a while longer... today had provided her with other reasons to be here. The call of an ally she could not ignore. A call that beckoned her in to meet face to face with an acquaintance of seven years past: Mon.

Without a word, she took her spot across from him, sitting herself down on the far left mat. She took the cup in her hand and allowed herself a single sip before returning it to its place on the table, exhaling deeply once again. But she didn't say a word. She lingered there, patiently waiting for whomever may break the unbroken silence.

Kiora is a unique world where spiritualism flows universally as a global culture. No matter where one would go, even in more industrialized domains, karma dominated the minds of the majority. The calming winds being so different from home intrigued the young divinity who found herself in new territory, having spent months in learning of all its splendor. A golden-eyed brunette wearing a serene smile walked down a stone path, long hair and white cape flowing majestically through the breeze as the retrieval crow perched upon her shoulder. Goddess Kushinadahime or merely "Kushina" as she let the many know strolled about, her identity concealed and left with only the most trusted so she could continue uncovering more of the land's workings and way of life. Footsteps carrying peace, yet purpose sounded lightly to hear out the rustling leaves and chirping birds about. With a light chuckle, she brought a hand to hold a side of her hair, pressing gently and closing her eyes. It was easy to feel at one with scenery that did its job in simply existing.

A foreign investigator, the woman hails from a land fairly different and much more modernized: Japan. It is where a lot of odd quirks for her came forth, but also where she picked up such cultural respect that she has managed to stay out of trouble. This trait has helped blend in with the natives far more as well, having respect for the faithful and religious and finding those among them to be well-mannered people. The civilian life was welcoming here and she approved greatly. This also brought her to meet a man of interest: the lead of the Mandates of Judgment. While she'll go into detail of how their encounter went another time, the short of it was how fascinated she was by his word choice and intent, finding him to be a righteous, good-natured individual who said some very cool things every so often that vibed with her feel for anime.

Even now, walking down the path and feeling the fluttering of her form was akin to an anime's opening. What defined her the most was how cool she was or how in-tune with fantasy she was. Mon happened to be in tune with a strong character trope without even knowing what anime is, so she decided part of her time here would be among his cause.

That is what led her to the temple, answering the call of the leader. A divine being following a mortal seems insane, but Kushina has meshed well with humanity in the worlds she's been in and always seeks to learn new things from others. Believing Mon to be of the wisely sounded mind, she wore a smile and accepted her role as the newest Retainer without issue. Besides... the hero doesn't usually lead an organization. "Haha." She would give a friendly laugh to the notion, marching inside. "I've arrived~" A warm, cheerful tone resonated and resounded within. A kind grin matched with her lightly painted lips and pearly whites was given in greetings, making motion to have a seat. Knees settled upon the comfortable mat, gloved digits delicately took the cup of tea awaiting her and lifted with the other hand rested underneath. Kushina took a sip, keeping a sunny demeanor until things kicked off.

At the edge of the Mandate's main camp, a group of men were returning to base after a successful mission. At the center of the group was a red scaled dragon, walking and talking with them and laughing over the experiences they'd shared together over the past week or so away. To any normal person this would be a highly unusual view of men and dreamborn so casually interacting. But here it was a normal sight as Kulaan had been with the group for some six years or so. The story went he was a man cursed with the dragon-like appearance and for the most part everyone had just gotten used to it. Even more so as this was one of their leaders retainers.

The dragon had little else on his mind than returning to the book he'd been in the middle of reading before going out on assignment. It was a fictional novel, not something he often sought after, by the name "The Cursed Samurai". It was the story of a man cursed to harm all those he loved yet who tried to take up his blade for justice and peace regardless. It had been recommended to him by another of the retainers, for resembling something she very greatly enjoyed herself which Kulaan still hadn't made much sense of despite her ramblings. Right as the assignment to take a group of men to stop a rampaging beast dreamborn he had just gotten to a particularly exciting part where the titular cursed samurai had fallen off a cliff, supposedly to his doom, at the hands of the man who cursed him. What had happened to him had been on the young man's mind all through his work.

Yet he would have to wait some to find the exciting conclusion as a ways out from the camp the group had been met with a crow, a message tied to its leg. That much was odd. This crow attempted to caw and only barely managed to pronounce Kulaan's name before giving up and presenting the message.

"Must be in training." Kulaan thought to himself with a laugh. Other of Mon's messenger birds were capable of simply squawking the message at them but this one obviously didn't have it down yet. As expected it was a summons to the temple. So with barely any time to rest the dragon made his way off to join with the others. Upon his arrival he saw three figures before him. Kushina and Rei were two of the other retainers but the figure at the head of it all took priority for him.

"Mon!" Kulaan called out excitedly, flapping his wings briefly n the process. The motion revealed the damage done to them, scattered holes burned into the membrane rendering him flightless to this day. Scar tissue had long since covered up the wounds but it still looked painful to see it. He usually kept his wings in function something like human arms, however clumsy in comparison. But at seeing the closest thing in his life to a father figure he could hardly contain himself. He rushed to his leader's side rather than take to his seat or attempt to sip at tea and began nuzzling the mans face with his own scaled one. This was a usual greeting of his to his closest friends depending on how long they'd been apart. Given it had been a week this was going to last for a decent minute before he'd take to his own seat. In fact he was just realizing they hadn't seen each other in that long. In all his eagerness to read he'd nearly forgotten.

Coming home always felt wonderful.

The crisp, autumnal scent was sharp and enticing. It made the breeze that would normally bristle Mon, softer and gentler in comparison. He sat in that morn, watching the sun slowly rise over its course. Several maidens tended to Mon regularly, though for the most part, it was silence as the room filled. First to show was Rei, reserved and solemn as usual. He gave her a nod, letting the peace remain.

For everyone in the Mandate, there was something that kept them anchored here to this place. To these people. Mon was not so proud to believe that he was the common factor himself, but he believed it had to do with the message he brought forth. Sanctuary and peace for all who seek it. To vanquish evil and restore justice. These words, though integrated heavily into Mon's core philosophies, are also difficult to justify. Why should he choose what justice means? How does he decide good from evil? Ultimately, there needed to be a fix for this issue. So thus, Mon created the positions of retainers, who are, first and foremost, Mon's advisers. Though they act subordinate to his decree, it is of their own volition. They are the extensions of Mon's will that he could not necessarily deliver on his own.

These retainers, too, had things that kept them anchored here. For Rei, Mon believed, it was the peace. Even if not all the answers they have been searching could be found quickly, the hope that they're out there may also be a strong incentive. Not terribly long after, a second of the four retainers showed face. Kushina was a well-known and predominantly popular figure within the Mandate. Despite being the most recent edition to the upper ranks, she carried a lot of weight with her convictions. Mon knew that if he were not the one leading the Mandate, and they fractured outward, Kushina would likely take the most followers. She also had 'modernized' tendencies, or so Kulaan liked to say.

The silence of Rei and Kushina entering and taking their proper spots was broken shortly thereafter by the rambunctious entrance of Kulaan himself. Mon's stillness was broken momentarily by the display of physical affection Kulaan flung himself into. Mon's calm expression was warmed to a smile.

"Yes, Kulaan, I'm very glad you made it back as well. You will have to tell me all about your journeys after this meeting." Mon ran a hand over his scaled friend, more like a son to him these days.

Finally, the last of the retainers and perhaps the first one Mon could consider a loyal friend to him, Zhihao Zhu. He had been with Mon since the very inception of the Mandate. Rei too, but she was still quite young at the time. Zhihao and Mon were colleagues in the Church of Virubis for some time before the grand departure. These days Mon views Zhihao as perhaps the closest manifestation of himself through his retainers. Every trait these people possessed acted as factors to balance the Mon's own idealistic views.

He remained seated, drawing another sip to his lips and finally putting his cup aside, letting it leave his hand. "Welcome." His voice was warm and enthusiastic. Earnest. "It has been some time since we've met last. I apologize for keeping you all so busy. Though, as much as I wish I could grant you all respite for your hard work, there are ever matters to tend to." Mon let out a breath, folding his hands over one another.

"You have all been exempted from relaying a mission report for your last mission, you may grant the gist of your findings to the scribe at the encampment for record keeping. What I wanted to speak to you all about though are in regards to the events surrounding Jadai, here on Kiora. I'm sure word has spread about strange sightings near the edge of the settlement. Abominable creatures, they say."

Next to Mon sat his sword, in sheath. It was always sheathed, really. Nobody currently living had seen Mon draw his sword once in the past decade. He drew the sword and sheath whole to himself, setting it on his lap. "I fear the time to fight may soon be coming to ahead. I do not wish to see harm come to any one of you." Mon looked at each of the four people sitting ahead of him, each one he saw like a brother, sister, or a child of his. There was a concerted effort to hide his emotions as he spoke, only slightly longer pauses between his speech.

"What have you all heard of this situation?" Mon was prodding the group, checking to see if anything from earlier assignments or local gossip seemed to clarify the situation at all.

Kulaan took his time showing his affection for Mon as expected and was grateful to receive it in kind from his leader and friend. Eventually he composed himself and made formal greetings to Kushinada and Rei before moving over to one of the seats provided. His body didn't particularly lend itself toward the more traditional kneeling at a mat and so instead the young man squatted down over it and sat something like a bird might, his frankly long tail compared to the rest of his body stretching out behind him and his wings at his sides, covering most of his legs. The dragon didn't much bother with the tea placed before him, largely because he'd be embarrassed to make a mess of it in front of the others. Three of the four retainers had assembled so that left only Zhihao who appeared before too long. With the group fully assembled, Mon addressed them.

"The monsters..." Kulaan muttered at Mon's main inquiry. Rumors had been circulating of abominations as the man had said. Piles of gore and flesh moving about. They definitely weren't human or dreamborn. That Mon had his sword ready and felt a fight in the future was concerning. Kulaan had been counting on some quiet time to get to reading. Kushinada's recommendation to him aside, he had important texts to catch up on.

"I had my men look into some things on my last assignment." Kulaan spoke up after some more thought. "For obvious reasons I couldn't do much interrogating myself." he said while shifting his wings a bit. Clearly normal people weren't going to be too keen a dragon trying to talk to them. Much less in a town that was plagued by a rampaging dreamborn. "But they all came back with similar stories. A farmer frightened by something he couldn't describe on the outskirts of his land only to find nothing later. Officials, be they law enforcement or church, denied any claims made and found nothing in investigations." he continued. His head drooped a bit before his next statement however.

"Many seem to think it's a curse brought on by the dreamborn. A disruption in karma that's distorting life as we know it." Kulaan said, thus concluding his portion of information. Given his claims to have been cursed into his current form it was little wonder it troubled him. It wasn't the sort of thing one would want widespread and what if they were right? Would he turn into one of the flesh piles at some point? At least, these seemed like the most obvious concerns.

Rei, who had been staring wistfully out a nearby window until this moment, turned her head back around to reconnect with the rest of the group. It seemed everyone had gathered- Kushina and Zhihao had, to Rei, appeared to have entered just as quietly as she had, though it had been impossible for her to ignore the presence of Kulaan, and the energy he'd brought with him to the meeting table. Together, the five of them did make a rather lively bunch, Rei had always thought, and she cherished time spent among them. Time spent simply living.

But whatever energy Kulaan had brought felt swiftly muted at mention of Jadai, and the recent events swirling about it. A city sprung up by the church in the middle of Kiora, with all manner of rumors surrounding it, both troubling and strange. For her own sake, Rei had been putting off certain portions of her own investigation into the bizarre sightings and occurrences; Horrors of flesh would likely mean blood, be it spilled from their figures naturally, or shed in combat. And blood, of course, meant...

She shook the thought from her mind and refocused her attention on the matter at hand. Mon had asked for a report, and she was inclined to give one. "I've heard similarly, about the possibility of it all being from some form of curse, and I've heard a few tales spun about the problem being rooted in Karma itself- Like some kind of... well, some kind of negative karma." Rei took a moment to consider the ironic name of Kiora's mysterious energy in relation to the recent events going on. "And of course, Virubis is taking every opportunity to sway Jadai's people towards their own beliefs. They're really putting their foothold in the city's foundation to use." She continued, rolling her eyes at mention of the Church. It was no secret- at least, not to anyone here- that Rei had experienced issues dealing with the Church in the past, and it showed in her scorn for the religion. Though, it was rare for her to ever talk about that chapter of her life with anyone but Mon.

"The chances of fights breaking out around Jadai seems more and more likely every day, though. Everyone's worried and afraid... We might have to step in before the common folk try taking matters into their own hands." Rei left that as the end of her two cents, choosing now to take another sip from her cup.

"I got some great rice from helping a bunch of people in Jadai when I was hanging around the border! I just got back when you sent for me too, but the food in Kiora is incredible!" Kushina went off on something else entirely, putting her hands together in a light clap and wearing a large smile. Her air was still fairly relaxed and friendly, sharing welcoming exchanges with the others. Kulaan's energy helped break the ice easily and she expressed pleasant surprise at Zhihao's return. He and Kulaan had been gone for a far bit, Zhihao longer, which made their come back very joyous. All the while she would give a few looks and grins to the quiet Rei, who seemed to be wrapped up well enough in the lively mood.

At first, she thought Rei would be the stoic type with the tragic backstory and that's probably still accurate given her overall demeanor. This initial impression made her interesting, but it turned out she's got enough warmth to find happiness in pleasantries. It was always good for these types to smile, so Kushina enjoys the sight.

Kulaan, however, was a lot more straightforward and easier to understand, which is exactly why Kushina is expecting great things of his journey through one of the books she handed him. He came across as a young, impressionable mind for a cursed dreamborn that was perfect for injecting with the hotbloodedness of shonen fiction.

That left her impressions of Zhihao, who was very much like Mon in regards that she was a fan of as well. The comparison between Zhihao and Mon even had her say that it would be very interesting to see the lightest contrast of their idealisms and approaches, feeling definitions between two similar characters bore a great story of chemistry.

That all being said... "It was my reward for putting down one of those monsters." The swordswoman slid right into the topic with a growing seriousness. Her smile was warm, yet littered with concern. "I had been investigating Jadai's border when I heard more people talking about how worried they were for trade routes to the place. Wanted to take a look further inside, but ended up seeing something that is... really difficult to put into words. Grisly and misshapen was the beast I came across - a rare kind of abomination as far as anime goes." She put down her cup of tea, folding her arms and keeping eye contact with Mon for the report. "My sword cut through it and felled whatever the hell it was, which was great. But after it dissolved and disintegrated into some white, pasty substance... One of the merchants among them began speaking gibberish, his pupils dilated for the longest time and was promptly hospitalized. Seeing the monster for myself and confirming rumors... These things might be able to drive men to madness too, from my assumption."

The Spirited Retainer made no mention of the karmatic nature of the demented entity she struck down, having no better grasp of its concept for amalgamations than the others. Honestly, even for her own true nature, it took a bit of time to even have some kind of grasp of what she was fighting due to the mortality of her body.

"At the very least, I did not see anything else that struck me as an obvious disturbance. No blatant breaching of the city's walls or the like. But the rumors of people hearing whispers and losing their minds, then seeing one lose their mind before me... I concur that it's certainly warping life and risks a brawl of distressed people."

"Ah... so that's what this is about..." Zhihao thought to himself. It made sense though. The reports of these monsters had traveled the lands, reaching every corner that he had traveled to. Naturally, as citizens of Jadai--no, more importantly than that, perhaps, was the fact they were all human beings, members of the Mandate, whose duty was to expel evil so that the righteous and innocent may prosper. It was such a simple philosophy, but was important nonetheless.

The other members of the mandate were all giving their thoughts on the matter. Unfortunately, what they were saying didn't differ all that much from what he heard. He'd traveled a lot, and so he heard quite a bit about this, even if he hadn't encountered any issue himself. Though...

"I've heard most of the same," he began to say, letting out a sigh. "It seems no matter where you're at on this island, these types of talk have left no stone unturned. Every village, every city... they seem all unhinged about it. Corruption of karma, curses. I've also heard that people are blaming things on the main land empires and kingdoms, believing that there's some type of invasion about to happen. The people are turning one another and it breaks my heart."

"Perhaps one thing of note, however, is a particular route that's been closed off. I would have been here a day sooner if not for that. A recent attack had happened and so members of this village had closed it off for protective reasons. I asked for more details, but they were too shaken up to talk about it. Couldn't have been more than a day based on these reactions since it happened. But that's quite a ways from here, near the northern most peninsula."

"Whatever the case, we must put a stop to things and soon, for the sake of all."

Mon set his cup down and folded his hands in his lap, just over his sword. He was silent and nodded at each response that was brought forward. As was custom, respect and silence when another spoke was of the utmost importance. He responded to each report with a tender smile and a nod of thanks.

"I am most gracious for your efforts, all of you. He who thinks too long about his next step will always remain standing upon one leg. We shall make our deliberation here and take action." Several handmaidens came and retrieved the now empty pot of tea, scurrying about the chilled, shrine floor. Mon scanned over each of the retainers once more. The sound of the wind gently whistled through the cracks of the inner shrine, creating a mournful whisper in their midst. It was a foreboding sound, one that even distressed Mon.

"Our efforts have been spread thin these past weeks. If the horrors you have all corroborated upon are believed to be as dangerous a threat as said, then I believe we should direct our influence to Jadai until a link with official support groups can be established. I know not the scale of the destruction firsthand, so I urge all of you to take initiative and inform me of anything you see or hear. You will be supplied with a means to do so."

Mon withdrew a piece of carved stone, no large than his palm, from the inside of his outermost robe. On it were many holes, carved on a single face, as well as a piece carved outward like a spire. He pressed the spire to his lips and blew, pressing down on holes like a flute. Within moments, an uproar arose, like the divine winds had begun to blow and the trees below were shaken to their core. Flocks of birds emerged from their coops and nests, making a straight line toward the sound of the stone flute. Many perched themselves among the ornery and decor of the shrine, but four large crows found their way through the windows and onto Mon's shoulders.

"You will take these messengers with you. Should you need to send word with urgency, do not be afraid to rely on your avian companions." They were quiet, still birds, much like Mon. No squawking or shrill chirps. Just dark expanses where eyes would be. "Furthermore, a dispatch will be sent to Jadai to send aid. Crops, water, medicine, whatever we can spare. I request one of you take the task of escorting them, and to investigate further upon the situation on arrival."

One bird descended from Mon's shoulder, taking several steps toward the center of the space between himself and the retainers.

"Next, I will need someone to guide a small regimen of trained peacekeepers to the city outskirts. We are not within our rights to employ any martial law, and not all are welcoming of our presence. Zhihao, I want to entrust this task to you, if I may. You seem to be aware of a potential position of abundant horrors. We should look to place our forces somewhere that the defense will be of actual use. We cannot afford to be potentially precautionary."

Another bird flew from his shoulder, next to his brethren.

"We must take investigative measures to other fronts as well. I've heard word recently of mercenary bands taking advantage of the island's dreamborn and killing them for wealth. Hunters, of some sort. I have had little response from my efforts at extending a hand to have a dialogue with them. Kushinada, I want to entrust this task to you. Please do your best."

A third left their perch from Mon.

"My final task is simple, and though may not be the most immediately impactful, necessary despite the circumstances. I have needs request of somebody to act as an envoy to other nations. My reach only goes so far with my need to stay so close to home. As such, this will perhaps be the longest odyssey many of you have taken, or will ever take. Despite this, I... Sorry, allow me to correct myself. We are in need of allies. One beam, no matter how big, cannot support an entire home on its own. We are all responsible for the world we live in. Everyone is accountable." The fourth and final bird left Mon's shoulder, standing now in line with the other three, all of whom stared up at each of the retainers.

The young dragon-man listened carefully as the other retainers spoke. Being able to more directly interact they had proven to find more helpful information. Kushinada in particular had found and defeated one of the rumored monsters. Kulaan had to do his best to not voice his awe of the woman as she finished her story. It would have been rude to make much noise while the others were speaking. Rei had seen someone lose their sanity which was more troubling than cool. And Zihhao had been directly inconvenienced in his return to the base by the creatures. The dragon retainer wasn't sure if he should be disappointed or upset his last mission went so smoothly after hearing the others.

It was Mon's turn to speak after each retainer had spoken. Kulaan attempted to make mental notes of the stray bits of wisdom he imparted. There were often several and keeping them all straight got difficult but as best he could he wanted to record them all. A bit silly perhaps but it was the least he could do for the person he respected most in life. Already their leader had orders for them all in relation to his inquiry. With his instrument he summoned more of his messenger birds, four in particular bearing instructions for assignments. Two of them Mon had specific retainers in mind for leaving Kulaan with the option of either escorting supplies to Jadai or serving as a sort of ambassador for the Mandate to other nations.

"I think I'll handle the escort," he started gingerly. "With how I look I doubt I'd be trusted by many other nations. But I can definitely get the supplies to Jadai safely." Kulaan explained, hoping Mon and Rei would find it acceptable. However it went he'd do his best regardless of the task he undertook but by no means did he want endanger Mon's image to others by his own actions or appearance. He wanted to get a closer look at these monsters the others had mentioned too, having not actually seen them yet himself.

Rei listened quietly to her leader's words- he was collected as always, already having a straightforward set of plans for her and her fellow retainers to put into motion. That sort of decisiveness had been a large part of what pulled Rei towards the man in the first place, and it had proven him a reliable leader ever since. Extending her right arm, Rei allowed one of the messenger birds to hop onto it, and lifted the bird to her shoulder, where it found a new perch.

But when the matter of delegating tasks came, Rei found herself concerned, looking to Mon with a mix of worry and self-doubt. Each of her fellow retainers would be off on their respective tasks, tasks suited to them. But to her was the matter of reaching out to other nations to ask for support left, and that prospect frightened her. Mon was certainly well aware of her condition, as well as her generally poor reputation with the church; Even just going into Jadai, or other nations where the Church held sway, would be dangerous for her and all those around her. Surely he knew that, right? Why entrust her with such an important mission when the risks were so great?

But, she knew better than to question his judgment- she had far too much respect for Mon to do that. So she took in a deep breath, and nodded. "Then that leaves the request for support from other nations to me... Which means I have a lot to do." Rei said slowly, exhaling in a wistful sigh as she responded. "I'll take one last look around Jadai before I leave for the mainland, just in case. But with your permission, I'll be off." She held her left hand up to wave goodbye, taking a last glance at the other retainers before turning on her heel and slipping out of the temple.

---

It was when she'd passed over the edge of the temple grounds' boundaries that she stopped, bird still sitting atop her shoulder. She looked back at her sanctuary one last time, when that unpleasant voice rung out in her ears again.

"Trying to run away again, Sunshine? Heheh, you know you won't get anywhere like that."

Rei exhaled again, resuming her trek back to Jadai. "I'm not running, I'm doing my job." Rei said aloud in a low voice. "I want to see what's really going on with Jadai for myself before I start asking others to chip in on our behalf."

"Look at you, Sunshine! Actually having a good excuse for once. Hah!" The voice taunted her, laughing in her ear. Rei pushed the voice from her mind and carried on her way. But the voice continued to jab at her occasionally as she made her way towards Jadai. The bird on her shoulder didn't hear a single word.

Kushina kept a stern expression throughout Mon's words in response to the reports and thoughts of Jadai's circumstances. Her lips pursed with meaningful pause, absorbing all he had to say with a hint of impatience in wanting to stand up and get going. The youthful divinity inherited some childish traits, but found it was often worth staying her body to hear profound insight and learn her duty. For example: "He who thinks too long about his next step will always remain standing upon one leg." Mon said. Now that was cool, as were most, if not all these wise teaching statements that he spewed forth with elegance. The woman finally turned her neutral scowl into a grin, pushing herself up quickly to her feet once the mission was relayed and the birds were assigned their tasks.

"Monster slaying is one of my talents! I'll convince those guys, leave it to me." She lightly beat at her chest over her heart. A confident visage enveloping her demeanor as the norm. Mercenaries going around plucking out what they can for money? A hired gun always had some cool backstory that either made them a badass neutral force who'll play for any side, or something tragic that gives them a good sense of morality. Often something like a dead spouse or a struggling family to make ends meet. Justice does the mind and heart good for them, so convincing them shouldn't be too hard. "With information networks of theirs, they probably know what they're doing in Jadai and some of what's going on. That's good, so I can hear them out and relay what I find." She added on while motioning with a finger to approach, in which the second crow who moved when Mon gave her the mission replied to. Loudly flapping wings carried it to her shoulder, resting upon it as talons lightly pressed into her fabric-covered form. "Expect good news! The rest of you, too!"

The lively swordswoman took her chance to stretch while departing, expressing short words of gratitude for the tea just beforehand.