[C-rank Mission] Lost Merchant

Mission Info:

So our last report was that he was located somewhere over...here. The chunin mission dispatcher pointed to a map for Indra, showing a location just outside one of the main entrance tunnels to Kohaigakure. Some refugees reported to the guards there that they had seen a merchant's wagon tipped over, animals seemed fine as far as they could tell but the back axel was broken. Honestly there were enough traveling, they could have at least tried to help him flip it and maybe push it into town. Instead they just walked on by, too concerned about themselves and instead of helping a citizen of the village they're trying to seek safety within, they unloaded it on us. The chunin shook his head, clearly disgruntled before realizing this wasn't appropriate to be saying during a mission briefing, especially to one of the younger shinobi, Sorry, just been stressful lately. A lot of people showing their true colors in the wake of this disaster, you know? He asked Indra, clearly looking for some sort of absolvement after his slip up.
All too well, unfortunately. Indra said as he rolled up the mission scroll and map, placing them in his front pocket, Right then, I'll see what I can do. Hopefully he has a replacement axel. It looks like he's too far from the village for the guards to be able to keep an eye on his wagon from their posts and I doubt we have the surplus of numbers to post guards there if we can't get the wagon back underground. At the very least though, I'll get him within our walls before nightfall, one way or another. Indra bowed in respect as the chunin briefer dismissed him and the young shinobi took his leave.

The path to where the wagon lay was clogged with merchants, citizens and especially refugees from the harder hit villages. They had been streaming in for weeks now, like a flood and it hadn't helped that Kohai's Kage had taken an Explorative Agenda stance in the wake of the bijuu attack. Indra took the rooftops as he approached the exit tunnel to the village, watching the throngs of people below him. Granted, Kohai hadn't suffered too much from the Ichibi, at least not when compared to the other villages, but it had still suffered and been stressed. Now the Republic was demanding troops but doing nothing about the refugees who flocked to Kohai, crowding it and stressing their systems even more. Indra shook his head in annoyance. He knew through the teachings of his father that empathy for others was an integral tool of the shinobi that so few thought about, but at a certain point he couldn't help but be annoyed by the blatant disregard and hypocrisy of the Republics bureaucracy. Still, from what he had heard and read about in the past, with the warring states...this had to be better, right? As he exited the tunnel, he turned away from such thoughts, annoyed with himself for getting distracted by things he had no control over. It was the way of the world, best to just focus on the things you can change and not dwell on the things you can't.

As Indra walked along the path leading out of the village and deeper into the Cactus Forest, he passed fewer and fewer travelers on the road. Down in the tunnels, it was congested as refugees were stopped, searched and told where to report to afterwards but out here, with the sun hanging low in the horizon it was nearly empty on the road. He waved to a passing caravan carrying more refugees into the village and then, after several minutes happened upon the man he was looking for. Two mules grazed on some scratchy desert shrubbery nearby, their leads tied to a cactus while a stout, paunchy man sat atop a stone with his head in his hands. It was the universal sign of a man defeated in all ways but physically. To his left, his wooden wagon lay in a ditch on its side, some crates and sacks of goods scattered about. All in all, it didn't look good but it was certainly salvageable from what Indra could tell.
Hello over there! Indra called as he approached. With the man's head in his hands he didn't want to accidentally sneak up on him and give him a start. The merchant's head shot up, his bleary gaze searching the road for who had spoken to him. He squinted, staring at Indra, then focused on the Kohaigakure headband tied around the boy's left arm and the paunchy man's features immediately lit up.
Oh wonderful! Simply excellent. I was hoping they'd send a shinobi before nightfall, but with all these people passing me by with little more than a word of encouragement I was worried I'd simply be forgotten. Excellent, simply excellent that you're here. Smashing as some of my fellow merchants would say. The man ran up and vigorously shook Indra's hand, spouting off and while Indra returned the smile, he left the man standing atop the small ridge and went down to inspect the wagon.
At first I busied myself with collecting the goods that had been thrown from my wagon. It was good putting my mind to work so it couldn't focus on this absolute travesty, but after awhile the depression grew in my heart and I had to sit down. Really take it all in, you know?
Um, I think so? Indra said, not totally sure what the man meant, It looks like your back axel is broken and some of the spokes on the left back wheel. I think the wheel will still work though, at least long enough to get you into the village where it can be properly repaired. Do you have an extra axel by chance?
Oh most certainly, most certainly, you bet your bottom dollar I do. The man said, But I fear my boy, while you look like a strapping young lad, I don't think the two of us will be enough to get it up and out of this depression in the sands.

Indra listened, but didn't respond for a moment while he tested the center of the wagon, lifting it gently to see if it could hold together when he flipped it. Feeling pretty good about its durability, the genin increased his chakra enhanced strength and simply shoved the wagon back onto the road in its upright position.
Ohmy. The merchant stumbled, Well, I guess that's why they send a shinobi for this sort of work. Indra wiped his hands together and smiled before helping the man replace his back axel. The merchant kindly offered Indra a ride back into the village, which he took before leaving the man at the customs gate.

Words: 1128/1000

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