Confusion dominates the village, as girls exit their rooms trying to investigate all the noise, which in turn causes more girls to come check why so many are up. Mokuren can barely contain everyone as the trio return to the dorms, still baffled by their sighting of the giant. While no one picks up on how Sumire, Higiri, and Tsubaki are clearly uneasy, they do ask them what's going on, what those loud bangs and booms were, and if they can go check. Hasu of Dragon Unit even says that, from her window, it looks like a building's collapsed. This claim only makes everyone more curious, but Sumire knows that letting them all out could be dangerous. Hana-sensei's not here, so she'll have to be the one to control the class. Emulating Hana, Sumire raises her voice, commanding everyone to quiet down. She tells them all to stay indoors and go back to sleep. Sumire quickly asks Higiri and Mokuren to handle things here, and she and Tsubaki run back outside.
It takes some time, but the tired students of Akane eventually agree to go back to sleep. Whether or not they plan to actually lay down is unknown, as they could try to sneak out, but the only one showing resistance right now is Sazanka. She won't stop questioning Higiri and Mokuren about where Tsubaki is and what's going on. Demanding to be let out of the dorms, she won't listen to reason, as usual. Fed up, she attempts to push past Higiri, who grabs her and tries to keep her inside. The two struggle for a bit, before Mokuren sneaks behind and pokes Sazanka with a sleep dart. A bit surprising, but necessary. She definitely wasn't going to back down, and would have escaped to find Tsubaki.
Within a minute, Sazanka is sound asleep. The medical leader carries her off to the Dog's room, leaving Higiri alone in the hallway. It's quiet again, no yelling, and no loud noises coming from outside. The others still aren't back yet, and didn't say what they were planning to do out there. She doesn't even know what she should do right now. Go after them? Stay here like Sumire said? Her thoughts on what to do are interrupted by Mokuren. She advises that they go inspect the farm area, and then head to bed. She says that the others will be fine, and no one will disobey and sneak out. She's too trusting, but it is late, and tomorrow's looking like it will require everyone to be in good shape, so she listens to Mokuren, and they head out into the night to quickly inspect the area.
Hopefully the others come back soon.
The morning is hectic. The girls that were awake last night did not forget, and they want answers. Once the sun rose, it wasn't long before all thirty-five girls were up and gathered by the crop field. In the sunlight, everyone can see the destruction.
The smaller farmhouse, used for equipment storage, is no longer standing. The larger farmhouse, used for crop storage, has a giant hole in the side of it, as well as a hole in the ceiling from when the giant jumped out. Inside, boxes and baskets are empty and knocked over, some from Higiri and Mokuren collecting produce last night, and some due to the giant. Any damaged food that was not grabbed attracted bugs that let themselves in through the giant hole, and insects now run rampant in the building. The crop field doesn't fare much better. Craters and big footprints litter the farmland, and many crops are trampled and ruined. Thankfully, everything else in the village is untouched, but that's only so comforting.
Something like this has never happened before. Akane Village has never had to deal with an attack, and the first time it happens is coincidentally when both teachers are away. Putting it like that, it might make one think that the teachers are behind this, like it's a test of some kind. But Hana and Konoha wouldn't wreck two buildings and cripple their food supply just for a test. It's just hard to believe that something so strong is living next to them, and is willing to attack them. No one really knows what to say, everyone simply stands around assessing the damage and making basic observations about the scene. Even Sumire and Tsubaki have trouble thinking about what to do next. Only one girl present is willing to speak up first.
Sazanka: "HEY! Why are you all just standing around looking sad?! Don't you all see?! Something attacked our village and destroyed our food! It probably would have tried to hurt us if it saw us! It was definitely a MAN!"
Sazanka's sudden claim that a male is behind the attack shocks everyone. Tsubaki tries to quiet her down and come up with some other explanation, but the other girls actually start believing that the perpetrator is a man. After all, they have been taught that men are like this their whole lives. That they're brutish beasts that would do something like attack Akane. Of course Sazanka's the one to suggest it first, she hates men the most, based on the teacher's descriptions of them alone. Tsubaki, however, isn't very convinced. She knows that men are supposed to be normal. However, she can't say this because she has to keep it a secret, even from Sumire. Hana has explicitly said that the girls must continue to believe that men are dangerous, or else they'll brush them off as weak and will be more likely to seek them out. And just because men are generally supposed to be okay doesn't mean every single one would be right? Maybe it really was one...
Regardless, the girls are even more riled up now. They only needed one person to start yelling about taking action. With the crowd now loud and lively, Sumire attempts to write out a plan for the girls, while Tsubaki tries to calm everyone down a bit. Their energy is appreciated, but she tries to stop them from getting too crazy. The Man's gone, he left last night, and there's no point in running out into the forest looking for him. It'd be better to fortify the village instead, in case he come backs.
At the earliest, Hana and Konoha will come back tonight. But it's much more likely that they'll return sometime tomorrow. As far as the girls know, it's up to them to solve this Man problem, as well as the other problem that's arisen.
The village is running low on food. Letting the squads off of chore duty yesterday was good for keeping them safe, but also left the kitchen with less fruits and meats. On top of that, the Man's destruction of their farmland and crop storage has set them back even further. The kitchen does have some food in storage, including some produce that was retrieved after the attack, but it won't be enough to make multiple proper meals for thirty-five girls. More food NEEDS to be gathering as soon as possible, you can't defend your home on an empty stomach. But defenses also need to be set up. Akane village needs a plan, and Sumire's already working on one to the best of her ability. But it's not easy when you're feeling how she is right now.
That night that Sumire and Tsubaki were told they would be in charge started it. It was difficult to sleep due to the anticipation. Then came the daytime, where they put in twice as much effort as usual to make sure the village was running smoothly. Last night's attack was the worst part though. Tsubaki and Sumire went out to investigate a bit, which turned into patrolling the forest around Akane. They got carried away, and stayed out there for the whole night. Once they were finally back in their rooms, they only got about an hour of sleep before the sun rose. After so many obstacles blocking them from getting proper rest, they're both feeling the effects of fatigue, and it's obvious to everyone around them. Sazanka, Azami, and Tanpopo all beg their leaders to go lay down. None of them can bear to see their beloved friends deprive themselves of sleep.
Sumire quickly finishes writing down a plan for everyone else to follow and hands the notes over to Higiri. She's then taken away by Azami and Tanpopo, back to the bedrooms, with Sazanka pulling Tsubaki over there too. Sumire's notes quickly detail what all 33 awake girls will do today. It's not very in-depth as she wrote in a hurry while having a headache, but the Team gets the gist of things:
Shion and Suzuran will fish at the river.
Mizubashou and Benisumomo will lay extra traps around the forest.
Mokuren and Housenka will prepare medical supplies.
Everyone else will prepare the village for the Man's possible return.
After a small and quick breakfast, the girls begin to enact the plan. With everyone working together, hopefully Hana and Konoha will return to a village still standing.
With both of the teacher's picks for running the village currently asleep, Higiri takes on the leadership role of the village. She's the one to tell everyone their current roles. In addition to the roles, Sumire also wrote out some other things, like suggestions and rules. The rules are the shorter section, being the last thing she wrote. She likely didn't even finish, considering that there's only three written out, way too low a count coming from Sumire. They are:
Do NOT travel alone, and always tell others if you're going somewhere outside the village
Do NOT engage the Man if you see him, run away instead
Underclassmen are forbidden from leaving the village at all
As for the suggestions, they call for defensive installments to the village. They describe setting up spiked barricades around the buildings, setting up bells around the village for alerting of an attack, and finding a place that can be used to contain the man, in the event that he's captured. A place that can hold him until the teachers get back. There is a prison cell built into a cave outside the village, but who knows if they'll be able to drag him out there to lock him up. Having him at the village isn't the best option, but securing him with lots of rope and a cage should work. It'll all be a lot of work, but the majority of the girls will be helping to prepare the village. They should be done before nightfall.
With help from Touwata, Higiri gets everyone settled into their jobs. They see Shion and Suzuran off as they travel to the river, and Mizubashou and Benisumomo as they walk into the forest. Touwata watches her two unit members disappear into the trees, and wishes she could go. She knows that her leader Benisumomo likes to slack off and worries that she won't properly set up traps. And on the other hand, she knows that Mizubashou loves traps enough that she might zone out and go too far and get ambushed by the Man. She wants to watch over them but can't, she has to follow the rules. She does understand why Sumire wrote that rule. The Man is definitely dangerous, and is roaming around the forest somewhere. Underclassmen are less experienced, so it makes sense to limit them like this.
Everyone not working outside of the village is working inside. Higiri and Touwata set up a little command area in the dining area, where Higiri begins to work on Sumire's other request, to write a report on everything that's happening. She wants one to give to the teachers after they've come back. At the farming area, some girls are helping to create the spiked barricades by making the spears. Some are trying to clean up the crop field, so that it'll be in good shape for when farming becomes safe again. Others are in the farmhouse, trying to get rid of the bugs and throw away the bad food. The Boars are also leading an effort to salvage tools and materials from the collapsed farmhouse.
A few girls are digging through other storage areas to fulfill Sumire's bell suggestion. She wants bells set up around the village, to be rung if the Man is spotted. There are bells and gongs in storage inside the village that can be used. Thinking back to last night, the Man was only discovered once he destroyed the crop field and ran through the farmhouses. He was able to quietly enter the village, and they wouldn't have even known of his entrance if he hadn't started attacking things, so it's possible that he can sneak in again. This alarm system can help alert everyone to his presence, and will be placed in several key locations around Akane to be used by patrols. This is what Sumire described, but Higiri's expanded upon the idea a bit. She figures that if the Man is spotted and he doesn't realize he's being watched, then the girls can try to capture him while they have the element of surprise. It depends on who discovers him, but binding him while his guard is down would be much easier than a fight.
That's why she's called over the Horse Unit. The three members of the unit, Hinagiku, Kibushi, and Oniyuri, can all be a big help in the possible conflict. Oniyuri is a pretty strong fighter, and specializes in Shadow Bind jitsu. It's a technique that lets you paralyze opponents. Hinagiku, while not a fighter, specializes in Loyalty Trance jitsu, which lets you influence the minds of those you use it on for short time. There's also Kibushi, who's great at transformation jitsu, which could see use for distraction or intimidation. Together, with their powerful jitsus and strong synergy, they could defeat the Man without a fight, assuming the jitsus even work on him. Higiri's been talking strategy with them and they're on board, though they remind her of their jitsus drawbacks. To use Shadow Bind, the target must be touching a surface that she's also touching. She'd need to bind him while he's standing on at least one foot, which may not be easy when he's apparently keen on jumping around. As for Loyalty Trance, Hinagiku must first activate the jitsu by placing her fingers on her own lips, and then placing them on the target's lips. She'll have to get real close to the Man, which is only easy if Shadow Bind is active. Without it, she won't be able to do much.
Higiri understand. Now, she needs to plan more ways to ensure that the Man is immobilized properly. They may need more rope, or help from Fuki and her String jitsu, or help from Uikyou and Kikyou with their Sleeping Bell jitsu. Before she can think about it more, the sounds of yelling begin to come from the hallway, and they're getting closer. The door to the dining room opens, and in walks Tsuwabuki, with an angry Sazanka in her arms.
Tsuwabuki: "I caught this one trying to leave the village."
Sazanka: "PUT ME DOWN!"
Oniyuri: "Didn't you hear Sumire's rules? Underclassmen can't leave th-"
Sazanka: "I DON'T CARE! I'M GOING TO FIGHT THE MAN!"
They're not surprised hearing this. She wants to fight the Man herself. In Sazanka's mind, defeating him in combat and saving the village will earn her lots of praise from Tsubaki. She can picture it now. Tsubaki awakes from her nap to find her reliable underclassmen standing over the Man, having single-handedly dealt with the problem. It's typical Sazanka, letting her sisterly love for her leader take over, making her reckless. They can't let her leave, so Oniyuri and Tsuwabuki work together to tie her up with rope and set her down in the corner. There's no time for giving her second chances today, so she's now in timeout under the watch of Higiri. Forced to sit there and do nothing, which Tsubaki will be unhappy to hear about.
The forest is quiet and peaceful, just like any other day. Weather's nice too, sunny sky and a light breeze. But knowing what's out there, it's hard to relax. You'd rather just finish up your tasks and get back home as soon as possible. But good fishing requires patience, so until enough's caught, Shion and Suzuran are stuck here. They've been catching fish for the past hour and a half. Both wielding fishing rods, they've caught a fair amount already. They weren't told how much to get exactly, but a full large basket should suffice. They hope to be done within the next hour, so they can go back. For now, they make small talk, mainly about Ajisai. If they could have their way, Ajisai would be with them right now. She wouldn't be fishing of course, she'd be getting spoiled by the pair. They tried to fight the rule forbidding Ajisai from leaving the village, but were denied. Forced to leave their precious underclassman back at Akane. It can't be helped, Higiri's insistent on following Sumire's rules. And she probably is safer back at the village anyway, strength in numbers and all that. Still, they miss her, despite it being less than two hours since they last saw her.
Ajisai, meanwhile, is working on the barricades along with several others. When she heard that she'd be separated from Shion and Suzuran, she was secretly excited. Not because she hates them or anything, she just wants time away from them. They pamper her constantly, she needs a break from the pleasure. Plus, she figures that now is a good time to try and show her teammates that she can be independent. That's why she's putting in so much effort to try and craft these spears for the barricades. If she can show them an entire barricade made solely by her, maybe they'll be proud enough to baby her less, and treat her more like a mature ninja. Maybe she can even go a step further. If she defeats the Man somehow, Shion and Suzuran would definitely look at her as an equal member of the Ox Unit. Ajisai has a chance here, she has to take it, or at the very least consider it. She's always heard that men are dumb and have an exploitable weak spot between their legs, all she has to do is-
Ajisai: "OUCH!"
Ajisai suddenly yelps out, dropping her spear and the blade she's using to whittle it. Her daydreaming about fighting the Man has led her to cut her finger. Nothing major, but it sure does sting. Hearing her pain and seeing blood, the other students tell her to rush over to the Monkey Unit room, where Mokuren is. She'll be able to patch her up. Ajisai runs off, upset that she can't work on the spears, and dreading how her teammates will react to this small injury.
Back at the river, Shion suddenly gets the urge to pick some fruits. Ones that Ajisai likes to eat. Suzuran agrees to this idea, and they now plan to go get some after they've finished fishing. It'll be a nice surprise for Ajisai.
Higiri still resides at the command table. Horse Unit and Touwata left to do other things, being replaced by Tachiaoi. She came here to discuss the fortifications and attack plans, but with Sazanka in the room now, and still occasionally demanding to be released so that she can go find the Man, they'd rather not reveal ideas for a fight with the Man. They instead focus on defensive strategy. Tonight, there will be patrols, small groups of girls walking around the village and the surrounding forest. What needs to be determined now is who the patrols will be comprised of and how long their shifts will be. Also, they'll need to be fed, so Higiri and Tachiaoi will have to coordinate with the kitchen efforts later today to get proper snacks made.
And, as if the mere mention of food summoned her, Asagao enters the room. She's been working on the field, and is eager to eat. She wants to grab a bite right now, and also wants to know when a meal will be ready, and what's on the menu. It's like she doesn't even remember the minimal amount of food they're working with.
Higiri: "Asagao, we need to conserve food for now. You can't grab a snack."
Asagao: "Huh?! But I'm working hard out there! I'm already starving! What's for lunch?"
Higiri: "Lunch will come eventually. It's supposed to be a serving of fish and vegetables."
Horrified, Asagao asks for clarification on the "serving" part, wondering if she really means ONE serving for everyone. She says that breakfast was too small, and she ate all her snacks to make up for it, but it's still not enough. Unfortunately for Asagao, Higiri does mean one serving. Tachiaoi tries to explain that they're rationing food right now. Ox Unit is gathering more fish right now, but there's always a chance that they lose the fish, in which case the rationing would save them all from going hungry tonight. She'll have to make do with limited meals for lunch and dinner, and can only get more if someone else decides to give up some food for her. It's only for a day, things will hopefully go back to normal when the teachers come back.
Asagao begs some more, wanting at least one fruit from the kitchen, but is eventually ushered out and sent back to work. How Asagao can constantly eat as much as she does, they will never understand. Some of the underclassmen can barely finish a normal serving, but Asagao always tries to get multiple, and she always eats from her personal snack stash after dinner too. Most other leaders probably would have tried to put her on a diet by now, but Tsubaki seemingly doesn't mind the gluttony. Sazanka does criticize her eating habits sometimes though. Honestly, Tachiaoi believes that Sazanka has a point in this case, all that overeating can't be healthy in the long run. Though she wouldn't phrase that point with any kindness, she'd yell at her teammate and cause a scene. In fact it's surprising that Sazanka didn't speak up and say something harsh, like blame Asagao's appetite for the shortage, despite hearing everything.
...
Tachiaoi: "Sazanka?!"
Higiri jumps a bit when Tachiaoi screams out in surprise. Turning around, she sees the Rat leader pointing to the spot where Sazanka was sat. Now, only undone rope remains. Sazanka's escaped.
