Mission:

Weeds were often used in tinctures, salves, and the like, depending on the type of weed. In a situation such as this, the people tended to just want the weeds away from the produce so that it did not harm the other plants or rob nutrients from them. This was a worthwhile concern, especially out here where the opportunity for food growth was limited due to the climate. However, most people would just throw away the weeds and be done with it, that was why Hajiru wanted to do this mission. Those weeds could serve a purpose, if properly inspected and used.

As he often equipped himself on his herb hunts in the tundra outside the village, Hajiru wore a special pair of gloves, and went out with his small spade and pair of scissors. He would snip away what he could use, make sure the roots were dug up with the spade, and perhaps, if he could manage it, transplant the weed to store back home, to save the plant for further use if it could be managed. He'd be there, working for a fair amount of time, he was sure.

The shop itself was in the middle of town, and its garden in a small greenhouse surrounded on the other three sides by the village streets so that the people going to the shop, or just walking around town, could see the stuff they sold growing right there in the village and not hidden away. So, while Hajiru worked, there were quite a few people passing by to see him. For this reason, it was only understandable that the owner of the shop had come out more than once to ask Hajiru to hurry up.

"I understand your concern, but if I do not make sure I get it all, it will only be so easy for this to regrow. Besides, I do not wish to damage any of it, these might be usable for medicines."

"Tsk, alright alright, just... do it as quickly as you can. The less people see those weeds the more business I can keep."

Hajiru hated confrontations, even verbal ones. It took a moment for his hands to stop shaking even after that small little disturbance. Nevertheless, he got back to it, and dug up around the carrots. There, he found a few weeds he could use for medicines. The first weed he found was only good for its roots, called Burdock root. The rest of the plant was useless so he snipped away the roots and put them in a cloth pouch, then cut the seeds free, so he could plant some of his own, to have more of the roots at a later time. The rest of the plant was stuffed into a trash bag.

The next row was lettuce and cabbage and as he cleaned away weeds there, he found a few things he could use. This time, parts of the weed itself were usable. Known as chickweed, this plant could be used in an ointment for closing wounds and general skin care. This too would be snipped away from the rest of the plant, and stored in the cloth pouch, before the rest was dug out of the soil and disposed of into the trash bag. So far, it was all rather basic stuff. Not that Hajiru was expecting to find some unique and helpful weed in the garden, but one did always hope since it would provide unusual opportunities.

Finally, nothing unique, but in the back of the garden, was some Mullein. This plant had little use, but the leaves produced an oil that was good in tonics for dealing with respiratory concerns. Hajiru would carefully snip away the leaves and pack them carefully within the pouch. He would have to extract the oil back home, and due to such, he did not want any leaking out within the pouch itself. After he had that, he put his things away. Yet, he wasn't finished yet.

With all that he could gather of use from the weeds, the rest was now clearing away everything else. He carefully went through the rows a second time, making sure there was not anything he missed, and once he had all the rubbish parts of weeds cleared into the trash bag, he got up and checked in with the owner of the shop. Once more, with the owner this time, Hajiru walked through the garden. Pleased with the job Hajiru had done, he signed off on the completion of the mission, and sent Hajiru on his way.

Before he went back to the Fubukikage, though, Hajiru returned home. There was no sense in endangering what he had gathered for longer than need be, so he returned home first. In his small apartment, he had a corner room where he kept herbs and weeds for making medicines and such. He would not begin working with what he gathered just yet, but he would extract the oil from the Mulleine leaves, and get them stored away, while also putting the roots and other plant parts he had gathered into dry storage for later use. With that done, Hajiru would then head back out, and make his way to the Fubukikage. At his office, Hajiru would confirm completion of the mission and get his cut from the reward.

WC: 892