[IC] Naruto: Consequences

[Write]

Uzushiogakure Occupation, Day 1

The Genin would all be arriving in Uzushiogakure today; their Jonin leader would soon follow them. To say that Uzushiogakure was in a poor state was an understatement. The town, on it’s skin level – seemed fine. The buildings had mostly been repaired, some bridges were still out but nothing would make someone assume that a battle had just taken place. No, it was underneath the skin that the town was truly suffering. Crime, prostitution and every other sin had decided to call itself home in the land of whirlpools. Bandits robbing the poor and the rich alike, men and women being sold as hostages, slaves or both.

The Genin would not only be there as a show of force – but also, as the lawmen of the ruined village. They would be given a task that most considered either foolhardy or plain idiotic. Repairing the order to the village and creating a new order in the names of their villages. While they may have been sent by factions whose best interests do not involve one another, they were there as teams under a barely united banner. In order to restore peace and calm the whirlpool village, they would need to learn unity and the lessons therefore taught to them.

Each Genin would be given an envelope; within this envelope was a set of keys, one key lead to their new front door, another to their rooms. Also inside the envelope were instructions to familiarize themselves with the city and at night to report to the town hall in which they would be given instructions on how to further make themselves useful to the village.

Kareha Senkai

Kareha peacefully impaled the doe with her blade. She inserted it from the base of it’s throat until she felt it’s spine. Withdrawing it and quietly saying a few words. She picked the female deer up by all four legs and began to carry it back to her hideout.

She hadn’t wanted to call it a hideout originally, but there was a certain unsafe feeling of staying in Uzushiogakure that made her decide to go along with the creation of a hideout. Thusly, she walked towards her hideout, towards her friends. This was generally her routine every day, they sent Kareha out to hunt, she would do so and then Kicho would cook whatever she brought back. The reason Kareha was the hunter was for whatever reason; animals did not seem to feat the swift death she allowed them. It was one of the many unexplained phenomena in Kareha’s life.

She remembered that the rest of the Genin would arriving in town and briefly flirted with the idea of going to meet them, however she dismissed the idea after realizing that they would want to see the town by themselves. They’d probably mock her, for her relationship with death and the fact that it followed her everywhere she went. She made a mental note not to bring it up once she had met them, lest they get off on the wrong foot.

[Ganryu]

Kicho Hashiba

"HAAYA!"
A final kick landed against the training post, accidentally sending its giver sprawling backwards, leaving her panting against the ground. Ofuda scattered around the area. Struggling the girl pushed herself to get back up.

"D-don't give up now Kicho, I can't fall behind Kareha and Keikoku... even more. I don't want to drag them down."

Pushing herself, she started another assault on the training post, before stumbling forward, grabbing it for support.

"Aw...Come on... one more... one more...and I can start cleaning up the hideout."

A shadow caught her eye, and Kicho nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Kareha? Oh crap!"

Kicho hurried to grab the Ofuda off the ground, her body still complaining as it moved.

"Sorry Kareha, I lost track of time! I'll get the kitchen ready, sorry!"

She was still dirty and sore, but she moved towards the hideout anyways before Kareha could comment, rushing to get things in order. She could curse at herself for failing to get things ready for her teammates. Calling out the window, Kicho continued readying the kitchen.

"We're finally getting more genin in town. That should make it easier for us. Wonder if they'll make fun of us for not having a sensei? Either way, its easier to fit in with more people. I'm going to meet them tonight. I wonder what the Leaf ninja will be like."

Kicho fiddled with her Leaf headband as she said that.

[TheFourthIV]

Sano Nara

In a small ramen shop a Hidden Leaf ninja sat patiently. His auburn hair covered most of his profile as he slowly and deliberately ate his food. Sano Nara was probably one of the slowest eaters in existence. He loved to savor his food and never liked rushing a meal. The genin was also using this opportunity to converse with the locals and gather information. He had spoken to the owner of the shop, who warily gave him brief details on the recent crime in the village. Sano could tell the guy was wary, probably suspicious of the ninja staying in the village to act as a temporary police force. The Nara made sure not to push him for anything he didn't want to tell, the man was gracious enough to tell him all that he had.

Sano wondered if the rest of his team would show up. He had told them he would be at the shop if they wanted to meet before introducing themselves to the genin of the other villages. Sano wasn't going to lie, he was weary of the other villages’ genin. Who knew if he could trust them or not. He had promised himself he would do everything to keep himself and his teammates safe, although they both were stronger than him. Either way, he had a few plans and tricks in case things went sideways.

When the red haired shinobi was finally finished with his food he made she to pay the owner and give him a nice tip for the information. It seemed like there were no incredibly strong criminals at the moment. Just some bandits and pimps, nothing the ninja couldn't handle he was sure. Sano pushed through the curtain of the shop and stood outside, breathing in the less-than-fresh air. This place was a dump, sure the outside looked okay but there was something just wrong with it. The genin leaned against the outside wall of the shop, watching people go about their day. He received his fair share of glares from some of the civilians. He guessed a hand full of people weren't too happy with the new police force.

The Nara was minding his own business when a buff looking guy sauntered up to him. The guy was a couple years older and a good amount of inches taller than Sano. The guy looked angry, this wasn't going to be pleasant.

The guy came up and rudely poked at Sano’s chest. He glared at the genin and said, “Hey buddy, why don't you and your ninja friends get your asses out of here. We don't need your guys’ help the city is fine!”

Sano sighed, it was his first day here, minding his own business, and he already managed to attract unwanted attention.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, sir-” he spat the word “sir” out through slightly clenched teeth, annoyed. “But I am just following orders. What I can and cannot do isn't decided by me. I assure you we’ll do our best to adapt to the needs of your village.”

Apparently Mr. Tough Guy wasn't happy with that answer because he attempted to push Sano out of anger. The genin stumbled back a couple steps before regaining his balance. Oh yeah, he was kind of pissed by now. But he knew he couldn't hurt the guy, it would make the ninja look bad.

“Just get the fuck outta here! You aren't welcome here!”

Tough Guy bellowed. This time instead of shoving Sano he pulled out a nasty knife. It was large and rusted, Sano didn't even want to think of the billions of diseases that could have been fostered there.

The Nara put his hands together to make the Rat sign, while simultaneously sending out his shadow and capturing Tough Guy in his Shadow Imitation Technique.

“I’m sorry to make you do this, but I have no choice. I can't let you hurt me and I can't hurt you.”

Tough Guy’s face showed his confusion when he realized he couldn't move.

“Wha-what did you do to me! Let me go you freak!”

Sano smirked slightly and replied, “here, I’ll let you see.”
Then he looked down at his shadow and Tough Guy copied him.

“I can send out my shadow to control people's movements, and you walked right into it. Now sorry about you knife, that’s gonna to have to go.”

Sano raised the same arm the Tough Guy had the knife in and Tough Guy copied him. Sano then made a throwing motion with his hand, since he had nothing in it nothing happened to him but Tough Guy launched his knife far into the woods. Looks like Tough Guy’s muscles were useful for something. Sano then released his technique, not wanting to waste chakra. “I suggest you leave now, you’re out matched, and I'm not even the strongest that occupy this village. Just go home, it's for the best,” Sano warned.

Tough Guy gulped and nodded, quickly speed-walking away as if he had never been there. Sano sighed, ”What a drag…” (Had to)

[Write]

Hiyoko Uchihha

Hiyoko cracked her neck rolling it between her shoulders liberally as she eased into the idea of being conscious. She felt the up and down movements of a horse-drawn carriage and recalled where she had been. While her teammates had supposedly taken the much quicker route of traveling by foot; Hiyoko had decided to see the country side. Her mother had warned her, “if you don’t know anything about the people you’re defending then you’ll have to defend yourself from them and any outside forces.” She sighed bringing her hands together and cracking the knuckles on her fist.

She jumped out of the moving carriage, running beside it, easily matching the nonchalant pace the horses lazily kept. “Sir, are we almost there?” Hiyoko called up the farmer who had promised to taken her.

The farmer’s seemingly drunken gaze did not meet her eyes, instead fixing in on her headband. “Yeah, kid we’re almost there.”

“Well good.” She said jumping up to a position beside the man, carefully flipping over him. He didn’t seem fazed or impressed. Hiyoko let out a small sigh as she realized they really were coming up on the village. While repairs were most certainly under way, and it most likely looked better every day – the village was a mess. She reached into her pocket and allowed her thumb to play with the corner of the envelope mindlessly as she felt the jingle of two keys within the envelope.

“Unfortunately, this is as far as we get.” The farmer said to Hiyoko looking at her expectantly to get off of his carriage.

“Thank you sir.” Hiyoko said casually going back into the carriage and grabbing her small duffel bag of things.

Hiyoko walked through the village gates, Fuma Shuriken clinking on both of her hips as she did. She scanned the addresses of the houses she was passing until the house described in her letter was located. She walked up – the door was locked.

She pulled out both of her keys and fumbled with them until she found which way she needed to hold the right key to unlock her new front door. Her fears turned out rather accurate. It was a nice building, rather swank compared to most in the surrounding area. She’d have to sleep with a kunai under her pillow – they had been lodged in bullseyes. She quickly located her room – 1B. It seemed one of her teammates had already arrived, if she had to guess it would be Sano. He didn’t seem like the type to take the long road to just about anywhere.

Hiyoko threw her duffel bag onto her bed and admired the plaid blanket that adorned her bed. It looked comfy.

Hiyoko locked the door behind her when she left the house. She wasn’t sure what she would be looking for just yet but it was either Sano or Intel. She traversed the streets around the border of the city, where it met the forest. She had her hands in her pocket while she glanced around if she was to find Sano she assumed it would be near food or a fight. He was the type of guy that you liked – unless you didn’t. Then you hated him.

Hiyoko had spent a year now being his teammate. She liked him well enough, they were close enough that Hiyoko could go talk to him if she was having a rough night, perhaps not about the causation around her bad night but to make the night better. He always egged her on for being so serious about beg a ninja. She had always told him that it was a life or death job – he didn’t seem to care when she protected him in battle.

She let out a small chuckle when her ears picked up something very interesting. Someone calling someone a freak.

You already have to break up a fight. God damn it.

Hiyoko’s eyes flickered in the pale sunlight as she turned the corner one hand on her Fuma Shuriken that rested thirsty for the taste of flesh on her hip. But she smiled and deactivated her Kekkei Genkai when she saw the causation for the concerns.

She let Sano play the situation out, he handled it well for all intents and purposes and she found a small compliment in the idea that he thought he was weaker than some.

“Sano Nara, you’ve been here for all of ten minutes and you already have to disarm thugs… This remind you of our graduation from the academy at all?” Hiyoko said with a warm smile on her face. She approached her teammate of a year and placed a hand on his shoulder. It was nice to see him after taking so long traveling up here. “Thank you for not throwing a party at our house.”

[Ciphra]

It had been a short, yet tedious day so far in the Village hidden in Whirlpools, at least for one young girl. Risu Ishishabi, the pink haired weapons user of the mist had arrived only an hour ago, and she was less than impressed. She had rushed ahead of her teammates as usual to scout out everything interesting in town, and of course their house. Being less than impressed she wanted more for her team and went in search of a new place. Surely with all the corruption she'd seen so far there would be a place she could find owned by people she could get away with kicking out.

It was in this search that young Risu had found a weapons dealer, which she couldn't help but respect and almost admire the mans craftsmanship, the only problem was his materials weren't that great so she couldn't indulge herself with any new toys. In the end she left thanking him for his time and let him carry on with his day. After that let down she found a food place and tried a little bit of food, which was only adequate. All in all everything here so far, well it sucked.

Eventually young Risu happened upon a good find though. A drug house in wonderful condition, at least considering where they were, and only a few people to protect it. Upon approaching the house the two men had raised their eyebrows at the small girl before them. Of course at first no one notices that Risu is from the Hidden Mist, but part of that has always been her fault. She sewed the the headband protector she got as a genin onto her scarf. So when the two men tried to grab her to drag her off and out of the way they were both unaware of what happened when they both suddenly lost sight of her and they were both struck in the side of the neck rendering them unconcious.

Finally we arrive to current time where young Risu had finally caught the attention of the owner of the establishment, who had thoughtfully come out in the open for everyone to witness what was going on. By then Risu had turned the two men into a spectacle, tying them to a pole in nothing but their underwear for everyone to see. She had thrown their garments onto the ground without a care in the world which a coulple of homeless people had gladly taken into their own care for themselves. Now she stood leaning on the pole smirking towards the dealer who finally showed up. "It's about time you got out here! Now if you would kindly put your keys to the residence on the ground and vacate immediately I would greatly appreciate it. Oh and don't worry about your things I'll be seizing those as well. Everything you've taken, or earned, through your business, is now the property of the Hidden Mist, so beat it." Risu spoke plainly, cofidently, and most of all, arrogantly. She wasn't verbally threatening or demanding anything. She was informing the man as if it he had no choice, which wasn't far from the truth.

[Howler]

…yeah, leave it to Risu to strip ‘em down.

The good thing about the Mist genin was that she usually wasn't hard to find. Usually you just had to look for the crowd, or the shouting, or whatever trouble she was statistically likely to have gotten herself into, but Kaguya Hajun had to hand it to her. This was the first time she’d ever annexed them a house. Could she even do that? Police force or no, there had to be some reasonable limits on authority or whatnot they would give to—

Hell with it. It wasn’t like anyone worth a damn lived there.

The assembled crowd had a mixture of reactions that Hajun was happy to pretend to ignore as he made his way down the street towards them, hands in the pockets of his heavy hoodie and headphones blaring out a steady, tinny rap beat around his neck. Dressed for travel, then, not in the flowing yukata he usually wore, legs confined by cargo pants rather than his usual wraps. It felt odd, like he was any other kid for a moment. He wasn’t, but you know.

It was the thought that counted.

“Who is that little—“

“You mean all on her own she—“

“Who does she think she is, little brat, I ought to—“

“This is what you get, with ninja—“

“’scuse me.”

Hajun’s voice was even below the crowd as he gently pushed his way through, making a wedge with his hands and spreading it to part the veritable sea. For all his lack of height—he wasn’t much over 170cm, significantly shorter than most of the people in the crowd—he was surprisingly dense and walked with the kind of naturally assured ease that might have been a swagger in a more aggressive person. Unlike Risu he was careful to wear his headband where it was easily in view, tied around his neck with lazy ease, and as soon as the assembled caught sight of it there was suddenly not much resistance at all to him making his way over.

Strange. It was easy to forget, sometimes, that even a genin was worth being afraid of for people like this.
At the head of it was some thug of a man glaring daggers to his thug of a teammate, his hand gripping the heavy cane he carried like he was going to break it over her head. Which he probably planned to, honestly, not that it would do him much good. Risu would probably turn the stupid thing into a suppository, and while Hajun wasn’t exactly boiling over with compassion for the…drug lord? Pimp? Asshole-with-an-attitude? Whoever he was… he also wasn’t about to let their first damn day turn into a riot.

”…oh, and don’t worry about your things, I’ll be seizing those as well. Everything you’ve taken or earned through your business is now property of the Hidden Mist, so beat it.” She was saying, the man getting increasingly angry. His coat was heavy, his jewelry was heavy—the clothes underneath it were nice, significantly nicer than the wear of the people around him. If Hajun was very lucky, he even actually owned the house that was being appropriated.

“Oh don’t you worry, bitch, I’ll beat it! I’ll beat its little ninja ass so hard it won’t know which way to—“

“Down boy.” Hajun rolled his eyes from behind him, patting him twice on the shoulder in conciliation as he passed; Yeah, man, that does suck. Better off next time. As the dealer’s jaw dropped, eyes staring as the fourteen year old brat made his way past him, Hajun snorted slightly to his female companion.

“Look at you. Already making friends.” He shook his head, a wry smile spreading over his lips. “Gonna get us in trouble, Risu.” Still, damage functionally done, he made his way in front of the girl and addressed both the man and the crowd. To someone watching it might have seemed he was playing the gallant, trying to keep the little ninja girl from the big bad man. Anyone with eyes could see it was pretty much entirely the other way around.

“People of Ushiogakure, please disperse.” He called out to the crowd in his best ‘I’m Official, Do What I Say’ voice. “The ninja of Kirigakure are here to ensure your safety. With that in mind, I ask you again to disperse. We are currently in the process of documenting evidence located at this scene in regards to numerous outstanding criminal endeavors, and as such—“

“The hell is this!” The man finally snapped, throwing his hands in the air. “This is my damn house! You can’t just walk in, beat down my boys, and expect me not to raise all sorts of—“

“I expect you to calm the hell down, sir.” Hajun had tried. He did his best, but diplomacy wasn’t exactly what he and his family were known for. Worse, with the thug attracting so much attention, the rest of the crowd didn’t seem to be disappearing as asked. Could he have wasted this asshole and moved on? Yes. Would that have set good precedent? No. Still, now was time enough to show that Kirigakure wouldn’t be putting up with people’s shit.

“Oh yeah? You and your little girlfriend over there gonna make me?” The man growled, reaching into his pocket for something. A knife? An exploding tag, if he was feeling really uppity? Hajun didn’t know or care. Hajun had always appreciated his silent companion's sense of timing.

“No,” he said with properly condescending patience, “but my boy Nai right behind you might.”

“Just scare him, man.” He added, joining Risu by leaning back against the pole. “No blood on day one.”

[Unraveller]

Nai Hanashi

Middling radiance ebbed through the swirling downcast, held up on high throughout Uzushiogakure's afternoon skies. Compacted roads of soil, emblazoned by innumerable pattering feet indicative of a certain quaint busyness amidst ramshackle homes and vendors set hastily up in the morns for the perfect spots of business. Truly a mask for that which had in its entirety been a vile den of depravity and detritus, a notion known to each and all of the impoverished masses, yet not the casual topic of conversation.

Upon one such crowded path, clogged by the peasantry going about their daily routines, had a pair of shinobi ambled through in a manner oozing nonchalant vibes. With their comrade missing the genin were utterly forced to track down the confrontational one, lets their sensei scold them callously for ill responsibility, in fashion most hypocritical. The jonin hadn't even made their appearance at the scheduled time and place, the possibility of having been consumed by the deviance the team had been warned about rung staunchly within their heads, hoping that it hadn't been another one of those tests.

Nevertheless, the pale fleshed boy maneuvered in stride, breaking off from his partner an uncountable number of times, darting here and there to rickety stalls purveying snake oils and cure-all wares. Each one ready to con what amounted to an awestruck child out of currency he hadn't permission to own for reasons exactly as such. Always having to be dragged off by the stoic member of their little dysfunction without even a word.

And still their casual hunt continued in the waning of the light overhead, the dispassionate teen had been beguiling enough to further dissuade the Scarecrow from plodding off of their own accord. In blasé manner, the ethereal skinned shinobi folded either lithe limb behind a soft-featured head, their legs striking out flamboyantly to further increase the pair's air of casual superiority.

Their laid-back nature only wavering for a split instant as a familiar voice, shrill to any ear, reached their senses. Yet another brawl erupting due to the girl's adversarial mannerism? Or perhaps she was simply ambushed by thugs of the impression that a young woman such as she could not handle herself? Then there is always the possibility of that kunoichi beating upon innocent serfs on the pretense of eyeing her the wrong way. It was inconsequential in the end of course, for no matter the cause had the otherwise cool pair always been dragged down into her conflicts. Whether it was by camaraderie or principle alone, none could say.

As if by emphatic link, a single nod from the Kaguya, hardly a noticeable gesture, transferred his intent albeit through abstraction. Yet the scene was clear, exposed hooligans or detractors strung up on high, the Mist genin ready to take on the world, and her disgruntled victim. As much as the occurrence itself spun the tail of the three shinobi as antagonists, again it, as always, became a non-problem. Attaining a lock through voided eyes upon a man in garish garb had the white creature hasted to action. A show for the crowd it was to be?

With a gathering of essence within, and a final vision of the target had the very earth beneath thin limbs shimmered and pulsed, from which the nin descended and dispersed, a smile for those few onlookers taking notice. Only moments later, heralded by his companion's unconcerned words, had the boy's pale fleshed sprung out once more into the light. Creeping and vineing abaft the gaudy criminal, acute points of metal already within skeletal hands.

Another elated expression wheeling across the face as thick white strands tug upon the flesh, swiftly morphing to a slighted frown having the surprise stolen away. Nevertheless once again the devious smile appeared, the pale-fleshed creatures lithe limbs snaked about the aggressor's body, laying flush with pointed needles upon the throat and poised to pierce a lung perhaps as well. The boy's bead eyes flitted over to the pair of companions, fluttering shut with a fair amount of joy to be gleaned, his off-white locks swaying in the movements.

[yoshua171]

Antare, Keikoku

---

---

Sitting in the building more or less alone while her teammates trained and hunted, each occupied with their respective activity, Keikoku's eyes were closed, and body entirely relaxed for once. However, her attention was honed, and her mind was whirring with activity, her hands on the surface of her scarf, which for once she had unwound from her neck so as to clasp in her hands where it lay over her stomach. She could feel the intricate fibers between her fingertips, but more importantly she could sense the chakra within swirling with activity, some of the meaning behind the movements quite apparent to her, whilst many many others were totally beyond her understand. However, the ones that interested her most were those that she could almost understand, but not quite grasp. They were just out of reach, the meaning of their movements eluding her...for now.

However, her reverie in the beautiful menagerie of fuinjutsu within her scarf was interrupted as she heard Kicho rush into their hideout and to the kitchen, before calling out to someone. It could only be Kareha, returned with their next meal. A smile crossed her face as she opened her eyes, stretching as she sat up, arm draping over the side of the couch as she looked through the room and into the kitchen, at Kicho as she rushed here and there. "You know, if you calmed down some, maybe you could be doing that more efficiently," she quipped to her teammate playfully before rising from her place, walking around the couch, and joining her frazzled friend in the kitchen. She placed her hands on the girl's shoulders, arresting her momentum for a moment before she met her eyes and spoke. "Let me help, it'll be faster, kay?" She smiled at her, bright and friendly, before turning to see what needed doing. She glanced out the window, seeing Kareha with the doe, a grin plastering itself 'cross her face.

Now that was going to be delicious.

Her attention shifting she began arranging cooking implements while she allowed Kicho to get out ingredients and heat things up. She hummed as she worked, her scarf once more wrapped around her neck securely. There was a warm feeling in her chest as she worked. She could feel the camaraderie here, even though--here and there--it was interrupted by certain idle thoughts, a feeling of brief unease and coldness. It passed, replaced by the warmth again.

Here, with Kicho and Kareha, she felt at home, comfortable. Or at least as comfortable as they could be in an unfamiliar place.

She adjusted her headband, which she wore around her neck, beneath her scarf, only revealing it when necessary. It usually wasn't. "So Kicho, how are we preparing the deer, mmm? Stew perhaps?" She turned, hands finding their way to her hips as she waited for her friend's response, her eyes shining, a smile curving her mouth to the side in an amicable smirk.

Hopefully her good mood would carry over to their fated meeting with the arriving teams.

[Hexaflexagon]

Suzu Watanabe

A year out and Uzushiogakure was still a corpse rotting in the afternoon sun. Kirigakure, Konohagakure and Iwagakure, Mist, Leaf and Stone they swept through the village like a fierce tempest and left only blood and chaos in their wake. They didn't completely destroy the village but they might as well have Officially they promised to help fund a rebuilding effort, to atone for the bloodshed and the violence and for the first few months work was even done but in the end they didn't care about the village they just cared about their own interests in the bigger picture. Most of the repairs that had been done weren't sponsored by their former aggressors but rather by the sweat and blood of the inhabitants. The real enforces of peace as they were left practically as soon as they arrived, off to deal with bigger and better things leaving only a token defense force in their wake to oversee the ‘rebuilding’ process. It was a joke really leaving a bunch of kids to police an entire village. No wonder it all went to shit.

Suzu was one of those children caught in the middle of things when it all went down. A girl continually haunted by the ghosts of her past trying to claw their way back into the forefront of her mind. She had arrived to the Village only a few minutes before having been delayed in her travels do to unforeseen circumstances. A farmer’s kid had fallen off of his plow while tending the fields unlucky for him the oxen pulling the thing hadn't noticed and the plow ran right over his leg. It was a nasty compound fracture in normal circumstances the kid would've lost the leg or worse died from the onset of infection. Though it seemed something in the sky was looking out for the kid that day as Suzu was passing by their farm when the whole thing went down. She spent several painstaking hours resetting the bone and doing her best to provide what little healing through Chakra that she could. It wasn't part of her task and the kid’s parents could only pay her in a hot meal but she didn't care, she only did what she knew was right.

She had no hero’s welcome when she entered through the gates of the village, a matter of fact she had no welcome whatsoever. The entrance to Uzushiogakure was dead it was far flung from the usual hustle and bustle that Suzu had been accustomed to back home. The houses their at the front had been some of the most affected during the initial stages of the attack having been blasted to smithereens by ninja tools and jutsu. The afternoon sun that clung high in the sky casting forth strange shadows from these ruins producing creeping apparitions along the road of dirt. Idly she noticed the familiar sight of dried blood scattered across the ground and reflexively a hand went to one of the kunai that hung on her belt. She wondered how long the blood had been there, and what events transpired to create it. Whatever it was, she figured the stories she had heard before she set out where right, Uzushiogakure was in bad shape.

Lucky she had found the dwelling that they had been assigned to rather easily as it sat right off of the main road that snaked through the village. Hands quickly worked on the lock with the keys provided as she occasionally checked over her shoulder to make sure no brigands or would be idiots decided to jump her then and there. No so diversions of excitement occurred and Suzu soon pushed the door to the building open slowly the old wooden door heaving like a drunken sailor as she put some force behind it. She quickly found her appointed room and quickly removed the bag that hung at her shoulder dropping it to the floor with a thumb not really paying much attention where she put it. It appeared as if her two companions had already arrived, of course she was the late one it only made sense.

Now where was that ramen shop that they had agreed to meet at? Suzu thought to herself as she left the building and was back on the street once more. In atypical fashion she was busy doing a million other things when Sano had gone over the precise directions on how to get to their determined meeting place and she didn't really feel like wandering about the village searching for her teammates. So she made up her mind to go and find a local to talk to. If they were to be the police and guardians of the village then she might as well get used to the idea of talking to the populace. She tried to remind herself that this was not home, people didn't know her and hadn't already made up ideas of her in their heads, in a couple of ways it was a chance at starting over.

Much to the girl’s overall annoyance and frustration the populace were not the most helpful sort of people it seemed. Most upon seeing her headband give her dirty looks and slinked back into the shadows shutting their doors and closing their shades and those that remained outside refused outright to talk to her as if she was some sort of disease carrying vermin. Eventually though she did find a promising target, he was an older man leaning against a stack of crates filled with building supplies and he was smoking from a long and gnarled pipe seemingly unaware of the world around him. Suzu figured if he hadn't ran away at the sight of her she might be of some use to her just yet. She took a breath to find her resolve and then stomped over to him, her small frame being dwarfed by the large muscular physique of the man hands chiseled by years of hard labor.

“Pardon my interruption sir, but I’m looking for some directions and you look like you know the place.” Suzu asked the man her tone less questioning and more direct almost like an interrogation. The man took another puff from his pipe before he peered down at the small kunoichi in front of him and he laughed dismissively.

“Yeah? And where are you trying to get to leaf?” He explained pressing a thumb against Suzu’s handbend with enough force to push her back just a little bit. “Your type destroyed most of the village, so there ain’t much left to see.”

“I’m looking for a small ramen shop not too far from here.” She spoke sternly swatting the man’s hand away. She would've given him the name but the fact of the matter was that she had forgotten it all she remembered was Sano’s saying that it was close to where they were sleeping.

“I might know the place. It depends on how much it is worth to you.” The man explained with a grin as he held out an outstretched hand towards Suzu. Part of the girl wanted to hit the man not hard enough to kill him or anything but enough to knock the smug grin off of his face. Luckily though - for him- the girl’s cooler persuasion managed to hold her over from an outburst. Making enemies with the populace on the first day would be counterproductive to their whole reason for being in the village in the first place. For now it would be best if she played along with their games. Sometimes a deal could get you as far along as a fist. So playing along Suzu reached into the small pouch at her waist and produced a few ryō and smashed it much harder into the man’s hand then was needed. The man did not seemed too phased by the show of force as he brought the money up close to his face to examine it more closely seemingly pleased by the transaction that had occurred he looked up at Suzu with a new sense of friendliness.

“You ain’t as bad as I thought leaf. Good to know some of you still know how to have an honest business transaction. Well the place you're probably looking for is Yuudai’s place, continue up the road a little bit and take two lefts and a right. It’s the small building with the red roof, lucky bastard’s shop somehow got through the worst of the fighting untouched.” The man explained as he pointed down the street. Suzu nodded her thanks and proceed along her way to the meeting point a few ryō lesser but with a new contact if she needed one down the line. A fair enough trade.

As she got closer to the ramen shop a large muscular man passed by her walking quickly away muttering under his breath about some punkass kid who could control shadows. Well it seemed Sano was already up to his old tricks again. Suzu though with something halfway between a chuckle and a sigh as she rounded the corner.

Just as the man had told her the ramen shop was there a relatively small affair the roof old and worn but still a noticeable red in color. On the street out front her two teammates stood together Sano and Hiyoko. They had all been together for what had quickly accumulated to a year. Suzu figured they weren't the worst people in the world to have as teammates or friends for that matter. They tolerated her presence which was something compared to most. Suzu closed the distance with a quick jog as she waved over to the two of them. She caught the tail end of their conversation as she came in and characteristically jumped right into it.

“Don’t you know Hiyoko? We are on a mission right now, Kahona's Brightest over here has to follow the rules and be a ‘good example’. Meaning he is going to be about exciting as a stick in some mud. No parties from him.” She explained teasingly as she playfully jabbed an elbow into Sano’s side.