A Lil' Booze and A Vagabond from Suna [Free/Open]

[Akechi]

Lifestyles of the Rich and the Famous. These guys tended to be a bit more whiney and arrogant than common folk. Honestly, Akechi had no idea where he was going and the map that he had received from the supposed "Gate Guardian," only gave him a couple of interesting spots to go check out. Not to get choosy but after the amount of yen he received while doing some shady business, he kind of wanted to live beyond his means for a second. It wasn't like he didn't have money usually, but after everything that had happened, most of it was lost too the insurrection. And what wasn't burned was probably stolen. It was a raw deal but Akechi had coped with it...

If you consider an undying pledge to get revenge by any means necessary, coping.

Eventually, he found himself at a rather exclusive joint. It was a place known as "The Raiden's Eye," an upscale bar and Teppanyaki grill located right in the heart of the Seki District. ”OOoooooohhhhhh. A Teppanyaki grill!!” He shouted in his mind, his heart jumping out of his chest as he began to jump for joy right in front of the restaurant. It was something about this particular cuisine that just sent his heart aflutter. Something about just a taste of the good life, wrapped in sweet Teriyaki sauces and made solid with the taste of succulent steak. That Cronopolis place that he had stumbled into just wouldn't do it...

Not for this...

Later, maybe.

”I'll sit at the bar, thank you!” Yup, the words slipped out of his mouth before the hostess even had a chance to motion him toward a seat. He was here alone, and he saw an empty spot at the bar so there was honestly no real need. Except it really wasn't a bar... it was some else's table but then again...

People all sit together in these types of places... right?

"Mako...Ya think he'll be ok right there?" One of the hosts asked the young lady that Akechi had just walked past on his way to a menu.

"Eh... Not my problem. Plus, he's cute. I'm sure he can talk his way out of any problems."<i></i> The lazy woman spoke, winking in Akechi's direction as she went on the next customer. Hopefully, Mr. Akechi wasn't getting himself into trouble already.

I mean, he was here illegally...

But then again... he was let in legally for research soooooooooooooooooooo...

Yeah. Fun times ahead in Kumogakure.

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Tomo handed the last bundle of posters to the female manager as he gave her his most charming smile. "Thanks for promoting the production. It makes my life easier when fine establishments like yours help with marketing." The older woman just shook her head as Tomo gave a flourished bow. She turned to bring the posters to the back as Tomo found a spot at an empty table. His idol clothes always made it easier to persuade women to help him. Probably because he was less likely to be mistaken for a girl. It still happened though. He flicked his fedora up as he picked up the menu, blowing his stray blonde bangs out of his eyes. He wasn't a big fan of grills, they almost always cooked his food longer than he liked. However, he knew it would be rude to not order something after the restaurant was kind enough to help promote the Mochizuki Troupe's latest play. As a waitress neared, Tomo placed the menu at the empty seat next to him and rose his hand to get her attention. "Excuse me dear maiden. Might I have a coffee please?" She nodded, and Tomo gave her a wink as thanks. With nothing else to do but ponder on his life, the effeminate male stared blanking at nothing as he quietly sat at the table. Seventeen years old...and still a genin. Boy is my family frustrated about that. Tomo had never desired to become a shinobi. His life goal was to become the manager for his family's troupe, and being a ninja got in the way of that dream. So he had done his best to stay lower ranked, hoping it would lessen the amount of time he had to spend on being a shinobi, as well as lessen the danger he was put in. All of his other siblings were shinobi, most of them high ranking. Even his little brothers were close to surpassing him in rank. Letting his younger siblings passing him by would only result in torment for the rest of his life, but Tomo didn't mind. He was content knowing that he was rarely in danger.

Tomo's attention was suddenly caught by a young man taking a seat next to him. Tomo's head quickly whipped to face the new person on his left. His grey eyes were wide for a moment, filled with surprise, but were soon back to normal. He hadn't expected company, not that he was against having any. Tomo had already been using his idol persona, so he figured it would be best to stick with it as he interacted with his new table buddy. Tomo stared at the man with a raised brow, his snarky voice sounding to some like a woman's and to others like a boy's "Oh no, I wasn't saving that for anyone. Go ahead, take a seat." Tomo gave a joking smile before a cup of steaming coffee was placed in front of him. Tomo, remembered the last incident involving restaurant liquids, brought the cup up to his nose and sniffed it gingerly. Good. No alcohol this time. Feeling satisfied, Tomo grabbed three packs of sugar and cream. He poured them in and began to stir the liquid. Once it was decently mixed, Tomo placed his thin fingers on the cup and sipped it lightly. With that out of the way, Tomo again brought his attention to the man at his side. "Sooo...what's up?" Tomo wasn't good at small talk when it didn't involve business, so he hoped his new companion was better at it.

WC: 598
[MFT]

 

[Akechi]

Tact wasn't something that he was used to... not anymore at least. These days he was traveling far , high and low, in search of something that he couldn't find on paper or even describe in so many words. Akechi was in search of power. Pure and unsubsidized power. The type of power that would make his enemies quiver in fear, and change the world that he lived in forever. Fighting against who he was fighting against, he realized that it was a near impossible task but what better motivator was there than revenge...

The simple desire to avenge what has been lost...

These days it meant simply sipping on some of the finest alcohol that money could buy, sitting down at other people's tables, and ignoring them as the clear but strong liquor slipped to the back of your throat. Yup... that was what he was doing nowadays. In many ways, Akechi was more of a pirate or a mercenary than an actual shinobi looking for revenge. He was building assets, gaining knowledge, and biding time. It all led up to that eventual day...

”I'll take the steak! And keep that liquor flowing!” Akechi laughed, already about two to three glasses in. He was really catching onto this pirate thing. Captain Souji, the mysterious benefactor from the slew of jobs opportunities that have been tossed in his direction, always said that a booze filled night is a night fulfilled. Akechi still had no idea what that meant but it didn't stop him from indulging the way members of Souji's own crew had done.

Eventually, the "boy" that sat at the table with Akechi actually directed a question in his direction. ”What's up?” The man repeated with a goofy look on his face. ”I always wondered why people start conversations with 'what's up' or 'how are you doing.' Those questions are always a bit more rhetorical than anything. After all, you truly don't want to know what's up or know how I'm doing. You expect a generic, almost computer generated-like response like... 'nothing chief.' O wait...” Surely, the man had gotten a bit more than he actually expected. It wasn't that Akechi wasn't a polite person but he tended to ramble on and on about nothing when he was drunk.

And he was a lightweight...

It was a surprise that he hadn't started slurring words yet.

”Dammit. Sorry, I do that when I'm getting a bit tipsy,” Akechi laughed, giving the man a thumbs up with a gigantic smirk on his face. ”Name's Akechi. I'm sort of a Traveling Medical Student. What about you?” He questioned, putting down his last glass and gently pushing it aside as if he were cutting himself off.

He probably needed to...

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Tomo listened as the slightly tipsy young man questioned the use of 'what's up', all the while analyzing the man's appearance. His eyes were what attracted Tomo's attention. The man's bright red eyes with odd black marks inside...the mark of the Sharingan. So this man must be a shinobi, or an ex-shinobi. One doesn't find regular citizens running around with such powerful ability...or maybe? The next trait Tomo noticed was the tanned skin of the stranger. The guy probably came from Sunagakure. Of course...it could just be the natural color of his skin....hmmmm. The suspected shinobi realized he was babbling and gave his name. He also mentioned being a medical student, and Tomo nodded. So he is probably a medical ninja...or was. However, Tomo knew this was all speculation. Maybe this Akechi guy really was just a regular medical student. Tomo cheerfully grinned to Akechi as the man asked about Tomo. "Mochizuki Tomo, manager-in-training and rising idol of the Mochizuki Troupe. It's a pleasure." Tomo bowed as much as he could while still remaining seated. "Oh...and I guess I'm a shinobi too. But I never think that part defines me quite as much as my other titles." Tomo lightly nodded to himself. "But a medical student huh? We do have a good medical branch here...or so I'm told. I never really visit the hospital often. Not because I'm too skilled to get hurt, but because I'm never sent on any big missions." Tomo shrugged. "Which is fiiiiine by me. Too much action gets in the way of business, am I right?" Tomo gave a chuckle, working to keep his jovial persona up. Some days it was more difficult than others.

Tomo looked down at his coffee, the steam still rising from the liquid. He wasn't sure where to go with the conversation anymore. Tomo just wasn't one for menial small talk. He usually talked because it would get him something. Fame, fortune, information. Talking just to get to know someone just wasn't in his nature, especially with some random traveling man that may or may not be from a ninja village. Was he a spy? Was he trying to find secrets in Kumo? Was he really just a medical student? Tomo just didn't know, and he didn't know how to go about finding the answers to his questions. Tomo could be sneaky, and he could be careful with his words, but he never had to be sneaky with his words. Tomo scratched his cheek as he addressed Akechi again. "So...is there anything specific you are studying? I'm not much of a medic, but maybe I could point you in the right direction?"

WC: 442
[MFT]

 

[Akechi]

”Moo-chia-zuuu-kai… troupe?” The man repeated to the best of his ability, grinning as the name slipped off of us tongue. It didn’t even sound right to his own ears as he attempted to pronounce the name. He had never heard of it before. They were probably more of a local act if anything. Then again, shinobi tended to be shackled to their village. They had an obligation to obey the simple commands that they had been given. They were to live and die based off of another person’s wishes, motivations and goals. Sure, this leader of theirs could’ve been a peacekeeper but he also could’ve been a tyrant, and wouldn’t make one lick of difference. Shinobi were pawns. They had no choice but to move forward…

Unless they chose to move away for their own reasons…

That was what Akechi did, and honestly he felt like a failure for doing such a thing. However, it was his duty to do so. Much like a normal shinobi, Akechi couldn’t truly live for himself any longer. His goal was much greater than himself. ”So you are an idol? What do you do? Sing, dance, play an instrument… act! I’m curious. I’ve never really had the opportunity to meet an idol before,” the man spoke curiously, stroking his chin as he tilted his head toward the “rising star.” Akechi was unfamiliar with such a concept. He was a shinobi. He was a warrior, despite every attempt not become one as a youth. He was a man that his father would more than likely be proud of, and that his past self would’ve hated. ”I do hate to break it to you but shinobi is probably the only thing that describes you. I may be foreign to this nation but the idea is the same. A Kage tells you to jump, you are going to have to jump. Singer or not,” Akechi commented, looking off into the distance as if he were talking to someone else entirely.

”Oh… the Medical Branch here is good… That’s good. I plan on studying here for a bit. I already met a guy that said he’d show me around. Little antisocial though. His name was Chigokai Kushin. Heard of ‘em?”

[OOC: Sorry about that. I didn't see that you had posted!]

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Tomo's brow raised curiously as Akechi attempted to pronounce the troupe's name. He couldn't tell if it was just a difficult name to say, or the alcohol was affecting the young man a little more than Tomo originally thought. Akechi seemed to ponder for a moment before speaking. He had changed the subject to Tomo, and the blonde genin wasn't surprised. This guy seemed to hold something within him, some personal desire, and Tomo wasn't one to pry. It wasn't his job. So Tomo decided to indulge the stranger. Maybe if Tomo opened up, then Akechi would feel he could do the same. "I do all the things you mentioned, though I must admit, my instrumental skills are a bit lacking." The instruments were best left to his older twin sisters.

Akechi continued with a new concept, that whether Tomo liked it or not, he was a shinobi above all else. He gave Akechi a smile. "Well, that depends on your desires, doesn't it?" Tomo turned to look ahead of him, at nothing in particular. "You know, I didn't want to be a shinobi when I was younger. I was forced into it by my family and the village. I hated it, hated knowing that I wasn't going to be able to fulfill my dream." Tomo looked down to his cup of coffee. "But a few years ago, I realized that the village had given me something special. It had given me a power that I never would have gained working for my troupe." Tomo pulled a pad of paper out of his pocket, along with a small well of ink and a brush. He made quick strokes, tapped the paper with the end of his brush, and a small ink butterfly began to flutter between the two young men. Tomo smiled gently at his ink creation. "A beautiful gift. I've come to appreciate being a shinobi now, because I realized that it isn't all about killing....granted that may be mostly what it's about, but there's more. You just have to look harder to find it." Tomo finally returned his gaze to Akechi. "My dream isn't gone yet. There may be restrictions, and I may be ordered to do something I don't want to one day, but as long as I work with the system, I'll reach my goal in time."

Tomo returned his belongings to his pocket as the butterfly landed on Tomo's fedora. He'd let it continue its existence little longer. Akechi had mentioned the Medical Branch, and Tomo responded. "Chigokai Kushin...huh, can't say I know the guy. I've never acquainted myself with the Medical Branch as much as I probably should have. I guess that will be a mystery you get to solve on your own." Tomo gave Akechi a smile. "And hey, if you stick around long enough, you could come to a Mochizuki Production. It might be a nice break from your books and bodies. What do you say Akechi the Amiable?"

WC: 497
[MFT]

 

[Akechi]

Akechi tilted his head to the side as he listened to the boy talk about his “skills.” Honestly, Akechi envied the boy’s almost childlike list of skills that he had. It was admirable and even gave the young vagabond hope for the future generation of shinobi. However, in this day and age, it was simply a freedom that couldn’t be afforded. Tomo had no clue about the horrors of the world, and as much as Akechi would’ve loved to agree with the boy; this world had no place in it for childish ideologies. No… a person that dreamed of remaining in his troupe didn’t belong in the shinobi world. In fact, he would more than likely die because of it.

The life of a shinobi was one of sacrifice but it was also one of straight line determination. There was only time for one goal to accomplish, and losing sight of that goal normally meant death. That was the life that Akechi lived anyways. He had a mission and mind, and he had an idea of how to accomplish it. He needed to acquire resources…

An army of resources…

”Maybe not to you it isn’t. But being a shinobi seems like a cycle of power struggles throughout history. Some of them are about different things. Differing ideologies and religion, squabbles over land or politics, or even which class of people holds power over others. One thing is constant. The shinobi. They are nothing more than disposable weapons. At least, that is how history describes the shinobi on the frontline, fighting for a ‘figure’ or a ‘symbol’ that they are forced to believe in,” Akechi laughed, filling up one more glass of the clear liquid before grinning once more. ”After all, if you refuse… they label you a traitor… blasphemer… rogue… A Missing Nin. That is the name of individuals that think for themselves!”

Funny. Akechi didn’t care much for sermons but why not. He was bored and it was interesting to listen to the boy react to his comments. Perhaps, it was like questioning his old self… the boy that just wanted to help people with his medicine…

The boy that believed that life should be lived in service to the community, helping other succeed and live fruitful lives so that you may…

The boy that still had everything…

The boy that didn’t lose his entire world…

”Sure. I’d love to see a shinobi dance around on stage. I haven’t seen something like that before!” Akechi joked, taking another sip of the glass in front of him.

 

[Tanuki Rinko]

Tomo gave a hardly laugh. "Ha! And I thought I was pessimistic at times." Tomo was enjoying this chat. It had deep meaning to it, at least for Tomo. Akechi's last words rang in Tomo's head. That is the name of individuals that think for themselves... Tomo pondered on these words to himself. What an interesting outlook... Tomo smirked as his common habit of thinking out loud surfaced. "However...I disagree. Missing Nin is the name of individuals who think 'of' themselves." Tomo had only changed one word of Akechi's sentence, but that one word made all the difference. Tomo didn't know any missing nin, but he had heard stories. He knew the tales were probably exaggerated, and twisted to make the village seem in the right, but the stories always ended the same. The missing nin leave their brothers in arms, their family, their friends...because they have a desire that goes against their village. Despite their obnoxious tendencies, Tomo loved his family. Even though his friends were weird, and sometimes selfish, Tomo wanted to protect them. A shinobi may fight for a pompous lord, a shady politician, or a corrupt military figure, but they do it for their village, so they can continue to fight and die together. At least, that's what Tomo read in a scroll once. He didn't always believe it, but it got him through the day, through his missions, through his life, knowing that he was fighting to keep his friends and family in the village safe.

Tomo was snapped back to the conversation when Akechi stated his desire to see a dancing shinobi. Tomo sighed. "Actually, it's not uncommon to see that around here. It just takes a lot of alcohol. If you're willing to pay a fortune, you can get a whole kick line." Tomo wished he was exaggerating, but he'd actually seen it once. Tomo reached into his pocket and produced a small flyer, a mini-poster advertising the production. He placed it on the table next to Akechi. A young blonde girl looking oddly similar to Tomo was on the sheet. "Well, this is it. Feel free to come to see it, though I can't guarantee you'd like it. The lead is a princess. But hey, it could be good for a laugh, right?" Tomo gave the traveler a smile before paying for his coffee and tipping the waitress. Tomo a final time, giving a two fingered salute. "See ya around, Akechi the Audacious." With that, Tomo walked out into the snow-covered streets, beginning his trek home.

[Topic left unless stopped]

 

[Akechi]

”Only willing if there are kunoichi involved. Otherwise, I’ll pass…” Akechi giggled, finishing his glass and rising from his seat to give the young gentlemen a bow before he left. After all, that was the proper thing to do. ”Perhaps, thinking ‘of’ themselves is the only way to live in freedom. The only way to live without restriction or without weakness.” What he claimed was something he was what he forced himself to believe. He had to… he’d turn back if he did not.

”Perhaps I shall return to see your play. To see what a shinobi that accepts his chains because he thinks ‘of’ others is truly about.”

[Topic Left]