A sudden commotion drew Shashu's attention as she made her way through the crowds near Iwa's main gate. She had long since shaken off the inevitable few curious passersby that had followed her after she separated from the main group, and the village itself hadn't assigned any shinobi to keep tabs on her thus far, so it was unlikely it had anything to do with her. Well, they hadn't assigned anybody as far as she
knew. There was always the off chance that Iwa had someone good enough to track her without her knowledge, but she doubted it. There were few who could match the spidery ANBU in a game of cat and mouse as is, and fewer still who could do so without alerting her to their presence. No, it was far more likely this commotion had another source.
She made her way to the edge of the crowd, taking care not to draw attention to herself in the process. All the excitement seemed to originate from a large stone citadel that bore the markings of an arena, with signs pointing the way for combatants and spectators alike.
I've got a bad feeling about this...
"Hey there friend, who's fighting?" Shashu inquired jovially, approaching a man leaning casually against an archway at the entrance. He looked her over, taking in the form of
a rather dashing gun-toting pirate she'd met a while back. She wasn't fool enough to be wandering around in her true appearance after all. Not now, when she was undertaking such a delicate mission in potentially enemy territory.
"One of ours, name of Akira Amaya. She's up against a foreigner, one of those Lightning shinobi what just arrived. Lanky, glasses, had a mask on earlier, if you saw em come in. Didn't catch his name though, Ara-something or other. Care to make a wager? I can give you good odds on the foreigner, seeing as you're one yourself."
That absolute fool! What in Sin's name is he thinking? We just got here, and already he's rocking the boat. Shashu fumed inwardly, careful not to let it colour her face.
"I think I'll take you up on that, though I'm from Wind myself. Put it on the foghead for me will ya?"
The man chuckled as he took her coin.
"Don't even need to hear the odds eh? It's two-to-one against your man, on account of local favor and all."
"Just how I like em. See you when it's over friend, don't be running if you owe me!"
Shashu waved over her shoulder as she headed into the stadium proper, a pleasant and cocksure smile hiding the stormclouds in her thoughts.
Did he even stop to consider what's on the line here? That bastard had better win, or by the Fayth I'll make him pay for it.
A faint smell wafted across her nose as she settled in, but she couldn't quite place the scent. It was familiar,
recently familiar, almost like...
No, not now. There are more important things to think about than...that.
Tearing her attention back to the fight, it seemed she had arrived just as the two finished their first skirmish. It was rather even, with Kouin slightly worse for wear but in a better position tactically. She also had the dubious pleasure of hearing his monologue, which drew an audible groan from the disguised Kumo-nin.
He just keeps digging himself deeper, doesn't he? You had better win boya, or there will be hell to pay.
[MFT]