Private plans for decisive actions (pre mission details)

[Tamashi Seto]

There was a lot to unpack here, none of which was particularly pleasant, ranging from the ANBU Sennin's orders to protect a woman of high esteem, a heiress perhaps? If her clothing was anything to go by, and Lady Rei dropping the news there was no cure in the case of of a worst case scenario. Talk about dropping a bomb, one that would frighten most, but not him. It wouldn't deter him from the mission. It was just another day for him, with the only difference being was that he have to be more careful than he usually was. Still, while a small portion of him wanted to question his superior's orders, he knew better than to argue over orders. By this point in his life, he had already learned his lesson on never underestimating a individual, by simply judging one by their appearance. His eyes moving first without giving his mind to think first, he took a quick glance at Sayomi, just long enough for a quick study. Judging by her average height and soft features, she looked ordinary, similar to other women he had seen before that were around his age, though her short hair left something to be desired. He thought that, but he knew had no right to judge, not when his own hair was long and wild. He couldn't even remember the last time he had his hair cut, and here he was, being bias. He sighed internally at his own thoughts. Regardless of her hair, between her feminine, soft features, combined with the fact she was wearing clothing fit only for the nobility, like himself, and the super rich, It was rather clear she was from the upper echelon of society, whether that be a nobleman's daughter or a daughter of a well connected, merchant family. Judging by her silky smooth kimono that was imbued with intricate designs that reminded him of his own kimono's back home, he wouldn't be surprised If she was a princess of high esteem, perhaps from one of the major clans here in Kumogakure. He decided it would be best not to do anything stupid, least not out of anything he would normally that is.

Turning his attention to Yuna, he have her subtle nod. "Understood Anbu Sennin." For a moment afterwards, he shifted his head in the opposite direction, towards the side, slightly annoyed when he remembered Yuna mentioning the usefulness of "summoning's" for this mission. He wasn't too sure about that. Summoning that dam loli to a battlefield was always a luck of the draw. Would she actually do her job? Or just endlessly torture him about paying his "dues" to her. In the end, he supposed it didn't really matter. He would be stupid to just flat out ignore the battle prowess she could bring to the table, even If a part of him would rather just die in battle then resort to using "her" for aid. He sigh again, shaking his head slightly. After few moments of self pity, with his mind racing to find idea's for alternatives, he eventually gave up before he wondered over to Lady Santaru, or well, the younger one out of the two, the one he would be working alongside. Once he was close enough, about a few feet away, he kept a safe distance between himself and her, knowing full well not to invade one's personal space after all. As tradition dictated, as a show of respect, the young samurai bent his back forward in a bow, not enough for a grand entrance of course, just enough with a few inches before correcting his posture, forcing his crimson red eyes to stare into the heart of this beautiful woman that was standing before him, a genuine smile forming on lips as he kept gazing upon her wheat colored orbs. He cleared his throat quietly before speaking, trying to muster the most genuine, honest voice he could muster. "It is a honor to meet you my lady. I know we are to be partners in this upcoming assignment, but, on my honor as a warrior, I promise to keep you safe from danger." He wasn't trying to scare her off, but he usually had the opposite affect with Kumogakure women for some reason, even If he was being genuine with his words. He had no intention of allowing his comrades to die, even If he knew that line of thinking was sometimes a little too naive for someone like him...​

 

[Ryuu Nozomi]

Nozomi rose before the others with a faint scrape of her chair against the polished floor that threatened to interrupt the continued conversations despite their dismissal. Rei’s scroll still lingered across her mind with that hiss of the cold seal opening and the sight of the prototype cure. It wasn’t hope exactly, but it was something. The talk of adrenaline, flowers, and poisons folded neatly beside Yuna’s strategy like pages in a notebook. Nozomi gathered her materials with practiced care, sliding each paper into its proper place, and then fastening her satchel across her chest. She could not help as her mind pushed ahead to thinking of what would come in three hours when they met at the gates. Enough time to prepare, she thought. Enough time to make sure her clay stock was stable and that her detonators tuned properly to the humidity of the mountain air.

Rei’s pairing with her did not come as a surprise. Nozomi’s mobility and ability to support would keep the medic shielded, and Rei’s raw power and presence could keep Nozomi alive if her calculations ever slipped. Still, there was something quietly comforting about the thought of being paired with someone whose work was made of thought and precision rather than instinct and rage. An issue that others would likely have to navigate carefully.

Now, she made her way outside the halls of the administrative tower. The air here carried the faint smell of ozone from the passing storm and the streets below were slick with rain. Somewhere in the distance, thunder rolled like a slow drum. The ominous presence suited the mission’s tone as if something vast and dangerous was moving just beneath the surface. As she stepped out beneath the overhang, Nozomi pulled her cloak tighter around her shoulders, letting the wind shift her pale hair within the material. She thought of the threats that they now face and how there was no illusion of mercy here. This was not a mission of cruelty, it was calculated survival.

She drew a slow breath and let it out through her teeth. “Three hours,” she whispered to herself, and her voice barely rose above the rain.

Then, she started down the sloped walkway toward the Ryuu farmland. This is where her family's farm and her own workshop waited tucked in a quiet corner carved between the cliffs. There, she would gather her clay, recalibrate her fuses, and check seals before packing everything away meticulously. When preparations were complete, she would begin her march toward the gates to stand beside Rei, and whatever issue the mission chose to throw at them next.

[WC: 438, Marked for Training]
[Topic Left as I assume we'll make a new one at the Gates after preparations.]