Search and Find (Open, Free)

[Kairyuu]

He looks around the city with a trained eye, picking out the ambush spots and the listening spots, the shadows and the alleys, even the doorways that he knows can hide a grown man waiting for the wrong mark to pass by. Apparently he wasn’t that mark, however. Maki walked with a casual ease through the market district, his swords resting easily comfortable against his left hip. He had on a short red jacket that ended just above those hips, and matching haidate riding his thighs. Black shirt, pants, and boots completed his outfit. Not the most showy of uniforms, but it was well work to his form and he felt more relaxed in it. It was likely the aura of unconscious arrogance that led the pickpockets and other unsavories to choose a different target for their trade. It was also just as well.

So when someone broke free of the crowd of buyers and sellers to head in his direction, Maki took notice of it. Slightly taller than his own 5’10” form, but much else can’t be told as the person was wrapped in a cloak and hood that did well to hide their features. Over the next few minutes the former Konoha shinobi keeps an eye on the person as he wanders the district. He didn’t let it stop him from doing his job, asking passers by if they’d seen a hulking huge being in white body armor that looked like something out of a science fiction action movie. Eventually he was given the information he needed. The man was not in the Seitch, but the Crown it seemed. Of course an Isaki would grab the most expensive place they could. The need to show their wealth was pathological, it seemed.

He thanks the man for the information and heads down one of the alleyways he’d noted earlier, verifying the hooded figure was following as he clears a corner and steps against the wall, silently pulling his katana free of its sheathe. Whoever thought he was an easy mark for some theft was about to lose their hand, at the least. Maki listens, noting that there were no footsteps following him. He spins around the corner with his blade at the ready to find empty air before him. And then the cold bit of metal against his own neck as a hand grasps his should from behind. Wisely, he doesn’t move.

A breath of hot air against his ear, and a hand in his pocket came next. ”We seek the same people.” With that the presence behind him vanished, Maki spun around with his blade ready, finding only an empty alley before him. And a note in his pocket.

 

[Basuta]

The man of Fire and Stone finds little rest these days. There were few faces he could call friendly, and those he could trust his life with were nearly non-existent, if not completely at this rate. The time he spends away from people that he knows or that know him would be the best time lowdown his guard for a bit, but only a bit is all he could afford. A man of the height 5'10" wears a blue samurai's kimono, walking with socks and sandels, and equipped with a backpack. In this pack rests his battle-worn and abused battle gear that he only recently found time to tend to. With his sword forever at his side, the samurai of Fire Country heads to toward the market place in search of a blacksmith and or tailor.

On his route he witness a curious sight. In an alley he is in the process of passing, he sees a man with a sword drawn. It is odd to the swordsman to find another sword user to chooses an alley as the place to unsheath their weapon. He stops only for a moment, but a moment would be all he needs to find another oddity in the man's possession. A symbol of Konoha, the sign of a Leaf shinobi. The Otandai shakes his head. In the land of Stone, the refugees who abandoned the City of Leaf directed their hatred at the Masuda Disciple as one could expect. However, few would take there aggression to the realm of the physical, not without an edge at least. Shoma believes it best to leave the man be, least this one show his hostile nature too. "Nearly everywhere I go..." he utters to himself as beginning to walk away.

[Topic entered]
[Attempting to leave topic, unless stopped.]

 

[Kairyuu]

He reaches into his pocket to pull out the note, looking up at another person look by at him before muttering at walking off. ”Yeah, screw you too.” Maki sheathes his blade and unfolds the slip of paper to check what was left for him. Coordinates for a meeting inside the village. Coordinates which meant nothing to him, as they used landmarks instead of actual addresses. He tosses the paper away and stomps on it, twisting it under heel several times until it was torn and smudged as to be unrecognizable.

Then he turns around and makes his way for the rich district. There were likely going to be guards, but he could deal with them. He had business there, after all, with the cousin of the leader of the Snob Brigade.

(Topic left)