Sent to a Farm Upstate [Suika]

[Funai Ikko]

Saying the wind howled would be the understatement of the year, or probably several years, late at night across the small hamlet on the northern fringes of the Land of Lightning. The winds cresting and weaving through the mountains were always wild, always loud, and always violent, but the sheer intensity of it all had only gotten worse...as if the land itself was rising and lashing out at the Daimyo oppression. At least that was the popular narrative around town and the winds were particularly angry last night so the town was abuzz with life. Stories were swapped, drinks were had, and excited whispers circulated through alleys and bars with unsurpassed excitement, whispers that eventually hit upon Ikko's ears.

An unbalanced axle clunked along as Ikko's worn and tired mule pulled his wagon forward, down the small slope to the village proper, Ikko whispering words of genial encouragement to an animal who looked like he was clearly on his last legs. Ikko felt bad that he had to put the poor beast through this, but the less Ikko seemed to have the more convincing his cover was and, thankfully, it had thus far seemed fairly convincing. The cart stumbled to a halt in the market and as Ikko's smile began to grow, the crowd did as well. People swarmed Ikko's cart, vegetables and fresh cuts of pork went out while money came in as Ikko scrambled to accommodate all of his customers, rushing to keep up with the influx of requests and money as he flew around, dexterously serving those needy customers. This was probably the part of this assignment he enjoyed the most. These people were happy to see him. Mostly because they were hungry and Ikko didn't charge them more than he needed for supplies while other farmers and merchants tended to try to bend this little town over a barrel, but some of them genuinely enjoyed his company as well. Which was useful, being a farmer wasn't actually why he was here.

"Hey Ikko, d'you hear the winds last night!? The gods are getting REAAALLLLY ticked."

"Hey Ikko, I have another letter for you, when are you just gonna mar..."

"Hey Ikko, meeting."

Ikko hurried off with a quickness to the final caller, artfully dodging away after he was given the letter before the rather aggressive father could finish his thought, pocketing it away in his back pant, and squaring off opposite a tall, imposing, wall of muscle of a man as Ikko handed him two of the nicer cuts of pork and a bundle of broccoli and he handed him back a rustic looking envelope and his fee before saying a quick "8:30" and stalking off back into the town. It was the first time Ikko's smile drooped for even a moment as he looked down at the envelope but it did not last long as the letter was shoved with the other in his back pocket and he went back to peddling his wares.

It was a good day, as his mule stumbled forward with a significantly lighter load toward the small, run down farm house that Ikko had called home for close to the last year. Winded, the mule pulled in to his stable, which looked more like the aftermath of a typhoon than an actual stable, took a small drink of water, and then immediately collapsed. He had done this before and had always just been sleeping, but Ikko held a nagging suspicion that, eventually, he'd actually just kick the bucket entirely. The boy leaned over to see if he was still breathing before moving back to his house and, sleepily, opening the door with one hand as his other hand reached toward his back pocket, pulling the two envelopes out and taking a solitary step across the threshold before the boy froze, both figuratively and literally. Small tendrils of ice, barely visible in the darkness, snaked down the length of his arm as his sleepy expression was immediately alert...and tense.

"Not sure if the ettiquette is different where you're from but it's rude to enter someone else's home unannounced...or without cake..."

 

[Suika]

Her pilgrimage through the outer lands of Kumogakure was tranquil as Suika followed a rushing river that glimmered in the moonlight. The sound of flowing water brought her a sense of peace, and the still of the night allowed her mind the privilege to reminisce. Demons, Blackberry, a kiss – many events had transpired since that tragic day. Regardless, the kunoichi was stronger for it. She had discovered a foundation of strength and her desire to protect was fortified through arduous tribulation. She was with purpose; Ikko, and Blackberry’s selfless sacrifice, were key in that. When the young Chuunin heard news that she was assigned to retrieve the Haku from his years-long assignment, a mix of emotions stirred within her. Above all, what Suika felt was excitement. It felt like eons since she last was in the boy’s company. She had changed since their last encounter, but her core remained true. Curiosity struck her – was it the same for Ikko? He possessed more compelling reasons to change, after all…

…but he was stubborn.

Other than her comrade’s impulsivity, the kunoichi recalled his trait of stubbornness. It was near impossible, from her experiences, for a headstrong person to shift personas unwillingly. Yes, Ikko was fine, she deduced. It was time to bring him home. As Suika continued to follow the river’s course, the winds picked up. With every step toward her destination, she was met with increasingly relentless gales. The kunoichi squinted her eyes and forced herself forward. Most non-shinobi travelers found difficulty navigating through these conditions, but it wasn’t too much trouble for the once gypsy. Besides, she had resided in the mountains of Kumogakure long enough; her body was steadfast as she had adapted to the climates and weather of a high elevation. “There it is,” she thought aloud as she saw lighted structures in the distance. Suika made her way toward the farming village.

The winds died down some as the girl entered the remote, agricultural community. By this time of night, most villagers were asleep as they prepared their bodies for their next day’s duties. Luckily, the girl spotted a night owl. A village guard, perhaps? She neared the man and gestured a friendly hello. “Hello, little lady,” greeted the guard with cheery smile, “what brings you to these parts so late at night?” Suika, bowing her head, mirrored his sunny disposition. “I’m just looking for a handsome, blue-eyed fellow. His name is Ikko?” The girl subtly blushed. She didn’t want to unveil her true intentions, so the cunning shinobi had to play the part. The man released a belly chuckle.

“Ohoho, I didn’t know young Ikko had a girlfriend, and such a pretty one at that! His home is located over there,” he stated as he pointed to a specific direction. Suika beamed a grateful smile. “Thank ya, sir!” Well, that was easy. The shinobi strolled toward the run-down farm home that she was directed to. Knocking on the entrance door, she heard no response. “I guess he isn’t home yet,” she mused as she instantly noticed it unlocked. “Well, I guess I’ll let myself in.” The Chuunin entered Ikko’s living space and quietly browsed around as she awaited his inevitable arrival. It was apparent he lived humbly; the space didn’t boast any fancy adornments nor was its furnishing exquisite by any means. Suika felt at home.

“Hmm?”

She heard someone approach. As soon as the boy entered, Suika slid out of the shadows of his residence and made her presence known. “Yo, Ikko,” she greeted casually as if it hadn’t been years since they last spoke. Her grin revealed an amusement derived from familiarity. “Ready to come home?”

 

[Funai Ikko]

The temperature had been drooping and drooping, degree by degree as a seeming, palpable aura seemed to permeate from Ikko as he moved through the room, eyes darting from corner to corner. He didn't know why someone would be in his house...even if they knew he was a from Cloud they wouldn't go after him like this...it'd be with torches, pitchforks, mobs...not an assassin in his house...so that only left one other option for who the intruder might be...

"Suika."

Ikko's eyes shot wide as she revealed herself and despite the many, many things that had changed about Ikko over the course of the last year, it was still rather clear that the boy didn't exactly maintain his cool demeanor when Suika snuck up on him. It had been quite some time since he last saw her. She was there when he was assigned this mission...or maybe sentenced to this mission, he wasn't really sure which one it was and the facial expressions in the room were not exactly pleasant. For once however, Ikko didn't protest the lack of excitement in the assignment, nor the lack of prestige in it...he didn't even raise one measly complaint about the complete absence of bears to punch. Ikko was, noticeably, not "Ikko" on that day as he solemnly accepted the assignment and set off that very day, set off North to begin his life as a farmer. She was there as he was assigned his mission but outside of one, last, fleeting glance to catch her eye as he left, Ikko hadn't even looked at her through the whole meeting.

"No, I'm not."

The crystal eye'd boy did not linger in his recollections for long however and rather quickly adopted a look that was far more familiar, a look of sort of excited smugness. Ikko reached into his back pocket and retrieved the letter detailing the rebel meeting scheduled tonight, and tossed it to Suika. It was encoded, but these villages weren't exactly bastions of intellectuals and it wouldn't take long for a Shinobi like Suika to figure out what exactly they were going for.

"There's a meeting tonight, further recruitment for the rebellion. I'm expected to make an appearance. It might yield nothing but it's too tempting an opportunity to pass up when I'm this close to actually getting some information."

Ikko grabbed the other envelope, the third confession of love from the Smith's daughter this month, and set it in the half-cushioned chair, Ikko's sole comfort he allowed himself, before turning back to Suika. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't really the whole truth either. Suika knew better than most why Ikko wouldn't be ready to come back "home" just yet. As long as a year might seem, it seemed to fly by when it comprised nothing but labor and self-reflection. It did have its upsides though as Suika should be able to pick out, through the darkness, hints that Ikko's frame was a fair bit more muscular than when they last saw each other. Delaying tactic though it may be, Ikko did need to pursue this lead.

"Besides I distinctly notice a lack of cake and I don't know how you were going to throw a welcome back party without ca...wait. How long have you been in the area? How did you find this house?"

 

[Suika]

“Well, it’s not exactly a request…” she responded with an almost shrug of her shoulders. Now that she was able to take a good look at him, Ikko did do some maturing since they last met. Well, physically, at least. His youthful features were somewhat sharpened by time, and his shoulders were broader than normal. Did his voice sound a little deeper, too? Regardless, as the teen boy tossed her the letter, she took a moment, led by her relentless curiosity, to examine its contents as he explained the “lead” he had caught. Mirroring his excitement, Suika flashed an intrigued grin. Was she certain that this little meeting would yield great results? Nah, but he wasn’t, either. She was here for a purpose, but she wasn’t exactly on a time constraint. Suika faced no hesitation as she promptly made up her mind.

“Sounds promising. How about I stick around for a bit and lend ya a hand?” Her tone revealed more of a friendly assertion than anything. She couldn’t leave empty-handed, anyway, so why not help Ikko potentially fulfill his year-long mission? She wasn’t sure of the specifics either, but she was confident in her ability to adapt and improvise.

As Ikko momentarily turned his back, Suika manifested an ethereal piece of jewelry hidden in her garments. Yanno, just in case. As he approached her once more, she decided it was best to be more straightforward this time around. “I was assigned to a mission to bring you back, Ikko. Headquarters gave me coordinates to this village… it wasn’t too hard to find. And how did I find this farmhouse specifically?” She casually pointed toward the general vicinity of the town’s guard. “The guy up front thinks I’m your girlfriend, which was a convenient assumption. I don’t have cake, but I’ll maybe share some of the pudding in my pouch on the way back.”</B><i></i> After all, Suika never went anywhere without a supply of sweets. Revealing a half-smile, the kunoichi was ready for some adventure with her longtime pal.

<B>“But first, that meeting. Got a plan?” Suika submitted herself to follow Ikko’s lead in this. Whatever he requested of her, she’d sure try to meet it.

 

[Funai Ikko]

The look of impending danger that flashed across Ikko's face as Suika pointed out that he didn't have much say in the matter most likely did not phase Suika much if at all. Primarily because Suika had likely already dealt with people far more intimidating than Ikko, but also because even if Ikko had matured, he couldn't completely chase that sense of childish petulance from his features. As a result, his attempt at a threatening glare ended up looking far less like credible danger for daring to speak down to him and far more like a child decrying the concept of a bedtime. Still, that look faded away in to one of worry as she said she wanted to come with him. That prompted a lot of strange emotions. On one hand, he didn't want her there for completely logistical reasons. Added element, changed variables for an already paranoid group, working with a partner he hadn't seen for years...and there was the main reason he was so apprehensive. Ikko's eyes anxiously shifted away from her to his papers.

It was then that she answered his question that almost made him spit take before whirling around in annoyance. She'd already spoken to someone? And he thought what!? The entire village was going to know that Ikko had a girlfriend who showed up out of nowhere. The rate at which gossip circulated in small towns was simply asinine. Ikko almost broke something when he whipped around to glare at her, before stopping himself at catching a glimpse at the jewelry that seemed to completely materialize out of thin air. Caught in an awkward spot between awe and agitation, Ikko grumpily sat himself down, not eager to protest a fight he knew, ultimately, that he wouldn't win. He needed to bring her along now or there'd be even more questions that Ikko couldn't afford to answer.

"Well, you're going to have to come along with me as my girlfriend...that's the story they're going to know when we get there and showing up alone will make them too suspicious. It's going to cause problems but it's too late to do anything about that now. We're going to go to the meeting and see what we can glean from the rebels speaking there. I have an invitation so that shouldn't be too big a deal to get in to the establishment and we'll try to learn what we can, possible troop movements, recruiting locations, personnel lists, etc. Anything of value we can hand back to the Daimyo. But...um..."

Ikko raised a tentative hand toward Suika, a look of intense discomfort on his face and he struggled to force the next set of words out...clearly not beyond his normal childishness.

"...You're too clean. You don't look like you'd be one of these farmers...jewelry conjuring aside. You're already too pretty to convincingly be my girlfriend, you can't be too stately too. You'd basically be advertising that I'd somehow been hoodwinked by a Kunoichi and we'd be made before we even got started."

 

[Suika]

Ikko’s range of expressions and the emotions revealed from them intrigued the young kunoichi. While he was maturing, some of his behavioral patterns and ways of communicating were exactly as Suika remembered them to be. His glares were non-threatening and his tone, though she could sense his urgency, sounded light with hints of his fading childhood peaking through. Perhaps it was that and their familiarity, too, that made Suika feel so comfortable and at ease around him. The temptation to lounge and catch up were there, but they were both present in that farm house for militaristic purposes well beyond them. “Girlfriend, eh? That’s an easy enough identity to take on,” she replied with an almost hum as she had begun formulate a plan. Suika, due to her spy training in KSIS and her position as a Field Agent, was adept at adopting various identities and putting them into play on a whim. It was crucial to improvise in her field of choice, so she’d apply the same principles and training in Ikko’s mission.

Taking note of the Haku’s advice on her appearance, Suika removed her jacket and casually slipped off her top. She was wearing a bra, but she gave no regard to the teen boy’s presence in the room as she undressed. “Can I borrow one of your shirts, Ikko?” she asked with a small grin. It was hard to tell if her expression was friendly or was tainted by a small dose of mischief – Suika wasn’t keen on unveiling her intentions all the time. Once the boy either tossed her a top or allowed her permission to choose from the ones he had, she’d dress herself and move to the next phase of her disguise process. The kunoichi removed most of the golden bangles she wore and undid her hair – it now rested on her shoulders. She whipped her head and frizzed her hair a bit as well to to give herself a more natural, unkempt look.

“Hmm,” she verbalized as she examined herself. What else was she missing? She opted to keep her waist cover on – no way were the people in that meeting getting a free show. “Ah!” she voiced enthusiastically as an idea of a ‘last touch’ formed in her mind. Searching through the items in her pouch, she pulled out some makeup. She hopped over to Ikko, unsheathed the reddish, pinkish brush, and leaned close to his neck. “If you don’t mind, Ikko, we need to make this convincing.” The girl dabbed the brush against the rose-colored palette she possessed and then attempted to paint a bright mark on the boy’s neck. Suika meticulously and carefully crafted the lover’s symbol, letting her cool breath repeatedly hit the Haku’s neck as she performed her finishing touches.

“There,” she stated contently as she pulled away and stored her makeup. Taking one last glimpse at the boy, she was clearly satisfied with her work of art. “Now we’ll really appear as lovers. Can’t be a young, hormonally-driven couple without some physical evidence, right? And don’t worry, the makeup won’t rub off unless you really force it. Wear it with pride,” she half-joked as she attempted to pat his shoulder. With that, Suika shot the boy an assured nod – she was ready to attend that meeting.

 

[Funai Ikko]

Ikko's body went ramrod stiff for a moment as soon as she pointed out how easy an identity it would be to take on and Ikko's mind immediately went back to the last time he spent any real time Suika. It was simultaneously immensely intriguing and incredibly awkward for Ikko just how much bolder Suika had gotten over the course of the last two years. She was never exactly a timid person, that was what had attracted him to her and despite the circumstances, that kiss they shared was one of the few wonderful memories Ikko had and as she joked about how easy it would be to play his girlfriend, Ikko's brain immediately went back to the feel of her soft lips upon his frozen cold ones. It took him a solid few minutes to shake himself out of the stupor of that memory and actually respond to her request, reaching into the chest containing his few freshly laundered shirts before turning toward her and...

She definitely wasn't making this easy for him. The speed at which Ikko's pale complexion turned beet red should be considered a medical marvel and he barely moved as she took the shirt from him and dressed herself properly. Ikko barely processed what was happening until Suika was already at his neck with her kit of makeup, the boy's face barely losing any color in the process. Thankfully, for Ikko's heart, she was applying the mark with makeup instead of actually giving him a mark, which gave him a few moments to properly process the situation and get his brain back on target. It was going to be, absolutely, scandalous to show up there in this condition...but it is what it is. He was going to have to leave eventually, he wasn't actually one of these people...right?

Ikko grabbed the bag off the nearby table and motioned to Suika to follow him, pointing toward the door. Hopefully they'd be able to make it back to his cabin if things went poorly to recover her jewelry, but he still couldn't recommend she bring them with her. They were already relying on quite of a bit of suspension of disbelief.

"If anyone asks, you're from one of the farms my late father had up north. It's the only connection they know I have from the north and it's really the only one they'd believe. You still don't...look like a farmer but maybe they'll assume you got away without too much labor due to your looks. I don't like banking on a maybe but I'm not sure what else to go with. This way."

Ikko pushed through the front door of the hovel and made his way toward the village proper where the meeting would take place and the turnout was far better than he hoped. Eventually, these people would be put down, that was how it worked. He knew his village was not sympathetic to rebellion, no matter how relatable the people they were putting down were anyone that sided against their employer was dead. Knowledge of the inevitability didn't make his heart hurt less. Ikko led Suika through the throngs of villagers who had showed up for the meeting, nearly everyone was here. He tried to lead them to a place where they could go relatively unnoticed...unfortunately it didn't quite work that way.

"Ikkkkkkooooooooooo!"

A high pitched voice pierced through the miasma of inane conversation around them as a plain but pretty looking girl with long brown hair in a soft blue dress was pushing through the crowd with a larger, brawnier man behind her, the same man that handed Ikko a letter and asked when he was going to marry someone. Ikko's eyes moved to hers and while he maintained his cover and waved back, Suika would definitely be able to tell that his whole body tensed up. Before Ikko could greet her or anyone could get an word in edgewise, the girl turned her eyes to Suika and her demeanor changed, immediately, to one somewhere between anger and terror.

"Who's this, Ikko?"

 

[Suika]

After Suika’s disguise was set, the slightly flustered Ikko led the way to the village’s meeting. As they walked to their destination, the kunoichi took a second to examine her surroundings further. This farm town was tiny, especially compared to their home of Kumogakure. However, the girl sensed the charm in it. It wasn’t so bad; the air was fresh, and the atmosphere was homey. In that moment, too, she wondered if Ikko himself enjoyed his time here. “I bet he did,” she mused, “…but then again, Ikko’s never seemed the type to thrive in a predicted routine." She kept her thoughts to herself and to the side – she was about to begin her performance. After all, this mission was important to her friend; she’d attempt to make his year-long assignment end with finesse.

Suika took strong heed of Ikko’s advice as the duo entered the meeting area. Swarms of villagers chattered endlessly as the “couple” attempted to position themselves discreetly. The Chuunin, like the good girlfriend she was, stuck close to the boy as someone would to a close familiar in a crowd of strangers. For the most part, she was able to pull off the charade; however, there was a single unhappy camper within their midst. “Howdy,” a friendly Suika greeted with a bit of a northern twang in her tone. Having traveled across Lightning Country alongside her troupe, she was familiar with the dialect of northern farms-people. Her training in KSIS, too, also helped perfect her mimicry of accents. “The name’s Hana,” she greeted subtly as she kept close to the blue-eyed shinobi. Although approachable in tone, her body language revealed an intimate attachment to the boy. Inwardly, Suika was somewhat amused. Did Ikko have an undercover village girlfriend?

“Regardless, I have to ensure I keep a low cover and play out my role. It won’t be too hard. After all, there’s not much expectations for women around these parts. Once the men start babbling, I’ll most likely fade to a random girl in the crowd.” Secretly, too, Suika kept an ethereal piece beneath her undergarments in case today’s events went sour. A kunoichi was always ready to improvise.

 

[Funai Ikko]

Before their trip up the mountain, Ikko definitely wasn't someone who found any pleasure in a routine...or predictability...or depending on your point of view, sanity. Afterward though, after being subjected to circumstance after circumstance in which he had no control, Ikko had found quite a bit of solace in having some semblance of consistency. Of course, as someone who had never held a hoe in his life before being sent out here, he had found farm life considerably less predictable than most. It had taken him quite a bit of time to play his role remotely convincingly and even more time to actually become competent enough at agricultural science to produce anything vaguely edible. Life was a lot easier when people made all of his food for him and chakra was available for everything else.

Acting seemed to come much more naturally to Suika though as she slipped, seamlessly, into a fairly convincing character. He doubted anyone would notice anything off or at the very least wouldn't bother looking too closely to risk noticing anything off. He was considerably less plausible when he first got there and as they weaved through the crowd and seemed to maintain that character through the pitfalls that befell them or, in the case of Megumi, pitfalls fired at them out of a cannon. Ikko, having lost his nerve as soon as she showed up and started glowering at Hana as if she ate the last dumpling without asking, only caught his breath when Suika introduced herself as "Hana." This brought Ikko back to reality as he sheepishly glanced at Megumi's father before trying to pull "Hana" away and off to a less volatile part of the crowd. Megumi wasn't having it, clearly taking exception to how familiar Suika was being.

"Okay, "Hana," how do you know Ikko? Why are you here? Where did you come from? What's Ikko's favorite food? Just what are you to Ikko?"

He wasn't sure if she bothered to breathe in that whole sentence.

 

[Suika]

"Heh, typical."

It wasn't long until Suika was pulled to the side and interrogated by the lovestruck village girl. She was clearly flustered by this emerging feminine presence, but the kunoichi found her reaction pretty cute. Ikko had game, ay? Who would have figured? Beaming a friendly smile as part of her feigned reaction, the foreigner, known as "Hana", leaned in close to the teenager in the pretty blue dressed and examined her with shining curiosity reflected in her eyes. "You're pretty..." she said as took the liberty to play with a strand of the girl's brown hair, "super pretty! It seems Ikko has great taste, after all." She shot out a casual wink. If this statement sounded confusing, it was because it was meant to be. It was easy to mess with flustered people, especially hormonal young women. With a playful giggle, Hana sidestepped and skipped back to Ikko's side. If the darling of this village wanted to chat more, perhaps she could take a rain check.

"The people here are so friendly, Ikko, much friendlier than the farm folk up north," she complimented aloud with a simple, pleased expression. Naturally, this was all part of her act. She hoped to draw no further attention and that whatever had to happen at this meeting did. Suika was a bit curious as to the information that would be shared at this village meeting; hopefully, Ikko found the answer he was searching for because, regardless, he was going to come back home with her whether this was settled completely or not. It was Kumogakure's orders, after all.

"Now, let's see what's going on..." she mused as she looked a quarter attentive to the meeting, but more so adoringly fixated on the blue-eyed boy beside her.