Private The Price of Knowledge [Req, Ayana]

[Kagami Miro]

“Come on you mutts! You want to be paid right! You said there’d be no complaining but here we are!” A distance scolding could be heard within the wealthy streets of the Seki District. In a narrow plaza stood a towering black haired figure. Her fist was balled up and shaking in the air. Reprimanding her subordinates in the crowded streets not giving a care to what onlookers might think. Next to her was a large cart with stacks of boxed goods that were headed off to the docks. The unevenly stacked pile swayed left and rig with each rough push from behind the cart. “Push you damn imps! Woah! WOAH! EASY-“ No amount of hollering would stop the impending devastation that was the figures entire cart tipping over.

A loud crash echoed throughout the narrow lane and out into the plaza. It blocked off any passerby, stopping all thru traffic entirely. “Oh for Raiden’s sake! You impudent whelps can’t be trusted with a simple task! Hurry up and get everything back on the cart and let’s go!” A prominent vein could easily be seen on the figure's forehead. From behind the cart three creatures standing barely at the loud figures waist popped up from underneath the rubble. Hooded garb covered their features as they scrambled to put her merchandise back onto the cart. “With this kind of work I should just throw you on the cart myself and sell you lot.” A ferocious glare was given to each of the little helpers. “Tch. You better hope we get to the docks before nightfall. I want to prepare for-...” Her orotund voice trailed off, sniffing the air the faintest scent of someone’s chakra lingered about. Gritting her teeth she didn’t need any able-bodied ninja snooping around her cart.

[Entered with NPC Jin.]
[Wc:298]

 

[Ayana]

Ayana was on her way home from her training when she heard yelling. Initially, her thoughts was that it was Kotone, but the voice sounded more mature, older. She cautiously moved closer and seen an older woman with... Whatever those things are.

She noticed that these creatures were putting things back in the cart, but as she was looking, it seems as if they forgot one last thing. A small little notebook, that had fallen out of the cart. Being a nice little girl that Ayana is, she walked up and picked up the notebook and handed it to the yelling, definitely not Kotone person.

"Miss? This notebook fell out of your cart."

She held it out to the woman, waiting for her to take it. It would be one of many of Ayana's small duties to society so that it can be just a little bit more bearable. "Do you need any help Miss?"

 

[Kagami Miro]

Deep dark blue hues cut to her right at the scent of a chakra blessed child. With a slow ominous turn the women towered over the kid who held out a notebook in front of her. The height disparity was staggering. Anger left her face as hands fell back to her sides underneath her long black wool cloak. Like a wilting willow Jin leaned down to the young girl. A haunting cheshire smile appeared on her lips. “Help? I’ll always take free help.” Those honeyed words floated graciously from her wide grin.

The mysterious dark blue eyes looked the brown haired girl up and down. A tinge of familiarity scuttled across her mind. The girl was the one who lost her glasses in the middle of the street, then a sneaky fox pulled a prank on her. A gloved hand reached out, taking a hold of the notebook. Thankfully she didn’t open it. The author of the book had a dirty mind. “Help out my minions by putting the crates back on the wagon. Inspect the wheels for any damages. If there’s none, let’s get going.” Jin leaned back up, dramatically pointing to her hooded minions. “Let’s get a move on.” Her head tilted over her shoulder to look back down at the girl. “I’ll compensate you for your time if you want to help me further. Do you have a name or does the nincat have your tongue?”

 

[Ayana]

Her father had once told her that a little help can go a long way. Though Ayana doesn't know whether or not if she should be regretting asking the older woman if she needed help by the way she smiled. It's not like Maru, where when he is smiling, it means he is cooking up some kind of chaotic plan to cause mayhem. No, the way this woman smiled just gave Ayana a bad vibe. She doesn't know how or why, but she is in too deep now, she'll just have to go with it for now.

Even moreso, the other woman seems to be looking at Ayana for a bit while longer than normal. She hasn't really known of this woman. But she decided to take in as much detail as possible, blue eyes, gloves, black cloak, way taller than her. The woman took the notebook and told Ayana to help out her 'minions'.

Ayana did exactly as she was told, not a whole lot of the boxes were heavy, so it was pretty easy. The wheels themselves seem okay. "So what exactly are your minions? Like, what are they?" She nodded to the hooded figures. She did remember that the other woman called these things imps, but was that just an insult, or actual naming of what these things are.

The woman then told her that she'll compensate her for her time, then also asked her what her name is. "My name is Ayana. I'm an academy student. What's your name?" Ayana gave her name, now is waiting for a proper introductions with this mystery woman.

 

[Kagami Miro]

Loud and crisp snaps were made at Ayana. “Don’t talk to them. Don’t look at them. There’s a reason why they’re hooded.” Underneath a brown hood one of the minions let out an unsettling laugh. Those dark hues threw daggers at its direction, indicating for it to return to the task at hand. The mysterious woman watched carefully as the young girl and her minions hoisted up crates and inspected the wagons frame and wheels. Making sure the little helper didn’t try to pinch anything from her cart.

“Academy student? They just let anyone attend nowadays don’t they.” Dark hues scanned her checklist while she walked around her cart. With everything accounted for the tall woman called out to her workers. “Start pushing. Destination: the docks.” Her long cloak fluttered uniformly as she turned around to lead her wagon back onto its path.

“Musojinshimokio Musoya.” Gloved hands dug into her pockets to pull out a cigarette and a lighter. Bringing that cancerstick to her lips the spark of light flickered three times before the flame remained steady. Taking a slow drag the hit of dopamine kicked her anger to the curb. “Most merchants around here call me ‘Jin’ to save their breath.” Her hand fell to her side, idly puffing her cig as they ventured out of the main city streets and onto a slow slow that led towards the harbor. “Have you learned anything useful yet at the academy? Or do they tell you to throw a kunai and keep moving?” The academy in her day proved difficult to pass, must be a shortage of ninja lately.

Inconspicuously Jin would glance down at Ayana. Pale and frail. She saw a bit of herself in her, weak and timid. Even the weak, when backed into a corner, still fight to their last breath. Her weakness could blossom when faced with real life. That wicked cheshire grin appeared on Jin’s lips again. “Say, after this how about you help me out again. I’d like to measure the academy’s training regime before I invest more money into it. What do you say?” Taking another exaggerated drag Jin mimicked a dragon blowing smoke from her nose. "Unless of course you’re not a real ninja.” Jin loved to fan the flames.

 

[Ayana]

The woman told Ayana to not talk not look at them, and that there was a reason that they are hooded. This piqued the girl's day interest and also unnerved her at the same time. But she did as the woman had asked.

Soon after, the woman asked Ayana that they just let anyone into the Academy. From how it was said, the girl could tell that it was meant to be an insult, but she didn't pay much particular attention to it. After the woman told her that their destination were the docks and to start pushing, Ayana did, and also replied to what the woman asked of if they just let anyone into the Academy. "I was rather told to join. Though I have other things on my mind than the things they teach me there. Personal things. So I usually end up training myself with what little notes I do have from school."

The woman then introduced herself, by a difficult name to say, then gave Ayana her nickname, Jin, before starting to smoke. Then she asked her if Ayana has learned anything useful at the academy yet. She thought about it, but nothing really comes to mind. She shook her head, "I did force a fox guy to tutor me after he took my glasses and I almost fell off a cliff. And I learned one of his weaknesses. Light."

After that, Jin asked Ayana if she would like to help out again, but this time, to test her and how the academy had trained her, along with another jab of an insult. It could mean many things. A fight would be of simplest of terms. Or maybe stealing something in a sneaky ninja way. Gathering information. The possibilities are endless, and unfortunately, Ayana doesn't know how this woman operates. At least with Maru, she knew it was either about women or causing chaos. This Jin, she knows nothing about.

"What do you have planned?" She asked, neither accepting nor denying Jin's request.

 

[Kagami Miro]

The young student was an open book. Forced into school? Seeking a mission? Fox tutor, who would have to be a skilled ninja, his weakness… light? Ayanas musing caused Jin’s grin to widen. Children were usually not so kind to omit information so freely, especially to someone they just met. Maybe she was wrong, who knew? She wasn’t fond of them anyway.

Jin continued to walk with her wagon in tow down the slope and to the docks. It was fairly busy, the hustle and bustle of dockmasters calling out various openings. Sailors and crewmen loadings and unloading goods from boats. The regulars went about their merry way while the outsiders and foreigners stayed close to their dock edge. Chatter filled the air making it hard for Jin to even think to herself.

Following an open path Jin signaled her minions to pull the wagon up next to a man standing on a crate. He was the storage master, in charge of the stock that comes in and out the docks. Momentarily Jin traded a cheerful conversation with him, allowing him to go through and take account of her goods. Her ability to switch how to treat certain people was cunning. As if she put up this facade to get her way.

The towering woman turned to spot Ayana nearby. “The plan is simple really. I want you to get something back that was mine.” Jin peered over her shoulder to spot the ship in the distance. A dark red boat with a black flag tied up. There were foreigners in dark clothing surrounding it. “I need the seal of my… friend back. They’ll be in the hull of that boat. Bring me the seal.” Her once honeyed words came out with a serious honest tone. A gloved hand reached to a pouch on her back hip. Smoothly pulling out a razor sharp knife made with black metals. Holding it out to Ayana in one hand, Jin awaited her response. “Get me that seal… You’ll know what the knife is for when you try to get the intricate black seal off my… friend in the hull.”

 

[Ayana]

The little girl listened as they made it to the docks and the woman gestured to a red boat with a black flag. It sounded simple enough, that is, until the woman brought out a knife. Ayana's eyes widened. The hell is wrong with this woman? Even Creep wouldn't have her do such a thing, at least, not that she knows.

She looked up at Jin in her eyes. She wanted to say no, but maybe she was getting ahead of herself. Proper information is all she needs. "So who exactly is this person I am looking for? And as for this seal, we all know that it is sometimes hard to differentiate a seal with a tattoo, because some people just have weird looking tattoos too. So what does this person and seal look like?"

 

[Kagami Miro]

The towering woman looked down at the confused child. Glowering at Ayana Jins words slithered out past her lips. “Listen up and listen carefully Ayana. I loathe repeating myself.” Jin moved to stand in front of Ayana, blocking her view of the ship she needed to ransack. “This person was an acquaintance of mine who was dealt a terrible hand in a game called Fate.” Her chest rose and fell at the memory of her so-called friend. ‘Tragic.’ Jin was never the one to daydream. The current circumstances forced her to walk down memory lane. Dark blue hues fell back onto Ayana. “She had dark blue hair and never had any tattoos on them except for the seal.” Jin mulled over the intricacies of the seals design. Trying to find out the easiest way to explain it to an inexperienced child. “The pattern of the seal looks like a hook with serrations all along it. At the top, a bleeding open eye. I’ve revealed too much information to you for you to back out now.” Jin quickly snatched Ayanas’ hand. Placing the knife handle in her palm. “Wait till nightfall. I’ll be towards the hill we came down at by the entrance once you’re done.” Jin's serious expression never retreated from her face. She would go herself, but seeing her so-called friend pained her too much. Ayana wouldn’t understand.

Spoiler

Seal on her upper back, aligned with her spine.

 

[Kagami Miro]

[Topic Left due to inactivity.]