Walking through [Open]

[Junan]

It would be in this location where his quarry would most likely be found.

Junan was in Stone to seek out possible business opportunities for the organization. He'd broken in so that there wouldn't be a paper trail showing his movements as Cloud thought he was still in Lightning Country attempting to gain them work.

It was a spiderweb that Junan had to walk, and one he did deftly. The village felt he was a productive member of their military strength. The Organization felt he was an asset. At least this was how Junan thought they thought of him. In the villages case it was probably true, he outperformed the average shinobi in terms of missions performed probably about 2:1. However the Organization viewed him as a problem, someone who could cause their downfall, and so they used him as best they could, while making repeated attempts to kill him.

Sending him to Stone was one of those attempts. At worst he lived and was simply out of Cloud for a while.

Yet he was here, and he was now attempting to perform the duty that the Organization had given him. To set up new lines of trade for them.

He would need to find likely business partners... now... he'd never been in the business front so he could only guess who those people might be... which was why he was here in the Diamond Complex.

What luck would he have?

 

[Shinobu]

The regular early morning comings and goings of the towers lobby had people moving in every direction. Out from the elevator bank for the luxury suites steeped a cuddly couple, one was a well dressed beautiful woman. The other was man with a shaggy tangle of hair and a large bulbous nose. The man was straitening a stone shinobis one armed tunic as he flirted with the woman. As the couple started to embrace a little too closely to be proper in public, the woman's eyes bulged nearly out of her head and she shoved the stone ninja away.

With a twist the messy haired man slid backwards right behind a large cart of suitcases being pushed by a butler. The woman pulled out a fan and put on a big smile as a hefty man dressed in a fine suit ran up to her. They began speaking in hushed but angry tones as the man began looking around the lobby as if trying to spot someone. The woman kept trying to pull him away and to the elevators but he brushed her off his arm and began moving through the lobby searching.

With a sudden motion Shinobu ziged when his cover zagged, he found himself exposed in the center of the lobby. "Damnit, can't loose this 'friend', her husband has a freaking fully stocked bar, and with the good stuff. Oh crap, well gotta try something..." As he searched the crowd he tried to find someone who could play it cool. Stepping up to a stranger he shoved his hand out and dead panned them right in the eye. "Yes sir, I have been assigned to assist you in what ever you need! Would you like to begin with a visit to Sky Fall?" pulling in closer with a crap eating grin on his face Shinobu spoke so only him and the stranger could hear. "Hey buddy play it cool for me and Ill owe you one. Ill even throw in a round of drinks at the Wonderland Cafe." motioning to the door Shinobu could only hope the stranger would play along as he smiled and kept looking for the angry husband out of the corner of his eye.

 

[Junan]

Standing alone in the lobby he looked around him to take in the building. Nothing like this existed in Kumogakure. It had a kind of beauty to it. But a kind of fakeness as well. Kumogakure was for the most part not a beautiful place, but it was real, and there was an edge to it which he understood was also very real.

Yet perhaps the most surprising thing in his mind was how he didn't stand out that much among the occupants. He stood there, bleached blond hair, his shaggy coat of pink feathers draped over his bare shoulders, his (literally) sculpted body bare underneath it, and heeled shoes to give him a bit more height. And yet despite this he was sure he wasn't the most bizarrely dressed person here.

What was the strangest thing though was when someone, a man with long dangling hair suddenly appeared before him, his hand moved out in a greeting gesture, Junan looked at it in surprise before looking back at the man who was looking him straight in the eye, with an almost serious expression on his face.

"Yes sir, I have been assigned to assist you in what ever you need! Would you like to begin with a visit to Sky Fall?"

Junan wasn't sure what to make out about this, and his hand raised automatically before it was then grabbed as the man moved in close. His hushed words reaching Junan who in this whole whirlwind had barely been able to react at all.

"Hey buddy play it cool for me and Ill owe you one. Ill even throw in a round of drinks at the Wonderland Cafe."

Now it made sense.

Though quite what he was helping this man out of Junan had no clue about. Could this get him in trouble? Any kind of inquisition into his own origins would end up with him needing to go on the run. And yet he was wanting to deal with potentially dangerous people. This man might be the first access to information he would have.

Junan smiled and then nodded his head.

That sounds good. He said looking at the man from behind his dazzling shades.

Please lead the way, I am a visitor here and would like to see this Sky Fall for myself. Junan had done no preparation for his visit so he'd had no idea about any "Sky Fall" or what it even was. He simply had found his way here due to it kinda standing out among the rocks.

 

[Shinobu]

Acting as a humble assistant Shinobu nodded and smiled as he led the well dressed man to the front doors of the lobby. Holding the door open for the stranger he kept his head on a swivel looking for the angry husband. "Oh thank Gawd this guy played it cool, I couldn't handle a big scene this hungover." with a chipper tone he asked "Sir would you like some refreshments for our travels, there is an excellent tea shop right around the corner that will delight your senses." bowing his head respectfully Shinobu motioned for the man to exit the Lobby.

As the stranger drew closer the shaggy haired shinobi again whispered so that only they could hear. "Thank you so much, now lets get outa here and go where the real action always happens in Iwagakure, it just happens to also be where the real drinks are served too!" looking around one final time Shinobu didn't see the angry husband marching around the lobby anymore and he visibly relaxed a bit. Turning to finally take a good look at his rescuer he was a bit taken aback, "Whoa, this guy has a unique sense of fashion, and man is his body chiseled" Shinobu thought as he rubbed his little pot belly subconsciously. "I could use a little bit of work on my figure as it is." putting on a bit of a smile through his headache he spoke to the kind stranger "Thanks again buddy, my name is Shinobu by the way. I don't know what I would have done if you freaked out back there but I am sure glad you didn't. I gotta say I don't remember ever seeing you around these parts, are you actually new to town?"

 

[Junan]

He stood up straight and looked at his servant as he asked if he would like a refreshment. There was a moment, a pause, as Junan looked at the man before him. Junan didn't need to eat, or drink, he'd built into this, his own body puppet the appropriate disposal units so that it would at least mimic the standard human requirements... in part it had been intended as a way to make himself feel normal, it ended up making him feel even less normal than he otherwise was. The reason he justified it with now however was using it to blend in. People trusted you more if you ate or drank with them. Perhaps it would be at this establishment, away from whatever this man was running from, that Junan would be able to get some answers.

Before he could answer though the man leaned in to thank him, and then suggest going to a better location. Junan nodded. Good. Perhaps he would be useful. It was good to have useful people around.

They headed off, and Junan could feel the man relax more as they moved away from that location. It was reflected in his tone, his voice, his manner of speaking, his asking questions.

Junan looked around him as they walked, still taking in the sights of this alien land.

Yes, I am from Sand village. He lied I came here to set up some business. That part was true enough.

Do you happen to know where I might find people who would like to buy people? He asked. Junan hadn't done this before... he had lived a life performing the acts of human trafficking. He knew that in Cloud it was looked down on, but they had such regular business that he assumed that in other places it wasn't an uncommon thing.

His head moved and he looked at the man, his face showing how serious he was.

 

[Shinobu]

"Hmmm, this guy seems to wanna do some real business, I wonder how much money he has?" looking back at the chiseled foreigner Shinobu's face got just a serious as his new acquaintances. He moved in close and spoke in hushed tones again. "Hey, careful there, are you trying to get us in trouble?" looking back and forth Shinobus head went on a swivel again. "Most people around here wouldn't be to happy about a mention of buying people, but lucky for you I am not most people." still checking to make sure no one heard them Shinobu motioned for the sand shinobi to follow him toward a less busy section of the streets, there he turned and smiled at the stranger.

"So I could make some introductions and get you connected with some people that would be able to help you. The real question is how much would my cut be? There has to be a finders fee for such dastardly services am I right?" Shinobu seemed to practically salivate as he asked about compensation. "Cha-ching"

 

[Junan]

Oh... so he was wrong... it wasn't a commonly accepted thing here either. So if that was the case then how was he going to meet people and help build business? What he did seem to be lucky with is that at least this man didn't take much offense... otherwise he would have needed to kill him.

In fact the first thing, and only demand being made, seemed to be about money. This in itself was unusual for Junan. He didn't need money... had never needed money, he was instead provided with whatever he actually needed by the organization as he needed it. They never asked questions, they never had any issues with the requests, he simply asked and they provided.

But he did know many who seemed to covet this money. Junan did get paid of course for his work as a shinobi, so had a sizable fun of cash due to the massive quantities of missions he ran and complete lack of expenses. He wasn't "rich", but almost all of that money was excess to his needs. Others though were motivated by it, and as he looked at this man he grinned. This was one such as they, a man motivated by money was a man easy to control.

Sure. How about this. You help me land a job here, I'll give you all profits. Maybe we could set it up so you're the local contact? It could mean big bucks if you do it right.

And Junan wasn't joking. He was quite happy to set it up in this way. What it made him realise though was something entirely different.

If he was out here doing this... then... how much of the work did the organization need to really know about? He knew it was dangerous territory for him, but he was the one out here sorting this out in the first place, not them. How much could he get away with...

 

[Shinobu]

Shinobu listened to the man as he promised many things, "What? hes offering to give me all the profits? Huh, hes probably planning on inflating the expenses and leaving me with the paper thin margins, human traffickers aren't quite known for their honesty." smiling and giving a respectful bow Shinobu spoke to the foreigner "If that is how you wish to distribute the money, then that is how it will be boss. I look forward to a profitable relationship."

Pulling out a pieces of scrap paper from his pocket Shinobu began scribbling as he kept a look out for anyone approaching. "Here is the name of a man whom you can contact me through, he can be found in the Wonderland Cafe inside the old mine-shafts here. Send messages through him and I will notify you of when a set of buyers has been found." he slid the note across the small table next tot the two of them leaving the paper for the other man to take.

Looking comfortable Shinobu gave a second lower bow to the man and turned to leave. "Please do plan on using me as your contact, I might even be able to help you with some of the other villages, but that is still to be seen. For now I will plan on seeing you again soon and I will have a buyer of people as you requested." with a calm saunter Shinobu stepped back from their alley and tried to smoothly slip into the normal foot traffic of the street. "Goodbye my new boss"

[Topic Left]

 

[Junan]

Junan nodded silently listening to the man as he spoke. He said nothing, instead content to simply listen to what the other had to say, and so it was as the man left Junan.

New boss.

Looking across at all the other people in the room, these words gave him a different perspective. He was this mans new boss. Everyone else in this room meant nothing to him, but that man had the potential to be a new start for Junan should he choose to do so. The organization was still his boss, certainly, but Junan had been stalled within their ranks. Not allowed to grow, not allowed to run anything. Indeed this was the first time they had trusted him with anything.

Perhaps that in itself was a mistake.

The man left and Junan relaxed in that spot for some time.

Getting up he decided it was time to leave.

His mission in this village was already accomplished. Time would do the rest, and Junan had time.

Excuse me sir, the bill. A man said intercepting Junan at the door only to have his neck crushed between Junan's fingers, his lifeless body crumpling and falling to the floor. Junan didn't even break stride as he continued to walk out. Silence followed him at first, and then screams as reality struck those inside.

But Junan was already gone. There was no-one to point to, there was no-one to blame.

And so he smiled.

That same smile was on his face as he went directly to the address given to him by the man who was now his subordinate.

He asked for the man and found him, handing him a small box that was gift wrapped with strict instructions on who to give it to, and what would happen should Junan not receive word from that individual within a certain period of time. Detailed explanation on what he would do to the man. Graphic would only begin to describe it.

Inside the box would be found a fantastically detailed wooden bird with a wind up dial on the back. Next to is would be a small metal tube, and a note. The note had the following written on it:

Dear Shinobu,

Place your finger inside the metal object. It will feel unusual but what it will do is allow me to send you messages directly, wherever you might be and without fear of a middle man causing disruption to my business. Place the object down the throat of this bird and then wind the dial till full. It will find me in the same way that it will find you in the future.

Take care, and I look forward to receiving this item from you.

Your Boss.

Spoiler

Effect: The Messenger Puppet is a CRPJ which with the approval of an individual means that Junan is able to send them messages wherever they are in the world by tracking their chakra signature.

Notes:

• Due to the size and speed of the messenger puppets they are unable to be tracked.
• Junan himself cannot be used as a "Messenger Puppet" nor can any puppets created for the purpose of battle.

[Topic left

NPC Village left - S-Rank 30 mins]