Mission Criss Cross Again


Yashu, Aoitsuki

Date: April 19, 2012


Yashu is off to get special shells and runs into Aoitsuki while she's watching over a cargo drop off in a port town in Konohagakure. Both on separate missions again, their paths cross and they have a rather important conversation.

"Mission Criss Cross Again"

Konohagakure: A small port town.

In broad daylight a Kiri-shinobi was set out to make sure a deal trade deal between Leaf and Konoha was going well, despite the tough relationship between both villages trade remained possible, though heavily sanctioned. The woman was adorned in her usual beautiful clothing, preferring elegant and form fitting kimono's rather than looking like a battle ready shinobi, her feet remained bear and surprisingly slightly sun-kissed due to the tropical weather in Kiri as of late, her natural locks of blonde hair trailed down from her cheeks and all the way down along her back.

"This shouldn't take very long! Just a few crates!" Someone shouted out to her as she over looked the ship from the port deck, she doesn't say much and nearly nods her head, it seemed like she would be here for a while, her mission was to transport the ship safely to its location, because more than likely it wasn't going to get invaded with an empty hull… She waited patiently though, she had to at least make sure the transaction went smoothly or she would need to go back.

Yashu had his own mission. Nothing as important as a trade mission but important in its own right. A special type of sea shell from an island off the coast of the Land of Fire could be used for both dyes and medical purposes. And lately folks were running low. Not a lot of shells were needed so sending a lone shinobi to go collect them was easier than sending out a crew. In addition Yashu's special travel skills made him ideal for such a simple 'go and get' type of mission. No trouble was expected. This port was closest to the island so he was resting up before the last leg over water. He spent the night in one of the inns and now is walking along the docks, resting up today before his plan to leave tomorrow.
So here is Yashu, walking down the boardwalk and past the piers, looking at what ships are docked when he spies some woman with oddly familar blonde hair. He pauses then after a moment changes direction to see if it really is someone he knows. He's not hiding his approach so odds are if Aoitsuki is really on look out she should see him approaching easily. Once spotted, if spotted, he'll give a friendly wave as he walks towards the woman.

Aoi was definitely on guard, keeping a close eye out on any possible behavior she might have found off or suspicious, after all she did take her mission rather seriously. Though the man she seen was someone definitely unexpected, and for a moment the azure eyes woman appeared to be almost baffled, but she turned to her expressionless self and merely found this a s a perfect time to relax herself maybe, and rather than waving back to him she merely begins to take a few steps towards him, before they were more or less in talking distance. " I didn't expect to see you here of all places, Yashu-san, however I suppose its to be expected in your lands," She states, carefully observing his features, his tail and cat ears always seemed to catch her off guard, he was unusual to her… But interesting.

Yashu grins, a rather cat like grin, but yet does not disappear, no Cheshire cat this. "Hi there Aoitsuki-san." He offers, "I admit I was not expecting to see you here today. I'm just on a layover here. Before I head out on a mission to a nearby island. Simple thing, collecting sea shells if you can believe that. And no, it's no state secret so I feel safe telling you. Ever the errand boy!" He says with a light laugh as he rubs the back of his head with his right hand, then tilts his head and looks around then back to Aoi, "So what are you up to here? Not up to something sinister I hope. I'd really hate to have to try to stop you." He admits, as he looks hopefully for an answer that won't require him to do something about the situation. "You look like you're being all official and out in the open so… I suspect you're here on something normal?"

"You seem to have a thing for thinking Kirishinobi are up to no good don't you?" Aoi merely questioned him, she watched his grin but for just this moment she wasn't entirely amused with the neko-jin…So you are on a mission to collect…seashells?" She asks, rather casually, she attempted to drop her mean attitude for the moment and perhaps for once chill out about things. " You seem to get the best of missions… collecting shells, scouting out caves that might fall right on top of you…" She really didn't have a point to what she was saying, she was just naturally awkward at small talk. "I am here for a bit more normal reasons, I'm waiting to see how this trade situation goes before I decide what i should do next…"

Yashu shrugs and gives a sheepish grin, "Mostly I was trying to give you a hard time about being here to be honest." He gives a nervous laugh, "Sorry about that. Just… was surprised to see you. But hey, Kiri did invade twice without warning so… you can't blame me for being a tad nervous, can you?" He points out, "But looks like it's just you?" He glances around then back to Aoi, "Until I get a formal team I'm going to be stuck with things they feel safe sending solo shinobi out on, I guess. Get this shell, go deliver this message, go babysit these kids in the academy, that kind of thing." He explains, "So yeah, off to get a basket of special shells. For what it is worth." He looks at the ship then back to Aoi, "So, trade thing, huh? Sounds about normal for us solo shinobi. Well, to be honest sounds like they trust you more than they trust me alone. You could get attacked and have to defend, while I keep getting sent on things with orders to
retreat and report if there is trouble."

"Mizugakure has a different method of running things, if they send a shinobi out and they get killed, they weren't strong enough to hold their own in the first place," Aoi spoke honestly, almost coldly on the matter. " Many people aren't as lucky, but lucking for kirigakure there isn't much to pillage, we don't get much problems from bandits of theives because we have nothing to offer them…. You want to know the reality of whats going on where I live? That village is falling apart," Aoi informed, though she didn't seem to want to go in depth right now, at least for the moment. She sighs and shakes her head, brushing a few fingers through her hair. " never mind, its probably pointless talking to you about this.. " She seemed to be rambling, perhaps a little surprising for a girl that didn't seem to talk much. " I need to get going," Aoi quickly states, she offers him a slight bow of her head and she begins to move along, perhaps back towards the
boat to check up on some progress.

There's a moment of hesitation as Yashu clearly was listening rather closely to what Aoi said. Then as she turns and heads back to the boat, Yashu follows, "Hey, I'm sorry. It isn't pointless. Honest. I don't have anything to do until tomorrow and I'm happy to listen." He offers, "I mean, I don't really know much about your home and land. Just trying to be impartial is a bit hard when you're surrounded by folks who lost family and loved ones to war. But it sounds like you guys invaded mostly because you needed stuff. Just… well, I mean, desperation maybe?" He ventures, "Anyway, you said you hadn't decided what to do next, after this…?" He points out, as he clearly was listening. "I mean if you want, we could go hang out at the inn and get a drink or something? Or…." He trails off, as he tries to gauge Aoi's reaction to his offer of a drink, of all things. He'd hit himself in the forehead if he wasn't trying to appear less a loser.

"So you are going to take a lady out into an inn and have a drink with her? What do I look like to you?" Aoi asked him curiously, arching an eyebrow, she was a little appalled he would suggest such a thing, she definitely wasn't a people person, getting her to sit down at a table and "drink" was almost an impossible thing for her to do, but loosening up wouldn't be a bad thing. " You know what…you want to talk?" She suddenly asks, her attention turns briefly to the ship she was suppose to be watching over until finally she reaches out a hand to him. "Come on, lets talk," She commands almost, waiting for him to take her hand if he actually wanted to, she was going to lead him to the bow of the ship, her way of hanging out was staying out in the open realm, and not locked up drinking over a fire in an inn.

Yashu flushes slight at the reaction Aoi initially gives, and frowns slightly, taking a step back. Then she reaches a hand out and offers to talk and his frown slips into a small smile, "Ah, sure!" He takes her hand and lets her lead him up to the bow, "Guess this is more of a reasonable idea anyway." He admits, as he glances around then looks to Aoi, "So, don't suppose I could get you to talk about yourself? Or….? I mean, I don't want to pry or anything but I admit I'm curious. I looked up your clan a bit when I got home after our last meeting, not a huge amount there but… I suspect your clan doesn't really define you, just like your land doesn't either… just like my land or lack of a clan don't define me. So… what can you tell me about yourself?" He asks hopefully.

"Whatever you learned about my clan only scratches the surface of what really exists…" Aoi stated as he mentioned reading a little bit into her clan. " Quite honestly, there isn't much about me, I'm an aspiring member of the Shirayuki clan, but like many others who are part of Hikan's rule, I was born and breed to kill, and protect my village… Other than being a shinobi I help things get done from time to time with my own clan, but there are still very few of us still alive after the massacre," Aoi continued to speak, her voice was soft, but she was certainly babbling, babbling as if she was holding back quite a bit. " Unfortunately clans do define people for the most part, its just everyone tends to have their different methods to dealing with it… There isn't much to my story…"

Yashu frowns a bit, "Massacre? Really? I don't remember reading about that but it was a rather general book, so… didn't say much other than something about making ice and how it is limited to your clan." He admits, "So yeah, not a lot. I've heard Hikan is part of the reason Kiri keeps trying to invade folks. Makes me wonder why you guys don't just say no, and use all the resources on building up trade and your land rather than building massive war machines of death. Imagine if all the golems from the first invasion were used to build roads and factories and stuff? Instead of to kill people? I know fighting is going to happen, and I'm no pacifist, just… seems like such a waste." He says softly, "Anyway, even if there isn't much to your story, I'd still like to hear it."

"You just heard it all.." Aoi replies back, though the words he was spouting seemed to be things she already knew, it actually irritated hr just a little bit. " You think that everything that has happened from the hands of Kiri was done unprovoked? Thats a little naive, there are plenty of things Konohagakure does that many people don't even know about because they've gotten so good at cleaning things up," she states. " There is a rebellion already happening in Kirigakure, spurring up as we speak… its one of the reasons im thinking about quitting my life as a shinobi and focusing on other things…"

This last batch of comments from Aoi brings a snort from Yashu, "Yeah, I know all about folks doing things behind the scenes and sweeping them under the tatami mats. Trust me on that, my whole from the age of… what, 7 or 8? I don't even remember the date anymore, was the result of an unsanctioned experiment into seals that nearly killed me. But I'm sorry, I just… I thought there had to be more to your life than being born and breed to kill. You must have things you like and dislike, right? Favorite foods? Songs? Jokes? Funny stories? Or is life… I mean, is life really all just… preparing for the next fight back in your land?" He asks, sounding kind of sad in the question as if he fears it is true but really hopes it isn't. "As for provoking by Konoha, I'm sure there was. The big nations always run sneaky missions against each other. Mostly they put shinobi against shinobi, it's when civilians are wiped out that it seems to go too far to
me, but…" He shrugs, then does a double take, "Wait, what? You're thinking about quitting your life as a shinobi? What would you do?"

"Life is only about the blood you spill and serving your country… That is how it works where I'm from Yashu," Aoi replies back, where I'm from, at least in the past, in order to become a genin you had to kill everyone in your class until thre was no one left…. only then could you be considered a shinobi of Kirigakure… I don't care about jokes or stories… Maybe that will change one day… For now I need to focus on getting this rebellion off the ground, and that includes abstaining myself from being a shinobi, at least for a little while… I don't have the strength to change things nor the political power… So one of these things has to change./"

Yashu blinks a few times, "No… humor? No music? No… fun?" He says as if he can't quite believe it, "I'm so sorry, Aoitsuki-san. That sounds horrible, it really does. I mean, I don't want to judge your way of life but… having fun is important. Uh…. at least I think it is. For whatever that's worth." He says softly, "As for you… well, is there anything I can do to help? I don't mean in helping the rebellion, as I don't think anyone in your land would particularly appreciate the help of an outsider for such an internal thing, but… maybe I can help you personally and not cause too much trouble?" He offers, "How would you abstain from being a shinobi? Just take up the life of… a villager?"

"I'm not really asking for help on anything… Yashu-san, I never said I've been having any problems with anything," She states, she was confused as to why he would come off as someone that wants to "help" here when she had never asked for it in the first place. " I don't have to take life as a villager, but instead I will just focus on my clan without being a shinobi.. It will help out someway in the long run…" She states, leaning over the deck for the moment, she turned around to watch the progress as well, things seemed to be moving swimmingly. " If you really want to help me in some way, perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement…"

Yashu gives a shrug as he listens, almost afraid to say more for fear of putting his foot further into his mouth. Finally he says, "What kind of agreement?" Probably the least he's said in part of one of these exchanges so far. He does seem the talkative type. He glances over his shoulder at the unloading then looks back to Aoi curiously, waiting to see what kind of agreement she might have in mind, but otherwise remaining silent for now.

"I need a place to stay, or at lest some sort of place I can collect my thoughts without being under the watch of the Mizukage… If you help me keep myself "safe" perhaps in the long run I can help do something to help kiriagakure, and you will notice that the wars will cease, and everything you mentioned will come to flourishion…" Aoi speaks up, she then turns her azure eyes on him, she was curious on how he would take this, but she wanted to put him on the spot… He seemed to be very interested in helping her..

Yashu ponders a bit then says, "Well…." He seems lost in thought, "I don't exactly have a spare house laying around I own. And I'd rather not leave you some place so far out of the way that it takes forever to get there and back. Still…." He considers, "You know, this is the second time I've been sent out to get sea shells and the island is within sight of the coast, just down along the coast a bit. The island has water, food, such as it is, and of course shells. I suppose you could stay there? Sort of in between here and home?" He suggests, "Heck, you could even pick up shells now and then and when I'm sent to get more all I'd have to do is pick some up?" He says with a grin, "I mean, if island living appeals to you that is? Not sure, considering the whole ice thing, hhow you'd feel about a lovely tropical island?"

"Perhaps that migh be a good idea, or at least it is worth looking into…" Aoi ponders quietly to herself for the moment, things were really starting to kick up in Kirigakure, and if she had at least a place to stay out of sight for the most part perhaps more good could come from it. "So now that we've talked about myself so much you haven't much told me about you…Aside from some… Unusual experiments on you, it seems you don't live for the past however, so how about you tell me what lies in the future? or the present?" She seemed at least a little bit sincere when she asks this, she was warming up, little by little.

Yashu nods and gives a wider smile, "Well, let's see. Recent Chuunin, so got that out of the way. Have a few goals but mostly just trying to figure out what's worth living for. Right now I've been trying to piece together a team, or join one. Harder than it looks really. Hmmm, oh! And I keep running into this really strange shinobi from a land I'm supposed to hate and yet she seems pretty nice, so that's been pretty interesting!" He says with a wide grin as he peers at Aoi, "Um, let's see. Team? Check, um, oh, and learning more to control my special powers. It's tricky. I've just mastered something new since I last talked to you in fact. Not something quite right to show out here, might scare people but if we get a chance I can show off later, some place a tad less public as I don't want to spook the villagers." He says trying to be mysterious sounding but yet still smiling and not doing a very good job. Mostly he just comes off as a bit goofy
despite his best efforts but at least a good natured and kind of funny goofy.

"Sounds rather…exciting," Aoi speaks softly, for the most part she just listens as he goes on and on about what had been going on in his life, she really didn't know how to reply to it, she didn't feel like she could relate as much as she may have wanted to. " I've learned quite a few things also, though I don't think I've actually seen you fight, aside from that giant thing we had to take care of in the caves," She states brushing off her kimono with her palms she sighs and nods once more. " In all my time as a shinobi i have yet to be part of a full team as of yet, for the most part it seems like I've been fending for myself… Only time will show what will truly happen to us though…Right Yashu-san?"

Yashu nods, "Um, you know that the girl is you, right?" He adds as if he's afraid Aoi didn't get his little attempt at humor, "If you live long enough you'll get to experience almost everything, or so says Kui… but he also says that you almost always will be surprised by the next new thing." Then suddenly Yashu kind of gets quiet, and peers at Aoi, "Um, Kui is kind of a mentor of mine, but… not really. It's hard to explain. I hope maybe if we become good friends I can take some time to explain it all to you. I know most folks think I'm flakey, and… to be honest, I probably am. But I mean well, you know? And I know I'm not quite all there as I might have been otherwise. I just try to make the best of it, cause what else can we do? I know that can be really hard sometimes. It sounds like right now it's pretty hard on you to try to do that… make the best of it, but it sounds like at least you have a plan. But you shouldn't have to fend for
yourself. A clan is supposed to be there for you, or at least that was what I was taught." He hesitates then says, "The few times I was on full teams it was nothing but Senju and they kind of treated me like an outsider cause… well, I'm not Senju. So I know how that feels, I bet… fending for yourself and all. Feeling outside?"

"I don't feel like I'm on the outside, and I don't feel like Im alone either…. There are just things… Things that I have to do that are mine alone, the opinion of others don't matter, instead it is how you feel about yourself that justifies your reasoning," Aoi replies back, she was a little thrown off by all the information Yashu was giving her, but she did ask to know alittle about him. " Kui sounds like a nice mentor, you just need to do what you need to do to get through things, some times its not what you want to do but what you have to do," Aoi pauses finally, and turns her attention to the back of a boat, it looked like finally the load was being let off, and it was probably time to cash in on her mission. " I will probably see you again soon… And I know for some reason you want to help me but I'm also a big girl, If I really need help with something I will simply just ask for it…Perhaps you should do the same, whenever the time
comes for it…"
