Mobilize.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

It was not unusual for those operating outside the shinobi law to have difficulty finding nightly accommodation. Most establishments could not be risked by such persons - only a handful of lodgings were known to be friendly to the criminal network. Tonight however, Uriko Nagase and Heiki Kurayami were not being given a choice. Their rudimentary camp was secreted behind a small glade in the undulating landscape of the furthest reaches of Ta no Kuni. Rolling hills stretched well into the distance, punctuated only by the occasional copse. Dawn was almost upon the pair, but their first engagement on the following day was not until sunset. It seemed prudent to catch as much rest as they could. For Uriko, this was all the more important given her upcoming plans. They would be physically draining and she needed her body to cope. As the remaining embers from the once healthily-crackling fire flickered out of existence, the kunoichi produced a kunai and immediately dug it into the earth. Pressing it deep, she drew it back toward her, slicing through the loam and soil. She repeated the action and then did so for three more sides of a rectangle. It wasn't clear what she did next, but it involved carefully slicing at the deepest corners of her scored shape, until eventually the turf was loose enough to pull free. She heaved it out and lay it beside her, giving it a brief shake. The woman glanced over to Heiki, who had already lain down to rest. Uriko followed suit, pulling the soil-crafted blanket over her to keep out the bitter cold. It wouldn't be the most comfortable of nights, but the two could at least rest easy in the knowledge that tomorrow they began to chase the extraordinary.

The room had been well-lit just a moment ago. Where did the light go?! Uriko thought furiously to herself, turning abruptly on the spot as if to search for an extinguished source. The woman felt cold, almost afraid. She never felt afraid. What the hell is going on? She found herself struggling to remember where she was, or how she had got there. As her nerves grew, she caught sight of a dull glimmer of light from the corner of her eye. Fixating her gaze in its direction, the kunoichi could just about distinguish the outline of a bulky object. It looked like... a large, disc-shaped box. An oversized jewellery box, almost. Approaching it swiftly, Uriko didn't even hesitate to lift the huge lid from the wooden frame. It felt... urgent that she did so. Casting the panel aside, her hand fumbled about inside, seeking the contents. As her fingers came in contact with a smooth, cold object she felt a tug at her arm. Before she knew what was happening, whatever she had touched was spreading itself rapidly across her hand, then forearm and soon enough, her shoulders. Gritting her teeth, the woman tried to bring herself back to reality. She had already realised that this was, in fact, a dream. But the susbtance took an unexpected turn. Instead of smothering her face, it continued laterally until it reached the stump where her left arm used to be. Twisting and curling it grew beyond, longer and more defined until eventually... "Ah!" Uriko gasped as she woke with a start. It was very rare that she dreamed at all. To have one so vivid was almost unheard of. Though the woman set no store by such things, the meaning of the scene was clear. She and Heiki were soon to search for what had been described to her as an almost wish-granting item. Deep down, she still wished to be whole again.

The sun had passed over the pair during their slumber. Warm, burnt orange streaked across the sky now as the distant star began to set. The kunoichi knew it was time to set off, and moved to wake her partner. Heiki however, was already up and seemed to have cleared all evidence of their encampment from sight. Rolling the turf layer off of her body, Uriko soon got to her feet and brushed remnants of soil from her clothes. "Sleep well?" She muttered, the faint hint of sarcasm in her voice referring only to her own somewhat disrupted night. She didn't really expect an answer to such small talk, and it was quite unlike her to offer any. A quick check told her that she still had all of her equipment and (being the precautious person she was) a moment of quiet contemplation helped her determine she was not under any sort of Genjutsu. Though they had been hidden well, Uriko had clearly not ruled out an attack whilst they had slept. For now, they could use the cover of dusk and soon enough, night to give them almost uninterrupted passage to and around the main village in Ta no Kuni - Otogakure no Sato. At least, that was the plan. She had already laid out the route to Heiki the night before, but until they reached their first destination, she would take the lead. A bargaining chip in her negotiations with the man, a copy of Uriko's Beruken would be sought and acquired before she could begin her own training of sorts.

Wordlessly, the pair set off at quite a pace. They skimmed passed the unspectacular scenery in a blur, moving at speeds only attainable by the highest level shinobi. The copse amidst which they'd spent the day was already a distant dot on the horizon, soon to be hidden by the hillocks surrounding it. Air was displaced as they moved, causing the grass underfoot to bend as if caught in a strong breeze. Yet despite this, the two were soundless - footsteps were inaudible and for now, there was no need to communicate. They both knew the score. Uriko was to lead Heiki to the little-known craftsmen who fashioned her Beruken and place an order for another. She could only hope that the man was still operating in the same location. It would certainly delay things if not. As the landscape evened out, the first isolated dwellings began to fly past. These were almost always larger but more simplistic than their central village counterparts. And it was not long before the two shinobi were able to observe this change first hand. From single houses to small handfuls together and eventually rows of buildings lining cobbled streets... they had almost reached the city. Amongst the capitals of all the nations of the shinobi world, Otogakure was nothing special. But it was an easy city to get lost in and most importantly, the Shantakai had a few friends dotted about the village. Pulling her cloak's hood tight around her head, Uriko slowed her pace until she was able to dart between buildings, instead of running headlong into them. Glancing across to Heiki, she gestured for him to follow her down a tiny alleyway.

The two criminal-nin made quite a few more sharp turns like this, keeping to secretive alleys and hidden paths. Though their disguise kept them from being identified, their actions were considerably suspicious and as it was still light, other people could potentially spot them if they were too brazen. Eventually, Uriko began to slow her pace further still, until she had reached a swift walking speed. A small flick of her hand told Heiki, who was following close behind, that the next doorway was the one they sought. A brief check for pursuers preceded the woman entering the premises, followed by her partner and leader. The wooden doorway clicked shut behind them and a voice called out to them. "I'm closed for today. Come back tomorrow, won't you?" The voice's owner sounded older than both Uriko or Heiki, and his tone was impatient. Uriko shook her head a little, telling Heiki to ignore this instruction. Shuffling could be heard from a passageway behind the mahogany counter. "Did you not hea-" A short but muscular figure emerged from the dark tunnel. The man was greying at the temples, and his face showed the years he had endured, but he still seemed fit and healthy. He emerged grumbling - that is, until he saw the two figures. The kunoichi had already lowered her hood. "- Uriko-sama." He exhaled in a whisper. The woman inclined her head. "Osa-san." She replied smartly.

Lifting up her arm, she let the sleeve fall away. With a flick of the wrist, her hidden blade emerged. "I need another." She explained, matter-of-factly. The man seemed too busy trying to take in the news that Uriko was here to actually process her request. After a drawn out silence however, he blinked and muttered a reply. "Yes...yes. I expect so." He answered. In a flash, the kunoichi was beside him, her Beruken held up a mere inch from his face, pointing toward his forehead. It might've been hard for a bystander to tell whether she was showing him the design or threatening him, but to both Uriko and the man himself, the intent was clear. "Exactly the same, Osa. Understand?" She menaced. The man nodded and reached for a piece of paper, his hand shaking slightly. Taking a pen in his other hand, he scrawled an order form, then a copy that he handed to the woman. "I'll have it done in 48 hours. That's as soon as I can manage, my lady." He replied. In truth, though Osa was terrified of the woman, he and she had an agreement. He would supply her with custom weaponry or items and if he was in danger, she would protect him. Little did he know that Uriko had not intention of helping the man. As it was however, she managed to get quite good business from Osa. As he turned to begin his work, Uriko's gaze fell on the still-hooded Heiki. "He would not lie to me. 48 hours and you'll have your blade." She moved closer and dropped her voice to a murmur. "What now? I need to start the trial soon..." She asked.

Subject: Re: Mobilize. Sun 19 Jun 2011, 8:37 pm

Heiki had very few dreams he remember vividly and for him to recollect said dreams into a point of reoccurring was something extraordinary out of place. Though he was quick to eat, he wasn’t at all quick to sleep. The eyes only saw darkness but there were sparks running within his mind that couldn’t force his body to shut down. Every muscle was relaxed, every function was seemingly down to its lowest yet when his mind tried to calm it would only stir the more. Sleep came slow to him. Leaving behind the past, he also left much of his quick sleeping he had when he was still considered a jounin in the village of clouds. Drifting to sleep was difficult at times than others. Sleeping on the ground was usually quicker comparatively to times where he slept in an inn or another house of certain acquaintances. Perhaps the silence of it all, the quicken and dying embers of the flames that once lit the circle that held Uriko and Utsu conversed now dying, was causing his mind to swing back and forth as pendulum of thoughts kept moving.

Moving…moving…moving. The thoughts were becoming coherent, binding more and more together as it seemed like a few minutes to Heiki. Had it been a few minutes? Perhaps it had and perhaps it hasn’t. Time was completely lost underneath Heiki’s eyelids and time was even further drowned when Heiki’s thoughts continued to wire him. He was beginning to think of words, sayings, quotes, something that would put him to sleep-“Though I find comfort in the solid darkness, my heart still craves for the light”- and so far it was only putting him further and further within the edges of sleeplessness.

He twist his body on the ground. The flicker of the flame pressed on his eyelids creating a soft red glow. Where it was glowing to a point of causing Heiki slight irritation was something he wasn’t expecting at God knows what time it was. Perhaps Uriko couldn’t sleep herself and she had put on more wood to the fire to keep herself warm. Logical as that was, he didn’t believe his own logic which was something that would make him question later on in the day.

He open his eyes. What he saw was a man sitting down on the log, his back to him, leaning to the fire to keep himself warm. He could hear the deep and low exhale of someone blowing into their hands and then putting there hands to the fire. It wasn’t that cold Heiki thought but that wasn’t the first thing that came to mind. What came to mind first was him reaching through his cloak sleeve. The man turned his head around and Heiki froze the moment his gaze fell on him. The man’s eyes were more or less blue. Heiki says that because they were bluer than anything he had ever seen in his life. They were unrealistic to him, almost like a painter who drew it on a self-portrait and he wasn’t trying to be persuasive with the soft colors of what eyes should be like. They stood out even with the light of the embers behind him. His hair was also a unrealistic blue but it was much softer in tone than Heiki could describe. He looked at him in a gesture of a father catching his son trying to sneak out of the house. No words were given of Heiki trying to be silent. He only turned himself around and leaned back to the fire.

What in the hell- Heiki sat up immediately after being, more or less, ignored by the man. He stood up and stepped over the small log that had been there as benches for them to sit. He was sitting directly beside the man with blue hair. The man with blue hair didn’t seem to mind him sitting there but rather he leaned back and turned to Heiki “Is it all right if I have some of your boar?”

Heiki turned to the boar still resting in the pit with parts of it half eaten and the rest still there for the taking. He gestured him to feast on it and the man didn’t hesitate to dig in. There was a soft silence among the two of them. The man with blue hair chewed away at what was left of the boar and it was astonishing how he was consuming it all. He wasn’t savage on eating it. There was no juices flowing down his cheeks, no gnawing on tough parts of the meat that had been slightly overcooked and there was no sense of eating away like he was a hungry man. He seemed civilized to Heiki which question the origin of him. What really seemed to bother Heiki was how come neither Uriko nor he sensed this person coming into their camp? He couldn’t of been here all along while Utsu, Uriko or he were awake and if he was then how powerful was this man sitting here eating the boar which Heiki had plan on finishing the night after.

The man was content patting his stomach and letting out a soft sigh. He turned to Heiki “I thank you for this meal”

He didn’t feel right about this situation. He was calm, rather too calm about it all. He had his elbows on his knees and his hands folded together watching the man with the blue hair thank you and all he could do that seem out of the ordinary to Heiki was say “Not a problem Kyouken” This was literally a shock. No, more than a shock but rather completely electrifying. How in the hell Heiki know his man name? And furthermore, why didn’t the man react as if he was aware of Heiki knowing his name. The man only nodded to him and leaned forward towards the flames.

“You think too much, you know that?” Kyouken said

“I’ve been told. I guess because I react so much there is another side of me that compensates by thinking a lot”

Kyouken shoulder a shrug “This may be so. Sometimes it’s good to just let your mind flow rather than letting it run. It does the conscious good just to let it melt away and flow”

“Flow-“ Heiki nodded in agreement “Yeah, flow. That does sound something I’ve been missing. Almost sounds like what my old sensei would say”

“Your former sensei a teacher of the formless art?”

Heiki raised his eyebrow surprised of Kyouken's awareness of this“Why yes. He was a master of it and I was once a student.” He raised a finger “But he never claim himself to be a master for even he said that we must always be students. Rather than having a daily increase-“

“-there must be a daily decrease” Kyouken finished “Yes, you are definitely a practioner of the art. It seems you have forgotten some training from your sensei to not think but rather just flow. Don’t forget that”

Heiki, feeling like a young boy again, nodded his head “Sure-“

Kyouken made a gesture that was difficult into thinking it was a nod or just his head just moving forward slightly. He looked up at the sky “I must be going and must you. Your associate will be waking up soon.” He got up from the log “I’ll be seeing you soon Heiki-san just remember that lesson ok?”

Heiki open his eyes. The darkness of the light had immediately shifted to the soft dawn that lit and warmed the air. Heiki blinked once then he blinked again. This was reality. He supposed it was reality. It was hard to find a conclusion as to whether it was or not. He moved himself off from the ground and up at the spots where they were sitting last night. The fire had gone out hours ago now just smoldering wood and blacken earth underneath the wood. Heiki touched it expecting it to be hot but it was cool to the touch. It had been out for a while now, maybe three, four hours. Heiki also notice that the boar was off the pit. Anybody could’ve taken it but Heiki would’ve known and would’ve woken if there was someone that had taken it. Heiki didn’t question it however and only came to conclude that he had finished it last night without even realizing it. He sat down on the log. He began rubbing his eyes of the sleep that it had caught during his unusual dream. He couldn’t remember all of it, just bits and pieces. It remembered something about flow and how he should incorporate that into his life. Everything was a blur after that which made Heiki a bit upset on that part.

Heiki had cleaned up before Uriko came from her slumber. He had disposed of the wood, covered the burnt marks on the ground, threw the log pieces that were made for sitting to another random location and disposed of any traces of footprints towards the campsite. Uriko came out of sleep with a sudden shout. Heiki looked over at her but didn’t comment on anything. He’s been through the constant screams, gasp and yells of people awaking from sleep. Heiki was not a fan of it himself almost hating it every time he was with a partner who would have those occasional dreams that would make them shout but over time he gotten over that particular peeve of his. Uriko glanced over to him not out of sleep as of yet as she was going to wake him up but he was already standing and looking at her.

“Sleep well?” she asked in a sarcastic tone. Heiki didn’t answer her not out of spite but only because he was never a morning person and he usually doesn’t speak right away when he had woken up. Even with him moving, he had a preference to speak in the late morning or early afternoon. Not to seem rude, he shrugged as an answer. Sluggish but it was an answer nonetheless.

The two of them set off right away after Uriko gathered herself. Not much was said during their run. Uriko was the silent type and Heiki disliked the early morning so really the silence was perfect for the time being. The direction they were travelling it was towards Otogakure no sato; the familiarities of the region was coming back to Heiki with each step taken. It didn’t matter how fast they were travelling, he could recognize the difference with Rice Countries lay about. They reached into the village, a small and somewhat desolate place where it was oddly occupied by the many villagers. They weren’t deep in the heart of the village where Heiki had seen and felt the life that came out during the night. Those night dwellers were now fast asleep and those who waken up to see the small kiss the sun gives were about somewhat lively and active. Regardless of the activity, Uriko placed her hood over her head and Heiki did the same. He had to remember that she was the secretive type, one who first and foremost hid the identity so no one would track. Heiki was merely the opposite when it came to his identity. He’s been doing it for such a long time. He was once secretive, hiding him through cloaks and shadows and hiding within the underground tunnels. After awhile, after doing this for almost two decades, he could have a signs, neon and flashing saying “HERE I AM, I AM KURAYAMI HEIKI!” lighting across the sky and it wouldn’t have made a difference.

What made it even more inconspicuous was the fact that it was a small building, no bigger than a small house, when they reached the intended place; nothing was flashy about the entrance, nothing that could stand out about the place. It seemed quite like a home business. Both Uriko and Heiki came inside (there was no bell to make their entrance which Heiki was somewhat relieved with). The man stated it was closed in a gruff older voice. Both of them remained silent, Heiki turned to Uriko to see-oh wait, he couldn’t see within her hood. It was black as pitch night in there. He spoke again and then he looked up and had that face of realization that it was someone he respected but in all more feared. His voice didn’t waiver, it more or less stood its ground when he spoke but Heiki could see it around him and in his eyes that ingrained fear that Uriko had put in him.

The deal was done which was short and simple: Make the hidden blade, come back in fourty-eight hours. Uriko turned to Heiki moving close so that her voice was only a whisper "He would not lie to me. 48 hours and you'll have your blade. What now? I need to start the trial soon..."

“Ah” he replied “Everything should be in order. For now, you prepare yourself for your experiment. As for I, I’ll need to find something a bit more-suitable for slow and low travel. I don’t think travelling in primarily dark robes and a hood would cause any suspicion.” He smiled “Hide in plain sight as they say. I’m going to find some clothes. I suppose we’re staying here?" It would be a waste for us to spend money on an inn.” He asked this because he did find the place relatively interesting to look upon. He would also be close into looking at the Beruken. He didn’t know the complete attitude of the man, other than that he had a fear with Uriko but perhaps he could quench his curious thirst. “It’s up to you Osa-san. I wouldn’t want to intrude in your space.”

He didn’t answer at first which Heiki understood. He turned his gaze back to Uriko “You get yourself prepared, I’ll get some supplies” He patted her shoulder lightly then walked to the door where he closed it behind him and left to do what he promised.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

When Heiki's even tone drifted back to the kunoichi, she was almost caught by surprise. It was, in fact, the first that she had heard from the man all day. The two had not exchanged a single word during their travels and only now did necessity dictate their conversation. Uriko was quietly relieved to hear that she was to begin her experimental preparations. Not that there was much - if anything - to prepare, just that this meant she was soon to start the test. As with all things, the sooner it begins, the sooner it can finish. The woman would have been lying if she'd said she was not eager to emerge on the other side of the procedure. Not from concern that she might not survive; no, she didn't doubt that. She simply yearned to cement and subsequently utilize the ability she'd mastered many months ago. Poker-faced as always though, only the glint in her eyes revealed her excitement. Heiki, it seemed, had more mundane things to take care of. A new outfit, for one. "I'm going to find some clothes. I suppose we're staying here?" He asked. "It would be a waste for us to spend money on an inn." He added, almost as an afterthought. While Uriko wasn't particularly interested in her leader's choice of garments, he raised a good point about accommodation. Even having to lie low in a seedy establishment would leave some trace of the pair's movements. The kunoichi knew that her partner was less concerned about these things, so she assumed he was taking her own, more cautious nature into account. Fortunately, Uriko had a fairly regular get up on underneath her flowing robe. All she needed was somewhere to secrete it...

Her piercing gaze crossed the room and landed on Osa once more. The man visibly jumped when he caught her looking his way, but hastened to cover up the fearful reaction. "I have another favor to ask of you, dear Osa-san." Uriko purred, walking smartly over to the counter behind which the diminutive man stood. Her change of attitude was no less intimidating. The more pleasant approach still carrying heavily threatening undertones. "We need somewhere to stay for at least tonight, and I know you've a spare room upstairs." She explained. There was a pause. Osa appeared desperate to find an excuse that could help him sidestep this proposal. Whether he was afraid of Uriko herself, or being discovered as a turncoat, the kunoichi did not know - or care. "It's up to you Osa-san. I wouldn’t want to intrude in your space." Heiki added, interrupting the silence. "I like this one." He muttered, flicking his head in the other man's direction. But already he'd taken too long to think. Uriko leaned a little further over the counter. "Many thanks, old friend." She murmured. The man grumbled something unintelligible and began to walk away, his shoulders hunched. Clearly he thought the kunoichi was abusing the 'terms' of their agreement. "We'll pay, of course." Uriko called after him. Upon hearing this, Osa perked up a little and soon set about his work. Though the woman almost certainly could have avoided this, letting the man have a little extra for these useful services meant the female nukenin would likely be able to rely on his assistance at least once more. She turned to Heiki, who nodded in approval. He clearly understood.

Back to business, now. Uriko thought silently to herself. On a similar wavelength, her leader strode over to her and gave her a light pat on her good shoulder. "You get yourself prepared, I’ll get some supplies." He explained brusquely. The friendly tap on her upper arm was an alien sensation to the kunoichi. It seemed all too friendly for what she was used to. Perhaps a little camaraderie isn't so bad. She mused, not particularly bothered one way or the other. Dismissing it out of hand, she decided to do exactly what Heiki had proposed. The shopfront was hardly an appropriate location for her tools and chemicals though, so the woman slid herself around the counter and through a doorway in the corner, leading to a short flight of wooden stairs. Every other step creaked something fierce, leading Uriko to wonder exactly how much longer her contact could keep this place. She felt a little foolish for making this assumption when, upon reaching the first floor, the room she had thought was Osa's was merely a storeroom; and the one she and Heiki had 'booked' for the next night or two was equally unlived in. Of course, the man lived elsewhere. Chiding herself for jumping to conclusions, her annoyance soon turned sour as she thought about what Osa may or may not have been hiding from her. As she closed the spare room door behind her with a resounding 'clack', the woman made a mental note to scout out his other residence at some point in the future.

Uriko knew that the Shantakai leader would not be gone for long. Just as she had her contacts, he had his. A simple change of clothes would be easy enough to come by. On that note, the kunoichi reminded herself that she needed to de-cloak as well. Drawing a single kunai, she made her way over to the corner of the room and dug the blade in between two floorboards. Wiggling the steel from side to side, she eventually felt the satisfying sensation as it reached the underside of the boards. From there, it was easy to lever the little wooden plank away, revealing a space just large enough to store a few illicit items. Abandoning the metal projectile, Uriko unlatched her cloak and with a little more difficulty than the average shinobi, pulled it over her hand and away. It was in the most unexpected of tasks that having just one arm really hindered the kunoichi. She folded the large garment into a small rectangle and pressed it into the dusty gap. After fitting the floorboard back into place, she retrieved the kunai and replaced it into her pouch. Preparations... Though Heiki had instructed her to prepare herself, in reality there was little to do. At least until the man himself returned. She would need to instruct and vaccinate him before she could experiment on her own body. Deciding that she would try and appear to have been busy for Heiki's return, Uriko unfurled a small scroll in the centre of the room. Nipping her thumb with her teeth, the woman performed a couple of hand seals and slid her hand across the parchment. Multiple plumes of smoke erupted, though none were really that large. Once the white cloud had dissipated, a small set of medical equipment and supplies lay atop the flattened scroll. Five test tubes, all but one filled with a different liquid. Three were darker colours - navy blue, brown and black. The fourth, an unpleasant-looking yellow colour, was the vaccine that Uriko had created the night before. Beside these tubes lay eight syringes, three of which were filled with a clear liquid while the others were empty. A single, empty beaker completed the set.

After sliding the beaker toward her, Uriko reached into her secondary item pouch and withdrew a tiny bag. From this she removed one small, beige pill and left the little bag with the other equipment. Dropping a single pill into the beaker, the woman then plucked the tube containing the yellowish liquid from among the medical set and uncorked it. Ever so slowly, she poured about a quarter of the vaccine into the beaker and watched closely. The beige pill dissolved in the thin layer of liquid and soon, a pale brown susbstance formed. Resealing the vaccine, Uriko replaced it and took two empty syringes from the collection. She filled the first with the newly formed, mysterious compound and the second with the yellow vaccine... Her work continued for a few more minutes, the kunoichi filling the rest of her syringes with different liquids and then packing away the unnecessary materials. When all was done and dusted, she rolled up the parchment and fitted the scroll back into her belt. Lain out before her now were: eight syringes (one with the yellow vaccine, one with the strange pale brown liquid, three with the clear liquid, and three with the darker substances) and a small drawstring bag, made of felt and containing a surprisingly large number of the little beige pills. Uriko hoped she'd made this process as simple as possible for her partner to manage whilst she was unconscious. Asking someone without medical experience to take on such a task was difficult for both parties involved. The kunoichi knew Heiki would do his utmost, so ultimately, it would likely come down to whether she'd correctly assembled her compounds. The pair of them would find out soon enough.

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Subject: Re: Mobilize. Tue 21 Jun 2011, 8:40 am

Uriko, perceptive as she was, had an understanding of the time Heiki doesn’t waste away with when it came to the smallest of mundane things. It had only been a few times Uriko had encountered the small tendencies Heiki had and it was quite a wonder why she didn’t honesty question his actions and some of his reasoning’s. There was the particular fact that some of his actions did not speak like that of a leader-a criminal leader at that. A calm disposition, a laid-back approach in life didn’t particularly achieve victory in wars like past kings, emperors and Kages had done. What Heiki showed was a man who held onto a burden that he didn’t wish to carry, something that was forced upon him since the beginning and Heiki was just doing it for the sake of passing time. Perhaps it was what many of Heiki’s former comrades, many of which had died during the purge, saw in him.

It wasn’t long at all for Heiki to return to Osa’s place. He came back only fifteen minutes later which surprised Osa to an extent. He had open the door to the place, his clothes that he was wearing underneath his cloak and the cloak itself was folded in a bag that he carried over his shoulder. He was wearing loose fitting pants. He felt the warmth of the sun brim on him during his walk back to the place and he originally had a short sleeved white cotton shirt. Its tight fitting would only get tighter if he continued to be out in the sun like this. He had set his bag over by a bench and traded it in for nothing but his half naked self. He was also bootless as well showing feet which could’ve seen better days.

What was dramatically different was the fact that his hair was spiked, almost gravity defying upward giving him a more incentive look to him. It was a face that demanded things but it wouldn’t shout for his demands. It was that same calm disposition that Uriko had but far less colder-her eyes cut throats, her teeth bites neck, her face twist men-than hers. Osa had given him a second glance at him almost demanding that the man should leave the premise. It was his voice that stopped him from speaking it “Is Uriko-san in the other room” he pointed to the only stairwell. He nodded and Heiki bowed respectively to the man “Thanks and-thank you for letting us stay. Truly, I am grateful” and he was. This was another surprising factor that Heiki showed from time to time was the fact that he was respectable towards those who show kindness

“It’s not a problem. Although, I have to say you’re quite an interesting person to be with Uriko-san”

Heiki had his eyebrows raised “Are you suggesting I’m-?”

Osa waved one of his hand defensively “No, not that. Sorry if I gave the wrong impression. I just understand that Uriko-san has had a-troubled past. Past organization and past relationship with said organization wasn’t in her favor.”

Heiki saw an opportunity to delve deeper into Uriko’s past. He didn’t know Osa’s current standings with Uriko and he didn’t know if Osa had any extended knowledge of Uriko’s past. For a moment, Heiki was considering to find out about Uriko without her knowing. He wanted to know about the past organization she was in, the person who led it and also the person who ultimately turned her into what she is today.

It was only for a moment. The thought ran by him and was gone like a bird disappearing into a tree. “I have some interests in her skills. She’s very good at what she does from what I’ve heard and it was her choice to tag along. All I did was ask”

“Hm” Osa said, not sure if that was the answer he wanted to hear or not. He nodded regardless and continued on the project he had commenced on. Heiki walked past him and towards the stairwell.

Heiki light footing couldn’t mask the creek of each wooden step. He was on the fourth step when he turned back and said “If you wish, I can cook lunch or perhaps prepare something for us for dinner.”

“No thank you” Osa replied back and that was all he said back to the tinkering of his project. Heiki knew the response well from people. The response of dining with criminals was nothing short of insanity to many and Heiki always forgot that he was considered a criminal. He continued his way up the stairs. He saw the door that was closed. He knocked on the wooden panel. He paused then open the door slowly even though she would greet him with the soft speech she had.

He closed the door behind him. Again, his appearance was somewhat of a surprise seeing his hair defy gravity, bare chested and barefoot. Heiki saw the syringes of liquid. What caught his eye was the gaunt looking liquid that filled in one of the syringes. Looks like pissed mixed with mud water.

“I got some clothes. I’ll be going out later to get food if you’re in the mood to eat” he set the bag of clothes he had on a chair. He took out a pair of blue loose fitting pants that looked similar to village shinobi attire and a small cotton weaved shirt that was the hot color of black. “It was the only one I could find that was in your size. And in all honesty, I made a guess on your size” He sit this all over the back of the chair. “I’ll-leave the room” he felt stupid in saying this. It was because it was stupid. A man shouldn’t watch a woman, a woman that was respected, change into clothes. He made his way out of the room and stood outside the door till Uriko gave the signal for him to come back in. Another thought, just like his thought with Uriko’s past, wondered how she could change with just one arm. And just like the thought, it passed quickly finding the answer that if she had managed.

He entered back into the room and he immediately got straight to business “So, I’m guessing you want me to inject you with those liquids eh? One of them is the vaccine so I won’t get myself all killed with this disease. Seems simple enough-though something is telling me that this isn’t as simple as it looks.”

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Clack. The noise of the door shutting behind Heiki echoed around the shop entrance. Osa spun around just in time to receive the man's question and then his gratitude. The shopkeep was again surprised by the Shantakai leader's manners. Somewhere above them, Uriko had stretched out on a mattress and now lay motionless and serene. Not asleep, but in an almost trance-like state her mind had long since wandered and her eyes glazed over. Carried through the air, the distant sound that signalled her partner's return broke the woman's daze. She soon pulled her torso forward and upright, so she was seated rather than lying down. It seemed inappropriate to be found lazing about when the pair had plenty to be getting on with. The kunoichi had already completed her preparations and now just needed to run through the experimental procedure with Heiki. With that thought, Uriko noticed that he was taking an unusually long time to find the room - assuming he'd returned from his excursion and headed straight upstairs. The woman's brow furrowed. She was about to leave and find him when the familiar voice resonated from not too far away, accompanied by the tell tale creak of the stairwell. Heiki seemed to be asking something of Osa, but Uriko couldn't make it out. Whatever it was, the conversation ended right there, and soft footsteps soon approached the door.

A polite knock signalled the man's arrival, followed swiftly by his quiet entrance. Almost no noise emerged as this door closed behind him. Uriko was about to greet her companion when she caught sight of his altered appearance. The change was considerable. The most noticeable difference was the lack of shirt. This was accompanied by loosely fitted trousers and yet more open flesh - bare feet. Lastly, Heiki's hairstyle had undergone drastic changes. He had managed to lift and hold his locks straight upright. Compared to hair once falling sleekly to neck level, this new look was quite startling. "Heiki-san, you've..." She began, trailing off as the words failed her. After a moment of silence in which Uriko puzzled over the man's garb, she eventually tried again. "What happened to your shirt?" She asked, her tone still one of surprise. It was then that Uriko noticed the bag slung over her partner's shoulder, and that it looked rather full. "Ah. Never mind." She added hastily, nodding her head slightly toward the bag. With that, she swung her legs around and got to her feet. As she did so, her hair cascaded down over her shoulders, revealing that she too, had made an effort to alter her appearance. How she had managed it would remain a mystery to Heiki, but her long black locks were now full of life, curled and twisted into beautiful waves. They perched on her shoulders and framed her face. Suddenly, the woman looked far less intimidating. "I've a loose floorboard over there." She explained, pointing to the far corner of the room. "You can secrete your cloak and any other unnecessaries under there - it's quite spacious." She added, rolling and cricking her neck.

For now though, Heiki made his way over to the woman, placing his bag on the bedside chair. "I got some clothes. I’ll be going out later to get food if you’re in the mood to eat." He suggested, opening his bag and rummaging around as he spoke. A moment later he withdrew two other garments - a charcoal-coloured, woven shirt and pale blue trousers. "It was the only one I could find that was in your size. And in all honesty, I made a guess on your size..." Heiki disclosed. In truth, the kunoichi had not been planning on changing her clothes, but she hadn't the heart to say it. Though now she had an alternate outfit, it seemed like a wise move to do as her companion had. She flashed a brief smile and untied the sash holding her dark green jacket in place. With a flick of the shoulders, it slid to the floor. At this point, Heiki muttered something about leaving the room. Uriko was going to ignore this, but felt that maybe she could make a point. And so, she took her arm and leg guards off before untying and removing her uwagi top and zubon legwear. He tabi remained in place. Now, with just roughly strapped bandages covering her chest and mid-thigh length undergarments protecting her from the waist down, she waited for the Shantakai leader to return. He did so quite soon, and entered in full spoken flow, talking about the experimental procedure the woman had prepared. When he looked up, Uriko caught his gaze and rolled her eyes quite obviously. "I'm really not fussed about changing in front of you, Heiki-san. We're working together closely, so we should really forget such needless privacies." She proposed. Without her clothes however, it may not just have been the covered areas that her partner was trying to avoid. The horrific wound across what remained of Uriko's left shoulder was shocking, and the countless smaller injuries that had been etched into her skin further enforced the the kunoichi's battle-scarred appearance. Fortunately, these were only openly observable for a few moments, as the woman soon slipped into the blue trousers and charcoal top. Both were fairly accurate fits, and Uriko proffered a nod of approval for Heiki's efforts in this department.

The Shantakai leader had already mentioned food, but at the time it had not struck Uriko as particularly important. Now that they were all set up (Heiki having just secreted the remaining items beneath the suggested floorboard), the kunoichi felt rather peckish. "If you are going out to eat Heiki-san, how about I join you and we discuss the next few days over the meal?" She proposed, moving over the collect her syringes together in an empty pouch. The little felt bag went with them too. "I'll explain everything then." She added, standing upright once more and looking ready. "And I'd like to know more about your own mission. Can't have you dragging my unconscious body places that I'm not aware of." She quipped, her unreadable expression making it difficult to tell whether she was joking or not.

[OOC: Sorry it's a little shorter than the others - I've been travelling for most of today. Smile

]

Subject: Re: Mobilize. Wed 22 Jun 2011, 10:47 pm

“I guess you can say it’s fairly simple when spoken out. Get in, find this artifact and get out” he walked to the bag that was set in the chair and reached in grabbing a folded pair of sunglasses. He unfolded the thin framed glasses and set them over his eyes. It slid slightly off the rim of his nose ever so perfect to reveal his eyes. If it wasn’t too obvious, it appeared Heiki had practiced this for a very long time. For him to get the right angle and slide it to the minute degree that it was laughable. It is laughable but Heiki had found the time to do it. It was now like riding a bicycle. It was just something he picked back up.

“I wasn’t planning on going out to eat. I was, instead, wanting to cook something since it’s been a long time I’ve had a home cooked meal and I can imagine it’s been a long time for you. I examined that this place does have a small kitchen in one of the backrooms when I walked towards Osa’s counter. I was going to make dinner for the both of us so I need to find some fresh ingredients. It’ll be better this way. We won’t have to discuss our plans in public. Not that it is top secret or anything but if anything, I prefer a peaceful dinner” he formed a smile that had warmth to it. It was a moment of warmth where it turned to a joker’s grin and he adjusted his glasses so they would cover his eyes. “Now then, let’s view this village”

They both left Osa’s establishment. Heiki could see Osa’s quick glance at them as they walked past his work. He saw a better view of the mechanical device that would be the hidden blade. It appeared to be in it’s rough draft form only obtain just a few of the components that would be the bracer, the top half of the mechanism, the slot in which the blade would retract inward and outward and a few shifting gears. He was pleased by the progress of it, however slow it may have been. He opens the door letting Uriko go out first before closing the door behind him.

Otogakure is one village that was mainly out of the race between the main shinobi countries and minor shinobi countries. They were soon left out due to the small numbers they had in terms of military prowess. With the maximum amount of shinobi they had a decade before (a measly 100 shinobi which had been their highest in Otogakure history) it did not bring a large deal of attention over to their village. It was the main reason why the Shantakai had established a small headquarters within the walls of Oto knowing that the main villages would only overlook its small military. One faction of the Shantakai didn’t see the purpose of bolstering its military itself but rather saw it as an opportunity to expand its economic potential. Heiki only had a vague understanding of who was in charge of Otogakure’s self sufficient economy but whoever did it made Heiki give kudos to the person. On the small account that during the Shantakai’s reign, Otogakure did prosper in terms of small minor country status they brought in small tourism for their new buildings that would be a place of party central during the years to come. What was more impressive was the larger agriculture that had developed over the years. The large lands of rice field patties, tomatoes, peas, green beans, pastures of fine cattle and sheep with small farms of chickens and swine fed the economy to a certain point that even after the Shantakai’s fall, they were still prospering.

It’s prosper was noted as Heiki and Uriko walked down the paths that would be the main market. It was still early and as said the night crowd was past asleep in this place. The morning folk had waken and gotten out their produce for the consumer to inspect and buy. Fresh and ripe tomatoes were stacked in one barrel of one of the stands with the other barrels filled with green tomatoes and interestingly purple tomatoes that didn’t look particularly good to eat but the color was vibrant.

Heiki points to them looking up at the vendor. She was in her mid-forties, a mild face that had a small tan that could only been that of a farmer who had been in the sun for most of her life. “What do these purple tomatoes taste like?”

“The purple ones.” She said in a voice that had answered this question more than enough times to many travelers “Much firmer than your regular green and red tomatoes. This particular nightshade has a sweet taste when you first chew it then it leaves a smaller aftertaste of sweeter blueberries. It’s an interesting breed that had been cultivated years ago”

Heiki appeared to think about this then he made a small nodding gesture “I would like to try these purple tomatoes. I’ll take just two please” The woman nodded and grabbed two tomatoes and set them in a small paper bag. Heiki paid the amount and the woman thanked him and bowed. They both continued on walking down the market. Heiki pulled out the purple tomato and bit into its flesh causing the light purple liquid to seep out. The woman was not kidding about the taste. It was not an empty taste to this tomato unlike red and green ones. It was vibrant in taste and it was delectably sweet to eat. He chewed it and swallowed. He waited just a few seconds to get that aftertaste and she was also correct about it having a sweet blueberry feel. “Sweet” he said smiling. He offered Uriko the other tomato “It’s quite good actually and I’m not much of a tomato eater”

They continued on throughout the market watching the people of Otogakure begin their day. There was more people coming out of their houses, coming out from many directions towards the market and of course the peddlers began to speak out for their silent produce and livestock. It was quick from this once dead market to a lively one in a matter of a half an hour. And of course with a variety of people around, there would be a variety of people who would stare at Heiki for his pick of wardrobe. There were a few that stared at him only out of particular interest of the person who dressed the man. Many of them, a large variety of woman, had stared at him with the eyes of lust and longing for the man as he walked past. Heiki didn’t notice these women at first but it became more prominent of notice when there were a few women who were bold to come up to him. These small town women had never seen Heiki before. It was obvious to them that they knew when there was another man of desirable taste come walking through the market.

There were many questions the women asked all of which Heiki responded in a mellow almost drugged induced voice “Peace and love babeh” and continued on or “I’m just here to seek out true peace babes”. Though it didn’t show, Heiki was annoyed by the women who boldly came up to them. Not to say not none of which were attractive, they were in their own right but because he didn’t wish to talk like that.

They did reach a point where there were only a few people around the area and it was somewhat safe to say that Heiki and Uriko could talk a bit in the open. He spoke in a voice that Uriko could hear. “Hard to believe this country flourished like this. When it came to private interest, my sensei had a thing for war and destruction not so much prosperity and wealth for a village. It makes me wonder who in the world was in charge of this village.

“What I find even more interesting is that the main villages hadn’t taken notice of this agricultural revolution and try to take the economic advantage. More economy brings it more opportunities for military to expand. More military, more opportunities for war and war equal control. I know Lightning Country would’ve taken that chance in conquering Oto. It isn’t that difficult seeing that it’s military is small in size.” He chuckled “Then again, Lightning Country was, as the saying goes, “Deep in shit” during that time.”

He sighed, his voice transcending back into the nostalgic days of his former life “Ah, Lightning Country. Its finite days didn’t seem so finite at the time. Perhaps when we’re kids, we tend to think as time moving slowly like syrup falling onto a plate. Perhaps-“ he smiled which he seemed to be doing much as of late “Isn’t there a place that you thought was a good place?”

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

While she slid the last of the syringes into her once-spare pouch, Uriko kept half an eye on her companion, listening intently to what he had to say. She was disappointed however, when her gentle probe about what he planned to do whilst caring for her body yielded little information. The kunoichi didn't think that Heiki was deliberately withholding it from her, more that perhaps it just wasn't the right time to talk about it. Whatever the reason, he was clearly going to remain taciturn for now. Flicking the pouch closed, Uriko looked over and focused in her partner just in time to catch him expertly adjusting the position of a pair of sunglasses. Slick. The woman thought silently to herself, somewhere between sarcasm and amusement. He certainly was an interesting individual, that Heiki. And yet further suprises were to come. "I wasn’t planning on going out to eat. I was, instead, wanting to cook something since it’s been a long time I’ve had a home cooked meal and I can imagine it’s been a long time for you." He offered, though it rather sounded like he'd already made up his mind. As it happened, Uriko was quite taken with his suggestion. True enough, it had been some time since she'd had a home-cooked meal. By nature, she was a hardy soul and when catering for herself, survived on the bare necessities. The time and forethought it took to cook a meal was not that condusive to the way she lived her life. Had the kunoichi ever spared a moment to ponder when she would next enjoy a home-cooked meal, it would not have been Heiki who provided. She just didn't have him down as the type. "I was going to make dinner for the both of us so I need to find some fresh ingredients. It’ll be better this way. We won’t have to discuss our plans in public. Not that it is top secret or anything but if anything, I prefer a peaceful dinner." The man explained. Uriko found it hard to argue with his logic - though it did mean a trip into town.

Truly, Heiki was not the man the female nukenin had expected him to be. When they'd first met, almost immediately after her extraordinary battle with Hajiro, he'd seemed powerful and mysterious. He was still very much these things, but now that she knew him a little better, she wasn't intimidated at all. It was odd, that a man with his ideals and striving for the goals that he did was actually a pleasant character. The woman supposed it was one reason the pair worked quite well together - his agreeable nature kept her deep bitterness in check. She wondered if he sometimes hoped he'd have a positive effect on her attitude. It was highly unlikely, but something told the kunoichi that Heiki would not be so naive as to think otherwise. Yes, Uriko had privately questioned her companion's position before now, but he had yet to lead any of them astray. Actions spoke louder than words, after all. Her allegiance would either be rewarded or shattered when it came to following the Shantakai's master plan through to the end. Besides, the kunoichi was entrusting the care of her unconscious body to Heiki. This was certainly a demonstration that at very least, she knew that he still needed her. From a woman who had long since abandoned trust, this was about as good as it got.

Uriko's musings had allowed her to drift from reality, and it was only now that her companion struck up a conversation that she was pulled back. She soon realised however, that the man was talking to a street vendor about her stock. An old oak barrel had been filled with vivid purple, oval tomatoes. As the forty-something saleswoman answered Heiki, the kunoichi's gaze rolled over the other items on offer at the stall. She couldn't deny it - they all looked enticing, though none more than those her partner had just selected and paid for. As the pair walked on, Heiki plucked one of the two tomatoes from his brown paper bag and bit into it, the juice bursting out as his teeth pierced the flesh. After some deliberation, he came to a positive conclusion and promptly offered Uriko the other. "It’s quite good actually - and I’m not much of a tomato eater." With a mildly enthusiastic shrug, the woman accepted the offer and took her share, biting into it almost immediately. It had a sweet, fruity taste but still earthen and ultimately savoury. With a grateful nod in Heiki's direction, Uriko tucked into the remainder. They walked on as more and more citizens joined the human traffic flowing past the collection of stalls. A few women had been bold enough to approach Heiki, which was both a surprise and not to the female shinobi. A topless, amicable man walking through a busy street would be bound to get at least some looks. But the Shantakai leader was dressed a little eccentrically, and the level of interest was still considerable. Worse, Heiki began to churn out sickening phrases to placate the women. Though Uriko soon retracted her opinion of this when she caught the man's gaze for a moment, and noticed how much he hated doing this. The kunoichi had yet to notice anyone looking at her the way they did Heiki. Most likely, because through these alternative clothes, it was easy to notice her missing arm. Frankly, she much preferred going unnoticed.

As they rounded a corner into a less busy street, Heiki began to question the management of Otogakure, and what had led to the prosperity it was now enjoying. He spoke of political machinations and the economic currents that tied the nations together. His point was quite astute - why other countries hadn't tried to exploit the rich agricultural utilities of Ta no Kuni was baffling. Uriko kept quiet for now, content to let her partner do the talking. His speech led his thoughts to his former village and country, Kaminari no Kuni. Heiki spoke of it still with fondness and affection, despite having left that part of his life behind him. A smile crept onto his face as he reminisced, his speech trailing off until he noticed the woman beside him looking quizzical. "Isn’t there a place that you thought was a good place?" He inquired. It wasn't something Uriko had been asked before, but she was quite swift to reach an answer. "Once, but I was fooled." She replied abruptly. "A place is only as good as its inhabitants." She added, remembering her birthplace of Kusagakure. After a moment of silence, she looked back at Heiki who seemed to be waiting for an explanation. "My family and I were not welcome there. We were plaguecarries to them, a weapon they couldn't wait to be rid of." She continued through clenched teeth, her lip curling. She was, of course, referring to the false plot to convince her the Nagase clan had been 'auctioned off' to the criminal underworld by the Kusa elders. "So no, Heiki-san. I no longer have a place like that." She added quietly. "Perhaps you're lucky. Perhaps not." She finished.

Having dulled the mood, Uriko was keen to head back and begin the meal. The two Shantakai completed one last sweep of the market before taking a shortcut through smaller alleyways to Osa's shop. The little man was not around when they returned, but the kunoichi was certain he wouldn't be far. "Lead on, Heiki-san." Uriko prompted, gesturing for her companion to take the lead and head through to the kitchen. There was little else for the woman to do for now, so she planned on observing her leader's culinary skills. As they walked through, the syringe pouch brushed the doorway and clinked together almost inaudibly. "Soon." Uriko muttered, patting the pouch to check nothing was broken.

[OOC: Apologies again (for the wait, this time), I'm having lots of family stuff to sort these last few days. Coming home is stressful!]

Subject: Re: Mobilize. Sat 25 Jun 2011, 6:33 am

Her words didn’t puzzle Heiki. It ensued a different type of curiosity, one that didn’t crave to know the full extent of what her past was about. The way she talked about the foolhardy of comfort, so solemn and gloom made the warmth of the sun feel so cold to his skin. She spoke only out of the dark spots in man and how these dark spots only left splotches of turmoil within her. It was interesting how she spoke so little but when she did, the force behind it could cause a person to tremble. Perhaps it was the same splotches that spoke from time to time and whenever the case fallen upon those spots.

“Ah.” He said, so faint it was hard to perceive if he said anything at all. “Alas that time of my life is over. No matter where I am, that peace cannot come back as it did all those years ago.” He looked to his comrade. He didn’t change his expression “But perhaps, there will be a time where you can find a everlasting peace. I found mine travelling this world and perhaps you’ll find the same. Perhaps you’ll find something different” He shrugged “Who the hell knows. Life has a tendency of surprising even those who can’t be surprised.”

There wasn’t much spoken between the two of them. More so, Heiki was the one who was talking but to salespeople in the food market. To a notable surprise, Heiki does have a way with words that even many of the past Shantakai members couldn’t believe that a trash-talking, sarcastic riding man could have any persuasion at all. It didn’t seem much to one of Heiki’s caliber but it would astonish how Heiki could put himself in a position that made the common man could relate to him. His typical banter was calm and friendly towards the salesperson. The sellers had a look of profit in their eyes while Heiki had the look of a bargain in his aura which toppled even the strongest and stubborn of salespeople. To what Heiki had convinced, he had received a fine and meaty steaks from one seller that was ½ the price of the original which was costly and way out of proportion for any commoner to buy (to which Heiki had exploited and called out), a supply of mix vegetables that consisted of grape tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, celery, red and white onions, radishes, yellow, red and green peppers were all bought with less than market value, a small jar of vinegar and oil that he bought for half the price and lastly he bought two purple skin sweet potatoes that were very common in the isles of sea country. Heiki displayed a good amount of knowledge to that salesperson (“The production for these type of sweet potatoes aren’t as mass produced as many other sweet potatoes and yams that you are trying to sell. Indeed, whoever told you that they were grown in Wind Country had simply ripped you off”) and was given two of them for free.

Uriko led through the alleyways when he was done purchasing. Heiki felt back at home when they went through the cover of alleyways to reach their location, no doubt the fact that the alleyways were merely unhampered by the footprints of other villagers and Uriko was keen on that note. They arrived at the shop, Osa didn’t make a appearance. “Lead on, Heiki-san” her voice gave a visual of her wanting him to go into the kitchen. Whether this was out of hunger, Heiki didn’t know. She wasn’t the person to be clutching her belly when she was running low with energy. He did lead and they were both in the kitchen. There was a well suited stove, nothing extravagant but it will certainly do the act. By the stove was a wooden countertop, bamboo from the look and it was custom built. Osa was not just a blacksmith, it appeared he had other skills that benefit him in a hobby sort of way.

Heiki set the bag down on the countertop. The potatoes he pulled out right away knowing they would be the easiest to do. He turned on the oven twisting it to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. He reached into the top cupboards and found where he kept the over pans. He set them in two inches apart from each other then he open the oven up and set it in “This one we can wait on. These type of sweet potatoes aren’t savory and mild sweetness like normal sweet potatoes. They will be our dessert.”

He went to work immediately on the salad he was going to create. Nothing too complex where he julienne the carrots and celery, washed the lettuce and ripped them to a consistent size, cut the onions and peppers, sliced the radishes and mixed in the oil and vinegar into a cup. It didn’t seem much but the way Heiki was moving and performing these small tasks made it seem like he was doing this all at once. It wasn’t a rushed action it seemed, the precision of it all made it feel as he was three men all at once. He had pulled out a large bowl that was hidden in the back of one cupboard underneath the sink that didn’t seem to have an end. He pulled it out and set all of the vegetables into the bowl. He had placed the grape tomatoes around the perimeter of the bowl so that it wouldn’t mix in with the rest of the ingredients.

Lastly were the steaks. The size of them both was far more than Heiki had intended. It didn’t seem so big when he first glanced at them but he when he realized this he didn’t grab one frying pan but two. He had set them on the stovetop and with the click of the stovelite. The flames immediately erupted from the bottom with blue flames hitting the pan. He didn’t turn it down; he wanted to keep it as high as possible for the time being. He added salt and pepper, which was more than enough with the amount of flavor the meat was containing and adding any more seasoning would just be a hassle to its taste.

“Bacon” it was one word he uttered out of the small frame of time he was cooking. His eyes scanned the kitchen, passing over Uriko as if she was a ghost. To his left was a shelve and in a small clear jar was a brown, semi-clear liquid. He grabbed it and set his nose just a few inches away from the mouth. “I knew I smelled it when I got in here. You’re a type of man who would save something like this.” He went to the pans on the stove which by now by the way the flames were impressively looking, the pans should have been hot. He dripped just a tad bit of bacon grease into the pans.

The fat jumped and sizzled as it hit the pan “Yahoo!” he said, excited with a wicked glee “Oh baby. Now we’re going to be cooking!” he add a tad bit more to the one pan and it sizzled and steamed as it promised the first time. He went over to the second pan and repeated. He set both steaks on the pan; the smoke rose from the pans and there was a small red flames that came along with it that dissipated just as quickly as it appeared. There the steaks filled the room with the mixture of its own aroma with the bacon aroma of the fat.

“I did say that I would tell you what I had planned. As simple as I want it to be, I rather watch over you to the fullest then to have my attention towards the objective I wish to procure. We’ll still be travelling to Kiri; that is full on my intent. The rate at which we will be going will be slower than most. As long as we don’t cause attention, we should be fine” the sound of the steaks was losing its sizzle. It was a minute of a good sear for the both of them and in turned, he flipped them accordingly. He spoke again when the sizzle of the steaks didn’t overpower his voice “I’m not much of a medical shinobi, as you can obviously tell. More of a scientist when you get down to it. With that claim, I’m not planning on moving too far ahead with my plans but that does not mean I plan on stopping completely.”

The sounds of the steaks were slowing and Heiki could see that they were done on both sides. He found both pan covers and placed them on top of pans. There, he turned down the heat to a low heat and waited for a minute and a half. When he felt that they were done, he took the steaks out of the pan and set them on a cooling rack “Would you mind helping me set the table? I don’t want to dig in yet, gotta let the steak settle in the flavor”

Both Heiki and Uriko did set the table, a small rounded table that set just a little way by the stove. Heiki had placed the round bowl of salad into the middle. He had separated the oil into two cups for each of them. The steaks had settled in and it had the color of one who took time and effort into creating a masterpiece of cooked steer. He grabbed two plates and set the one steak on each plate. He set one plate on one side of the table and the other plate on the side he had planned on sitting. When they both settled, Heiki thanked the meal and took a bite of the steak. He had cut into it, the middle of it was pink with much of the juice still inside. He was right on not eating it right away. The juice didn’t come out of the steak and it settled keeping in the flavor. “Ah, magnefico. Perfect” he said then continued on with his previous conversation “As I monitor you, I’ll also be doing a bit of practice of my skills. A man can never be a master but a student. As for me, the next thing to that motto is that you can never be too prepared. The unknown especially”

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

The memories that should have been buried were all too familiar and much fresher than Uriko desired. She still felt the bitter taste in her mouth at learning of her village's betrayal. Of course, this was far from the truth but unbeknownst to her, the kunoichi's life had been twisted and led astray from quite a young age. Whatever the reason for her to stand where she did today, just one thing was certain - she could never turn back. As a result of her nostalgia, she'd drifted off from the current conversation and returned to reality with a jolt, wondering if she'd missed Heiki's reply. The momentary silence that hung on the air suggested she hadn't. The man murmured something too quietly for Uriko to hear, then took a wistful breath. "Alas that time of my life is over. No matter where I am, that peace cannot come back as it did all those years ago." He mused. It was like he and the female nin were opposite sides of the same coin - one wanting to forget, the other wanting to return. Again, it struck the kunoichi how 'attached' her companion was to so many things in the shinobi world, yet he still strove for goals that would quite possibly erase these. It was an odd co-existence of ideals, for sure. "But perhaps, there will be a time where you can find a everlasting peace. I found mine travelling this world and perhaps you’ll find the same. Perhaps you’ll find something different. Who the hell knows. Life has a tendency of surprising even those who can’t be surprised." Heiki elaborated, letting his meandering thoughts tumble straight from his mouth. The woman remained silent, with nothing much to say in response. She uttered a non-committal sound and simply left it at that. Her partner was soon busy charming the market stall owners for the best produce at the lowest prices, anyway.

After returning to their temporary accommodation, the kitchen was the very first stop. Though Uriko knew very little about the intracacies of cooking, she could appreciate that Osa certainly was a cut above the average in terms of equipment. Sitting on a spare counter and watching Heiki go to work, she raised a mildly surprised eyebrow at the thought of the little shopkeeper having a second, creative hobby. He didn't seem the type. As the Shantakai leader busied himself removing items from the bags and setting them up in various locations on the worktop (with accompanying tools), he seemed to want to talk every now again, directing his speech at no one in particular. He mentioned the sweet potatoes they'd purchased, setting them aside for now as they would make the dessert - apparently. From then on, the kitchen became the source of many chopping, slicing and tearing noises as the man swiftly worked through the preparation. Vegetables and salad items were done in a matter of minutes, and Uriko found it difficult not to be just a tad impressed. Soon, the main ingredient emerged - steak. Two sizeable cuts were given a basic seasoning before Heiki turned his attention elsewhere. Pivoting on the spot, he appeared to be searching for something. As his gaze settled on a cupboard to his left, the man delved in enthusiastically and withdrew a half-filled jar. Chatterin away to himself and anyone else who cared to listen, he carefully added some of the viscous substance inside the jar to each of two pans - presumably ready now to cook the steak. As the fierce heat from below met the thick grease, the sound and smell of sizzling fat burst into the area. Enthused, Heiki cheered and soon had the meat cooking nicely.

For now, it seemed the man only had to watch the steaks. While he did so, he was at last able to answer some of Uriko's earlier questions. "I did say that I would tell you what I had planned. As simple as I want it to be, I rather watch over you to the fullest then to have my attention towards the objective I wish to procure. We’ll still be travelling to Kiri; that is full on my intent. The rate at which we will be going will be slower than most. As long as we don’t cause attention, we should be fine." He explained, still somewhat vaguely. But given this news, perhaps more detail wasn't necessary, as it suggested Heiki might wait until the kunoichi was recovered to start truly hunting his equipment down. This hint was soon compounded. "I’m not much of a medical shinobi, as you can obviously tell. More of a scientist when you get down to it. With that claim, I’m not planning on moving too far ahead with my plans but that does not mean I plan on stopping completely." Heiki stated, again frustrating Uriko with his evasiveness. It was only natural of course and by the sounds of it, she wouldn't be left out of the loop when it came to it. "Not giving anything away?" The woman quipped after a short pause. She knew that for some time, her life would be in his hands. Though she had made a peace with that fact, it was difficult for the female shinobi to be satiated with the information she currently had. From his last explanation, it sounded like Heiki would be needing medical expertise. Uriko shook her head - that couldn't be right. He was searching for relics, artefacts. No doctor, surgeon or otherwise could help with that, she reasoned.

The sizzling noise had all but ceased now and the woman had grown accustomed to the deeply savoury smell. A few more minutes of tinkering with the meal and her partner turned and asked for help laying the table. Merely nodding in reply, Uriko slid herself off of the worktop and began rummaging through cupboards and drawers until she found enough cutlery and crockery. Table set, the two nin pulled up a chair each and settled down. Heiki dished out the steaks, which looked (thankfully) just a little less enormous after cooking, and placed the large salad in the centre of the table. Uriko had to admit, it all looked and smelled pretty damn good. "Thank you, Heiki-san. It's been a long time..." She spoke quietly and trailed off, concentrating more on using the large spoons to grab plenty of the crisp, fresh salad. Adding a few drops of the oily dressing she tucked in, hoping her companion wasn't one to bother too much with airs and graces at the dinner table. The steak had been cooked extremely well - tender, yet full of both warmth and flavour. The salad made a refreshing contrast, but both were equally welcome. Heiki seemed pleased too, smiling and praising the food as he ate. After a short while, he took a pause to continue the previous conversation. "As I monitor you, I’ll also be doing a bit of practice of my skills. A man can never be a master but a student. As for me, the next thing to that motto is that you can never be too prepared. The unknown, especially." He elaborated, finishing on a somewhat mysterious phrase. What exactly he was anticipating on their journey Uriko was really starting to wonder. "Then I ought to warn you, Heiki-san." She began, reaching under the table and soon producing the pouch from before. Unlatching it, she withdrew the syringes and the little felt pouch. Plucking the yellowish one up, she continued. "You might feel a little below your usual physical capacity after taking the temporary vaccine." She explained. "That side effect will only last for about twenty-four hours though, so you shouldn't worry." She added hastily.

After a few more mouthfuls, Uriko decided to explain the procedure to him, given that the substances were already out and they had time to talk in private, now. "Perhaps I should explain." She said. "You already know that this yellow syringe is the vaccine. It will protect you for about five days, but should only be administered in small doses. All of this -" She gave the syringe a little shake. "- has to last you three separate injections. Making more would be a pain." She stated. Putting the vaccine down, she reached calmly for the murky, tan-brown syringe. "Again, this has to last three separate injections. But this is for me, not you. I'll be administering this myself about half an hour before each toxin is applied. It should prevent fatal contagion and provide my body the tools to fight the infection." Uriko continued, gently replacing the swamp-coloured syringe with one of the three clear ones. "These are shots of adrenalin, and critical that you administer them to me ninety minutes after initial infection. The weakened vaccine only puts the specific antibodies in my system, but my body needs the energy to fight - ergo, the adrenalin. One injection, the whole syringe, into my forearm vein. I have three of these, of course." The kunoichi instructed, carefully slotting the clear syringe in with its kin. Lastly, she brushed her hand across the three darkest colours, as if unwilling to pick them up. "These... these contain three of the most potent strains of disease known to humankind, strengthened and refined by myself. Rabies, Black Smallpox and Ebola Zaire." She finished quietly, unsure what else to say. After a lengthy silence, she quickly added a little extra. "Oh and if I take a turn for the worse, try to feed me one of these." She mentioned, shaking the little felt bag. "I'll be starting this tomorrow night, you realise?" Uriko inquired.

Subject: Re: Mobilize. Tue 28 Jun 2011, 2:37 pm

He devoured his food quickly, no doubt the result of his earlier years where he was forced to be a fast eater knowing that his father would try and consume all the food that his mother would cook. Her instructions were to the point, thorough and by no means vague. She couldn’t be vague for it be vague would leave the open ended questions which would lead to problems and in the end failure. Heiki had seen the liquids she had placed in her pouch; no doubt it would be used in light of what she had planned. He understood the reasons behind this; it was truly something that many researchers and scientist in the past chose to take. Instead of using subjects that they have some control of, they would do experimentations on themselves because they sought better results and they understood their body and understood what the experimentation would be.

What threw him off was the vaccine he was going to be given. Had she known what type of abilities Heiki had besides being a persuasive buyer and a cook? No doubt Uriko had questions about the Shantakai leader and what his powers entailed. He gave little information on what he was capable of for those in the public and private eyes. Indeed, she had to hypothesize what the normal human body can perform with a weak strain of the disease she was injecting her body with. Once she put that in mind, she would have to take the ‘normal’ out of the equation and place another variable which was the probable high tolerance of what Heiki body permits him. The amount of pathogens within the vial had to been a low so that a person would have some slow side effects but Heiki wondered if Uriko knew about his bloodline. He knew enough about Uriko’s bloodline to a fine point and needless to say, it seemed like such a pain.

It didn’t matter to him about the side effects. He should be fine. He nodded when she made points about injecting her with adrenaline. She continued on and he summarized it up “So injected you with the adrenalin after ninety-minutes into the forearm vein. If shit hits the fan, inject you with one of these bad boys” he points to the bag “in there. Sounds good to me” He yawned. In the back of his mind, he questioned whether adrenalin would outright help with the fighting of the pathogens. He stated he wasn’t a person who specialized in medical, but he wasn’t entirely sure of the risk of forcing adrenalin within her body.

He twisted his neck to the left and to the right hearing the crack of the spine. There was the instant release of the synovial fluid and he immediately felt a sensation of smoothness within himself. “Normally, someone would ask ‘what’s the hurry Uriko? It’s not like you need to do this right away’ but I understand your point. I ain’t gonna stop your methods at this at all. I’ll be taking care of you” He raised two fingers and pointed her letting one side of his lips smirk up in a slim smile “I got your back” He seemed calm as spoke, more relaxed and the tone where he spoke like a philosopher had seem to fade away in the background and he was showing just a tad part of himself. It was interesting to say the least seeing that this was a part of him that he was opening up to Uriko. But this was just one part and only one part. Whether she would see it as a sign of opening towards her or just weakness, it was neither those things.

Heiki had finished his steak. He looked at the bone, measuring it with his finger as he picked it up and set it down. IT appeared he wished to eat it but he declined himself. He would wait for another day to eat the bone of a steer. He preferred chicken bone in all honesty.

He had gotten up from the table and walked over to the oven. He had grabbed a thick towel and grabbed the metal handle pulling down the oven door. The steam rose up out of the oven and into the kitchen where the smell of the caramelized potatoes filled the nostrils of those who were sitting in that vicinity. Heiki got a large whiff of it and he didn’t mind all of that steam filling up his nose. He only let out a nice sigh and turned his head around “The potatoes are ready”

He had plated them both and gave one of the potatos to Uriko. He had already split up the skin down the middle of the spud to revel the deep purple that was the sweet potato. Indeed, it wasn’t the typical sweet potato. One bite was warm and airy to eat. The sweet potato kept its title as sweet. It was way sweeter, as Heiki stated, to be eaten as the regular main course. Heiki had consumed the inside of the potato with extreme haste. He didn’t realize this until he realized that the mashed insides were almost gone. He had a embarrassed smile on his face. He grabbed a napkin and wiped his face off.

When they were both done, Heiki had washed and dried the dishes, cleaning the kitchen to its original glory before Heiki had invaded him. He left out and went over to the door to the outside. Time truly went quick as it was already dark. IT felt like he just woke up and came into the village. He wanted to say time really goes fast here but he felt that there was no need for it. He smiled and opened the door. “If you need me, I’ll be outside. I have a hard time resting sometimes but the nighttime sure does help me out.” He walked out and sat at the side of the entrance door.

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

Unlike her companion, Uriko was taking quite a while to finish her meal. This was almost exclusively due to the fact that she had to manage with just one hand. Cutting a steak would have been impossible, so instead of suffering the embarrassment of asking her partner for help, she was somewhat crudely spearing the entire piece with her fork and taking individual bites from it before replacing it. Had she been able to eat properly, the woman would certainly have observed proper manners but as it was, she couldn't care less. While she ate, Heiki was able to digest the information she had just given him. His brow had furrowed when the kunoichi mentioned the effect her vaccine would have. Whether it was concern or just finding the effect irksome, she didn't know. But perhaps her explanation could have been a little clearer. "Don't worry, you'll just feel a little sluggish compared to usual. Like when you've just awoken." She elaborated. It seemed to placate the man across from her for now, but Uriko could tell something still bothered him. Perhaps he thought his physical 'abilities' could deal with this side effect?

The kunoichi had long since noted Heiki's strange capacity to withstand physical injury. The woman did consider this when crafting the substance, but as it had been fashioned to match the data from his blood exactly, that would be improbable - almost impossible. She was no mind reader, and gave up on trying to figure it out straight away. "So inject you with the adrenalin after ninety-minutes into the forearm vein. If shit hits the fan, inject you with one of these bad boys?" Heiki summarised. "Yes. The adrenalin will stimulate my body, stop the disease from wearing out the energy to physically fight it. Although..." She replied, opening the tiny felt bag and removing a beige-coloured pill. "You wouldn't be injecting me with this if, as you put it, 'shit hits the fan'." She explained. Uriko made the assumption the Heiki would find a way to help her ingest the pill despite being unconscious. Grind it up in water and pour it down her throat, for instance.

Cricking his neck loudly, the Shantakai leader had yet more to say to the kunoichi, who was still polishing off her meal. "Normally, someone would ask ‘what’s the hurry Uriko? It’s not like you need to do this right away’, but I understand your point. I ain’t gonna stop your methods at this at all. I’ll be taking care of you." He enthused, offering a positive gesture and a small smile. I got your back." He finished. Despite the unnecessary dramatics, Uriko really appreciated the man's intentions. He seemed genuine enough, which satisfied the kunoichi. There was always going to be an issue of trust for the woman, as she assumed there was for Heiki too. A man in his position could ill afford to rely too much on others. But the pair had an understanding and a mutual goal. Even if they hadn't managed to at least cope with each others' company, that would be enough. As it was, the two appeared able to work together well and without complications. For Uriko, this was sufficient.

Finally, the female nin took the last bite of her main course and leaned back a little on her chair. Her expression ahd always been difficult to read but if one had to guess, she gave the impression of contentment. "A welcome meal, Heiki-san. Thank you." She murmured, just loud enough for her companion to hear - Uriko was never that good at giving or receiving praise. Across from her, the man had already risen from te table and sauntered over to the potatoes. As he did so, the woman quietly collected the crockery and piled them together, placing the cutlery on top. She made a beeline for the sink (balancing everything precariously on one upturned palm) and placed the items in the centre, meaning to return to them later. Behind her, a sweet smell emerged and was accompanied by the soft musings of her partner. "The potatoes are ready." He sighed happily, as the kunoichi quickly found two slightly smaller plates for the pair to use for this course. By the time Heiki was plating up, she was back in her seat and ready for these unusually sweet potatoes. Mercifully, they had already been cut open and Uriko had no trouble scooping out the regal purple insides. Neither, she noted with childlike satisfaction, had Heiki. A deep, caramel sweetness came from each bite, though the texture told the woman she should be eating savoury. She proffered a rare smile for her companion's efforts and continued eating.

The pair sat in relative silence for the short time remaining. There was no need to say anything to the other, and neither was unhappy with this situation. When the potatoes had been fully consumed, Heiki took it upon himself to do the cleaning, despite a minor protest from Uriko. Truth be told, he would have been twice as fast as her no matter how hard she worked. Night had more or less fallen by now, though the kunoichi didn't notice until her partner opened the outer door and she saw for herself. Glancing back, Heiki spoke quietly. "If you need me, I’ll be outside. I have a hard time resting sometimes but the nighttime sure does help me out." He explained, smiling as her turned heel and let the door close behind him. Uriko sighed wistfully before getting to her feet. It was late now and she needed rest for tomorrow. The woman padded quietly out of the kitchen, up the stairs and into the shared room. After a rudimentary clean, she pulled off the shirt and stepped out of the trousers, leaving just undergarmets and bandages covering her extremities - the night was warm, after all. Uriko settled into the bed, noting (to her annoyance) that she did rather enjoy the comfort, just this once. When the Shantakai leader finally returned, he would surely find her sound asleep.

[OOC: Again, apologies for time delay. Been sorting moving away from university for the last time, and landlord/tenants being a pain. Left this post relatively open-ended - you can do some solo stuff or skip to morning, it's totally up to you. I definitely don't want to keep you from furthering plans for Heiki's armor and wotnot, so I'll be trying to get the poison(s) training out of the way A.S.A.P. Smile

]

Age : 35 Posts : 1113

[OOC: If you like, while you're doing your topic w/GN, I can go through some of the poison stuff alone on a new thread or on here so that when you return, we'll be set. I honestly don't mind, just wanted to know the state of play really! Razz

]

Subject: Re: Mobilize. Thu 14 Jul 2011, 4:15 am

OOC: Do what you like ^.^

Age : 29 Posts : 4301

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