Spoiler:

“Yah bastard ninjas think ya’ll so great. So do you think puts food on your table?”

“Food? I risk my life everyday to keep your bony ass safe and this is the thanks I get? I might as well kill you myself!”

“Go ahead, I would like to see you try!”

“Well, maybe I will. One less worthless trash for the world to look at.”

“Trash? The worm calling the spider brown.”

“That’s the kettle calling the pot black, you idiot!”

“You want to try me? These arms of mine will beat yah til’ you’re black and blue.”

“I won’t even need any jutsu to turn you into a lump of coal!”

“Oh yeah? Bring it on!”

“Hah. I will even let you take the first punch. Go on! Do it!”

Ciera had to push and shove through the crowd to finally reach the spectacle, and by that time, they were already ready to start a brawl. There were two people arguing, one obviously a shinobi while the other was a civilian. They each had a friend right beside them, less drunk but nonetheless, they were egging on the two arguing and seemed to be preparing for a fight. The bar atmosphere of the drunken bystanders and the redness on the faces of the participants already told her more than enough about what was going to happen if she didn’t put a stop to this right now. This was definitely not what she had been expecting when she had taken this job. It was supposed to be easy money—and good money at that—for a night of standing around imposingly to deter people from making problems in the bar.

It had been a busy night with many people coming in and out for drinks. A stream of people whose faces she could not remember for the life of her. If they had spoken to her, it was usually only for a few words. Sometimes to comment on her clan and skin while at other times, it was actually concerning something to do with the bar. For the ones in regards to the latter, she usually made a noncommittal agreement like saying that she will mention this person or tell this complaint to the manager, but she never bothered to actually do it—or even remember it for that matter.

Yet, here she was, walking into the first real conflict of the night. A table and its chairs had been tipped over and shoved out of the way, the results of which were evident on the floor. A few broken glass mugs and plenty of spilled alcohol. It was actually pretty dangerous. If someone slipped on the alcohol and fell face-first into a puddle of glass shards, they weren’t going to get out lightly with just a few scratches.

“Everyone, back up. Now!” Ciera had used her most authoritative voice, and while the crowd did pause in confusion for a moment, they did take a step back. It wasn’t quite out of the range of the puddle for some of them, but it was probably as good as she was going to get.

In the circle, there were only four people left. There were two civilians on one side and two genins on the other. Each side of the conflict was glaring at the other. This was going to be tricky if anything. Well, not tricky per say. Rather, it would be downright unpredictable. She was dealing with drunkards after all.

“Okay, that’s enough. This is a bar, but there will be no fighting in here,” Ciera said. “Everyone is trying to relax with a drink, so we don’t need this kind of thing in here ruining the atmosphere. If you want to fight, take it outside.”

All four pair of glaring eyes turned on her. Though there was a moment of pause when they seemed to realize that the person they were looking at was inherently different.

“You’re blue,” one of the civilians said.

“Yes, I am.”

“You’re blue.”

“I think we established that already.”

“You’re…pale blue.”

“And I think that you had enough to drink now. It’s time to go.”

The civilian turned an accusing finger on the drunk genin. “I will go when he goes.”

Said genin returned that pointing finger back at the civilian, though he had replaced it with his middle finger. “He has to go first.”

Luckily, the civilian didn’t notice the finger. “No, he walks out and then I walk out.”

“You first.”

“No, you first.”

“How about I kick you out first?”

“You won’t be saying that after my fist meets your face.”

“You think you can do that? Bring it on!”

“You think I won’t? Let’s do—“

“Shut the fuck up!” Ciera shouted at the top of her lungs. When all eyes turned on her, she returned it with a vicious glare. “You’re all going out at the same time. And that’s final.”

The ninja bristled at those words. “And what are you going to do about it?”

“Are you that drunk? Do you not recognize the color of my skin? Who do you think I am?!” Ciera bared her sharp teeth. “I’m Ciera Hoshigaki of the Hoshigaki clan. Do you really want to start things with me?”

The ninja seemed to shrink away from those words. As much as he was drunk, he did know of the Hoshigaki. They were a clan of shark-like humans with inhuman abilities and powerful bodies. Not to mention some of them were just downright insane. It was a tight-knit community, especially since there were only a few other fish-like clans in Kirigakure.

"Go straight home. Now. You better not be going to another bar tonight."

The civilians, having noticed the fear in the other ninja, seemed to sober up as well. When the one he was arguing with suddenly deflates like that, it felt awkward to hold onto his own anger. He turned and motion to his friend to leave. The crowd parted for their exit, and it wasn’t long before the pair of ninjas soon followed.

After that, the crowd began to disperse and a waitress came with a mop and a bucket of water to clean up the mess. Ciera stayed and helped to right the tables and chairs.

At least it didn’t end up with anything bad, just a few broken mugs which were not her fault at all; they were already broken when she arrived. All in all, it was a slow night.

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WC 1109/1000