The dunes surrounded the group of ten men and women alike as they walked through the passageway that the road continued through. The servants, who wore white hooded cloaks, surrounded the caravan while the man who required the escorts resided within, coughing and complaining with mumbled slurs. The day was long and humid, causing the lot to sweat with only the water in their canteens to cool them down. It was here in this pathway that was overlooked by hills of sand that caused them to grow more weary. At the western side of the caravan, one of the hooded cloaks peeked up to the hills with a short glance, seeing a small number of shadows attempting to blend into the sand, before looking to the front once more. The figure who looked, nodded to one of the other cloaked individuals who then ordered the escorts to halt in their tracks. Once stopped, they took out their canteens and begun their refreshing break with a sip. The shadowed figures stood and leaped with haste, advancing on their ambush as their time had come.

"Now!" The cloaked man revealed himself as Yutaka with a swing of his cape and removing it from play.

Another cloaked individual revealed themselves to be none other than Yutaka's most loyal bodyguard, Junko, who ripped the cloth cover off the caravan allowing Tadao, who possessed a crossbow smaller crossbow than he usually carried made of metal with a cylinder attached in front of the trigger to reveal himself and already aiming in the direction of the men behind the ambush. The smile on his face and the cigarette that he continued to inhale and exhale had shown the enemies of his intentions. They could not stop themselves from falling and it was difficult to move within the air once a destination had been set.

With his eyes down his sight and an itchy trigger, he began his assault and sprayed his bolts from the weapon that he had created. The firing rate was impressive, firing five rounds in two seconds with its automatic modification. The grin on Tadao's face had shown it all and why he loved the weapons he used. From the sand ahead, Ninja emerged only to be intercepted by Junko and her katana, cutting off their route towards Yutaka and the escorts. Yutaka however, walked towards the man who lingered in the caravan beside Tadao. He cowered down, lying behind what cover he could find. Yutaka leaped in between the man and his trusted bodyguard, causing the coward to be startled.

"First time?" he smiled with the chuckling of Tadao behind him as he continued his assault. The Arms Dealer knelt down to catch a better look at what fear could do to a man. It amused him as people reacted differently but it upset him to see that this man showed cowardice. Unlike Yutaka, he hid behind money and still feared for his life.

"I used to be like you. Then, I started to believe in my products. My companions. And myself." he began as the sounds of a small battle raged on in the background. "But you see..." he leaned in with a small sigh. His voice remained loud however, allowing it to travel over the noise of the combat they were in the centre of. "The problem with people like you and I, dealers that is. Is that some of us are meant to show good faith and honesty in what we have to give. Being me. While you. You...oh boy. You are all bark and no bite." Explosions could soon be heard from the rear which alarmed the man further, attempting to sink into the wood, forcing himself down as if he was as flat as he could be.

Another sigh. "Tadao?" he looked towards his trusted comrade. With a nod in return he placed down his automatic weapon and replaced it with a rather large crossbow, the most common he could be found with. He looked down the optic scope and forged a bolt from his forearm and laced it with paper bombs before firing it in the distance at the rear of the caravan where the explosions could be heard. It seemed that would be the last explosion they would hear from them and so Tadao retrieved his automatic once again.

"You see that? Well, I suppose we are in a different line when I said dealers... Sit up! What was it you sold?" he continued to ignore by the sounds of violence and became more intrigued by the man who tried to hide behind them.

"Uh... Ummm... Medicine..." he hesitated, refusing to get up.

With a blank face, Yutaka soon burst with laughter. "Sorry! Sorry! I thought you meant, 'Medicine!' You know? The illegal, under the counter type? Wow. We really are on a different line." He felt a little embarrassed at the mistake but he could not be blamed in his line of work as he came across a fair amount of drug dealers in his time. Before long, the inevitable silence emerged from the clouds of sand that surrounded them.

"Clear!"
"Clear!"

The two bodyguards shouted in unison as they scanned the north and south sides. Yutaka looked up to the hills that surrounded them from the east and west sides before jumping out of the caravan.

"Outstanding work everyone!" he smiled widely as the cloaked figures, his bodyguards and the man who hid looked up towards him. His smile was contagious to his comrades while the others still appeared in slight shock. They prepared to move once more, setting out to the village they were seeking which only just lay through this passageway.

They soon arrived in the centre of a dust filled town filled with the aroma of alcohol from a local tavern. I had an odd western theme with the larger than average wooden buildings and doors left ajar that were attached to them. The welcome mat was nothing but sand and was difficult to prove if they were still on the road or in the desert. It was still a barren wasteland however, as it shown its hostility towards organic life with little plants in the vicinity. Yutaka bowed before the man who paid him for his escort before he proceeded on to fulfil his delivery.

"Kind of a dirty trick don't you think, Yutaka?" Tadao raised an eyebrow towards him with a new cigarette being placed in between his lips.

"Maybe. But this was just to treat you guys!" he smiled once more as he handed each of them a third of the total he was given. Tadao chuckled, sparking up and filling his lungs with the toxins he craved. Junko smiled and hugged Yutaka, pressing her cheek onto his.

"I knew you were up to something! You gotta stop surprising us." she giggled innocently. Yutaka simply chuckled for the gratitude he was shown before scanning the area. There may not have been much to look at in this small town but his attention was caught by the sign above the candy shop.

'Open'

It did not come to him as a surprise when no-one appeared to linger outside. The thought of an open sweetshop should bring joy to all children that resided within this town for at least window shopping at their wares but as it was once figured. This was a barren wasteland. The idea was quite odd to the Arms Dealer. There were bigger establishments that surrounded the area mainly consisting of taverns, which offered liquor and a place to stay during the time spent here, a pharmacy, small weapons shops and general stores. To further his curiosity, he nodded to Tadao, hinting towards the closest tavern in order to have an accommodation for the next few nights and no doubt occupy the man with the treat of other toxins, before walking to the candy shop with Junko.

Darting his eyes across the windows outside, he looked at the layout of dolls that sat on chests of drawers that contained the many various sweets in many various colours that any child would crave. He proceeded to walk in, activating the bell that would strike when the door would open. Junko's eyes seemed glisten as she could see marshmallows, sprinkles, ice-cream, toffees, chocolate and other goods for those with a sweet-tooth while Yutaka simply pondered at the other wares and took note of the emptiness, this was a fact that the shop was foreseeable. An overweight man exited the door from behind the counter that remained hidden at the side, as if he came from nowhere. The sounds of water bubbling from pressure in a barrel of sorts reached the Arms Dealers ears before his attention drew over to the man and offered him a smile. He smiled back before Yutaka continued to browse the wares he had for sale.

'I don't like this, Yutaka... But then again, it is smart. They wouldn't expect him to be out in the open like this. Acting as one of the men who are being escorted and not being in the comfort of a wagon like this. The wagon marks a big fat 'X' after all.' Junko's thoughts began to escalate, thinking of all the possibilities and the pros and cons of each idea they had come up with. You would be right to assume she was overprotective of the Arms Dealer, Yutaka, but there was no denying her loyalty to any of these tasks given to her. She was stationed at the front of the caravan, walking and on the lookout of any signs of traps in the roads ahead. She wanted to turn her head to see Yutaka if only for a small moment, but orders were orders. Her identity remained hidden under the cover of the white cloth on the hooded cloak but her eyes could see all.

She turned to her head to the side as her attention was drawn by a gasping breath. He was fatigued as the sun scorched the earth and the humid temperature with no breeze to cool them began to show. She could finally turn to Yutaka, and so she did. Yutaka nodded before his eyes wandered up to the side where the dunes could be seen, surrounding the pathway. It appeared as though they had another reason to stop. Junko raised her arm before waving it slightly as an order to stop their journey. The many participants of their escort retrieved their canteens of water and drunk reasonable amounts before they could be on their way again. Junko made her way to the caravan however, to drink and to place her hand on the hilt of her katana that resided under the cloth that dangled over the side.

"Now!" Yutaka ordered as he removed his cloak.

Junko did the same, revealing herself and her weapon in her grasp. She pulled on the cloth that surrounded the caravan and further revealed her comrade, Tadao, who began to fire at will. The sounds of bolts leaving his crossbow streamed passed her ear before she ran to her position at the front once again. Bandits and missing ninja alike, emerged from the sands that surrounded them. Her blade danced with Junko taking the lead as her fluent motions soon caused the deaths of any who opposed her. As one body fell, another was already falling to accompany the previous on their road to the afterlife. Blood soaked her weapon as her bloodlust was peeking at a climax, thirsting for more to satisfy her thrills. The sand soon revealed hints of red and brown from the aftermath before she turned to the others and signal that all was taken care of in unison with Tadao.

They soon arrived at their destination and after a small moment to catch their breaths it seemed they would venture forth into the towns businesses. A sweet shop had caught the eye of Yutaka and  so the two made their way to see its wares. She was a child when it came to see all of the colours and brands of sweets, her face like a beacon. She inspected the toffees before putting a handful in a bag that was provided, followed by various gummy treats and jam filled donuts. She looked at Yutaka and had noticed that he had not found what he was craving just yet, but she was slowly becoming overwhelmed by the power of her sweet-tooth.

"Ummm... Yutaka?" she asked cautiously.

He nodded in response which led her smile to grow wide with delight and gratitude. She placed the bag of goods on the scale, determining the price before paying and beginning her feast upon one of the donuts glazed with caramel. The sensation rushed her taste buds and sending them into heaven from the sweet taste that she had wisely picked. She looked at Yutaka once more.

'What is he thinking? Maybe he needs some time to himself...' she thought with curiosity. She never could fully understand the Arms Dealers true intentions but knew him far greater than any other including Tadao. Maybe he needed to grow accustom to the area or needed time to think about the deal that had brought them here. Who knew? He had already surprised the two today for the little treat he had planned.

"I'll go see if Tadao got us an accommodation. Don't be long, okay!" she hugged him, cheek to cheek, before exiting the shop. Along her path to the tavern they had settled before, she scanned the streets with only a few walking among it, taking a bite of her next treat after each short moment leaving another smile on her face. She soon arrived in the tavern to see Tadao, who sat by the bar enjoying his own treat of a half-pint of some toxin he favoured over others, and a cigarette residing in his mouth.

"I thought you were getting us a room?" she sat beside him and pouted while innocently taking another bite. Tadao simply chuckled and flashed the room key before her and then gave it to her.

"Go ahead. I am in flavour country." he inhaled and exhaled the fine cigarette before taking a mouthful of his drink. His eye contact remained distant, only scanning the various drinks the place had to offer and the layout of the place.

"They have lemonade?" she adjusted herself to accompany him and setting the bag of sweets down on the chair beside her.

A rainbow of color danced over the hardwood tables of the candy shop as the characteristic bright light of the Land of Wind shone through, reflected off, and danced over jar after jar of neatly categorized sugar treats. It had been a rather menial task which brought Katsurou to the gumdrop kingdom. He had merely been sent to guard a delivery of alcohol to the local tavern all the way from Sunagakure. Even now he shuddered to remember the insufferable noise of the large sake barrel creaking and threatening to break at every bump on their paths. As much as he had feared the loss of that shipment, he had become accustomed the noise of crashing and shattering lager bottles, which Katsurou had learned early on was as often due to the bumpy path and poor safety conditions as it was to other shipment personnel partaking in the stuff and discarding the bottles. Honestly, he was glad to be done with it. Katsurou recognized the importance of the mission, of course; In a place where clean water is scarce, imported alcohol can be a necessity. His pay on the other hand hadn't reflected that very well.

Now free from the mission, however, Katsurou had decided to allow himself some indulgence. His eyes passed over jars of gummy bears, konpeitō, and bêtises de Cambrai, all calling on him to release them from their glass prisons and give them a new home on his taste buds; his mouth answered with a flood of unsatiated saliva. Katsurou could practically feel the ryo slipping from his pocket. His curiosity soon took an interesting turn, however, as his gaze shifted from the colorful jars on the windowsill to the band of individuals standing outside. Katsurou watched intently as a gruff looking man sporting a beard talked to a  pretty young woman and a sly figure of a man who seemed as dark as his skin was pale. Before too long the larger and older man departed, seemingly going off into town, while the woman and the younger man made their way to the candy shop. Katsurou grinned jauntily as they made their way to the door. It had been quite some time since he had been able to have a little fun. Simply controlling his magnetic fields, Katsurou sent a pulse to the bell over the door. He counted to himself.


It was now under his control. Not time to use it yet, no, but all pranks had to be planned out well in advance. Katsurou lazily took up a candy trowel and began filling his bag with various colored sweets. As much as he enjoyed candy, dropping in on the daily lives of interesting people seemed far more enticing.  Even now it seemed that the female was enjoying herself with the candy far more than Katsurou ever would have. As she seemed to grow ever more bubbly, however, the man she was with grew all the more mysterious to him. Even the woman seemed to have a moment where she noticed his demeanor. As interested as he was in the strangers, Katsurou still waited eagerly for the moment to pull his prank. The moment grew ever closer as the woman's candy bag filled up to the brim. Katsurou couldn't help but chuckle as she immediately began indulging herself with her bag full of sweets as soon as she had paid. The mystery man seemed to be staying while the woman left. Excellent. As she exited the building the bell on the door rang just as before. And rang. And rang. Oddly the bell seemed as though it simply refused to stop ringing.

Katsurou simply made his way over to the counter, bag of candy in hand and a smug grin plastered over his face to show all the world how full of himself he was. "Your friend must be very strong, or else her appetite for sweets must have a deep and sinister power." The boy hummed a common folk tune as he placed his bag of sweets on the scale, his good mood only spoiled when he realized he had accidentally given himself a large helping of black licorice when he had been focusing on the strangers. The bell itself rang faster and faster before finally flying off of its hook and falling to the ground where it continued to jolt in a seizure like dull ring. "God damn black licorice..." he let out under his breath, huffing out a ragged sigh as the bell's seemingly ghostly spirit died.

767

"So you want me to take your place?" Tadao spoke seeking confirmation of the plan. A puff of smoke exhaling as he did so.

"Indeed. See what you can uncover. They never expect the muscle to peek at their wares." Yutaka smiled.

"While that may be true... These seem like simple merchants." Junko retorted.

Yutaka crossed his arms and lowered his head. Something did not settle with him. General goods were something lower than what missing-ninja required. Escorting was a rare deal that he agreed to accept. What was it that he was looking for within the great dunes of the land of wind? Another rival? Another organisation higher than his own that may run him out of business in this country could not be ignored. Another intention that Yutaka would not reveal to his trusted subordinates.

"I never question my instincts. They called on us because we have experience. They seem to be having trouble with their products and I want to know why."

----------------------------------------------------

Tadao placed his crossbow pointing downwards and lay his arms over the stock end as he sat opposite the man that was to be escorted. He looked at him without much expression on his face, only a small smile and smirk before retrieving another cigarette from his top pocket. After it was placed and sparked, the fumes quickly began to fill the inside of the caravan they resided in. The man opposite him began to cough and belittled Tadao for his bad habits. Tadao's eyes simply darted to his, his smile faded quickly and a look of intimidation lingered. The man was soon silenced by this leaving the Arms Dealers bodyguard to chuckle in its stead.

"Could you hand me my canteen above you?" T adao asked with another exhale of smoke. The man nodded and stood to turn behind him to reach for the canteen. As he was no longer within his sight, Tadao lifted the cloth that covered the multiple crates beside them.

'Morphine... Zolpidem... Articaine and Epinephrine...'

He dropped the cloth as the man turned to hand him his request. He smiled and nodded in turn before sipping at the beverage.

'Heavy drugs. No wonder they called on us. It seems Yutaka's instincts are right...once again.' he sighed with a small smile. He was a veteran in the line of duty and was aware of these drugs and their purpose. The quantity was questionable however which led him to agree with Yutaka's suspicion. Pain relief medicine. Knockout medicine. Numbing medicines. In such large bulk in crates to be handed to a place where it was considered a resting  point on a journey. Something was going on behind the dunes of Sunagakure.

They soon came to a halt. Tadao immediately lifted his automatic crossbow and ordered the man to stay low before turning to aim. The covers of the caravan was lifted and as soon as he seen a target of a shadow figure in the distance leaping down, he took his shots. Yutaka climbed in with the two and spoke to the man defining him as nothing more than a beginner in the line of work of dealing. Tadao chuckled silently to himself as he heard the speech while vanquishing any foe that  came across the sight down his scope. He was asked to take care of the demolitions and did so with little to no effort with his rather large crossbow before returning to his automatic.

Arriving in the small town that possessed an intoxicating aroma of alcohol to the man, Tadao received his small pay and made his way towards the nearest tavern to accommodate the three for the night. Once he checked in, he entered a the bar and noticed quite a large crowd despite it only being the late afternoon. Some were sulking, wallowing in self-pity, tears accompanying their taste of alcohol, while others simply kept to themselves and drank in silence. He took a stool at the bar and placed his crossbow to his side while the larger version lingered on his back. This was Tadao's idea of a good dream. A bulky man with a stiff drink in a town that seemed to be filled with mystery and hidden treasures. The bartender handed him a half-pint of their best whiskey, larger than he first thought it would have been but it seemed in a place such as this, business was business. He took a large mouthful and kept it down quite well before a familiar comrade pulled out the seat beside him.

As Junko exited the bell rang profusely. At first, Yutaka thought nothing of it but as the estimated time to stop had since long passed, he turned with a raised eyebrow and watched as it continued to defy the laws of physics. There was no gust of air and no other being tampering with it. It was something that the Arms Dealer would keep in mind but his gaze was soon interrupted by a young man who approached him with a bag of sweets of his own.  

"Your friend must be very strong, or else her appetite for sweets must have a deep and sinister power."

His words shared an almost charismatic hook like his own and had suspicions of her prowess with combat. Yutaka simply closed his eyes and lowered his head before giggling and looking back at him. His words rang true, like the bell by the door. She was a strong kunoichi and she did have quite the appetite for sweetness. Yutaka simply smiled as he scanned the young man. He seemed harmless enough for his audience and so agreed to interact.

"Strong is putting it lightly, yet her liking to treats can be just as intimidating." he scratched his head while still sharing his wide smile for the world to see.

The young man then complained about the black liquorice that he had obtained. He was not sure why however as it was a selection that he got to choose. His anger grew in synchronisation with ringing of the bell which took his attention once more, ringing with haste as if its inanimate life depended on it. Before long, it flung itself from the grasp of its holder and landed on the floor. With his slightly widened eyes Yutaka turned back to the man before him. It may be bold to say that the he and the bell had shared a connection, as ludicrous as it sounded, it made sense in a way. He suspected Junko was a strong woman just by the amount of treats she carried and while that may have been a simple remark, there could have been some truth behind his words. Was this individual a shinobi also?

"Yutaka." He outstretched his arm, offering to shake as a sign of respect.

The plump man from behind the counter inspected the two and Yutaka could feel his eyes upon him. He turned with another raised eyebrow towards him, as if he was asked a question. The man snapped out of his inspection and smiled widely before placing a finger in the air.

"I have something you may enjoy. It's new and I won't charge you for trying." he grinned as he reached below the counter and returned with two round sweets with a pink colouring for the two.

"Go ahead! Try it!" he kept his grin.

Yutaka looked at his new acquaintance before giving a slight shrug and lifting the sweet and trying the new product. As soon as the taste etched across his tongue he smiled before swallowing and hastily took the other before the young man could retrieve it.

"Sorry, my friend already has some sweets. Can't let him get fat!" he smiled to the man.

He quickly took his 'friend' by the arm and forced him out along with him, kicking the bell by mistake during his quickened pace, allowing it to ring as he opened the door and dragged his accomplice out. Once they turned the corner of an alleyway, Yutaka withdrew a vial from the inside of his jacket and breathed deeply for a brief moment before drinking its contents. He covered his mouth with the back his hand as he found it hard to keep down, breathing harder and feeling his tongue struggle inside his mouth.

"You know... From a young age..." he struggled to speak, gasping in between every few words spoken.

"We tend... to favour sweet tastes..." he held a finger up signalling for more time to explain as he bent over. He stood back up and looked to the sky above, clearly experiencing discomfort.

"And as we age... So do our taste buds... Preferring the sour tastes over time..." he held the finger up one last time.

The Arms Dealer bent over once again, vomiting on the side of the building within the alleyways. A mixture of textures and colours were escaping with his breath. His neck tensed with each regurgitating action. He sniffed, indicating he was finished and spat a few times until his mouth was dry. He retrieved his canteen and drank the water within before spitting out once more and finally drinking the rest to leave him with a relieving sigh. He looked to the man who witnessed the action and giggled slightly.

"So you are not from around here. On a mission?" he confirmed his own suspicion and asked with a further question with a slight chuckle once more. The whole scene was out of place for the newcomer, a feature that Yutaka seems to forget most of the time is that he leaves people out of the situation until he feels is necessary to share. A few more deep breaths as he looked down to the whole sweet that he had just swallowed within the pile of vomit that lingered behind the cans of rubbish.

He then approached his newfound friend with slight dizziness and placed an arm around his shoulder before he began to walk towards the tavern. Once inside he scanned the area and found his faithful comrades by the bar, surrounded by some of the locals. He returned his arm by his side and nodded to the young man to come with him. Once they were within close range of Junko and Tadao he called out to them. Tadao simply turned and smiled before exhaling his fumes from the cigarette. Junko on the other hand, was using her blade to quickly stab the spaces between her fingers on the counter, which explained the locals surrounding them with her intensity and speed continuing to be as impressive as ever.

He came between the two and tapped their shoulders. Like puppets, they stopped what they were doing and travelled with the Arms Dealer and the being that stood by his side. They made their way to the room on the balcony above and down a hallway far from the noise.

"Tadao, second shift. Junko, third." he ordered which they happily complied heading into the room to sleep for their scheduled times. Tadao gave Yutaka a piece of paper and smiled as he did so, leaving Yutaka with a grin. He turned to his new acquaintance when he was comfortable that they were alone in the hallway once more and smiled.

"Regardless of our age. Our taste buds tell us that traces of salt is poisonous." he grinned deviously.

"Not much happiness in the air." Junko sighed as she began to adjust to the tone of the area she was in. She glanced at each table and the people who inhabited the chairs surrounding them, each sadder than the last. She sipped her lemonade and turned to Tadao who was letting off a slight chuckle.

"Not all of them have a bag of treats." he finally let out as he gestured towards the bag Junko had brought in.

She glared in response before calling over the bartender for another round of what they previously ordered. Sighing once again, her attention was brought to a rather large man who pulled up a seat beside her. His breath reeked of strong alcohol and smoke from a cigar no doubt. She turned to Tadao with a raised eyebrow before returning to him.

"Can I help you?" she asked with a little attitude, frowning upon the man invading her personal space.

"What's a cute girl like yerself, doin' in a place like this?" he chuckled deeply and reached to caress her hair.

Junko caught the hand and broke his middle finger without so much as a look towards him. He yelped in pain and revealed the broken finger to all whose attention it caught before bring it back to face her.

"And now you are giving me the finger? How rude!" her right fist lunged at the mans face, flooring him in an instant. Her jaw tensed as her veins began to surface of ehr skin. One thing she disliked was a man trying to have his way with her, unless it was Yutaka of course. Tadao simply reached for another cigarette and giggled once more that she took things too far. It was comical however to see the beauty put down each beast with unexpected strength and knew to stay well out of her way.

The man's friends stepped in to help him up before one of them challenged her, but it was not to a fight, but a test of strength. It was a strange way to avenge a friend she thought but rolled up the sleeve of her jacket and placed her elbow on the counter before her, opposite his. Within a few moments, the mans arm had been overpowered. Attention was drawing near as people began to challenge her.

Before long, she had beaten many who opposed but her focus soon changed to two large men who drew a blade between them. Junko simply withdrew her tanto from her lower back and laid her hand flat on the countertop. They watched, waiting on her to strike before she hastily stabbed in between each finger with increasing speed. The results were again, humorous to Tadao as he watched men with cigarettes dropping from their mouths and drinks pouring, missing their mouths entirely.

A tap on each shoulder from Yutaka had caused them to abandon everything in an instant. They retrieved their bag of treats and crossbow and followed the Arms Dealer to the room they would spend the night in. Once given their shifts, they proceeded to enter the room. Junko immediately lunged for the double bed.

"I'm on second shift..." Tadao informed her, suggesting her to move.

"So why should a big bed like this go to waste in the middle of the night?" she argued with a grin.

A shrug with his shoulders indicated she was right in a way and so he settled for the single bed. She removed her clothing to leave nothing but her underwear.

"If Yutaka's friend is staying tell Yutaka he can sleep with me!" she spoke bubbly in hopes it would be accepted. She turned to the side and began to nod off with ease. It was normal for the three to sleep soundly in different environments as they had been through it all. With a small sigh, Tadao agreed and began his rest on the smaller bed, nodding off rather quickly also.

Katsurou chuckled at the man's comment concerning the woman he was with, accepting his offer to shake hands. "Call me Katsurou." The fact that there were still decently friendly people even all the way out here warmed the boy's conscience. Perhaps talking to strangers was not a universally bad idea. His suspicions about humanity were confirmed to him when the plump man behind the counter offered free candy to the two of them. If anything, it seemed like an almost too perfect reprieve from the monotony of missions. His eyes glowing, Katsurou took his piece almost in unison with Yutaka. Pink. Pink always meant something good. Was it cherry? Raspberry? Strawberry? Perhaps it was even bubble gum filled. All of the possible options excited Katsurou as he lifted the piece to his lips, practically drooling in anticipation. However, almost as soon as it was within his grasp it was snatched by Yutaka. "Hey, who do you think you are, bloke!" Katsurou practically fumed as he turned to Yutaka with an expression almost as sour as the candy in his bag. Before he could think of something more rude to say, however, Yutaka was already pulling him out the door. "The hell do you think you're doing?  Hey, I'm talkin' to you!" Despite his verbal struggling, however, the two of them were soon out in the alleyway next to the candy shop. Still not entirely grasping the situation, let alone his own self control, Katsurou continued to lash out at Yutaka verbally. "Is Yutaka even your real name? What, do you think you can just go around killing random shinobi? Hell no, sir. I'll have you know I'm an accomplished fighter who can hold his own against any old street thug." As he rambled on and on, Katsurou's fury slowly tired to the point where he could notice the state Yutaka was in. He had completely missed the man downing his drought and was now left almost as dazed and confused as Yutaka was from the poison. Before Katsurou could say another word, Yutaka was already on about how taste aged, though he interrupted himself with a stream of vomit to which Katsurou replied with a gruff sigh. As Yutaka came over to him, Katsurou melted into a soft smile. "Think you can just go around saving people's lives, hmn? I'll allow it."

Before long the two had made their way over to the tavern, where they met up with Yutaka's acquaintances. Perhaps the better term was accomplices, though Katsurou still did not know what to think at this point. Already they seemed to be the life of the tavern even for the short time they had been there. It certainly seemed to be a more and more interesting crew as things went on. Tadao and Junko, apparently. They were the names Yutaka called them by for the moment, at least. Amusing people, certainly, but not near so amusing to Katsurou as the fact that Yutaka had decided to finally finish his line of speech at this point. "Salt, hmn? You must be quite the lucky guy to know the specifics of poison without dying. I guess that's good enough reason to accompany you on your shift, then, though you'll have to fill me in on why you have shifts in the first place." The boy painted himself a smug grin as he leaned on the wall near Yutaka. He did not entirely trust the man or his motley band of misfits yet, no, though he decided it was best to try his luck with the man who had actively attempted to keep him from harm. He certainly was not going to be sleeping any time soon after all this excitement, that was for sure; almost definitely not with the headache he had acquired after his mad shouting earlier. Excitement was what he had been craving for a long time. Excitement and recognition, yes. Danger, however. Danger was another thing. Katsurou had yet to become involved with any life or death situations. He was merely a thick headed kid with some odd chakra who thought he had what it took to become a shinobi of Suna. Just dangerous enough to get himself in trouble, just ambitious enough to ask all the wrong questions, and just stupid enough to get himself killed. "So why are you here anyways, hmn? You didn't seem to know that man at the candy store or you would have known about the poison. But I can not help but feel that two powerful groups in such a small town are not somehow connected. Or was it just a sweet tooth that bit too deep and got into the rot?"

795 + 767 = 1562

A bar filled with small cinder that had been dragged in by the many travelers boots and the smoke that filled the air throughout from the many uses of tobacco being burnt was a sight Tadao could be found in quite often. He was a man of varied tastes, accepting of many personalities and could tolerate many scenarios during his life as a shinobi. He had seen it all. They had always said a man with a beard is a man with patience and that was a phrase that he could prove accurate, like his precision with his great crossbow. He lifted the half-pint of whiskey before keeping down a mouthful of the contents only a man with an acquired taste could with little expressions made afterwards. He licked his lips and swallowed once more to clear the contents he had took in before looking to his comrade. A remark regarding the atmosphere led him to giggle at his own joke with his reply before inhaling another drag of his cigarette to satisfy his cravings.

He scratched his rough beard before looking around the bar in search of a napkin but came to no avail. With that, he called upon the bartender to hand him a piece of paper from a notebook of tabs he kept on people that was within reach and a pen from his right front pocket and scribbled his knowledge;

''Morphine. Zolpidem. Articaine and Epinephrine. Hospital use.'

Tadao kept the content short, brief, as the piece of papaer was limited in size. Brief points of what he knew to give to Yutaka when the time presented itself to do so. Turning his head to the side to see his partner being confronted by a rather large man, much like himself. Junko's attitude was a clear indicator that she was not interested in what he had to say, like a sign that said 'do not disturb.' A broken finger and another remark left the giggling marksman to struggle with his next drag of nicotine but he managed to prevail.

Like a button on a remote, the tap on his shoulder tuned him out of the situation and he followed his orders to accompany Yutaka along with Junko and a young face he had not yet encountered in this worn out town. With his crossbow firmly placed on his back and the drink left with money by its side, he readied the piece of paper to be handed to the Arms Dealer. The shifts were announced and a small sigh escaped the man with dislike as he achieved the second shift position. An interrupted sleep which made it harder to sleep once more when he would return to his slumber. He handed the paper and nodded with a small grin of his own to the two younger audience members before making his way in counting sheep.

Another small cross of words between the two bodyguards ended in Tadao residing within the smaller bed for the evening as the two drifted off to sleep to live in yet another small faded fantasy until their time to leave was called upon. Smoke and cinder, much like the bar below, filled his mind once again as his eyes were shut and his body lay to rest.

"Salt, hmn? You must be quite the lucky guy to know the specifics of poison without dying. I guess that's good enough reason to accompany you on your shift, then, though you'll have to fill me in on why you have shifts in the first place." he grinned as he lay against the wall beside the two.

Yutaka took a brief moment to himself, placing a finger upon his chin and tapping it as he looked up at the mold on the ceiling above of the worn out tavern. He then turned to look at Katsurou as the young man claimed to be and grinned slightly with a small chuckle before placing a stern posture consisting of folded arms and a glare to accompany it.

"Lucky?" his glare slowly faded with a small sense of regret. He sighed deeply before rubbing the back of his head and forcing a smile to ensure he was not coming across as angry to his new found acquaintance. " "Unlucky is more fitting, wouldn't you say? A young enthusiast such as myself knowing poison from candy is quite alarming some would say." There was truth in his words. Why should such a young man have the knowledge of what was poisonous? It was only one of the many threats he faced growing up in his line of work. Many attempted to take his life through various methods  which all proved unsuccessful as he stood before Katsurou at this current moment. The bodyguards were not just for show, but for the purpose of their title. Countless assaults for his wares and reputation within the world of Arms Dealers had forced him to do so although he had managed to counter the silent approached himself, such as the poisonous treats. He was a trickster, and a survivor.

"Thank you for accompanying on my shift however!" he bowed formally. "We have shifts because trust is such a hard precipice to come by, wouldn't you agree? he raised himself and tilted his head slightly as he questioned Katsurou rhetorically. "Put simply. We each get our eight hours while taking turns on a four hour shift!" he giggled innocently before leaning in and using a hand to hide the side of his mouth as if he was telling a secret. "The second shift is horrible. You wake up after four hours, to guard for four hours... And then sleep another four hours... Just horrible." he shivered as he committed to his speech even further. It was hard to determine Yutaka's true intentions as his personality seemed to change frequently, even his bodyguards simply played along.

His attention drew towards the ceiling once more, attempting to imagine the look it once held. It would be authentic, an original style that only varnished wood could sustain. He smiled. As the Sunagakure shinobi began to speak, Yutaka made his way over to the window at the end of the hallway that stood not five feet away. With a quick glance, he could see the back alleyways join together from the neighboring buildings. Shades of figures danced with the shadows that lingered on the walls and fences as they seemed to struggle under the moonlight. A fight? A common feature that was highly possible behind a saloon such as this one. The type with a tough crowd only Tadao could get along with.

"So why are you here anyways, hmn? You didn't seem to know that man at the candy store or you would have known about the poison. But I can not help but feel that two powerful groups in such a small town are not somehow connected. Or was it just a sweet tooth that bit too deep and got into the rot?"

His ears peaked and twitched as the words escaped the young mans lips and traveled to his him. He turned to face him and smiled gently.

"That's quite a mind you have. Intrigued yet quick to conclusions. Partially right, I might add." he edged his way back to where he once stood as the moon continued to creep across the star ridden sky and include itself into their conversation. "I did not know that man, that is correct. Two powerful groups connected..? he could not help but giggle at this remark that he had been here on a different matter of business. "I knew you were a shinobi with that little bell trick. That was you, correct?" He chose to ignore the absurd belief, finding it almost offensive to be considered to be one of the ruffians that lingered in an old abandoned and what seemed to be a forgotten and limited territory. He would however, answer his initial question.

"My friend..." he placed a hand on the young mans shoulder.

"Today, you traveled with an Arms Dealer. he grinned in a somewhat devious way yet still maintaining his composure of a professional nature and allowed the moment to soak in. Who would suspect an Arms Dealer across their journey?

"My name is Yutaka Kedōin. The man and woman with me are my bodyguards, Tadao and Junko. Both ex-ANBU and specialists in certain areas. I am here on business. I have a shipment of some armour and kunai to be delivered here for tomorrow." he nodded and scratched his cheek as he let the information settle with the Genin before him. He took it upon himself to read the note that Tadao had written him, opening the small piece of paper and seeing the simple points that were made from his bodyguards point of view. His smile widened once more in a child-like fashion, as if he was already planning something ahead of time. It began to make sense to him. The curtain would soon become unveiled as he was now apart of the situation first hand.

"Katsurou... Would you like to accompany us tomorrow? I could use another figure by my side and I may have something I could use your help with. Interested?" he raised an eyebrow and outreached his arm once more for another shake to confirm the deal the two may make.

Katsurou was somewhat amused by the stranger's quick change in mood. It was true that Katsurou knew next to nothing of the man's personality, but the way he so easily mixed smiling and a rough tone was a bit disconcerting for Katsurou. All the young man could do was rest his hands behind his head and smirk uncomfortably to make himself feel better. For certain, Katsurou thought, it was better not to upset a man like this too much, especially after he had just saved his life. However, even considering the time of day and the previous events of the day, Katsurou could not help but feel somewhat taken off guard by his new acquaintance's revealed personality.

"Lucky or unlucky, I can only imagine a person like you will keep rolling your dice either way." Even if his words were motivated in part by fear and uncertainty, Katsurou still spoke his mind. As much as Yutaka talked about his uncertainties and perceived bad luck, Katsurou perceived that the older man enjoyed his lot in life as a gambling man; or perhaps disliked it so much that he could do nothing but continue to test fate in hope for something better or worse.

Almost as quickly as the bitterness about Katsurou's previous statements had left his mouth however, and far more quickly than Katsurou could stop to think about the previous situation, Yutaka had already switched gears completely to joke about the night shifts. What caught Katsurou's attention, however, was the spiel on trust. Did these bodyguards of Yutaka's really trust him, Katsurou wondered. Yutaka almost unquestioningly seemed to think so. Katsurou had no reason not to find the bodyguards untrustworthy, but Yutaka himself was a different story. His mannerisms were odd and he was difficult to grasp. Then again, Katsurou remembered what was always said in situations like these; Actions speak louder then words. In that case, Yutaka must have done some pretty loud things because his words were all over the place. Speaking of the night hours, however, Katsurou began to remember his weariness. He would need to find somewhere to sleep tonight.

Almost as soon as he ended his line of questioning, Katsurou could feel yet another mood swing coming from the Yutaka fellow. That was to be expected. However, what Katsurou failed to foresee was how wild and crazy Yutaka was in practice. He claimed to be an arms dealer and his two friends ex-anbu. Katsurou could only shake his head, offering a smirk as condolence for his silence. He was not quite ready to accept the story for fact at face value yet. However, he was not shaking in his boots either way. The way Katsurou saw it, there were only two possible realities for this situation; Either Yutaka was something of a madman or someone desperate for leverage or attention over or from Katsurou, in which case, if Yutaka needed to rely on made up fairy tales, Katsurou was safe. Or there was the other option. Yutaka and his friends were indeed who they said they were, in which case, if they wished Katsurou harm they would have done so from the beginning, being far more powerful than him; again, Katsurou was safe. As he came to his conclusion, Katsurou offered a grin as he bounced from the wall to enthusiastically clasp Yutaka's hand. "I'm still not entirely sure who you are, but I'm not so sure that I care to know. What I do know is that if I stick with you for a while I'll be sure to have more fun than sitting around here."

613 + 1562 = 2175
Training: Six Inch Nail (1000/1000) Complete!
Training: Third Eye (1000/1000) Complete!

175 words remaining

A hand embraced his own with a warm grasp and an eager man behind it. Yutaka's eyebrows raised slightly before a grin was worn once again. A deal was made, something he had lived more. It made his world exciting, especially since he was the creator of the contracts. The fine print, the loop-holes, all were taken into account before each deal. What this young man failed to do was to hear them out. Yutaka felt as if he had gained free help, no costs, no hidden fees, just manual labor at his disposal. This was not a written contract however, no letters bound to the actions he requested and so the young shinobi from the wind country was still free to do as he deemed fit. It was only the very idea that let the Arms Dealer light up with delight.  

"I'm still not entirely sure who you are, but I'm not so sure that I care to know. What I do know is that if I stick with you for a while I'll be sure to have more fun than sitting around here."

Yutaka held in a soft giggle before letting go of the bond they had formed before he began to rub the back of his head. "You know... You may get a lot more than you bargained for!" he continued his grin with a cocked eyebrow. With a quick motion of a raised and clenched fist it along with an angry expression, he became momentarily furious in a comedic fashion, the anger was masked with concern for his new found comrade.

"Don't accept deals so recklessly!" his clenched fist shaking with anticipation before him on whether it should strike or not. He let out a small sigh as he dropped his hand by his side and made his way over to the window once more, inspecting the outside for a brief moment. The dancing shadows that were seen earlier had vanished and a small pool of liquid could be found in the alleyway. It had not been raining, but they were in a tavern after all. Who was to say that it was not one of the patrons drinks or urine that lingered there?

"For a moment there... I could have owned you..." he let slip with a disinterested voice as if it was a common occurrence in his line of work, bobbing his head around the window as he continued scanning the area. With a scratch on his cheek once again he turned to face Katsurou and chuckle. "I said: 'I could use another figure by my side-' which is entirely open to me recruiting you! I know, I know... A cheap trick, but trust me. It's happened in the past with some foreign associates of mine. 'Cept that was on paper..." he made his way over as he explained. He then waved his hands and nodded to gesture that he was not serious about the trick he had created and formally bowed as an apology.

Yutaka's mind was a puzzle in itself. Attempting to figure him out had been proven to be quite the task for many doctors in that field, often requesting for further time but denied by the man himself, cautious if the chance may arise to those persistent enough. He merely checked in with them as anyone should in a line of work such as his own and one did uncover that he may have been suffering from schizoid personality disorder. This was a best guess however. Luckily for him, his bodyguards would not pry into the abyss. Tadao had once said that 'Yutaka was the type of man who would look at a lamp, and while most people would see a lamp, he would see nuts and bolts.' It was quite a curious statement to the young Arms Dealer at that given time and it was certainly something he would not forget.

He looked at the molded ceiling once more and edged his mouth to one side before he looked at Katsurou as he did before, the face still retaining that pose. An exhale of air as he closely gazed at his friend would soon settle the silence as he raised a knee and slapped it before returning it to the ground. "I figured you would have more to say than this. What's a matter?" he leaned in as his Cheshire smile returned to his face. "Cat got your tongue?" It could be understood that someone could think of Yutaka as a 'madman' but what they seemed to forget that converting with a madman and sharing in his ideals or simply wishing to accompany him could reflect on themselves. Could they say the same about Tadao and Junko? In Yutaka's eyes, everyone needed to let out a little madness in order to stay sane.

If there was one thing Katsurou was learning in his time with Yutaka, it was that he always had something new up his sleeve. Katsurou imagined the strange arms dealer almost like a peacock, ever-desiring to strut and show off, or like a magician smirking as he prepared his next trick. There were few words which Katsurou could use to describe the man who performed before him, but entertaining was certainly one of them. Despite his cheeky grin and somewhat surprised look at Katsurou's confidence or stupidity in deciding to tag along with him, he seemed quite pleased. In spite of his confidence, however, Katsurou was not prepared for Yutaka's again sudden mood swing into faux anger, and was easily taken off guard. Without warning, as Yutaka's shaking fist came at Katsurou, his reflexes sent his head crashing into the wall, and he slumped against it in slight pain.


"Y-Yeah, Yutaka... I'm sure you could have." Katsurou let out a raspy sigh as he rubbed the still growing swollen bump on the back of his head. He knew, or at least hoped he knew, that Yutaka had no intention to hurt him, but the sporadic nature of his personality still kept Katsurou on edge, as evidenced by his most recent reaction to the other man's antics. Before he could even grasp what was now going on, Yutaka was already bowing in apology to him. Katsurou himself could not help but smirk at the fluidity with which Yutaka progressed through his seemingly disjointed actions. It almost seemed magical, or at the very least something special. Katsurou's smirk only widened as he raised himself back up off the wall, returning to an upright position and burying his hands as well as his inhibitions within the pockets of his jacket. "I tend not to go back on my initial decisions,  no matter how poorly thought out they turn out to be. A deal is a deal, isn't it?" What he said was true, at least in part. Katsurou rarely second-guessed himself, though this rarely had anything to do with his deal with others and more often had to do with how he perceived reality around him. He was a man who did things his way, no matter how long it took him to figure out what his way was. Once he figured out his plan, however, he stuck to it, no matter the eventual consequences. Today his plan was not so much to make a deal with an arms dealer, but more along the lines of uncovering a mystery and having an adventure with a quirky new friend.

Just how quirky can I deal with, though?

The opportunity to find out came just as quickly as any of Yutaka's other shifts, it seemed. Just on time but still unexpected. Katsurou merely lifted a hand from his pocket as well as a due bit of caution and rested it on the back of his head. "I usually have quite a bit to say, but today I have more questions than statements." The boy put on a smile which leaned to one side of his face, his eyes squinting in anticipation as though he were looking at his next meal. "Who exactly are you dealing arms to out here anyhow, and why have I not seen any crates or boxes filled with kunai and the like? Surely you aren't just handing out the Spring Catalog, are you?" As much as his curiosity controlled him, Katsurou was not so interested in the workings of whatever organization Yutaka may or may not be a part of, but rather on what kind of person Yutaka was, and how he did business. Of course, when asking questions of such an erratic person, Katsurou assumed it would be best just to give him something to talk about and observe.

It was getting late, however, and Katsurou began to become ever more overcome by drowsiness. In an attempt to fight back, he retrieved two small ball bearings from his pocket and levitated them over his other hand, allowing them to dance around each other and through his fingers. His eyes still fixated on his toys, the boy asked Yutaka yet another question. "What do you do for fun anyhow, Yutaka? Is this job really all the entertainment you need?"

739 + 175 = 914

"I usually have quite a bit to say, but today I have more questions than statements."

His ears twitched as the Arms Dealer's attention was brought to the young man for questioning. He was a host to some extent in all his interactions, finding it ideal for questions to be asked about his products and their durability and utility in the battlefield, although these questions were simply personal. His eyes widened slightly as his head tilted to the side as he awaited one of the questions that the young man had in mind. The young man leaned on one side with squinted eyes, his thoughts beginning to show with his expressions and the curiosity that he wished to feed would soon have its meal.

"Who exactly are you dealing arms to out here anyhow, and why have I not seen any crates or boxes filled with kunai and the like? Surely you aren't just handing out the Spring Catalog, are you?"

With a few blinks and a small swallow, Yutaka returned to his playful self as a smile etched its way across his face once more. A small chuckle given off at the sarcastic joke of spring catalogs before he gave off another smirk. He turned to face the window and walked a few feet only to be halted in his tracks to turn back around to his companion. A little more dramatic than need be.

"Well... Let me tell you more about our little band of merry-men!" he raised a finger as he spoke, hinting for a moment of his time.

"The three of us are from scattered clans. Myself, the 'Kedōin',  Junko is an Uzumaki , and Tadao, the 'Kongō.' Quite a rare selection with unique abilities." he widened his grin as the three reminded him of an old folk tale. Like a story one would tell to their grandchildren, a myth, a legend. No, myths and legends die, the three were... something else and very much alive.

"I cannot answer any questions about my clients... Confidentiality and all that. But, to answer your questions about the supplies, its really quite simple. Junko! The Uzumaki are renowned for their sealing abilities!" his arms flailed with each mention of his bodyguard. Nothing but pride filled him when he spoke about the confidence he held with his wares and the people he worked close with.

He approached the Wind ninja with further confident steps and gave off his devious grin once more, leaning in closer to the young mans ears for a whisper "I believe she could carry mountains..." he leaned out and darted his eyes to the sides with that same grin. Of course, this was not true but it displayed the amount of wares he could potentially  possess. He retrieved a kunai from his waste and inspected the sharp edges and density of the body of the blade as he ran his finger along it. "Tadao... Tadao is something else entirely. He used to be a blacksmith when he was younger than you or I. Do you know what the Kongō clan are capable of?" he raised an eyebrow as his attention shot back to the sand ninja. "The Kongō, can turn their very bodies into metal. They can compose anything their imagination can think of! Remarkable talent, really... Tadao has been with me longer than anyone else and it is through him that I can tell the very best quality of weapons. He has even made some of the weapons I sell!" he giggled slightly as he recalled past memories of the time he has spent with him.

He moved his hands in such a fashion that resembled wielding a crossbow, "That crossbow of his, was his own creation." He then began to fire invisible shots around them, over his new found friends shoulders and hastily turning behind himself as if he was being surrounded before he lowered the 'weapon,' "Notice how he never carried a bolt? He composes them through his body. They mold and slide into place. Tell me... What is scarier than an expert marksman with infinite ammunition?" he gazed at the young man with a blank expression before it slowly returned to the infamous grin and nodding. His hand began to creep its way to his forehead, the fingers touch each other attempting to resemble a projectile of some sort. As it connected, he gave off a sound of a small explosion and the hand rebounded of his head as the fingers began to stretch out like fireworks.  

Time seemed to pass by so hasitily as their shift was coming to an end. The night had been good to the two as no threats seemed to intrude.

"What do you do for fun anyhow, Yutaka? Is this job really all the entertainment you need?" Curiosity asked again.

The finger was raised again. "We, as humans, have learned to create fun. We can turn any mundane task into fun! This life is all I really know, and as the years had gone by, so has our skill, our intellect, our methods. Some innocent souls idea of fun is simply a finger in the sand, drawing pictures of anything they wish. Now what if it was my finger? I can turn that drawing into a plan. A plan of attack, a plan of a safe route, whichever need be. Ever heard the expression, 'Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life'?" he let loose a long pause before the widened smile returned to him. His idea of fun anything he could think of.

With the kunai firmly in hand, he stabbed the door that the bodyguards rested within. It was time. Their shift was over. After a brief period, Tadao emerged with a nod to greet them. Yutaka nodded in return before looking over to the window. He then turned and placed his hand on his comrades shoulder and gestured for him to go inside. Tomorrow would reveal to Katsurou the type of 'merry-men' they were. It was coming to a close as the night lingered on, awaiting for the suns rays to waken the day and the four rare ninja who would no doubt greet it with a clenched fist and an undying will.