Ame hated stalkers. They were nasty, uncouth and just plain creepy. So when she was asked to protect an innocent, civilian woman from the threat of everyday creeps, she was happy to oblige. Of course the Ryo incentive played a part in her decision to take the mission as well but helping others always ended up as a rewarding venture. Besides how hard could it be to weed out one potential stalker? In all likelihood they were also a civilian so she didn’t have much to worry about. Well she had better get started, or the stalker would continue stalking.

Rinarata was a pretty woman, and as she went through her daily routine it was easy for Ame to see why she could be targeted. She seemed to be friends with everyone she passed and was almost constantly waving at people. There first stop was at the vegetable stand and Ameryuu sat crouched on a rooftop just across from the stand, looking around for anyone suspicious-looking. Most of the people seemed to just mill about as Rinarata chose her food. One man stood out to her though. He was sitting at the Teppanyaki place just across from the vegetable stand and kept glancing Rinarata’s way. Ame watched as the man got up and walked away, in the opposite direction to where her charge was heading. Ame sighed, another dead-end lead.

Their next stop was a lot more embarrassing. Rinarata had wandered into a lingerie shop and Ame didn’t want to take the chance of the stalker catching the woman off guard in the store so she reluctantly followed her in. Ame didn’t think that anything could have been more embarrassing than sitting in that store watching Rinarata try on item after item. It was a whirlwind of lace and more lace. Ame didn’t understand how people could wear half of those things. Surely lace had liabilities in battle? In the end she was reduced to more of a shopping carrier than anything else, as she carted multiple bags labelled ‘Ninjas see underneath the underneath’ out of the lingerie store.

The third stop was more mild, a simple trip to the hot springs. Ameryuu could feel the need to unwind was glad for a chance to do so while on duty. She left the various lingerie bags in the changing rooms and proceeded to the springs to relax. Rinarata was busying herself with chatting to a friend so she had left Ame to her own devices. The hot water made tense muscles unknot and Ame tiredly scanned the room for any signs of hidden watchers. She was still on a mission, after all. The fence that separated the men’s’ section from the women’s section was well built and from where she was sitting she couldn’t tell if anyone was peeking at Rinarata. She waded across the pool, with a steady grip on her towel, and tried to see if she could spot anyone. A loud splash sounded from the other side of the pool and some loud grumbling but not much else. Ame shrugged it off.

By the end of the day Ame was no close to finding the stalker than she was at the beginning of the day. Her best lead was that random guy who had been watching Rinarata from the Teppanyaki stand. It was practically nothing. Maybe Rinarata had simply been too paranoid in looking behind her should and there was no stalker to begin with. Still, Ame felt bad about not uncovering who it was and her mission lasted for the whole day. It was better to just suck it up and tough it out until she figured out who the stalker was.

The last stop for the day was the Sky Bar, well known for its divine atmosphere and great drinks. Of course she wasn’t of legal drinking age, so she would pass on the alcohol for now. It would be best. She was dressed plainly, a dark yukata and no make-up. Meant simply to blend into the background as shinobi were meant to do. She watched Rinarata as she met up with her friends at the bar and they ordered drinks. Ame sipped her water quietly, scanning the crowd’s faces to see if she recognized anyone. 

No one particular face caught her eye. It was the usual mix of bright, bold colours. Lots of blues, browns and blacks, a handful of bleached whites and the occasional red or blonde heads came into view. Even the man from earlier in the morning didn’t seem to be there. Ame pouted, sad that he lead was well and truly lost. She knew that they probably wouldn’t pay her for her work now. She understood of course. She hadn’t been able to find the stalker, whether there actually was one or not. 

Then out of the very corner of her eye she spotted a crop of dark hair. She turned slightly and took in the large nose, fat body and near hairless head of the man she had spotted in the morning. She got up and shifted closer, moving through the crowd and the thrum of music. As she got closer she heard the man grumbling to his two friends and realised that it sound exactly the same as the grumble she had heard at the hot springs. She had found her man! She rushed forward and bypassed him completely and went to Rinarata first to warn her of the man. Rinarata confirmed that he was an old boss of hers and she had quit after he had started coming on to her. That was all the proof Ame needed.

She went up to the man, and gently herded him out of the club and onto the balcony, claiming that she needed to have a little chat. “Now Mr. Nakao, I know that you’ve been stalking a Miss Rinarata Tsuko? I was assigned to track you down and serve as a bodyguard for the day. Miss Tsuko is well within her rights to place a restraining order against you sir. So please refrain from stalking her or other people again.” Ame smiled as his jaw dropped and grinned in triumph. 

Mission accomplished.

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Chakra: 150/150 [no techniques used]

Wordcount: 1050 [450 over minimum]

Training Done: Speed: E-1 ~> E-3
Reaction Time: E ~> E-1