Walking through the city, Yasutake stalked through the streets quite slowly. His mind wandered as he moved through the streets with his arms swaying at his side. In recent times he had taken to moving slower, lazier, to take on a more apathetic exterior. In some ways without combat to keep him going from day to day, he grew bored and boredom taxed him mentally and physically.

People have already started heading to Kumogakure for the Chunnin Exams. He thought while he walked through the city. In the event that it's getting late too get there, I could just go by water. There will be plenty of boats heading there I think. And at least for a few moments the Chunnin Exams were out of his thoughts. Truth be told, he wasn't sure if it was the best idea for him to be going to the Chunnin Exams. But, he couldn't think of any reasoning behind that.

Whatever.

He had found himself in Kirigakure's Market Place, and he scanned the area around him. There were plenty of people around him, it seemed to be quite a busy day in the City. He liked when things were going well in his current home village. Despite his end goals, he wanted to protect the people of Kirigakure almost above everything else. He figured that as a shinobi you should be defending your Village...

Anyway, within a few minutes he was walking through market with an apple in hand and he was contemplating whether he should take a bite of the ripe crimson fruit. He paused and looked around, he needed something to take away this state of boredom from his person... Something that made him actually have to think.

Missions were out of the question for a while, his next assignment had been dropped, not by choice because of the Chunnin Exams, and so he had been forced to only train these last few days. Not that it was a bad thing, sometimes it was just tedious to do all the time... Especially all day long.

So Yasutake Hattori watched and waited for something, or someone interesting to take his notice.

WC: 369

Wasn't this village supposed to be nice and quiet with a hint of macabre? If anything it's like a pirate's cove. Yuko flashed her passed to the village gate guards whose eyes linger on her form longer than necessary before grumbling she could pass. Without a form of acknowledgement aside from the minuscule flash towards the guards before continuing on her  way. Currently she was in her henge as per usual, it would be odd for those around her to see her in her normal form as despite knowing she didn't have to, having used it since she was 5 it became a bad habit for her. Her illusion made her appear to be a tall man of 6'1 with a built body completely covered: a long-sleeved purple hooded shirt with dark purple cuffs and reinforced with 'armor; on his shoulder and forehead areas, brown belted pants, knee-high boots with knee guards and a purple scarf tied around his neck that reaches his waist when it's not flowing in the wind and her forehead protector appeared to wrapped around her bicep instead of her forehead. Okay she can kind of understand the guard's hesitation to let her pass through even though she has been coming and going for the past couple days. She did look pretty suspicious. Heck the only skin that showed were her hands and her eyes, not even her mouth. Perhaps a small change is in order?

She can see how it's important especially for the first few strokes of her assignment. As she walked through the city she took mental notes of the people, buildings, and anything she hadn't seen before. The Mizukage has done quite a good job resorting Kirigakure during her reign. She remembered the stories they told back at the palace about  how the village has been a hot spot for devastation. Twice the village was burned to the ground. Kages were dying one by one without hope. Then they had to deal with the dreadful Seven Bells War that shook the country. But with the current Mizukage at its helm they manage not only to survive in the aftermath but come out strong; going from the weakest village to the strongest however Yuko wasn't quite sure she can still say that now. From what she remembered from the reports, only the mizukage, one sannin, an ANBU, a spec jounin and a bunch of genin were left in the village right now. The whereabouts of the other high ranking officers were currently unknown.

Could they survive another war? Yuko asked herself as she finally arrived in Kirigakure's Market Bazaar and seated herself down at a teashop's table. A spunky little waitress came down at his table then left with a blushing cherry face and an a order for takoyaki with a jasmine mint tea. Yuko had grabbed a newspaper along the way and was currently passing the time by doing a few crossword puzzles and circling any real estate options. She still didn't acquire housing yet in the village as her lord believed she could do so herself so for now she was staying outside the village at a nearby inn. She wasn't picky as she didn't need much but she did need the basic necessities in order her time as a kiri-nin to be pleasant.

"Kya!" A startled cry rang through the air and in her side vision Yuko could see the waitress from earlier pulling the fabric of her outfit down, yelling at the perverted drunks at a booth. She yelled at them to leave her alone and leave but they just continue to laugh and tell her to scream for them and so on, oblivious to her nervousness. Or at least one seemed not to. He reached for her skirt but before he could flip it up once more her pedicured hand smacked his away with disgust. Suddenly he stormed up in rage and went to smack the 'bitch' away but to no avail as Yuko took a pair of sharp metal chopsticks and flung them into the wooden post between the two successfully driving the attention away from her and to him. "Hey that was you wasn't it" Yuko didn't respond nor did he acknowledge them "Bastard! Don't ignore me Mako Shimozu! I'll make you pay pretty boy" Yuko simply turned the page of his newspaper. Mako didn't take this too well and roared as he charged at the purple clad shinobi. Once he was within striking range Yuko suddenly grabbed the collar of his shirt and slammed his face into the table, effectively breaking his nose by using the man's own weight against him then tossed him towards the street "Exactly where trash belong"

810~

145/150:

Shoving his empty hand into his pocket, Yasutake looked about the Market Place. There were still quite a few people, but he was starting to actually want something of substance to eat, so he started to walk towards a teashop that he knew was nearby. Probably best to not spoil my supper, right? He thought to himself sarcastically. It was more him mocking his parents that weren't present at the moment. But despite his lack of care for authority, sometimes he supposed it was a good thing. He was beginning to realize that as he advanced as a genin, especially after becoming a shinobi again.

It was his 'second' time as a genin, if that were possible. When he had first graduated from the Academy, he had sort of, 'left' the ranks of the Ninja World. Why? Because it simply grew boring. He was planning ahead to tell the truth. If he were to suffer an injury that wouldn't kill him, he knew he was going to have to secure a job to continue supporting himself. His family after all didn't really believe in handouts, not since they stopped their traveling across the continent.

In his time as a 'regular' person, he had worked as a carpenter and other odd jobs. He had worked in quite a few of the stores in the Market Place's Bazaar, but he didn't really plan on returning to those places to 'socialize.' Usually he never walked through the Market Place, but this time he was just too lazy, or too mentally preoccupied to actually think of another way around. Of course, he was a ninja and he could just leap over the rooftops, but he didn't like to be watched. Not with the Exams so close. To Yasutake it was as good an idea as any to maneuver the streets like a normal person, at least until he left for Kumogakure to get to the Chunnin Exams. Not only did he want to make a name for himself there, he didn't want to give himself a negative reputation amongst the people from Kirigakure who were going to the Chunnin Exams. Some people didn't, but others did know what the purpose of the Chunnin Exams were for.

They're meant to maintain the peace by bringing all the nations together. He thought to himself as he finally decided on going to the teashop, and went straight there. The Exams are still used to show the military might of a nation's ninja. If their ninja are strong, then the Land is strong. That's how it worked. When he had decided to take on his duty as a genin after multiple years, he had asked his father in those few times that he was home and not on missions. He remembered asking him what was the point of the Chunnin Exams. In his mind's eye, he saw his father standing before him again. "The Chunnin Exams are used for potential contractors to find potential ninja to work for them. As bodyguards, assassins, whatever you can think of. As you know, a shinobi's only duty isn't just to their respective Kage. Even the Daimyo could hire you as a personal bodyguard." And then the memory faded away. But, the words still echoed in his mind. The duty of a shinobi depended on who hired them.

It made sense if one were to think of it, but the side of Yasutake that craved combat didn't understand. Why throw genin at each other to test each other's strength? He 'hmphed' to show his thoughts of that, when you could just as simply have a war and crushed any who you thought was potentially in your way. Suddenly, the press of people started to thicken, and he took a bite out of his apple. When his teeth tore away the chunk and chewed on it, he knew it had caused a loud sound, it vibrated through his head, but it wasn't hear because of the sheer amount of people in the Market and how loud it was.

This isn't normal, something must be happening. He sighed to himself as he started to shove through the group of people. When he glanced downwards, there were even children pushing past his legs to get between the adult's and see what was going on.

When he finally pushed through to the front, at the teashop that he used to work at there was a lot of screaming and just annoying sounds in general. What's going on? He wondered as he heard someone say something about making them pay for it? A fight so early in the day? He thought as he walked through what appeared to be a gigantic opened space created by the onlookers. But he stopped himself from going further, there was an extravagantly clad man it seemed that threw another suspicious looking form into the street.

He was sprawled on the floor, less than three feet away from him and he took a bite out of his apple again, just standing over the man for what felt like was an eternity, and then he swallowed the piece of the apple, and turned to look at the figure that had thrown the man outside.

People were already beginning to cast dirty looks to the man when it spread through the crowd what had happened, and then what appeared to be in sync, the entire crowd dispersed.

"Hmph."

Walking over towards the man, he raised an eyebrow in question. "I like your clothes," he said with an amused look on his face as he stopped a meter away from the tall man.

WC: 974

"Thank You, there were tailored by some good companions of mine" 'Was there something you needed' was what she wanted to say but she thanked him anyway. Leaning back in her seat a bit, Yuko took a toothpick and pull her mask down to her chin as she popped the savory delight into her mouth, enjoying it's crunchy texture after the woman whom he had just aided came over with his order, many heartfelt thanks, a flirt, and her phone number which may or may not be used within the next few days. A thin violent eyebrow rose in slight curiosity and she gestured to the table he was seated at "Would you care for a seat and my company?". As she did so she would watch him careful under a harmless gaze that flicked between the food, the tea, and the lad in front of her before she recognized the forehead protector carelessly placed on his person and hummed in thought. She carefully held the steaming hot cup of tea in her hand, swirling the tea leaves around while she spoke "It's nice to see another kiri-shinobi against from the gate guards as they are the only ones I've seen"Yuko paused realizing how odd that come out. She then casually sipped her tea, inhaling the crisp cozy aroma, before she continued by bowing her head as her head rested of the palm of her hand "Forgive me if I sounded abrupt. I should have introduce myself.My name is  Kiaus, a new addition to the Hidden Mist Village's ninja corps. It's a pleasure to meet you....?" her was respectful and his mannerism were both pristine like a noble but coolly standoffish like a man who was raised normally which she was anything but and left her sentence hanging asking for his name Wordlessly a waitress fretted over as Yuko waved her to their table "Miss would you be so kind to take my acquaintances order?" The waitress blushed furiously and nodded fervently as she took out a notepad and pen, and looked over to Yasu for his order before writing it down and scramming off to the kitchen. "Peaceful day isn't it?"

1180~
*Training PER E-D1 1075
Sorry for the short post and long wait
Chakra: 145/150 henge no jutsu still in effect

*Abandoned, exit

Folding his arms over his chest subconsciously as he awaited a response, it wasn't done in irritation but rather muscle memory when usually waiting for something. He preferred it when life was fast paced, it was simply how he lived.

In public, to see someone with such... Obvious colours and a mask was odd to him. It attracted attention to oneself and he couldn't under as to why someone would wear one. Masks served to hide your face, so either he was someone respected amongst the higher echelons of Kirigakure's shinobi, or there were burn marks underneath the figure's face. Either way, it's weird, he came to a conclusion soon after.

Companions of mine?

"Did you part ways with your companions, or did they die?" Blunt as ever. There was no room for avoiding the subject that he was broaching. Adding unnecessary words to a basic question was a waste of time.

Then he was offered a seat, and he took it. It'd be impolite if he didn't. "It's because most ninja would be in Kumogakure for the Chunnin Exams." He shrugged. He figured he should probably start heading there, but he didn't really want to. Not yet anyway. Of course, he knew of the gate guards that he spoke of. Chunnin he figured based off of their flak jackets when he pictured them in his mind's eye.

Kiaus? He frowned at the name. It didn't really sound like a native one, you know? "Yasutake." He said when the inquiry was made. It was an obvious cue anyway. Then the waitress was called over to their table. He recognized her as a waitress who had started to work their when he had left to return to the life of a shinobi. He smiled kindly when she came over.

"Green tea."

Then she was gone.

Peaceful day? A joke? He smiled ever so slightly, but it was almost obvious that it was strained. "No doubt." He said, although he was more or less talking to himself when he said that.

"Your mask. What is it concealing?" He asked. May as well try out your chances, he doubted he'd receive an honest answer or a direct one.

"Why did you decide to become a Kiri shinobi?"

WC: 394

After the waitress had gone with his order and Yasutake had asked, no, had more or less demanded the answers out of Kiaus, it occurred to him that he had some place to be within the coming days. He had numerous missions that he had neglected to complete, not to mention he needed to purchase and complete the techniques and maneuvers that he had been practicing for the Chunnin Exams. Looking this figure up and down one last time, it occurred to Yasutake that this being had probably performed in them if he was going to base his appearance on simply age.

Although he doubted it'd be as accurate as his assumptions usually were. His mask is a pain. But, I'll hunt him down again... After the Exams... When I'm a Chunnin. At that point, he had decided that he was going to get into a high position in the Exams in the Land of Lightning. He couldn't afford to fail at this point, he had made a promise, a silent promise to this Kiaus that he had already decided to ditch. But, despite his lack of empathy and other normal human traits, he began to discreetly dig in his pockets for ryo.

He couldn't accept a stranger's offer and then leave them to pay for him, now could he? He may have come off as rude, arrogant, or obnoxious or a combination of the three, but he didn't like to be told he was.

It felt as if he had only been sitting down for moments before he got back up and placed the handful of ryo down. Probably enough to pay for whatever Kiaus had ordered, and he immediately plastered on an apologetic smile on his face.

"I apologize for me wasting your time, Kiaus." He refrained from cringing at the apology. It wasn't genuine, but it was just something that he had to do. "If we are to meet again, I'd like to receive the answers to those questions." He said with a half smile this time, and he inclined his head, indicated the ryo that he left on the table with a flicker of his gaze and then he was gone already hurrying back in the direction that he had came. He couldn't help but offer a small kick into the face of the perverted thug as he finally started to get back up to his feet.

WC: 415
TWC: 2152

-EXIT THREAD-

[OOC: I prefer to have official IC endings rather than just... Ending it. Sorry again. <3]