1 Of Kunai and Coat-tails [Kyohei, private, NK] Fri Sep 16, 2016 2:58 pm
Shinako
D-rank
The sounds of the street flooded through her window and awoke Shinako with a start. In that fleeting way that dreams have of escaping conscious definition, her latest night-terror slipped from the vision of her mind’s eye. She knew only that there was one constant throughout her nightly torments, and that was the river.
A few moments later her attention was drawn to the open window of her bedroom in her clan’s city enclosure. She stayed here when on working details, rather than at the estate in the forest. The urban compound was used as a barracks of sorts for all of the village’s Nara Shinobi. Its spaces were comfortable, but Shinako did not particularly enjoy being this close to all of the bustle, especially now as all of that noise and motion made something incredibly apparent to her. She was late.
It had only been about ten short hours since she had returned from the border with the Sound Village, and it appeared that she had overslept. She was expected at the administrative building that morning for an assignment after over two weeks of medical leave to allow her injuries from her previous mission to heal. As she attempted to rise from bed and felt sharp pains throughout her muscles, she wished she had taken the time to heal. Her efforts had been fruitless and painful.
Working quickly, Shinako showered and dressed herself. She cleaned with a scentless lye soap and did not wear her normal perfume. There was always a chance she would be sent on a scouting mission, in which case her scent profile needed to be minimal. Her garb for the day consisted of her normal short qipao dress in black. Feeling particularly vulnerable, she replaced her usual leggings with thick, white gi shitabaki, finishing the outfit with her plain black shinobi sandals. She brushed her teeth and rinsed her mouth, spitting the minty paste into the bushes as she rushed out into the daylight.
Her Jounin officer at the Administrative building was not pleased to see her, and had informed her immediately that her tardiness had earned her a disciplinary report….something about how unfocused she had been lately. Her Chuunin non-commanding officer had been terse in handing her the next assignment, and both had left for lunch in a huff after dealing with her, leaving her alone amongst the crowded filing cabinets and cluttered desks.
Shinako had taken to the busy streets, feeling the first rumblings of hunger herself, but dared not delay the tasks of the day any longer. Opening her envelope, she had read the assignment in near disbelief. It was a personal detail for one of the village’s Jounin who wasn’t expected to engage in strenuous activities in the near future. The young Kunoichi was not sure if she should be grateful for the light work, insulted at being assigned as a glorified baby-sitter, or worst of all, frightened that she was not being taken seriously as a Shinobi.
The profile of her charge was largely redacted. Only a name, outdated picture, and a rank, with a hastily scrawled note from her NCO about where she might find the man.
“Uchiha Kyohei….”
Now Shinako stood in the market district, waving the picture at strangers and desperately hoping that they had seen the man she was looking for. She had studied the features in the photograph for hours now, and it was approaching 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Her belly and her head ached from hunger, but there was no way that she could report back without finding her target. However, much to her dismay, the streets were beginning to clear as the people of Konoha prepared for the festival activities that late summer nights always brought.
Receiving an unenthusiastic head-shake from a woman about her age, Shinako decided that she would not give up, but that she needed refreshment. She stopped and purchased a bottle of lemonade from a vendor as he whistled and closed up shop. He smiled, removing his apron, and she nodded her thanks. He allowed the weary Shinobi to lean on his cart to rest her throbbing muscles for a while. There was something almost fatherly in the moment. Casting her eyes to the clear, evening sky, she wondered aloud.
“Has anyone seen Uchiha Kyohei?”
720/720
A few moments later her attention was drawn to the open window of her bedroom in her clan’s city enclosure. She stayed here when on working details, rather than at the estate in the forest. The urban compound was used as a barracks of sorts for all of the village’s Nara Shinobi. Its spaces were comfortable, but Shinako did not particularly enjoy being this close to all of the bustle, especially now as all of that noise and motion made something incredibly apparent to her. She was late.
It had only been about ten short hours since she had returned from the border with the Sound Village, and it appeared that she had overslept. She was expected at the administrative building that morning for an assignment after over two weeks of medical leave to allow her injuries from her previous mission to heal. As she attempted to rise from bed and felt sharp pains throughout her muscles, she wished she had taken the time to heal. Her efforts had been fruitless and painful.
Working quickly, Shinako showered and dressed herself. She cleaned with a scentless lye soap and did not wear her normal perfume. There was always a chance she would be sent on a scouting mission, in which case her scent profile needed to be minimal. Her garb for the day consisted of her normal short qipao dress in black. Feeling particularly vulnerable, she replaced her usual leggings with thick, white gi shitabaki, finishing the outfit with her plain black shinobi sandals. She brushed her teeth and rinsed her mouth, spitting the minty paste into the bushes as she rushed out into the daylight.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Her Jounin officer at the Administrative building was not pleased to see her, and had informed her immediately that her tardiness had earned her a disciplinary report….something about how unfocused she had been lately. Her Chuunin non-commanding officer had been terse in handing her the next assignment, and both had left for lunch in a huff after dealing with her, leaving her alone amongst the crowded filing cabinets and cluttered desks.
Shinako had taken to the busy streets, feeling the first rumblings of hunger herself, but dared not delay the tasks of the day any longer. Opening her envelope, she had read the assignment in near disbelief. It was a personal detail for one of the village’s Jounin who wasn’t expected to engage in strenuous activities in the near future. The young Kunoichi was not sure if she should be grateful for the light work, insulted at being assigned as a glorified baby-sitter, or worst of all, frightened that she was not being taken seriously as a Shinobi.
The profile of her charge was largely redacted. Only a name, outdated picture, and a rank, with a hastily scrawled note from her NCO about where she might find the man.
“Uchiha Kyohei….”
Now Shinako stood in the market district, waving the picture at strangers and desperately hoping that they had seen the man she was looking for. She had studied the features in the photograph for hours now, and it was approaching 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Her belly and her head ached from hunger, but there was no way that she could report back without finding her target. However, much to her dismay, the streets were beginning to clear as the people of Konoha prepared for the festival activities that late summer nights always brought.
Receiving an unenthusiastic head-shake from a woman about her age, Shinako decided that she would not give up, but that she needed refreshment. She stopped and purchased a bottle of lemonade from a vendor as he whistled and closed up shop. He smiled, removing his apron, and she nodded her thanks. He allowed the weary Shinobi to lean on his cart to rest her throbbing muscles for a while. There was something almost fatherly in the moment. Casting her eyes to the clear, evening sky, she wondered aloud.
“Has anyone seen Uchiha Kyohei?”
720/720