Harichimo had arrived back in the desert a couple of days ago. He was able to set up in a rather unappealing motel but the owners were nice enough to work a deal with him to stay on what money he had. The place wasn't to bad given that it had the basic amenities he would need. He had his bag neatly tucked underneath the couch which doubled as his bed. He hung his Monolith Robe on the closet door to keep it somewhat clean. He was currently living with basic supplies and it was all the same to him as he was on vacation from the hustle and bustle of the clinic and the ever watching eyes and ears of the elders.

Harichimo was beginning to feel some what cabin crazy and wanted to go out and explore the village which he had seen very little of on his last visit. He got up and wanted to change into something more casual. He threw on some casual slacks, a white undershirt, and a purple jacket that displayed Iwagakure's symbol on the back. He made sure to put his hair back and took out his ear piercings for the first time in a long whole to try and not draw much attention to himself. He then reached into his bag to take out a roll of bandages. He worked at wrapping up his arms in his usual fashion. With a final look in the one mirror of the room Harichimo felt he was ready to venture out and see what sights the village of sand had to offer. As he was getting ready to leave he swung the closet door and he heard the thud of his knuckle dusters inside the Monolith robe pocket. Reaching inside he let his hand slide right into place and gripe the weapon. He had only ever had to use them once to stop a flying shopping cart which seemed to serve them little purpose for being a weapon fit for an Anbu division shinobi.

With a twirl of his hand, Harichimo skillfully got his hand free and put the knuckle duster into his jacket pocket just in case it was called for. He left his room and was sure to lock both locks before leaving. He wasn't in the most pleasant side of the village but it was where he was going to be holed up for a while. Harichimo would just start walking down the street and observe the rather seedy looking shops. He counted quite a few abandoned buildings alongside the bars, a couple pawn shops, and the occasional beggars which he was warned to stay away from by some of the city guard. But Harichimo felt he was in as good as shape he could be in to deal with whatever this village could throw at him. He would soon come across a bar that seemed to have some of its neon signs still working even if half the letters were burnt out. He decided it would make a nice place to stop and see some of the people that inhabited this part of the village.

Harichimo entered the bar to see a few cliques of people sitting around the tables and pool tables. For now he would just make his way to the bar and take a seat. "Hey bar keep. you have any imports from Iwagakure in stock? I'm just on vacation here and I would like some taste of home." The bartender looked around and pulled out a bottle of one of the cheaper beers from the village. "Sure thing sir will just be a couple bucks more with how little i get from there." Harichimo was happy to oblige and took a couple extra ryo from his pocket and tipped the man for the trouble. And with a pop of the cap he had one of the cheapest beers anyone could get in Iwagakure but it was enough to wet his whistle for the time being.


673/673

Ryu sat quietly in the bar his group inhabited. They weren't a nuisance and they were paying customers but truth be told they were a gang. There were marks on the inside of the building where people had attempted to raid them and catch them off guard. Including one wall with painted over burn marks. As if there had been an electrical short. His blue eye shifted to look at it as he sighed. He was going to have to pay for a real fix on that sooner than later but for now he could just be disgruntled. After all the mark was from one of his raiton jutsu. Seriously though it was just common courtesy to take any fights outside in the streets. An official challenge would of been handled outside in the dunes or in one of the empty construction yards abandoned by the main village. Instead some cowards had chosen to try a sneak attack and failed. He had resorted to a display of raiton energy but a stray bolt had hit the plug in. The flux of power causing a short that started a small electrical fire. The bartender had understood but Ryu was going to have to cough up the cash.

He shifted from his position. Towards the back on a raised floor was his groups section. Empty now except for himself as the group was tracking the attackers. All of his men were tasked to it. A simple track and report should be simple enough for those simple minded folk that called him friend. He still wasn't sure how he felt over it. After all his time in prison didn't have friends. It had people you watched and you stood next to who held the power. Often as not it was him but some came through that were stronger. He learned quickly to keep to himself and only fight if pushed. Stronger people had no purpose fighting with those who didn't challenge them. Still these ones were loyal which was a new thing to see. He himself had to stay behind in order to keep an eye on the bar. He had an agreement that he was the bouncer when asked and since the last attack only a day ago he had been asked. For now he was laying sideways over a trashed up Lazy boy. Stuffing was sticking out the side and the back was nothing but springs with a pillow taped to it. He himself was wearing a pair of blue jeans tucked over boots with a white button up shirt halfway done up to his chest. A jean jacket over that with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows and a kunai tucked into his belt on his right side. An eye patch covered his right eye while a medallion hung from a necklace. His hair tied back mostly behind a turban and fingerless gloves on each hand with a rag showing the symbol of the jackal on each rag tied around his wrists. Much like the symbol of the Jackal on the side of the building. His gangs symbols. The Jackals.

The door ringing drew his attention as always. It was a slow day so watching each entering individual and sizing them up was a thing he did. A little practice to judge how much trouble they were. This one seemed fairly basic with an Iwa symbol on his coat. Foreigner eh? Well it sucks for him that he was touring the slums. Likely he was bound to get mugged at some point. Not on his turf if the other thugs were smart but soon enough. Still when he heard him order a foreign drink he sighed and closed his eye. Thinking it over a moment. It really wasn't any of his business but there was something small there that irked him. Someone was coming from Iwa and drinking Iwa imports. No sense of adventure there and when it came to working out what to drink nothing beat the Myugan brew. A clan originally from Suna he doubted the drinks were available in Iwa. With a sigh he would get up with a shift to his feet and shove his hands in his pants pockets. Moving to the bar before digging out a coin and tossing it to the bartender who raised an eyebrow. Ryu didn't drink because it did nothing for him. And he knew better than to scam the bars customers. Still Ryu would speak up as the man poured a glass of some green liquid. It smelled of fresh green apples. He would set it in front of Ryu as he finished his sentence and Ryu would slide it over to the stranger.

"If you are going to travel at least give the Suna famous Myugan brews a shot. Live a little. This one tastes like an apple and you wouldn't even know it was actually forty percent alcohol. Dangerous to drink if you lose track."

836

It wasn't to long after his first gulp of the cheap beer that Harichimo had company. The beer tasted almost like water with how low of quality it was. It was a brand that was cheep enough to buy by the pallet if one wanted to binge. He heard coin hit the wooden bar top as he swallowed his drink. He looked over to his side and saw the bartender pouring some green liquor from what he could guess was probably some special for the locals. A little further and his eyes would catch someone that seemed to be quite the spectacle for a place like this. A man dressed head to toe in denim with an eye patch and medallions. Now he had truly seen everything with a guy dressed in denim and looking like a pirate. The man would walk over and slid the bright green drink along the bar and stop in front of him. Harichimo took in the sight as the man talked and seemed to hype up this small shot of green liquid. Apparently famous to the village and important to this man. Who was Harichimo to deny the recommendations of the locals? He would reach for the drink and admire the color. Trying to see if there was sign of tampering or if the drink was more then just a liquor. Satisfied that it wasn't of any harm he would smile and make his comment.

"That smooth you say? Nice of them to find a way to mask the burn. So why not get yourself a shot and join the tourist?" Harichimo wasn't paying attention to the man as he put the glass to his lips and downed the drink. He tried to savor the taste as he downed it. The burn seemed almost non existent as the flavor of apples distracted his taste buds. He was never much for the liquor but drinking with the Tsuchikage had stiffened his tolerance for the many types of alcohol. Harichimo put down the glass and slid it towards the bartender's side before looking back at the man and noticing the rags with symbols around their wrist. Either some sort of brand symbol for clothing or a personal symbol for them. He picked up his beer and just leaned against the bar. "So what brings you over to this side of the bar? You seemed pretty content on your couch."


Harichimo would take another sip of his beer and set it back down as the horrible quality washed the apple taste from his mouth. If he was aiming to really let loose he would have to get himself a bottle of the green stuff and then it would be a party. But for now he had to figure out what the end game was now. If this man was just a friendly local or some random hood rat thinking he had an easy tourist he could take for some coin either way Harichimo was content with playing it nice.


506/1179

Ryu would listen as the man replied. He seemed to pay far more attention to the drink before him than Ryu or the bartender but Ryu caught the opening for his little scheme he usually ran. The man had asked him why he didn't drink with him and usually that led to a shot for shot competition with money on the table or simply hauling out a passed out drunk missing his wallet. However the bartender and owner wasn't a huge fan of his customers being robbed or scammed. It was against the rules for Ryu here. Since the man was also his landlord he felt obeying the wishes of the man was moderately important. Still he glanced at the bar tender with his blue eye to see if he was paying attention and wouldn't you know it the man was looking right at him with his arms crossed and waiting. Well shit in a basket if Ryu was going to get away with anything here in this moment. A pity too because he would of taken this guy for the shirt off his back he was sure of it. Hell that one shot was usually enough to give those rich kids from the center village a good buzz. Still he sighed and replied as the man finished his shot.

"Simply put, I have a birth defect that makes it so I can't get drunk that way. Liquor off the shelf is just some foul tasting soda too me. Except the stuff I make. Which you just taste tested."

Still the man spoke again inquiring on why he bothered to come over it seemed. Sort of off putting in a way. Almost like he was saying why bother. At the same time it showed he was more observatory than one might of assumed as he wandered in. He had managed to scan all the way to the back of the room and remember a little detail like Ryu on his chair. Ryu would raise an eye brow at the way it was said and sniff before clicking his tongue against his top teeth. He didn't sense that the man meant it as sass though so he would let it slide. Still the beer the man drank directly after his own brew made him almost irritable. He knew people had preferences and the man seemed to like memories of home but still. He felt like the man was washing gold out of his mouth with dirt. To say the least it was considerably disappointing to witness. Still he replied politely while reaching over the bar and collecting himself a bottle of water.

"Simply put I'm the bouncer here. We don't get a whole lot of new people that often and truly I felt it was a shame that you were drinking bottom shelf. My bad bruh if my intrusion annoyed you."

As he finished speaking the door opened and one of his group came in looking sandy and tired. His face was simply coated in sand. Ryu would sigh as that likely meant they had tracked the other gang to the dunes and lost track of them there. The man would move forward to Ryu. He was wearing some dark blue baggy pants with a sleeveless vest. On the back of the vest was the same Jackal symbol that was on Ryu's wrist. He whispered what Ryu had assumed in his ear before Ryu held up the bottle of water and let the man drink from it. Sand falling from his blonde corn rows. As the man finished the bottle Ryu spoke up again. A calm eye on the door now as if expecting others.

"Find the others and have everyone go home and rest. Clean up yourselves and tomorrow we post watches. I will keep an eye on the bar tonight. "

1485

Harichimo had found it unfortunate for the man to have such a defect. But it was also a blessing to bot get buzzed from a few simple brews like normal shinobi. And Harichimo knew he wasn't that strong to hold huge amounts of alcohol. Drinking spirits wasn't really his things unless he had a reason to slack off and not need to rely on his fighting skills. The man would reach over the bar for something as Harichimo would put down his bottle and slide it to the side. He had something more interesting then the watered down product that Iwagakure had sent down here to the people of Sunagakure.

The man went on to explain his role around the bar. Some form of security wanting to talk with a tourist and make sure they new what they were missing out on. Quite the story for someone with his get up. Even if it was a facade it was a better form of Sunagakure's hospitality then Harichimo had been used to in his previous experiences. But it seemed Harichimo had spoken a little to loosely and he could tell he was making a bad impression being a tourist from Iwa. He didn't think anything of it though as he went for another drink of the beer.

After the man had finished his piece the door would open. A man came in with sand covering their face. Harichimo would look over his shoulder as the man walked over to the new entrant. He watched as they exchanged words. Something seemed to bug the first man as he gave up his water bottle to the other. He took note of the same symbol on this man's jacket. Now it all makes sense. Some sort of gang of shinobi trying to keep peace and control over parts of the village. Or are they delinquents and I am just putting to much good faith in a person that has shown me the first bit of hospitality in this desert? He thought to himself as he finished the beer and slide the bottle to the bartender to deal with it.

He heard the man speak and order a regroup of whatever group he was a part of. Something obviously wasn't right with the situation and Harichimo had to take a deep breath. The bartender would reach for the empty bottle and Harichimo would reach into his jacket pocket and slide some money across to him. "How about a bottle of that good stuff before I leave. Wouldn't want to enter a drunken stupor without a bottle of that stuff to make it better." The bartender nodded and took the money as he reached under the bar and retrieved a bottle of the green booze. Harichimo would take it with a smile and get up from his stool.

Harichimo would walk up to the two men and tap the first on the shoulder. "Something seems to be troubling you right? Now I can't let the one person that has shown some actual hospitality in this pitiful village leave my presence with a heavy conscience. Now I am not look it from these simple clothes but I am of sorts one of the better fighters in Iwagakure. If you need a hand with security then allow me to lend a hand and maybe show you a trick or two. What do you say? You seem smart enough to not let free help walk away." Harichimo would hold out his free hand and extend a hand shake to the man. Harichimo was itching and needed the excuse to fight. An urge he hadn't felt for a long time to get out and try his luck in a real fight.


630/1809

Ryu would glance back as something tapped him on the shoulder. His blue eye looking to the man he had been talking to at the bar. The traveler. A tourist looking for some attention perhaps? He would nod to his own comrade before turning to face Harichimo. The man covered in sand downing the bottle of water and heading back for the stairs to go wash up a little before he would go and send instructions to the others. A good man to follow orders as he did. However Ryu was more focused on the man in front of him. He seemed around Ryu's age if not a little younger. Yet his claims to be one of the better fighters of Iwa were interesting enough. Still Ryu would hold his reserve judgement on that. Ryu was one of the strongest fighters in the slums but he wasn't even close to the top dogs of the place. He didn't step foot in the western half of the slums strictly because he couldn't compete. The eastern side he was still working on and it was slow moving at that. Still for what it was worth an offer to learn made his ears twitch a little. He had mastered every elemental Ninjutsu of both his elements his current abilities allowed him to. Perhaps learning something from Iwa would be worth while as well. Still he would sigh and rub the back of his head as for the time being he had responsibilities. So he spoke with a measure of reservation in his voice to the man offering him a hand.

"As great as helping hands sounds, for our pride we can't ask a foreigner to step in directly. If you are a true fighter you have to understand my honor, even as a gang leader, demands that I handle this the Suna way. Even if it appears pitiful to you, this is my home. I bled for it and I will die for it. With that said though I am rarely a fool. If you think there is something you can teach me, some way to help me towards my goals, I urge you to meet me tomorrow at the first dune east of the slums at sunrise. If you are as good as you think you are, I will likely improve. If not, well that spar will be short and likely painful."

He patted the man on the shoulder with a grin before he turned and walked passed him. A small part of him was proud that he had convinced someone to try his mixture and even that it was purchased. That meant more ryo in his pocket. Still this was troublesome. Even as he left the man to his day and returned to his couch he would watch his people come in and collect water before returning to their homes. Some of them looked beaten and all of them tired. Chasing thugs through the dunes was not easy work. Still his eyes observed them all and he sat back contemplating his next move. He was lacking something beyond raw power. He had heard of shinobi with some exceptional sensory techniques.....perhaps it was time he designed one of his own.

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