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Naruto Saga » Tsuchi no Kuni » Iwagakure » Some Concerns Are Purely Alcoholic (Invite Only, No Kill)

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Kuni

Kuni


D-rank
The Rock Pit... Kuni seemed to find herself coming more and more to this place of vice and vindication. Of course, more and more was completely subjective; it was only her second time here this week. The liquor washed down her throat without a care in the world, its bitterness stinging the back of her tongue. She winced and coughed, but she took another sip without giving her time to recover.

What was it this time that had brought her here? She didn't know. It just felt good when you had something so sinful guzzling down your throat. The pack of customers milling around the rest of the bar likely didn't need as much as a reason to be here either. It was almost normal seeing some of the most powerful ninja of Iwagakure fooling around and dropping dead on the ground from all the alcohol in their system. Something about it felt right, but Kuni also knew it was dangerous to belong.

Not that she gave a flying fuck.

Her life as it was was practically over. The daughter of one of the richest men in the country and here she was miles away from her parents drinking her night away without even anyone to spit gossip at. Or maybe that was just the alcohol talking.

"Another!" she called as she finished her drink.

Probably the alcohol.

230 words

Karumo

Karumo


D-rank
There was a stigma among those in power to avoid the pitfalls of common man, strong drinks that would tamper with the mind or the distractions of men/women. Anything that would take the leaders eyes off the well being of their own and prevent them from acting in the most responsible manner. Beyond that, to find a leader drunk was unsightly, he was no pirate or bandit celebrating the prize of their plunder. He was the Tsuchikage, building his name as the return of the Fence-Sitter in the arena of global politics and with all of the business with Kirigakure and Kumogakure, he hadn't much time or concern to relax or break away from the day to day and troubles of the job.

Today, tonight, was a special occasion for no other reason in that he'd caught up on his paperwork, the missions available had been completely assigned out and listed, he was... free for once. Barring any emergency of course he figured that tonight would be a nice way to... escape away from his tasks. He broke away from the secretaries and assistants of the administration building, he'd learned from Akira after all, the master of making himself even in the most stressful of situations seemed completely relaxed and relaxing. Through the village and away from discerning eyes, he continued about and arrived at The Rock Pit, it'd been so long since he'd been in here. He couldn't truly remember the last time if he was being honest with himself, he grabbed a cigar from his pocket, thin and lengthy, along with a metal flintlock lighter. The cigar, already cut to the perfect opening, the smell of the wrapping and tobacco called out for a moment but he hurried inside.

He noticed the variety of persons here, some in formal clothes and other couples on dates, a few jounin he recognized sitting around and having a laugh amongst themselves. Karumo, kept his head down and moved casually through before lighting his smoke and finding a place, making his way to the bar just as a girl a seat over from where he arrived called out, "Another!" Karumo turned his head but didn't pay much attention, rotating the cigar in his hand, he was in all back clothing his ninja gear and the grey armor he always wore, a slight variant of his ANBU armor with the insignia of his clan on the upper right corner of the chest plate and the kanji for his number and 'Tsuchikage' written on the back.

He made contact with the bartender for a moment, sitting down into the stool he spoke up calmly, "Whiskey, double, neat." it was typical but it would pair well with his cigar, mixing the flavor and tinge of the smoke with the taste of the whiskey itself. Still, the bartender nodded and began to tend to both of their drinks as Karumo leaned over some, holding the cigar up just past his face, "You call for a drink with some vigor..." he started out hoping to catch the girls attention before continuing on, "I would bet that that sort of energy could be better spent than on the vices of alcohol..." he would chuckle a bit and turn back towards the bartender to receive the whiskey glass of the maple colored liquid. A single ice cube floating around in it, clinking against the walls as it swished about.

"Not that it's a bad thing to drink and unwind... but anyone shouting 'Another!' at a bar either has quite the dilemma on their hands or they're planning to end up in a drunken stupor rivaling no one..." he paused for a moment and ending his little rant. He didn't really expect an answer and didn't leave a question, merely making his remarks, a slightly altered way of seeing how the stranger would take his words. It was partially a vice of his own, to play into the mind and psychology of others, but then again, not long from now when the alcohol would start burning into his system, none of that would matter. Karumo would begin playing at the cigar and burning the end of it, puffing it away and releasing smoke away from the bartender and the girl and up into the air in the few empty seats to his left instead.


[737 words]

Kuni

Kuni


D-rank
Koyanagi Kuni, even as off the stool as she seemed, didn't miss the change in the atmosphere when a certain pair of feet walked into the bar. The mood dropped, and while patrons continued about their business, their actions dulled. Laughter hushed for a second before bursting out, the bartender's hands freezing up and spilling a guest's order, the moaning couple interlocked by the lips breaking from their secluded make out. It was hard to ignore when the Tsuchikage walked in. Stealthy and normal as you were, there was only so much you could do to avoid attention, but like any other place of moral debauchery the mood resumed like a record on pause and Kuni opted to ignore his presense by the door.

Until he stood to her left at the bar.

The cigarette jutting out from between his teeth smoldered at one end, and the frequent exhale of smoke wasn't anything new to the bar. Pairs of eyes followed the Tsuchikage's movements, confusion and surprise the most frequent of emotions blazing from their depths. "Whiskey, double, neat," came the order, carrying the tone you would expect when receiving your next mission or news of your promotion. Kuni was conscious enough to appreciate the slight red on her cheeks from drinking in front of her superior. She angled her head slightly to the right, resting it on her left hand as her eyes suddenly found the empty space beside her very interesting. Maybe he was here to down a few rounds with his friends, and he'd leave after the bartender's service.

"You call for a drink with some vigor."

Damn.

A wince came onto her face, fading into abashment as she turned to regard him, the picture of a child caught with her hand halfway in the cookie jar. "I would bet that sort of energy could be better spent than on the vices of alcohol..."

"Haha..." she laughed nervously, words stuck in her throat.

"Not that it's a bad thing to drink and unwind... but anyone shouting 'Another!' at a bar either has quite the dilemma on their hands or they're planning to end up in a drunken stupor rivalling no one..."

"Well, I'm done with my missions for the day, so..." she replied nervously, the carbon copy of anyone bumping into their distant boss at the bar. She took her glass of beer from the bartender failing to hide her discomfort from the Tsuchikage. "Just going for a few rounds to loosen up. Can't be too tense, after all, right?"

664 words

Karumo

Karumo


D-rank
She laughed nervously at his statement, the lecture of a superior, the highest superior in the land was probably unwelcome at a place like this. Karumo continued on though, undeterred by the atmosphere that was building around her, was it avoidance? Perhaps, at least the logic of not being drunk around the Kage of your own village was sound enough for reason. After a moment, she began her reply... or retort... or defense of her situation, Karumo brought the whiskey up to his lips and sipped part of it down. "Well, I'm done with my missions for the day, so..." a quick pause as he set the glass down back to the table and held his cigar at the rim of the glass in the same hand.

His sense of taste remained where the tactile did not, alcohol was unique but any burn would leave him avoiding the small shiver afterwards or the pain of bringing it down his throat leaving him seemingly unaffected no matter the volume he brought down. She continued on after taking her own glass, "Just going for a few rounds to loosen up. Can't be too tense, after all, right?" to state the obvious discomfort would be a waste of both their times, Karumo held a rather... still face? He didn't really laugh or anything of the sort, a mean thought struck his mind for a moment, the idea for a small chance of psychological and mental torment. In reply, he offered nothing but a, "Hmmm..." and nodded his head briefly before turning forward a moment and setting some ryo down for the bartender to pay his first drink and tip.

With a sigh and exhale, he turned back to her for a moment, "I suppose that the citizens of the Land of Earth really don't know a lot about me..." he started off and was carrying a smile, having rather suddenly appeared on his face before he turned, "Most of the ninja of Iwagakure know, I'm not a very serious person... you don't have to be so tense... it's not like I'll throw you in jail for drinking and relaxing. Though... I might if you get too drunk." he chuckled a bit and took another sip of his whiskey, having gone through a majority of it already, he could feel his wallet lightening. Nothing more than another half sip left, he'd certainly have to refill it soon if he were gonna stand a chance of having enough to last his entire cigar.


[427 words, 1164 words total]

Kuni

Kuni


D-rank
Whether he bought her words (he didn't, she knew he didn't) wasn't in the most fundamental of terms obvious to the Genin. She kept her eyes fixated on her drink, hearing the contemplative hum from the lips of her Tsuchikage, which failed to betray even the slightest of his mischief. She heard the distinctive tap of the gold ryo piece on the counter, first of its edge hitting the countertop, then the ring as the weight of its flat circular surface was pressed down by the Tsuchikage's one finger.

Her eyes flitted nervously to one corner, face still down and hidden behind a curtain of her brown hair, spying beyond the veil through the gaps. A half empty glass of whiskey greeted her, ice claiming most of the remainder of the cup, with a few ashes falling harmlessly beside it. It was a few grains of gray forgotten against a surface of varnished rustic brown, fallen carefreely from the lighted butt of the shrinking cigar, with its white body nestled gently between the calloused fingers of one Karumo Sekuro.

The sigh and exhale that followed seemed louder than the explosive round of laughter behind her.

"I suppose that the citizens of the Land of Earth really don't know a lot about me..."

As the worlds left his lips, Kuni peeked from behind her hair, turning to look at him and giving him most of her attention. At a glance, passers-by would shrug the pair off as old friends catching up on lost times with the difference in their age, or lack thereof, but any closer inspection would crumple that rudimentary supposition. Karumo wasn't entirely truthful with his statement. No one in the Land of Earth could mistaken his face for a stranger's. Even without the signature hat and robe weaved from the finest silk for the most prominent ninja in Iwagakure they'd recognise the pacifying hand of their country's Tsuchikage, but whether such recognition was lined with respect or stained with content was beyond Kuni's expertise. She was a novice in the public relations that tormented notable figures now that ninja couldn't simply kill off unfavourable witnesses (well they could and still did, they just shouldn't more so than before).

"Most of the ninja of Iwagakure know, I'm not a very serious person... you don't have to be so tense... it's not like I'll throw you in jail for drinking and relaxing. Though... I might if you get too drunk."

Whether it had been done on purpose, his warning came when Kuni was in mid-sip. She nearly choked, but as it was her throat suffered only a harsher burn than the alcohol normally induced, and she quickly put down her drink and assessed her own state. Simple math ran in her head until she realised he was – could have been – joking. She spotted his mischievous smile then and inwardly fell into a heap of depression at the games Karumo played, breathing out a sigh of relief before faking a string of nervous laughter.

"Haha... ha... I suppose I should stop then..."

She should probably think twice about working towards Chuunin.

1202 words

Karumo

Karumo


D-rank
Karumo watched as his joke ran through a quickly moving mind, not really expecting his joke or anything perhaps? Regardless, she continued on moments later with a simple statement as Karumo finished off his drink and exhaling heavily as the liquid fell through to his stomach. "Haha... ha... I suppose I should stop then..." Karumo slid the glass towards the end of the bar and rolled the coins in his hand a bit before nodding along, a bit of a neutral expression on his face. He nodded to the girl with a small smirk before catching the bartender as he walked by again, holding a hand out briefly to motion him for another drink.

It didn't take any exchange of words for the bartender to know what the request was and such but he asked anyways as he carried a small stack of glasses, "Another double for ya, Lord Tsuchikage?" he spoke a bit heartily but it never seemed to catch Karumo off guard when someone referred to him by title. He knew it was a sign, or recognition, of endearment and respect to his position and power but Karumo had never felt all that strong. He had ideology and passion and conviction enough to match anyone, but it took strong will and motivation on top of that to truly lead. And with so many people looking to him to guide with strength on top of it all, well... it led to him not believing very highly that he deserved the position.

Still, Karumo spoke up with briefly widened eyes, "Yeah, that would be great. Thanks..." his words lingered on and he placed the coin down on the counter for him to take but the bartender grabbed his glass and walked off, presumably leaving the money for his return. Taking another puff of his cigar for a brief moment, letting the smoke roll around his tongue and then off into the air. A moment passed and his drink was restored to him, the bartender took the coin and Karumo had him keep the full amount before swishing the drink in his hand again, a single ice cube again clinked around. He noticed it was a different glass from the first one, perhaps to keep things clean? Nonetheless, he took another large sip and set the glass back down to the wooden bar as a thought hit him, he turned his head slowly and spoke plainly,

"Tell me, why do you drink to relax? Out of everything and every other way to spend time away from work and responsibility, why come here?" he paused for a moment, holding the glass with his hand, his shoulders had turned towards her slightly but he retained his balance on the stool and kept his left hand wrapped around the glass with his left arm rested on the bar.


[475 words, 1639 words total]

Kuni

Kuni


D-rank
The Tsuchikage's hand moved in a flicker of a blur, and the glass left his fingertips to slide along the smooth wood, stopping just at the end of the bar, a perfect show of control. Kuni's eyes saw the shine of ryo dancing to the tune of his fingers, and the purposeful nod in her direction, decorated with the smirk acknowledging her small slip-up with his sense of humour. She very consciously gulped, feeling the strange dryness in her throat that had nothing to do with the burning alcohol that remained on her tongue.

"Another double for ya, Lord Tsuchikage?" the bartender asked, his voice the usual upbeat tune lured patrons like bees to honey. Kuni felt a small jolt run up her spine and pool uncomfortably at the back of her head. There was something unsettling about the recognition of the man next to her when juxtaposed with a ninja whose identification bore fake initials to a genuine face.

"Yeah, that would be great. Thanks."

The reply was so casual, ending with the tap of gold on the counter. It rang in her ears and she realised she'd been idle a bit too long. Uncomfortably so, the time dragged on and she became aware of each inhale and the seemingly steady rise and fall of her chest. Her fingers curled around her glass and she downed everything slowly, desperate for a distraction from the Tsuchikage sitting idly beside her, and a reason she couldn't return the ball in their one-sided dialogue.

It was a sensation unparalleled by the experiences that had fallen through these past few years. Kuni had always managed to remain lowkey, speaking with barely anyone two ranks her senior, much less the man who commanded an army of silent killers. Even familiar shinobi and kunoichi wearing the rank of Chuunin numbered in the single digits, including the pitiful man running the mission desk every day of the week and toiling for hours on end. Having someone notice her risked the limelight of a fugitive from her parents, and having the authority's eyes on her risked their nosy insistence on maintaining relations with the Imaeda and shipping her back escorted by people she couldn't shake off.

The Tsuchikage topped that list of oh-nos.

The bartender settled the glass back in front of the man who ruled his village. A quick glance at the corner of her eye sent slight displeasure through Kuni, though the miniscule reaction was hidden well, from the uncollected ryo sitting innocently. The Tsuchikage's following intention of paying with no change didn't alter Kuni's mild distaste at the skewed outlook that but an example of how everyone in Iwagakure was prepared to act. Genuine respect, closet fear or curry favouring, Kuni lost her appetite for alcohol, restraining from asking for a refill, an overlook that the bartender was happy to ignore.

"Tell me, why do you drink to relax? Out of everything and every other way to spend time away from work and responsibility, why come here?"

Kuni let herself turn to accommodate Karumo, now that they were past the small jabs between superior and subordinate, though the protective left hand resting on the table betrayed her temperance from fully indulging the man who seemed interested in the life of the ninja he led.

"It's just a whim," she answered, her hand absentmindedly tapping her empty glass against the table once. It sounded suspiciously silent despite the noise in the background, so much that she could ear each ring of the single motion. "I don't come here that often, not every night."

1814 words

Karumo

Karumo


D-rank
The girl turned towards Karumo at the end of his question, she didn't seem... interested or inspired to talk to the Tsuchikage, but that was fine for Karumo who didn't think himself at the position. A small pause came and went, there was no awkward or cracked expression with her but Karumo still couldn't tell whether his small bits of conversation were coming off as an annoyance or not, "It's just a whim," she started off, Karumo raised a curious eyebrow at the thought. Well, he didn't mean to intend that he was curious to her whims but... that was her excuse? He didn't know many who would on a whim go drink drink along in public. Though, he had no interest or cause to call her out or question the answer so he didn't interject, but instead nodded along for a second.

Things were quite across the bar as she tapped her glass against the table, Karumo picked his drink up off the table and let it hover for a moment as she continued on, "I don't come here that often, not every night." she added on in addendum not long after. "Huh..." Karumo would respond with shortly, nodding again as if he was in agreement. Then bringing the glass up to his lips and taking another sip of it, letting the liquid draw down his throat before gulping it down.

He set the glass down and turned his back towards her, "You know..." he paused for a second to gauge her reaction and re-grab her attention if he needed to, "I may be a bit young and probably a bit foolish, but you know I don't really buy that story, right?" he paused a bit and laughed with a smirk. "But that's alright, I won't pry any further..." he paused for a second, "I'm sorry, I don't think I caught your name?" he left off with the question, he knew he hadn't heard her name yet but wanted to get that much out of the way. With her drink unfilled and her position and the general lack of response, Karumo figured she may be taking off at any moment, whether that was because of his arrival and pestering was undetermined in his mind.

He supposed he could figure out a little more depending on how she answered or if she even did. The glass of whiskey seemed to weigh into the table, the ice cube was melting and the smell of the cigar began to fill the air as it slowly burned away in his hand, ever slowly turning into ash naturally.


[449 words, 2088 words total]

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