No matter what the situation was, mornings in the foster home always seemed to be overly chaotic. Ryo laid awake in his bed, with the foster kids loudly going through their morning routines on the other side of the door to his room. While his parents tried to control them, it seemed to make the volume increase with their shouting. No one seemed to be aware of the fact that Ryo enjoyed sleep. The morning ruckus could get by with being called his unofficial alarm clock, as it not only forced him to wake up but also made it impossible to go back to sleep, seemingly forcing him to get up to go about his morning routine. Ryo couldn't really blame anyone, as his parents tried to stop it and the kids were, well, kids. So, he might as well get up now. Ryo slowly climbed out of his bed and put on clothes before heading outside his room and into the chaos.

When he opened his door, Ryo was face to face with a swarm of children several years younger than him going up and down the hall. This wasn't much different from what he normally dealt with, so the process of coming out and slowly merging into the traffic seemed easier than usual. He headed towards his kitchen, where he was immediately greeted by his mother, who was trying to prepare breakfast for about twelve kids, not including him. When she saw him, she used the phrase "Oh great, you're up," which confused him. Did she think he chose to be awake at this time? Like he had the ability to choose what time he woke up? While he was trying to figure this out, his mother shoved a piece of paper in his face, telling him that she needed him to pick these things up. At least, that's what he thought she said, he wasn't exactly paying attention. Since the list contained items like milk and other grocery-type things, then it seemed to be the right guess. This wasn't really what he wanted to spend one of his many days off doing, but when he saw his mother's happy face he couldn't really refuse.

And so, he went and took a quick shower before changing into his usual, everyday clothes before heading out. As he walked down the street, scanning the list of the things he needs to get, he didn't really look like a genin. He dressed in a white button up and black trousers, with his headband stuffed into a pouch on the back of his belt. He didn't really enjoy wearing it, as it was uncomfortable, but felt the need to carry it around for whenever he needed to flash his badge at somebody. His face was stagnant with a bit of a frown, showing his mood towards the events this morning.

He ended up going to the Bazaar. He didn't really care for the place, but at this time it wasn't as crowded as it is around midday, so he could handle it as it is. As he approached, he decided that he was going to eat breakfast before he bothered doing his mother's errands. After all, it was her idea that since he was an adult that he should find his own food that kept him from having breakfast in the first place. He turned towards the door to a cafe, which was indicated by the flashing neon sign. It wasn't a popular place, and the menu wasn't that great, but the atmosphere is what sold it. Calm, distant piano music played from a record player in the corner and the smell of coffee beans filled the dimly lit dining area. The noise from the kitchen, while being there, was minimal enough to give the place the ambience it deserved.

Ryo wasn't a stranger to this establishment, knowing the routine well. There was no one to seat you, so you simply go into the dining area, which had the standard options of booth and table, and took your pick. Then, your waiter would come and deal with you. It was pretty uncommon and weird for a cafe, but it unusually seemed to fit it. Ryo immediately went towards his "spot", a round table in the corner furthest from the entrance, and took his seat. Placing his hands on the table, he'd look around and take it all in as he waited to order, taking his time to enjoy his well-but-not-really-deserved breakfast.

---

The sun's rays poked well through the window when Mizuki woke up. Clambering out of the bed she wasn't used to sleep in, it felt as if she had been sleeping on a wooden plank in the middle of a storm. Her bed sheets were crumpled together in a mass, the centre of the linen mound looking like the entrance of a cavern. An odd thing to see, considering that was usually how her sister left things within her bed. Not being able to stand the sight of the chaotic sleep, Mizuki made her bed and looked to dress herself. Black buttoned blouse with rolled up sleeves, deep purple long skirt, she was quickly dressed to spend her day at the Bazaar, spending most of her time in front of the mirror as she combed her long silken hair. Much like her bed sheet, her hair too had suffered an unusual chaotic streak, making her spend even more time than usual to get it free of knots. Eventually getting her hair done, she tied it together with her favourite ribbon and hid a senbon within it.

She had mostly one goal at the Bazaar, and that was to check upon the weapons that were sold. Even if she hated the thought of having to replace her trusted katana, the nagging feeling that she had outgrown its quality grew with every passing day. Her katana was old, having served her for three years during her time as a shinobi, and several more as she trained to become that same kunoichi. Even if the katana was well preserved, the teeth of time and the violence of battles hadn't left it unmarred. No matter the care she put in it, the weapon started to chip and the smiths of Kumogakure grew increasingly more annoyed at the thought of having to put effort in the increasingly more needed small repairs. Finding a new katana that fit her was growing a dire necessity.

Tying her katana to her belt and positioning it properly on her left hip before leaving her room, the kunoichi took her grey cloak, threw it over her body and made her way to the Bazaar. Most of the directions and points of interest had been given by Kejido a few days ago, and as such she had all intentions to discover what there was to be seen. Local delicacies, regional handicrafts, exotic wares... The Bazaar was the best place to find something worth to bring back home as a gift for her father. The walk towards the Bazaar had been longer than she had anticipated, however, and hunger reared its head the moment the scent of fresh fruit and vegetables, hot bakery and grilled meat pervaded the area. Spotting a cafe nearby, Mizuki decided to have a breakfast over there.

Pushing open the door, her gaze glided over the almost empty place. A few early birds had made their temporary home on their seating of choice, and finding no one in particular to give her a place, Mizuki eventually picked a seat somewhere in the middle. Being close to the window, she'd be able to keep track of life outside the building as she ate. A brief moment later, a waiter arrived to take her command.

"I'll have a coffee with a pair of eggs sunny side up and toast, please."

A light meal, of which the coffee was probably the heaviest to bear, but one that would suffice for now. She wasn't much of a heavy eater anyway, and the day was still young. Even if it wasn't her intention to taste all of the local dishes today, her curiosity for the local culture of Iwagakure would stop her to have a taste nonetheless. The rest would be for when she went to the university's dining, of which Kejiro had said it provided plenty of local dishes.

---

655

Aikiko had business to conduct today, and she couldn't have picked a better morning, not that there was anything special about today. It was simply the best day to do it because it was the one that she chose. Aikiko opted for her typical dress. A black cotton tank top with the symbol of the Uchiha on the back and some shorts, as usual leaving her Iwa headband in the box it was presented to her in. In Aikiko's opinion, the mark of an Uchiha was enough to be clear of her status and position. Aikiko wasn't exactly a stranger in the village either, having been an academy standout anyone who followed the happenings among the village's military force would know her at least by reputation, the symbol on her back was simply confirmation. Aikiko was clearly a very arrogant young woman, her pride showing in every dealing of hers. Aikiko decided to get breakfast in the village today, not wanting to be more efficient with her time than eating at home would provide. She set out towards the bazaar, the cool morning air hitting her, a refreshing and energizing sensation which provided a bit of extra nobility to the way she carried herself today.

As Aikiko walked through the village she thought on her life, and how grand it truly was. After all, she was Uchiha and even if she hadn't awakened her sharingan yet, she was still quite good considering her age and experience, all thanks to her superior heritage. She could feel the eyes of those around her, once they glance at the symbol on her back, its two tones send a clear message to anyone who sees it. There was a diner in the bazaar that had a good breakfast offering, Aikiko decided this would the first stop of her errands, her stomach protesting the decision to not eat at home. For some reason she couldn’t help but think of her days in the academy as she walked. In particular, she couldn’t stop thinking of the many times she had tricked her peers using her prowess with Genjutsu. Aikiko smiles to herself, remembering the looks of confusion and sometimes fear when she pulled these pranks. Aikiko was not cruel per se, she just took her humour at the expense of others, her favorite targets were the lazy ones and the ones that were generally behind their peers in progress.

The merchants as usual were doing their best call outs to attract customers, Aikiko however went mostly unnoticed due to her age. The merchants who knew who she was avoided bothering her, while the ones who knew not who she was ignored her for her stature; being able to avoid most of the heckling she made good time through the markets towards the diner she had chosen. She pushed the door open being welcomed by the familiar smell of bacon and syrup that a diner tends to offer. Aikiko scanned the room, looking for anyone of note that she may be obligated to greet. There were two stand outs, a woman in a black blouse and purple skirt with a katana at her waist and an old acquaintance of Aikiko’s, Ryo Fujita. Ryo was a classmate of hers, he was older than her by six years but still graduated the same year as Aikiko. Aikiko did not think much of the man, he was the kind of person to do the least work possible in order to get by, something Aikiko detested. Aikiko looked to Ryo, then to the woman boasting the sword. She knew one of them and should, regardless of her opinion be courteous enough to greet him. However, she was interested in this stranger as well. Her sword clearly marked her a fighter of sorts, but she carried no insignia to mark her allegiance or clan. The Uchiha girl decided to approach the mysterious woman, but if Ryo should move to leave, she would ensure that she would greet him as well. Aikiko approached the woman from the front so as not to surprise the stranger with an ambush greeting, smiling and making eye contact Aikiko spoke in a clear voice, ”Good morning madame, I don’t mean to intrude on your breakfast, however I’d also prefer to not eat alone and you seem like the most interesting company in the house. My name is Aikiko Uchiha, would you be I interested in a cordial breakfast meeting, with me?”

[754]

As she waited for her breakfast to be readied, Mizuki eyed the young man at the back of the cafe. He had an uncaring air about him, as if he knew he didn't had any reasons to stand out. He wasn't exactly ugly, but neither was he the type to make a woman's heart race at first sight. His attire was casual, an excellent fit for your daily outings, yet there were subtle ways where he could improve upon his looks nonetheless. While she knew well enough not to judge a book by its cover, she lowered her eyes as she broke contact nonetheless and proceeded to look outside absent-mindedly at the passing crowd. Even when the bell rang to announce the new customer of the cafe, Mizuki kept gazing outside, not expecting to be addressed by anyone else but the waitress.

From the corner of her eye, movement attracted her attention. Mizuki had expected it to be the waitress, but instead she found a teenager standing there, eyes fixed on her. As they made eye contact, she smiled before speaking with a clear voice, ”Good morning madame, I don’t mean to intrude on your breakfast, however I’d also prefer to not eat alone and you seem like the most interesting company in the house. My name is Aikiko Uchiha, would you be interested in a cordial breakfast meeting, with me?”

An Uchiha? That reminded her of someone she had met in Kumogakure. Maigo, a friend of Lin. She didn't know the man that well, but Lin had dropped a thing or two about him considering he was her boyfriend, among that information being that he was an Uchiha. The Uchiha were a clan said to be in the possession of a powerful doujutsu. Mizuki didn't mind believing the gossip and the knowledge of her peers, but she found it hard to grasp how vast that power was as she had yet to spar even one person blessed with a doujutsu. They were a rare breed.

Mizuki could find no sign that betrayed the girl's affiliation, but then again, her name stood out as much as her own katana. Iwa-nin or not, there was no denying that Aikiko had the ancestry of shinobi, much like her katana told others she was familiar with the Way of the Sword. As such, Mizuki rose to her feet and bowed towards the girl.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Aikiko-san. My name is Raiu Mizuki, from the Land of Lightning. I would certainly value the company of a young kunoichi such as yourself. Please, make yourself comfortable."

Sitting back down, Mizuki would wait for Aikiko to be seated before apologising for the fact she had already ordered her breakfast. And, as if on cue, the waiter showed up to deliver her ordered coffee, mentioning the eggs and toast would follow in a minute before he turned his attention to the newly arrived customer so he could take Aikiko's order while he was there.

As Aikiko would interact with the waiter, Mizuki allowed the coffee's aroma to entice her nose before she blew gently upon the hot liquid and took a sip. She could feel the warmth of the beverage warm up her body. The caffeine didn't have the strength of her adrenaline senbon, but the faint boost in energy coursing through her body was appreciated nonetheless.

As the waiter would leave their table to take care of the next order, Mizuki would offer Aikiko a warm smile. Iwa-nin certainly seemed more open and friendlier than the average Kumo-nin she had interacted with. She wondered if it had anything to do with the warmer colours and weather of which the Land of Rock seemed to be made off.

"The weather looks nice enough to roam the Bazaar today. I hope it stays that way since I aim to find myself a few souvenirs to bring back home."

It was not much of a revelation, but a conversation had to start somewhere, right?

---

684
Total: 1339

Aikiko was pleased when she saw that her presence made Ryo uneasy. He hadn't forgotten the cruel young Uchiha. The Uchiha commonly pulled pranks on Ryo since Aikiko looked down on him for being quite slothful. He probably hoped that if he just laid low that Aikiko would neither notice nor acknowledge him. Before she was less than enthusiastic to make her greeting, but after this latest disrespect she decided that she would make a point to greet the man. She wanted to watch him squirm, watch his skin crawl as she killed him with kindness. After all she couldn't be seen as cruel before the woman she wished to dine with. That would be a horrible reflection on her name.  The man's frown said everything however, he clearly was not happy to see her.  All this could be seen from behind the woman Aikiko had been addressing, the one whom she wished to dine with. The woman rose and bowed before greeting Aikiko, who smiled while listening to the woman's introduction "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Aikiko-san. My name is Raiu Mizuki, from the Land of Lightning. I would certainly value the company of a young kunoichi such as yourself. Please, make yourself comfortable."  Aikiko would bow before taking a seat in tandem with Mizuki, who would apologize for having already ordered. The waiter brought Mizuki her order soon after, and seeing a new guest asked Aikiko what she would like, Aikiko would respond with looking at the waiter or otherwise acknowledging their presence, electing to keep her focus on the visitor from the land of lightning. "Tea and some toast, please," Aikiko would continue without waiting to be acknowledged by the waiter, the woman before her a much more intriguing conversational prospect, "It is a pleasure to meet you Mizuki-san. Thank you for allowing me to intrude on your morning."



The woman's warm smile would lead to the continuation of their warm conversation, the woman making pleasant small talk with Aikiko while sipping at her coffee. "The weather should hold, it's beautiful this time of year in the stone village. If you'd like some company, I'd be happy to go with you, I'm sure your travels will take you some of my own destina-" Aikiko stopped in the middle of her sentence, and made a show of pretending to notice Ryo for the first time, in a voice loud enough that she could be sure Ryo would hear he was being addressed, the Uchiha teen continued "Ryo Fujita, is that you sitting back there. My, where are my manners. Mizuki-san, this is one of my peers. Ryo, why don't you come join us? There's plenty of room for another. Come meet Mizuki-san, she's visiting from the lightning country. To a stranger like Mizuki, the smile Aikiko was sporting would probably seem kind and sincere. However, to someone like Ryo who would know the smile well, the venom and satisfaction was clear. Aikiko wanted to make the man uncomfortable and for him to refuse would be incredibly rude in this situation. Aikiko's toast and tea would arrive while she awaited the young man's response. The Uchiha teen would sip the tea, looking quite pleased with herself, excited to find out how this would play out.

[566]

Conversation picked up. It seemed as if Aikiko was about to offer being her guide for the Bazaar after she declared the weather would hold, but interrupted her offer when she recognised the guy in the back of the cafe. Ryo Fujita. As the two of them interacted, Mizuki took a sip of her coffee, casually listening in how Aikiko invited him to join the table, which he accepted. There seemed to be some strain in his voice, making it sound as if he was not at all interested in joining - unlike what his words said - but considering he looked rather sleepy, Mizuki assumed he was simply not awake just yet to bother with the world. Much like her sister, he sounded like the sort who would prefer to sleep through every worry of the world. As he picked up his own plate to join their table, a waitress appeared with her own food, placing it before her. She thanked the waitress and watched Ryo take a seat at their table, making his introduction brief with a nod and his name. She inclined her head in return.

"A pleasure to meet you, Ryo-san. I'm Raiu Mizuki, from the Land of Lightning. We were just discussing the weather and the Bazaar as I intend to get me some souvenirs before I return home. Would you like to come with after breakfast? I wouldn't mind the company of a few locals. I'm certain you both know the better spots at the Bazaar than what I could possibly discover by myself."

It was clear the two knew each other from somewhere. She was an Uchiha, so it was possible they were both shinobi, but the age difference seemed big and he didn't exactly stand out. At first sight, she would have said he didn't have the slightest hint of being a shinobi, but looks could be deceiving and in the world of the shinobi it was actually a merit not to be perceived as a ninja. It was, of course, possible that the two were just friends or neighbours just as much as not everyone picked up the ardent future of infiltration and assassination.

"You two are friends?", she asked before putting some egg and toast in her mouth. She was curious to know about them even if her interest went mostly about the Uchiha since she'd had little chance of learning about them what with Maigo never lingering around for long whenever Lin was around. Even if she had precious little time before she had to move on to forge the future of Kumogakure, she would love learning more about Iwa's shinobi, their techniques and general approach to things. How different was the Land of Rock compared to the Land of Lightning, other than the environment and the weather? If she wanted to improve the relations between the two hidden Villages, she needed information. A lot of information.

---

494
Total: 1833

OOC:

Aikiko's beckoning had had an effect, the man had tried so hard to avoid Aikiko but she had won before it began, the force of the young teen's personality far greater than his. The  man always buckled, it was part of the reason she had no respect for him. Maybe if the man just stood up to her for once she'd leave him alone. After all, he was a man of nineteen and she a mere girl of thirteen, he had every excuse to straighten her out and all the ability to do so but for some reason, he just rolled over and took the abuse. The man acknowledged her presence, "Hey.. Aikiko. Sorry, I must've missed when you walked in. I was too busy looking outside, you know? I would love to join you..." The man rose and began to make his slothful way over to the pair of black haired females who were enjoying a pleasant meal and chat on a fine morning in the great village of Iwagakure no Sato.  Aikiko's cruel grin would continue as the man approached, when he arrived, the man would reintroduce himself to Mizuki, "I'm Fujita Ryo, as you heard from Aikiko. Lovely morning, isn't it?".  

Ryo made a pitiful excuse for a bow and sat down. Aikiko clenched her jaw at the man's disrespect, his half observance of proper etiquette almost worse than if he had neglected to show any at all, however she still maintained the same forced, venomous smile through the annoyance. Once he sat, Aikiko took a bite of her toast, crunching into it with her small, pearly white teeth. For a piece of toast, it was surprisingly good, it had the perfect amount of butter of which was spread evenly. Aikiko quietly chewed her bite of warm, toasted, sourdough, looking to Mizuki to see her response to the new guest at their table. "A pleasure to meet you, Ryo-san. I'm Raiu Mizuki, from the Land of Lightning. We were just discussing the weather and the Bazaar as I intend to get me some souvenirs before I return home. Would you like to come with after breakfast? I wouldn't mind the company of a few locals. I'm certain you both know the better spots at the Bazaar than what I could possibly discover by myself." Thankfully, it appeared that the man's disrespect would pass without incident, Aikiko continued her silence as she sipped at the tea, its nectar warming her throat as it went down.
"You two are friends?" The woman asked, seemingly overlooking the tension between the Uchiha teen and her “friend” Ryo Fujita. Aikiko would take another bite of her tasty, well made toast before replying to the raven haired beauty before her.

”I'd love to join you on your errands today, Mizuki-san. I have some of my own to complete as well, and no guest should be without a host. I would also insist that I pay for the meal today, for both of you, after all what kind of friend would I be if I didn't pay for meal I've invited you to join. Aikiko's best weapon had always been subtlety and she saw no reason to change her tactic now, the Uchiha teen would send a contemptuous look at her good “friend” Ryo, begging for him to react with an outburst of some kind. History would tell her that it was very unlikely that the man would do anything other than sigh or cave, however something deep down hoped he'd show some fire so she'd have an excuse to fire back at him, or use one of her illusions to throw him off. The look would only last a moment, however it's message would be clear, Try me Ryo. Looking back towards her guest, she would put on a warm smile once more, and continue her conversation, pausing for a moment for another bite of the tasty toast and the warm, well brewed, tea. ”Besides, this is a great opportunity to foster better relations between nations, through a sort of cultural exchange. A prosperous ally is a good thing for any nation. Especially two great nations such as ours.”

[717 | Total words: 2037]

[Exit]

Training: 2 C rank Jutsu 2,000/2,000

As they shared breakfast, it seemed none would answer her question concerning their friendship. That one didn't answer, could easily be passed for distraction, but the two of them? Something felt off. That feeling was further emphasised by the stares they gave each other, betraying a relationship that certainly went deeper than 'first meetings'. It had much similarities with how her sister and herself looked at each other when they were in disagreement. Hell bent on wounding each other to the point of no return with just glares and quips, until a new event forced them to reconcile and band together. Taking another bite from her toast and eggs, Mizuki assumed she must be imagining things as both of them agreed to join her on her stroll despite having a few personal errands to run.

"Thank you. Your kindness won't be forgotten, Aikiko-san.", she answered to Aikiko's offer to pay for their breakfast. There was a brief silence as each enjoyed their own meal, yet the tension of hatred and disdain was just as palpable despite the otherwise seemingly friendly mood that hung around the breakfast table. She was no stranger to this feeling, but it was somewhat of an odd sensation to find herself at the place of her mother or father now. The feeling of knowing something was going on, but not knowing what exactly. Of course, her mother knew how to deal with the two brats of children she had raised. This was a tad different, since Aikiko and Ryo were not her kids, and as such she preferred to ignore it, keeping up the appearance she was unaware of their personal warfare and finishing her breakfast instead.

"Exactly my thoughts, Aikiko-san."

---

[EXIT]

290
Total: 2123

Training: