Kasai is a large town-city located at the southwestern sea border of the Fire Country in the Taika Province. It is the second most populous town after Teichaku, not counting Konohagakure. Kasai’s economy is currently suffering a recession due to a lack of ability to export their goods via boat as a result of an increase in piracy. Their poor economy has left them unable to afford the same protection that the vastly more successful Teichaku manages.

The architecture of Kasai is modern, typically employing the usage of wood, stone, and plaster. The majority of the population are general labourers and seafarers such as fishermen or naval tradesmen.

Demographics
Population: 240,000
Population Density: 2,666/km²
Land Area: 90/km²

Economy: Recession, stagnated
Relationship with Konohagakure: Poor
Relationship with Akagahara: Poor

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Mission name: Misinformant (Village Version)
Mission rank: D
Objective: Relay wrong information to an opposing faction.
Location: Any non-wilderness Village area
Reward: 150 Ryo + 25 per 100 extra words (max: +150 ryo for +600 wc)

Mission description: Your allies aim to cause confusion within the ranks of the opposing faction. You, as an unknown element, are to deliver that false information as a courier.

Mission details: The shinobi of the Village aim to lure out a local bandit leader who's notoriously known to be a scaredy cat. With some false information at hand, you're to assume the looks of a bandit and deliver some mail in the downtown district. While you shouldn't be in any direct danger, do be careful when dealing with bandits.

You fail the mission if the letter is lost one way or the other, or you get caught while delivering.

"We're trying to get our hands on a crew of smugglers that have been slipping through the net time and time again. New intel reveals that you might actually know these men...", the piercing eyes of the administration bore them in hers. "They've been asking you for a couple of small missions involving the care of their ship."

Alexa wasn't sure if it was some form of accusation or if they were trying to enforce some sense of responsibility on her. The administrator just sat there, staring at her as if reprimanding, the kunoichi showing little care for coordination. She had been given these missions and had executed them top-notch. That other shinobi only now realised that the Nayad's crew were smugglers was not her mistake. The papers had checked out, the cargo did too.

"I'm fairly certain you know them."
"Drop the coy act, it ain't makin' ye cute. You're talking about the Nayad's crew." =.=
"Yes. We believe they've been requesting shinobi to subdue suspicions."
"Smart."
"Not a bad move, but not good enough. In fact, your new mission is to bite them in the tail."
"A little 'treyal sounds like a fun adventure. Nothin' a pirate crew can't deal with"
"Don't go overboard though. Your mission is to slip in a piece of false information"
"Wouldn't like to lose ship anyway. Where do I go?"
"Kasai has a tavern called 'The Drunk Eel' which we believe to be the hub of many smugglers. A sort of small black market where they conduct business."
"Oh yeah, that place. Heard they got good ale. Dark Brew."
"You're not there to get drunk, Alexa."
"Jus' watch me."
"Right. Memorise this message, since that's the one you'll be delivering."
"Aight, matey. I'll be back when I'm sober."

The kunoichi accepted the small letter and read its contents. Konoha ships would lay waiting in ambush on a couple of smuggler's routes, meaning the crew either would have to delay shipment or take one of the free ones. This in turn would lead to ANBU getting the jump on them or discovering new routes. At its worst, the smuggling would be delayed, which was still a win for the Konoha forces. At its best, they could roll up the entire crew and take them out.

"If Konoha catches the crew, I call dibs on that schooner."
"You're not dibsing anything, genin."
"Sure. Crush a girl's dreams, why don't you" =/

Knowing the content of the mission, she stuffed the letter in her mouth and munched on it as she left the building. Kasai was still a while away, but that was fine. If she arrived there in the evening, it would be the perfect time to get a drink, mingle in and blurt out some 'hidden information'. Poifect.

---

With a couple of vests more, some bandages and a change of boots, the Henge no Jutsu she'd put in place would be so much better. Alexa looked liked much like a beggar now. Her blonde hair had turned ochre brown and dirty, the multiple layers showing her struggle against the cold of stone floor and outside cold alike, with the hole in her left boot boasting its veteran life on the streets. This boot knew stories like you couldn't believe it, the encounters about many cobblestones as rich as that of the pirate captain's beard hairs. Stumbling about muttering apologies and begging for coins, Alexa would spend some time at the docks, waiting for the flood of sailors that'd move towards the tavern.

As the end of the day drew near, music and ambience picked up. The entrance to the tavern remained open as a constant flood of people moved in and out, some cacophonic music blurting out as sea shanties and a makeshift crew of musicians set the mood of the evening. The tavern never seemed so lively as now. Alexa would step inside under the guise of the Henge no jutsu, blue eyes watching the heavy amount of crowd standing at the bar as they talked and drank their beers, others sitting around a table playing cards and gambling their hard earned coin away. Still others would be standing in the middle of nowhere as there were no free seats left, joking around and about. The tavern keeper himself had beads of perspiration running down his face as he ran to meet the requests of the many patrons present, wenches walking on and off to deliver the juices.

The furniture itself was rustic. Wooden hand-crafted tables and chairs seemingly positioned at random offered the most comfortable space for those seated around it while making the best use of the space that the building provided. An old unlit fireplace added a homely feeling to the tavern, the chimney mostly decorated with large mugs and a mounted swordfish labelled, 'Ol' Crafty'. Somewhere in the corner, a group of people had gathered, or perhaps more correctly would be cramped up, making a ruckus with some makeshift instruments as they hollered sea shanties for all to hear.  

The blue-eyed lass would wade through the crowd as she made her way to the bar, bumping into a couple of men along the road. They'd scoff, grunt, whichever to make their displeasure known, but Alexa cared little. If it resulted in a tavern brawl, so be it. She had nothing but her disguise to loose here and even that meant little for a shinobi that had showed up once or twice in the docks of Kasai. Her face would not be recognised unless one of the Nayad's crew members were around, and even then the vast amount of people crammed in the tavern lowered the risk of being seen.

When she reached the bar, she'd order a good mug of ale, keeping her head lowered and avoiding eye contact for the most part. Beggars preferred to keep to themselves, after all. A small detail that would stand out between the otherwise boisterous attitudes of the sailors, attract attention in a subtle but calculated way. The mug would be placed before her, coin demanded in return. From her socks she'd take out a couple of ryo, then move to the pockets in her pants, and a few more from one of the many pouches in the several layers of vests. Annoyance was visible on the barkeep's face who had other things to do than wait for what felt an eternity until some beggar found all the coin she needed. She'd match his asked price and grab the mug to take a healthy swallow from the brew. As if it was nothing. Enjoying the cold of the brew smear her thirsty throat, it took only a couple of seconds before she was addressed by a man next to her.

"Ain't ya a tad too young for that sort of drink?"
"Ne'er been one patient enough to wait for the good stuff."
"D'ya parents know you're here?", he'd ask grinning.
"Parents be dead. Father hung 'imself, tired of mom's nagging. Mother had a swing with a sailor in a drunken stupor, slipped and drowned at the quay."
"Aye, mate. Ain't no joke story there."
"Bottoms up and pass me 'nother. Been trying to drown my sorrow, but bein' a beggar doesn't pay enough to forget."

And at those words, Alexa would down the rest of her ale in a breeze. She'd lick her lips, take a moment to recollect her composure from the chill slamming into her and eyeing the man next to her from the corner of her eyes. The baffled expression on his face was golden, not expecting a teenager to drink an ale like this the way a sailor would, but recollecting her brief story he'd suddenly come to realisation it wasn't that odd a thing to see. He'd grin, drink his own pint and order two new ones.

"You looked thirsty."
"Am as well.", she'd reply as she grabbed the offered pint and clink it against his before taking another swig.
"You know any people?"
"No, looking for some though."
"A crew?"
"More like a...", she'd look over her shoulders left and right before beckoning the man closer and whisper in his ears. "... couple of smugglers. Got info."

He'd nod as he lifted his mug, acting as if nothing happened.

"What kind?"
"Me mind is not swamped in beer 'nough to rem'mber."

Her words would end up half drowned in the next swig she took, but the sailor next to her got the jest of it. He'd sign a man beyond her visual perceptions, making Alexa swear to herself that she had yet to awaken her byakugan but she guessed it would be just a matter of time before she'd know who the person was.

"Might know a guy. Can't trouble him for lousy rumours though."

Alexa would peer deeply into her mug. Half-empty, only a thin layer of froth remaining. She'd rub off the white moustache of her face as she thought about what information she could give up. He'd need something to assure his contact, but not too much to put her in a difficult position.

"Beggars are easily ignored but catch a lot o' talk from loose-lips...", she'd beckon him closer again, keeping an eye out on her left. "Heard some roads been compromised, they are."

"Oh really?", he'd ask as Alexa emptied her mug and peered into it, eyeing the wet bottom with a pout. The booze was starting to work her brain, soften her up. A risk to most shinobi who had no idea how to deal with such a situation, but an advantage to someone practising the Drunken Fist style. Somewhat fumbling about, the beggar felt a need to leave. Check if the fish would bite. She'd turn around, about to wave a salute as all was said and done, and found the man wrap his arm around her with a lecherous grin.

"I say we go visit a friend of mine, lassie."
"No can do, mate. He doesn't have booze."
"Oh sure he does. Better than this piss water you've been drinking, I tell ya."
"Reckon I could go for a last one."

Swaying on her limbs, she'd allow the man to guide her to a table placed a little more in the back of the tavern. A dashing man sat there, dark hair sleekly combed behind, long leather coat hiding most of his lean countenance. He looked bored, the man next to him not very interested in talking, their pints so much as untouched, as he played with a dagger and pried the dirt between his nails loose. In a not so soft way the man would press her onto a free chair, looking at the rising, curious-yet-cold gaze of the rogue and master of this table.

"This lassie could tell ye something..."
"... for the right drink.", she interjected immediately. "Talking makes me thirsty."
"Err, yeah. It'd help to loosen her tongue."

The rogue would keep gazing at the man, an uncomfortable silence settling in despite the tumult on the background, urging the sailor to move away and leave them in private. It took a couple of seconds, but eventually he caught the hint and drooped off with a rather sulky glance at the girl he had to leave behind who, at that point, was being offered an untouched drink. She'd sniff the scent of the drink, take a sip and smack her mouth tastily.

"Now that helps things jus' fine."
"What's your story?"
"Story?", she'd ask as she enjoyed another sip. "What story?"
"Tales about compromised routes."
"Aye. Couple of guards slipped up. Seems they intend to hit hidden routes hard."
"Guards don't do sea routes."

Alexa would grin, searching in her many pockets for something while she could see the man before her slowly losing his patience. Eventually, she'd take out a stick and place it on the table as if that explained everything. She'd nod firmly, watching his eyebrow raise up questioningly. She'd roll her eyes at his ignorance.

"What do sticks carry?"
"I'm not here for jokes, beggar."
"I lost me parents. Indulge me."
"Fine. Leaves, I presume?"
"Leaves, yes. Leaf guards, more precisely."

She tapped her nose to signal how much of a wise-girl she was and saw him lean back, mulling over the information as he weighted the credibility of the beggar's words. Alexa would enjoy the game as she took another swig of whatever this good stuff was, waiting for him to share his interest. Or lack thereof.

"Got a pouch with your name on it if you speak up."
"Does it even hold ryo?"

He'd move a pouch forward. A fifty ryo, maybe.

"Tha' it? Could be savin' your haul and yer givin' me crumbs? I got sorrow to drown."

And two more pouches would be added, the weight of it telling her she'd have a good time of drinking after sharing that false information. She could probably ask more considering the man's looks, quality coat and the way he was regarded but she couldn't fall out of her role now.

"Tha' might forget me 'bout the world for a while."

And so she would share the information the administration had given her. The alcohol worked in on her mind, forcing her to retrace her words a couple of times, or repeat them for that matter, but her mission would end up successful. The man nodded, eager to learn it all. At times his eyes would widen in disbelieve that the Leaf shinobi knew about 'that' trade route as well, sometimes he'd look unimpressed as he already had a back-up plan or alternate route. Every of his expressions would be registered and linked to the route she'd be revealing so as to provide feedback once she returned to Konoha. The information might not provide much insight but an ANBU could extract a couple of strategic pointers from it. After all would be said and done, the beggar would leave the tavern with a bellyful of beer and a couple of pockets weighing heavier than when she had entered. A day well spent, if you asked the Hyuga.

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[EXIT]

2437
- 750 mission
- 600 extra ryo (+150 ryo)
- 1000 C rank 'Avenging Seagulls'
Discarding rest

145/150: