Chesuke was excited. today he was starting his first mission. not only was it his first, but it was a Rank C, and he was being allowed to undertake it himself. he’d expected to be more nervous than he was, but it was much too late to be nervous. he was to meet with the man who’d issued the request soon, and he wasn’t about to be late for his first assignment. he arrived at Ichiraku early, and waited outside for Takashi to arrive.

he didn’t have to wait long before Takashi rounded the corner, looking expectantly from ninja to ninja, obviously eager to discover who had taken his request. Chesuke smiled at him from beneath his hood, and waved Takashi over. Upon seeing that it was Chesuke who’d accepted his mission, Takashi’s eager smile quickly disappeared.

“so, you’re the one that took my request?” Takashi asked in greeting Chesuke. “are you sure you’re not just here to tell me it’s been canceled?” a somewhat hopeful gleam in his eye.

“I thought about it,” Chesuke admitted, “but I’m a bit too eager for a mission to turn down anything. One can only do so much training, after all.”

Takashi let out a sigh of exasperation. “fine... let me appraise you of the situation.”

“I’ve already been informed about what’s been happening at your silver refinery.” Chesuke interrupts. “someone is sabotaging your silver, reducing its purity by allowing alloys into the mixture, and reducing its value.”

Takashi couldn’t hide his surprise, “how’d you...”

“i can read.” Chesuke interrupted. “or did you take me for the kind of guy to stop reading at ‘Rank: C’?”

A look of embarrassment flashes across Takashi’s face as he recalls saying “i just hope it’s not someone who stops reading at ‘Rank: C’” earlier that morning. Chesuke must have been within earshot.

with Takashi’s lack of response, Chesuke’s grin widens slightly. “I’ll get this done quickly, don't worry.” before quickly vanishing in the direction of the Silver Refinery, and leaving Takashi wringing his hands nervously.

“i hope he got to the section about ‘discretion.’” Takashi says to himself. “If my bosses find out that this happened on my watch, I’m done for.”


Chesuke arrives at the refinery, waiting for the shift change that was almost due.

i hope i didn’t miss it. he thinks to himself just as the whistle blows. i guess not. now’s my chance.

he discretely enters the workforce, making his way into the changing rooms. once stripped, Chesuke keeps his face pointed at the floor. I can’t risk anyone recognising me, and these Hyuga eyes are a dead giveaway. It takes him a moment to find a uniform that isn’t being used. as he reaches for it, another hand bumps his.

“hey watch it. This is my uniform” the hand’s owner says. even with his face pointed at the floor, Chesuke can tell this man is large. all muscle and gristle, Chesuke finds himself fully encompassed in the man’s shadow.

“I’m so sorry” Chesuke apologizes, keeping his face pointed at the floor, “this is my first day, i didn't know.”

“new guy, huh?” The hand’s owner says. “your uniform will be over there” he points to a pile of uniforms in the corner. “make sure you don't get in my way again”

“i will.” Chesuke calls after the man, “I mean i won’t...get in your way, that is.” Playing the part of the fool was not something he enjoyed, but the man didn’t even bother to turn back around, dismissing him with a wave of the hand. that guy is getting on my nerves. Chesuke thought, unhappy with the man’s superior attitude. But i mustn't get sidetracked. i’m here for a reason.

Quickly getting dressed, Chesuke also dons a pair of soldering goggles. these should hide my eyes nicely...maybe i’ll keep them as my own reward for this mission.

Entering the work floor of the refinery, Chesuke makes his way through the room, watching all the levels of work being performed. “that’s where they separate rocks from metal, “Chesuke said, making his mental notes aloud. “and that’s where the metal is heated, That’s where it’s cooled. That’s where it’s cut. and that’s where it’s packaged and shipped. it all seems simple enough.”

Chesuke watches the process for some time, making sure to take in the details of the system. as he’s passing by the cooling station again, a voice calls out to him. “hey! you!”

he turns quickly, ready to be on the defensive, but taking care not to slip into his stance quite yet.

the voice’s owner approaches him. a young man, older than Chesuke, but without the signs of aging that Takashi has lining his face. “we’re not paying you to play watch-and-whistle. get to work!” The man's tone is sharp, accustomed to giving orders. he’s obviously Takashi’s second in command.

“sorry sir, i’m new today, sir” Chesuke rattles off, bowing to his supposed supervisor.

The man eyes him suspiciously. “i wasn’t told about any new workers today.”

Chesuke’s mind races a moment in panic. darn it. i’ve been found out. how do i get on with this mission? okay, got it. “my uncle told me i’d be starting next week, but i got to Konohoa a week earlier than expected. i can run and get him if you’d like. his name is Takashi.”

“No, no. there’s no need to get him. It’s ringing a bell now. he did mention something about you,” The man quickly backtracked, Chesuke’s veiled threat working the way he intended.

thank goodness. i’d hate to have to go back empty-handed already.

“well, get to work boy, we’ll put you on the cooling process, they usually fall behind, but Haji is our best man. you’ll learn a lot from him.” the Supervisor points Chesuke at the man he’s referring to, the recognition of which leaves a slight dread in Chesuke’s stomach.

crap, not him, Chesuke thinks as he makes his way over to the man whose uniform he’d almost used.

Haji briefly looks up from his work at the young man approaching him. “you again? I thought i told you to stay out of my way.”

“well, the supervisor told me different, so show me what to do here. you ARE the best, right?” Chesuke’s tone was no longer the apologetic one he’d used earlier with the man, instead adopting a note of authority masked by deference.

Flattered by the compliment more than under the supervisor’s orders, the intimidating man introduces himself. “I’m Haji. Nice to meet ya.”

“Chesuke.” Chesuke replied without thinking. damnit. that was messy, hopefully he doesnt recognize the name.

“Okay. Lets start with the basics. Those men there sort the rock that comes in from the metal. The metal is heated by those men there. it then comes to us. we cool the silver which, once molten, forms a layer on top of the lead. after we do that, the cooled silver is separated from the lead over there, then it’s reheated, poured into moulds, cooled, and shipped out. got it?” Haji didn't bother waiting for a response before continuing. “so, to cool the molten material that comes our way, we use these pumps to blow air over the material, bringing the temperature down faster than if we were to simply wait for it naturally, which allows us to produce more silver over the same amount of time. the lead we’ve separated then goes off to the shops to be fashioned into whatever is needed. mostly ninja tools and the like, but also pots, pans, and other household items.”

Haji showed Chesuke how to man the bellows, wielding them easily thanks to his size. “now, it’s your turn”

Chesuke, being build more for speed than brute force struggled with the tools in his hands. he could tell he was quickly losing ground.

“shit.” Hajy spits on the ground and shoves Chesuke out of the way. “I knew you’d just get in my way, and slow things down.” he mans the bellows, but Chesuke had lost them too much progress. Haji turns to him. “You can keep a secret, right?”

“I’m keeping several this very minute” Chesuke says, unable to stop himself.

Haji quirks an eyebrow at the comment, then looks around the floor conspiratorially. “i’m about to show you what makes me the best at the cooling station.”

Curious, Chesuke watches Haji closely as the large man forms three inexpert hand-seals, whispering “Water style: metal cooling jutsu” water flows out and over the molten material before the two cooling it instantly, and adding a burst of steam to the haze filling the room.

Chesuke looks oddly at Haji. “if water works so well to cool the metal, why not use it all the time?” he asks in a hushed tone.

Haji returns to the bellows as he explains, “i’m not a trained ninja. i can only do that once or twice a day. on top of that, the water cools the metal too quickly, and it doesn't have time to separate as it should, so there’s a chance of impurities in the metal. that’s why i prefer to only use it when i’ve fallen too far behind.” Haji works the bellows harder. “trouble is, that seems to be happening more and more often. I can only imagine how hard some of the other men have to work at this.”

Chesuke says nothing in response, only nodding as he help to take the bellows, the two of them working in tandem for the rest of the shift.

When the shift ends, and Chesuke returns with Haji to the changing area, an idea strikes him. he changes quickly before any of the other men have a chance to leave. pulling his hood over his eyes, he activated his Byakugan, watching the men around him. to his surprise, Chesuke sees faint chakra pathways in a handful of the men there. much smaller than the typical ninja, but larger than many of the normal villagers, Chesuke makes note of the men with the larger pathways, and realizes they were the men working at the fires.

as he’s almost out the door, Chesuke hears the supervisor’s voice calling out again. “new guy! there you are!” Chesuke feels a grip wrap itself around his upper arm, and start pulling. “I spoke with Takashi, and he says he has no nephews from outside the village. what are you up to here? and what’s up with the hood?” the supervisor’s hand starts reaching for the rim of the hood.

crap, so close. Chesuke thinks to himself. wait, there’s still one last gambit. “really?” he insists of the supervisor, “take me to him, then. I guarantee he’ll recognise me.”

the supervisor glares at him suspiciously a moment before a sly grin spreads across his face. “have it your way, but Takashi is not a man who suffers fools who waste his time.”

As the supervisor and his captive reach Takashi’s office, Chesuke is shoved in first, giving the old man time to hide the look of surprise on his face before his right-hand-man follows through the door. “What is the meaning of this?!” he yells at the supervisor. “I don't have time for this foolishness”

“Sir, this young man snuck onto premises, and was gathering intel about our refinery. no doubt to sabotage or spy. I’d assumed you’d like to be the one to turn him in.”

“uh...er... yes, of course i would.” Takashi said, haltingly. “Now leave me with him, so i can figure out what he was up to”

“sir?”

“NOW!”

the supervisor hurried out of the office.

Takashi made sure the door was shut and locked before turning to Chesuke. “first you keep me waiting all day, then you get yourself caught? i should have known as much from a Genin., let alone one that used to paint up my building.” he dropped down into his chair which gave a squeak of protest at the abuse. “now, what did you find? who is the saboteur?”

“There isn’t one.” Chesuke reports. “at least, not in the traditional sense.” he continues on, not giving the foreman time to respond. “Some of the men you’ve hired have been using low-ranking jutsu to make their jobs easier. i detected sizable chakra pathways in many of the men who work the fires as well as other stations. It is my belief that the fires are burning too hot due to inexpert fire jutsu, and the material is being cooled too quickly by use of water jutu. these would result in the impurities you’ve been worried about.”

“who are these men that are messing with my refinery?! I’ll have them fired! no, arrested! these men are threatening the livelihood of this entire village!” Takashi’s face starts turning red in anger.

“i’ll not name anyone for two reasons.” Chesuke says, the foreman’s unfair decision burning a lump in the pit of his stomach, “first off, because i don’t know names. and secondly, because they are not willfully causing harm, it’s simply accidental. were you to hire more workers, the problem would dissipate. i would suggest a second man working the cooling station, and lessen the demands on production.”

Takashi pauses a moment in consideration. “but if my superiors were to find out about the slowed production...”

“they’d have no reason to, as the purity should earn more money per bar than they’re getting now.” Chesuke finishes the thought.

Takashi mouths silently to himself a few moments.

Chesuke, eager to be finished and go to the baths, offers an idea. “you could always fire your entire staff, and screen your new hires for chakra. it should only set you back a week or so”

Takashi reacts quickly to Chesuke’s suggestion. “no, i don't think that’ll be necessary. we’ll start hiring more staff tomorrow.”

Chesuke stands there a moment longer, giving Takashi an expectant look.
“good job. now stop wasting my time”