[attr="class","APP3"] “Alright, we’ve arrived. From here, you just have to report to lady Kazekage to have your documentation and lodging sorted out. Once you're done with that — dismissed.” his instructions were curt and to the point, devoid of the warmth of home. Before she could speak up, the two special jounin responsible for conscription jogged away to escape the rain. The cold facet of their visages melted when she wasn’t a number in their social equation anymore. Mocking laughter, subtle glances backwards and a few other gestures were more than enough information. It helped the Akimichi paint together the image they had of herself, or perhaps her clan. It stung, but her eyes remained neutral.
In that late afternoon Ichigo had arrived in the hidden rain village, the one her grandpa had oh-so-many stories to tell about. All the magnificent technological feats they had achieved, the impressive sky-rendering buildings, the bustling atmosphere of people going about their daily lives — all the expectation placed upon tales that her progenitor had weaved near a fireplace, shattered at once. Perhaps arriving that day was an unlucky draw, but the skies above were clouded in darkness, and an endless torrent of water bathed the earth. Not a soul was in sight.
Her enlarged arm was used as a stand-in for a proper umbrella, and quietly she approached the bottom of one among many towering buildings. With a hoodie and her red scarf concealing her features, the grass-haired Akimichi certainly didn’t look suspicious. Her scarlet eyes glanced left and right, making sure nobody is nearby. The strong winds force the back of her jacket to take on the rhythm of a wild dance while displaying the Akimichi clan symbol on its back. This was the moment she had anticipated the most when first arriving on Amegakure. Scheming fingers of her diminutive hand dance in the air, slowly but surely approaching the target of her dubious intentions — Clunk!
“Oooh…!” The thump of metal reverberated, but soon was drowned out by the ongoing rain. Expressionless hues blinked several times, incredulous at the feeling of metal. She poked the building again, then again — at this point she bounced like a child that had found their new toy — and until she finds satisfaction in confirming the towers really were made of metal. She turned around, vigor renewed, chest puffed up and posture straight.
The buildings stretched far beyond her gaze could reach; any of them might as well be the Kage’s tower. “Of course, I’m seein’ it now… This is a test. They wanna know if I’m up to the task…!” step by step she marches on, further and further away from her target building — the one right behind herself.
.⠀.⠀.
“…Hmm. Maybe this ninja stuff ain’t for me, after all...” Hours went by and the lingering daylight above the clouds was gone, darkening the hidden rain and lighting up neon lights all over the scenery. In her first day in the rain, Ichigo was lost and had met the first obstacle of adversity in her path. Hidden away in an alley and amidst a labyrinth of metallic and disorderly buildings, she finds solace from the downpour in this alien environment.
He'd been watching her arrival from his perch, an edifice of metal home to the Jounin's crouch as almond-shaped orbs remained on the simpletons who had left the young woman to her devices moments ago. A shake of his head, the mental note to have an appropriately passionate conversation about the lack of respect. He may as well have been a part of the tower's decor - statuesque, observative, silent. The darkness of the village was accentuated by the seemingly perpetual blanket of rain that fell over it, the occasional strike of lightning illuminating the Uchiha and revealing the pristine white of his attire. Though somehow, it was not as soaked as one may have surmised. Rain-resistant and snug to an athletic form, his coat whipped about against the gale. [break][break] Finally, Anotsu stood to full height. The young Akimichi was lost, but he would entertain her struggle for as long as she would endure. Some time passed as the youthful Uchiha took to the rooftops, sandals stepping with such grace and finesse that he appeared a ghost to the uninitiated. The village continued to buzz and hum with life even after she had been resolved to the fate she'd decided upon. Anotsu lofted a hand to push back soaked locks, a parting of full, soft lips yielding a sigh of mental defeat. "This one is going to need some help," Anotsu muttered. He'd made it his business to canvas Amegakure for its potential patrons. With their advancements in technology, there was little wonder that some desired their deepest secrets. [break][break] But that was a matter for another time. A slight bend of the legs and a vault after, Anotsu's form vanished from whence it stood. The Jounin's speed afforded him the ability to traverse Ame's buildings with ease, his destination at least a few meters off from where the young kunoichi now reside. Almost silently and in a crouch, Uchiha Anotsu arrived before the young Genin and stood up before offering her a half-smile. "Ichigo Busujima, I take it?" the Jounin asked. The hitai ate that hung attached to a long black scarf was, hopefully, the only identification she needed. Anotsu's eyes, luminescent purple, were a stark contrast to the darkness that veiled the afternoon. His voice was deep, akin to the gentle roll of thunder through plains. [break][break] Of course, the studious Uchiha had read upon the Dossier of every accessible member that had been added to the roster. Every building behind him jutted forth from the distance like serrated edges, a testament to the intricacies of Amegakure and what existed beneath her surface. Despite the imposing look, Anotsu could only hope that his arrival was a welcome addition to that which she'd already discovered. "...You were.." the Uchiha began with a sheepish rub of the back of his head. "...Already at the Kage's Tower from the start." [break][break] A soft chuckle. An anime sweat drop, if that sort of thing could have physically existed outside of anime. "I can guide you back from here." [break][break] [3:15PM]
[attr="class","APP3"]Little by little, the kunoichi felt her eyelids heavier. Similar to some abandoned cat in the middle of nowhere, her head weighted forward for a brief second before she suddenly pulled it back to prevent herself from falling asleep; this scene repeated itself a few times , until finally, a voice breaks the Akimichi’s bizarre adventure in the hidden rain. She jumps up, right hand swelled up in response to Anotsu’s reveal. Rather than a display of hostility, it was but a self-defense attempt from someone who had no idea where in the hell they were.
Right fist raised, she tilted her head as he mentioned her name. Scarlet eyes blinked several times within a short period of time as her mind worked three braincells per second to piece the puzzle together. Though barely visible behind her scarf, a soft pink spreads across her visage out of embarrassment. “Oh! I’m seein’ it now,” her hand deflates, returning to its original form “So me secret p-plan to lure ya out and tell me where is the Kage Tower worked. I knew it was a test, kuku!” she rests her hands on her hips, proud of her… Achievement?
“Oh ya! I was right on me way to the Kage tower. I was just thinkin’, uh…!” if only the man before her had the sharingan on him, he’d see her chakra buffer atop her head almost as if loading a video, “Ya know, I just wanted to get a better view of the rain, ya!” a terrible liar, though not an ill-meaning one. Her red hues danced across the metallic landscape, a testament to her nervousness in this situation. She couldn’t give such a bad impression to her superiors on her very first day as a kunoichi, but her embarassment was far too deep into her skin, preventing her from gazing at him comfortably.
Out of nowhere, however, her eyebrows furrowed in response to the absolutely advanced clockworks of her mind. The two random nobodies on the way here had said something, something about privacy and something kage and only they had files and — honestly speaking, she didn’t pay that much attention to their rambling. Regardless, from what her expert mindscape revealed upon digging into her memories, only the kage should have the files relating to their shinobi-
Her furrowed eyebrows raise and what’s visible of her expression displayed absolute shock. “A-are ya the Kazekage?! Only they should know about me!” Nevermind the two special jounin that brought her to Amegakure, which had disappeared from her scatterbrained mind just as quickly as they had surfaced.
It was a spectacle to watch her flail and fail. [break][break] Anotsu's visage remained unchanged as Ichigo spoke, though the Uchiha was almost sure that his eyebrow was twitching to an imperceptible degree. Thankfully, the distance between them would render such a reaction unseen. He didn't interrupt, instead opting to bear witness to the full extent of her deception before replying. "...I see," Anotsu said with all of the feigned understanding that he could muster. Difficult it was to maintain the facade of compliance to her secret plan. For all intents and purposes, the Jounin needed to possess positive reinforcement. To that end, it took every ounce of effort not to chuckle. "Mm.." Anotsu muttered, needlessly clearing his throat of something imaginary caught in it. [break][break] "The rain is everywhere. You could stand anywhere within Amegakure and see it.." the Uchiha thought. Yet again, a mental check to ensure that his countenance hadn't betrayed his charade of understanding. "To answer your question," Anotsu began with a casual gait, "No. I am not the Kazekage. My name is Uchiha Anotsu, one of the Jounin here in Amegakure. Normally, you'd be correct in your statement. However, the Kazekage is occupied with matters at the Tower. As a Jounin, I've the authority and position to direct and assist new Genin like yourself." Silently, Anotsu wondered if he should have spoken in fewer words. [break][break] The rain continued to batter and pitter-patter, an audible backdrop to their conversation and initial greeting. The Jounin's hands rest in his pockets as he turned and tilted his chin north, capturing the beauty of the nearly perpetual blanket of rain and the seemingly ominous clouds that shown themselves with the occasional lightning strike. Amegakure was certainly no utopia. Every ounce of its charm lie in the technology that buzzed to life about them, the flicker of sign and notice illuminating their surroundings. [break][break] Anotsu's head swayed east and west, cognizant of her apprehension. "If you're done taking in the sights, I'll take you to the Kazekage's tower." The shroud of introduction now replaced with a more business approach, Anotsu turned and began the task of leading Ichigo toward their intended destination. "Any more secret plans I should know about along the way?" the Uchiha asked, the faintest drop of sarcasm being stirred into the question. [break][break] [12:02PM]
