The time had come. The teams had been sorted and everyone was ready. Sayuri had been delegated to aid a group with delivering messages around the battlefield. Straight forward and somewhat one of the more dangerous and vital assignments. If they failed... They would doom the squads to fighting blind and with no knowledge of what happened elsewhere. Sayuri didn't know the others, not truly, but she had faith that their abilities were great otherwise they would not have been tasked with moving through all the zones. Makoto - an Inuzuka with great hounds supporting her- would lead them and called for them to follow. Sayuri would take up the rear, keeping an eye on their backs.
The sound ninja was clad in the traditional uniform and was rather incognito looking, but it suited her just fine. The group moved quietly and all was going smoothly until they encountered a group of horsemen. Makoto urged them to keep pushing on, clearly going for the forest, as she carved a path for them. The sight of the ninken offering a ride to the genin made her smile, meant she didn't need to dally behind to keep them going. Feet pressed at the ground and the chuunin did her very best to follow the group, kunai in hand and ready to strike should a horse or its rider pop up.
An ungodly amount of noise and yelling woke up Sayuri on this peaceful morning. With a grumble she pulled her covers up over her head. Would he go away if she pretended she was not home? Her slumber had been so peaceful and her body weighed a ton... But then again... She knew Yoshitsune and the man would not stop till he was certain she was not home. Or maybe he would. She would just feel bad.
So she dragged herself out of bed and pulled on an oversized tshirt and one of her loose fitting shinobi pants and belt. A quick glance at herself in the mirror told her she needed to at least wash her face and do something with her hair. It looked like a bird's nest! Once that was done she pulled open the door and grabbed her bag from the knob on the wall.
"You are so early man... "
Yoshi had been her friend for a while now and honestly she wasn't sure if his company was a good influence on her. At least it seemed they worked together well and they had fun. So it couldn't be all bad right?
Sayuri locked the door so they could get going. With a yawn she addressed the blue-haired teen.
Work, work, work. It never seemed to have an end... Which was why you should always do something you found joy or some sense of accomplishment in! Love your work and you'll never work a day in your life and all that right? At least that was largely how Sayuri's mindset was - most of the time... Other times a design or repair of an article of clothing was proving to be more of a challenge than initially expected. And that was sure to put a stop to her humming and her enjoyment of sewing!
Tempted to burn both the shirt and her tools she was working with, she pushed it away and left it on the table for her to return to a little later. Tea. She needed it badly as an excuse to calm down and to stop herself from ripping the fabric to shreds. As she made her tea she would gaze out the window by her kitchen. She could see the village situated not far from one of the hideouts of the Sound Village. Of course only those in the know would know it was there. Her own house was a little walk away from the village's hustle and bustle, so it meant she could enjoy the silence of nature while having the Sound's resources close at hand. Very nifty. The only downside perhaps was the fact she could easily be summoned if trouble was brewing or if some jounin needed her to sweep a floor or something boring they couldn't be bothered to do themselves.
With a steaming cup of tea she returned to her work, this time attacking the problem with more distance and a calmer mindset. It was boding well.
Until it didn't. The patch tugged at the fabric and made it crease... With a huff she started to rip the stitches up so she could start over. At this point she could just make a new shirt! "Tch... Stupid li-"
A knock on the door drew her out of her focus and she couldn't decide if it was a blessing or a curse to be disturbed. Nonetheless the chuunin rose to her feet, grabbing her cup of tea with one hand and made her way to the door. And who could it be? She opened the door and leaned against the doorframe as she took in the visitor. She sipped her tea.
"Nori-something right? Uchiha from platoon one if I am not mistaken. Whaddya need?"
She was rarely as formal as she needed to be, she blamed it on her upbringing.
Welcoming and handsome? Seemed like she had hit the jackpot with this one. Even if he turned out to be an enemy. She always liked warm and kind people. As he poured a cup of tea, she found a seat, her eyes taking the chance to take in the man's appearance for a moment. Defined muscles and tanned skin, so he likely worked outside or travelled around. The relatively short hair didn't show any signs of being taken care of beyond a wash every now and then, so he definitely wasn't some stuck up noble playing at being an average civilian. By no means was he horrible to look at, but Sayuri would redirect her attention to the fire, gently rubbing her hands together and warming them at the fire, keeping the man in her peripheral vision. If he was digging for a weapon she would need to be ready. She doubted it though. He did not give off the same energy as some of the other company she kept.
Now that she was sat here and allowed a moment of respite she found the idea of a cup of tea welcoming and much needed. She dismissed the man's apologies, reassuring him; "it is alright. I prefer mine without. "
As he rose he did so to an almost unexpected height. As he had been sat he had seemed rather unassuming, peaceful - or perhaps simply harmless? - but she didn't let it put her off and she reached up to accept the cup of herbal goodness with a soft smile playing on her lips. "Oh that sounds interesting - I do not often drink herbal or fruit teas. White and greens are my usual go-tos." She didn't know much about tea , but she knew enough to brew a decent cup of it.
"The spirits? Oh no one of note I am afraid. A simple seamstress. I live just outside the village a ways up that way-" she nodded in the direction of what was in fact her humble abode and from where she ran her small hobby-business "-if you ever need something mended or to restock on a few items, they do have a few vendors." Brown eyes seemed almost black in the low light and it was quite the contrast to the blue hues she met as she looked at her tea partner.
"And you? I have not seen you around here before and you don't seem the type to linger anywhere for long" She inquired with a small smirk dragging one side of her mouth upwards as she nodded towards the bow and pack. How well could he shoot? Enough to be dangerous.
A weapon did not mean ill intent. It meant protection and a bow was a hunting tool often used. The wear and tear certainly told a story of a long life and many years of service. Probably rested perfectly in his hands. Her gaze wandered across the man's face, lingering for a moment, to the fire and she sipped at her tea finding she easily found the notes he had mentioned before. A lovely blend, really. Reminded her of late autumn evenings with her grandparents, though they had used more anise and other stronger spices. Occasionally she glanced at him again just to show she was still listening and had not slipped into some daydream while watching the fire dance and crackle.
The village was preparing for the night, the scent of dinner drifted out of windows here and there. Everything was as usual. On the surface. The civilian population of the Sound was not stupid nor were they wholly ignorant. Shinobi of every country had come into the village's territories and while it could have been concerning and hinted at the fall of the Sound Village, it was quite the opposite.
Didn't mean you had to like it. More manpower meant they were gearing up for something. Sayuri had sharpened her weapons and mended several uniforms as well. Having this many foreign forces in the heart of her home - granted most stayed above ground and out of the shinobi village- made her slightly on edge. They had no business moving about too much and poking their noses in things that didn't concern them.
Sayuri was no longer dressed in the uniform which she spent most of her days in, instead, she wore a set of loose pants with a hoodie, prowling the streets of this area to keep an eye on the strangers as well as hunting for some food.
Commotion drew her eye to a small group. One - a grey-haired woman with a dog. Inuzuka shinobi by the looks of her clothes. Neat. Functional and never alone. The man with her had dark hair and seemed older than her. Judging from the giggles and the cheeky smile plastered on a child's face as she passed they had engaged them in a game of hide and seek.
Brown eyes studied the duo for a moment more, before she approached.
"Seems you have your work cut out for you. These kids are experts~"
A smile accompanied her words and she came to s stop by them, getting a better look at them. Both were definitely older than herself and from Kumogakure it seemed. Despite the difference in life experience she offered them no respectfully averted eyes nor did she afford them a bow.
She pulled one hand out of her pockets and offered it for them to take or leave. Whatever suited them best. Her introduction was made regardless.
"Sayuri. I hear we will be working together soon enough, so it is best we know each other a little, yeah?"
Night was a different kind of world. One where her kind flourished and came into their right. Years of dedicated training went ahead of it and after that years of further training would be required to be able to dub yourself a master in your art. Sayuri moved through the woods silently and to the world, she might as well have been a shadow for none were here to observe her.
It was perhaps her favorite time of day when the sun kissed the horizon and painted the sky in a myriad of warm colors. Rather poetic how both of the beginnings were marked with such a display.
Sayuri had been on a simple patrol and was now headed home with nothing of note to report. And so she was clad in the form-fitted black garments with the grey knee-length tunic, and the spotted collar. Usually, her face would be obscured by the black mask and headband, but she had pulled it back to feel the fresh air better. Her hair spilled past her uniform in a long ponytail. A cup of tea and a few pages of her book would make for the perfect ending of this day.
However, it seemed she would not get to go home quite yet.
Firelight and the rustling definitely not belonging to the animal dwellers of the forest caught her attention and she would seek refuge in the long evening shadows, pausing behind a tree, depending on the foliage to keep her mostly hidden as she managed a better look at whoever was in the clearing.
A man.
Nothing more... And yet a man was not always friendly. However, this one carried no sword or sign of being from the Empire. However, they spied on them, so why would they not do the same? Engaging in combat was never a good move unless it was necessary. She could investigate further, but perhaps broadcasting her loyalties wasn't the smartest choice. A quick outfit change would be done. The collar was shimmied down to fit around her waist, the upper part of the tunic she took her arms out of and let it roll over the belt and collar. Great. Now she just looked like someone with horrible fashion sense! Hopefully, her hair would cover the mask and metal plate.
"That is a mighty fine fire you have there. Mind if I warm myself by it for a spell?"
She batted her eyes at the stranger, a small smile playing on her lips, her hands laid gently on top of each other at her front. Could she possibly make this chunky skirt look any less as if it had belonged to a forest witch?
The babble of the large brook was complemented by the different types of birdsong throughout the forest functioned as the perfect background noise for the brunette kunoichi sat in a tree with a book in her lap. The was a book on fuinjutsu left behind by her uncle. Her eyes studied the diagrams and examples accompanying the texts. It was annotated in several places and the books were some of her most prized possessions. If only because they informed her about her heritage, but also held some of her uncle in it. Perhaps if she read all he had read she would know why he had vanished from her life so suddenly...
Her days off rarely had any set plans, but today she had specifically gone into the forest to fish and to study some for nearby the small river a larger village lay. One with a rather well-stocked fabric store, too, which she had plans to visit. But only after she had read a good handful of pages of her book.
Fuinjutsu did hold some of her interest and she was sure she would have been more proficient in it had she known of her heritage earlier, but... it was never too late to learn, right?
Sayuri would read a handful of pages more before she closed the book and leaped from the tree, landing softly on the ground below and put her book in her backpack before stepping to the river and hoisted up the jar. A smile danced on her lips as she saw it was full of small river fish.
With the jar with fish and river water attached to the side of her backpack, she made her way away from the river and through the trees. The trees would thin out and give way to the village buildings and birdsong was replaced by the soft murmur from the village square.
As she ventured through the stands and stores, she would end up buying a bag of green apples as the sight of them reminded her of apple pie and warm autumn afternoons. She would stop occasionally to look at wares, one such time she would turn and walk but in doing so she bumped into someone. A single green apple skipped from the bag and bounce don the ground. A click of her tongue.
"Oh, sorry, didn't see you there."
Please don't be bruised...
She shot a look at the person she had bumped into and paused.
A voice called out and when Sayuri looked up af round face with wide red eyes met her. Something about the stranger seemed familiar. As if she had seen this one somewhere before. Either way, she would give a short chuckle at the whole situation.
"Heh, as long as I don't fall down again. Mind taking this-"
She gripped a tree root for support and with some difficulty untangled the bag's strap and and threw it up to the stranger - trusting them to stick around rather than take off with her bag and her loot.
"I'd hate falling on it, so if you could hold on to that until I get up, that be great"
She paused, waiting for a reply and used the time to study the young girl a little closer. She had definitely seen her before. The mop of white hair, pale skin, and unique eyes, in theory it shouldn't be so hard to remember. It would come to her. She started to climb again, finding a good rhythm and as she neared the top it was easier to find purchase. Finally at the top she dusted herself off, ran a hand through her hair, removing some dead leaves and small twigs as she reached for her bag.
"Thanks for holding that~"
Suddenly it hit her. The girl's height, her unique appearance, it all fit so well on none other than the newest addition to her platoon! Or at the very least, looked extremely similar to the picture she had been shown... Either way, this would make for an interesting meeting. Perhaps she could get a better idea of who this one was before the difference in rank colored their interactions.
Sayuri turned in the rest of the documents she had studied from the library, saying a quick goodbye to the librarian before she headed out. Her days off were often spent on things such as studying or training and this day wasn't much different. The only main difference was her outfit. She would usually wear the uniform issued, but as she had no official business beyond her own interests, she was wearing a simple hoodie with a set of jeans. Her headband she had brought along and had it tied around her arm, just in case somebody had the nerve to say civilians weren't allowed in the library.
Her hands were stuffed into the front pocket of her hoodie as she made her way out of the underground hideout and into the fresh air.
Or so she thought.
Something wasn't right and only a few steps further would bring her in sight of the crowd of civilians. It took a minute for her brain to put the pieces together and the heavy scent of smoke. Her hands flew out of her pockets and she was sprinting towards the building. Hopefully, help had already arrived and evacuated everyone, but... the crowd was still growing it seemed. An old lady Sayuri had done a few odd sewing jobs for recognizing her.
"There are still people inside! Oh and Mr. Gravy! My sweet old Gravy, can you-"
She never was allowed to finish as a part of the building groaned and gave out, releasing a plume of smoke out where a window had been a second ago. Sayuri barked a quick reply to the woman before she pulled the tank top she wore underneath her hoodie up to cover her lower face and she headed in. She kept low and kept herself from rubbing at her eyes despite the smoke's sting. It was not worse than a smoke bomb, but she did not want to linger longer than necessary.
The heat was brutal. Scorching even. Sayuri worked through one part of the building, almost stumbling over a grey and soot-covered mess of a cat. "Mr. Gravy! You are coming with me!" the old cat was stuffed into her front pocket and she was about to head out when a voice caught her attention. Shit...
A young boy was stuck between a hole in the floor and a burning sofa - a teddy bear clutched tightly to his chest. Sayuri leaped across the hole to get to the boy. "Hey kiddo! Let's get you outta here, alright?" She picked him up and he more or less strangled her as he threw his arms around her neck, the teddy smushed between them. Mr. Gravy wiggled around and Sayuri moved the boy's legs around so they weren't pressing into the cat. Now all they had to do was get out.
As Sayuri was about to jump across the hole once more the doorway was blocked by a burning beam. Great... seems we are going out the window. The only option wasn't the best one but... She was pretty sure she could swing it. She stifled a couple of coughs and made for the window, leaning out to see the small iron balcony was quite a ways up. Too far to jump... Things were getting a little too interesting for her liking. She took a steadying breath a summoned her chakra chains, wrapping end around the sturdiest part of the balcony, gave it a tug, and then climbed over and started to lower them all down to the ground.
As soon as they had solid ground under them she stopped funneling chakra to lengthen the chain and made for the crowd. None too late, either. The windows blew out and spurred Sayuri into going faster. Panting and smeared with soot and dirt she made it to the crowd. She let the boy down and doubled over in a coughing fit. She righted herself and saw a somewhat familiar face. Familiar was generous... She knew him only as the leading jounin of one of the other platoons. Denryu.
Dawn crept along the horizon, splashes of orange, pink, and softer lilac hues made for a beautiful display. Sayuri had left the safety of the caverns and underground tunnels in search of a change of scenery and treats. The forest held many secrets and it was a fantastic place if you knew where to look. It also gave her some time to herself where she could simply think.
Dressed in a rather simple, solid color - of course with her own little insignia embroidered onto a corner or edge- and functional attire consisting of a skirt, shirt, and cape. A simple bag hung at her side under the woolen cape. Going into civilian mode never bothered her much. With a spring in her step, she left the open expanses of land behind and went into the forest, the trees soon enough engulfing her and the pretty display of sky was nothing more than spots you might catch while looking up through the tree canopies. In here dusk and night still seemed to linger. The air was crisp and yet heavy with the scent of the trees and forest floor. It was a welcome change to the musky scents of earth Sayuri often encountered in the village.
Sayuri brushed a piece of hair away from her face and stepped away from the path, venturing further into the wilderness, following a map only she could see. Her ears were alert and while she appeared rather comfortable she knew danger could be lurking around any tree, hide in any shadow. It takes one to know one and all that right?
She would come to a halt at the top of a steep decline, eyes scanning the forest floor for a moment before she settled on her destination and made for it. As she neared she saw the gold.
"Jackpot!"
Or well... It was mushrooms. It didn't stop the lopsided smirk from dancing on her face. With deft fingers she plucked the ones she wanted from the earth and gently put them in her bag. As she rose from her position, one hand on a tree root, the earth below her gave way to her weight. A half-formed curse left her lips as she tried to scramble up the decline to no avail due to the soft earth. she flipped around and decided to just accept her faith, sliding down on her bum until she came to a stop. "Phew..."
She looked up to where she had gone down from. Now she just needed to get back up... With a tight expression, she started to climb, careful with where she put her feet while also attempting to hammer out a step for her to support herself.
Sayuri has her ride-or-die bestie, but I am sure she has made a few more friends than that! If you think she and your character could get along feel free to contact me and we can plot something! Sayuri is pretty laid back but has the potential to be either a good or a very bad influence on your character - depends on how you see it.
Training buddies from Sound Village are very much wanted!
Enemies
A rival/nemesis is always nice to have~ I imagine she also comes across as a bit of a wild card to some, so I'd not be surprised if some disliked her greatly or found her to be rather chaotic.
I would love to have someone she could really call her enemy. Be it the guys who took her uncle(if anyone even kidnapped him and he didn't just disappear on his own) or if someone perhaps targeted her family after she put a stop to some plans or just irritated the wrong person.
Misc
> Would love for her to become more chaotic and have her morals corrupted even further - perhaps even go dark side.
> Definitely need some training buddies! Taijutsu, fuin, uzumaki, anything would be greatly appreciated!
