As surely riveting as the scene of clashing steel and scarlet streaks was, it was a shame that Sumire didn't see any of it. No, she was too busy trying not the bleed out from the kunai still stuck through her hand. Not to mention the general weakness and possible bone fractures she couldn't feel at the moment. While she was glad that the poison worked as expected and had plenty of time to course through her body, it did make it difficult to tell the extent of the subsequent injuries as she laid there. That was kind of the point though so there were no complaints... aside from the ones the rain shinobi was screaming at the top of their lungs. Numbness didn't drown out the sound unfortunately. [break][break] Figuring it was about time to sit up lest that threat become a reality, the kunoichi slowly forced herself upright with a heavy breath that didn't feel like her own. One look and she could tell she was in no shape to move her hand much less form seals anymore. So that unfortunately very much limited the options. The best she could do was wrap the hand like a present with what tatters remained of the priestess garb and try getting the hell out. Otherwise she'd only get in the way. At least it sounded like their target was on the backpedal. Had to count for something right? [break][break] Not really, unless they accomplished their goal, and Sumire knew that. Therefore she instead of dragging herself out of that sorry wreckage of the once upon a time inn, amethyst eyes scanned about to find openings and more structural weaknesses. Let's not make any mistakes here - Sumire wasn't suicidal, just objective. Nevertheless it likely didn't seem that way when kunai flew towards the remains of the ceiling, clattering off the stone for a minor distraction. Honestly the kunoichi didn't believe their target had the balls to blow up the building with themselves in it, so making use of the fact that one of them was a sitting duck [break][break] Well its either that or hubris will get to her before Yohei did.
No sooner than the thought of yawning cross the false miko's mind did one of the town's officials approach the otherwise silently observing woman. At first Sumire was going to pay them no heed, but then the official started speaking to her. Withholding the initial urge to roll her eyes with an accommodating smile in its place, she listened the second of surely many more requests to come. Something about the geisha arriving? What did that matter to a shrine maiden? This wasn't even her ceremony, or whatever it was this was supposed to be. She wasn't quite given all the details nor did she necessarily care. It was on that line of thought did she realize the ask. "Oh. You want me to greet them." [break][break] Dropping her folded arms, a soft breath escaped as she made her way to the entrance that moments before streamed of patrons. Now it held a sole rose haired woman that stared down the stone staircase in time to see the horse drawn carriage arrive in all of its splendor. The sight of it alone, while perhaps should have been expected, was disappointing nonetheless. The pomp exuded from the scene alone and made it certain that a missing nin would be out of place in such a place. Sumire did at least. It was so pretentious. It was something she expected out of a fever dream from those distinguished bloodline clans. Then again, at the least even those clansmen knew a touch more about discretion than the person that stepped out before her. Geishas were so odd. While a possibility, she'd never take on such a guise. [break][break] Speaking of, it was about time to resume the current one. With that Sumire stepped forward a touch and offered the obligatory bow. "Welcome. It appears you had quite the journey. I do hope your travels were not arduous." The usual light air the wanted kunoichi usually carried wavered to the formalities. Yet unlike 'their' guest, the formal wear one might have expected of a ceremonial miko were absent. She was a traveling miko after all and so she wore the standard garb over the ritual ones offered to her. This was not her shrine after all and they were the ones asking for the favor. Since she no longer answered to any authority, there was no reason to force herself to wearing something too stuffy. Still, probably wise to introduce herself as such to the stranger. "I am the visiting shrine maiden that will be assisting you. Will your attendant be arriving shortly?"
Perhaps being wary was unnecessary considering that that boy apparently wore their thoughts on their sleeve, or at the very least their face. Disbelief was reasonable, but most would usually make more of an effort to hide it. Then again that may have been the training talking. Not everyone was familiar with deception and anyone that took everyone they met at their word was a fool. The false miko not trusting this stranger was a prime reflection of that sentiment, though she did a much better job internalizing it behind a playful smile. Even when Amegakure was brought up, all she had done was subtly tilt her head at the name. [break][break] It's true. Amegakure's people in general were more sensitively irksome than anyone else and she knew that firsthand as a former sand kunoichi, though she might have been more than a bit bias. Still, mentioning another hidden village to a complete stranger at a drop of a hat did raise a few red flags. Something to keep in mind as she followed the boy's gaze into the distance while raising a hand over her head. The motion was meant to shield herself from the falling droplets despite knowing the futility of such an effort, but it did keep the water from blinding her to the sight of different shade of smog overhead. A wonder that a teahouse could be found in the middle of nowhere. [break][break] Nevertheless now she knew the direction to go next. Yet once the boy had answered her casual question, never did she suspect him to subsequently flash something. The symbol that laid beneath however made it quite clear what he was trying to portray and this time she didn't hide a look of surprise at it. Otherwise would be unnatural. "Oh so you're...." her voice trailed, not bothering to finish the sentence aloud. What a bold move. Kid was either cocky or seditious - and admittedly one was more intriguing than the other likely possibility. [break][break] Speaking of possibility, while there was no denying that if this person had a headband then they were some level of shinobi, she wasn't quite convinced they were specifically truly from the hidden mist. Either way it did affirm some of the woman's initial underlying suspicions, not that it mattered in this scenario had the game be played correctly. Which is why she chose to speak the truth. "Ah. I'm from the land of wind... and the purpose of my pilgrimage is for spiritual enlightenment. It's more about the journey than the destination so there's no rush to go anywhere specific." [break][break] Her voice remained light and airy to contrast the dreary weather. Doing so was natural after all just as the chuckle that followed from his rejection of being a godless heathen. "You'll come with me then? You honor me. I hope it's not too much trouble." He wanted to be her guide. No surprises there considering he was clearly suspicious and she didn't particularly mind since having some company might be nice. Thus she offered a slight bow once more and awaited his lead. "I can tell you more about my pilgrimage if you're still interested. I'm afraid it may bore you though."
How was it that a missing nin somehow ended up in this situation? [break][break] A mindful sigh escaped the miko garbed woman's lips as she reflected upon the events that led her to the regal halls that now stood before her. All she was doing was minding her own business wandering about as per usual when she was suddenly and brazenly approached. This random stranger asserted their ability to see and pleading declared that she come to the nearby village to preside over their tea ceremony, which was weird considering that people don't usually go out and try to find shrine maidens for their little parties. Something about tradition and luck due to the scarcity of shrines in the vicinity? Honestly Sumire didn't pay it much heed after the word 'presiding' and tried backing out, however this local wasn't having it. No matter what she said the guy always had an excuse to brush past it and failed to be dissuaded otherwise. She tried everything bar the full admission that she was no shrine maiden, which would cause more trouble than actually attending the damn ceremony to begin with. So here she was, standing in full garb amongst the local spectators. [break][break] There was some incentive to all this nonsense though. It wasn't as if she was opposed to the idea of enjoying a cup of tea herself, but these types of things tend to draw quite a bit of scrutiny between the event and the attendees themselves. There was even word that a geisha was requested. None of it was the type of attention that a wanted kunoichi needed. Unfortunately the alternative was to massacre the entire populace which somehow seemed excessive and significantly worse in terms of notoriety. Now it wasn't as if this was a major village, much less a shinobi one, however it did have a decently sized populace and apparently staunch advocates of tradition for going to such lengths. It was also too late to back out anyway. [break][break] At least she was promised a nice meal, shelter, and donations for piety - all out of false pretense. Oh the irony. [break][break] Though that said, the thought of these people breaking their tradition via heresy for having a false miko at the end of the day perhaps sufficed for the trouble. "Well then... I should enjoy myself while I'm here," she murmured casually to herself. Perhaps this was a good chance to gather information too. [break][break]
Oooooh awkward. Rejection to the we need to talk line? Why didn't anyone else ever think to do that before? The act alone almost broke through the woman's neutral facade from how funny it was. Yet admittedly it was a strange thing to be adamant about and visibly causing more grief than necessary. There was no getting through to him though and acknowledging that the miko removed her hand in favor of placing it to her chin thoughtfully. "Hm..." Honestly, what exactly was Yohei expecting? With such a weak excuse no less! [break][break] At this point he deserved his self inflicted torment. Thus she decided to let this ride out as any further attempt would feel fabricated to both parties and frankly take too much energy. "Suit yourself," she replied blithely with a shift to poise an arm to her hip. No wonder the villagers were so taken with this story. Yohei was such a drama queen! And while the last thing she needed was for him to come back an edgelord, he clearly needed to learn his lesson. Left little choice, Sumire turned away as well with an audible sigh. "Do as you wish." She even emphasized it with a wave of the hand, not that the silverette could see as much with his back turned away. "Do feel free to come and find me if you change your mind." [break][break] Not that she'd bother mentioning where she was going as she walked off. If she knew then it'd ruin the mystery and be so much more boring. Besides, the former shinobi already displayed his knack for finding her somehow anyway. [break][break]
The concern was expected and mayhaps even warranted, however it didn't change their situation and therefore failed to sway Sumire otherwise. "That will only happen if you fail. Come now." There was an straightforward solution if he was so worried about her demise. At this juncture it was all in Yohei's hands after all. The alternative of them both dying for naught wasn't far from the most appealing choice to be made here. Now one might ask, how could Sumire be so sure of herself or in such a dire situation? The answer was quite simple and mirrored the silverette's choice. What was despair going to do for her? Absolutely nothing. [break][break] Meanwhile the reality they were in mid combat had not escaped the kunoichi's memory, made especially so with the wave of blasts that chained and threatened the inn's already dubious stability. Luckily the source and subsequent effects had been a good ways away from the wary miko with a half decent view. Using the commotion to her advantage she leapt upwards through the broken ceiling that led to the second flood, prioritizing stealth over speed with the consideration that the target already confronted Yohei with a moronic question if she ever heard one. But we won't get into that. What was more important was how the masked foe willingly walked into closed quarters. A detriment based on the current running hypothesis after noting their penchant for concussive force after disabling her bow. [break][break] At the end of the day advanced release users had the same issue as any other ninjutsu specialist - the use of hand signs to properly utilize their abilities. Knowing this, all she had to do was disable their opponent's hands. That or the enemy would choose to blow themselves up with her... but that required self sacrifice and everyone knew how unlikely that was for the entitled. So how might she do this? First off, despite how fortunate she was being given a front row seat to a sneak attack, she had little doubt that she wasn't forgotten about and therefore made a successful strike unlikely. Back to the original idea, bringing all the focus on her. Plus if that little exchange was any judge then they could assume the brute thought little of Yohei himself, which helped. [break][break] Readjusting aloft, the kunoichi briefly glanced to her flexing fingers moments before intertwining them into the same set of seals. "Raigeki!" Thin streaks of lightning bloomed once again overhead, falling like streamers onto the newly alerted explosion user. Something akin to anger flashed across his face before countering with the prepared jutsu. It was unknown if that was by instinct or if done knowingly, but the lighting stream was no match for the larger explosive force that clashed. The resultant gust of soil and soot did provide a well needed veil for the second act - the falling maiden! [break][break] In this case it was more like diving. Sumire emerged from the cloud of dust armed with kunai in hand. The miko sleeves being in shreds and now exposed forearms bearing blatant evidence of contusion could be ignored. The important part was that she drew the attention of their target who did in fact ignore the display in favor of retaliation. One sidestep and a hand to grab her wrist was all it took to dismiss the threat the descent might have had, then a bit more effort to slam the smaller figure into the floor and allow the kunai to clatter there. Yet no scream, grunt, or outcry of any sort. That mark of satisfaction she wouldn't offer. [break][break] Dull ringing did sound out however made no better by the heavy stop into the woman's abdomen. A small breath of blood spewed yet no other sound came. And why would it? She didn't feel anything, not even when allowing the life threatening kunai to penetrate her raised defending hand.
A hot spring IRL does sound nice. Hope you were able to find one
I'm the champagne that'll quench your thirst
[attr="class","itsover"]
"Hm?" A brief self allaying hum sang as the rose haired woman paused and turned towards the invasive voice to her thoughts. A child? Judging on first impressions there wasn't very much to be impressed about. The look on his face portrayed arrogance. The ridicule laden response made things no better, but honestly was there really any other expectation? As such the woman didn't act hastily nor allow any of those thoughts to reflect on her features. On the contrary, moving past that initial pause she hovered a hand over her lips and offered an amused laugh in spite of the rain's leeching effect. "Haha. Any of those sound delightful. Even the teahouse." Surprisingly her voice portrayed her usual levity as she locked eyes with the boy. [break][break] While she couldn't tell much else about this stranger, their daring to approach another in such a manner and blatantly mention 'the' village gave her enough ideas. Whether it was a bluff, the truth, or some local village she knew not though she didn't abandon that line of thought altogether considering where they were. From what she remembered, this was the norm for folks around these parts. Of course it was fully within the realm of possibility that the miko garbed maiden erred in that judgement too so she didn't think too hard on it. More importantly she had to entertain her new guest. Or maybe that was backwards... [break][break] Regardless a timeless smile remained on her lips as she placed that same hand to her chest with a half bow. "Apologies. It seems you took offense, but I simply was searching for a new destination. I'm on a pilgrimage you see. Uttered with the utmost tone of sincerity. Being dressed as a shrine maiden in the middle of nowhere was surely odd to anyone after all. "You are from around here, correct?"[break][break]
That was an unexpected answer. So much so that, despite herself, the false miko tilted her head watching the scene unfold. It did not take a shinobi to pick up on that hesitation nor the related training to read the subsequent distress written all over his figure. "Y-Ah..." A sigh interrupted the name from being spoken. Her partner was kind of hopeless, huh? It was a shame really. He acted as if he didn't know her as well as he should. How long will this go on? [break][break] Aside from the ample murmurs of the onlookers, the marketplace was otherwise quiet to the wanted kunoichi and she wasn't sure if she should be thankful for it. On one hand there were no rowdy street vendors attempting to make a sale. On the other, all the attention was being drawn on them which made for a terrible example of discretion. Therefore, despite her own statement, she remained in place with her head remained poised over her shoulder. "Hmm." The classic hum of thought sang among the whispers, gaze fixated towards the fading frosted hair. Immediately a few ways to resolve the pressing issue came to mind and it didn't take long to make the decision of the most direct one. [break][break] Better late than never. [break][break] Turning heel and brushing the loosely fitting garb back into place, Sumire followed along in the opposite manner. Confident strides were made that could have been mistaken for anger had it not been for the neutral expression being worn. Comparatively it did not take long to catch up with the shinobi in question who apparently wished to imitate a constipated turtle. It was a sight that normally the maiden would attempt to stay away from. In this case she placed a hand on his shoulder instead, a firm grip intensifying on any attempt to move. The tone sounded almost equally dire despite the lightness of the voice that spoke it. "We need to talk. Can we go somewhere alone? In private?"
Everything was happening quite fast between the time that the false miko was blown away and then carried off to who knows where. From her perspective the scene functioned akin to optic blurs. A disconcerting observation that she failed to mention in lieu of a harsh breath. "Thank you," she finally replied by the time they could breath. Placing a hand on Yohei's shoulder as support, not a single sound following from the female missing nin's sweeping glance around their current shelter. Chairs thrown about, arrays of upturned bed frames, unique landscape portraits... If it was any constellation recognizing the remnants of their surroundings signaled her neural circuitry remained relatively intact, but it didn't mean she wasn't disconcerted by it. The subsequent rumbling didn't make things better either. Logically the place that the bomber most recently blew up to target them probably wasn't the safest place after all. [break][break] Nevertheless the tone that sounded of orders did rein in the woman's attention, turning back to the familiar face retrieving his weapon and pulling out a new one. Rather than question that fact, she held her tongue in favor of prioritizing the more important matters. "Hold a moment." A hand was raised in an attempt to stop him and discuss. Of course, she was too late though and the tag was set prematurely. Just as well since she didn't disagree with the sentiment of moving elsewhere. [break][break] Following her partner's lead, Sumire shifted away from the explosive tag, though instead of moving elsewhere had instead opted to catch up with the man in question. As if knowingly, she then reached to grab his hand and continued before he could stop her. "His focus is on me. We should utilize that." The funny part was that she wasn't sure why. After everything that came to pass it was undeniable that the enemy shinobi had it in for the former sand kunoichi so why not take advantage. With that in mind, she pulled out another vial and tried to force it in the hand she held. Regardless as to whether he'd take it or not, she'd leave it behind with another quip. "Besides, I don't have my bow anymore so coupled with his attention I will not be as effective taking advantage of openings. You will." [break][break] Needless to say she had confidence that the diehard zealot wouldn't let her down. That or she'd die. Either way it cast a fearless smile across her lips moments in spite of the creaking framework threatening to flatten them right then and there. With a step backwards, fingers formed another set of hand seals. "Can you handle that?" [break][break] Because regardless of his answer, Sumire fully intended to play it out as she described whether Yohei liked it or not.
At least he still had energy. That was a positive that she figured she should be thankful for. Though it wouldn't have hurt to have a plan of attack first instead of running in headstrong without. The thought alone caused a self amused chuckle despite the current predicament and followed suit. Just as well, their target made it abundantly clear that they were adamant about the phrase "at all costs". A shame really as there were many helpless innocents that were being caught in the crossfire. Yes, that wasn't merely a taunt. [break][break] Nevertheless the rapidly shifting earth was immediately problematic regardless. The first response was the instinctive one, lowering herself defensively in a harsh skid across the knees. Listen closely and one could hear the mild grunt of discomfort among the rampant gusts caused by the torrential detonations set to ruin the town. Her body weight alone wouldn't be enough to ground her for long though. She knew that, but there wasn't much to do about it at this moment since she wasn't as close to another building. The best that she could manage was pinning her kunai into one of the flowing sleeves and raise her hands before her. "Raigeki!" Lighting spewed from the miko's fingertips, hearing the cries of her partner making her more aware as to what to target. While lightning generally was ineffective at deflecting metal instruments, the numerous stone and brick tumbling wildly midair served as brilliant catalysts to strike and thus deflect the shuriken in question. [break][break] "Heh, really trying to keep us away..." A brief glance was spared over the shoulder to check to see how the silverette was doing moments before another scream resulted in a much closer explosion erupting a few meters from Sumire's feet. There was no time to react this time. Seconds later, the rose haired woman was sent barreling towards the wall that Yohei had plunged his sickle into.
While loud enough, Sumire couldn't be bothered to take much heed to the fanatical yelling of the familiar voice below mid combat. Any lost moment could spell the end and strategist couldn't have that. Exactly why the moment Yohei appeared did the kunoichi shift her gaze to a different edge with a click of a tongue. There was no need to look knowing the result. All she could offer as the logs hit the shingles was a brief. "Bow's broken," she stated without a drop of remorse while repositioning to the opposite side of the rooftop with a shrug. "We need to old school it." [break][break] Normally this would be a bad situation for them, and it was, but their target was as presumptuous as expected for their kind. Hence why there wasn't a shred of worry at the target's movements. It wasn't in their blood to run. Almost on cue did the echo cut through the night and lead the pinkette's line of sight streetside. Still, it was beyond calculations that the shinobi would go as far as blatantly terrorizing bystanders and destroying their livelihood. That was why the trap was set here and the reason the sudden shaking beneath their feet warranted a repugnant glare. Reactively, the woman hastily shoved her partner as quickly as possible to move away from the collapse before leaping back herself and crossing her arms defensively against the resultant rocketing debris. [break][break] Planting her feet onto the ground of the nearby alleyway wasn't much issue. On the other hand the lacerations that now decorated her legs and arms were a different story. Their presence was made very much known, but there was no time to examine these new oozing injuries when she had to readjust to the fray. So much for discreet. Whatever... at least there was thrill in the chase. Perhaps their foe thought so too considering the follow-up chain blasts that reverberated into every crevasse of what remained of town. Now if you believe that nobody got time to practically blow up or get buried alive - being used beyond loosely here - then you are probably correct. That said, since she didn't know the status of her partner or vice versa... [break][break] "Call yourself a ninja?" A bold outcry posed as a question. Fear was absent in the tonality and in its place was the usual charm that the false miko could provide in her voice from the shadows. Her position was exposed with that, which is why she was quick to chug a vial from her belt and leave the place before another explosion had come to greet her. "You're disappointing your village~." Using what time she had left to weave handsigns, she made her way to meet the target halfway. Hopefully Yohei wouldn't be far behind and could focus.
He kept going. Or rather, stopped them from going somewhere less crowded and gawking. That's a yikes. Maybe Yohei wasn't ready for the missing nin life after all. There was no easy way to divert attention from this little scene either as now they were the center of this fishing village's personal drama. The single person not conscious of that fact was the silver haired protagonist himself who made it abundantly obvious with the sudden tug. Had it been anyone else and they would have received more than a tapering glance. "Yes, you are. On both accounts." Though the words remained low, the tone took on more of a statement air. [break][break] Besides, who was actually running here anyway? [break][break] No matter how many attempts were made, she couldn't get the silverette to hold a gaze. Was that not textbook running away and avoiding the problem? As adorable as that was, it was problematic akin to that apology. "Dear me... " One more tug closer and there was no telling what the wanted woman would do. Which was why in that breath Sumire rose a hand to rest over her partner's. "I'm sure. We'll talk more about this when we get back. For now I'm leaving." Might not have been the most comforting of words, it assured that she wasn't done speaking to him, even with having to pry away his grasp. Though the reason was almost certainly not the one that immediately came to mind, she truly had no intention of remaining here any longer than necessary and turned away to show it. [break][break] The whispering crowd parted in waves. Not very subtle which was why this wasn't a ninja village. Then again it seemed some ninja couldn't pick up on subtle cues either... so a bone was thrown with a small glance over the shoulder. "Coming? Or are you staying awhile longer?"
The noon hours passed at godspeed. Sunlight reached such a low of luminosity as to cast such a boring grey across the sky... even the horizon was splotched with angry clouds of deep grey. Perhaps it was normal here, but the entire experience was foreign to the former Sand kunoichi who stood by the water's bank. The rain clouds that glazed the blank sky forming a foreground that leaked water down upon the ground, soaking and muddling together in a disturbing way. Melancholy. It certainly wasn't Sumire's cup of tea, but it was something to take relish in. Of the world's environmental palette, this unsightly scene was likely the least desirable color upon the easel. Such an adamant grey that was resilient of change and perpetually unappealing. [break][break] Thus she cast her gaze downward, sighing and waiting for an impulse or sudden drive that had long since wandered off since she arrived. "The land of water had to be so literal..." The scenery didn't hold her interest much longer as she began staring at her feet and walked at a steady, slow pace by the murky lakeside. Her entertainment for the day had been the music of the water's purrs despite her sightseeing being restricted to the tidal movement and the endless grey above it. It hadn't actually rained until recent, but the almost musical beat of the cliche "pitter patter" now resounded and somehow she couldn't imagine that it wasn't there just a bit ago. "Hmm. Where to go now..."
Well that's odd. This hunt was a difficult one, they both knew as such, however so far things were within calculations. So why was it that she hadn't seen the target or a signal yet? It been awhile and honestly even for a true miko this entire ordeal was bound to test one's patience. As such was reflected in Sumire's steady gaze from the second floor window of a nearby inn, an arrow twirling mindlessly between those delicate fingertips waiting for its target below. Unfortunately the sight of a familiar black haze oozing out of the nearby building made it clear that a change of plans was in order as it effectively neutralized her field of vision of the area much less the target. If that wasn't clear enough than the scream of her name was. "Like a true pest..." [break][break] There was only a few reasons that her partner would readily reveal her presence to the target and the most likely one in this scenario was that the target had already discerned her location. Losing such an advantageous vantage was a shame too. Nevertheless the rose haired missing nin wasted no time leaping out that same window onto the roof in time to evade a pair of shuriken whistling below into the room she formerly occupied. With no time to rest on her laurels, Sumire hastily nocked an arrow to counterstrike in the same direction of the attack. By now it was easy enough to see the enemy rushing towards her donning that stupid rain symbol on their mask. No sooner did the arrow fly through the sky did a kunai evade its trajectory to hit its mark - the hand that held the bow. [break][break] Withholding the urge to cry out with a wince, the archer reflexively dropped the bloodied bow that begun to splinter from impact. "Close combat it is..." A mental cue more for herself than anything else while making the proper handsigns to begin nursing the gash across the fingers of her left hand. "Guess it was bound to happen sooner or later." Naturally any aid she could give herself at this moment was basic at best as she redirected her attention to the bounding ninja's downward strike. Considering the opponent, the only thing she could do was retrieve her own kunai from her hip and defend against the attack. A sharp clang rang out as the weapons crossed blades and despite her own position Sumire could be seen smiling past it. "Our meeting is premature. You should learn patience~" [break][break] There was no overpowering this opponent though so naturally it was the false miko that pushed away first in an attempt to gain some space. It didn't seem like this ninja was giving much of an inch on that front though and there was only so long that she could hold out in this position against someone that was more familiar with it. Plus with all the commotion going on because of this she wasn't sure when her backup would get their ass up here.
