Maybe it was for the best that the two of them didn't go fighting side by side. Not yet, at least. She had a long ways to go before she could put her skills on display without feeling that inevitable pit of shame in her stomach. Just thinking about it was enough to make her guts chun, jaw clenching slightly behind her smile as she gave the Inuzuka a casual shrug. "If you see even a bit of flab on my body that aint hangin' from my chest you've got my permission to lop it off yourself." Even if her skills weren't what they once were, she could at least take some comfort in knowing that her body was still in good shape. Her legs and core muscles were still fit as a fiddle, which meant even with everything she lost she still had speed on her side.[break][break]
"Oh please. Even if I lost both my arms back there I'd be able to handle anything those clumsy pricks could throw at me. Gimmie a little credit, would ya?" It was a blatant lie on her part, to be sure. She knew that there were samurai out there that could even give the Mizukage a run for his money. There was a reason she wanted to learn more about them, after all. If she could master some of their techniques...Well, she really didn't have to think about that right now. Not while she still had pleasant company to occupy herself with.[break][break]
Tsubaki bit into her own fish once more, all too happy to crunch the bones of the freshly caught fish between her teeth. As she did, she would casually scan the environment around them with a thoughtful hum. "Oh yeah. I've been casing these woods since before the Hokage sent out word. This is definitely one of the best directions to assault the Empire from. The woods provide excellent cover, heavily favoring shinobi over samurai. It's probably part of why they're pushing Oto so hard. Take this land while they can so they don't have to worry about any strikes from the north." She idly waved the fish in her hand around as she spoke, before eventually gesturing toward the southwest. "Follow the river that way and eventually you'll come across some hills with pretty big trees on them. Lots of foliage too, so you can hide up there no problem. Post a lookout with good up in the tallest tree and you'll have the whole region covered." She should've known that eventually this conversation would turn toward the war effort. But if there was anyone she could trust to utilize this sort of information for maximum destruction, it was Maki.
Ok, so not only was she EXTREMELY chatty, but she was oddly open and friendly with a shinobi she knew nothing about. It was as if the possibility that she was lying or a potential enemy had never even crossed her mind. There was something kinda sweet about that, a childish innocence perhaps influenced by a desire to see the best in others? She was certainly skilled, wielding a blade with a precision and confidence that Tsubaki was confident had been put to use in real combat. This was more than just a woman who had mastered the fundamentals and was familiar with a blade. There was no doubt the girl had blood on her hands.[break][break]
Whatever the case, the pinkette wasn’t about to turn down a bit of friendly company. Especially when she was so willing to share some of her expertise. Tsubaki slowly stepped closer, coming to a stop just a fraction of an inch out of the woman’s striking distance. Even if she was confident the girl’s intentions where wholly innocent, the older shinobi wasn’t about to take the risk of this whole thing being a ruse. Her good hand came to rest on her hip as she watched, a hint of amusement sparking in her eye as she started to relax a bit. ”Yeah, let’s try to avoid the crashing for as long as possible. I don’t have the energy for all that right now.”[break][break]
Her lone eye analyzed every inch of the woman as she moved. Her feet, her legs, the subtle curvature of her spine, her arms. All of it. Every subtle movement was a lesson to be learned, something that could be taken, adapted and put to use. Even if she had studied these techniques being discussed, witnessing it first hand was a different beast all together. ”I’m familiar with the principles of Iaijutsu. I’ve used similar techniques before, but usually it was less of a refined strike and more of a ‘oh i actually need to kill this guy’ spur of the moment sort of thing.” She shrugged casually, lips curling into a faint smirk as she spoke.[break][break]
Still, watching the way she performed the techniques was interesting. With this technique, she was able to generate a lot of power with just the one arm. It may not have had the raw power she once did with her old style, but the speed and precision definitely made up for it. ”You know, I used to be a master of the Jigen-Ryu style. So you can imagine this is pretty different from what I’m used to.” As she spoke, her bandaged arm would extend from the folds of her loose kimono, her lone eye looking down to it. She takes a moment to flex her fingers, the movements clearly stiff and difficult to the trained eye of a shinobi. Not at all a limb well suited for combat.[break][break]
”...I could probably manage that though. Couldn’t use my right hand to hold the sheath steady, so I’d need to make sure I have it steady and secure to keep things consistent…” She mumbles to herself as she considers the possibilities, eye lingering on her injured hand for a moment before slowly sliding it back to its resting position in her kimono. ”Yeah, I think I can work with this. Now what was up with that other stuff you were doing there? It seemed like you were channeling and shaping pure chakra here.”
Finally the one eyed shinobi could see clearly. She thought it was suspicious that the rhino was able to summon so many creatures so quickly. It was a shame she had to wait until this moment to jump in and actually test how her blade would fare against their thick hides. But that was her life now. Without another soul in her corner to provide backup she was forced to bide her time and wait for a chance to strike. Doing anything short of that was a good way to get seriously injured without anyone to back her up. But maybe today she could do something to help alleviate that problem... Her lone eye focused on the biggest one, the supposed leader of the pack. She didn't care too much what happened with the small fries. She wanted to clash with the big boy.[break][break]
Her and the clone charged toward the beast that seemed to be tied up with some folks from a familiar clan. She could recognize those hounds and their posture anywhere. Inuzukas. One with long, flowing white hair that immediately told her exactly who she was approaching. Her smile grew, the ideas brewing in her head as she drew in closer. Only for the rhino to become engulfed in smoke, which seriously screwed up her plans. She wasn't about to go in blind against a beast like that. If it was a battle of randomly flailing around, that thing definitely had the advantage. And as she got closer and saw the state of the jonin, she had to quickly adjust her plans.[break][break]
The clone was silently commanded to dash into the smoke, blade drawn and ready to strike. It would do its best to engage with the rhino, aiming to climb atop and drive its blade into the back of the mountain beast's neck if possible. Meanwhile, the woman herself would keep her blade sheathed, her functioning hand instead disappearing into her loose kimono as she approached Kegawa."Well hey there Dog Boy. Been a while." Lips peeled back into a wicked grin, revealing her razor sharp teeth as she positioned herself beside the Kumo shinobi. As she spoke she would pull her hand out from her kimono, pulling along with it a long length of bandage. Though more distracting than anything else was probably the pieces of white cloth dangling from inside her ears.[break][break]
Usually she kept these wrapped around her less than functional limb, the pressure helping to stave off the constant pain. While she may not have been a medical nin, she was familiar enough with combat to know that covering and applying pressure to a wound like his was important. "You keep doin' what you're doin'. I'll see what I can do about that messed up face of yours." With that she reached forward, moving to bandage Kegawa's wound to the best of her ability in an effort to stop the bleeding while trying to keep out of his way as he did his thing. Of course if the rhino reared it's ugly head, she would be quick to leap away from the Jonin so as to not get caught in the crossfire. "Sorry they're kinda sweaty. But I just put a fresh wrap on this morning, so it shouldn't be too bad."
[attr="class","wassup1dangerfoot"]
[attr="class","wassup1dangertag"] @all
[attr="class","wassup1dangernotes"] Sent her clone in to attack and try to mount and stab the rhino, while Tsubaki herself went to use the bandages on her arm to help with Kegawa's wound
Her head turns toward the stranger as they crash into the ground, her lone eye conveying just how unimpressed she was with what he had to say. "Uh-huh. Sure thing, kid." She shook her head, lips curling into an amused smirk as she reclined against the tree. Her right hand slid into the folds of her loose kimono, hiding both of her hands from view as she got comfortable where she was. They would shift around a bit before finally settling, her posture relaxing as she kept her good eye on Mongke. She wasn't about to let this unexpected guest get in the way of her plans to get some rest.[break][break]
A bit of a laugh escaped her as he commented on her age, simply shrugging her shoulders in response. "Well, aren't you a charmer?" Her voice dripped with sarcasm as her eye left him for a moment, scanning the surroundings as if searching for something. But it was a short lived moment, her eye turning back to his before long. "You'd better pray to whatever it is you believe in that you look half as good as I do at my age. I may not be trying to fish up any young guppies, but I guarantee I could bait the line and reel them in no problem if I cared to."
Holy shit. This may have been the chattiest shinobi Tsubaki had ever met. The anger in her expression faded slightly, allowing a bit of confusion to enter into her features as the red headed girl went on. Despite everything, she seemed all too chipper and pleased to meet the bitter woman's acquaintance. Not exactly what Tsubaki would've expected considering her less than friendly introduction. Maybe this was what Maki was talking about with the Sound shinobi... Whatever the case, she would quietly absorb the information and file it away. Fortunately for the both of them, this little ramble of hers actually told her just about everything she needed to know about the girl. Assuming she was being honest. Which judging from the way she presented herself she was either honest to a fault or one of the best liars the older kunoichi had seen in a while.[break][break]
"...Uh-huh." She took a moment to watch Yousei, examining her features as she took a few steps closer. A shinobi with a family history of samurai in Hi no Kuni that seemed to have a personal relationship with the Hokage? Alright, so she was without a doubt a jonin of some reputation. Definitely a face she would have to keep track of. She let the quiet linger for a moment as she made sure to make note of all the details mentioned before giving her a curt nod. "Tsubaki Mizuno. I'm not exactly part of the coalition, but I am fighting against the Imperial bastards, as you said. Just in my own way." As nice as it would've been to fight on the frontlines, that just wasn't in the cards for her currently.[break][break]
A decision had to be made here. As humiliating as it could have been for someone of her age and knowledge to ask a young hot shot for aid, she was already past the point of shame being a limitation. She needed every little edge she could to survive while achieving her goals. And if there was a samurai who she could stomach and seemed to share a common foe? She'd be fool to pass up the opportunity. "Yeah. I'm a swordswoman. Have been my whole life." Her lone I glanced down to the blade sheathed on her right hip, lips pressing into a flat line. The normally relaxed and easy going shinobi couldn't help but feel a lingering bitterness as the subject continued to linger in her mind. "Used to be one of the best. But you probably never heard of me." She never was one for trying to build up a reputation anyway. She just wanted to get in, get the job done and be home in time for drinks.[break][break]
But that was already more sharing than she was willing to share with this stranger. It was more important that they discuss business. "...Don't mind me though. I'm just here to watch you work. Always been curious about samurai sword and chakra molding techniques. Never thought I'd get to see it up close without being on the receiving end of it." She gestured toward the girl's sword, gradually falling back into her more casual tone and posture. "So let's see what you've got."
Today was meant to be another uneventful day of familiarizing herself with the woods. Maybe she would bump into another shinobi again, but for the most part she assumed things would be pretty uneventful. Nevertheless, she would keep her guard up the whole time like the trained shinobi she was. Even if she had good reason to believe today would be a peaceful day of wandering, training and scouting, she knew better than to give anyone a chance to get the drop on her. And it was a good thing she did so, or else she might not have noticed the figure in the woods before her.[break][break]
The shinobi kept a distance as she watched the red headed woman assume that very specific stance, one that the one eyed kunoichi had specifically seen so many samurai perform. Her suspicions were only confirmed when she saw the pure chakra emanate from the blade and precisely slice at the falling leaves as they descended. She took a moment to silently study the movements, to watch the way the chakra flowed through the blade before lashing out to strike the falling foliage. It felt like there was a lot to learn here, which in this situation only made her feel worse. This samurai was good. Even just from these few moments of observation she could already tell that fighting this girl as she was now would've been extremely dangerous. Her heart ached as she spent a brief moment in quiet reflection, her bandaged right arm seeming to throb with pain as she recalled the thrill of being able to battle at her full strength. But now? The kunoichi was but a shadow of what she once was.[break][break]
That pain quickly turned to anger. Anger that had no place to go save for her hatred of those samurai and their damned empire. Maybe if she was stealthy she could get the jump on the samurai. Slay them in a single movement and rob them of that curious blade of theirs. The shinobi moved carefully through the foliage, putting her practice of maneuvering these woods to good work. She made every effort not to make a sound, as she moved between the branches to close the gap between the two of them. But as she moved, another glint of metal caught her attention.[break][break]
That armband...Dammit. The rouge shinobi suddenly didn't care whether she was detected or not, simply dropping down from the branches a couple yards away from the "samurai." "Never seen a shinobi swing a blade like that." There was a definite bit of bitterness on her tongue as she spoke, her single eye hardened as she looked the young woman over. Even if she had decided not to make a fight out of this, there was still that bubbling frustration that had yet to completely fade. "Who taught you how to do all of that?" Her right arm shifted a bit as it rested under the folds of her loose kimono, the limb starting to get a bit antsy as she felt the urge to draw her blade as she once could. But instead she would only draw a deep breath as she fought to center herself and push her issues aside. There was too much to potentially be gained here to risk making enemies.
Her shoulders shook as she let out an amused laugh at the poor girl who had stumbled upon her. She was already proving to be an adorable little thing, so cautious and timid in her introduction. But at the same time, she had to admit the girl had guts. Going out of her way like this to seek out a mysterious, ghostly figure in hopes of learning how to swing that sword of hers? It was definitely a curious decision made by a girl who was either desperate to learn or foolish enough not to realize how much of a risk she was taking. Or maybe she would be nice and call it bravery. Whatever the case, the girl had her attention.[break][break]
"So, you're looking for a teacher. And you thought the best way to learn was to seek out a ghost and see if it might give you some pointers. You're real cute, I'll at least give ya that." She took a step back from Gatsby, her left hand sliding into the loose folds of her kimono and vanish from sight. "But you really should know better than to take risks like this. The world's a dangerous place, especially for a young lady like yourself. You better already know how to wield that blade of yours before approaching someone like me so far away from safety."[break][break]
The moment she stopped speaking, the gourd hanging from her belt would pop open, a burst of water gushing out from the container. The liquid rapidly took a shape identical to the one eyed woman, though in a much different stance. Her legs were bent as she bent at the waist to lower her profile, left hand gripping the hilt of the katana sheathed at her side. This brief moment was the only window Gatsby would have to react before the clone would burst forward with a sudden surge of speed. It drew the blade in a single fluid movement, aiming to slash across the young woman's midsection.[break][break]
In the heat of the moment, it would seem as if the clone was aiming for a deathblow. But even if the target remained completely still, the blade would not strike her. It would instead pass harmlessly in front of her, albeit a hairsbreadth away from cutting slicing skin.
Well. This certainly was unexpected. Tsubaki and her clone both watched with identical looks of curiosity as the events unfolded before them. Hulking men and bugs seeming to move straight through the herd, while others were being crashed into and tossed aside by impressive forced. Yes, things were definitely starting to make sense here. She nodded to herself as she reached into her loose kimono, removing a plain cloth that she kept tucked away. With one corner pinched between her teeth and the other in her hand, she gave the fabric a tug and tore the cloth in two.[break][break]
The missing in hummed to herself as she ignored the pain and discomfort of moving her right arm, the bandaged limb reaching out to help twist the pieces of fabric and stuff them into each ear. It would seriously impair her ability to hear, but if her hunch was right then it was her best bet of being able to actually do something in this mess. Because as things were now, there was no way she would be able to actually get in on the action without immediately getting gored.[break][break]
As her right arm slid back to rest inside her loose kimono her left hand would follow after it, hands clasping together to form a seal. Her eye closed as she unleashed a burst of chakra from herself, hoping to break any genjutsu that may have taken hold of her at the onset of the battle.
[attr="class","wassup1dangerfoot"]
[attr="class","wassup1dangertag"] @all
[attr="class","wassup1dangernotes"] Tusbaki plugged her ears and used Genjutsu Kai
Her head bobbed along slowly with his explanation as she took a twig and sticks it into the fire, letting the tip linger there until it was red hot with embers. This kid really needed to learn to relax. If he kept being so tightly wound over the slightest sound she was gonna cram her pipe in his mouth and make him puff all that anxiety away. But for now she was content to listen to the kid explain himself, paying little mind to his continued insisting that he heard something. If there was something, or someone, out there she was confident that she would be aware of it before it became a threat. Whatever made those sounds wasn’t their problem right now.[break][break]
”A family thing, huh? I don’t know of any ninja families that use paper based techniques. Then again, you don’t strike me as someone with shinobi heritage.” She chuckled a bit at the thought, imagining a shinobi raising a boy who was this much of a sissy. Even if her own kid back home was a real softie type, he was at least capable enough to not piss his pants over a snapping twig in the woods. ”Don’t worry. I’m not about to leave ya to fend for yourself just cuz you know how to make paper flutter around. It’s cute, and I’m sure in the right hands it could be deadly. But even if you knew how to kill a man with that, I know you couldn’t manage.”[break][break]
This kid couldn’t muster killing intent if he tried, the poor thing. Lucky for him he was a cute enough of a little thing that she wasn’t gonna look down on him for it too much. For now she would simply bombard him with so many questions that he wouldn’t have a chance to think about that silly noise of his. ”So if your family aren’t fighters, why do they practice this style? Seems like there’s more practical means of self defense. And where did you learn terms like kekkei genkei and hijutsu? Never heard those words from a commoner before?” As she speaks she pulls the stick front he fire and brings it up to her pipe, giving it a few puffs as she got the thing to light. Maybe some secondhand tobacco would do the boy some good.
It may have been early, but Tsubaki had already been up for hours. Afterall, it was the perfect time of day to get a feel for the surrounding area. The more familiar she was with the forests bordering Empire territory, the more of an advantage she’d have in future operations. But now? It was time to relax a bit after all that hard work and deep thought. All she wanted to do was retreat to someplace safe and finish off what was left of her sake.[break][break]
And so she sat herself down, leaning back against a seemingly random tree as she popped the almost empty bottle open with her teeth for the last few swigs. It wasn’t much, but she couldn’t really afford to drink as much as she used to. It was a damn shame, but survival was more important than booze. Her bandaged arm remained tucked away, while the left gripped the bottle’s neck to pour the remaining liquid down her throat.[break][break]
With a breath of refreshment she took a moment to bask in the warmth that filled her body. She wasn’t sure how long it would be until her next score, so she wanted to make sure this one would last. The silence lingered for a few beats before her lone eye would suddenly flick upwards. At the same time, her arm would move to fling the empty bottle up into the tree above her, aimed directly at the unknown figure lounging above her. ”You just gonna sit up there all day like a damn creep or are ya gonna come down and say hello?”
Tsubaki was quick to stir at the threat of danger, the shinobi never even lying down to sleep. Instead she sat propped up against a tree, her arm reaching across her waist to rest on the hilt of her blade. So when the boy called out to her she immediately sprang to her feet, blade drawn in a flash of steel. Her single eye quickly scanned the environment, ready to strike out against whatever threat dared to approach the two of them. This lasted for a bit as she approached the edge of the camp, carefully examining the area for signs of danger. Though it became obvious to her fairly quickly that there was no such thing..[break][break]
Slowly she turned to her employer, brows raised as she slowly slid her blade back into her sheath. ”Uh-huh. Sure there is.” She shook her head at him, her hand reaching out to gently pat the paper shield he created for himself. ”You’re new to this whole travelling on your own thing, aren’t ya kid?” Her lips curled into an amused smile as she turned her head to once again survey their surroundings. As confident as she was that there was nothing to worry about, she couldn’t just assume they were alone.[break][break]
She could’ve just told the kid to shut up and gone back to sleep, but she knew that would just get him more shook up. The kid needed some reassurance. Or at the very least a distraction. ”Tell ya what. I’ll stay up and keep watch a bit longer. Just to be safe.” With that she sat herself back down on the ground, leaning against her tree and pulling out her pipe to prep it for a smoke. ”And while I do, you can tell me about where you learned that funny little jutsu trick of yours. Paper seems like an odd weapon of choice, don’t ya think?”
It was a pretty stupid question, something she knew before she even asked it. Makoto was a war hound, one who was born to thrive on the battlefield. It was why she knew she didn’t have to worry about her making it home safely like she did some of the younger shinobi that were being thrust into the conflict. Something that it seemed both of them had thought about. She let out a soft snort while the other lamented the state of those she would be fighting alongside, simply shrugging her shoulders as he lips parted to reveal a set of jagged teeth and sink them into the cooked fish.[break][break]
While the other tore the flesh from the bone, Tsubaki crunched down on the fish whole in her usual fashion, jaws crunching and grinding flesh and bone alike. ”It aint a waste, Maki. it’s strategy.” She waved her sword at the other, lips curled into her usual amused smirk. She knew better than to assume the Inuzuka was one to consider strategy, especially considering how well charging into matters head first usually worked out for her. Not every shinobi needed to be a tactician, after all.[break][break]
”Think about it. Not only is Otogakure a potential ally who shares a border with Kumogakure AND Empire territory, this is a chance to fight against the Empire and help thin the numbers. Yeah, a lot of these sound kids don’t quite measure up. But that’s why it’s better for them to die than your own people. The more bodies on the battlefield, the less likely you are to be the once dealing with casualties. Let the grunts rush in and soften them up, then push in with your team and clean up the mess.” It all seemed pretty simple form her perspective. Why not engage in a conflict alongside your enemies so that they can die rather than your own soldiers?[break][break]
Her lone eye flicked to the blade in her hand as the conversation shifted to her technique. There was a brief moment of quiet as she looked at herself in the reflection of the polished steel. That missing eye was a reminder of what she had become, her masterful techniques that few within the village could rival. But now…? She simply shrugged, smile weakening ever so slightly. ”Well enough that I could still give you a run for your money, that’s for sure. Still getting used to swingin’ with just one arm though. Definitely gonna be a bit before I get back to where I was. But I’ll get there eventually. Nothin’ to worry about.”
There was a lot of work to be done in these woods. Forests were never exactly Tsubaki's strong suit, which meant that if she was going to fight against the empire that would have to change very quickly. While she could maneuver them as well any shinobi, that wasn't enough for what she had in mind. No, she needed to navigate them as if they were her own personal playground. That meant learning every trick to move with the forest, using the natural sounds of the environment to mask her own. The rustling of the leaves, the movements of the wildlife, the singing of the birds, all these things could be put to use. And lucky for her, she was free to play around in Sound territory with much less threat of danger than the not too far of Taiyou turf.[break][break]
And at this moment, Tsubaki was sat up in a tree, single eye remaining alert as she looked up to the canopy. Her ears were tuned for the sounds of the local animals, specifically the songs of the various birds who called the place home. She found herself listening for them to call out, and then attempting to mimic the sound with enough accuracy that the other might respond. And so far, with her limited practice, there were a lot of very confused birds out there who had no idea what the hell she was talking about. Whatever the case, she was confident these would come in handy. Whether for cover communications and sending signals undetected by the enemy, or for covering her tracks by sounding like nothing more than a bird if she happened to make a sound in the trees. It was a niche thing, but it certainly seemed useful to her.[break][break]
But the songs of the forest would be interrupted by the same thing that always stifled nature. A human. Tsubaki let out a soft sigh, her eye turning to her surroundings at the sound of footsteps. She could tell already that they weren't shinobi, the lack of caution or precision resulting in much more noise than even a genin would make as they trounced through such an environment. But then the voice reached her ears, immediately bringing a broad smile to her face. Pink haired ghost lady? Some of the locals must've seen her practicing before vanishing without a trace into the trees. How adorable.[break][break]
Part of her wanted to try and mess with the girl, give her a good scare for all her troubles. But the last thing she needed was for her to go running off and tell stories of the strange ghost haunting the woods. That would only bring more attention to these rumors, and she didn't need them getting to any ears that might recognize the description. And so she let out a sigh and dropped down from her branch, intentionally making enough noise to catch the other's attention. "Oh curious traveler. The one one eyed witch of the woods has heard your call. Step forward and make your request of her." A broad grin crept over her features as she spoke in a grandiose, yet teasing tone. Her steps slowly moved toward the younger girl, her right arm resting comfortably in the folds of her loose kimono while the other hung lazily at her side. "I hope you're not here to try and dispel me, girl. Cuz you might have your work cut out for ya."
"Alright, now you're just lookin' for reasons to get pissed." A soft chuckle escaped the battered kunoichi as she idly turned the fish in the fire. Though this flame didn't burn nearly as hot as the passionate woman across from her. It was always amusing to watch her get all heated up about things that would've been so simple to ignore from Tsubaki's perspective. The two were opposite in a number of ways, but they had just enough in common to make the differences more endearing than they were frustrating. At least that was how it felt from the pinkette's perspective.[break][break]
"I wouldn't be paying you to help. I'd be offering you a token of thanks so you wouldn't be riskin' your life just for some cripple with a grudge." It would've felt wrong to get help even from a good friend without there being anything for them to gain from it. Sure it would've been a lot of fun and help cripple one of their greatest enemies, but Kiri wasn't really in their crosshairs at the moment. Not to mention the fact that ol' Blacksail probably wouldn't take too kindly to his jonin going off and doing this stuff without permission. A thought that Makoto seemed to echo just as she was considering it herself.[break][break]
Tsubaki gave her a nod in response, seeming perfectly comfortable as she did. "I aint got nothin' against any villages. Not even those Cloud kids. If I kill a shinobi, it's gonna be cuz they were the ones to start somethin'." If any of this was untrue, Tsubaki would've had to be an excellent liar. But then again it was always hard to tell what exactly was going through the woman's mind. "That is unless you've got somebody you're huntin'. I wouldn't mind an excuse to tag team some poor sucker who doesn't know how much trouble they're in." Lips curled into a wicked grin as she pulled the fish from the flame, giving it a blow to start cooling it off.[break][break]
She couldn't help but laugh a bit as the mutt across from her started to tear into the food in frustration. Sometimes she had to wonder if her dogs took after her or if it was the other way around. "Well, good to see you've still got an appetite. You're gonna need that protein witht he fight comin' up." Her gaze turned to the south, where she knew that a long ways away sat the border of the Empire's territory. "...You're gonna be on the front lines, aren't ya?"
She could see the words leave the other's mouth before she could even consciously consider the thought. The poor soul was just too passionate for her own good sometimes. It was good to know that even after bloodying her blade with one of their fellow shinobi there was still so much unquestioning trust there. That even when the investigation into the incident contradicted what she said that there was at least one person in that damn village that believed she spoke the truth. It was empty comfort, something that in the long run wouldn't make a difference. But just because it was empty didn't mean it wasn't warm.[break][break]
A sigh escaped the woman's nostril as she skewered the freshly caught fish on her blade and held it out over the fire. With all this talk and emotions being tossed around it was gonna be difficult to focus on fishing. This kind of conversation demanded they be face to face. "My name aint gonna be cleared, sweetheart. I'm guilty, plain and simple. I murdered Kenji before the man even had a chance to draw a blade. And I aint about to go hiding that fact." It was difficult even for Tsubaki to place why she felt so strongly about it. She certainly wasn't one for honor or anything of the sort. So why hold on to this thing that would've been better off forgotten by the world? Why not try to cook up a story to get out of the mess and return home? Ah hell. She wasn't drunk enough for these kinds of thoughts.[break][break]
"The target's not gonna get any bigger. If anything I'll just be adding one or two more. No big deal. I'm no stranger to havin' enemies and all that mess." She shrugged casually, apparently unbothered by having both her home and her fated enemies attempting to hunt her down. And yet there was nothing dismissive about it, her tone and expression instead seeming more resolute. As if she had considered this many times over herself to reach this conclusion. Whatever the case, it was clear that her mind was set on this mess.[break][break]
Though what she had to say on top of it all caught Tsubaki by surprise. Smile grew a bit, brows raising as her head tilted slightly to one side. "...You're serious, aren't ya pup?" Another chuckle escaped her, lone eye glancing around their area just to make sure the were alone. Not that she had to worry with those trusty hounds on the watch. "...Tell ya what. If you can get yourself an extra headband, leave the dogs at home and think you can manage to keep up in a fight without your doggie style? Then maybe I'll keep in touch and bring you along for some under the table work. Pay aint great, but I might be able to find a fence to sell any loot we gather and cut you some of the profits to help make it worth your time."
