PSL | test drive | sunshineverse

[ninjasloveme]

[ He hasn't heard much about the chuunin assigned to his mission, other than her role in the puppetry corps. Perhaps he had the memory of red hair in a crowd or disappearing around a corner, which in itself was odd given his developed ability to ignore the people of his own village, but he had to admit to being a little curious to meet her. It was a strange shinobi who volunteered into a mission with him. One possibility was assassination, but he had done nothing recently to provoke the Kazekage into resuming those attempts. Another was ignorance, but she was a Sunagakure native. She would have seen the rampages, been evacuated with the rest.

It was a puzzle, and he was rather hoping it wouldn't turn out to have an unpleasant answer. He'd made too much progress to stop now. Even so, his expression is politely calm as he leans into the chuunin ready room with their travel documents in hand. ]

I'm looking for Kazue.

Comments

[wind_and_whirl]

[ The voice draws eyes and the sight of that unmistakable personage is immediate in inspiring a tension thick enough to cut if one happened to have a knife with a serrated edge on hand. Apprehension, fear -- it's there and quite visible in many of the chuunin present despite their training, which, on any other occasion, might have won them some comment from the red haired kunoichi who had only just finished tucking her last scroll to her jacket.

Of course, on any other occasion, she may or may not have been the figurative serrated edge to cut through the tension in the room. In this case, she is and not out of fear, but for a visibly brimming excitement threatening to spill over as she rises -- no, nearly bounces onto her feet, the tanuki puppet atop her shoulder waving an arm enthusiastically at the young man. Where the other chuunin seem frozen in place with expressions nowhere near pleased, Kazue is fluid in her movement and her expression is certainly more flattering as she gives herself a last pat down before moving for the door.

Check and check. There's no excuse for carelessness, after all, even if unusually excited for a mission. ]

You found her.

[ And him. The tanuki puppet is rather insistent upon being acknowledged, nevermind evidently excited for the enthusiasm of his persistent motions. ]

I was just finishing up here.

[ninjasloveme]

[ The tension in the room was so familiar that the other shinobi might as well not exist for all the attention they got from their jinchuuriki. Even the last shred of fear or malicious intent went unnoticed, as Gaara watched the wooden tanuki greet him with the most enthusiasm he'd seen since Rock Lee had met him at the gates of Konoha. It was such a bizarre sight that he didn't refocus on the shinobi herself until she was already in front of him.

And that gave him another dose of confusion to add to his already bemused expression. There was no fear or resentment in her eyes at all. Somewhat belatedly, he handed over her seal passport, wondering over it. ]

I've brought your papers. We leave in ten minutes from the third seal platform... See you there.

[ Generally people preferred to travel separately when at all possible, and he didn't much care to challenge the arrangement. So when he turned to leave, he didn't bother waiting for her. ]

[wind_and_whirl]

[ The seal passport was accepted graciously. Blue eyes intently inspect the document as opposed to shifting to the tanuki that's seen fit to lean into Kazue's cheek. Its gaze is turned downward for a moment, but its returned upon a mutual catching of those last words that sees the kunoichi stepping after Gaara with intentional swiftness, the puppet bracing for it. Had it been anyone else, she likely would have ceded to that separation, but it isn't and she had heard only one order dispensed. The rest of the gaping room is good and forgotten as she crosses the threshold after him for the simple determination that she'd rather not be left behind. It might have given her pause had she considered that thought, but as is, she's more concerned with catching up to him than mulling over it. ]

[ninjasloveme]

[ The scenario was so unlikely and his hopes so low that when Kazue did in fact make an obvious effort to walk with him rather than use the opportunity to commiserate with the other chuunin as his partners usually did, his reaction was just a tad delayed.

But he did slow, after that moment, and smiled unconsciously as the tanuki strained towards him from her shoulder. It wasn't as though he objected to the company, after all. ]

What's his name?

[ Growing up with Kankuro has reinforced the habit of every puppet having its own name and personality, so he doesn't even think it's odd to ask that. He's spent enough time working with him recently that by this point puppets are almost his hobby too. ]

[wind_and_whirl]

[ Acknowledgment! The tanuki appears nothing short of overjoyed at the question, looking back and forth between them and motioning eagerly from Kazue to Gaara as if to say, 'Go on. Go on and tell him!' Curiously, that enthusiasm seems to tug a smile out of the puppeteer herself, who looks from the tanuki to Gaara. ]

Takumi. He prefers Takkun these days, though.

[ Which earns a swell from the puppet, his tail movement suggesting a swagger. Personality? He's very much got it and he is big! Monumental, even. Earth shaking in size and ability and she'd better not forget it! Or so his body language seems to suggest. That is, before she reaches to give him two pats on the head, which earn some indignation and a bit wider of a smile from Kazue, who turns her eyes back to Gaara. ]

Are you fond of puppets? [ Because it doesn't seem like it'd be the case that those who think to inquire after their names wouldn't be, which is a pleasant surprise in this one. ]

[ninjasloveme]

[ He didn't like puppets so much as he liked the enthusiasm puppeteers had for them, but he supposed that was similar to meeting a friend of a friend, where you made an effort for the sake of the latter. Besides, the personable, puffed-up little tanuki reminded him of someone, but the moment he thought that there was a surge of irritation like a physical blow inside his head, and his smile wavered. ]

I've become interested in them recently. [ He flicks a tendril of sand at Takkun, wondering about how animated it is. Kankuro would like to see it- but then, most puppeteers guard their personal designs jealously. ] Why a tanuki?

[wind_and_whirl]

[ Now there's a question seldom asked. More often than not, Kazue is met with odd looks and arched eyebrows when people observe any one of her favored puppets. Apprehension, disgust -- she's rather used to them over inquiry and the question earns the briefest of pauses. ]

There isn't a stronger beast in the desert.

[ A declaration Takkun would've no doubt puffed his chest out about had he not been concerning himself with that tendril of sand. It's true, but people... well, that they seem to think it strange is something that goes left unsaid. Strange or not, it's true and she couldn't be prouder of her puppet. ]

[ninjasloveme]

[ He couldn't fault that reasoning, but it unsettled him to hear it said. That made the obvious resemblance less a coincidence and more planned-- but for some reason it soothed the voice behind his eyes until he could see straight again. From even a basic standpoint, Gaara couldn't help but be impressed by the control the puppet's animated movements displayed, either. It boded well for the mission and for her future as a shinobi, if not her taste in role-models. ]

He looks very reliable.

[ And then they were nearing nearing the seal office and with it, other shinobi, so he withdrew his sand and closed off his expression again as he nudged open the door. Because that was what they'd expect. ]

[wind_and_whirl]

He is.

[ And as confident as she is in that statement, there's a hint of something else in her tone, a measure of happiness for Gaara's statement. Her smile tugs a little wider for it, eyes turning to the seal office as they make their approach. The tanuki on her shoulder practically pouts when the sand is withdrawn, but a moment later, his attention is also turned and his tail wags behind Kazue's shoulder in anticipation not of the tense silence that seems to fall upon the office when they enter, but the mission itself.

As Gaara's her senior, Kazue will fall back to follow him through the door and return to his side when they've reached the person he's meant to address. Between the two of them, there are plenty of looks to be had, but she doesn't focus on that. Rather, she remains attentive to immediately pressing matters, a hand finding the head of the puppet on her shoulder with a few pats that could be taken to mean, 'Have some patience.'

Still, there's a measure of excitement even she can't keep under wraps and it shows rather obviously in how easily she takes to a slight rock on the balls of her feet, nevermind her expression. She is so excited for this mission. She is so ready. ]

[ninjasloveme]

[ There's an element of amusement behind the pseudo-respectful 'Gaara-sama''s, and when the two of them reach the seal platform it's apparent why. Alongside the standard packs and weapon scrolls that make up their armoury allocations, there are two tissue-wrapped yukata and two pairs of sandals. ]

A request from the client, [ They are told, ] She'll pay extra if her bodyguards keep to the dress code.

[ Gaara doesn't respond with anything more than an unimpressed grunt as he joins the packs on the platform, but he looks askance at Kazue. Is this a deal-breaker for her so-far impressive tolerance? ]

[wind_and_whirl]

[ A deal-breaker? Hardly. While her expression does peel into something far less amused for the pending discomfort such an outfit is sure to cause over the course of their journey and with a slight side of confusion for a degree of impracticality Kazue has found to be less imagined and more fact where it concerns Land of Wind officials since making chunin, her energy holds. It sees the beat in her step strong as she moves to join Gaara and the packs on the platform even as the puppet atop her shoulder folds his paws and mock chitters a griping disapproval. ]

'Extra' is a terribly loose estimate for the trouble. Wouldn't you agree?

[ Naturally, Takkun does and quite emphatically, but it's to Gaara that the question is put, blue eyes turned to him in light of this development. It's isn't a refusal, simply an honest inquiry. Of all the requests... ]

[ninjasloveme]

How much? [ he asks, in a tone that leaves no confusion about whether he wants a number or a confirmation that, whatever the number is, it's significant enough to make the request into a command at this end of the assignment office.

When his answer is a helpless spread of the administrator's hands, palms up, and a sum only high-ranking Wind country officials could manage to waste on something like dressing their shinobi guards up, he closes his eyes and exhales a quiet 'ah' of confirmation.

Still, he reaches out to steady Takkun against Kazue's shoulder, anticipating the interruption of her chakra threads in the seal's activation. ]

[wind_and_whirl]

[ It was a satisfactory sum, enough to suffer that discomfort for the duration of the trip, and the nod she issues in response is one of approval despite the impracticality of it. The contact with Takkun draws her eyes, though, and sees her blink in remembrance of the pending interruption, but more for that contact in the split second before the seal's activation. She manages to sever the connection herself in that brief, brief moment, but still, wise that. At least, that's how the practicality of Gaara's anticipation strikes her even if she feels slightly jarred. Most people don't initiate contact with any puppet of hers, after all, and for her closeness to Takkun, it's... strange.

Strange, but pushed aside with a brief shake of the head. No sooner than the transportation seal deactivates and the process is complete are the strings reattached to the puppet atop her shoulder. Right. Focus. Focusing. ]