Catching a Contract

Mar, one of the newest and as of this week most frequent regulars of the Chortleing Chunin,was having his characteristic huge meal while he cought up on his studies. Reading a fascinating new book on applying the pressure of water to pipe systems that cleared up a lot of his misconceptions about both construction and plumbing. Sure it was more boring than hell to anyone else with good sense, but he was not going to let his college degree waste away into nothing while he simply devised death machines. Oh no.

Currently he was on his fifth bowl of unlimited soup and salad, sure to stay here well beyond the time that the last of the other patrons had left. He was... close. To the staff at the very least and liked to discuss further principles of ninjutsu after hours. Or maby it was just an excuse to catch Aki. He got the feeling that things would be calm now but soon enough life and death missions together would be the norm. Even if he'd long since walked down the path of a martial artist instead of a ninja wizard. He never wanted to leave one of his weaknesses glaring for long. It had been around this time, he remembered fondly. That he'd first came to this place. Why he'd been right over in that pile of garbage. Where he now realized Akihana had probably seen him make a fool of himself.

So it cought his attention when along the same path he'd cought a bundled up figure arriving into the shop late at night. He tilted his head in curiosity, could it be another member of the mysterious gang he drew closer too day by day but had yet to learn the name of? To check he glanced around, making sure that no one was directly serving him before making some hand signs under the table. Sure enough, his chakra senses revealed that the short mans chakra signature was was way above the other diners. Though still hovering around genine's level.

His mind flashed to the young weapon specialist he'd encountered in his trip back to the wind country. Perhaps it was the bulkyness of his outfit, no. With this technique Mar saw clean through his clothing in his minds eye. He could pick out the subtle differences in all the holsters along his body from his regular outfit. Calming down and actually looking at him with his own eyes. He realized that the kid appeared to be looking for money. Even inquiring with the server who might be hiring. The older ninja raised his hand in the air and snapped his fingers. The strength he held within easily allowing the sound to travel to the other end of the room. "I got work for ya, come and get some dinner." He suggested, hoping to return the hospitality he'd been given here earlier. "Names Mar Byrd, what's a kid like you doing out here? And before you ask no, the reason won't effect your bottom line. Call it a friendly inquiry."

     Hiroaki turned his head towards the sound of snapping fingers. The man stated himself as, Mar Byrd. A man who supposedly had a job for Hiroaki to do in return for some ryo. That's all that Hiroaki needed to hear. He got up and walked over to the scholarly man, taking a seat on the opposite end of the table there. Hiroaki looked over the books that were laying about. Hiroaki taught himself how to read, but never had the chance to sit down of late to actually enjoy a book. He loved reading and writing, it being an escape from the reality of hardship that missing-nin like him were always in. 
     
     Hiroaki raised his arm to his mouth. He didn't like making it a habit of revealing his cough to an employer pre-job acceptance. It couldn't be helped this time however. Hiroaki let out his suffocating cough, muffling it down with his arm to keep it from sounding worst. His eyes darted to the man known as Mar, hoping to not see a change in attitude. "I'll accept that offer of a meal", he said. Hiroaki would reach out for a plate of food, indulging himself. Hiroaki ate with a hunger from all the traveling he had been doing.

     As Hiroaki ate his weight he would have Mar explain to him the details of the job. "First things first. What's the pay? Then go into the details.", is what Hiroaki would say. He could tell this man was very knowledgeable. That being said, Hiroaki knew that most people with knowledge had good coin. Hiroaki was happy to receive a free meal, but wouldn't let himself be conned out of good coin for it. 

(WC: 284 | TWC: 945)

Mar pointed at a part of the menu with no care for price, wanting to make sure that his new cohort got lots of carbohydrates and a bit of protein to keep him full now and later. The server came back with some noodle stir fry at impeccable speeds. There was no way he missed that cough, or the severity of it. He wondered if Akihana would be able to cure it in just a touch. Probably, but then again whatever his condition it sounded pretty serious. Though it was far from a proper MRI, he focused his chakra senses into the boys lungs. 'No fluid, so he's not go pnemonia. But I can't tell if there's anything deaper the matter.' He though to himself.

"5,000 Ryo. And if you can pull it off then there's more where that came from. Oh and uh, be sure to use very, very polight language on any of our chosen subject matter. My good friend and cohort that also frequents this place may be around and hearing notions of violence would greatly upset her. So." He draws on a fresh page of his journal. Doling out the details. "So for this particular task, we're going to be throwing a party for a fella along the borders of the land of mist. Nothing I've not done before, but more of a gig to test your metal."

Though it was an S rank mission Mar had in mind, he had little doubts about it. Even if he brought along a newborn child the lack of any serious ninja made it only a matter of time for him. The shinobi was wholly against the village born system of children training from early in their lives and going out on missions long before they were adults. He wanted such a decision to fall into their hands. When they were ready for it. And generally saw a government ran off of the profits of it's military industrial complex despicable. 

"But listen, I'm gunna level with you. There's no need to be in a hurry for any kind of job. I've got a list of contracts a mile deep with all my palls in the business. So really, it'd get us where we're going much faster if you cared to share a little about yourself. The earliest we'd be leaving is tommorow morning and it would suit you far better to be closer to a tight nit team then all by yourself right? At the very least you could learn something along the way." 

Noticing how the boy had had an interest in his books while they settled down he was happy to slide one particular volume his way, which focused entirely on fluid dynamics in engineering. Everything from concrete to making homes and other creations highly resilient to the weather. Even dam making was included there with several of the passages highlighted. "Knock yourself out, whatever your age. It's never a bad time to learn something new."

     Hiroaki listened to Mar Byrd's proposal. He was very interested in the mission knowing that there was 5,000 ryo on the line. That would help him get by on quite a few good meals, drinks and other things. 'I only got to help throw a party and I get that much ryo', thought Hiroaki. He hasn't thrown any parties ever unless you consider him slicing a bunch of nobodies a party. Hiroaki didn't believe for it to be that hard of a task to accomplish though. 'All I have to do is what? Put some sweets in front of a guy and put on a hat?', thought Hiroaki. He wasn't one to throw his dignity out the door, but this task wasn't asking that much of him.


     Mar wanted to know more about Hiroaki. This put Hiroaki at edge as he knew the problem with having people know his identity. Hiroaki coughed again. "Ah, they call me Hiroaki", he responded. He looked at the book that Mar had placed in front of him. He opened the book, skimming through the pages. It was a book on construction. A book that had no practical use for him for he was not building anything. Although it was not his favorite, he did enjoy gazing into the book and some of it's little secrets that each book came with. "My history isn't that important or interesting, at least I think", he continued.


     Hiroaki leaned back with his arms resting underneath the back of his head. He looked down at Mar from under the hair that partially covered his eyes. He wanted in on the mission and didn't like that Mar was so easily willing to pull back his offer. "Let me on board for this task. You or whoever else for that matter can accompany me if you wish. I need the ryo and more importantly I need a sword.", says Hiroaki. He remembered what Mar had said about acts of violence and things. "A sword to -- uh -- cut some lumber", he finished.

(WC: 340 | TWC: 1285)

Mar indeed did tap his finger on the table when Hiroaki mentioned a sword. He immediately thought of his own treasured pair of blades he'd been fixing up since his trip back home. But no, those were absolutely priceless. Not in any kind of monetary value, but in what they meant to him. If anything happened to them, it'd be like loose his father... What a fourth time? A morbid thought to be sure, besides. The edge was so sharp the kid would be liable to cut his arm off just looking at it. "I think you mean an axe, an yeah I've got a lot of tools like that I'm happy to make or procure for a good friend. I'm making my own workshop in town."

As the last patrons trickled out for the day and the Chunin really was just left between the two of them, Mar spoke slightly more casually. "If you're looking to get rich quick this whole apprentice-ship is not going to go far. Five grand is a drop in the bucket of a much bigger opperation, one I'm sure as heck aren't on top of." Pecking at his food again he looked with some healthy respect as the boy found his own enjoyment for the little things that it had to offer. "Not everything put to paper has to be something you can learn from obviously." He declared, reaching into his back pack with promise before revealing a science fiction novel with samurai in space that followed a young 'Skipper' on his journey from elevator technician to admiral. "This one's on loan from the local library, so you know. Before leaving town you gotta stop by the drop off." He was sure to mention.

"Now what was I saying?... Oh right. Now you'll get your fair share of pay from the operation, we've all got to make a living of course. But you let me worry about, meeting the needs of our friend under the express wishes of our client. I got decor, I climb all the tall, dangerous latters, you I want learning as much as you can from the experience. Make you into more and more of an asset for us all that can work independently."

"So yeah, it's nice to meet you Hiroaki. you've got a can do attitude. That'll take you pretty far around these parts." He pauses for a few moments. "So I don't really need you to go into any kinda sordid details about who you are. History wise I mean, but for this whole educational process to work. I gotta ask. Hiroaki. What is your ninja way? What's the reason that you are alive with us today? That makes every moment worth living?" This was an important matter for Mar and there were no wrong answers. Everything about his reply would reveal something about his defacto student.

     When Mar had corrected his statement of a sword to an axe, Hiroaki had shrugged. "Sure", he said. He wasn't sure if he was saying an axe to simply appeal to whoever may be nearby or was quite serious of giving him an axe, but it would do. Although Hiroaki preferred to use swords in combat, he was quite familiar and capable when it came to other weapons. 'Just got to stick them with the pointy end', he thought to himself. It would be best if he swung whatever weapon he would receive around a few times to test it out of course.


     Hiroaki eyed the establishment. The restaurant seemed to have less and less people inside of it. That wasn't alarming at all considering that it was getting late at this point. Mar took notice of this too obviously with how becoming he was with information on the task at hand. It seemed that this task would only be the start of them working together. He mentioned how this was the start of an apprenticeship. Hiroaki didn't mind this proposal if it meant a constant flow of income. Better yet, Mar took it upon himself to get most of the work done.


    Looking down, he found a science fiction book placed in front of him. This was more up his alley of reading. There was nothing like a good science fiction book. That, and history books. Hiroaki liked learning of what had happened and what was going on in different regions of the world. He didn't care specifically for who was right and who was wrong, but liked to know what factions may be lurking about and where the money was to be had. He took the science fiction book in his hands, looking through it now with a smile on his face. He coughed into his open hand as he read through the passages.


     "I'm interested in sticking out this apprenticeship of sorts if it means more money. As for my ninja way..", trailed off Hiroaki. He stared into the book blankly, not reading it, but rather zooming out. 'A ninja way? A reason to live?', thought Hiroaki. He clenched the sides of the book in his hands. He didn't know if he had any of that. "Let's just say that, everyone's time comes to an eventual end and I wish to experience as much as I can before I meet mine", replied Hiroaki. He placed the book down on the table. "Don't worry, I'll return it if it means keeping in good relation with you." Hiroaki leaned back, staring at the ceiling.

(WC: 435 | TWC: 1720)

Mar nodded his head. "Everyone discovers their reason to be in time lad, even I only really grasped it recently enough. Wanting to take in all that life has. Getting to smile, and see the world is a perfectly noble pursuit. But I strongly bet that'll just be the beginning. Somtime, soon enough. You'll get an experience that will make you think on this... Ninja know their ninja way party because most of them will die younger than the rest. But if you know why you want to live. Than it doesn't nearly matter so much when it's time for you to leave this world. Because you know that you spent every moment of it pursuing something that you love. In one way or another."

Then came the second cough, one he'd let him get away with. Two he had to mention. Though he did so at a slightly lower voice. Wanting to respect his privacy especially because Hiroaki had not been forward with the information from the get go. "It sounds to me like you've got a problem with your lungs, there's a medical ninjutsu master in this very building i'll have you know. Hell if she fails I could make you replacement organs better than the original for a thousand years. If you can foot the bill obviously."

Death was nothing but an obstical between Mar and what he wanted to accomplish. The deaths of those who would choose to stand in his way, the possibility of his own death now and in the future. So many let their entire existence be ruled by it's unfair kiss. Like Seiichi. While Mar had no qualms about tackling it head on. He'd grown more enlightened as of late, and was quicker to resolve even difficult problems by tackling them head on and developing a strategy with his well developed mind.

"Granted if you don't beleive me or have no interest in living to your full life span or longer without that silly cough than I can promise you this career will be one that'll take you further across the globe than any ninja in any of the hidden villages. We're free to take contracts of any kind from a far broader set of employers. But this does come at a steep price. Our only loyalty is too each other. Many times when we are out on these missions we will face the moral choices of weather to complete them or not. My recommendation? Keep your eyes open, and show just a little patience. Your wallet can go empty for a few days but I promise if you really, really pick the wrong job your heart can be changed forever. But yeah, still all the work in the world. But if you want to do any of it with my assistance. Let's focus on putting the bad guys in the ground one way or another. And not burying mountains of innocent merchants mmmhmm?" He made clear.

Things were always a little bit more quiet with Maku not around, the blonde reflected as she finished the last of the dinner dishes. Denkiteki and she had chosen to eat early today, or at least earlier than usual, the doctor retiring o his bedroom to either read or meditate shortly after. He had tried to help with clearing up, only to be told no by the kunoichi who insisted he needed a night off. Besides, seh ahd already taken over the kitchen for the evening, baking fresh cream rolls that would be added to tomorrow's offerings down at the restaurant underneath their flat. In addition to baking, she was unconsciously being given more responsibility by the owner. And in the usual Maku style, it had come with little and less formality. Actually more in the form of several counting books being shoved her way at breakfast by a particularly grumpy ninja who had somewhere else to be.

The books hand't been too surprising, Akihana had always had a vague idea that the burliness was profitable. But looking at the numbers showed how profitable exactly, and that left her somewhat impressed with the short blond's business sense. Flipping through the accounts, the golden eyed kunoichi saw the second branch also doing well though not as well as the flagship store and what she assumed could only be plans for an expansion on a dog eared corner of the journal with the words "Konoha lol k" scribbled on it in Maku's childish scrawl.

The hour grew late as she sat in the kitchen with her books, a watchful eye on the ovens as batch after batch of cream rolls sizzled in the hot confines, only to be removed when perfectly golden brown. And right on cue, she felt footsteps coming up the stairs that joined their flat to the eatery below. Closing the books, the blonde rose to her feet and made her way to the door to greet the last server for the night.

"Saito-san, all finished downstairs?'

"Yes Ma'am," the server replied promptly despite being told he needn't call her "Ma'am". "Just Mr. Byrd and some kid down there, they seem to be in conversation so I thought it best not to disturb."

"A kid?" The kunoichi raised a golden eyebrow at the revelation, her sensory travelling loanwords until she heard it. A hacking cough. Whoever was down there with Mar was not in good health. A look of concern flashed across her pale, heart shaped face as she nodded to the server. "You did right, I'll be down to lock up in a minute, you can clock out Saito-san, we'll see you tomorrow."

The server left with a short bow, nearly skipping at feting to leave fifteen minutes early. Akihana on the other hand removed the final tray of rolls from her oven, transferring the freshly baked treats to a plate before picking up a spare server's apron she had started to keep around the flat in case of emergencies. Wrapping the dark, red cloud dotted garment around herself, she picked up the platter of cream rolls and made her way down to the restaurant.

Just as the server had said, only one table was occupied, by Mar and his companion. With a warm smile on her face, the golden haired young woman walked over to the two ninja, for it was clear the child possessed some amount of chakra reserves. Fang had been devoid of anyone but the three of them up until a few months ago and now it seemed... it seemed Maku's business was fast becoming a magnet for chakra wielders of all kinds.

"Good evening gentleman," she greeted the two, putting down the plate of fresh cream rolls on their table. 'I wonder if you two can help me taste test these. We're planning to put it on the menu tomorrow and I would be so grateful for a second opinion."