A Special Day

Idle hands lead to stagnation.

Complacency was the characteristic of sheep - devoid of purpose and meaning. Anei's eyes watched the passerby's lazily. Nothing of particular note or interest grabbed his immediate attention as he aimlessly strolled the small village. Despite the scarlet sun being in full view, the biting cold of the seasons nipped at Anei. Like the wind to a mountain. A heavy sigh would escape the young ninja's lips, as a trail of barely visible breath was exhaled. Removing his hands from the pockets of his black track jacket Anei would breathe into his hands, stopping for a moment. Over the time he had spent on his own, Anei was becoming more and more comfortable with life on the road, but still, the difficulty he found in well-paying jobs was far and few between. He also lacked meaningful connections, Anei truly had been on his own for the past two years and his now stagnant position was proof of that. He had been getting by and namely more important - surviving. Anei was sporting black, form-fitting pants. His tanto and both weapon pouches belted to the back of his waist. The lower part of his calf was bandaged and he was wearing the basic ninja footwear. His headband was covered by the neck part of his track jacket. Because of the presence Anei carried, he could feel the weighted stares of the strangers in the village. His phlegmatic disposition would remain untouched and indifferent as he returned their gazes with a cursory glance.

"At this rate, I'll be sleeping outside once again. I need to make some more Ryo, else I'll be stuck here for longer than anticipated..." Musing to himself he couldn't help but notice a young man leaning against the wall with a cig in hand, nearby the town hall. His demeanor was more like that common thug, but his countenance gave Anei credence to speculate he was somebody that knew how to make money. He was wearing a black, leather jacket and stood at a very imposing height. The mysterious man had purple hair, but what stood out to Anei most of all was the expression he wore inexplicably intrigued the young ninja. Casually shifting to the side of the street out of the way of the plethora of people out and about, Anei would observe him for a short period. Encounters like these had to be handled with tact, but Anei wouldn't have been surprised if he had been noticed. The man would cross the street, Anei nonchalantly tailing behind him a safe distance. He would simply observe, for now, waiting to make an introduction. If his hunch was right that man definitely had the look of someone who knew the streets. If there was money to be made, Anei was betting this was his most promising shot. Having not spent much time in this village Anei was still leery of people he didn't know. Which pretty much meant everybody. He had spent some time already getting a good lay of the village, being sure to remember all the important locations.

"Interesting..."

Anei silently mused to himself.

He possessed the uncanny knack of just blending in with the crowd. Many likened him to a ghost. Even from early childhood, Anei had a small presence and his phlegmatic disposition only strengthened that aspect. Tailing the older man was surprisingly easy to Anei's disbelief. Or at least he surmised as much simply from the lack of tells his target had given him. He appeared oblivious, but perhaps his attention had simply been allocated to more profitable ventures? His target had avoided the bar, another unexpected choice, but soon clarity painted the scene. He had suddenly stopped, positioned next to a carriage that stood out amongst it's scarce, but pedestrian peers. With intricate patterns hand-carved into the cherry-red wood of its body, it held an elegant and regal aesthetic. The owner was bound to be more than well off and even the horses that pulled it were of highbred status. With a silky fine coat and powerful frame, they were beautiful - sure to fetch a decent coin. The young ninja's attention would stray from idle thoughts as his eyes watched his target finally move. He moved quickly, maneuvering onto the carriage as if he himself owned it. Anei would move in sync with him, closing the gap casually, his hands buried deep in his pockets as he would be standing adjacent to a small stall with his perspective low to the ground. There was a small group of strangers who were standing nearby, but they weren't paying attention. It was subtle, but Anei could tell from the driver's startled countenance he was being threatened. If you had blinked you would have certainly missed it. Whatever he appeared to be mumbling was inaudible, but with key clues like the wagon moving or the drivers buried panic he could understand what was happening.

Still, the uncanny naturalness he had moved with showed just how adept he was at this particular line of work. He had clearly been doing it for a long time so Anei would be sure to be mindful of the situation and not become lazy from hubris. Not many people took kindly to being followed and even fewer wanted privy eyes witnessing deeds meant to be handled in secret. Silently Anei would tail the slow-moving wagon down the worn road. It wasn't particularly difficult to keep up with, but maintaining a low profile would prove difficult if his target decided to pay attention to his own surroundings. The strange, dark-haired Voidwalker had done well in masking his presence so far, but with visibility being apparent amidst the thinning crowds, he was sure to eventually draw suspicion. He pondered making a move, perhaps strong-arming his way into whatever plans the man held for the asset he was directing? Though the possibility of him meeting allies was very high, Anei couldn't risk exposure without a bit more intel to work off. The young Voidwalker opted to stay the course, positioning himself close behind the carriage out of view in the middle. He would remain unseen at least from the front side driver's perspective, but also he would be unable to see the driver and his target. A fair tradeoff for anonymity he would think casually glancing to his right and left. Anei would remain observant of where he was being led, vigilant for any danger or warning signs. Anei was curious, awestruck by an epiphany - the subtle ebb and flow of chakra gifting his esteemed eyes in harmony his eyes would subtly shift.

His pupils would sink into a white sea, darkness creeping around the outer edge of the eye. They glowed faintly, discerning the unfathomable. Though his dojutsu was still yet to reach full maturation, Anei could faintly tell the silhouette of what appeared to be two figures with the horses leading the front. There was no tangible detail for him to decipher, but Anei could make do with the vague suggestions he had been afforded thanks to his Voidsight. Now, Anei simply followed, waiting for the opportunity to shift the momentum in his favor.  

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