I need a Drink! [inv: taichi]

The cold night air would nip at the exposed skin of the salmon haired shinobi as she wandered around kumo , many things plagued the mind of this young lady on this night. The Chunin Exams , Her missing roommate , Harlow station of power , and her questioning where she was headed in life. She was a young and upcoming ninja with little to no real combat experience , her bouts with other children while she was running her gang didn’t really count as battle experience, maybe ‘street marts', nothing that’ll save you in a fight. ‘What am I even doing here in kumo? Fighting for my home? Looking for a better life? It’s like I can't even see my own path anymore..’ she would think to herself as a chilling breeze would blow by.

A shiver would slide up her spine as she strode down the street , she would give a chittering breath as she rose her arms to hug herself as she progressed down the street and around the corner. ‘I need to stay out my own fucking head , im going crazy’ she would think to herself as she rounded a corner , her pink hair bobbing up and down with each step followed by the light thumping of her boots upon the cold hard concreat beneath her feet. Her steps would echo upon the empty streets no sound but her own footsteps and the occasional street lamp buzz followed by the wind whistling violently in her ear.

When she rounded the corner her ears were graced with the sounds of laughter and light music , this street she had turned on was full of night time vendor’s and bars , a place of distraction for her to drown her mind's thoughts out. The pinkete would wander into one of the seedy bars and the smell of cigarette smoke and dried whisky hit her like a truck. They didn't bother her. They reminded her of home and soothed the savage beast that stirred in her mind. She would make her way to the barstools at the bar stand taking a seat. She would rap her knuckles lightly upon the wooden bar stand to grab the bar owner's attention.

The man behind the bar was an older gentleman. His hair was slicked back atop his head , his hair was lovely salt and pepper color. He was well kept and cleanly shaven , you could tell this man took care of himself and good care of himself at that. Lara’s eyes would drift to his attire which was a vest and a white dress shirt. Having her line of sight cut off at the waist would lead her to the conclusion this man was doing good ‘nice to see kumo treating someone good for once’ the village was never the same after the take over.

With a missing nin in office most people had more loyalty to their land then the bloody kage office , but one did have to respect the power that resided in that office. “I'm never gonna be the raikage , i'm never gonna be a chunin and i'm not gonna prove myself to this damn village” she would sigh out as she shuffled into a bar the warm stale air hitting her face was refreshing in a way it reminded her of home. The nights of sleeping on the street and stealing wine so she felt warm throughout the night , sometimes a box , a thin sheet and a bottle of wine is all you need to stay warm on the streets of kumo.

Lara would hobble over to a table in the corner and begin munching on the free peanuts they had laid out , she would seldom take one and nibble on it, eating them slowly. To most she would seem oblivious but she was well aware of her surroundings the bar was what most would call a hole in the wall or a shoe box. A place nestled in the seedy underbelly of kumogakure , Lara would hobble over to the bar counter taking a seat in the stool , she would pull off her jacket slowly exposing her upper body which was clad in nothing more than her makeshift combat sports bra. A few men would snicker as she did so but she would pay them no mind , shivers would run up her spine as air hit her exposed back and arms. Lara’s jacket was skin tight and the sleeves changed into seamless gloves so for her this was like shaving off a layer she wore twenty four seven.

She would knock on the counter top to get the bartender's attention , “hey handsome can i get a jack , coke and a bottle of dawn on the rocks” she would ask with a groan causing the bartender to eye her rather suspiciously as this type of drink was normally reserved for young men looking to become intoxicated rather fast at parties  normally if a girl where to ask for this it would be an emergency drink. The bartender would turn to begin mixing up her drink exposing his back to the young pinkete , while he did this lara would tie her head band around her upper arm and tie her jacket around her waist making herself more comfortable.

When the man turned around lara would happily accept the drink slapping five hundred ryo down on the table which was way more than her drink cost , which sent a clear message to the man she was planning on running up a tab luckily she had provided proof of income in cold hard cash. Lara would begin taking sips of the drink letting cold liquid flow into her mouth swallowing gently trying her best to savor such hard liquor , it was hard for people in kumo to get a hold of anything that isn't shitty sake so this was a treat. Lara loved being in kumo but things were to combat based for her no matter how much she trained she just couldn't seem to match the force or powers of her comrades in the slightest.

“at least i’ll always have you” she would say taking a deep gulp of her drink , when she put the glass down nothing remained but bits of ice sitting in the bottom of the glass “another one please…” she would say sliding the glass back twoard the bartender.

WC:1056