Pre-Chuunin Exam Festivities (open, NK)

The Chuunin Exams were getting ready to begin; delegations from all of the major shinobi villages were converging on Hoshigakure to participate and show off the skills of their respective Genin. The last time that Masashi had taken part in an exam like this, it had taken place in Konohagakure, and he had been the only member of the village to compete. He had placed 3^rd overall and that had gotten him a promotion to Chuunin. This time around, there were approximately five Genin from Hoshi alone that would be participating. He was not aware of how many from other villages would be here, only that at least 1 from each of the other four major villages would be in attendance. As such, there was much celebrating and merriment throughout the village, in an effort to make those from the other villages feel more welcome. This was supposed to be a happy occasion of course, and as the son of Countess Himari Akari he would have to get out and be more visible to save his family from more dishonour, thanks to his previous dereliction of duties. As such, he would be spending as much time as necessary celebrating like the rest of the village. Masashi got ready to go out as usual, using his Manipulated fabric to create his standard outfit, toss his Jounin flak jacked overtop, and then he would grab his leather duster and put it on over that. Fully dressed, he’d make his way out of his home and towards the city square.

He would make his way to one of the nicer bars and sit himself at the bar, ordering a whiskey, and then turning around, facing the room and watching the goings on.

WC: 289

As the son of Countess Akari turned to face the view of city Square, he would see a sight he'd never seen in Hoshigakure no Sato. Across from the bar, next to tattooed monk mediating on the divine, sat a large and bright-wooded cart. A cartoon monkey head, smiling and holding two mugs of what looked like beer, is stamped on its side, the sign above reads The Monkey's Uncle.

Even from this distance, the Uzuamki could glean the wares of the merchant. Pots of citrus-spiced brew boil aromatic steam, salting the wind with soothing sweetness. Exotic seasoned meat spin on roasting spits, glistening with savory flavor. Fresh cut fruit, bursting with juice, shine in the midday sun, and finely made t-shirts, stamped with a drunken monkey, billows in the steam-salted breeze. Yet, what would raise the brow of Masahi, would be the merchant peddling the brew, food, fruit, and shirts.

A mountain of a man, with hair like Ash, would stand in front of this monkey cart, draped in an untied, pale-violet, monkey style kimono. A wooden-and-jade engraved pipe rests in his lips, smoke wisps from the bowl as the man scans the crowd. If the Uzumaki were to be honest, the man's demeanor was that of any merchant in the square. But, what would draw his eye, would be the Sunagkure headband wrapped around his neck and the jounin flak jacket worn under the colorful kimono.

The ashen-haired merchant would lock eyes with the Hoshi Jounin, a close-eyed smile would greet his stare, as if saying Thank you for allowing us in your village, I hope you don't mind me conducting my business.

The aged, ashen haired suna jounin would once again turn his attention to the crowd. Mischief would spark behind his eyes, the merchant would go to his cart and fill a hand sized gourd with a pot of brew. He would turn, revealing the medical monkey stamp on the gourd.

"If I can have your attention," thrums the basso-voice of the ashen-haired shinobi, drawing the eyes of passerby with his ridiculous look. "I come from a far off village, across the great deserts of Wind Country. I have traveled from there to here to bring you something wonderful. There is a place with many skilled people, doctors, physicians, scholars, and warriors, with knowledge and skills that would seem improbable. When I was deemed worthy to study there, I was sworn to secrecy: never to reveal what I saw."

The eccentric merchant begins to draw more of the crowd, his tales of the shinobi world, a world largely unknown to the people of Hoshi, fosters interest, as some have a vague idea of what such a world could he like. As such, what he says seems just far-fetched enough to seem real.

"But fret not, for what I've brought to you is all that is needed from that fantastical place. I bring you an exilir of health, Panacea's draught, that which can heal what ails you!"

The colorful-kimomo wearing merchant displays his "elixir", the palm-sized, monkey-stamped gourd. The crowd eyes it suspiciously, though many are curious to see if what he claims is true. 

"I assure you, this Healing Monkey can treat and salve major wounds, as well as increase one's longevity!"

A toothless and nervous man steps from the crowd, wheezing out his words.

"Does it cure plague?"

The merchant, not missing a beat, switches his stance and allows the man to inhale the aroma of the brew. Instantly, the smell calms the nerves of the toothless man, to the surprise of all.

"I can assure you, drinking this Healing Monkey can prevent plague, as long as you take care to keep yourself clean whilst drinking it!"

The crowd "ooo"'s and "aah"s at this notion, the merchant smiles, having finally secured the interest of the crowd.

"If you wish to see its effect for yourself, I need but one volunteer!!"


At this, the crowd backs up a bit: as none are willing to test the merchants elixir. The ashen-haored man scams the crowd, hoping to find a volunteer.

[[685]]

---

WC: 422

Not long after he’d sat down to enjoy his drink, He’d noticed someone sitting out in the square beside a cart that appeared to be some form of mobile tavern. It wasn’t of particular interest to the Uzumaki Jounin but he may make his way over later, just to make sure that everything is on the up and up. He couldn’t tell what was being said on account of the door outside being closed, but most likely he was trying to hawk his wares. At least, that’s what it looked like he was doing; the man was pulling things off the cart and showing them to the crowd that was slowly gathering around him.

It was at that point that the door of the bar opened and someone else walked in. They were definitely not one of the regulars here. That was abundantly clear based solely on their appearance alone;  he was about six feet tall, average height for a man, with long red hair and a single eye whose colour he couldn’t quite make out. The other, if there was another, was hidden under an eye patch, which meant he was either very lucky, or very foolish. The man was wearing a long white cloak that covered just about everything on him so there was very little else to notice about him. Masashi determined in that instant though that the man before him was likely more very lucky, due to the yellow pyramidal headdress that had been in the man’s hand briefly before it vanished. He’d seen a hat like it, worn by the previous Hogokage, though theirs was purple. That would mean that this person was a Kage from another village. The Kage made their way over to the bar and ordered a whiskey. ‘Not a bad choice…’ Masashi thought to himself with a smirk, glancing at the drink in his hand and then over at the barkeep to see which one he was going for. Masashi frowned slightly when he saw the barkeep’s choice and decided to speak up. “Don’t give him that one. Give him the Akari twenty-five-year reserve.” The Uzumaki Jounin would look at the newcomer and smile apologetically. “Sorry about that,” Masashi would say to the man. “I don’t think he realised who you are, your station at least. Masashi Uzumaki-Akari, welcome to Hoshigakure.” He would keep his tone quieter so that his words didn't carry across the room and provide unnecessary attention.

WC: 411
TWC: 700

Walking to a bar after finishing helping his teacher set up his stand, Page would stretch out his arms wide, Sheffield walking in behind him, towards his left, sitting down with him as he reached the bar proper.  "It's alright if I bring my dog in here?" Page would ask, prepared to either shoe him away or keep him around depending on the answer. "Anyway, I need a drink," the former farmer would state plainly, explaining, "I've been trying to sell this senju wood I picked up from Konoha but I have Raleth over here with his miracle cure outshining all my marketing, I just need to forget about this for a second," while not outwardly stating his intentions here, not so subtly trying to advertise his wares, taking a drink before waiting for someone to approach him.

WC: 138

The crowd around the merchant Sarutobi did not stir, the fearful and superstious people of Haven Country were cautious. The people were untrusting of most outsiders, especially ones that peddled 'miracle cures' from a far off land. Some leer at the ashen-haired merchant, others begin to file away: keeping their distance from the street-barking mad man.

Seeing this, the Sarutobi becomes disheartened. As the crowd starts to disperse, Raleth spots the golden headress of a kage, and a man, cloaked in regal robes over his dark armor walks into the bar across from him. The immense jounin eyes this kage, and recognizes the symbol emblazoned in the headress, Kumogakure.

The Raikage? Hmm, perhaps he'll be interested in my wares after a demonstration...


Raleth spots the former-farmer-turned-shinobi, Page, and gives him a hearty wink, as if saying watch this!


"Please!," bellows the thunderous voice of the ashen-haired merchant, "before you sell off my wares as mere snake-oil, allow me to demonstrate! As it is, if a merchant cannot abide by his own wares, he proves himself to be shoddy and sleazy!!" Raleth grabs a small, sharpened, fruit knife. He flashes its edge in the sunlight, making sure to shine its blade in the eyes of the crowd, and the potential buyers. He also makes sure to shine this reflective light to the shinobi in the bar, namely the Hoshi Jounin and the Raikage. 

With the flair of a showman, Raleth puts one hand behind his back and places the fruit knife near his neck, to the surprise of the crowd. Those that wanted to leave decide to stay. After all, how often does one see a man willing to put his own neck on the line for his wares? The display draws the eyes of the other merchants, and even causes the meditating, tattooed monk nearby to stop his mantra to observe the merchant. To the beat of a silent drumroll, Raleth Sarutobi slices his neck open, from side to side, with a beaming smile on his face. 

Blood leaks from the wound, the audience gasps and screams at the sight. Many panic, and search for supplies to heal the crazed merchant. But, the Sarutobi shows no signs of distress, though his life and vitality leak from the wound in his neck. Instead, he calmly wipes off the bloodied knife and places it back on his stand. As the color drains from his face and blood soaks his vibrant robe, he uncorks the palm-sized gourd stamped with the symbol of a medical monkey. His legs begin to buckle as he places the gourd to his lips, and when it looks like he's about to collapse from blood loss he takes a healthy drink of the brew.

Instantly, steam radiates from the open wound in his neck. The merchant's blood stops leaking, the skin comes together and heals itself, as if by magic. To the shinobi observing, they would recognize the steam that radiates from the Sarutobi's once-open-wound as the tell-tale sign of medical Chakra. The color once again returns to Raleth's face, and the beaming smile, which never left him throughout his performance, becomes brighter as the brew revitalizes him. The crowd is stunned, shocked, and floored, as all expected the crazed-merchant to have fallen over, dead. In silence, Raleth raises up the empty, wooden gourd.

"You've seen it for yourself, the power of the Healing Monkey!!"

The crowd bursts into uproarious cheers, not believing what they have just seen. Many clamber toward the tea-cart, begging for the merchant's miracle brew.

[[590/1275]]

Almost immediately after the Raikage sat down, the door opened again and another man walked in. This man was about Masashi’s height, an inch or two shorter if anything. He had darker skin, even darker hair, and he couldn’t quite make out his eye colour. He was followed by a dog, which reminded the Uzumaki Jounin to look at getting some pets for the manor. He would enjoy having some cats or a dog or two around to keep him company.

The man would walk over to the bar and order a drink while the Raikage, who called himself Kaito, accepted his drink and cheers him. Masashi would raise his glass in return while the other man pounded it back in one shot, thanked him for the drink, and then left. Masashi would nod and say “Good luck to your shinobi in the exam” as he watched Kaito leave. He would sit there for a little while, sipping his drink and looking out the window thoughtfully as he watched the man outside continue to hawk his wares. Turns out the man’s name is Raleth, according to the newcomer. ‘I guess they’re either from the same village, or they’ve met in the past.’ Masashi thought to himself as he heard the man talking. The man was also apparently trying to sell something, Senju Wood from Konohagakure. Masashi was not here to listen to peddlers try and sell goods though, so the Uzumaki Jounin would finish off his drink, leave some ryo on the bar for the bartender, and would make his way towards the door of the bar. Once outside, he’d make his way out of the square and back towards his home. He had tried getting to know some of the visitors to the village and it was time to work on other things.

[EXIT]

WC: 304
TWC: 1004

Claiming:
20 AP
1000 WC towards Shadow Clones (1004/1500)

Approved

[Exit]

Total WC 1275
Using 25% Max Stat Discount
Buying Tsuri-Goshi (B Rank) for 1125 words
Using 100 Words to buy 1 AP
Doing nothing with remaing WC