Quite the walk about

Holy Matrimony:

It's not an addiction I swear:

Starting off wrong:

It was meant to be a simple grocery run, pick up some eggs, milk, bread, etc.  He couldn't remember what etc was supposed to mean, but when he wrote it clearly, he had some kind of idea in order.  Regardless, what had been meant for an easy time was now something that was not going to happen.  A hole in his pocket was now the antagonist of the story, and it had managed to empty his pockets to the winds of the road.  Standing there, comically with both pockets pulled out he felt himself sigh.  Walking into the nail salon that doubled as his normal missing nin contract brokerage he'd seek out hook.  Not ready to admit he had no money, but willing to admit that he could use a job to make some money.  After waiting for some time, he'd finally be given leave to enter the back office.  Once he had walked through the doorway, he walked around the desk pulling a book from the shelf, opening a hidden door.  Honestly Hook was so cliche might as well have a sign out front offering contracts.  Entering the even smaller room, his left hand shot up to wave away the billowing cigar smoke that preceded him.  

"Ye I got er job fer ye."  Hook would say rubbing his great walrus mustache.  With his hook Maku mentally thought....he must be very confident in his hand eye....errrr......Hook eye coordination.  "Simple job...barely even worth me icking up, but you know me...I'm a giver, ain't I."  This got an eye roll from Maku, but it was still worth hearing the man out.  He needed the money, and an easy job barely worth handling, seemed exactly what he was after.  Reaching across he'd pull the package and folder towards him.  He gave at least one thing to Hook, where Jack only gave verbal's, Hook seemed to always have a well typed out contract.  Reading closely, it was simple enough.  Take the dowry to a village one over and...that was it.  Shaking the bag it wasn't anything to write home about.  He read through the paper one more time, just to make sure he wasn't missing anything.  

"Alright....sounds good to me."  He would say standing up.  Making a quick escape before Hook could add anything else he hit the road.  Packing the dowry away in the pocket without the hole, he'd take his leisurely pace.  

Pulling out his notebook as he walked, he started to continue writing down some scribbles for his book.  He may not be able to make the world what he would like, but he could at least create a false one.  He continued to work on fleshing out his characters, all be it funny considering the main cast where all real people, even if not true versions.  His work continued as he arrived at a large inn.  The wedding party was so pleased to receive the dowry on time, that he was given a room in which he could stay the night.

With an easy payday done, a flier would catch his eye.  A poker tournament being held, in the same inn that he was put up in.  Chewing his inner lip, he considered the implications.  On one hand he could take his cash, go back to the village in the morning.  Complete his shopping and tasks, and see a day well done.  On the other, he could put up the money he had won, potentially doubling up and having some to spare.  The wise words would be to save and move on, but he had made a living of not always following the wise path.  Taking up the money he had just earned, he'd make his way down to the designated area.  The large bar room had been changed into a regular gambling hall.  People from different villages littered the tables, each exchanging their ryo for tokens so that they may perform their buy ins.  Maku followed suit, depositing two thousand ryo for a large stack of tokens.  Taking them, he soon found a table and a seat.  Ordering a drink, he would sip on it waiting for the tournament to begin.  Thinking on it, this would perhaps be a good chapter for his book.

Idly playing with the chips, the tournament would begin.  Flipping up his cards and looking, he would throw in a couple chips at the buy in.  The rounds would continue in this way from some time, until not only had his chips grown, but the number of cups he'd been drinking had as well.  Bluffing had always been his strong point, big talk whether he had big actions to back it up or not.  This matching with his liquid courage led to a dangerous game that he was lucky enough to take to the end.  WIth the final three individuals, Maku was all smiles looking at the other two contestants.  One a large surly looking man, neck bear in tow and dark sunglasses in an already dark room.  It was impressive he could see anything.  The other a woman with a Yuki husband who kept talking about his refrigerator company to anyone who would listen for more than a few moments.  Vob Bance with Vob Bance's Refrigeration, he thought he had heard.  Well, if everything went well, then at least he might be able to update some appliances for the house.  Next thing he knew, the cards were delt.  

Looking at his card, he had a throw away hand.  The smart move was to fold, live to play another hand.  However, the drinks and his good luck streak had led to a bolstered confidence.  Going all in, he watched as any chance of winning the event evaporated.  It was with a dumbfounded look that he saw his chips pulled away by the dealer.  Hands moving quickly several seals were formed, and for everyone in the vicinity the room went black.  Maneuvering through the bar room, he would collect his money plus as much as he could carry and bolted from the Inn......which marked the first time in many years he had used jutsu actively for a mission's success.

Seeing that there was no way for him to show his face in the town, he vacated before anyone could form a reliable search party.  On the open road once again, the nighttime atmosphere provided a calming atmosphere in contrast to the bar.  Whistling, he couldn't deny he felt.... exhilarated.  It was the old feelings coming back.  Living outside the law, and enjoying himself without the restrictions of such rules.  It had been one of the things that drew him to the missing nin life, or even the life of a mercenary.  Nothing the same, no designated squads, no paperwork, it was the easy life in those regards.  As all of these thoughts went through his mind, he came across a man walking in the same direction.  Picking up his pace, he caught up so that he could walk along side the man.  "Hello there, a bit late to be walking this way, not that I'm one to talk."  He would say bright smile lit upon his face.  Mostly due to the drink still running through his veins a bit of his old self had bled through his normally more dour constitution.  

"Ummm yes well....I-I have a deadline...you see."  He would say nervously.  Gesturing the his bag, it was clear it was full of scrolls dangerously threatening to spill out at any moment. 

"You some kind of writer then?"  Maku would ask, now not only eyeing more potential income, but also genuine interest.  The man would go on to explain he was.  His novels where that of a slice of life.  Nothing widely known, but still doing well enough to allow him a writer's life.  Listening the basics of the story, Maku would consider it for his own writings.  The man had no shortage of things to say, after his initial hesitancy no doubt of being robbed, once he was invited to talk about his craft, he was hardly able to contain himself.  The walk was pleasant, both of them exchanging notes, until they were only around 500 meters form the village where Hook made his home.  As the man was looking up describing a twisting and turning plot, another couple hand seals were formed, causing gold feathers to descend on the man.  The next thing he would know, he would be out asleep on the road.

"Sorry about all this...I really was enjoying your story."  Maku would say with a half-smile.  Reaching down, he would take the bag containing all the scrolls and finish the trek to the village.  Meeting up with Hook, he would pawn them off on the broker, for him to sell as he could see fit.  Taking a nice little cut of the sale, Maku would make his way back to the Akatsuki house.  Not wanting to spend any time out and away from the hideout.  Not that his name had gotten out, but it still seemed unwise to cause to much of a scene.  

TWC - 1513

Exit

Claims

+15ap from missions
+ 6k ryo from doubled mission pay
+ 22.5k ryo from MN A Rank bonus

+30ap for training with max stats
+1513 towards Rinnegan reducing the activation time by a month, bringing it to October

Prev training 1, 2, 3

Approved