Streets of Kumogakure

Natsuru found herself in the market area where she usually stopped by for her breaks. After all it was a hot spot for shopping and food, so Natsuru was naturally bound to the market. A little in the afternoon she found herself strolling the streets. Today was the day she finally mustered the confidence to wear her new outfit. With Ryuko crafting her a new set of gear she was enthralled to plan her new gear. Her craftsman ship greatly improved with each new gift. Currently, Natsuru could feel the love in every stitch of her garb. It was fitted precisely to her measurements.

Natsuru wears black sandals which cover both feet securely and tightly providing comfort and protection. This is matched with a pair of dark gray steel shin guards. The shin guards covered the tops of her feet all the way up to her lower knees. This was matched with a pair of black stockings which covered her feet and extended above her knees. Although made from cloth they were somewhat thick and provided minor protection. Natsuru wears black undergarments which are concealed by a long, black loincloth which extends just to the sides of her knees on the front and back still providing suitable coverage. Around her right thigh she wears a simple, small black leather belt. Attached on the belt is a dark gray lacquered scabbard sized for a tanto. Another black belt is worn around her waist which serves to hold her quiver located around her back side.

A mesh, sleeveless undershirt covered her body as a set of riveted mail is worn over the undershirt. As her primary top she wears a simple black one piece fitted to her body type. Naturally, her mail shirt beneath her top extends slightly down her upper arm adding some additional protection. On both hands Natsuru wears a pair of long fingerless gloves which extends just below her elbows made with the same material of cloth and quality as her stockings. These are backed by a pair of soft leather arm guards protecting her forearm and back hand leaving a small soft part on her wrist still allowing flexibility. Her bow is worn across her chest with the front of the bow between her bosom and the string running across her back, the natural properties of the bow clinging itself to her body. Over her torso is a black cloak that extended down to the backs of her knees with a down hood, the mantel thick and well-insulated.

Natsuru has very fair skin with an almost ink-like navy blue hair, which matches her eyes in the same regards. Her hair runs down her back inside of the cloak's cover down to her rear end with a few bunches of hair touching down her breasts. Standing at 5'10 she has a very slender frame which maximizes her role as an archer giving her a statuesque vibe. Alas, a highly decorated Indian-style necklace made of silver and ruby was worn around her neck resting atop her chest serving as a relish for the stunning Kunoichi.

She found herself in a local eatery. She sat on a bar stool before a bowl of Katsudon, paired with a side of six Gyoza and a bowl of hot miso soup. To wash everything down was a simple glass of orange juice. Now her appearance really stood out among the villagers and even generic Shinobi, but to her she felt comfortable and almost prideful she wore the gear provided by her friends. "Time to eat..." She said, breaking in her chopsticks and going straight for the Katsudon. The runny egg and stir fried onion were picked together with the breaded and fried chicken slice, backed by a heaping bit of white rice. She did not hesitate to stuff her mouth full of the carbed, fatty treat. Comfort food certainly made her at ease. Especially since she has been busy with her crafting for the past couple days. It was nice to expose herself back into society.

Her taste buds were entertained and Natsuru was in her greatest mood. Junk food had that effect on her. Shoveling the runny egg and rice she would viciously wash it down with the miso soup before grabbing a dumpling and running it into the sauce. All in all it made for a somewhat balanced, nutritious meal. Miso soup had its benefit, tofu, seaweed, and chives. The Tonkatsu bowl had carbs, protein, onion, and fat. And of course the gyoza was stuffed with pork and cabbage. She convinced herself it was an adequate meal. Although she enjoyed the cuisine prepared at home it was nice for a change of course. She was halfway through everything that was prepared before her before she caught onto the presence on the man besides her. What was originally thought of to be a regular patron was discovered to be Simon. She noticed this from her peripherals, not acknowledging the boy until she swallowed what she had in her mouth, wiping her mouth and straightening her back from the previous hunch she had during her frenzy.

Grabbing her glass of OJ from the side she washed down her food and hydrated herself, before setting it down and turning her head to the side. In a feigned surprise on her face she smiled with an awfully kind greeting. "Oh my. Good afternoon, Simon. I guess it's true what they: Tonkatsu brings good fortune." She said with a coy chuckle. Oven time Simon had finally sunk into her good graces. Being always attached to Shimiko, or vice versa, had made Natsuru become comfortable with his appearance. And in the end, his personality was perhaps the most bearable out of her friend group. Ryuko was sweet and kind, though was common to invade her bubble. Shimiko was always a bitter lemon-head she never really liked, though over time she became tolerable. At top of it all, those two acted their age as young females. Simon at the very least was mature for his age and was quite mellow-- a relaxed exterior being a feature she wore herself.

She would carry on with the conversation fluidly, charisma being one of her stronger suits. Though it was all due to her training and mannerism of upper-class etiquette. Awkward silences and forced conversations were none existent in her class. "I am just enjoying a luncheon. I have been working diligently on my crafting recently and figured a treat was due. What brings you here this time of day?" She followed up a bit curious as to what Simon was up to. It was not usual for him to roam the village. In fact, him being locked up in his room would be unusual behavior. Meeting Simon at the village gates upon return of their mission, to his hospital visit, and finally being with Shimiko in a cafe. It appears he was quite social, or at least loved the village he was raised in. Giving Simon the chance to speak she would go for her soup. It was light and quick allowing her to jump back into the conversation when needed. Her Katsudon and gyoza would have to wait.

Before she knew it, the miso soup was gone. The liquid soup and bits of tofu were defenseless against Natsuru's binge. She would set the empty bowl down with the chopsticks still in hand, dredging a gyoza dumpling in its sauce before popping one in her mouth as Simon wrapped up what he said, the Genin chewing with her cheeks bulging as she listened to him intently. She was a bit surprised Simon was unaware of her crafting ability. She swore most of her inner circle by now were at least familiar with her crafting ability. It was a bit disappointing in the end. Her name held no value to it on its own, despite her knowing the value of her own crafts. Perhaps the problem with her notoriety was linked to the lack of her having her name exposed. Nonetheless, she would smile and reply after swallowing her mouthful.

"Yes, I am quite adept in a variety of educations: civil engineering, architecture, interior design, masonry, construction. You name it. My family is not all entirely a merchant class. There is no way we would have succeeded if we simply crafted and traded goods. We plan, construct, and manage infrastructure. Knowing how to hire cheap, build efficiently, and what's valuable is how we thrive. I tend to follow that same path, eventually." She said, trailing off. With as wealthy as her parents were, and the skills she already possessed in the field of craft, she was always asked why she decided to become a Shinobi. It was a common follow up, one Natsuru invited herself to answer. "You're probably wondering why I chose to work as a Shinobi rather than pursue skilled labor and management..."

Taking a dram of her orange juice she would set the highball glass down next to her Katsudon bowl before briefly licking her lips and following up. "Shinobi have always fascinated me. The line of work is menial and dangerous, but the things some of them accomplish and the honor associated with service always excited me." A slight blush began to develop on the girl's cheeks as her face almost expressed shyness, Natsuru shrugging her shoulders following what she had to say next. "I read a lot of Shōnen and Shōjo in my free time when I'm at home and not working. The military style and fighting in Shōnen gives me goosebumps. It's what mainly motivated me to become a Shinobi. I guess you could say I'm somewhat jealous of Shimiko. She was born and raised in a prestigious military family. I had to finish grade school and become sovereign before pursuing my interests in Ninjutsu."

With her chopsticks she played with the rice in her bowl, the Genin still rather blushed after 'opening up' to Simon. He was a very trusted friend of hers, someone she could trust not to spread any personal information about her. Ryuko might have found it as something playful whereas Shimiko would find it as material for sweet revenge. "I do not regret finishing my education. I plan to hopefully develop a stable income so I can dedicate more time to my work as a Kunoichi. I've come to like the people I have met in my line of work as a Shinobi. Unlike the 'friends' I had in high school, I know all of you are dependable and true." Natsuru would then casually pick up her bowl of Katsudon and silently consume once again. It was a good way to end what she had to say. It kept her occupied giving Simon a chance to speak without seeming like she was expect something out of him in return.

"Mmhm!" Natsuru would nod with her mouthful. She had never thought of it the way Simon had. Truth be told, Natsuru's mother was an expert at business and management. Her father was the skilled, legendary craftsman. Together they were able to create a wealthy upbringing by combining their two skill sets. They both certainly had an impact on her own success. She is entirely set on building an empire of her own. That would come with time, of course. Working as a Shinobi had its benefits of generating basic revenue. What surprised her the most was Simon's position on her described outlook on military families. She set down an empty Katsudon bowl before her, glancing at the two gyoza she had left. Natsuru was shocked to hear him almost talk down to Shimiko, describing military kids as queer compared to those raised in a normal house hold. Natsuru could not help but agree. A sly grin grew on her face as he spoke of what was originally on her mind.

After her mission with Shimiko and Ryuko, Natsuru could not help but believe in what Simon was talking about. She was incredibly weird, to put it short. She recalls Shimiko monologuing to herself about a Jashin before executing an incapacitated bandit. On top of her odd social quirks and clingy behavior she could not help but agree more to what he spoke of. "No, not at all." She interjected briefly in the short pause Simon gave her. As Simon continued she began to learn about the kid himself, some impressive details she had never known before. Her face lit up as he named off his skills. Before she could rudely interrupt she would stuff her mouth with a dumpling to keep her tame until he finished.

Following her swallow she would speak almost eagerly. "You have professional skills as well? I wish you would have told me sooner. I'm making some goodies for my girl friends. I guess it's not too late to include you as well. Also...poisons are rather exotic. I wouldn't mind doing some business. It's not often I get to see a chemist." It was true, though. Shinobi have evolved over time from the sneaky, underhanded mercenaries into an organized military force. As such, poisons have become less and less popular over time as well as any other chemical concoction. It was a very valuable skill, perhaps on par with her field of engineering. "I am actually planning a new type of flask, which I believe will help conserve application for liquid poisons. Perhaps I can have a real test subject to work with. In exchange, I could make you a set of these containers for any other creation you plan."

Natsuru listened intently as Simon spoke. To her their conversation just got a little more serious. Simon was a friend at base value, though became a client when deals were at hand. She predicted a simple barter would not settle. After all, chemistry was an expensive craft. It was primarily why she did not pursue it on her own. Although she came from a wealthy background a good part of that wealth came with managing income. Buying cheaply and mass producing was a key source of their success, and soon to be her own. At the very least the barter will help alleviate the price of her requested poisons, or more-or-less desired poisons. "That's understandable. I am somewhat familiar with how pricey chemist can become. Unlike my field of crafting, wood and iron is plentiful. Rare herbs and substances are of course unlikely to come by, otherwise they'd sell for as cheap as I get my lumber." Taking the last of her dumpling by the chop sticks she'd drenched it in sauce before consuming, chewing for a moment of silence as she planning a solution.

"I would need a quote of how much this might cost. From there we can negotiate the quantity and value of the flasks and hopefully come to a deal. For starters, I wish for two different poisons. One I want to be able to apply to weaponry. I want it to damage their chakra reserves. The second one I want is a type of gas that will damage their coordination. I want them to be moderately powerful, though nothing top shelf. Do you know how much those will cost?" She finished, placing her elbow on the bar counter resting her cheek on the back of her hand.

Natsuru's face lit up in astonishment at the mentioning of the prices. Seventy grand? That's almost all of my savings... Natsuru was not expecting the goods to be cheap, though she did not expect to spend more than fifty grand on her poison suggestion. Unfortunately, that was the price. Natsuru trusted Simon enough to not try and swindle her. He seemed like a level-headed guy with some code of honor. Truth be told, the flask's actual value were far less than the poisons he could produce. Some glass and a fixed nozzle were all that really made the flasks special. It was the idea and craftsmanship that really made the product shine. She could not argue a lower price especially since Simon was not the kind to typically produce poisons or use them himself.

"Seventy grand you say? Well, I can't exactly argue that. Though, I wasn't expecting the price to be that high. I'll tell you what: I will give you the flasks when I am ready to pay for my request. I guess you can use the spare time to research what you may need. I'm sure Chemistry is not a one-sitting thing."

Finishing her food she took a long dram of the rest of her orange juice cleaning the glass in a single gulp. It was a refreshing end to a solid meal, and a closed deal. A slight sigh of relief escaped her mouth as she spun around in her chair to face Simon again. "Well, I shouldn't take it too much of your time. I don't want to procrastinate too much with my blueprints. It was nice to see you, Simon. Maybe we will encounter each other again soon." Standing up she passed him a cheerful grin leaving a small stack of cash that easily paid for her meal and left a generous tip. "Farewell." She said as she passed Simon on foot, the cloaked Kunoichi making her way back to her home.

[Exit]