Starring:
Asao, Tsumi
Date: July 6, 2012
Summary:
Tsumi, performing the duties of her 'Flower Girl' Identity, is bullied by an old man in Fuuma Alley. Asao, who is searching for information about what appear to be Tsumi's recent attacks, rescues her.
"Close Encounters of the Murderous Kind"
Fuuma Alley
Tsumi generally didn't come into Fuuma Alley on business. Usually her intentions were far less wholesome, and generally involved someone else ending up dead, torn apart, and left in several alleys to be found by whatever passed as law enforcement in this stinking pit… But this time, Tsumi was here for another reason. Her false identity as an innocent flower girl came with some unfortunate consequences for her social life… That was to say, sometimes she was actually called on to deliver flowers.
She was wandering down the street, one foot in front of the other, with a pair of large, thick glasses on her face, obscuring her eyes, and making her look much less dangerous than she actually was. Unfortunately, the glasses also obscured her vision, if only slightly, and she ran into a few people along the way, making her seem rather… clumsy. She apologized profusely to a couple of people that she had run into, stumbling away from them in a way that made it look like she would drop the large basket of multicolored flowers that she held, and almost losing her glasses while she was at it. Her cheeks colored brightly as those same people stared at her and continued on their way as if nothing had happened. She finally breathed a heavy sigh of relief as they were out of sight, holding one hand to her chest and shutting her eyes briefly before twirling around to continue on her way… Only to run directly into someone else, sending the flowers in her basket flying in all directions, like a large, floral firework in the middle of the street.
Asao was on his own mission. There was the main mission of bringing some materials to the Alley, as well as his own personal mission to gather materials for his own use. With that in mind, he still had that large bag on his back, the sound of a clock clicking would seem to always be with him. As he walked down the street the opposite way of the flower lady, he frowned slightly as he'd watch her. Obviously making a scene by running into people would call attention. With that in mind, the teen studied her closely. Something about her, drew his attention, something he couldn't quite place. It was just one of those things. Maybe he had read something before? There was a surge of that ticking noise from his back, a small nod given in response and he'd slow, but not stop as the flower girl was carefully studied.
Tsumi tries to catch flowers as they spread all around her… but for the most part she fails miserably, most of the flowers not only falling on the ground, but getting trampled underfoot by the other people on the street, "N-no!" Tsumi looks absolutely distraught, holding her hands to her face in horror at the trampled flowers. She's so horrified by the sight, that she totally forgets the last person she ran into. Unfortunately for her, that particular person doesn't forget her.
"'Oi! You jus' gonna pretend ya don't see me girlie!?" The man, a skinny, elderly man, stares fixedly on Tsumi, who whirls around, as if suddenly remembering that she eved existed.
"O-oh… I'm sorry! I didn't mean to run into you!" She gives a quick, deep bow at the waist, looking extremelly apologetic, though the old man doesn't seem impressed.
"Stupid girl! Ya hit me purdy 'ard ya know? I may 'ave me some bruises. Whatcha gonna do about it? You gonna jus' abandon an old man who you jus' injured?! I might die out 'ere!" The old man was irate, and getting up in Tsumi's face, while she backed up and looked rather shaken… He certainly didn't LOOK injured.
"No, no… I'm s-sorry." She held her hands in front of her defensively, "I really didn't mean too, but… I'm not sure what I can do…"
"Well what'cha got on ya? Money? Gimmie some money to cover my medical expenses!"
Asao frowned slightly. The man was interrupting his spying. Moving, he'd focus himself as he did so, the ticking from his bag going silent while he moved. Stepping over towards the old man and Tsumi, he simply pushed, with a small spark of lightning chakra to add an extra jolt to his words. "You are fine. Nothing altered in your system. Therefore, you are going to leave her alone. Now." Asao stared at the older man with his words, eyes narrowed as he'd glare at the would be bully. It was all a calculation. Asao was actually standing on a roof nearby, the puppet Tokkan was currently facing the man, although he most likely wouldn't be able to tell the difference.
The old man jumped at the electric jolt, hopping away from Asao with a yelp and casting a glare over his shoulder, "Whaa?! What's it to you boy!?" He leans in, though still keeps his distance, "This ain't got nothin' to do wit'chu! It's between me and the girlie!" In either case, he didn't seem to be willing to push the issue too far.
Tsumi frowns deepy, "I… I don't have any money anyway… I was going to deliver the flowers and get some, but… Now they're ruined." she pouts a little, but otherwise just looks a bit put off by the acts of the old man… Though for a second, she does peer a bit curiously at the puppet, and looks around briefly, as if confused… or perhaps just wondering how big of a scene they were making… Most people proved to be ignoring it though, as if it happened every day.
"No money?!" The old man glared angrily at Tsumi, his nostrils flaring, "Well why didn't ya say so?!"
"I just d-di—"
"GAH! You kids are worthless, never carry a single coin on ya, think you can get by, hurtin' people without payin' even a little compensation! Fine, go! Get outta here 'fore I change my mind!" He glances once again at Asao's puppet and steps away, slowly at first, then hurrying off quickly.
Tsumi breathes a sigh of relief and after a second, looks back at Asao, smiling brightly, "Thank you~ That could have gone much worse had you not shown up. I wish I could repay you, but… Like I said, I have no money… and my flowers are ruined."
Watching the grumpy old man finally leave, Asao would just shake his head. A surge of the sound of a clock ticking came from the figure before Tsumi. Asao himself hopped down from the roof, landing beside the puppet as Tokkan's henge finally failed completely. "I wasn't looking for money, just information. You do a good portrail of a weak, innocent flower girl. It doesn't fit your rythm though. Your gears are off.. it grinds against you, doesn't it?" His attention would turn from Tokkan, which was getting a few looks, to Tsumi, who has most likely lost all interest from the crowd. Asao was good at making scenes, it seems. "I don't know what your real path it. I can't see the full pattern and the old man ruined my observations. Maybe another time."
Tsumi blinks, "Huh…?" There is the briefest of twitches… irritation? Maybe. "What are you talking about? I AM a weak innocent flower girl." She points at the flowers, "If I were anything else… I probably could have protected my flowers." She pushes her glasses back up the bridge of her nose and then sighs deeply, "A-anyway… um… what sort of information were you looking for? Maybe I can help… I sort of doubt it, but there's no telling what I might have heard through the grape vine."
Asao focused himself, having the puppet fold in on itself in a very precise manner, before he'd use the chakra strings to settle it into his pack. Once done, he'd look over at Tsumi. "You would of fell down. The basket fling was to hide the fact that you never lost your balance." He'd give a slow shake of his head, turns away. "There's a murderer around here. Uses an innocent facade to hide behind. Heard anything?" Did he know? No, would she know that though? Who knows. "The flowers are easy to replace anyways, there is a small garden two streets over. Quick enough, they're restored without issue."
"I… would rather not steal someone else's flowers…" She gives a little frown, "I'll… just have to go home and gather a few more from my own garden…" She sighs, then tilts her head to the side, "A murderer?" She looks somewhat frightened for a second, "I… I was attacked a few days ago… I almost didn't make it back, but a ninja girl from Konoha helped me." her brow furrows, "You… You don't think that was the murderer do you? They didn't kill me… but they came close…" she frowns deeply, putting her fingers to her lips for a second.
The kid was looking for a murderer? Perhaps someone decided to blab… someone she failed to kill… Maybe the kid with the tattoo jutsu? She had attacked him in Fuuma… It makes sense that he might have reported it, and someone came out to look for the crazy woman he described… But there was no proof that it was her. None at all.
Tsumi seemed to ignore the mention that the basket tumble was to hide how she kept her balance… Perhaps it didn't bother her that someone had noticed that. Perhaps she just didn't want to address that issue.
"Then it's probably not the murderer. Afterall, the only reports I've seen of those who could resist the murderer are ninja." The teen gave a shrug of his shoulders then. "I'll be around, if you hear anything." Asao glanced over his shoulder then, eyeing her. "Watching you. Remember that." Facing back forward, he started walking, continuing on the mission that he was actually there for. Interesting though, the extra information gathered.
Tsumi watches the younger boy turn and go, frowning to herself before looking at her flowers and turning around herself, she needed to go back to Kadomai, pick up some more flowers, and come back… Perhaps she would speed up her next trip and just stick to the shadows… The thought crosses her mind to kill someone on the way back, but she didn't need people asking questions about bloodstains on her dress… not this time.
