Starring:
Imota (NPCing as Iga Akirasawa), Kuoroke
Date: Unknown (log received July 24, 2010)
Summary:
Imota’s clearing and a Doctor’s Crush
"Dinner at Tsuukai’s"
Tsuukai Restaurant
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The Tsuukai Restaurant has a very limited selection of seating, as it isn't all that large of a building. Thankfully, there is more than enough room to eat in the outside picnic area. Most of the restaurants area has been used for cooking, as they serve so many diverse types of food they need a lot of room to make and prepare the different ingredients required.
Their is no specialty here, instead, everything is made as if it is the specialty, and that is what makes it so popular. They have a steady stream of loyal customers, and there are rarely, if ever, any complaints about the quality of the food.
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Kuoroke's invitation, would come in a form not consistent, with that of meeting on priority of secret matters. It was a red envelope, laced with a sweet perfume, and sealed with lipstick from a kiss. It came in care of a mednin, young, and fit, with raven hair, and a quiet disposition, who would look to Kuoroke shyly, and blushing, giggling almost as if she knew something that the councilman, well, didn't. When he would open the envelope, it would be in the form of a card, which in the most carefully written script, say, "Dress nicely, and don't be late. You /will/ be expected." The time, for such, had been a weird one too. Late in the evening, at about 9:00, with a setting that was much to…impersonal, for a meeting like this. It, of course, had been the second meeting, after two days of wait, that Kuoroke had anticipated, with regards to a certain Sasaki ninja, who had been involved, and made mentally ill, due to events outside of his own control. Imota was doing better, but even more so, extra news had come up with which the council man had need to be updated of, before which this nin could be cleared for duty once again, or be included in any plans of benefit.
However, something else, would be in the air, by the time the tattooed nin would arrive to the restaurant, a lone waiter, dressed in full formal being posted like a guard, looking to Kuoroke, with an acute familiarity, and a smile, much kinder than that of any other male servant in the area. The bearded, and bald man, would stretch for a guiding hand, into the doorway, and say, "Councilman Kuroki Kuoroke, I presume. Right this way sir. You are expected.", pointing the way into the restaurant, down a red carpet. Okay… Kuoroke would expect this to be a bit weird, true. But the carpet, would have been a long stretched one, leading him through an restaurant, that normally around this time, had been crowded. It was empty, the only thing filling it, being the lonely foot steps of both he and the waiter that had guided him in. They would arrive to the outdoor area, where a lone table, in the middle of a clearing, would sit beneath a lone apple tree, candle lit, and sitting under a starry sky. Nothing but water, and the most uniquely decorated of utensils, had been sitting there, waiting, for something special.
The man servant, if allowed, would guide Kuoroke over, and say to the man, "Please, be seated, at your convenience. I shall be with you shortly." And with that, he would make his leave, as he would move, though with grace, at a quick speed, leaving out of the area. The place was quiet, for a moment, until soon, violins, and something other of music, would seem to fill the place, quiet, yet vibrant, seeming to set a scene, for something awhole lot different then a meeting. This would surely throw the tattooed Jounin off guard, if he even bothered to stay.
Kuoroke had spent more time than strictly necessary staring at the paper, turning in his fingers. That was the second step to a bad mood: the first one was the advice to 'dress nicely'. Kuoroke wasn't even certain he had anything but his usual working clothes, and some throwaway stuff he could take into battle and wouldn't mind being torn to shreds. Neither of the two options was exactly 'nice', but the latter was significantly worse, so he simply shows up in one of his better working robes. A remarkable difference to his usual attire, however, is that he has somehow obtained a set of gloves much finer and more elegant than the thick, protective gloves he usually wears.
As he is welcomed by the lone waiter and led into an empty room, Kuoroke frowns. If the entire restaurant is empty, then there is nobody to eavesdrop on any conversations. But on the other hand that will attract attention. And attention is something he could miss right now. With a sigh, he decides to just go along with the events as they are happening.
The Council Member sits down, and makes an effort to keep a frown off his face while waiting for the other member of the 'meeting', or whatever she thought this was supposed to be, to arrive.
And then she would arrive. Iga Akirasawa, would walk in, step by step, not seeming clumsy at all, and unaided by the blind cane for which she had normally to guide her way. But something else about her would seem very apparent to Kuoroke, who now sat at the table, probably feeling the most put of place that he had felt in all his life. The normal business attire that the woman had worn, the kimono and haori that had been worn in the office, had been substituted, for a sleeveless red gown, that would hand loosely at the top, and yet, slim and tighten around her hips, being about as sheer to the skin as air itself, and yet be not enough to see exactly through. He slit at the right side of the dress, would show off more legs than any kimono could let show, as nice and creamy skin, would slip into red heels, 2 inch, in moderation, would be worn with a flow that would seem well planned, and natural to the extension and walk over her own legs. A small bracelet, on her left wrist, would show off the symbol of the medical corp. of Sunagakure, and be the only jewelry for which this blind woman would wear.
Her walk, to say she couldn't see a thing, was sultry, and well placed, even as she would approach, knowing full well where the man had sat, even without the aid of sight. "Farthest seat from the left… a predictable choice indeed, Kuoroke-sempai.", a coy smile coming across her face as she would then come to her seat, the waiter appearing out of nowhere to pull it out for her. She would raise a lone hand up, and on queue, the man servant, would pass her a yellow envelope, sealed to be tamper proof, as she would relax some, saying, "It is soooo good, to leave the office for once. I swear that I don't have a home sometimes." She would seem to recline in the chair, rather coolly, as she would say, pass the envelop to him, saying, "I will give you a chance to read it all, before I order what we will be having tonight. Don't worry.. it'll be your favorite meal. I promise.", a wink being made to the nin, as the butler would then light each of the center candles, one by one, brightening up where they had sat.
If Kuoroke chose to open the envelope then, he would see a detailed, and long list of procedures, and examinations, from the time Imota came in, to the moment of discharge, of whom he had been turned in to the Sasaki clan. Kuoroke would recognize one the examinations, the 'introspective mind dive', for which his name would be mentioned with. He would also make out the words, "Memory Sealing.", as one of the last things before final discharge report. Otherwise, allot of the report, would be a bunch of medical jargon for which had been complicated, and well, overbearing.
Kuoroke watches the woman's appearance, and the frown slowly comes off his face, replaced by one raised eyebrow and a general expression of mild puzzlement. Pleasant puzzlement, to be full. He could have expected something along these lines, and yet had not fully prepared for it. He shifts uneasily in his chair, and begins to get up when he notices her lack of cane, but when she walks towards the table with little difficulty, he decides to just leave her to it. She obviously doesn't need his help. While taking the envelope, he responds to her greeting with a "Good evening" of his own and an invitation to "Drop the title, by the way, it's a waste of time. Now… When we last met… Didn't I ask you to stay out of my head?" The Kuroki quickly opens the envelope, opens up the reports and reads it. And rereads it. And then rereads it again, because the medical terms are not exactly what he is used to. "So the boy is better now, and you've sent him home?" He eventually understands.
There is a funny thing about senses, that people just don't realize. While most of the time, they can be fooled, it takes alot to do so. But think about the members of the Iga clan, for a second. They had the ability to manipulate there own bodies, to enhance, produce, and make all kinds of things, just from their own flesh. Kuoroke hadn't probably expected alot from Akira, and yet, they were, without question. He would look to the woman, with the pleasant puzzlement, and somehow, she just knew it. The reason? Well, it could come after both his greeting, and then his request, and then his questions. She would giggle coyly. "Well, considering that your concentration sucks, on alot of levels, call it punishment for not heeding to my warnings about a bumpy ride." She would come to a stand, and then lean over the slim table, just close enough to sort of 'invade', the space of where Kuoroke, coming face to… well.. everything, and whispering, "You remember that moment where every single part of you life flashed before your eyes? Well… ain't like I wasn't there.. remember?"
And with that she would giggle in front that man, not mockingly, but, rather, in response to the fact that she never expected it. "Just remember.. you are the one that messed up, not me.. although, it isn’t like I /didn't/ want to get to know you…more personally." She would back slowly into her seat once again, just as the waiter could come back, and sit in front her, a special of rolls and sushi, prepare in a way so delicate, that it would seem to mock the art she had liked so much upon Kuoroke's own body. Meanwhile, a large dish of whatever had been Kuoroke's most favorite meal, would be served to him, with a large bottle of hot sake sat in front of him. Meanwhile, her peach wine, would have as much fragrance as the sweet perfume for which Akirasawa had worn. Kuoroke would mark for a familiar scent in the air. "Oh… yes… Sasaki Imota. I knew, from what you remembered, that he had been a peculiar kid, but wow.. he actually reminded me of a young you… He was very formal, being sure to include -sama with every time he referred to me. Reminded me much of the child soldier training from back in during the Clan Wars.. A prime example indeed."
Akirasawa would take a sip of wine, and say, "He is doing fine, however, it was sad to see him going on, not knowing at all what he had been through. As much as mental manipulation can be useful, it always seems to hurt me, when it is used in taking away ones personality. That kid… I pity him." She would seem to put down her wine, and rub her blind eyes a moment, before saying, "But yes.. he won't remember a thing of that night. The seal I used, it was a more gentle one. It make retracing the memory hard for him, however, if he can be triggered into breaking the seal on his own. Because he has such a high intelligence, and, may I say, awesome memory, a familiar face, or even words from that night, can break my seal in almost an instant. I think you might need to take the proper precautions." She would then go on with her meal, waiting on the other nin's reaction.
Kuoroke sighs, and nods. "Yes, I remember that. It was quite unpleasant." A grimace moves over his face simply due to the memory of the pain and rapid movement of memories. As ever, he considers the practical implications of the events. "And possibly a liability to the village's security… You're welcome to the show, of course," Kuoroke does not show whether he means that or being sarcastic. He's not entirely sure himself, after all. "but you must understand most of that information shouldn't be shared. I hope you do." He begins eating. The dish is quick to make, quick to eat, and nutritious, admittedly just the way Kuoroke likes it: efficiently. But for a change, it also has actual noticeable taste, and is not just a way to shovel in nutrients.
The conversation moves from Kuoroke to Imota, at least partially, and the Council Member relaxes slightly. "Well, I suppose so. Although as a child, I was much less worried than him. After all, I didn't have to do much fighting in my chil-" Whoa. Kuoroke cuts his sentence off, and returns to the subject he'd rather discuss. "The boy is an asset to the village. Unlike some, I think he does a reasonable job… if he learns what orders to follow and what orders not to follow, and to set his emotions aside when carrying out an order. Or not carrying it out." And then, it's the Kuroki's turn to smile, and act all-knowing. "Precautions have been taken, actually. I've sent someone who, if he's competent enough, should keep Imota away from anything that'll remind him of the event. If he is. By the way, what happened here?"
Sitting back, rather pleased with her meal, Akirasawa would move to respond to the Kuroki, when a burp would seem to escape her lips rather clumsily, as she would cover her mouth, and blush in pure embarrassment. She would then respond with, "…Only if you don't tell anyone I did that. Your secrets will be safe with me, otherwise.", a laugh being made rather coyly. The candle light would seem to bounce of the woman just right at this moment, showing off a tinge of skin just so unblemished, and untouched, to say this girl, had been even a ninja. How in the hell, did a woman like her even become a specialist Jounin, without even a scar to show for it. Her hands, were unmarred by any thing like work, or hard times, and for the most part, she had seemed to be rather, dainty, and weird, but a woman in a lot of regards, especially in the ones Kuoroke could now attest too.
"All the same, Kuoroke, I do suggest you work on your own memory. After all, I know you remember what I said last time we met. My abilities have manners that accompany them. Otherwise, I couldn’t and wouldn't be able to have dates with cute guys like you." This was funny for a blind girl to say, but it was true. She was attracted to Kuoroke in many ways. But she would be careful of what she said, just because he had been as rough and coarse as he had been. Kuoroke would get an eyebrow from Akirasawa, as she would hear him open up, just a little about his childhood. She would smile, and giggle some, saying, "What’s wrong? You are such a tease. I was actually enjoying you talk of yourself. After all, you hardly do, and I don't need to be a mind reader to notice that." She would sigh, as he would change the conversation, even though it had been an even more interesting topic. Imota had been being regarded. "Yes. He is a child still, and he has allot of development ahead of him, not so much with skills, but, with his very emotion and personality. Be patient with him. After all, he is just a kid. I noticed in his mind, how many people seem to forget that, just because of his high vocabulary, and his efficient way of doing things. In the end, his curiosity, his thinking, and his personal experience.. all that of just a normal boy his age."
Hearing that the boy had been planned for, and that someone would be in good company, she would say, "I think that would be a good thing. I hope its that Kichiro kid that he thinks about allot, or that Hei guy, that is an artist. They seem like good people." She would look to the man for a minute, sipping the last of her peach wine, before she would swallow with a gulp, at a sudden thought she had. "Oh!! By the way!! You might want to keep an eye on Imota's abilities even more so. He doesn't know it yet, but the kid, has allot of potential to become a sensor nin.. In fact, this ability, has been shown to increase, since that incident. His mind shows an acute sensitivity to chakra. He can't see it but, he can feel it. I haven't seen something like that, in someone that young, since.. well… me!!"
"Oh, don't worry." Kuoroke smirks slightly. "I haven't got any reason to tell anyone." He nods, and a smile appears on his face. "I'm glad my hopes are well-founded, then." Her referral to him as a 'cute guy' causes a smile with just a hint of embarrassment. "Heh. Thank you. But you know details of my life might…" He shrugs. "Eh. You've seen it all. As I said, I wasn't much of a soldier when I was a kid. I wasn't much of anything beyond being a kid, and a desert-roamer, like most people around here. My brothers… yeah. A bit. But not me." He shakes his head. "Sure, I learned that we need to know what we need to keep and what we cannot afford when I was a kid, so I suppose that makes me like Imota… We both have the ability to distinguish rationally between what we should and what we shouldn't. He does need a little practice, but he's good at it. Must be the desert." He looks around. "You didn't say what happened here. Where is everyone?" The man nods. "Yes. Kichiro. I suppose I got a lucky guess there, he was available at the time."
Her relaxation around Kuoroke, had been apparent. She especially felt like she would be herself around the man. But as fond of Kuoroke as Akirasawa had been, it was her curiosity of the man she knew all about, that would make her want to come back for more. She smile when he did, showing off her shyness with a flushing of her cheeks. Her spiky red hair, would have a hand brought through it, as she would toss herself back in the chair slightly, looking up into the stars, all the while, still listening to the man whose mind she had read like a novel. She would say, "Yes, and don't forget it. I know too much in order to be shocked about anything, though, I can say that after all of the fuss you have gone through, you deserve at one point, to keep smiling as you are now." She would then hear about his family life, and listen to him, as if she knew nothing, though hearing from his own lips helped her understand allot more.
She would lean upon her hands, as she would listen more of him and his comparisons to Imota, and speak, "It seems like a reverse, in the way you two, have and will develop. While war has hardened you in allot of ways, from that little boy I saw scampering in the plains, Imota, will have to soften himself, and gain that, while he is young, from life outside of war." She would look to the man, and laugh coyly, at his inquiry of what this all had been about, knowing well that she ignored the question intentionally the first time. "You are as dense as your mind has revealed, aren't you, Kuoro-kun.." She would come to a slow stand, the silhouette of her body seeming to show ever better in the light of candles, confirming that she had been indeed a fine woman. Akirasawa would walk over behind him, and place arms around him, and lay her chin upon his shoulder, before a soft breath, smelling of both mint, and peaches, would proceed a whisper. "So that we could be alone…dummy.", before she would kiss softly on the cheek, and then slink from behind him. She would walk a few feet, sashaying slowly before stopping, to turn to him saying, "Well… come on! The night is still young, and you are paying for the night showing at the Motai.." And with that, she would keep walking, knowing full well that Kuoroke, was going to follow.
