sunshineverse | Extended Stay [ Konoha

Entry tags:

Extended Stay [ Konoha - Open ]

Where: Konoha
When: Early October, but he'll be here all month
Notes: Hotohori is stuck in Konoha for a month on diplomatic business with the Daimyo of Fire. Being in Konoha isn't such a trouble...

It was somewhat less than his ideal month, to be stuck in complex negotiations with the Daimyo of Fire over noodle trade. Ordinarily this was a thing that one of his ambassadors would take care of. He knew this, and so did the Daimyo of Fire. It was an intentional slight on the part of the Fire Daimyo to insist on a personal audience, particularly for so long.

He was far from unused to that sort of disrespect from other daimyo, however, and the Land of Noodles did rely quite heavily on its dealings with the five great nations. And...in exchange, he would at least have an excuse to visit Konoha once more. It was absolutely not worth the month putting up with their frustrating and rude daimyo, but that was nothing against Konoha itself. It was entirely against the man in the ridiculous robes.

Ah, but he kept those emotions to himself. It would be inappropriate and highly offensive to the good village that had allowed him to stay within it for the duration of the negotiations to appear ungrateful for their hospitality, or to express disapproval of their daimyo.

So he smiled happily as he walked, engaged citizens he passed in idle conversation, and gestured animatedly up at the faces on the cliffside once he found a shinobi to speak to. "Is there a way that I can go up and see those up close? They were made with a form of earth jutsu, weren't they?" At least, that's what he'd learned when studying history books about Konoha. How accurate that was when it was history written by outsiders was questionable.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Ami shifted the large bag of meatballs in her arms, summoning up the reservoir of patience she used with patrons of the shopping district. He looked like somebody important, the way that higher-class clients always did; there was a sheen to his hair, a lack of split ends and minor imperfections, and an overall quality in the fabric of his clothes. This was somebody to treat politely, if nothing else.

"According to what they teach us in the Academy, it was an earth technique developed by the Senju Clan, yes. And as for a view...that depends," she told him. "There is a path you can take up to the top, which has a good view of the entire village, but that doesn't give you much of a view of the Monument. Some of the inns closer to the mountain allow you to go up to their rooftops." Shinobi were able to cross rooftops with much less hassle, but not all rich civilians had ninja at their beck and call.

She shifted from foot to foot, biting her lip thoughtfully as she considered something. "...would you like me to bring you to one?" He wouldn't have to pay, that way.

He thought he was going to go straight home with this nice, new little tea cup, but he finds his walk interrupted by a much larger male, clearly not from here. Traveling has made him more aware of what the preferred fashion was in the other countries, even the smaller ones, but Itachi keeps his face impassive save for looking to where he's been gestured.

"There is, but it's not usually recommended." The closest people got were on the roofs of other buildings, or ontop of the cliffside itself, and you had to have a special permission or of a high enough rank to be there.

"Those with a high enough rank and permitted by the Hokage may visit the monument closer." he does explain, after a few seconds.

"I believe the stone was extended with Doton, and then manually carved." It is only his theory, however, as the stone faces push forward, instead of being dug inside the cliff as logic would dictate.

The weather was getting a bit nippy much to Mika's chagrin. Every blast of air made her tighten the jacket just a little more. The only good thing was the change in the marketplace, all sorts of root vegetables and squashes were available in lovely earthy shades. Mika had gotten some pumpkins on sale and thought about what tasty stews could be made when suddenly a rather lovely voice was directed at her.~

"Uhm, yes! The Shodai Hokage's likeness was placed there just a few years after the village was founded, quite lovely work really. You only see that in shinobi villages after all. You can get some good views from the roofs. Though it's hard to get much closer, let along actually go up there!" Well Mika might know a guy who knows another guy-- Getting permission wouldn't be difficult if the higher ups weren't looking too closely. Besides how could Mika refuse helping a beautiful and wonderfully dressed woman who was obviously not from here?

"Ne, you're visiting for how long? I might have a few connections. Maybe I can give you a personal tour, time permitting." Then the trademark rakish wink and half grin! Mika usually got her first dates that way. Um, hope the idea of a date wasn't too sudden.

He blinked, and glanced down at the young girl who spoke. By her size, he would have assumed she must have been about seven...but her tone and ability to speak implied older than that. Eleven, perhaps? It didn't matter, ultimately, because his response was the same polite, friendly smile either way.

"Is that possible?" That would seem evident if the offer was made. "If you have time, then."

He stared up at the cliff-side for a moment, before smiling at the other (not quite as pretty) man. "If that's the case, then it's just a matter of getting permission! But I'm sure that will be easy if we simply ask him."

There wasn't really any need to drag this random man into it, but he suspected although the Hokage was likely to humor him and extend a diplomatic offer to look closer, said Hokage would still expect him to be accompanied for one reason or another. It seemed much more expedient for it to be this person.

"Manually carved? Wouldn't that take longer than it's been for the newest Hokage to finish it?"

Now here was a lady he hadn't met before. By the garb she was wearing, however, Shisui assumed she might have been of some high rank. Citizens and shinobi didn't really wear such expensive material.

At first, Shisui wasn't entirely sure about whether he ought to approach her at all. Perhaps her bodyguards would object. Perhaps not.

However, it was just his luck that she happened to suddenly be standing right next to him without a moment's notice. Except in the time that he spent getting flustered over her presence, Hotohori spoke and immediately shattered that illusion.

Shisui had to stare. Disappointed, but also just-- well, surprised. Why was a man allowed to be so pretty?!

The color on his cheeks and tips of his ears only darkened, and it took him a while to recover. He nodded, eventually. "They were, but they were also perfected using civilian skill and craftsmanship. There's a stairway that leads up the mountain, but-- how close did you want to see it from?" He glanced over the other man once more, wondering where he'd come from.

If the men in this stranger's land looked like this, then just imagine the women--

It was chilly compared to Noodles' temperature, certainly. However, it tended to be quite chilly before it bothered him. Some of the people who knew of his bloodline limit liked to believe that the Noodles' limit caused warmer blood than others...but that was simply ridiculous. He'd simply experienced many cold climates while traveling and adapted.

His smile was tinged with just a touch of amusement, given her obvious attempt to flirt. Konoha shinobi were bold and direct. He approved of that attitude, having had his full of double-dealing and indirectness from the many politicians he'd needed to deal with in his time. "Would you? I don't suppose that cliff-side would be the first stop on a tour?"

He paused for a moment, considering the pink in the other man's face, before his expression twitched into an amused smile. It took little effort to determine what must have caused the flustered embarrassment his expression implied. Among those who didn't already know him, being confused for a woman was...really quite common. Generally, he took it as a rightful compliment toward his good looks.

"Oh, well...as close as possible, I'd think. Perhaps not so close as to require directly climbing the faces, however." He gave a light laugh. "I imagine that would ruin the view somewhat."

"It would." Ruin the view, that is. Plus it would give the man access to their emergency shelter. Couldn't have that happening now, could they? "You probably shouldn't see what the kids have written under the noses, either." Ahaha-- bad poetry about boogers, perhaps.

Shisui pointed instead to a rooftop. "How about there?" Was this going to be one of those magic carpet moments? Shisui couldn't tell how much the seemingly noble-person might be educated in chakra control and, well, jumping up on to rooftops.

"Ah, such a shame. I'd hoped to climb rocks today..." Not. At all. If he had, he'd already be doing so, and undoubtedly whatever security was involved with that mountain would be fussing at him. Amusing a diversion as that might be from the mind-numbing negotiations with the Fire Daimyo, it also wouldn't do very well for the negotiations.

He turned his gaze to the indicated rooftop. "That rooftop?" Another faintly amused smile at the man, then. "Shall we go and politely ask the residents for use of their roof?" Whether or not he could in fact get up there on his own...the clothing he wore somewhat interfered with his ability to do so now.

"I have the day free, so it's no issue." She shifted her bag of food to the side, so that she could bow properly—and to show the forehead protector tied around her waist. "My name is Oyama Ami. Pleased to meet you, sir." Unsociable as she was, her aunt had raised her right. She might have been able to get by without an introduction if he only wanted directions, but an extended tour definitely required a proper introduction.

Hrm, the more this woman spoke the more odd she seemed! Awfully deep voice... Though Mika had a deep voice herself and was occasionally confused for a man when dressed in more neutral clothes. She had just enough curves and soft features for people to realize the mistake. So Mika, while confused, didn't experience the revelation that should have been taking place.

"Well, it can be anything you want. My afternoon just opened up." Eh, the boys would assume she'd run off on a date. They could go one night of craps and drinking without her. "Though we have quite a few landmarks, while not as massive, are still worth seeing. Y'see I like to go through the archives and I find some interesting stories on landmarks."

Mika was probably the only person to ever try wooing someone with historical factlets on Konoha. It actually worked more often than people would think. Mika could be a tour guide in the next life.

"Ah, that would be the correct reasoning if one person carved it. I could still be wrong." That was still never fully explained to him, perhaps he hadn't looked into the right place. Hashirama's face could have very likely been carved by multiple Doton users, though he was unaware of how many there were in Konoha at the time of its founding.

It was all speculation based on logic.

"Our Hokage can be lenient, and very hospitable." He answers the other man's first statement secondly. It is not difficult to find the Hokage's office, it is the first many come to when they enter Konoha, whether returning or visiting. Such an important meeting place had to be easy to locate.

He gave a pleased smile at the young lady's manners and gave a small, appropriate bow in response. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. You may call me by 'Hotohori', if it pleases you." If it didn't, however, he would make no effort to give her an alternate method of address.

"I put my day in your hands with full faith."

A deep voice was correct. He had a very deep and smooth voice, he considered it one of his charm points in fact. But Mika wouldn't be the first person to continue to be confused as to whether his intense beauty indicated he was female or his deep voice indicated he was male. In general people assumed the former until informed otherwise, if the confusion existed.

Unless she asked him, he felt no need to clarify.

He tilted his head to the side with a curious smile. "Ah, so you're promising a tour with unique historical facts included? That's quite a difficult offer to refuse."

"I wasn't aware that Konoha had a large group of such skilled doton users at its command." Earth wasn't exactly the first element he would associate with the capital of the land of Fire, but then...if they only had fire users, they'd have rather glaring weaknesses and no way to overcome them. Earth did seem a wise secondary force for a primarily fire-based country.

"Then I'm certain if I have you there to represent me it will go quite well!"

Whoops. This could lead to awkwardness.~ Mika was good at playing those sort of situations down thankfully. Just hope she'll realize the mistake before seriously attempting to woo Hotohori.

"Indeed! Perhaps not...relevant facts but interesting nonetheless." They'll get a good chuckle out of them. The Shodai was notorious for supposedly picking his nose when he thought people weren't looking.

"I will do my best to ensure you enjoy it, Hotohori-san," Ami promised. She would use a higher title if he corrected her, but a pseudonym left her with the impression that he was doing his best to escape overt formalities for the moment. She could respect that. She readjusted her grip on her lunch, and took a few steps down the road.

"If you'll follow me...?"

Spontaneous awkwardness was a far more exciting life than practiced tedium, as was much of his life in the Land of Noodles. Surely if the awkwardness arose they would be able to handle the situation admirably. If she did make a serious attempt at wooing him, however, it would also provide certain amusement.

"Any fact may be a relevant fact eventually." Although, perhaps, the likelihood of self-grooming habits of the first Hokage being relevant in his own lifetime were...slim. But amusing facts were still amusing.

She wouldn't be wrong about her impression, and he would do nothing to correct her on the method of address. If he wanted to hear people rattle off an endless list of titles, he'd speak to his counselors.

He gave a small nod once she started ahead and followed her a step behind. "I have no doubt that you will be successful."

Truer words. Luckily Hotohori was not the first and likely not last man that Mika would misgender. As for amusement, the poor woman would probably be sore about the incident for a while, unless Hotohori fed her. That and fine liquor always made good appeasements.

"Maybe, it makes tours a lot more interesting at least." Why stick to the same spiel that other guides used? If she could get another person excited about history then it was an accomplishment for her, regardless of a fact's relevancy. She pointed off down the road, just a little off north. "There's an interesting monument up here to start at, we could work our way toward the Hokages." It'd help give a little more context to show off the village.~

Well, if she were terribly upset about the mix up, he would of course do his best to make it up to the woman. It wasn't as if he were intentionally trying to deceive her as to his gender, it was simply that he didn't mind being mistaken for a woman.

"Oh, I would imagine so. And far more distinctive." Tidbits of history were always interesting to him, though, particularly of shinobi villages, and of the world he was not a part of. He nodded cordially, settling his hands at his waist. "Of course."

She kept to the more well-traveled roads, rather than ducking in back alleys and side streets, the way she normally might have. Never mind making him uncomfortable or suspicious of her; none of the various pedestrians and shinobi milling around the village would look kindly on an adult man following a young girl into out-of-the-way areas like that. It wouldn't take long at all to clear that initial misunderstanding, but better to avoid it over all.

She promised him an enjoyable day, after all.

She paused in front of a multi-storied tea-house and glanced back to make sure he was still following.

Well, as a daimyo, the confusion probably would be cleared quickly...but he was quite well familiar with ensuring a good public image. Certain persons needn't have more things to attempt to use against him and his nation, after all, phantom or not.

Beside that, well-traveled roads were designed to look nicer to visitors than the out of the way roads, weren't they? So it didn't even occur to him to wonder whether she was intentionally using those roads or not. But then, he was simply happy to follow where she would lead for the moment, anyway.

He followed only a few steps behind her, and came to a stop when she did, hands still gathered at his waist, patient smile on his expression. He spoke only once she glanced back toward him. "Is this a stop?"

"It's... an option." Ami fiddled with her sleeves. "They allow rooftop seating here. I wasn't sure if you had eaten or not. If you would rather not bother, we can go straight to one of the inns with free observation points."

She wasn't used to talking very much with strangers—not even clients—so she hoped she didn't sound as if she was weeding him to spend money. He could definitely afford to, if her analysis was correct, but it would be rude to presume. She was raised better than that.

He was rather free with his money, when it came to little things, so such a thing wasn't likely to offend him even if he suspected it. A teashop seemed like a good observation point, however, and more interesting than simply standing on a roof might be.

He gave a small nod and a smile. "Having tea on the rooftop sounds like a good choice. I'm sure if they offer it, it's a good view."

Well she might give him a hard time but it would be more on herself than anything! Though if he didn't make an issue of it then Mika would also let the matter go quietly.

The kunoichi was already walking ahead, just enough that she could point things out as they went by and offer suggestions on places to visit for shopping. She made it clear that the best places had good coffee and cute handmade items. They came upon an open space where people milled about, it was a popular meeting spot where the original center of the village used to be. Mika ushered Hotohori over to show him the defining landmark.

"Here's the stump of the tree that used to grow in the center of the village. There's a little plaque attached to it here..." She motioned to the gold plated sign on the stump and smiled brightly. "Sometimes people will carve their names in the stump. They think it can bring good luck."

He would certainly not make an issue of it if it appeared to make her uncomfortable. Despite what some might believe of the young daimyo, he was capable of being diplomatic whenever necessary.

He followed after her easily, noting her taste in services as he did so. It seemed she had a liking for the smaller and simpler things, rather than grandiose or expensive things. Although...small handmade items could also be quite expensive. A daimyo would know.

He observed the tree and the plaque curiously, before glancing over at her. "What ever caused the tree to be cut down?" A village hidden in the leaves clearly valued their tree landmarks enough to keep the stump of what used to be there, so he had some doubt they simply cut it down for no reason.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Extended Stay [ Konoha - Open ]

Backdated to Mid-October?

no subject

Dated Late October tbh [if that's alright hue]

o7

no subject

no subject

Sure~!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject