He's taken aback by Gale's first response. Not because of what he's saying, they're reasonable, but because of how he talks. It's not awkward like this is a new language for him, but it's very clinical, a collection of statements that sound slightly odd, as if he's knowledgeable the meanings of words but isn't quite used to speaking with other people.
He could simply be trying to be speaking in a theatrically proper manner, all politeness, but the strangeness of it still takes him a bit off guard, pausing a moment before replying. It's the second question he chooses to address. "Yes, of course. Sunagakure maintains as a sizable civilian population alongside its shinobi population." The percentages and numbers aren't entirely relevant right now, "Most are fulltime residents, though we do also have a number of individuals who arrive and leave annually. Most larger villages have a similar arrangement."
He has to wonder whether Sunagakure is the first of the Five Greater Villages they've visited. The confusion makes sense that way. In addition to his word choice, he was struck by a smaller gesture Gale had made, the sweep of his forefingers over the bridge of his nose, as if he were adjusting some kind of eyepiece, despite the fact he wasn't wearing any. It's maybe a habitual movement. When Baki wore goggles during sandstorms as a younger shinobi he would often fidget at the straps over his ears, and the feeling of them had lingered hours after he had taken them off.
Deeper into the streets seems to be a mix between residential buildings and populated meeting areas. Salons, eateries, social areas. If it weren't for the forehead protectors visible among the crowd it could almost be easy to forget they were in a shinobi village.
no subject
He could simply be trying to be speaking in a theatrically proper manner, all politeness, but the strangeness of it still takes him a bit off guard, pausing a moment before replying. It's the second question he chooses to address. "Yes, of course. Sunagakure maintains as a sizable civilian population alongside its shinobi population." The percentages and numbers aren't entirely relevant right now, "Most are fulltime residents, though we do also have a number of individuals who arrive and leave annually. Most larger villages have a similar arrangement."
He has to wonder whether Sunagakure is the first of the Five Greater Villages they've visited. The confusion makes sense that way. In addition to his word choice, he was struck by a smaller gesture Gale had made, the sweep of his forefingers over the bridge of his nose, as if he were adjusting some kind of eyepiece, despite the fact he wasn't wearing any. It's maybe a habitual movement. When Baki wore goggles during sandstorms as a younger shinobi he would often fidget at the straps over his ears, and the feeling of them had lingered hours after he had taken them off.
Deeper into the streets seems to be a mix between residential buildings and populated meeting areas. Salons, eateries, social areas. If it weren't for the forehead protectors visible among the crowd it could almost be easy to forget they were in a shinobi village.