[nue masahiko]

FEAR IS THE MIND-KILLER

It was rare these days for Masahiko to be assigned to a mission without his genin; but then, this was an odd one. Iwagakure had requested a small touch of aid for this mission, given its politically sensitive nature; the Land of Stone was experiencing something of an uprising, spearheaded by a recently wealthy woman, and neither Ishi nor Iwa wanted any blowback from handling the situation. Yukigakure had no desire to reap any consequences either, naturally, but Masahiko supposed that was why he had been selected. Not critical enough for GOKA, but too delicate for your average chuunin.  He was supposed to meet the shinobi representing Iwagakure not far from Ishi, and in the correspondence coordinating the joint mission it was decided that the meeting place would be tiny inn a few miles out from Ishigakure's walls. When Masahiko arrived he looked the part of your average travelling civilian; backpack on his shoulders, green hair transformed into a dull, mousy brown and hanging in his face, the rest of his gear disguised as plain, muted clothes.  Masahiko was deeply unhappy about the necessary aesthetic deception, especially given the culture of the people who lived in Stone Country, but. Needs must.  He surveyed the interior of the inn, looking for the Iwa nin he would be working alongside.

yutakako shō & AP™ -- 218

LAIKA OF THQ

[yutakako shō]

normally the prospect of going to an inn in another country and spending an evening with a mysterious foreign shinobi would be right up sho's alley. he'd be drinking, joking with the wait staff and chatting it up with anyone and everyone who passed by his table. but this was no ordinary trip to the lands of ishigakure and sho was all business.

the mission that had called the young man here was of no small significance. he and some other ninja were to quell the uprising of some wealthy family in the nearby village. while that sounded easy enough on the tin, sho got the feeling it would get a bit more dicey than simple negotiations around tea; he'd been told as much from the mission briefing.

that's why he sat in the back, a stereotype in motion, clad in dark clothes and with a large hat to cover his face. he rarely made the effort to stop by ishigakure on the way to someplace guaranteed to be more interesting so his face wouldn't be a familiar sight; but even so, it was better to be safe than sorry. he sipped a bit of water from a sake cup, maybe he'd pick up a placebo buzz, and watched the door.

different customers came and went and most of them looked perfectly normal, following a pattern of sorts. travelers went up to their rooms or to the front desk; locals headed straight for the bar or to a table like sho. but every now and again someone would break the pattern and our newest arrival did just that. an unassuming traveler, though admittedly of a rather delicate build, entered and made their way into the main gathering area. they didn't sit or engage with anyone; they didn't even approach the bar. they just stood there, taking in the sights and lingering on faces.

looks like that's the guy.

while he could mock the fellow shinobi's finer attention to detail until the cows came home, he didn't exactly look the part of the local either. but then, sho wasn't all that concerned. he stood and made a bee-line to the newcomer. as he got closer he took in his comrade. they were about the same age, similar soft features and dark hair and a sort of refined nature that screamed 'i think very highly of myself'. what a couple they were.

sho nodded an answer to an unspoken question as he reached masahiko, stopping to properly address him. "i guess you're the hired hand?" his tone belied his choice of words and there was an easiness as he spoke, like they'd known each other for months. "i'm sho."

hopefully they could build a rapport.

453 words | nue masahiko

[nue masahiko]

FEAR IS THE MIND-KILLER

Masahiko offered an easy smile as the other man approached, matching his familiar attitude. He was hardly inconspicuous, dressed as cloak-and-dagger as he was, and Hiko felt a small dash of resentment as he considered that he could have presented as he normally does when out-of-country and still been less obvious than this man. Unfortunate. "Masahiko," he replied, and gestured towards the table Sho had occupied. "Shall we?" He didn't wait for a response, instead seating himself with all the casual comfort of someone inviting himself into an old friend's home. He slung his backpack onto the seat next to him, practically tossing it over, and when he slid into his own chair he did it with poor posture and his legs spread. Not aggressively, but enough to be Comfortable. It was painfully unnatural for him, but visually a perfect one-to-one of what he'd observed in other men over the years. "My thought is to enter as traveling merchants," Hiko began, after Sho joined him. He was speaking softly but keeping easy body language; careful to not be overheard, but also to not draw too much attention to himself. "Get the lay of the land, figure out Tokiwa's strategy. We want to remove her from play quickly, since it seems like she's the primary aggressor, and it's unlikely that her successor would pick up where she leaves off."

yutakako shō & AP™ -- 228

LAIKA OF THQ

[yutakako shō]

It wasn't the worst performance Sho had seen but it still made him crack a smile. Weirdly enough, despite Sho's lack of concern for cover, Masahiko managed to stand out with his exaggerated movements and this sort of halfway macho display. With a stark contrast Sho moved to stand beside the table, refraining from sitting down as well as his companion spoke.

Everything he suggested made sense, though the traveling merchants gig was a bit overdone. Sho nodded in approval but kept his eyes scanning the crowd. It was diverse and crowded enough that maybe some hired mercs could be here or in the immediate area, they weren't far from town after all. And the boldness with which Masahiko spoke about their plans was unsettling as a result; who was this rookie?

"Yeah. That all makes sense-" He spoke quickly before cutting himself off, allowing no air to fill the space between his thoughts. "Listen, you wanna head somewhere else? Too crowded for my taste." He didn't bother to wait for a retort, his confidence in their not being able to risk security enough of a reason to have him heading out at the close of his sentence. "I'll see you outside."

The plan of taking out the leader first only made sense; if they were lucky that would be enough to dissuade the hired hands from fighting. But Sho wasn't so compromising when it came to a successor. Ideally they'd track them down as well and take out all the candidates most likely to stir up future trouble. Then there was the matter of proper cover. 'Traveling Merchants' was not only a weak one, it also didn't stand up to any investigation after the fact.

It was imperative that they didn't blow their cover and reveal the Stone's involvement during the mission or in the future-- it wasn't like the Snow could afford an international incident either.

If they were going to handle this, and probably with violence, they'd need to play the part of those capable.

338 words | nue masahiko

[nue masahiko]

FEAR IS THE MIND-KILLER

This was. Well. Masahiko wasn’t exactly used to working with chuunin anymore. Sho effectively declined to participate in the performance, instead opting to go outside and wait for Masahiko to follow. Which he would, of course, he had to, but he was deeply unimpressed by the other shinobi’s lack of engagement. Two young men meeting up surreptitiously in what was effectively the middle of nowhere and then immediately vacating the premises for a clandestine rendezvous was far more suspicious than simply having a quiet conversation over a table. The tavern was crowded, yes, but that made it far less likely that any eavesdroppers would be able to hear them over the din of ambient noise—chatter, dishes, chairs, bottles. He wondered briefly if he’d been selected for this mission for training purposes. It was clear that Sho was inexperienced. Sighing heavily, Masahiko followed Sho outside, some distance away from the inn. He took a moment to survey their surroundings, but it seemed like no one else was around. It was a blank landscape, remarkable only in how uneventful it was. "It’s clear you have contrary ideas on how to handle this,” Masahiko said mildly as he joined the other man. "Please share with the class, I’d love to hear your suggestions.”

yutakako shō & AP™ -- 210

LAIKA OF THQ

[yutakako shō]

'Share with the class' As if the condescending tone could be lost on anyone, with how it oozed and coated the seated man's words and soaked into the floorboards where it dripped below. It wasn't a rare for any ninja to be so haughty, but the trait seemed especially in foreign higher-ranking shinobi. After all, who was this chuunin from the stone village to tell them how to do their job?

Sho. Sho was the chuunin from the stone village who was to tell this amateur how to do their job.

He stood a small distance away from the entrance, so as to both avoid drawing attention and to spare people the clear pathway in. As Masahiko stepped down from the steps from the inn, Sho neglected to mock the height difference (all business this guy) and pointed (slightly downward) toward Masahiko's chest. "You should drop the masculine thing, it's so awkward on you." His tone wasn't rude but coldly observational, almost as though Sho was just thinking out loud. "You look really out of place trying to pull off some disguise that doesn't at least suit your nature."

He turned away, scanning the streets quickly before beginning again, not offering the snow shinobi a space to toss out a retort; they had business to deal with and that's what they should discuss. As much as Sho wanted to bitch and complain about this guy, they had work to do.

"There's nothing wrong with the traveling merchant's play but as a cover it doesn't much suit our ends does it." He turned back, splaying out a hand as if to say 'look at this obvious fact' before continuing. "The easiest way through this problem is through it." He said, placing his other hand on the hilt of his sword. "And two traveling merchants will be a hard sell when it's all said and done, hence the bodyguard getup." He gestured toward himself, his attire matching the role of 'hired-muscle' perfectly, as he moved to the edge of the path, further out of the way.

He watched Masahiko's movements, studying his response. The way he moved his hands and the way his hips moved with each sarcastic line. It was like looking in a mirror.

374 words | nue masahiko

[nue masahiko]

FEAR IS THE MIND-KILLER

It was fortunate that Sho didn’t bother to wait for Masahiko’s response, because Masahiko was too busy being gravely offended to formulate one. What did this stranger know about his nature, to so confidently assert that he looked out of place? He didn’t miss the subtle flaunt of Sho’s height, either, and didn’t appreciate the scant five-centimeter difference being used against him. But after Sho barreled through the rest of his explanation, each point logically sound (if unnecessarily condescending), Masahiko visibly deflated. He did his own brief scan of their surroundings, ensuring that no one was watching, before he dropped his awkward, masculine disguise. The drab hair and muted clothes vanished in a faint puff of smoke, revealing instead—himself. He brushed his vivid green hair out of his face, tucking it behind his ear, and crossed his arms to settle his hands comfortably in the wide sleeves of his thick, cream-colored robe. It was obviously warm, though more appropriate for the more temperate winter of Stone Country than the harsh year-round frigidity of his home country, and the rich, flowy fabric easily concealed the few small pouches of tags he kept on his person. He looked, in an instant, far more comfortable and far less suspicious. "I will admit,” he said tersely, feeling oddly vulnerable, "that I have recently received feedback that caused me to think that I could afford to present a little more masculine, in order to, ah—” Masahiko paused, his nose crinkling. "Avoid being mistaken for a woman.” A beat. "Again.” Another beat, punctuated by a deep sigh. "And I may have overcorrected.” It had been an earnest mistake, which was perhaps the deepest injury to his feelings. Never in his life had he been misgendered so egregiously, even as a child. "Regardless,” he said emphatically, his chin lifting with unwarranted pride, "I’m even less believable as a bodyguard than I am a merchant, as I’m sure you’ll agree. If you’re to be the muscle, then I could play the part of the traveling foreign heir, perhaps.” Someone young, wealthy, and interested in finding out they have to gain from Tokiwa taking power in Stone Country could potentially have easier access to the woman.

yutakako shō -- 373

LAIKA OF THQ

[yutakako shō]

Sho didn't bother keeping up the 'Roast of Masahiko' any longer; the man had conceded after all. And what a shame it was to have hidden such handsome looks. Sho hoped this wasn't a regular disguise for the snow shinobi, for both him and anyone who got to see him. "That's better." His tone wasn't rude, in fact it was rather encouraging.

Sho had no fondness for disguises on all but the most talented actors, discomfort the most telling crack in a lie's armor. And what a crime it was to try and conceal Masahiko's looks. With flowing verdant hair and polished skin like porcelain, Sho was beginning to develop a bit of a crush. It would suit their roles perfectly.

Speaking of roles, while the idea of a foreign heir and the trusted bodyguard held promise, they'd need to develop that a bit. Sho began walking toward their destination as a group gathered at the bar's entrance. They were still some distance away from the town but it would do best to not stand so still and suspicious at the side of the road. "How about scorned heir? Looking to make connections and acquire resources to take back what is rightfully yours?" He offered, not making much eye contact with Masahiko, out of discretion and respect both. "Otherwise, we may need to get you a larger entourage, milord."

A wry smile crossed Sho's face but he imagined Masahiko would miss it; a shame, Sho had a nice smile. Assuming Masahiko had no complaints the two would continue on to their destination. When it came to the talking aspect, Sho was decent enough with improv and was charming to boot. If Masahiko showed to be lacking in either category, Sho would have to speak for his 'noble lord'.

Regardless, the two shinobi would hopefully be able to contain their egos for the remainder of the mission, at least to a believable degree. Sho was perfectly capable of swallowing his, he just hoped Masahiko didn't grow even more prideful with the change in hair color.

344 words | nue masahiko

[nue masahiko]

FEAR IS THE MIND-KILLER

Whether Sho was being genuine or merely making an effort to soothe Masahiko’s wounded ego, Hiko wasn’t sure, but he found himself somewhat bolstered by the encouragement regardless. He stood up a little straighter, his shoulders pulling back to correct his posture. He followed when Sho started walking, tucking his hands into his broad sleeves. "Oh, that’s much better,” Masahiko said approvingly. Something about Sho calling him milord was satisfying on a visceral level, though he suspected he was being teased. He glanced sidelong at the Iwa nin to confirm his suspicion and caught a brief glimpse of that wry smile—so yes, just a touch of teasing, but Masahiko found the light blow to his pride assuaged by the way that smile made Sho’s face come alive. He had a beautiful face, but his expressions thus far had been either bland or sour, and something about that little twist of his mouth turned him into something truly special. Masahiko tore his gaze away, instead casting his mind to what he could remember of the local geography, neighboring nations, and what he knew of any of them. The short answer: not much. "I considered posing as someone from a nearby nation, like Bird Country for instance,” he said, "but I’m afraid my unfamiliarity with the local history might give up the bit sooner than we’d like. If I pose as a scorned heir from Yuki no Kuni, I have the benefit of being able to maintain the guise a little better as well as adding a potential angle of… exoticism, perhaps.” Now that they were on the move, and Masahiko had both shed the discomfort of his ill-fitting disguise and earned a light compliment from Sho, he was feeling far more agreeable. Undoubtedly they would continue to butt heads, but so long as they remained in character then all should go well, Masahiko thought. "Should we approach Tokiwa directly right away, do you think?” he asked after a moment. "On one hand I think beginning by reaching out to other merchants may help cement our identities, but I also worry that she may take going to anyone lesser than as an insult, if making connections is our—my—goal.”

yutakako shō -- 378

LAIKA OF THQ

[yutakako shō]

Sho didn't bother keeping up the 'Roast of Masahiko' any longer; the man had conceded after all. And what a shame it was to have hidden such handsome looks. Sho hoped this wasn't a regular disguise for the snow shinobi, for both him and anyone who got to see him. "That's better." His tone wasn't rude, in fact it was rather encouraging.

The green-haired shinobi didn't take long to settle into the new role. This shinobi was clearly more comfortable now. Whatever had possessed them to try and "blend in” in such a high contrast manner was beyond the young Iwa nin, though maybe this guy specialized in fields other than stealth and just didn’t know better.

And then, there was always the possibility that this had been the first time someone had brought it up. The shinobi he worked with, at least, were never much for subtle arts of discretion or intrigue, preferring instead to solve every problem with their fists, screaming all the while. This guy didn’t give off that vibe, but who knew?

Sho nodded at the idea of coming from a foreign nation, the people around here would be more than familiar with all the big wigs from Tsuchi no Kuni. The idea of sticking with Yuki no Kuni was ideal. Masahiko would be able to answer any questions, before they had a chance to interact with the lady in charge anyway, and would know more about the Land of Snow than anyone in these parts.

"Your disguise shouldn’t be in such great opposition to whatever you already are.” He mused, keeping his attention forward toward their destination. He spared Masahiko any sarcastic or judgemental gaze at the mention of who he 'was', favoring a more gentle approach. This guy seemed to respond well to praise, after all. "If you try and pretend to know things that you don’t, you’ll be made at the gate. The same goes for the mission details.”

He spoke more comfortably about the mission as they exited the town they were in and approached the main outpost they were headed for. "We don’t need to act like we know any more than what we’ve actually been told.”

A subtle grin broke his focused expression. "Of course, I don’t know anything; I’m just your bodyguard. I’ll follow wherever you point, milord. I assume they’d expect us to ask for Lady Tokiwa directly, but that’s your call.”

With that, they'd nearly arrived at the main gate of Guangzhou. From here on out they'd need to maintain their characters if they wanted to get close to Tokiwa without making too much of a scene beforehand.

441 words | nue masahiko

[nue masahiko]

FEAR IS THE MIND-KILLER

Masahiko debated for a moment whether he should take offense to Sho’s observation—was exotic scorned heir in opposition to what he was? Was it not? Which was worse?—then graciously decided that there was no ill intent. "Very well, then,” he said airily, falling into his new character role far more easily than he had his last. "I am a traveler from Yuki no Kuni, ah—” A name, gods, he couldn’t use his own; he didn’t know how widespread the Nue’s reputation was, but they certainly weren’t wealthy nobility. They were close to the main gate og Guangzhou now; they needed to get their story straight. "... Hirata Takehiko,” he said impulsively, plucking a name from thin air. (He cringed internally at his choice of surname; but it was too late to change it, now.) The -hiko would catch his attention, at least. "I’ve heard rumor of a shift in power that might be occurring in Stone Country, and I’m interested in making my own investments in the future. I’ve come here with my bodyguard to speak with the woman who would be in charge.” He paused, his movement halting along with his words. "Does Iwagakure want her dead or alive?” he asked, with no particular inflection in either direction. "Does it matter to you?”

yutakako shō -- 214

LAIKA OF THQ