If Sozin did not seem to think it was a far journey, then it was not a far journey. Unit 294 would simply nod his head, the humor lost on him, then fold up the map once more before closing his book and returning it among his belongings--what few he possessed.
The Shippai would carry on--heading out and expecting Sozin to follow as they took the path back toward Sunagakure. They'd want to make good pace if Sozin hoped to get to Sunagakure before nightfall--
And Kaze no Kuni's nights were a different kind of dangerous in compliment to the day.
Still, the puppet would glance back at Sozin when the man tried to make conversation, commenting on his name--or, rather, lack thereof. There was also the question of whether or not Unit 294 was at all familiar with who Sozin was, or what he was doing in Kaze no Kuni.
"No, I am not," he answered simply. There was little point in explaining the details to a Shippai--of course, Sozin would not have known this, but the puppet's commanders in Sunagakure obviously did. He didn't need to know who Sozin was, or what his purpose was. All he knew was that he was to meet the man at the border and guide him safely to Sunagakure--his name and face had been provided for Unit 294 to use as confirmation that he'd met up with the right target, of course, just as he'd often used in the past. But he had been left in the dark as to everything else--but that was the most efficient way of operation.
There was no telling if the Shippai would be able to remember anything else. Sometimes he could recall from a month ago, but sometimes the memories faded within a day. There was no saying or guarantee, so it was best to stick to only what was necessary.
Still, it struck Unit 294 as odd that Sozin had never met any shinobi who were addressed only by a number.
Perhaps he only thought it was odd, because Unit 294 was most familiar with Sunagakure--where most of the people there knew of his kind, if they didn't distinctly know
him. The legend of the
Angel of Death was fading, his legacy only remembered by those who valued Sunagakure's history or who directly remembered it.
But, still, who knew of the Shippai? Was it a secret? It was all that Unit 294 knew, so it was difficult to grasp that there were those who were left blissfully unaware of some of Sunagakure's horrific history.
"Are you unfamiliar with Shippai Tsuneo-sama?" Unit 294 questioned, curiosity stirring in its spirit. He did not know what this Kusagakure shinobi was aware of, but Unit 77 held a significant role within the village. While they were both old, both with impressive histories and centuries of impressive feats to their names--Unit 77 was more in the spotlight, while Unit 294 was a name whispered in shadow.
If Sozin claimed not to know of any agents who took on the names of numbers, then perhaps he'd not known of Sunagakure's War Counselor, after all. Still, there was no expectation in Unit 294's question--merely seeking to better understand what Sozin knew. Or didn't know.
SAs Active:
Unflagging Endurance
Armored Bodies
Titanic Speed
Enhanced Sensory
Enhanced Reflexes