Den of Scavengers [INV]

[Yōsuru Shin]

The pale man first looks to Kuroda, a wry smile spreading across his features as he hears out the Uchiha's answer. "Calls himself 'Lord' now does he? I wonder if he's explained to you how he came into that title." He smirks, looking at all the visitors in the bath one after the other. "I mean surely if you're both here to secure friendship with him. He's explained absolutely everything about himself to you." The possibly unwanted conversationalist was clearly trying to plant some seeds of doubt amongst them. "Of course all that's none of my business. Though, I expected an Uchiha Lord to be a bit more dour a person, a tad less smiley. And the Namikaze...can't say I've heard much of them, I thought they kept to themselves. What bizarre guests we have amongst us. But of course I welcome you." Although Kuroda had already asked him his name it seemed as if he only became aware of the inquiry in this moment. "Ah of course, where are my manners. I would hate to give you a bad impression of our lair." He giggles dryly. "You can call me Michiro...Michiro Shin." He finally introduces himself, and it seemed the other bather. The reading woman, had begun to take notice of the conversation.

She hadn't quite set her book down yet, but it was evident she was listening. One eye on the conversation, and one eye on the page.

[Kuroda Uchiha]

    Yagura raises a brow, and Hana frowns slightly at the pale man's words.

    "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Michiro Shin." Kuroda says, visibly neutral in his expression. "But no - I call him Lord Shin. Whether one approves of their leaders or not, etiquette is still best followed. He has saved my life at least twice now, and deserves recognition for his position. It is the same of the Uchiha Clan. And as for dour..."

    Kuroda jerks a thumb at Yagura, who grimaces and raises his hands in protest.

    "Yagura's the dour one of our group." Kuroda chuckles. "If I may ask, Michiro - what are you reading?"

[Arata Namikaze]

HP: 460 (560 w/ C.A.)| Chakra: 24 | Regen: 7/post

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TAGS: Kuroda Uchiha@riyota

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NOTES: Notes here

Arata raised an eyebrow ever so slightly at Michiro’s comments. He refrained from the scowl which he felt trying to creep onto his face. The Namikaze was a guest of the Shin clan, but he did not like Michiro. The man spoke around what he was actually trying to say—slithering away from any direct implications. And he seemed awfully smug in the midst of that.

“If you think friendship requires such a complete disclosure, Michiro, then I imagine true friends are few and far between for you,” he said, eyes lazy fixed on the ceiling. Turning in the bath to face the man, he added, “One of the great joys of life is an unfolding story.”

Kuroda’s question turned his eyes toward the reading woman, and Arata felt a similar curiosity. To read at a public bath was strange, sure, but also more than a little risky. What would the humidity do to the paper and ink? It was a recipe for disaster, it seemed.

Made by Zeref of THQ

[Yōsuru Shin]

Arata's veiled insult did little to deter Michiro's smarmy smirk. "Ohoho, perhaps the Namikaze are in fact cutting wordsmiths, how curiously exciting." He looks as if he's readying to speak again when the serious looking young woman far to his right speaks up instead. "It is called 'Sparks amongst the Stone' it is a romance novel with erotic elements." She speaks flatly and plainly, answering the question in full without a hint of shame or embarrassment about the fact she is reading smut in a public place. "Did you wish for a synopsis on the storyline? Lord Uchiha?" It seemed she saw no need to introduce herself, since that was not the question that had been asked of her. 

Michiro rolls his eyes and scoffs. Seemingly his moment had been ruined and the mood had shifted in a way he didn't enjoy. "Well, I'd best be getting out before I start to prune." He smiles softly, taking his towel and turning away as he hops out the bath and pulls the towel around himself. "A friendly word of advice. Don't take everything the old man says at face value. He may put out a friendly facade, but he's still a Shin at the end of the day." He smirks as he makes his way to the changing rooms. "And he's probably done worse things than most of us."

With that final comment the white-skinned Shin departs. Leaving just Arata and the three Uchiha in the bath with the reading woman.

[Kuroda Uchiha]

    Yagura smirks at the woman's response and her question, clearly amused. Hana, for her part, slightly puffed her cheeks with indignation, giving the Shin woman a sideways leer.

    "No, thank you." Kuroda replies, holding up a hand. "I'm not particularly interested in those kinds of books. Had you been reading one of the 'Tales of the Sea Gallant', you would have my attention."

    It wasn't a particularly appropriate thing to be reading out in public, but these particular Shin seemed to enjoy making others uncomfortable - which Kuroda wasn't willing to let himself do. Letting people get under your skin so easily would be seen as a kind of weakness - something a leader could not afford to show. He turns his attention to the other Shin, who gave them a warning about their leader - which rubbed Kuroda the wrong way with this fellow.

    "Then it is safe to assume that this warning applies to you too." Kuroda replies as Michiro turns away. Kuroda watches him leave, and sighs. "Charming."

[Arata Namikaze]

HP: 460 (560 w/ C.A.)| Chakra: 24 | Regen: 7/post

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TAGS: Yōsuru Shin Kuroda Uchiha

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NOTES: 

Arata watched Michiro as he left. An interesting man, that one, he noted to himself. He was a fool, of course, but crafty enough to sow seeds of discontent where they might grow. Clan leaders and their allies would be fools just as quickly to dismiss him without thought. He merited a word to Yōsuru at the very least.

His eyes drifted back with some interest to the woman who had so casually revealed her smutty novel to them. He could barely restrain a laugh as he watched Hana’s indignation and Kuroda’s subsequent attempts to convey his disinterest. For a brief second he thought about encouraging the woman to read a little bit, just to create some chaos in the public bath, but his conscience got the better of him. After all, this was a diplomatic mission. First impressions were worth getting right.

“Aaand, that’s my cue…” Arata sighed, stretching his arms over his head as he began to shift toward the stairs of the bath. He climbed out of the hot water and toweled off. A few moments later, he had emerged back into the stone passageways of the Shin headquarters re-clothed in his usual blue robes.

“Now, if I could only manage to find my room again…” he muttered, trying to remember the route they had taken to the baths. He had never been quite at home underground, and the Shin headquarters’ maze didn’t help. He shrugged and began walking down the hall, confident that he would stumble across something familiar eventually.

Made by Zeref of THQ

[Yōsuru Shin]

"Ah, I found the Tales of the Sea Gallant to be quite digestable reads. They serve as an excellent tool to entice children into literature." The woman said, without a trace of intentional mockery or insult in her tone. She seemed to be giving nothing but her genuine opinion on the material. If the conversation on books showed no sign of continuing she would return to her reading in silence.

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As Arata made his exit from the bathhouse he would find himself back in the Shin settlement proper, it seemed business as usual had resumed and though he would likely receive the odd glance from one of the Shin nobody was stopping in their tracks to gawk at him anymore. Finding where he needed to go wouldn't be too difficult. The Headquarters was fairly prominent and easy to spot from his location and there was clear pathing leading back to it.

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Back at his office Yōsuru searched for a potential excuse to get out of his meeting with the Elder Shin. The council always found away to boil his blood in manners no others ever could. And though he felt this meeting was inevitable he really was in no mood to sate their egos so soon after arriving back home. He most likely had until Sari was done fussing with the bedroom arrangements before he would have to face the death knell, which meant he could nap in his office chair roughly until his travelling companions returned.

[Kuroda Uchiha]

    Kuroda raises a brow, glancing at Hana who only offers a shrug in return. Unsure if the Shin really wanted to be having a discussion, or if she would rather just be left alone to enjoy her book, Kuroda lets out a relaxed sigh. He looks up as Arata moves to exit the spring, wondering if perhaps the discussion had gotten a bit uncomfortable for the man.

    But, seeing the hint of amusement in Arata's features, Kuroda smirks and lets himself sink just a little lower into the water. The discussions with Yōsuru would begin soon enough, and would likely involve some members of his council or elders - whichever form of leadership support and supplement that the Shin Clan deigned to follow. The Uchiha leader wasn't worried, all things considered; Yōsuru was level headed, and would not be leading the Clan unless they respected his opinions - regardless of how snarky they may react to him.

    The conversation would be a serious topic, however... so, for now at least, the Uchiha trio enjoyed their opportunity to relax...