[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/IqPGnqU.png[/img] [h3][color=Chocolate]~Chieko Okawa~[/color][/h3][/center] Old Mill Hideout, Suttlings Basin Death count: 1 Reset Count: 4 [hr] Despite the situation, Chieko couldn't say she wasn't happy. The training over the past week had been tough, but it seemed like Talus had kept his word about the rate at which she learned things. Normally something like learning swordsmanship would take quite a while, not to mention all the physical exertion involved and considering before now she was mostly a NEET who stayed in her room most of the time, being able to match Quill and Chiyo in the span of a week was well, goddamn amazing. Just like any proper anime protagonist should be, heh! Quill and Chiyo were...well, nice enough. Chiyo was...murdery, but adorable. Like a rambunctious little sister who constantly got into trouble and then tried to get out of it by trying to cute her way out of it. Needless to say, Chieko could never say no. Quill was like a big sister she had never had. It was sort of...well, nice actually. Any sort of unease she felt vanished within days, not to mention the fact Quill had defended her against a few demi's of a less reputable sort the first day or two until she got on her feet. ...wait did that mean she was Quill's little sister here? Universe shattering revelation aside, Chieko turned to Quill as she was asked about Chiyo. [color=chocolate]"E-eh?!"[/color] Liked Chiyo? It was one of the few times Quill would have noticed Chieko's composure breaking over the past week. [color=chocolate]"Eh-I-I mean Chiyo adorable and I'd like to do uhm, things with her."[/color] Chieko averted her gaze from Quill, face slightly red as she chuckled nervously. [color=chocolate]"L-like hugs. Hugs and head pats. That's what she's going to get, yep. That's all."[/color] No bad intentions here, nope. She had been wondering if it would have been acceptable for her to do that all week but hadn't really had a good opportunity to go for it with all the training. [color=chocolate]"Mhm,"[/color] Chieko pulled her scarf over her mouth, regaining her composure slightly. The scarf was not something she was going to lose no matter what happened. [color=chocolate]"It's not not exactly...odd where I'm from."[/color] Sighing lightly, Chieko hefted the club she had taken as her main armament on her shoulder. Truthfully though she wasn't particularly into relationships. Right now they would only be a distraction, and she had a mission. A mission of which, she wasn't about to let anything distract her from. [color=chocolate]"...mhm, not really interested at the moment though. A Hero such as myself can't let things distract them so easily...why do you ask?"[/color] [center][img]https://i.imgur.com/jhtBtJN.png[/img] [h3][color=slategray]Mie Yukima[/color][/h3][/center] Slums A few days ago... Deaths: N/A [hr] Ever since the incident with Vertti, Mie had been keeping her head down like a good little fox. So far, nothing had come of it. She didn't seem to be followed anywhere. No guards. No random checks. For the most part, it seemed like she was in the clear. None of the others had contacted her either, which meant they were unaware or simply busy. Either was good - it meant there was no major problem. However...it meant the rat was still in the hen house. Which was why Mie was doing something she only did rarely. She had set up a meeting with the other two that were working in Priestella. Normally she would only meet any other in the organization to receive information, her next task, to relay the completion of her task...or rarely, in case there was trouble. Most of the time she could handle anything herself, but this was something that was a far bigger concern than just her ego. Which was why she was currently sitting at a table in a brothel in the slums that was far more fancy than it was on the surface. [b]"Mie, my sly little Fox! Yuzu, the adorable little Hornet! Eat up! A healthy diet is the first thing a Shinobi needs for excellence! A full course dinner prepared with the full culinary experience of a master chef!"[/b] A [url=https://i.imgur.com/rZ0ItWm.jpg]man just a few years older[/url] than Mie slammed a few plates down on their table, along with a healthy amount of sake straight from Kararagi. The kind of music you'd hear in Kararagi could be heard in the background. [b]"Wahaha, still wearing that creepy robe aren't'cha, Qez?"[/b][url=https://safebooru.org//images/1009/a1f88ea6c7bc5222517e38e0cb2773d71868f761.jpg?1014494]A woman clad in a kimono with light purple hair[/url] was sitting next to her, laughing brightly as she grabbed a fork from the table, already starting to dig into the mountain of food Qez had made for the three of them. [b]"Creepy? My dear Yuzuki I'll have you know this robe is 100% uncreepy and perfected for maximizing my culinary arts!"[/b] He replied, seemingly pulling out various bottles of spices and herbs from somewhere within it. [b]"See? Enough space to store almost anything a chef needs!"[/b] [color=slategray]"Pfft, sure, it is Qezhal. We all know you like going around pretending to be all spooky."[/color] To accentuate the fact, Mie made a comical hand motion at the sides of her head. [b]"Haaa, your words sting, my friends."[/b] He sighed, taking a seat opposite the two women. [b]"Yea, Qezzy, you're about as creepy as a puppy."[/b] Yuzu replied through a mouthful of food. [color=slategray]"A puppy that rolls around in the mud all day."[/color] [b]"So rude!"[/b] He laughed. [b]"Ahaha, I'm glad to see you both still in good spirits."[/b] The black robed male leaned forward slightly on the table, eyes glancing over his two companions with a friendly smile. [b]"Normally we keep to ourselves, working through deadrops and informants, but its nice to be together with you on occasion."[/b] [b]"Right? Me and Qezzy get together at least once a week,"[/b] The upbeat girl turned to Mie, snatching up a slice of meat off of her plate. [b]"But little Mie is always so busy! I'm beginning to think she doesn't like us."[/b] [color=slategray]"Ha!"[/color] Mie laughed loudly, taking a huge gulp of her drink before slamming it on the table. [color=slategray]"The only reason I tolerate either of ya is because you'd be too annoying to kill. Specially that one."[/color] She pointed at Yuzu before stealing a piece of bread out of the other fork with her own. [color=slategray]"Don't touch my stuff."[/color] [b]"Wahaha, Miiiieee!~"[/b] Unable to help herself, Yuzu reached over, wrapping Mie in a big hug, obviously drunk from only a few sips of her alcohol. Lightweight. [b]"Aaha, If I could hug you every day I'd be so happy!"[/b] [color=slategray]"Didn't I just say not to touch my stuff, you lightweight?"[/color] Mie smiled impishly. [color=slategray]"Not that I mind the affection, fufu...but maybe don't do it."[/color] Before Yuzu could react, Mie had already managed to discreetly pickpocket the other shinobi, rolling a coin between her fingers. [b]"Gah! That's my money! Giveitback!"[/b] Qez watched with a laugh as the demi-human and human started wrestling over the coin. Yuzu trying her best to get her money back, while the fox somehow managed to always just remain out of reach of the hornet. That said...as much as he'd have liked the friendly meeting to continue, they had business to discuss. [b]"I'm glad you two are getting along so well,"[/b] Qez laughed, folding his hands in front of him. [b]"...but Mie, my a little birdie told me you have something to discuss about your recent little...oversight."[/b] The tone was cold, almost emotionless, and whatever happy reunion the three were having vanished instantly. The two shinobi's immediately released the other, taking a more serious tone as the meeting continued. [color=slategray]"...the target knew I was coming."[/color] Mie replied as Qez went to drink. The mug paused right before it hit his lips, grip tightening on the mug. [b]"...Whaha, that's funny."[/b] Yuzu grinned. [b]"You sure you didn't just let her go, foxy?"[/b] [color=slategray]"Hoo? Is the lightweight slut implying something?"[/color] [b]"I dunno midget, everyone knows you hesitated when you were given this mark of yours."[/b] The sound of a mug slamming onto the table quickly silenced any argument that had been brewing before Mie could respond. [b]"There's a mole, Mie?"[/b] [color=slategray]"Indeed. A little rat. Not only was she aware that she was a target, she seemingly went into hiding before I even came to Priestella."[/color] [b]"Yuzu, you are dismissed."[/b] Qez narrowed his eyes at her. [b]"But-"[/b] [b]"Yuzu. Dismissed."[/b] [b]"Y-yes!"[/b] [color=slategray]"Do you suspect Yuzu?"[/color] Mie asked, quietly taking a drink of her Sake as the other Shinobi left. [b]"Not at all, but we can not rule out anyone...except yourself. You aren't the type to let sentimentality or emotions hamper your work. Your history is enough of proof."[/b] [color=slategray]"Fufu, flattery will get you everywhere so please continue."[/color] [b]"I'll smooth things over with the client and look for alternative methods. If the mark is aware they are being hunted, then a single shinobi won't be enough. No matter how good they are."[/b] Normally a second shinobi would be sent to help the first under the circumstances the target had become aware. Usually it would be enough...but this was a highly unusual situation. [b]"Mie, keep your head down for the rest of the week. I'll continue as normal as to not let the mole know we know of his existence, but I will have Yuzu investigate."[/b] [color=slategray]"Haa, so I get stuck with the boring bits. At least let me interrogate someone~"[/color] [b]"We both know you'll do what you want anyways."[/b] [color=slategray]"Fufuf, what can I say, I don't like being told what to do."[/color] Mie grinned, eagerly finishing up the food. [b]"If you investigate yourself, just try to keep it subtle."[/b] [color=slategray]"Of course, of course. I'm not a child."[/color] [b]"Dismissed, then."[/b] Standing up, Mie finished her alcohol before smirking playfully at Qez. [color=slategray]"Tell Yuzu if she wants her money back, she's always welcome to try~"[/color] With a laughed, Mie turned on her heels and headed out the back exit, and stepping out into the streets. [hr] [color=slategray]"One, Two...aha, quite the shiny one, aren't you?"[/color] Sitting at a table in front of her wagon, Mie was busy counting a few coins, playfully fingering and running each one across her hands. Shiny gold coins that were all hers, fufu. Money was one of the few things in this world she could say she in fact, cared about somewhat. Not that she was overly attached but damn it she wasn't about to lose any of it if she could help it no matter what the circumstances were. That said...what was Qez doing? She hadn't heard anything from him since their little meetup a few days ago. Obviously she knew such a delicate subject took time, but she was growing exceedingly bored. She had done [i]some[/i] investigating herself, of course and they had managed to relay a few things. A very important fact that made this entire thing even more odd. None of the other operations had been tampered with. Qez had quickly made certain to check on all the current happenings inside the city, and even relayed the information to higher ups who all returned with the same thing. No other mission had been jeopardized. Which...incidentally made her look incredibly suspicious in this instance. Flipping a coin into the air and catching it, Mie collected the rest of the money before locking it away and pocketing the rest. Not that it mattered. They weren't likely going to say she had done anything to purposefully jeopardize it just from that alone. [color=slategray]"Haa, counting money always makes me feel better, fufu."[/color] Chuckling lightly, Mie for now, would play her role as a merchant. ...perhaps she should visit the Rabbit? She did want to say hello again after all of this, heh!