[Graded][closed] Suna Book Club!

[TyDie]

It had been a week or so since Sakaki had gone through her sealing, merging herself to the Soul Genma, and she had tried to return to some kind of a normal life... But that was a vain attempt it seemed, as she took little interest in the things that she used to enjoy. Her sweet tooth was all but deserted, and she wasn't the type for outdoor extracurriculars. So... Do you have any recommendations? The thought rang through her mind, and for a moment there was only silence. However, after about 30 seconds, the crackly voice of Shishire rang through her head.

"Hmph... Why do you ask my opinion, child? We aren't friends, nor will we ever be." Sakaki stopped in her tracks, scoped out a nearby bench with no one on it and took a seat as the spirit responded. ...I know that. But, look, this is the first time we've spoken since I met Souta a week ago. I feel your presence, but not hearing you was... pretty unnerving. I didn't know your kind could give the silent treatment so well. She smiled to herself as she thought up the quip, and Shishire simply sighed. I'm bored, alright? Nothing is interesting anymore, and I don't know what to do. We don't have to be friends, but we're both stuck in this situation now... maybe you could take a little interest?

Another long drawn out silence rang out in her head as she sat there, observing people who eyed her strangely as they noticed her odd marks and eyes. Finally, another response. "Fine... How about you try learning a thing or two? Go read a book, maybe you can find some topic that catches your interest there." Sakaki thought on it for a moment, and reading didn't sound too terribly interesting either... However, she had to admit, she'd found herself becoming very nosy lately. Rumors were never a thing for her in the past, but she found herself fatally attracted over the past few days.

That sounds like a wonderful idea, Thank you! "You... just go, child." Heh, It almost accepted her gratitude... She'd win this thing over yet, if not by force than with kindness! And so, the little girl wandered off towards the biggest, bestest library in the village;

The Library of the Scribes.

Once she arrived, she was in awe of the size of the building. All the reading she ever did was books from the orphanage or academy study books, but to see such a giant building knowing it was full of books on all kinds of cool subjects... Surely one of them would cure her boredom! With shining zeal, Sakaki practically bounded up the steps and walked into the giant building, eager to find a cool book or someone who could direct her to one.

[Kabu]

Rika meanwhile was already at the library sitting at a table in a far corner, simultaneously thinking about the recruitment drive that Kiyori had sent her on, something that she wasn't having a great deal of success with as she didn't personally know too many people who may have an interest in the organization, and drawing in her sketchbook, ideas for new puppets having chosen the most inopportune moment to pop into her head and she not being the type to ignore a good idea when it came to her.

"I wonder if maybe... I think that could work but it may need some tweaking." she muttered to herself, quickly getting to her feet and fast walking to the other side of the library in search of a few books, in her state of deep focus not even realizing that the door had opened and another person had entered the building, still being alone as far as she was aware.

It didn't take long for her search to yield results and so she headed back towards the table, a stack of books in her arms and a giddy grin on her face as she practically skipped through the building, feeling amazingly cheerful. "I can't wait to have a puppet that I built all on my own, though I have to hurry and finish the plans first. The sooner I finish the plans, the sooner I can start building him." she spoke aloud, again not realizing that she was no longer alone, though even if she had realized such, she was just simply feeling too pleased with herself to really mind if anyone heard her talking to herself.

[TyDie]

As Sakaki entered the building, she couldn't help but notice the young girl, a little older than her, running around grabbing various books and muttering to herself about building something. At first, she simply smiled at her enthusiasm, but after seeing both a ninja headband and the symbol of the Scribes, it dawned on her; she was a member of the scribes. Surely she knew this place well enough to recommend her a good book? Plus... she simply had to know what she was working on! She approached the girl as she found a table to set up her books and work on, and gave her a light tap on the shoulder.

"Excuse me, but I see that you're a scribe, right? I was looking for something interesting to read, but... I think I found something even more fascinating. Your enthusiasm is so thick I could feel it coming off you in waves, and i couldn't help but be inspired by it! Please, you must tell me what has you so worked up, what kind of things are going on in your mind that you're darting around the library grabbing so many books!" She was giddy with excitement as she finished, and the whole time her oddly colored eyes stared at the young Hizashi in wonderment. She had only seen puppets once before in the academy, when a chuunin shinobi came in an introduced her class to the art, but this girl's passion about the art was palpable.

Even if she had no interest in puppetry herself, her curiosity got the better of her; she had to know.

[Kabu]

Rika had only just returned to her table and after a quick stretch turned back towards her sketchbook, about to get back to work when she felt a tap on her shoulder, turning her head to find a young girl standing behind her. Had she not been alone after all? That meant the girl had heard her proclamations to herself, not that she particularly minded, especially when she showed so much enthusiasm towards her and her projects. If anything, that just only made it much more okay. It was enough to increase Rika's own excitement levels, but she was still able to keep herself calm, or at least calm enough so as to keep her voice down and not disturb anyone else that may come into the building.

"I just recently joined them but yeah, I'm a member of the scribes." she began, moving her sketchbook to where the girl could have a view of it, a picture of a tortoise with a spiky shell sitting in the center surrounded by various notes with arrows pointing to different parts of the body, detailing the various mechanisms she had in mind, and there were even what appeared to be more notes scribbled over in the corners. "I'm working on a puppet design. I've been having so many ideas but finally found one that I liked. The plans aren't done yet but he's going to be the first one that I build by myself. He's going to be so amazing when he's done. Of course all puppets are great but the thought of building one on my own is just so very exciting." she continued, her eyes sparkling and her tone giddy.

[TyDie]

Sakaki stood in silent awe as the young Hizashi showed her the topic of her excitement, a turtle puppet it seemed? It definitely looked like a turtle, and there was all kinds of short scribbled notes all over the page and arrows going every which way. If she knew anything about puppets it might make more sense, but even without that knowledge it was exciting to see the process of how a puppeteer designed their puppets, stars formed in her eyes as she listened intently to every word. "Wow... So the spikes are mounted here, and the plates fit like that... Huh. Fascinating stuff, puppetry is! I've never taken the time to get into it myself, although my proctor always said I had such a knack for Ninjutsu he could see me picking up the art later. Even if I never do though, i'm so excited to see these plans come to life!"

Amidst all the excitement, a realization dawned on her and she gasped aloud; she hadn't even introduced herself! She took a step back and bowed profusely, clearing her throat with embarrassment as a red blush formed. "I'm so sorry miss, I never even introduced myself! I was so caught up in your enthusiasm and puppets and... anyway, i'm Izanami Sakaki!" She rose and smiled, scratching her head nervously as she chuckled about the little social misstep. "Now then, have you enjoyed your time with the Scribes so far? It must be neat, getting to find all sorts of forgotten books and relics of the old times. Sounds exciting, getting to learn all sorts of new stuff!"

[Kabu]

Rika was not only excited but incredibly happy that someone was not just willing but seemingly excited and happy to listen to her ramblings and to share in her passions. It was so rare that she actually got to indulge herself, most just opting to leave her be when she was in one of her moods. That said she had also noticed that for those who actually paid attention to her ramblings, they seemed to get just as drawn into the excitement as she did, a fact that made her so very happy.

"It's very wonderful to meet you, Sakaki. I'm Hizashi Rika." she returned the girl's greeting with a smile, giggling at the girl's apparent embarrassment towards the sudden turn of events. "Don't worry about it, seeing someone so enthusiastic towards my passion made me incredibly happy." she said, pausing momentarily at the girl's mention of the scribes. "And honestly, I haven't gotten to do any real scribes work yet. It hasn't been all that long since Kiyori invited me into the organization. It's been really great being able to explore the full breadth of the library though. I've learned a bunch of new things and it's helped me out with my projects a lot. I can't help but feel I'm one step closer towards my dream with all this knowledge surrounding me." she said, something seeming to click in her mind as she suddenly remembered the task that Kiyori had given to her, it having slipped from her mind in the excitement.

"Say... would you happen to be interested in the Scribes and their duties?"

[TyDie]

Honestly, Sakaki hadn't even noticed how happy her excitement had made Rika until the Hizashi mentioned it. So great was her own curiosity that she had not even considered that she may have been overstepping boundaries and being too nosy for her own good. Luckily, Rika wasn't the type to be over protective of her work, and in the end it worked as the perfect ice breaker between the two genin. In this instance, Sakaki's newfound curiosity had been a good thing.

At the mention of the Scribes, Sakaki was admittedly a little disappointed that her new Hizashi friend had not actually done anything within the organization yet. She was just about to go back to asking about a good book to read, but the Rika piped up with her offer... Sakaki, a Scribe?"Wha? Me, a Scribe? Well I mean, that would be amazing Rika! But... i'm not sure I can. I'm still so young, I only graduated from the Academy 2 weeks ago. And are you even allowed to extend that invitation to me, given how new you are yourself? I don't want to get you in any trouble..."

It was clear that Sakaki had much to be nervous about, and that didn't even include the fact that she bore host to Shishire. If her fears could be put to rest, however, she'd have no reason to decline...

[Kabu]

"I understand the apprehension, I felt the same way really. I thought I was in trouble or something when Kiyori, our leader, called me into her office."she responded to the girl's nervous statements, remembering just how in disbelief she had felt when Kiyori had invited her into the scribes. Luckily she was in a position to hopefully relieve the girl's fears. "I don't really understand it myself but our leader actually sent me out on a personal recruitment drive. I was in the midst of looking, and really not having any success, when I had an idea for a puppet, and well, I can't just let a good idea go to waste so I came here to work on the plans while I thought of ways to continue the search... and then I kind of forgot about my initial goal as I progressed farther into my project. That seems to happen sometimes." she said with a bit of a nervous chuckle, a very slight blush on her cheeks.

"Anyways, I think that you would make a perfect fit for the organization and I'm positive that Kiyori would agree with me. You seem enthusiastic about the prospect and not just that but about learning new things as a whole and that's exactly the kind of person that I was sent to find. Age and experience doesn't matter as long as you're willing and able." she continued, smiling brightly as she held out her hand towards the younger girl. "So, whatchya say?"

[TyDie]

Sakaki's eyes were all aglow, despite their strange sclerae, as Rika announced that the leader of the organization had personally asked Rika to search for someone to add to the group. It seemed strange to Sakaki as well, but perhaps this Kiyori saw it as a test? It would make sense, to see if Rika could bring another soul to the organization, and if she did what kind of person she elected to bring. But... perhaps she was overthinking it...

Regardless, Rika explained herself perfectly, and Sakaki's concerns were put to rest. A determined grin crossed her face as she weighed the option in her head... for all of two seconds. "Rika, tell your leader Kiyori that she can count me in! Izanami Sakaki is joining the Scribes of the sand!" somewhere in her head, Shishire groaned with contempt at the girl's boisterous attitude... no decorum, so silly and childish. The groan gave her no pause however; happiness had been scarce since the sealing.

It was good to feel it so strongly in this moment.

[Kabu]

Rika's eyes near instantly lit up at Sakaki's acceptance of her proposal, she all the while resisting the urge to jump up and hug the other girl. "That's wonderful! It's so great to have someone close to my own age and of the same rank in the organization." she said, her excitement at the prospect very apparent from her tone and expression, an expression which soon changed to one of surprise as she remembered something else that Kiyori had told her, that a suitable task for a pair of Genin had recently popped up. It seemed that while there was going to be some risk it had been deemed safe enough to act as an introduction to the more dangerous tasks that the Scribes would at times undertake. The question was... would it really be responsible of her to take a fresh academy graduate out into the field without a higher up accompanying them? Well.. there was no harm in it as the task at hand didn't seem particularly dangerous, but how would Sakaki herself feel about it? Well, there was only one way to find out.


"I just remembered there was another task that had been offered to me.. to investigate some ruins or something. I would like for you to accompany me if you're willing." she said, closely watching Sakaki's expressions all the while. How would the girl respond?

[TyDie]

Sakaki was just as excited as Rika about her acceptance of the proposal. This felt like a big step to her, almost as big as being sealed... well, maybe not that big, but it was a huge advancement in her career. A 10 year old genin being recruited to such a prestigeous organization, one founded by Kazekage Hito himself? The thought of what she could do in such an organization made her giddy. "Thank you for the opportunity Rika. I guess now i'm glad i got a little nosy! If i hadn't, we may not have ever had this talk."

And now, according to Rika, there was already a mission for the pair of them to undertake? And it was a mission outside the village? She'd be lying if she said she wasn't a little uneasy... after all, she had never left Suna's gates. And now, as a jinch, she wasn't sure those who were sent to watch over her would approve of it. But then a voice inside her spoke up, Not Shishire's but her own conscious. pshh, accept it! Of the village says no later then whatever, but it won't even get to that point if you don't say yes now!

With a grin, Sakaki nodded in agreement with Rika's mission offer. "Yeah, let's do it Rika! With the two of us, we'll get through those ruins in no time!" she held out her hand, making the 'V' of victory with her index and middle fingers, smiling with unbounded determination as she made her decision...

She didn't bother to mention that this was her first mission request.

[Kabu]

Rika was honestly still a little bit worried about the task ahead of them, both about the circumstances as well as the fact that all things considered this was going to be her first real mission, but seeing Sakaki's eagerness did help a bit to put her more at ease. "I'm glad to see that you seem to be so enthusiastic, so we should probably get our job done as soon as we possibly can. I need to clean up here and prepare a few things and then we can go." she said with a smile, reaching for her sketchbook and making notes of the books she had been meaning to read so she could finish researching after they got back. Once that was done she closed it and clutching the books she had grabbed earlier tightly to her chest, stood up and ran back to the respective shelves, sliding each back in their respective place with the utmost care.

It took a minute with how delicate she was being but soon the books had been returned to their shelves and she ran back over towards the table, somehow seeming to be more and more giddy by the second. "Alright, now I just need to grab some things from home and then we can go. I've gotta admit I'm getting pretty excited about this."

[TyDie]

Sakaki was practically beaming with happiness now, and it was all thanks to Shishire's recommendation to go and grab a book. Tch, you're welcome." the spirit's curt reply to her feelings caught her slightly off guard, but she made no outward expression as a result. Her first mission, joining this group of knowledge seekers... perhaps She and Shishire could find some common ground after all?

Finally she snapped to, realizing that Rika had been addressing her the whole time, and gave a small bow. "Oh my, talk about fast! Not that i mind though, I can't wait either! I just need to return home, grab a few things, and talk to a couple people. We'll meet by the village gates." Sakaki made her proposal, but wouldn't wait for a reply before walking towards the door. After all, she had the right idea here, right? Right... the Ominous reply sent a shiver down Sakaki's spine... she wasn't sure she liked the fact that Shishire agreed with her bosiness.

Another effect of the Genma? Was it changing the way she thought?

A question for another time, for now Sakaki would wave to her new friend before heading out the doors of the Scribes Library for home. She needed to talk to Miss Miami and Souta for sure, and Souta likely needed to inform any other handlers... she hoped she was allowed to do this! After all, this mission would be a piece of cake for the prestigious Soul Jinchuuriki... right?