Privacy and Materials

[Tsedas]

Bright skies shone a brilliant soft shade of blue, the large blotches of white strewn across it helping block out the intense heat of the sun to make the heat a little more bearable. Rolling dunes of sand spread as far as the eye could see, the drifting wind that pushed the clouds caused the top layer of sand to shift and dance. Not enough to cause it to be hazard and get into one's eyes but enough that the shifting sands almost sang some distance breathless song that dared to lure you off course if you tried to follow it too closely.

Into the shifting sands stepped a foot, the boot sinking into the topmost layer as the man's weight compressed the sand beneath it for that brief moment he stood there until the boot lifted to follow on to the next step in his journey. Draped in a mantled poncho, his dark attire was thought to be a poor choice for the desert yet he knew many factors came into play for surviving a trek in the desert. His clothes might be dark but they were light and allowed the sweat to be wicked off of his skin while the breeze washed through the light fabric and across his skin beneath. Perched atop his head to protect his skin was a Kasa hat to provide shade for his head, neck, shoulders, and upper body. This wide brimmed hat giving him an edge against the sun when the clouds were there to blot it out.

Shifting his head, Ryousei Genkaku looked out from behind the mask shaped like that of a snake, tassels upon the sides of it softly rustling in the breeze around him. Draped across his back was a massive bundle swaddled in cloth wrapping, his greatest weapon and work of art to date. Cresting the hill, he adjusted the large package and glanced back at his traveling companion. Looking down the hill at her, Genkaku was a bit surprised when she approached him about everything but part of him deep down knew this was something he had to do. Looking her over for a moment to make sure she was keeping up, he opened his mouth from behind the mask. "It shouldn't be terribly long now until we reach the mine. I Suppose I should thank you, I won't wear myself out dragging my haul back to Suna with a helping pair of hands now."

Genkaku stated, having roped his companion into this with him. While it was good to have the helping hands, he figured this would also be a good way to get out of Sunagakure and away from any keen ears and sharp eyes. It looked like little more than Genkaku heading out to pick up another order of raw materials for his craft.

[Kaida]

It was clear from their last conversation that Genkaku liked his privacy, so when he asked Datura to accompany him to fetch some raw materials just outside the borders it was an easy thing to agree to. This would not only provide them with the space necessary to speak more freely, but also give her a chance to learn more from him about he could assist within the current climate of Wind Country.

She had left a note on the kitchen table for her fiance, telling him that she would be home by dinner time, that she had an escort assignment she needed to complete for a local craftsman. Now that the truth had been spoken between them, the air was a bit more suffocating but she knew they would make it out together one way or another. Their love wasn't so shallow and fragile for it to break under the threat of Iwa's continued reign throughout Sunagakure.

Trekking up the hill to the indicated meeting spot, Datura's hair was pinned back into a low bun on her head. White bangs framing the sides of her face and her gold eyes glowed and lit up the ever present friendly smile on her face. For the first time in years, she wore a more tradtional Suna shinobi uniform. Black pants, a short sleeved black shirt, her gray Jounin vest, utility belt with her various pouches and bottles and standard sandals. Her thigh holster and shinobi pouch on the right side of her body. She looked the part for the title she had earned through many years of hard work and accomplishment as a ninja.

Reaching the peak and falling in step with Genkaku, she nodded her head in greeting. "No thanks necessary. I'm happy to help. And I figured there was more left to discuss from our previous meeting." A knowing look settled in her eyes as she observed the man through her periphery.

[Tsedas]

A nod of his head acknowledged her words as she fell in step alongside him. Making his way down the other side of the hill, Genkaku could see the rocky outcropping a ways off in the distance. Nestled safely away from the adverse weather was a little oasis that happened to find itself home to a vein of ore and materials that weren't frequently chased after unless someone knew about it. The little town within leisurely taking their time to harvest the lode underneath it the little respite, all while being protected from the harsh clime that lay beyond the craggy cloister.

"Although, now that we are out here I suppose there isn't much need to dance around the subject or speak subtly. So with that in mind..." Genkaku glanced back over his shoulder at Datura. His gaze lingered for but a moment before facing forward as he kept a hand on the binding that was slung across his torso to keep his large bundle steady. "Perhaps you wish to elaborate on what it is you really want from me? I can certainly take a guess, but having it said aloud would help to cement my suspicions. Your questions about 'my craft' were mere prelude to a bigger question. Now we have no need to dance around it."

[Kaida]

She chuckled at the direct approach Genkaku had taken, it was somewhat surprising given the man's apparent nature from their previous meeting. It would seem there was no more need for secrets as they made their way to the vein he wished to procure materials from. Still she kept her voice hushed, you never knew who could be listening.

"I have some acquaintances just outside of Sunagakure. People who share our sentiments about the political climate that currently reigns over Wind Country. They are looking for support in order to find a more stable system in our home. To encourage our neighbors and citizens to go after the life they want free of their imposed shackles." A knowing look passed her eyes, though she wasn't speaking in code, she wasn't being as forthright as perhaps the man wanted. She still had people to protect after all.

Taking a breath as they reached their desired spot, she turned to look at him in earnest. "A man of your skill and talent could be a great asset if he had the resources to do more. While I can't guarantee anything, I can say it would be easier for you to find success outside Suna's borders. Perhaps some kindred spirits that could assist you along the way."

[Tsedas]

The song of the desert drifted around them, the lost souls of the deep desert singing to them and masking their voices as she spoke subtly instead of directly. Moving across the grains, Genkaku looked to her, the tassles on his mask tinking softly against the mask itself before turning back to look straight ahead. "I've never been one for politics. In all honesty they bore me. But what I can understand is the weight of an overbearing authority looming overhead. Hanging by a thread, a sword ready to descend upon the heads of any who desire to merely live their life." His grip tightened on the sash holding his bundle in place.

"I would need to know what is being asked of me, Datura. I'm not foolish enough to blindly agree without knowing the scope of work. No seasoned craftsman ever agrees to take on a commission without knowing what is required of them. It's an amateur mistake that is best left to the young and foolish." As he said this, the rocks ahead of them grew closer and closer until they started to approach what appeared to be planks laid out between the rocks and a canvas stretched tight over the passage between the rocks to provide shade. Stepping onto the planks, he stopped and looked back at his Naegi companion. "These people tend to keep to themselves. They'll freely do business with anyone who has ryo to spare, but avoid trying to rope them into the political discussions. If you think I was direct at all, they will feel like an explosive shockwave to the system. You've been warned."

His words weren't marked with malice, but as he spoke that last sentence the smirk under his mask could almost be heard spreading across his unseen face. His head shifted to look down the passage, only a short ways beyond they could already see simple buildings, some kind of pavilion that had a cooking fire, and the oasis spreading out to the right out of sight. The entire space that saw regular human activity was covered by canvas and sheets to build a shaded path with wood planks giving stable footing. "As for kindred spirits... I would need to be more socialable to find some. I'm usually lost in my own world in that workshop."

Stepping forward, Genkaku led the way further in. As he walked upon the wooden path, his footsteps echoed in the passage before he raised a hand in greeting to someone who returned the gesture. "Hatsumoto! I've come to raid your mine again." He called out before the man laughed and waved off the comment, going back stirring the cooking pot.

[Kaida]

Now that they were alone and in the clear, so to speak, Datura was able to get a better read off of the man she was accompanying. It would seem, though he was a creater and a builder, puzzles were not his forte. Neither was boredom. "Perhaps you would find freedom more exciting? No more meddling foreign shinobi running our borders and taking up space where they're not wanted?" A cheeky segway to grab his attention as his eyes roamed the approaching mine.

She moved in closer to Genkaku, not wanting to risk her voice echoing off into the distance as a camp came into view. Placing a hand on his shoulder to briefly halt his movements, she lowered her voice. "You would be asked to join the rebellion, to help fortify areas in Wind Country against Iwagakure as we take their heavy hitters off the board so that we can negotiate independence and take our village back. I cannot promise a designated amount for your creations, but I'm sure if it were a benefit to Suna, that there would be more than a few people willing to invest their time and ryo into your trade." Her eyes searched his as she spoke, looking for any hint of anything untoward or fidgety as she uttered such controversial words.

Releasing him, she continued walking towards the camp. Letting her words sink in so that he might think them over and come to his own conclusion about what his craft was worth under Iwa's reign. She took his warning to heart and heeded his words, nodding her head in assent. As they entered the grounds of the camp, the fire burning brightly in the darkened sky, her golden eyes lit up like roiling embers; a gentle and genuine smile on her face as she let her comrade do the talking.