Stranger at the gates!! Enter Utsuro!

[strangevisitor]

A soft wind caressed the leaves that hid the village. It was, for all concerned cared, a pleasant day in Konoha. The summer sun was begining its descent into the western hemisphere, as the villagers moved about their daily tasks, cooled by this gentle zephyr.

However, this was no ordinary day, for a stranger had come to town. This in and of itself was not uncommon, for even the Hidden villages had visitors from time to time. Indeed, the arrival of a person was nothing out of the ordinary, although the same could not be said for this particular person.

~~~~~~~

"...So...this is Konoha..." The boy of a man whispered to himself. While one would never guess so by his lack of expression, he was, in fact, very happy to have arrived. Exhausted, far more so than was common for him, he gently lowered the oversized bundle upon his back to the ground, and rested back against it. "..I hope nothing goes wrong...like last time.."

For those in the immediate area who could be bothered to stop and look, their eyes were met with an unusual, and most UNspectacular sight. In garbings more appropriate labeled garbAGE, this stranger was caked in dirt and grime, speaking volumes of a long, hard journey. Was he a shinobi? He wore a flak jacket, however hodgepodge it was, and a forehead protector, though not even the wisest of the onlookers could place the village it belonged to.

A question hung, unasked as they chose instead to go back about their business. Who IS he?

[Kuro Tsuta]

Kuro made her way toward the village gates, carrying splintered wood from a torn down house. Since she decided to stay behind and rebuild Konoha, she's been helping pull down the damaged-beyond-repair housing.

A small pile of wood just outside the gates was waiting for her. She couldn't wait to drop her heavy load. The gates loomed into view, and so did what appeared to be a person.

The sticks fell to the ground, as Kuro was startled. It was a boy... or a man, but he was covered in dirt and grime. Embarrassed, she picked up the pieces again, but did not move closer to the gates.

[strangevisitor]

Rubbing his tired eyes with dusty sleeves, he sighed. Blinking through the post-rub haze, he spotted a woman...a young woman, two...maybe three years his senior. Dressed all in green, and adorned with the forehead protector of a Konoha Shinobi.

And he was in her way. Moving to his feet, he struggled to lift the immense bundle onto his back again, muttering soft appologies for inconveniencing her. He shuffled to the side, out of her path.

[Kuro Tsuta]

Kuro cast a sideways glance as she made her way past the... man? She placed the splintered wood in the pile, and turned back back toward the gates. She saw him still standing with what appeared to be a heavy bundle.

Knowing it was part of her duty to escort visitors to Hokage-sama... who is gone. Kuro sighed. Maybe she could just take him to Miyoko.

"Um... excuse me," Kuro approached him finally. "Would you like... some help?"

[strangevisitor]

It took a moment for him to register that he was being spoken to, momentarily adopting the 'who, me?' face. Turning to face the young woman, and immediately gazing at the ground beneath her feet, his reply was soft-spoken, barely above a whisper.

"...It is not necessary, I do not wish to trouble you..."

[Kuro Tsuta]

Kuro rolled her eyes.

"I've got nothing better to do," she said haughtily. She noticed he was staring at the ground. It bothered her. She sighed. Why was she even bothering?

[strangevisitor]

He paused for a moment before speaking again. "....Some assistance...would be appreciated....but only if you've nothing better to do..." Apparently this was the least argumentive person on the planet.

[Kuro Tsuta]

'The ignorance of some people,' Kuro thought. This boy... man... somebody seemed like her in a way, but she dismissed the feeling almost at once. She held out her hand.

"Would you like me to carry your... err... sack?" she asked awkwardly.

[strangevisitor]

"N-no!!" The boy said hurridly, a little more loudly than his normal tone, hands tightening on its bindings. "...Gomen...that is to say...the items inside are very precious to me...I would prefer to carry it myself...forgive me." Shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. Unargumentive and appologetic, it seemed.

"..c-could you...please... direct me to the Hokage's office, however?"

[Kuro Tsuta]

Kuro pulled back her hand in a hurry. This sudden outburst made her want to leave him where he stood and let him find his own way.

"Whatever," she said, looking away from him. "Have it your way. Hokage-sama is not here right now. I don't know when she'll be back. You'll have to see Miyoko instead."

[strangevisitor]

He looked rather dejected upon hearing this information. "...I see...I'm sorry for inconveniencing you..I did not mean to upset you."

[Kuro Tsuta]

'Typical' Kuro shook her head.

"Why are you so apologetic? You just got here, and I'm not the type of person you should apologize to... What's your name anyway?"

[strangevisitor]

He withdrew a little into himself, shrinking back a little. "..g..gomen....If I have offended..I appologize...that's why...and...my name is Utsuro." Came the still-soft reply, perhaps even softer because of her agitation. It was quite clear he lacked people skills and did not like confrontation.

[Kuro Tsuta]

Kuro could tell that he was lacking people skills greatly. Oh well. She was too.

"My name is Kuro Tsuta. I'm a Chuunin," this was getting awkward. She decided to stop there. "Um... what's your rank? Age?" He looked to be... old... but she couldn't tell.

[strangevisitor]

"...uhm...I'm 14...I...don't have a rank.." He seemed a bit ashamed of this fact, shifting slightly again.