Of Promises and Paperwork [Tsutomegi]

[Tensei Kaori]

"Yes, yes," Kaori agreed, her mind already casting ahead to the task before her. "You are dismissed."

Just what would she be able to learn from this...?

[strangevisitor]

Bowing steeply as he rose from the chair, the young man thanked her again and turned to leave, wasting no time in leaving as quickly as he was able. Barring any complications, he could be back with what she requested in the hour.

Papers tightly clutched to his chest, he drew in on himself as much as possible, dodging this way and that to avoid others. The less people he bumped into and had to apologize to, the quicker he could get back to the tent and get started.

[Tensei Kaori]

"... hmmm. I think it's likely," Hideki told his ANBU comrade Hoshiko-san as they made their way through the lobby of the administration building, he with his hands in the pockets of his long black interrogator's coat, and she gesturing in her usual manner. She was on her way to inquire about her squad's assignment for tomorrow, while Hideki himself needed to speak with the Hokage about his own job. Some interesting things had surfaced thus far that needed to be brought to her attention, and then there was his upcoming task of coordinating the filtering of the refugees. The two had bumped into each other just outside of the building, and were now engrossed in work talk as they made their way across the lobby...

[strangevisitor]

Thump.

Well, that didn't last long. "Ah..Gomen! I was not watching where I was going.." Utsuro uttered, bowing swiftly to the not one, but TWO people he had just succeeded in bumping into.

S'with the apology? They weren't looking where they were going either!

[Tensei Kaori]

"Oh! It's the kid from the concert!" Hoshiko pointed out with a grin. "Something's... different, though..."

Something was different indeed. Hideki almost didn't recognize the young man in front of him, but after a moment's thought, he did recall a face with similar features rocking out near the front of the stage at the concert a few nights ago. The hair, clothes, and attitude were all completely different. Could this be that Tsutomegi kid he'd heard about?

[strangevisitor]

The...concert...

Hehe. Good times..good times..

"Ah!...y-yes. It was..a very good show, wasn't it?" Honestly, it had been far too loud and packed for his own tastes, but someone had a good time. "S-sorry for bumping into you, again.."

Y'got no taste, kid. No taste at all.

[Tensei Kaori]

"It's fine, it's fine!" Hoshiko was saying cheerfully as Hideki continued his silent, intent study of the boy, committing his features and behavior to memory. So this must be the 'normal' Tsutomegi, then; Hideki hoped that when the kid's name came up for the so-called 'interviews' that it would be this persona who was active rather than the other one Kaori-oba had described.

"Oi, c'mon," came Hoshiko's voice - along with an elbow to his ribs - jarring him back out of his ponderings. "We're gonna be late. See ya, kiddo!"

[strangevisitor]

"Ah, sorry to have held you up!" Bowing swiftly, he scrambled to the side to get out of their way. "H-have a good day."

[Tensei Kaori]

Hideki was already on his way up to the office, but Hoshiko paused to offer a friendly wave. "See ya, kiddo!"

Ayaka sat cross-legged on her cot, staring deep in thought at the papers spread out all around her. She'd lost patience with filling the papers out one at a time due to some obvious blank spots in her knowledge of herself, and thus had spread the sheets out so she could study more than one at a time. A wooden cutting board, stained from years of use, sat in her lap as an impromptu writing desk, but it was empty as she had just put a page back in its spot in the array.

Now.... which paper to work on next?

[strangevisitor]

Finally returning to the tent, it had felt like he had been gone far longer than he truly had. Ayaka-san was even still working on her paperwork.

"I am back.." Closing the tent flap slowly so as not to cause an undue draft, Utsuro shuffled quickly over to his cot and set the envelope down gently, immediately directing his attention to the massive bundle that loomed over his little corner of the tent.

"...here we go." Ropes were deftly untied and loosened, mismatched and patched pieces of fabric folded aside. Reaching within, objected swaddled in tattered and scorched cloth were slowly removed with great care and dedication. Deeper and deeper the boy reached into the strange structure, the sounds of objects shifting around and being relocated dimly voiced.

Ahhhh, so THAT'S where you hid it! Hehe..No, Ichiyuumaihi. Not today. A long, slightly curved bundle, quite obviously a sword, was drawn gingerly from the mass and laid almost reverently upon his pillow. He stared at it for a moment before returning to his task.

More and more bundles were withdrawn, some only to be replaced back into the conglomerate of items, until a modest pile of assorted shapes and sizes sat upon his cot. "I..think that is everything.." He muttered to himself.

[Tensei Kaori]

"Hi, Tsutomegi," Ayaka greeted absently, running her fingertips over the various sheets of paper until she selected one she was able to complete a little further, pulled it onto her 'desk', and began working on it. It wasn't long, though, before all the motion on the other side of the tent caught her attention.

"What're you doing?"

[strangevisitor]

"There are...some things on the paperwork I do not correctly remember to properly fill in. I asked the Hokage, she suggested it might be amongst the information from my village that I brought with me. I am looking for it now." Utsuro stated simply as he began unwrapping a bundle, carefully removing the archaic scroll from within. It was......not what he was looking for.

S'one hell of a complicated technique! Indeed...very old as well.. The scroll was returned to its case with just as much care as it was removed, and he re-wrapped it, moving on. Another technique scroll...a nearly crumbling tome of the Tsutomegi Clan rituals.."Ah. Birth records!"

Now, to just find his own name..

[Tensei Kaori]

"Ah. That makes sense, I guess. Kinda wish I had something like that myself." The paper on her cutting board was all but forgotten as Ayaka watched her tentmate sort through an increasingly interesting collection of scrolls and books.

"Those..." she observed at last, "are really beautiful..."

[strangevisitor]

Utsuro smiled, nodding softly as his fingertips traced the five-pointed star that stood centerpiece to a good portion of the materials. "Nn. Yes...my family...we took...great pride in our Clan...what we had established....accomplished...Most of this...is very old...going back to near the beginning of the Tsutomegi themselves...

"They were made to last...and to be proud of...it is..only fitting that I brought them with me." His eyes continued to travel over the pages of the birth records. At least he knew he would be at the end of the book, or near enough to it.

There it was. Tsutomegi Utsuro....

He laughed. Loudly.

"April 4th. Of course."

[Tensei Kaori]

Ayaka started a little, not used to hearing Tsutomegi make such a loud noise. She was even more surprised when she realized what he must be talking about.

"Ah... Tsutomegi... Could it be that you forgot your birthday?"