alchemest1

Ketsueki had sprinted nearly the entire way to the Village. Walking was a waste of time when stealth and careful footing wasn't required. She slowed to a steady run only when the Village gates came into view. She steadied her breathing and regulated her hearbeat. Sprinting throught the streets would draw attention and possibly the guard. Ketsu was not wanted, but she liked her private life of study and didn't want to cloud it with questions and visits from the guard.
Ahead of her she saw a lone figure walking out of the gates. She thought she recognized the man, but she wasn't sure. As she passed him at her trotting pass she allowed herself to clip him. In the breath of a second she slipped her hand into his pocket and came away with a bit of a stumble looking over her shoulder acting a bit annoyed as the man apologised and walked on. It never failed to amaze her how little ppl realized what was happening to them when in their own thoughts. As soon as the man was out of site she opened the Wallet she had lifted. Yuji Itou. Age 24.
Ketsu quirked her lips and tapped the wallet on her palm. Yes..Yes, she remembered him. He owned a teashop a bit down the road from her shop. He had actually bought herbs from her sevral times claiming there were none better in the region. Ketsu leafed through the wallet finding a few odds and ends the most notable things she notices was first there was onle one photo in the wallet. A young kunoich in a read and white outfit with her hair tied up. The picture was worn and faded, not by age, but by constant handle it seemed. The other thing she found was a Shinobi registration card and a few what apperared to be half written Jutsu on a scrap of paper as well as a list of research books from the Villages restricted section of the Library. Ketsu gave a small hmph. The last thing of note was a single pin that looked like it had never been worn that had Yuji's name on it and a ask for support for him as Kage. Ketsu raised a brow and shrugged. Looks like he hadn't succeeded since the little brat now wore that hat. Ketsu wondered what kind of man Yuji was. He was either to inept to have one the post or the Village feared him as a leader and chose the lesser of two evils. She didn't know and to be honest she didn't care. She wandered the streets trying to find the reason for her urge to come into the Village still carrying the lifted wallet. She passed a simple ramen shop and noticed a child staring in. His clothes were worn and dirty. He must be an urchin. She sighed, she cared little for humanity, but she some reason had a soft spot for chilren in need. She checked the zipped cash pocket of the wallet and blinked at the amount she found. She pulled out the wad of cash and tapped the young boy on the shoulder and handed him the whole wad without stopping for thanks. She wandered around the Village for a bit longer. She couldn't find the reason for the urge. She tapped the wallet against her thigh absently thinking. She looked down at the wallet and read the address on the id card. Hmmm. Maybe this was it. A former candidtate for kage. Who knows. Maybe there would be some resentment in this Yuji..... Resentment usually led to jobs for her kind of work . Ketsu shrugged, Nothing better to do tonight why not. She strolled out of the village and as she passed the first bend i the road she doned the silver plated mask that covered her features and made her way to the address in the wallet.

((Nice touch on the wallet!))

Yuji took his time walking, keeping his eyes down mostly, though he kept scanning around for threats. Old training died hard, he supposed. Right now, he wished for Orochimaru to show up. The bastard was impossible to kill, which meant Yuji didn't have to hold back. 

Stop it. He's gone, too.

Yuji's stride held until he got a few miles away. He decided to stop and change his clothes. Wearing this shinobi gear no longer fit him. He was still officially a citizen of the Leaf, but he was just as easily a businessman. He tended to wear western suits when he was alone and not teaching Battoujutsu or Kyudo, or performing a tea ceremony. Now he figured he would have time to pick up calligraphy as well. He was certainly retired from the shinobi business.

Ought to burn that registration card of mine. ...damn that little pickpocket! There were a week's worth of receipt's in that wallet!

Yuji immediately stopped that. It was no one's fault but his own if he was robbed. 
--

Yuji arrived back at his tea house, finding his sole other employee waiting for him. 

She was...well, no other word for it- sexy. Long black hair, the perfect figure, and bedroom eyes that were set squarely on Yuji. The black cocktail dress she wore outlined her figure as she got up and moved gracefully to Yuji's side. 

Normally, just to embarrass him, she would more or less sloppily make out with him. But today, she could see the heartbreak that he hid from everyone else. She pulled him into a hug. The guests of the tea house didn't notice- most of them were either enjoying expertly made tea, or they were too into their companions to take notice of what the owner and his waitress were doing.

"They're fools, Azami," said Yuji, burying his face in her shoulder. "Whether I won or lost wasn't the point. They chose to-"

"-destroy their freedom, and ruin their way of life. I know, Yuji. And I'm sorry."

Azami stepped back, her hands on Yuji's shoulders, sizing him up. Tonight was not the night to play her usual game with him. Instead, she guided him toward his office in the back of the tea house. It separated Yuji's dojo from the tea house.

"Your students will be happy to know you'll be their teacher still," Azami told Yuji, sitting him down at his desk. She perched herself on the corner of the desk. Unabashedly these days, he began to change his clothes. She watched with interest as his shimobi attire slipped off his slim, muscular figure. All too soon, she thought, it was replaced by a crisp white shirt, black dress pants, and a black suit jacket. 

"I've been thinking," Yuji commented, standing up. "Let's open that bar and izakaya you talked about after we first met. Now that I'm retired I can certainly make the time. And I'll have the most beautiful bartender in the world. We'll hire some innocent-looking kids to run the tea house when we aren't here."

"Are you saying I don't look innocent?" Azami asked, a pout in her voice. She herself had pointed out that she looked the part of the bad girl she lived. She slid off his desk and behind his back, massaging his shoulders. Before they could talk further, they both perked up.

"We have a new customer," Azami said, getting up. Yuji followed her. She looked at him in question, assuming he would want to be alone. But she didn't say anything. Instead, they both stepped out of the back. 

"Welcome! Table for one?" Azami said to the new guest.

Ketsu had found the teahouse with now trouble. She had known roughly where it was and now she stood in the doorway head bowed and hood up hiding her masked face. The attractively dressed female smiled and welcomed her. Ketsu sized her up. There was more than met the eye to the woman in the black dress. Here poise suggested a keen fighter and she was sure from the way she had glimpsed her massaging Yuji's shoulders though the partially open office door a fierce lover as well. Ketsu smirked under her mask. If wasn't already taken this woman was the kind she probably have flirted with herself...come to think of it Yuji freshly changed into the suit was to. She gave him a critical eye never raising her head or showing her mask. Not with this may ppl around. She wondered if Yuji realized he had missed a button on his shirt. She quickly scanned the room noting exits and possible means of escape a habit of hers. She also noted that around the tea house were several weapons hidden in plain sight as decorative pieces. Yuji seemed to be a it of a jumpy one. This intrigued her. A long interesting past must lie behind this man. Her observations took no more than a second. She nodded her head and followed the woman in black and accepted the menu of teas. She felt a bit of pride when she scanned it and saw a note labeling one of Yuji's personal favorites as a tea that had been grown and purchased from her shop. As the Woman in black bustled away Yuji walked up. She wondered if it was his custom to greet every guest or if he was suspicious of her. She didn't really care if he was after all it was him she had come to see.

((I like her! She seems fun to write about! Perfect fit for you, I think :) ))

Yuji stalked through the village, vaguely hurt that no one had really tried to stop him. Not least of all Sakura. Even if she was interested in Naruto, or had her heart set on Sasuke, they were still friends, right? And yet...nothing.

They probably think I'm just being a sore loser. Give it time, and they'll be the sore ones. Stupid fools. What's next? A ban on weapons? Legal weapons that save lives? This place has gone to hell.

Yuji untied his hitai-ate as he walked He shed his vest next, leaving his black undershirt and black combat pants. He put on his long, black coat over it all, vowing to change once he got to...wherever he was going.

Sand? No. Their leader is strong, but too influenced by Naru...Lord Hokage. Besides, I don't seek sanctuary. I seek a purpose. A place that will accept me. A place more in tune with what I believe. Like the Leaf used to be.

Yuji's fist clenched again. Stop thinking of that which will never come again. Act alone, like you did before. Don't assume you have allies.

Yuji stopped thinking about that, focusing only on where to go. For now, though it was an obvious place, he would go back to his business, in the town of Kanzo. It was only a few miles away. But there was no reason for him to hurry up and leave. He had committed no crime, and it seemed like people were just going to let him 'throw a tantrum', and then welcome him back. Not that they would come after him anyway. Not with Naruto in charge.

As he left the village, a female ran by him. He bowed his head and said 'excuse me', then kept walking. In Kanzo, he would go ahead and make his money, and perhaps the Leaf would approach him.

Yuji watched as the council placed the Hokage's hat on Naruto's head. He swallowed a load of bile; frustrated and angry. Outwardly, he was smiling. He saw Sakura glance at him, and gulp. She was one of the few who knew this particular smile was laced with poison.

Naruto began a short speech; Yuji tuned out. He felt out of place now, dressed like a Leaf shinobi. He had never felt so...left out. Naruto had managed to win everyone over, despite Yuji's experience. His training. His right, damn it! He had trained with the Third Hokage, and he had remained in the village, following orders! And now Naruto, the sudden darling of the village, had made his dream come true. 

It was a death warrant for the Leaf. Naruto was going to destroy the village with his childish, idealistic policies. Less weapons? Less active troops? In a time of war?! Ridiculous! 

And Yuji! He had been dragged through the mud for simply being successful. Since when was running a business and making money evil?

His gloved fist clenched and teeth ground against each other behind his smile. That was when he heard his name.

"Yuji, what do you say?" Naruto asked, his face brimming with a huge smile. "Be my advisor. I can't think of anyone better for the job."

All at once, Yuji's voice came out. His smile faded, and his fists clenched harder. "I must decline, Lord Hokage."

There was a shocked silence. No one had ever passed on such a high position before! Not since Jiraiya had passed on the Hokage position. That people had understood! But Yuji...for Yuji, who had once been hailed as the 'consumate shinobi', to simply say 'no'...

"Wh-why not?" Naruto asked before he could stop himself.

Yuji's mind was split in two. He should answer the leader of the village; a warrior should be truthful whenever possible. But to say such a thing...
"I no longer believe in this Village, Lord Hokage. I think your policies will get us all killed. And I think you have no need for me- what use is a warrior in a culture where wars will be waged through papers that say 'we surrender' on them? I have no use for a nation that would shun someone for simply being successful."

With that, Yuji stepped through the stunned crowd gathered around. They had been on the roof of the Hokage Mansion, and Yuji simply let himself fall off the building, landing on his feet, and moving toward the gaint green gates that led to the outside of the village.

Ketsueki Looked up as the sound of explosions echoed across the forest; her body tenses and she dropped the trowl she had in her hand letting one of her hidden blades replace it with a flex of her wrist. She scanned the obscured view of the Village of the Leaf squinting through the dense brush and trees looking for signs of trouble. A second explosion echoed out and she blinked as she saw a burst of color over the Center of the Village. Fireworks. It had only been fireworks. She cracked her neck and let her guard drop.
She had forgotten today was the Official corination of the Leaf's new Kage Naruto Uzumaki. Ketsueki snorted and turned her back on the distant village. She held little reguard for the boy. for that was exactly what he was. A boy. Full of personal ideals, false hopes and childish dreams. She sighed and picked up her trowl and tossed it across the neatly groomed garden landing it effortlessly in the wooden bin holding the tools.
From what she could tell this new Kage would probably mean less work for her. He seemed to have a more non-aggressive approach for the war than the previous Kage had. Then again with less violence and such allowed by the Leafs Military purhaps it would mean an increase in business. She would wait for her contacts in ANBU to decide if it was worth staying near this Village. She had little attachment to it, but she had to admit that in years of late there had been plenty of action and work for her because of the village. Purhaps this was coming to an end.
Ketsueki turned and looked back at the village through the leaves. An irony she never tired of. She wasn't sure why but she had a pulling urge to go to the village. Aside from missions she could count on one hand the number of times she had gone into the village simply as Ketsu the Herbalist. She had learned that her urges usually led to things of interest so against her gut she strolled off towards the green gates of Konohagakure with a sigh.

I think we should try the RP on your profile. Seemed to work last time if it's OK with you. These are what my OC's look like, plus a backstory:

Yuji Itou; age 24
Former student of Third Hokage. Challenged both Danzou and Naruto for Hokage title; was overruled each time. He refused to be part of Naruto's administration so he left the village, resulting in some of the Leaf to see him as an enemy. Other believe him to be necessary to the village. This leads to attempts to assasinate him. He has since started wearing either a western-style suit and dark glasses, or a hakama (for when he instructs in Battoujutsu or Kyujutsu). His heart seems to have been shattered, and his personality has changed to quiet and deadly. He currently owns a tea house, bar, and runs a dojo.  He is learning caligraphy and the tea ceremony; something his former master insisted he try.

Azami Hayashi; age 21
Had once attempted to capture Yuji for the bounty on his head (200,000 ryo). He freed her from her corrupt employers and helped her earn pardons in many of the villages in which she commited crimes. Therefore, she is loyal to him, but still quite the bounty hunter. She considers herself his protector since she witnessed him at his lowest point.
She tends to wear long, black gowns; dark pants and matching top that cover her breasts with chainmail covering her midsection; she is also often around Yuji in a black half-tank and panties. She's shapely, attractive, aggressive toward what she wants, and a strong fighter.

As for Naruto...I'll PM you that once I have more time. Don't want to put any spoilers out there for anyone who doesn't want them.