Hawks Town is a crowded establishment that sits amidst a thickened forest of trees surrounded by large rocky cliffs. Skirting the boundaries are rundown houses intermixed with upscale markets and accommodation.
The town is a historical site that attracts an unusually high number of foreigners. However, the area borders their targeted destination and thus cannot be dismissed from the interrogation list.
The transient environment proves immensely difficult to discern locals from visitors, albeit with enough intel gathered, they are able to narrow down a suspecting pub that may provide further information on the three-tails.
In a narrow strip between rows of closed buildings and dilapidated warehouses, the pub sits inconspicuously amongst the looming larger buildings.
Light does not cut through the alleyways, so the streets remain in permanent darkness.
Inside, there is nothing in the atmosphere that indicates the place as a pub. The exception is one bartender, who is standing behind the counter looking bored and vacant.
Meanwhile, Deidara is already slumping by the bar, sake in hand and noticeably switched off from his surroundings.
"Are you not a bit young for that?" Rin asks.
Deidara ignores her.
Without speaking or showcasing any pre-emptive action, Tobi takes the bottle from Deidara's grasp and slides it across the bench until it hits against Rin's arm.
He is facing her and she gets the impression he is about to say something, but decides to restrain himself at the last minute.
With that, Rin leaves the two to their own muse.
x
She sits against the comfort of a lounge chair and assimilates the ambience. There is nothing too unusual about her need for some alone time, but her control for such desire is a fanciful notion.
"Hey there."
The speaking man is burly, bushy and has a mild impish look to his grin. He plants himself beside her without permission and watches with an expectation that she will respond.
But Rin remains silent in a futile belief that if she does not speak, he will eventually bored and leave her alone.
"What's a beautiful lady like you doing in this place all alone?" he leans close and places a cold hand to her cheek.
His presence is highly repulsive and unlike anything she has ever encountered before.
When she withdraws in disgust, her gaze seeks the reassurance of her teammates. But to her discontentment, they are no where to be seen.
"What's the matter?" the man asks.
He tracks her uncertain watch to the vacant bar, then closes the gap between his chest and her shoulder.
Is this how strange men speak to women in the real world?
Living in the confinements of the dungeons, she saw no one but her master and his subjects. There was no inclination to speak of anything unrelated, let alone engage in any form of intimacy.
"I have no intentions to engage with you. Please leave me be," she says harshly.
The comment does not bode well.
"You shouldn't speak to me like that if you know what's good for you," he says dangerously.
Though there is a strong urge to slash him with her kunai, she forcibly withholds the aggression with impressive willpower.
He is a civilian. Violence will only disrupt your mission.
"I have no interest in you," she says coldly.
And when she attempts to stand, three men materialise and position themselves around her.
"Going somewhere?" the man asks.
Despite her apprehension, a ridiculous thought strikes.
"Actually, I'm not going anywhere. I need to ask you something," she says steadily.
The men stare with progressive interest.
"Someone here saw a three tailed beast not long ago, do you know who that may be?" she asks casually.
His smirk is unmissable.
"You're looking right at him!" he exclaims.
"Where did you see it?"
"By the Green Lake up in the North Lands of course."
Rin frowns.
His demeanour is unsettling, as if there is an insinuation that an expectation is required in exchange for her questioning.
"And now, what do I get in exchange for answering your questions?"
His lingering gaze is repugnantly laced with a heavy thirst for lust.
"You never asked for anything," she answers sceptically, and she mindfully acknowledges the accuracy in her speculations of this man.
"Oh come on, you don't expect to get such insightful information without giving anything in return do you?" he replies sardonically.
The comment is followed by a hand that runs suggestively against her thigh.
"Don't touch me."
She shoves his hand away and forcibly keeps the panic-stricken voice to a minimal. Again, the imminent fear manifests in the desire for retaliation, but she swiftly halts the suffocating sensation.
Without warning, the man takes her face and squeezes her cheeks in a painful grip.
"You bitch don't tell me what to do-"
"Oi, oi, what's going on here? You men sure are cowards for gaining up on a lonesome woman, hm."
Deidara and Tobi have somehow lodged themselves between the three men so that Rin and the offender are in full view.
"None of your business what we do," the man snaps.
"Might have to bomb these guys don't you think, Tobi?" Deidara sighs.
He pokes the little spider sculpture in his hand so it scuttles back and forth in a deceptively innocuous manner.
"Roger that, senpai!"
The four men eye the sculpture suspiciously, then back over at Rin before making up their minds that fighting in public is not the most feasible idea.
"Fine," the man says.
He stands, but not before tapping Rin across the cheek.
"I'll deal with you later," he says threateningly.
When they are out of sight, Deidara angrily turns on her.
"Are you stupid? Are you not a ninja? Why did you let yourself get harassed? What on earth is wrong with you woman?"
"Hmph, I wouldn't let things go that far. They are civilians, I don't kill people just because they are being slightly aggressive," she says.
"Civilians? Slightly aggressive?" he says incredulously.
"I don't care what you think of me, I'm here to gather information."
"Senpai, let's not argue here," Tobi interrupts as Deidara opens his mouth to retort.
He glares at Tobi but decides to take it as a cue to stop. Then he stalks off, and mutters something that sounds a lot like "women" and "on my team."
When Deidara slams the door behind him, Tobi turns and transfixes his gaze onto Rin. There is apprehension in his demeanour, and for a fleeting moment, it appears as if he is going to do something.
But without a word, he turns and disappears after Deidara.