Negotiation between civilians, especially wealthy civilians, was not difficult to do. Most who came to the Uchiha with a mission had lots of funds, willing to throw as much money at them as they asked to get the job done. The Uchiha and Senju were the most expensive clans to hire in the land of fire, known as the most dangerous and capable shinobi. That also meant the two were the only clans able to match one another's strength, so if someone hired the Uchiha for protection, the person with the intention to attack would usually hire the Senju.
Asami had negotiated with civilians many times. Wealthy people who wanted someone to oversee the transportation of their goods were the most common missions she was chosen for. There had only been one time when she was assigned a mission to protect someone, but that had been over a year ago. It was for a lord from a civilian village near the border of the Land of Fire and Land of Iron. It was a lengthy mission and lasted about a month—probably the longest she had ever been away from home.
Point was, she had negotiated and needed to act diplomatically with civilians, but not other clans. She had the feeling it would be different in this case, as the clans were on even ground. The Uchiha wanted things from the Fuma, and the Fuma wanted things from the Uchiha. It wasn't like a civilian mission where they would pay almost any price the Uchiha asked and the Uchiha had the upper hand. The Uchiha were much more powerful than the Fuma, but it didn't mean the alliance wasn't valuable or they didn't want their goods. As powerful as the Uchiha was, alliances were something they didn't turn their nose up at.
Izuna said negotiations with clans were practically the as negotiations with civilians, but she wasn't sure she agreed.
Asami packed up her things, consisting of a couple change of clothes and extra weapons. She was packing light as they would only be gone for less than a week.
The top half of her hair was pulled back into a braid, the rest of it loose down her back, the tips ending just before her waist. She wore a black yukata with the traditional Uchiha high neck, the ends of her long, face-framing bangs hidden inside of it. Her chokuto was attached to her hip, a holster of shinobi tools hanging on the opposite side.
Asami walked over to her dresser, a small vanity mirror on top of it. She picked up her brush and ran it through the bottom half of her hair, deciding a quick brush wouldn't hurt before she packed it up with her other things. She looked at her reflection as she untangled any knots that had formed from the morning.
Her long, thin face framed by long black side bangs carried its usual frown. She didn't think she was frowning, but now as she looked at herself with her features relaxed, she looked very emotionless besides the downward quirk of her mouth. It made her think back to when she had stared at herself in the reflection of her chokuto before the battle with the Senju those weeks ago. Her eyes weren't any better, small and framed by long, thick eyelashes, narrowed slightly as she took in her expression.
Asami wasn't one to stare at herself in the mirror and analyze her appearance. Most of her day was spent in the training fields with Izanami, practicing her ninjutsu, or dealing with some business for her older cousins. Her free time to just lounge around went from little to almost non-existent the moment Madara became clan head. Moments where she simply got to be in her own company were few and far between.
Finishing up, she put her brush in her pack before closing it and swinging it over her shoulder. She walked out of her room and shut the door behind her, turning to walk down the hallway. She passed the doorways to a few unused rooms, including what she knew used to be Kano's, then Wataru's room. The downward quirk of her mouth dipped lower at the thought of her cousins who she now outlived by six years. She continued on though, not wanting to fall into a state of melancholy today. Especially when she needed to be focused on the mission ahead.
While the fleeting thought of her twin cousins had caused her mood to take a slight dip, the moment she passed Hana's room, she couldn't force herself to continue on as she had before.
Her steps came to a stop. She stared ahead, eyes trained on the front door at the end of the hall. She tilted her head down, eyeing the door to her sister's room with just her peripheral vision.
She could barely see the door without turning around, but she had no intention to face that today. Maybe someday she would have enough courage to go inside, but the hopeful thought that maybe Hana was just simply inside her room, and not... not dead, gave her a sliver of comfort.
She continued on to the entryway, sliding on her sandals at the front door and leaving the home.
She made her way through the village, given polite bows of respect or tips of the head in acknowledgment as she passed, but not much more was given. Not that she was expecting it anyway. Part of her wished she was regarded as a normal member of the clan, or not at all. The attention could make her uncomfortable, and she preferred to just sink into the background sometimes. She liked to watch, and take in things around her like a fly on the wall. Though as a member of the main family now, and one of the few left, she knew that wish wouldn't be granted. She had responsibilities that were more important than her wishes.
Asami came to the edge of the compound seeing that one other person was already there.
"Hikaku-san." Asami greeted, coming up to stand beside him.
Uchiha Hikaku was a tall man, his short, light brown hair tied up into a ponytail, long bangs framing his face. He wore a high neck, dark purple yukata, the tip of his chin hidden inside the neck of the garbs. He regarded her with an analytical stare through thick lashes.
He was twenty-three and an adept shinobi. He was engaged to a pretty woman who helped work in Kaori's bakery, but she hadn't formally met the woman. Asami also didn't know Hikaku well, but she had plenty of interactions with the man for him to be somewhat familiar. Madara trusted him a lot, and that in itself was enough for her. She felt a little reassured knowing he was going to be accompanying her to the Fuma.
"Asami-sama." He said also in greeting. "You're early."
"Aren't you?" She asked, tilting to head to the side with a raised brow, looking at him in mild amusement.
"Yes. But I'm always early."
"I am too. I don't like being late to things." Asami held a hand to her face in mock thought. "I suppose you could say punctuality is one of my strong suits."
Truthfully, it was because she couldn't fathom the embarrassment that would come with being late for a mission. Not even just in the eyes of others, but herself too. If she couldn't be on time, what kind of discipline did that show? The thought almost made her flush in embarrassment.
"Izanami-san should be here soon." Replied Hikaku, looking a little amused at her comment about being punctual. "Let's hope your sensei has the same values you do about arriving on time."
Asami grimaced slightly, already knowing the answer to that. "Izanami isn't usually late, but occasionally she will lose track of time..."
Minutes later Asami spotted Izanami walking over to them, Madara at her side. The two were having a conversation, Madara rolling his eyes a bit at something she said. Izanami looked to be chiding him about something, which to most would have seemed like a strange interaction, especially as Madara was the clan leader and Izanami was just another shinobi of the Uchiha. But Izanami and Madara had known each other since they were children and trained often together since they were so close in age. Izanami was twenty-three now, a year older than Madara who was twenty-two. They were good friends.
Once the two reached Hikaku and Asami, their conversation came to stop.
"Hikaku," Madara greeted, giving him a nod.
"Madara-sama."
Madara turned to Asami, fishing a scroll out from inside of his yukata and handing it to her. "This is the letter addressed to the Fuma clan leader, Fuma Jin. Take a look at it before giving it to him so you're aware of the parameters of the trade for the summer. If he has any questions or qualms do as you see fit. I think you know well enough what is to our benefit and what isn't. I have faith in you. Don't be intimidated by them either. The Fuma, while our distant cousins, are no match for us. They need us more than we need them."
Madara gave her a small smirk. "But that doesn't mean I want you to throw the whole trade deal away just because you were given some lip, hm?"
Asami couldn't help the quirk of her own mouth, taking the scroll and putting it inside of her pack. "Understood."
His words did help ease her anxiety a bit. She thought before the Fuma and Uchiha were on even footing when it came to something such as negotiating trade, but the truth was the Uchiha were above them. They could single-handedly wipe the Fuma out if they really wanted to, meaning the Fuma would need to be wise with their demands as to not push their buttons.
The Fuma weren't idiots—they were aware the Uchiha beat them in terms of manpower and strength, meaning they weren't a force they wanted to poke at. Not that the Uchiha would consider doing anything drastic such as wiping them out—not without being provoked, anyway.
Izanami hummed, shaking her head a bit. "I haven't been to the Fuma in ages. Last time I went I must have been... seventeen?"
"It's been a while since we've negotiated in person. It either means the Fuma are desperate for more help, or they're going to ramp up their demands out of arrogance." Madara furrowed his brows. "I'm not sure which it is, but I'm interested to hear what they have to say."
"We should try to make it at least halfway there today. We could probably stop in a civilian village since it'll take almost two days to reach the Fuma clan's compound." Said Asami, doing the mental calculations to estimate how long it would take them to reach their territory.
The Fuma were located toward the edge of the Land of Fire, close to the border of the Land of Rivers. It would take about two days to reach them if they moved quickly, which Asami was planning on doing. That was, if they weren't caught up by anything annoying that led to them being sidetracked. The Fuma were expecting them sometime during the week.
Madara nodded. "I'll see you when you get back then. Safe travels."
Asami nodded in response, the group taking off in quick blurs with the use of a shunshin.
Madara now stood alone, closing his eyes and letting out a deep sigh. He crossed his arms, tipping his chin so the majority of his face was covered by the high neck of his yukata. He did have faith in Asami, but letting her go only a few weeks after Hana's death made him a bit nervous. He hoped he was making the right decision.
The three reappeared a little ways from the compound, standing close together along the branches of the trees that littered the edge of the Uchiha lands.
"Halfway today, and halfway tomorrow?" Asked Izanami, looking over to Asami.
She nodded, looking at the woman who was once her sensei, but who she now may have very well surpassed in the measurement of skills. "That's the plan."
Hikaku gave a noise of acknowledgment, and the group was off again, sprinting through the trees as they made their way toward the Land of Rivers.
No one said anything, their movements completely silent as they made their way through the forest. Not even the sound of their sandals hitting the bark as they landed on one branch and went to the next rang out. The only thing Asami could hear was the sound of the wind rushing past her ears, but she knew that was just something for her only.
It was refreshing to run like this. Izanami and Hikaku weren't talkers, which she appreciated. It made it easy for her to clear her head, the mindless movement of sprinting through the forest not calling for much brainpower. She appreciated the freeing feeling that spread through her. After the weeks she had endured, clawing back from the despair that threatened to consume her after Hana's death, supporting Madara's transition to clan leader, and the discovery of her Mangekyo Sharingan—it was what she needed.
Asami was rather quick, so she did have to watch her pacing as Hikaku and Izanami followed behind her in a 'V' formation. Physical strength was something she lacked, so she had to make up for it over the years in her speed and dexterity. She lacked strength especially in comparison to Madara and Izuna, since they were practically built of muscle due to being men. Not that she couldn't become strong, but it was definitely much more difficult for her to do in comparison.
So instead of focusing her effort on building strength, she put more energy into her stamina, speed, and flexibility. It was common for women to take this route anyway, as they were much smaller and their bodies were more responsive to flexibility training. Provided, it was an advantage on the battlefield when her opponent was a man who was larger and had more mass to him. She was quick and agile.
If she really wanted to, she could have put more effort into building strength, as it wasn't impossible to do. Izanami was one of the few kunoichi that put emphasis on building strength and muscle mass. Physically, Izanami was much stronger than Asami, but Asami was faster. She was even faster than Izuna, just barely coming under Madara. Though she hadn't tested her speed against her eldest cousin in some time, so that may have changed.
Even if she was faster, the two elder cousins outranked her by miles with their physical strength and muscle mass.
Her pacing shouldn't be too much of a problem, but it was something she needed to pay attention to. She didn't want Hikaku and Izanami to be exhausted by the time they hit the village to rest for the night.
According to the map she had taken a look at earlier, the village that was close to halfway to the Fuma was a village called Tanzaku Quarters. When Asami mentioned it to Izuna, he grimaced, making a comment about how 'if that was the only option...' leaving her with a raised brow. She wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean, but she decided to just ignore his commentary and use it as a destination anyway.
It was a newer village, only gaining attraction from civilians recently. Asami didn't know much about it, besides the fact it was a popular trade destination, civilians traveled there for goods and to enjoy themselves. Sometimes shinobi would stay there as they passed through, but many were wary of allowing a shinobi into their inn, fearing it would seem as though they were choosing allies. If they were to ally with a certain clan, then they would also be making enemies by doing so. Civilians needed to tread carefully when acting with ninjas.
The group had been traveling for almost the whole day now. They were a little ways from Tanzaku Quarters, streaks of orange, pink, and purple beginning to cover the sky. Since they were nearing the summer, the sun had been up for longer than usual, but their daylight was starting to run out. Thankfully they were such a short distance to the village, so reaching it before night fell wouldn't be an issue.
The group hadn't spoken much the whole way there, not really finding any topics of conversation to be of interest. That was until Hikaku called out to her.
"Asami-sama." He said, seeming as though he was taking the care to be quiet. "Do you sense that?"
Asani focused, noticing a larger group of chakra signatures nearby.
The chakra signatures were well developed, so it wasn't as though the group was made up of civilians. It was a group of seven shinobi a little ways away, lingering near a running river, but annoyingly enough they were right through the path they needed to take. They needed to cross the river to get to Tanzaku Quarters. If they wanted to avoid them as to not have any conflict, they would have to go around by far so the group wouldn't pick up on their signatures. Since they were such a big group there was a high chance they would seek them out, as there were only three of them in comparison.
There was also the chance the group had already noticed them, since Hikaku picked up on their signatures already to notify Asami.
"I think we should attack." Said Izanami. "While they're a large group, we're quite skilled."
Hikaku made a bit of a face, not liking her idea. "We have no idea who they are. Not that I don't think we could handle a group that size, but if it's the Senju, for example, it's not going to be as easy. We don't want to show up to the Fuma beaten and battered."
"I think we should just attack." Izanami reiterated, glanced over to the male that was running alongside her. She squinted at him, a bit annoyed that he said something that rivaled her opinion. "But it's not up to you. Or me."
The two went quiet, waiting for Asami's instruction.
"We'll approach and observe what clan they hail from. If once we get a look we think we can handle them easily, then we'll do so." Asami shook her head. "I would prefer to not go all the way around. It would put us almost half a day behind. Besides, they've probably already noticed us. Or if they haven't yet, they will at some point soon. We wouldn't be able to put distance between us fast enough for them not to notice."
Asami grimaced. "I do worry about our energy though. We've been traveling almost all day. I'm alright, but are you two up to par enough to fight?"
"Of course I am," Izanami replied curtly.
"Yes." Said Hikaku, giving Izanami another look, though he brushed her brashness off and looked to Asami's back.
"Alright then. We'll close in and observe. If they're manageable, we'll attack. If not, we'll have to try and sneak by."
The group of Uchiha masked their chakra, closing in on the large group of enemy shinobi that still had not done the same. Once they reached the river, they spread out, the three Uchiha standing on their respective branch concealed by the canopy of trees. While the three could see each other from different angles, the group below by the river had not noticed them.
Usually, it would have been easy to notice the chakra signatures, especially at such close proximity, but because the group of Uchiha had masked their chakra still, they remained hidden. Chakra masking was still a relatively new skill, and most hadn't mastered it fully. It was difficult to maintain the stealthy skill for long periods of time, so the group of Uchiha couldn't observe for too long without giving away their positions.
The group of shinobi by the river seemed to be bickering with each other, but since Asami was so far away she couldn't hear anything. The area of the river they were near was slow-moving, the speed of the water picking up a little ways down with the dip of the terrain. Here the water was calm, and while a few of the shinobi were arguing, some were choosing to wash off their weapons or other possessions.
Activating her Sharingan, she focused on the closest shinobi to her, paying attention to the clan symbol that rested on his armor. They wore heavy armor, very similar to the Senju and Sarutobi. Upon that closer inspection of the clan symbol, she could tell why that was—these ninja belonged to the Shimura clan.
An ally of the Senju and Sarutobi—she did not like them. But they were not as skilled as the Senju, and comparable to the Sarutobi in skill level if not lesser, so it seemed reasonable.
Asami felt as though they could take them. While she was a bit tired from the run, she hadn't been building up her stamina for nothing. She needed to be prepared for stations such as these. If Izanami and Hikaku felt as though they were confident in the outcome of a battle against these ninja, then she wouldn't oppose. While fighting them was a bit time-consuming, it was a favorable option compared to traveling farther up the river and pushing back their arrival time to the Fuma.
Asami looked over to Hikaku and nodded, looking for a sign of confirmation from him. He nodded as well. She then glanced to Izanami, who also gave her a nod in response.
Taking off her pack, she dropped it on the branch beside her feet, it landing with a quiet thunk. Asami brushed the fringe from her eyes with one hand, the other slowly pulling the chokuto from its sheath at her side. The sound of mental was quiet as she drew it, eyes locked on the man who stood closest to the river, his back facing her.
She launched off the branch with a hard push of her chakra, sailing through the air and overtop the group. She landed on top of the man in a crouch, her chokuto sliding through him as she landed. She knocked him into the water face first, delivering death with one blow. Blood leaked from his body, creeping into the clear water and coating the river rock near him red.
One of the shinobi who was cleaning his weapon by the water let out a cry of shock, Asami's quick kill to his comrade sending him into a panicked frenzy. He lunged for her with the kunai in his hand, but she dodged his attack with a quick step to the side, his emotions causing him to act sloppy. She regarded him with a passive expression, the Shimura clan member stumbling to regain his footing from the aggressive lunge.
Asami kicked the man into the water, the shinobi landing just feet away from the body of the first man she killed who was still face down in the water. The alive Shimura sat in the shallow water, eyeing the dead man with wide eyes.
Izanami and Hikaku were fighting the others behind her, the clang of metal from their weapons ringing out along with the occasional grunt. One of the Shimura sailed past her, landing a little ways out from the man she had kicked into the water.
Forming the rat seal with the hand around her chokuto, lightning coursed through the blade, crackling with a brilliant white blue. The lightning cast shadows across her face, the darkening sky above only emphasizing the brightness of the elemental jutsu. Darting forward, she slammed the end of the chokuto into the water, the lightning spreading from her blade and across the river, coating the body of water like an untamable animal.
The two Shimura let out cries of agony, the lightning coating their bodies and creating intense burns as it covered them. Another Shimura sailed past her and into the water, also falling into the trap of electrical death.
She let up on the jutsu, pulling back on the thread of chakra that she had been feeding into the blade. The lighting that spread across the water began to dissipate, the last of the lightning disappearing with a light crackle, before vanishing altogether.
It was quiet now, the bodies lay limp in the river, smoking. The smell of burning flesh was strong, but Asami ignored it, having become accustomed to it over the years. Fire ninjutsu especially would create smells such as that, but lightning would have a more intense, metal smell along with it.
Asami was adept in fire ninjutsu, but lightning was different from fire in the way it could be controlled. Fire was wild, hot, and all-consuming. Comparitavley, lightning was controlled and sharp, making it much more favorable in her eyes. She felt as though she could guide it much more effectively, and found herself drawn to learning more lightning ninjutsu over the years. The Uchiha were known for their skill with fire, so of course, she still had a decent amount of fire ninjutsu under her belt, but her preference lied with lightning.
Asami stood slowly, observing the dead bodies as the sun set. Asami looked down at her reflection, the ever-present frown on her face distorted from the ripples in the water, the dead bodies floating in it disrupting the relatively still waters.
Hikaku appeared beside her in the reflection, holding something out to her. She looked away from the water to see he was offering her a scroll, and took it from him with her free hand. She sheathed her sword to open the scroll, reading its contents.
"I found it on one of the Shimura. I'm not sure why there were so many of them here, but it must have been to do something that required a decent amount of men." Commented Hikaku, looking behind him at the bodies of the dead Shimura that hadn't been thrown into the river of lightning created by Asami.
Izanami came to stand beside Hikaku, arms crossed. She looked at the smoking bodies in the water that had begun to float downstream, the only one to stay put being the first man Asami had killed since half of his body was on land.
Izanami let out a whistle. "I don't remember ever teaching you that."
Asami was still eyeing the contents of the scroll, not bothering to look at her. "Because you didn't. I taught myself that. Technically, that's my jutsu."
Izanami made a face. "Lightning in water isn't a new trick."
"Haven't seen anyone use it like that before." Replied Asami, rolling up the scroll.
Hikaku looked at her expectantly, wondering about the contents of the scroll.
"I need to send Madara-nii a letter about what to do with this information." She began, looking at the scroll as though it was a foreign object she was trying to figure out. "The Shimura are planning a meeting with the Senju and Sarutobi to discuss trade and possibly a retaliation against the Uchiha. From the contents of the letter, it seems as though the Senju are not enthusiastic about this idea. The Sarutobi is not opposed to the Shimura's proposal of attack, but for whatever reason, the Senju are not as on board, and are calling for more discussion." Asami grimaced, rubbing her chin in thought.
It was odd how the Senju were protesting the idea of an attack on the Uchiha. It was possible they were still hurting from the fight that had only occurred weeks before, but the behavior was still unusual. Most of the time, the Senju would bounce back and be eager to attack the Uchiha, especially when they were forced to retreat. It was a way for them to salvage their pride and get a good hit on the Uchiha after suffering a loss. Especially after losing their clan leader, she would figure there would be a more aggressive push to get that revenge.
But something was different here. Asami had a feeling it had to do with the new leader of the Senju clan. Senju Hashirama—the tall, long-haired shinobi who harnessed wood release. He was relentless and a powerful man, which was why he often fought against Madara when there was a tussle between the clans. He was a revered shinobi who had an incredible amount of strength, so she knew the apprehension from the clan couldn't have been because they were afraid of the Uchiha.
She was, overall, a bit puzzled.
Asami wiggled the scroll in the air, looking over at Hikaku and Izanami. "Something about revenge for a member of the main Sarutobi family. Apparently, he was supposed to have an arranged marriage with a member of the Shimura—thus the increased anger. The Sarutobi went to the fight to support the Senju against us, which is why the Sarutobi is essentially, blaming them for his death."
"Weren't you the one who killed him?" Asked Hikaku.
Asami made a face, thinking about the way she had burned him alive with the use of her Mangekyo. "Yes."
Izanami smirked, appearing to be pleased with the information about their enemies. She was very smug. "Looks as though you caused a bit of trouble among the Senju dogs, hm? Quite funny. You really screwed with the fragile relationship they have with their allies."
Asami sighed, shaking her head as she slid the scroll inside her yukata. "It seems that way, but it wasn't really my intention."
Izanami tucked her hand under her opposite arm, throwing up her open palm to the air in an exasperated manner. She shot Asami an incredulous look. "Is that not a good thing? We want them to be hurting."
"Anything else that may seem of importance?" Asked Hikaku, giving Asami a way to dodge Izanami's exasperated question. He crossed his arms, eyeing Izanami out of the corner of his eye.
"They're planning to have a meeting in the coming week. I'm not sure what Madara-nii is going to plan to do, but we can't take the Sarutobi, Shimura, and the Senju alone," She sighed, placing a hand on her hip. She turned her gaze back over the water, eyeing the smoking bodies. "But that isn't our concern at the moment. For now, our only objective is to reach the Fuma and negotiate. We have even more of an incentive for this to turn in our favor, in case it comes down to a battle between the Senju and their allies. We won't fair well if we go against them alone, so we need to strengthen our relationship with our own allies. We may have to turn to them for support."
Izanami chuckled, flicking her hair over her shoulder. She eyed Asami with an amused expression, her brow quirked a bit. "You sound like an acting commander, Asami-chan. I'm not used to you speaking like this. I kind of like it, though."
Asami frowned, the brashness of her old sensei still not something she had been able to get used to. "I have a responsibility as one of Madara-nii's right hands. Why wouldn't I take this seriously?"
Asami didn't wait for her response, walking away from the water and into the forest. She jumped from the ground and onto the tree branch where she left her pack. She swung it back over her shoulder, turning around to see Izanami and Hikaku had followed her lead to retrieve their own things.
"Let's get to Tanzaku Quarters before it gets any darker. We need to be up early as to make it to the Fuma before nightfall tomorrow." Asami said, looking up at the stars beginning to appear in the sky.
She was not a fan of traveling in the night. It made it easier for someone to sneak up on them. Thankfully though, the group crossed the river and continued on, reaching the village in under an hour without any more issues.
It was quite large, actually. Tall wooden walls encasing the sounds of people inside, warm lighting leaking from the entrance to the village, two tall torches stuck in the ground a few feet from it.
Asami led the way, Hikaku and Izanami trailing behind her as they made their way inside the village. Lanterns hung off of the buildings, basking the village in warm light. There were many civilians loitering in the street, some standing around and speaking to each other, while others were sitting at various food stalls and eating a late dinner.
No one approached them, casting hesitant glances in their direction. Especially when they noticed the Uchiha clan crest resting on the back of their yukatas, and the weapons attached to their sides, no one wanted to come near them. People even seemed to be sliding out of their way, not wanting to get closer to an Uchiha than they had to.
Asami wasn't ignorant to the fear these people seemed to regard them with. It was a little unnerving and upset her a bit. They weren't going to hurt anyone—but even if that were their intentions, it's not like the civilians were to know that. They were nothing compared to shinobi, civilians knowing ninja as nothing more than war machines who could wield the elements and move faster than the blind eye could follow.
A shinobi could end a civilian's life without batting an eye, so to them, it was much safer to stay away. The Uchiha's legend wasn't any better, the demonic, spinning wheel of their eye and the large fires they wielded delivering the average civilian child nightmares.
The Uchiha characteristics weren't exactly... inviting either. Tall, dark hair, paired with long thin faces that were usually expressionless, or carried some kind of frown—it wasn't exactly an appearance that seemed inviting.
Shouts came form a particular food stall as the group passed, some kind of bar fight breaking out. A man flew out from inside, landing at Asami's feet. The group stopped walking, Asami peering down at the civilian male that laid on the ground before her.
The man couldn't have been more than eighteen, tousled brown hair, and a busted lip dribbling blood from the punch that had sent him flying out of the food stall. He slowly looked up, eyes going wide, realizing just who he had been thrown out in front of. The food stall dropped into a quiet hush, no one saying anything as they waited for her reaction.
Asami's eyes drifted from the man before her, then over to the group of drinking men that sat at the stools in the stall. They stared at her, turning pale at the realization of who they'd tossed the man out to, as though they'd sealed his death.
Izanami moved forward, glaring daggers at the civilian. "Are you just going to lay there like an idiot, or are you going to get out of the way? Do you need me to make you move?"
The man on the ground looked like he was going to shit himself.
Asami raised her hand to stop her, tossing a look over her shoulder at Izanami. "That's a little unnecessary, don't you think?"
She looked back to him, staring at him with an even gaze. She then bent over, offering him her hand. "Here."
Izanami made a noise as though she had been elbowed in the stomach, baffled that Asami was helping up some random, drunk, civilian man. Hikaku crossed his arms, watching Asami with sharp eyes.
The man looked at her, eyes wide as he glanced to her hand, then back to her face. He was hesitant, afraid that Asami's act of kindness was actually a ploy with some sort of malicious intent behind it. Sweat ran down the side of his head, still not taking her hand.
Asami, still bent over, gave him a kind smile, closing her eyes. "I'm sure it's not comfortable down there. Would you like some help up?"
Slowly, he reached out, taking her hand. Asami pulled him to his feet, the man stumbling a bit at how easily he had yanked up his weight like he was made of nothing. Asami let go of his hand, tilting her head to the side with the ghost of a smile now. "Have a good night."
She moved past him, heading towards the inn at the end of the road.
Izanami stared, still baffled at the interaction that just took place. Hikaku had a bit of a smug expression, looking at Izanami. She let out a slight scoff, ignoring her clanmate. Hikaku hummed a bit, tilting his chin up and following after Asami. Izanami shot the stunned civilian man a sharp look, before following after Hikaku with more of a rushed pace.
The civilian man stood, still stunned, face turning a light shade of pink, the flash of the kind smile Asami sent him running through his mind. He slapped both of his hands to his cheeks, trying to shove the face of the Uchiha woman out of his mind.
"What was that?" Hissed Izanami, coming to stand beside Asami as they went inside the inn.
"What was what?" Asked Asami, feigning a bit of innocence.
Izanami glared a bit at the younger Uchiha who continued to walk away, Asami going to stand beside Hikaku who was talking to the inn owner about getting a room.
They received two separate rooms, Hikaku getting his own, Izanami and Asami sharing one. They retired to their beds, knowing they needed rest for the meeting with the Fuma the next day.