“ Tsc.. you’re no fuun. ~”  He wasn’t lucky that time, it was fine. Soon or later the shinobi would get distracted and fall rightfully to his little trick. Sword was lift so easily sideways as other hand passed down between spikes. Reacting almost instantly into growing slightly, just a few bandages leaving hanging to the ground. “ Just like be and you, nee. It senses our chraka, like a magnet. Isn’t she adorable? Always hungry!” Smirk that grew in size as face approached.   “You could be specially useful as an little snack.. Eh?”        His teasing was stopped as Samehada protested against that joke, taking even a deeper laught from Kisame himself with such reaction. Putting them back to its resting place behind of him. “Lucky one! Isn’t everyday Samehada says no… not an fan of trash food I see, nee nee.”

Jin huffed a little. “I get that it’s fun to hurt people--” Something he could empathize with, even though he didn’t like that fact about himself. “But it would be useless if I died just for fun.” He shrugged. But then at the explanation about a hungry sword, Jin just--blinked a few times. 

“Hungry?” he repeated, equally confused and intrigued. “Does it soak up the blood or something? Sorry--she?”

< ⟳ @mistysenbons​ | Plotted starter >

            Having someone to help on missions was pleasant, it had just what was necessary to break the exhausting quiet walks that consisted in 80% of their missions. Sasori also had someone to deal with lesser jobs, maybe was just something Pein asked them to have in case they need a easy sacrifice. Kisame was always glad to have someone else to talk and entertain himself so there was no complain once the Mist Shinobi joined their duo.             On their break; where Itachi had time to rest. The missing nin approached the young man. Setting Samehada on the ground in front of him.

“Neh, Jin chan. Do you mind holding it for me for a bit?” A little joke, that would coast his hand if the guy wasn’t too aware of his their Kirigakure roots.

    While his new task helping Itachi and Kisame was... a little dangerous, to say the least, as he knew both of them would have no qualms sacrificing him for the sake of the mission, Jin was mostly confident he would be able to take on whatever threat they sacrificed him for. That was, after all, why he had left his village for something different. He didn’t believe in the Akatsuki’s goal, didn’t really care for the rest of the world either way, besides his family, who he had inconvenienced being around them.

    Anyway. Didn’t do any good to dwell on that now.

He holds the scroll tightly in his hands as he adjusts his glasses again, “That’s the thing. I don’t think I’ll ever know the real truth about myself until both men die and I would be free of their influence. And even then, where can I go other than to the Akatsuki? But until then, I’ll continue my services for them as best as I could.” 

They’ll put the hood back over his head and he turns around, “Heh, I should really hand this scroll to Orochimaru before Sasori gets upset with me for being late. Umm… Jin right? Since I might not have time now to continue our chat, when I come back within a week. Perhaps we could have time to chat in the dorms, that is if you’re not dragged off to work as well.” 

“Hm,” he says. Jin thinks about it and nods. He supposes that’s one way to look at it. Kind of like there isn’t any choice, so why fight it? “I guess you’re right; that does make sense.” He gives a short laugh. “No other place would really accept us, after what we’ve done, ne? Though perhaps you’ve been like me, and done most of your work in secret.” He taps his mask, his eternal disguise and alibi.

To be away from the hustle and bustle of the city-faring heart of Magome and closer to its rustic outskirts was always something of a relief for Sakura, especially when it meant taking Sarada and Kawaki along after a long week in schoo. Sunbeams drifted lazily through the palm fronds and mighty trees that lined one particularly picturesque boulevard, the sea breezes a little further away but never were they very from the coast no matter how far inland one went. It was funny, too, but considering her Crescent Kingdom roots, maybe it wasn’t so odd. The Haruno were islanders through and through. As Kawaki and Sarada had since gone off on their own, something she’d become more than comfortable with. Even if it wouldn’t have been the case in first coming, times had certainly changed. 

Yet, Sakura couldn’t help but knead some chakra for her Parietal Eye ability, a quasi-sensor one facilitated through her connection with Katsuyu, that there was a stronger mote of chakra among those there that didn’t belong to the average citizenry.

Though the sage wasn’t so overly concerned, curiosity seemed to get the better of her. Yet, her blood ran cold when she saw the shinobi with a mask, some part of her wondering if he wasn’t some hunter-nin out for a contract, or worse.

To think there was a place free of shinobi influence, where Jin wouldn’t have to worry about getting caught, finding enemies, or having to hide. The idea was somewhat attractive, and he was beginning to consider staying here for a while--at least, until he felt the presence of another with stronger chakra than the average civilian. Disappointed in this discovery, Jin resolved to find out if this was anyone who posed any threat to him, physically or in revealing him, before he decided that he was going to stay in Magome for a while.

Unaware that he was already discovered, he still went to the effort of tucking away his mask in his bag, so he was less recognizable. And then, hunter-nin that he was, his tracking skills always having been good, he tracked down the source of the stronger chakra, tracing it to the outskirts of the city, where trees blew gracefully in the wind.

Not that he could tell by the mask but he had a feeling that perhaps that lie was a little too easy to guess. So he’ll just tell him the background story of himself that Orochimaru told him to use if any of the Akatsuki members ask about him. 

He glances down at their feet, as if trying to recall something, “Between you and I… I’m not so sure really. I was nothing before I was discovered by Orochimaru and then handed over to Sasori. I can’t recall any life I had since my memories were wiped out. When you’re born a tool, it doesn’t matter who gets their hands on you. When you’re born to be a slave, your greatest enemy is he who gives you the most burden than you can handle. Not sure what would happen to me if anything happened to the both of them.”

Reaching up to rub his temple as if a migraine is coming, he sighs, “My head always hurts when both sides summon me for my services. Lord Sasori summoning me feels like as if a scorpion stung me and injected it’s venom in me to snap me out of my conscious and gather my attention, while Orochimaru’s feels like a strike of a snake and its fangs lingers in my conscious as if pumping every venom it has in me…” 

Opening his eyes, he lowers his hand back to his side, “Not that I would’ve expect you to understand. Unless you were also given the same memory seal technique that Sasori places on his subordinates.” 

Jin raised an eyebrow. He had no reason not to believe the story, but he knew it might be a lie. Even so, it was a sad story--nothing like his own. Jin had always had a great amount of freedom, comparatively. Sure, he had always been a tool, had always had... a unique set of problems. But Kabuto’s mindset was a little troubling. He frowned slightly, his head going to the side. “How do you know that?” he asked. Then, to clarify, he added, “How do you know you were nothing before you were discovered by Orochimaru, if you remember nothing? For all you know, you could have had a life, family, friends. Not born to be a slave.”

Jin valued his free will, and it had been his choice to tie himself to the Akatsuki, to Kisame and Itachi. If that changed, he would try to vanish. Try being the operative word. But he didn’t see it happening. Jin didn’t really have close relationships. Well, not ones where the other people really knew what to do with him. So it didn’t really matter. 

Ponzu nodded her head. “Indeed, it is,” It wasn’t very detailed. It was kind of like the maps that tourist areas hand out in other villages. But it gave Ponzu a vague idea of where to go enough to travel the streets confidently. The blue haired girl was way to prideful to ask for directions, anyways, so it was definitely a nice tool. “Maybe it was another one then,” Ponzu said with a sigh. “I was assigned to offer assistance on someone who was dealing with a shinobi who specializes in bugs. My hokage thought that my…skillset would help.” Ponzu explained. “I was told to meet them around the mainstreet. I just assumed you were the one. My bad.” Ponzu sighed with a sheepish grin on her face. 

A subtle smile shows on his face for a quick second before he keeps his cool. Heh, this guys seems like a rookie if he’s spilling such sensitive information out in the open like that. Any possible incompetent subordinate is a useful one in Kabuto’s eyes as long as he doesn’t tell them anything about Orochimaru or trust him entirely with himself. Any plans ruined by a rookie’s loose lips is good enough for him. Now they’re asking about how Kabuto manages his job so well. He could indulge a little piece of advice but not tell him exactly everything entirely. 

“It isn’t an easy task, when both men demand more from you than you can imagine. I was already blessed with medical abilities and since both men are scientists and artists in their own way, I just happen to fit perfectly in both of their agendas. It’s all about compatibility. But Lord Sasori and the Akatsuki are my top priority and who I’m the most loyal to.”  One hell of a lie, but his calm voice at least tries to sound convincing.” 

Jin notices Kabuto’s smile, but of course he doesn’t know the cause of it, doesn’t know Kabuto’s identified him as a rookie--which he sort of is. Not totally fresh, but not a seasoned spy, either. Instead, Jin took Kabuto’s smile as a friendly one of sorts, and it encouraged him to ask him that question. He wouldn’t reveal any more information himself, but perhaps he could get Kabuto to reveal more.

He stares at the scroll and then at them, his brow relaxes. It really wasn’t his job to know where Sasori goes all the time since he has to return to Orochimaru. After that. He wouldn’t have a clue of their whereabouts. But then again, neither does Jin. 

Taking the scroll from their hand, he slowly bows his head, he adjusts his glasses as he rises to stand up straight, “My apologies Jin, you see. I’ve always been the type to practice extreme caution in all of my tasks. You are correct that I also work close to Orochimaru, which is why Lord Sasori chose me to be the one to keep an eye on them for him. But unfortunately, I do not know the whereabouts of Lord Sasori himself nor his current activities which is why I wanted to ask you just to be sure. I’ll be sure that this gets to him in time. Is that all you wanted me to do? Or is there anything else that you wish to inform me?”  

His voice sounded very dull and monotone, no hint of emotion. Even his face becomes very expressionless save for the earlier squint. 

Jin waited; it seemed like Kabuto was thinking, processing, as he looked at the scroll. And after a while, he seemed to make up his mind, and he took it, bowing his head and pushing up his glasses. Jin’s head tilted at the apology, and at the long explanation.

That was a lot of information. Was it classified? One thing was for sure, Jin had not known all of that before Kabuto had told him just now. Under his mask, he raised an eyebrow. How interesting, to spy on someone you worked for for someone else you worked for. “That sounds... difficult,” he remarked. “But you know Orochimaru’s location, yes, so you can pass on the message? My understanding is that there’s going to be a meeting of some sort soon, so... it might be time-sensitive.”

“If I needed directions, I would have read this,” Ponzu said with a slight huff as she raised her hand, a map of the town being dangled around in it lazily. “I was told that I would be working on a mission with one of the anbu here and would meet up with them here? Are you not them?” Ponzu asked with a raised eyebrow.

What a quaint little village, Jin thought as he walked up to the village of Magome, his Akatsuki days long past since, well, the Akatsuki as he knew it was long gone. Though there was a price on his head now, he was fairly good at evading people and no one that would have known who he was really recognized him when he took off the ANBU mask, which he did more days than he used to, now. So, all in all, when he walked around without his mask, which, admittedly made him feel uncomfortable and vulnerable, Jin was actually a lot safer--he just appeared to be your normal, anonymous hitai-ate-less shinobi.

As he approached the village, he took off his mask and placed it in his pouch, not knowing if there were any shinobi here. He arrived shortly, breathing in the smell of the ocean and thinking of home. Except--warmer.

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously at the masked man before him. This man was a fellow subordinate of the Akatsuki just like him, though he kept them all at a emotional distance. As a subordinate for someone like Sasori, showing too much emotion, being late, or standing out is unacceptable. He also never fully trusted the other subordinates. Unlike them, he’s not actually loyal to anyone there. He doesn’t take the scroll yet and he sizes them up from his hood as he pulls it down to reveal his calm face. 

“Where’s Lord Sasori? He never mentioned about me having to deliver a message to Orochimaru. Did something come up for him to be away?”  It was all about business is the mentality that Kabuto followed when coming here. So he awaits a response from their reasoning for Sasori’s absence before he could respond to their question. 

Watching Kabuto’s eyes narrow, Jin thought--perhaps this wasn’t the best person to try to start a conversation with. But how was he supposed to know? He’d never met Kabuto before. But the man totally ignored both things he said, instead just asking him where Sasori was. Apparently Sasori hadn’t mentioned it. 

      “I have a message for Lord Orochimaru,” Jin said, his hand steady on his katana’s hilt. He mostly trusted Kabuto, as the closest servant of Orochimaru, but Orochimaru himself was typically not to be trusted, as far as the intel went.  And yet, he wanted to be friendly to Kabuto, as a fellow affiliate with the Akatsuki. “I can trust that you will pass it on?”