Qrow's side of investigation [Open/Rei]

The bustling city of Kumogakure was truly astounding for Rin as there was obviously a lot of people just in this area alone. However from Rin has gathered this seems to be hot spot for trade, inns, resturants, and even shops of artisans can be found here. Just for safe measure Rin asked one of the locals about the name of this section of the city, and finds out this is actually named Fuyuko Outlet. As well as specific locations within the Fuyuko Outlet such as Takamaki Plaza, Akari Marketplace, and Okinawa Promenade. Interesting choice of names or so Rin thinks to himself. Accompanying the Uchiha is Rei who is not only the new teammate, but is also Rin’s partner in their investigation. Currently Rin was attempting to gather his surroundings and noting some noticeable locations for easier navigation.

“So Rei, tell me more about yourself. Got any goals in particular?” Rin asked his fellow Uchiha as they’re walking through the outlet’s streets. Rin is a young teen with warm dark shoulder-length hair that has his bangs pulled back into a tail while leaving the rest to hang down to his shoulders. His clothing in particular is mostly dark and grey with a leather vest over his torso and a pair of steel arm guards covered in fuuinjutsu engravings. The leather belt buckled around his waist carries a sheathed katana on his left side, a sheathed wakizashi on his left flank, and a hip pouch on his right side. On Rin’s back supported by straps around his shoulder is a bag that contains the basic necessities and an tightly rolled bedroll strapped on top of the bag itself. His hands remain empty aside from a launching mechanism over his right arm guard that is not loaded.

Strapped around both thighs is a holster that contains a singular kunai in each holster. The ends of his grey wooly pants is tucked under the leather shins to minimize noise. Finally Rin’s dark sandals protects his feet from the cold stone ground. Otherwise he’s a 5’7” teen with a mesomorph form. “Of course if there’s anything you want to know i can answer as best as i can.” Rin assured Rei that this was a conversation not an interrogation. All while suppressing Rin’s chakra to prevent any sensors from detecting him and gathering information about him before the exams even started. Of course this does not stop any eavesdroppers to stalk them gathering intelligence from that method, but they would have to be pretty good at hiding in plain sight in Rin’s opinion as his eyes were sharp, nose keen to scents, and hearing especially tuned out the unnecessary white noise from the people around them.

[Chakra Suppressed | 0 Cost]
[Perception: B > A (UA)]

The two had begun their investigation by first getting a lay of the land, becoming more familiar with the areas of the village. By Rin's choice, they had made their first stop in what they would find to be the Fuyuku Outlet. For the most part, so far, Rei had simply followed his teammate observing as he questioned civilians on the locations around the area. While they gathered information, he couldn't help but notice a number of shinobi also wandering about the outlet partaking in the various shops and restaurants. All of them had differing attire and headbands representing their villages. So this kind of thing happens for the Chunin Exams, huh. All of them seemed to get along for the most part, or at least for now. It was interesting.

Their purpose was to gather intel about one of the missing shinobi who had defected from here. Personally, Rei couldn't understand the thought of deserting his village but then again he didn't understand a lot of things. Maybe it was just a difference in experiences. The genin would have to continue this train of thought later as Rin had started to speak, drawing his attention to other things. "Hm. About myself, let me see." The crimson-eyed Uchiha thought for a moment on his reply, his arms now crossed. It wasn't like he didn't know himself but rather how he wanted to answer. Then with a smile. "I guess I'm just a free-spirited bookworm if that makes sense. I enjoy reading and learning about various things. I want to experience a lot in this life of mine." The second question was somewhat difficult, or rather Rei never thought about a clear goal before now. "A goal for me would be gaining as much knowledge as possible, I suppose. So I guess you can say I want to know about all jutsu. Though, I've never thought about having a goal." Oh, right. Answering Rin had brought a thought to his mind. He would have to buy a number of scrolls to take back home. Surely Kumogakure would have different books from Konoha on battle tactics and jutsu.

"What about yourself?" Rei would ask in turn, it was expected to learn about your teammates. He was interested in what kind of person his fellow Uchiha was. Standing at five feet six inches, Rei was dressed in the attire he had deemed his mission wear. Raven black hair fashioned into a ponytail that fell over his right shoulder. The young Uchiha was garbed in a long sleeve dark grey shirt. A long red scarf draped around his neck with the ends marked by the Uchiha clan symbol. Upon his arms would be steel forearm guards that Rin had gifted him. On his left shoulder, the leaf headband would be secured in place as it was tied around his arm. For bottoms, a pair of black pants with the ends tucked into his black boots. On his right thigh, one would see a holster strapped where he kept two kunai. A hip pouch located on his left back side filled with a number of shuriken and some feet of wire. Just below his pack would be a sheathed tanto horizontally strapped to his back the hilt peaking out from his right side, under which and next to the pouch would be a scroll with his favorite weapons sealed inside.

"I do have one question." He'd reply as his mind drifted back to his earlier thoughts. "What makes one want to become a missing ninja?" Rei was curious. For someone to make such a life-altering decision. It would have to be dependent on a number of conditions that brought them to such a point. Nothing like that could be made on a whim.

Rei gave the Tohsaka’s words some thought before answering in earnest. “Knowledge is valuable on the field. Invest that pursuit of knowledge correctly and you’ll be going places. Take Akihiro Uchiha for example. Same age as i am, and yet he’s a jounin who runs his own organization because of what he knows.” Rin gave input and a prime example of what knowledge can do in a career. “I guess a better question is, what do you plan on using that knowledge for once you have it? Will you use your knowledge for the betterment of our village or will you use it to bring prosperity elsewhere?” Perhaps Rin went too deep in questioning, but he knows having too much knowledge can be bad for the psyche and sometimes having another purpose for that goal can go for a long ways.

Now Rei asked what about Rin’s goal, and he actually pursed his lips. Should he start saying about it now? They were in foreign territory and they never know who would be listening on them. After a few moments of pondering, Rin decided to be upfront about it for once in years. “If i am going to be honest with you. I seek the truth of what transpired in the past. Artifacts being sought by strange folk and temples plundered. My task is to find these artifacts of the past and see about securing them in a better sort of protection. For each of these artifacts contain powers that some might believe wouldn’t be possible, and should someone ambitious obtain even one let alone two of these artifacts under the right hands they could try to conquer this world in blood and potentially win. Bijuu who remain hidden should be that way unless we can win them as allies, not tools of war as most other people view them as.” Rin took a moment to look over his shoulder as he felt like someone was watching him. More like Rin felt like multiple eyes were set on him, and it was kind of creepy.

Rei asked about what makes one to be a missing ninja, and that Rin quite easily explained in detail as if he’s already looked into it before. “It various with each individual shinobi, but the common cases is they received mistreatment from their fellow villages. Another case is they find something that conflicts with their belief in every way that they forsake their duty and run away. Sometimes, though rarely, they get kidnapped by an outside source and eventually get converted for the sake of survival.”

While they conversed, Rei's eyes scanned about the marketplace while his ears remained focused on his partner. He had brought to light something he hadn't really felt too focused on, a goal. For most people, it was their driving force in life and yet he had barely had any thoughts of actively working towards it, till now that is. In response, Rin spoke of how a pursuit of knowledge could be beneficial in their line of work. Which he felt was true as well, seeing as the more a shinobi knew the more likely he was to not be caught unawares and thus stay alive.

Though what struck his interest was this fellow clansman of theirs. Someone who seemed to be quite knowledgeable and ran his own organization. He might be someone interesting to meet at a later time. However, he didn't think on the matter too long. Rin's follow-up seemed to stump him just as much as the first question. "Hm." Then a small grin graced his face. "I honestly have no idea." He answered with a simple shrug of his shoulders. What exactly is the purpose of knowledge? He had no thoughts yet of using it to better the village in some way, let alone anywhere else. It was something he wouldn't know as of now and maybe not even when he had achieved it.

Drawing his eyes from the surrounding sights, he focused on his fellow Uchiha. Now was his turn, and Rei was very curious and growing even more so as it seemed he began to hesitate. Rei was right to be so, as Rin divulged his goal as a shinobi, his crimson eyes widened. This was it. It was why he sought after knowledge. To know of such things like ancient artifacts and weapons of old. Where were they located? Why were they hidden? What do they do? Rin wanted to seek out such things and put them under lock and key so as to prevent the unthinkable from occurring. "I see. I like that goal of yours. I'd like to see such things and learn about them as well, so let me tag along sometime." Of course, as he was now Rei most likely wouldn't be able to help much but in time he'd make sure to become stronger.

As he began to sink into thoughts of going on an adventure to raid for lost weapons of destruction, Rei noticed Rin looked behind them. Was something up? If so, he wasn't sure about causing a commotion in such a populated place. Though obviously, the two Uchiha would no less defend themselves. Then Rin answered his other question pertaining to missing shinobi, so perhaps it was nothing. "So its hard no matter which way you go about it, huh. That's life, I guess."

It wasn’t surprising to hear that Rei had no idea what to invest that pursuit of knowledge for. Some may be in pursuit of power yet has no clue as to what they’re planning to use that power for once they have it. Granted some might argue that there are the worthless ones who weren’t born with talent, and there were a select few that claimed to be prodigy and gifted with talents. Rin hates that way of thinking personally, but regardless Rei answered the question and from what Rin can tell there wasn’t an inkling of a lie behind it. “In due time you’ll find that answer for yourself. I just pray that you acquire it before you finish your goal.”

Rei seemed to like the sound of Rin’s goal, and even spoke of taking Rei with him when the journey begins. This earns a smile on his lips before Rin responded. “The more the merrier. However I’ll see to it that you improve a bit more just in case because this can get very dangerous very quickly.” Rin was talking about the stuff he was planning on doing in the future, but now that he thinks about it there was a disturbance in the air. A boom? More like the wind was being pressured to generate a low boom as it combs through Rin’s hair in a rhythmic pulse. Hazel blue-green eyes immediately looked up towards the sky as there was a very large dark mass over the city as there was a deafening roar with a sheet of raging fire spewing from an open maw.

People flinched, astonished by the sudden appearance of what is assumed to be a dragon, but then that awe quickly turns into fear as the realization dons on them. Many were spewing curses and equivalent number were shouting prayers to something named Hakkin. An interesting name Rin finds, but it was a name to be saved on a later date. “Prime example that flies over our heads.” The genin immediately turned his attention back to Rei as he placed a hand on Rei’s shoulder. “It wasn’t that long ago since we departed from Yui. Go find her, and make your way to the Administration building. Masuyo-sensei should be there if not conducting an investigation of her own already. Stick with them and you should be fine. I’m going wherever that thing is going, and i honestly don’t know how dangerous its gonna get.”

"Yeah, I'm sure it would get pretty boring for me with nothing to apply any of that knowledge to." Rei could actually picture such a thing. A much older self simply existing with nothing of interest to put his time towards. In such a situation he was sure he'd just become lazy and occupy his thoughts with ideas of the unknown. The young Uchiha didn't enjoy the foresight. If it were to occur, it would be the same as hitting a wall. He would come to a halt in progress followed by his ability, as he'd begin to stagnate. As a shinobi, this easily meant the ending of his career. With nowhere left to go but downhill. There was no chance he would let such a thing happen and thus placed stronger meaning in Rin's words for a purpose to his goal. Thankful that his cousin brought it to his attention and that they could have this talk.

Rei's words of tagging along seemed to put Rin in a good mood, he too smiled in turn as he replied. "Heh, I look forward to it." In the moment the words left his lips a breeze swept through the area, his bangs and ponytail were tossed about. The people around them all seemed to have their attention caught by something above them. Curious, he too brought his gaze towards the skies and like the others his eyes would widen in awe at the sight. However, another feeling crept over him quickly overwhelming the awe. Excitement. The boy's heart was pumping much faster than it had been earlier. This was a beast he hadn't seen before and its sheer presence commanded the attention of all around it. Many questions raced through his mind as he watched it soar above the village. Though they soon came to a stop and his focus brought back from the beast as Rin clasped his shoulder. Then he began on what was to happen next. He was to fall back to find Yui and then move to meet up with Sensei. Realizing the importance of the situation, based on the villager's reactions, this wasn't normal thus something big might be happening. Giving a quick nod, Rei turned to race off towards where he last saw Yui. "Be careful!" The words would burst out as he left to do what he was told.

[Exit]