Opponent Of Nature [Seiko's New World Mission]

Before she knew it, Seiko has been given a special assignment that required her full attention. A messenger sent for her to come over to the mission gathering office, but she still had some time before she had to be there, as well as accepting this special mission. Even though it was considered as something special, not many people have been able to give her the answer as to why. So Seiko was on her own when it came to finding out. If she pushed further, she would realize that it was her father that requested the mission for her. It was also her father that was in the kitchen, making Seiko breakfast.

"Strength and nutrition go hand in hand Seiko, even you can see the logic of having an appropriate meal. We have some oatmeal with blueberries and cinnamon.  Some bacon and eggs for a bit of a traditional sense, but I can always reheat the poke bowl I made the other night if you prefer something a bit more compact and ready to go."

For the genius ninja, she had quite the loving father.

Note: I have taken the liberty of taking a gander at a few things involving personality and everyday life. If there is something you are not ok with, please let me know.

Seiko sat at the table, a strange look sitting on her face. Her father was never usually this friendly but she knew exactly what was causing it, hence her strange expression. She knew there would be a test coming up soon, something she would have to prove to her father, the only reason he would be acting like this would be to throw her off, make her drop her guard or focus on the wrong things. He would be expecting her to focus on his mannerisms, his speech while simultaneously hiding certain aspects from her but she'd kept him in sight the entire time and he hadn't added anything to the food. Perhaps it was to disarm her to cause her to fail the mission.... He should know better by now that she wouldn't fold so easily.

A quiet hum sounded in her throat. "Oatmeal, plain and a glass of milk will be fine." She said at last, getting up to make sure that the milk was fresh and unopened before pouring it... It was, that was good, less chance of tampering. She got what she wanted and headed back to the table, putting it down and keeping one eye on it even as she picked up the letter on the table and read through the missive. It was a simple summons, she wouldn't know more about the mission until she reached the mission office, bothersome. She ate methodically, two mouthfuls of oatmeal and then a sip of milk, simple rote motions, making sure to watch her own thoughts and vitals as she did so, if there was some kind of toxin or drug she'd notice the effects quickly and would be able to stop.

"Simple meals with maximum nutrients are the most logical and optimal. Flavour hardly matters." She said after a while but her mind was elsewhere, running through calculations and ideas, she knew what route she'd take to the mission office, vary it enough that her father wouldn't know. She finished her breakfast and stood up. "Thank you for the meal. I'll be home soon." She told him, adjusting her glasses and fixing her skirt before leaving the house and heading to the mission office. She held the missive in one hand, the other drumming a rhythm on her thigh, ready to summon her Golem should anything happen.

"Don't worry, I didn't tamper with anything with the meal. I know that I usually have been pretty critical of your development, and as a parent, I do struggle with making the right choices that benefit you. Choices my dear daughter, the branches that make the fine trees of life. Every interaction is a form of negotiation, and every choice reflects upon the world that we live in. Please don't forget that during your mission. Be safe, and I'll see you soon."

It wasn't necessarily somber, it was one of the many life lessons that Seiko would receive from her father. It also gave her quite a bit of a hint as to what to expect during her mission. But she still had some time before it truly started.

---

Whole Seiko was waiting at the office to be called on, there was Jonin that recently passed the exams. He wasn't the mission office clerk, that was a woman who disappeared in the back to get Seiko her scroll. However, this man, Motogai, was wearing an apron and had plenty of the things that a janitor would have as well. He seemed to be hard at work, and if Seiko was perceptive, she would have noticed him around the office as well. It seemed as if he was handling the whole building by himself.

"Oh, didn't notice you there. Arent you that genius chick? Sekiro? The one with the golem with the giant sword....no.... Seiko!!! Of course, how could I forget the name of the proclaimed number one genin? "

He chuckled a bit, taking a break from his cleaning a bit.

"You look a lot like my former sensei you know? In likeness anyway..... what are you doing here?"

No attacks or traps on the way to the mission office, that was pleasant at least. She had arrived perfectly on time as she was wont to do, increasing her pace to account for the slightly longer route that she took. Now she was here, sitting far back on a chair in the waiting room, her feet barely touching the ground and her hands folded in her lap.

Her eyes scanned back and forth regularly, making sure nothing went past her and she reached up, adjusting her glasses slightly with a finger on the bridge. Eventually her eyes came to rest on the janitor, likely a shinobi that was looking to rest with an easy mission, perhaps make some drink money or enough for a luxury item. She pursed her lips and reminded herself of her manners, lifting her head to meet his eyes, a small, polite smile spreading across her face. "Unfortunately, both of my arms remain quite intact, so I am surely Seiko and not Sekiro." She covered her mouth as she gave a laugh at her own joke, it was fake of course, designed to ease his guard around her. It was good to keep the more powerful on her side so they'd be more hesitant with attacking her if it came down to it.

"I have always wondered where that proclamation started, I am quite unsure as I did not start it myself. I am simply a young genin, trying to get by, nothing too special." She lied fluidly, she did believe she was something special. "I am here to pick up a mission that I was assigned to, there are many things that need to be done these days. What about yourself? It's rare to see a Jonin doing a job like this. Saving up for something?" She asked, quirking her voice slightly to make her seem younger, just casually curious.

"Ah!! A sense of humor! That's good, haha, you have to remember that you can allow yourself a chance to laugh sometimes. "

It was very pleasing to the Jonin that this girl didn't take herself too seriously, there was still the childish air and curiosity that she had every right to maintain. Kids should be able to be kids at times, no matter how talented they are.

"A mission! Ah, it looks like the front desk receptionist has heard word about some kind of mission scroll and has been back there for a long time. Believe me, when I say this, she's been looking for that scroll for a good twenty minutes, so you won't have to wait any longer soon. As for me, there is no money in it for me. "

Motogai said as he adjusted his apron, standing rather proudly.

"The regular janitor sometimes handles this place by himself every single day, he's not even a ninja. He's been sick for a month, and i've took his spot since then. I'm making the choice to defer all of the payments to his family, seems to be some kind of delay in an average medical ingredients so extra xel always helps. Some genin and even chunin might see it as a waste of time, but if you don't mind Seiko, good ol Motogai here wants to share a bit of philosophy with you? Maybe you can share some of yours as well? I'm always curious to see what the newer generation thinks about. "

He knew they came from different backgrounds. However, if she was really his old sensei's kid, maybe she would understand? "To help give back and serve the people who continue to make out lives a little better everyday. That's my ninja way, that's my outlook on humanity and why I seek power. What about you? What motivates you?"

Regardless of her answer, for the time being, the front desk receptionist would say with a loud "found it!!", to signify that she managed to come across Seiko's mission.

Deep down a tick of annoyance flickered inside Seiko but she kept her face passive, eyes wide as though she cared about what this Jonin was saying. He spoke of altruism, of doing things to aid someone else. She understood such things, she knew why people did it but she didn't... Understand it fully, not really. Perhaps this man was doing it in order to get a favour from the original Janitor, a blind eye turned so he could take something. Perhaps instead he was looking to get closer to the receptionist, follow carnal urges. The thought was deepy disgusting to her but she knew that people sought out such things.

Then he asked her about her own personal philosophy. She looked up and into Motogai's eyes, holding his gaze for a few moments before she spoke. This was one thing she did not lie about. "Efficiency and perfection. To cut away all that makes me weak and reinforce myself with logic and superior design. When I am done and have taken my rightfully earned place, Motogai, I will have no weaknesses, only countermeasures, defenses, girded in the armour of perfection." Her voice took on a strange hollow tone as she spoke, as though she was far away, the calculations of life running across her mind's eye.

She blinked and then hopped off of her chair, taking her glasses off and wiping them with the edge of her sleeve before replacing them. She smiled at Motogai and gave him a bow in deference to his rank. "I am glad you have narrowed down your motivation, so few have." She said, couching her statement in such a way that it wouldn't seem like an insult but deep down she knew his motivation was weak, he wouldn't go much further than where he was now, too many exploits were open in his personality. She probably could have killed him here... He seemed like the type that would hesitate to harm a woman or a child and she was both.

She dismissed those thoughts however and turned to instead approach the reception desk and see what mission had been given to her.

Motogai had a bit of a strange smile to him. He wanted to be happy with Seiko being so resolute with her motivations. However, he didn't want her to become so robotic with what that actually meant to achieve them. However, he wasn't here to criticize. As a genin. when it came to the younger people of his village, the only thing that Motogai can do is encourage. "I do hope that one day, maybe when you are older, you would see that your weaknesses aren't exactly something that brings you down in life. The things that maintain those labels often end up being something you care about. You can still be the best, and still maintain compassion that might seem flawed. But I won't talk your ear off, best travels!"

Motogai said this with a wave as the receptionist gave seiko the scroll, leaving the young ninja to open it and take a look.

Spoiler:

"You are to leave immediately, gather whatever supplies that you need. If you have any questions, they will answer them at the providence.  Sorry for the wait, and good luck."

---

Once Seiko managed to make it on the rocky terrain for a few hours, she would start to see something akin to a struggle on the road.  There were a couple of possessions and a bag on the ground. In addition to that, if she had a form of sensory activity, she would start to notice that she was being followed by a series of Blango in the distance. For now, they just tailed her from afar in the rocky hightops as she moved closer to the village.

But why?

Either way, Seiko could either address them, or ignore their monkey business and get started on figuring out what the actual problem was.