"Oh. The Daimyo, ah?" Maki replied to Tashi, eyes still lazily half-closed, "Come in. I'll make you some tea."<br/><br/>She left his sight into the dark interior of her home, leaving the door open for the youth to follow. There were no candles lit, and the curtains were drawn over the windows secretively. Scrolls and objects lay everywhere, haphazardly. Had she always been this messy? He'd never seen her home before, but she was quite neat and orderly when she was his instructor.<br/><br/>Before long, Maki had boiled a pot of water and set down some tea for Tashi on a knee-high table. She smiled, "It<em>has</em>been awhile, huh? You've really grown..."<br/><br/>The now full-fledged jounin shook her head with a sigh, "Haah. I'm sorry, you came here for a reason- don't let me keep you. Let me find the scrolls."<br/><br/>The older woman disappeared into another room, rummaging through the place. "So how's your training coming along? Learn any new techniques I haven't seen?" She laughed- it was unlikely, Maki seemed to know every jutsu in existence.<br/><br/>"Aaah, come on, Jun-taicho! So you're just gonna leave Yasuo by himself? He's asking for our help..." Suzume said with a pout, calling Jun captain instead of the less formal honorific she used earlier. Suzume was never the official and proper kind of girl, using the term more in the hopes of endearing the wolf kunoichi to her subordinate, "Yasuo said he's cornered the guy he was hunting down in Hamamura and Tsuyumori, but the bastard's not making it easy."<br/><br/>She stopped, back stiffening as she saw Xexen and Shitakiri tussle around. When it was revealed that he hadn't hurt the little bird any, she sighed in relief. Suzume hopped up towards Jun, smiling widely as she leaned close, "Don't let that last mission get to ya, Jun-taicho..." She smiled and batted her eyes at the kunoichi, "This time we can get 'em!"<br/><br/>The sparrow kunoichi stood upright, "But! ...If you<em>really</em>don't want to risk it. I understand." Jun could swear she noticed a glint of mischief in her eye, some ulterior motive behind her words. Suzume was a mischievous young woman, though dedicated to the mission. And that was probably why she was tried so hard to excel, not being too accustomed to losing a target.