Azumi, who had finished getting some supplies, froze in place as a wave of memories rushed into her along with the...overly graphic means of her clone being dispelled. Azumi took a moment to process everything before she frowned.
Well, if he is that Orochimaru I figured he'd have caught on sooner of later. So he wants a meeting on his own terms. A logical move to make, won't make it any easier.
Azumi knew that if she were to see the Snake-Sannin again, she had to do two things above all else. One, keep her personal feelings that concerned him to herself. Orochimaru likely would do no business with someone who desired to see his head on a pike. His attitude about her "degrading" village had not helped matters.
Second, if seemed Orochimaru picked up on her pride for Amegakure. Azumi had not shown much, if anything meaningful, as far as her feelings towards Amegakure were concerned. So that meant that Orochimaru had a way of watching anyone through the exams and was able to pick up on subtle hints. Which only made him more scary. So she had to downplay her affection for her "god" and be willing to seemingly better the Snake-Sannin's interests instead. Which she had little idea of what they were, though she hoped they tied with her ambitions however unlikely that seemed.
However, Azumi had one advantage of her own. Given she was "just" a Genin from a "no name" village like Amegakure, Orochimaru had no reason to worry over anything she did given she was so far beneath him as an interest or threat. That meant she had been likely to be overlooked and seen as someone who just is here to represent her people well and be exploited easily enough.
And as much as this one reveled on Intel, Azumi prided herself on taking every necessary caution. So with that, before she set out on her trip to the tower, she headed to her apartment and began to write a letter....
Before long, Azumi arrived at the location Orochimaru desired for a meeting. Azumi had made an effort to come in person as she kept her umbrella on her back as she had no intention to use it. Azumi knew the skill difference between the two and a struggle against him if things had gone south would have been pointless. But she might have needed it for a quick escape, though Azumi hoped and counted on things going better than that. Though it remained to be seen as she waited for the Jonin's arrival if he were to show at all.
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As Sakura and Ino walked to the Yamanaka flower shop they happened to notice another Genin from their presumption arrive at the entrance. Madoka, who had indeed gotten her broken bits of Raven back at her apartment as she had managed to get it put back together and rewrapped it to carry on her back as before. The three glanced at each other as they all made a motion for the door at the same time.
"Oh, sorry. You two can go first." Madoka offered as Ino had been quick to shake her head no on hers and Sakura's behalf.
"No please, the customers should go inside first. Step in and take your time to look around. I got to get behind the counter anyway." Ino admitted as this surprised Madoka.
"You mean you work here? Did you not intend to take the exams, I assumed you would have taken a vacation day or something." Madoka said as Ino had a grin on her face.
"I did, though a friend of mine is in need and hey, I'm up to work even after the exams. Won't let fatigue stop me from doing my duty." Ino explained as Madoka smiled before she and the pair of Konoha-nin exchanged introductions as they walked inside while Sakura & Madoka began to search for suitable flowers as Ino got behind the desk and made preparations both as well as the trip to the hospital that was to come.
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Azumi, or rather a water clone she had made with a fair amount of her chakra in an attempt to give it a more "life-like" effect, arrived just outside the hospital. While Azumi had never been one to put social focus ahead of business, she figured she owed it to Sagiso to see if she was alright given she had helped her pass back at the Forest of Death and was someone she considered a friend here.
Azumi's clone asked about Sagiso's room, and was told Sagiso was in a coma due to her injuries. Must have been one hell of a battle, but Azumi decided to comfort her friend eve if she was out of it. So Azumi's clone entered the room and just sat in a chair as she observed her out of it friend from a distance before she pulled out a notebook and began to write in it. Anything the clone had the capacity to think over it would write down just so that Azumi would get these memories when it eventually dispelled. Which given that Azumi's clone had not been in the line of fire this time, should not have been for a fair while.
