Corundum

10

[642.034.00 Ryō = about 53.000$ per karat (=0,2 grams]

You are sitting at the desk and stir your hot tea (a special blend from Oto, Kidomaru brought it). After Orochimaru sent you away, everyone is waiting for further instructions since all initially plans were postponed.

You take a look out of the window and admire the stunning view of the mega metropolis that lies below you. The world is on its feed and above all the sun shines eagerly. The city is expanding like a star at the end of its lifespan, you can't even see the border of it – you wonder if Madara can. Millions of people live and work here so this place became the number one trading center between all countries. A city build by business and trading; having three airports, five big railway stations and kilometers of dual carriageway that cut through the city like forces of nature. A synthetic nature built by humankind.

No wonder Parasol has established here. Where did they originally come from? Was it Konohagakure no Sato, the land of fire?

"The current price for one karat of Painite is about 642.034.00 Ryō." Your mind comes back to the real world as Kimimaro breaks the silence. "Well, that's some money. Hey ____, why are you here when your former boss was sitting on billions?" It's that Suigetsu-inquisition again. If something is on his mind, he says it. You are already familiar with that.

"Some of our jewelers actually grinded some of them, but since there is no industrial ways to use it, it is simply a gem – an expensive one. Years ago there was a market but it decayed somehow and I don't know what happened to the ones we made."

"Hm...I guess the big boss has his own plans, whatever. Anyone here who wants to go to Suna voluntarily? Since we have no assignments Anko is going crazy because of all these postponed plans. And if that Painite-thing is such a big deal as the Uchihas claim it to be, we have to throw the next free time overboard."

"I wonder how many of us they'll send", Kidomaru takes a sip of his coffee.

"That's written in the stars... or between Anko's files."

You focus the little glass box at the end of our desk. There are raw quartz crystals in it. Nothing of value, it's a common mineral. You brought it here to test you grind-abilities, it has been a while since you've done it.

The mood changes when Anko finally enters the huge bureau.

"I've got some news for you. Some good news. Kimimaro and Kidomaru will travel to the country of wind, and the other one of you will examine and evaluate the hand piece you've seen some minutes ago. To be honest: I'd like you, ____, to do this since you seem to have already worked with that mineral. And I've spoken to Uchiha Itachi. Suigetsu, you'll follow Kidomaru and Kimimaro to Suna. As a vacationer. No one can tell you what to do in your free time, so you can consume some of your remaining holidays. We don't know how long this will take, but all planned projects will commence when you are back."

Suigetsu grins, Kimimaro shrugs and Kidomaru simply looks at Orochimaru's personal assistant. You plainly nod. Work is work so whatever they tell you to do, you'll get paid for it.

*

The triumvirate left on the same day. Without having Suigetsu around it's strangely calm in that large room. So you decided to move to the laboratories to do your work there. They even brought you a better piece of mineral, one that wasn't defaced by too many hands and geologists. So you started to analyze its nature by determining its color (which can vary between red-, brown- and orange colors, even violet is possible) its density, the exact number of the Mohs scale, and the crystal system. When the laboratory assistant brings you the results of the chemical analyzation you are definitely sure.