Apparently Tsume's level of charm ranked down there with disgruntled porcupines. He tilted a glance at her, noting how she'd positioned herself just slightly in front of him, and doubted it was for his own protection. Well, if he was going into unfamiliar territory, he'd pick himself as a backrest, too.

He looked up and directed a dazzling grin at the table of staring men. "Evenin', gents."

That cut about as much ice as a soap hacksaw. At length, the sharp-eyed man in the middle tipped his head in acknowledgement. He was lean and tanned, clad in dark clothes and a hat with a single hawk feather, set at a rakish angle. At his right hip, a lethal looking sword drew quiet attention to itself. His hand hesitated near it. "Looking for something, shinobi?"

"Yamada Shin, captain of the Akizuki." Autumn Moon; pretty name for a ship. "I'm guessing that's you."

Either side of the sharp-eyed man, heavily muscled sailors stood a little straighter, drawing attention to physiques that ranked somewhere around 'normal' in a ninja's world. Impressive for civillians.

"Depends," said the sharp-eyed man. "Who's asking?"

Asuma grinned wider, leaned his weight on one casual hip, and called up the most useful genjutsu he'd ever learned. Like all basic illusion-jutsu, it didn't need seals.

To every eye in the room, he reached into his pack, pulled out a heavy leather bag, and tossed it onto the table. Coins spilled out, clinking with the rich satisfaction of pure gold. In reality, he didn't move.

"Asuma, looking to charter a ship." He nodded right. "And Inuzuka Tsume. She's mostly looking to break some skulls. Want to help us out?"

The sharp-eyed man reached out and fingered coins that didn't exist. After a second, he smiled.

"Yamada Shin. Delighted to meet you. Would I be right in thinking your chartering plans are of an urgent nature?"

"Smart man," Asuma agreed, and quirked an eyebrow when he noticed Shin's gaze staying on him just a little longer than was strictly necessary. You could put that down to curiosity about ninja, but he'd barely even glanced at Tsume... "How soon can you be ready to go?"

"Twenty minutes. Less if you and the skull-cracker pitch in."

Asuma spat on his hand and held it out. "Deal."

It was funny, he thought, as Shin's hand clasped his and he locked eyes with the steady, level gaze of a born liar, how he suddenly felt at home. Nothing quite like swindling a cheater.