The Dragon's Tongue was said to be the world's premier curry house, feasting an assortment of traditional Stews, curries and soups. I had heard rumors that they have quite some hot spices as well, and I couldn't wait to eat!  Entering the Dragon's Tongue with Kichirou, my mouth was soon salivating like crazy with all of the delicious smells that filled the restaurant.  Finding a booth to sit at, we could see that the restaurant had quite the lunch crowd to work with at the moment.  I looked at Kichirou sitting across from me.

"I never realized this was such a hot spot!"  I said, noting that not many tables were empty.  "I feel kind of bad that I haven't eaten here yet and this has been in my village this whole time." I took off my cape and folded it up next to me so it wouldn't be stepped on by me or other people passing by our table. The booths were traditional Japanese style, sitting on a raised platform with plump cushions to sit on and a low table that allowed my legs to fit under as long as I kept my legs crossed over each other. I took out the menu and started scanning the many, many stews, soups, and curries.

“So what do you like to do for fun?” He asked, showing interest in the woman before him “Besides training.” I looked up from my menu, still unsure about what to eat as I refocused my thoughts on his question. There were so many choices to eat, I couldn't really come up with any one thing and now he was asking me a question?

“Can I get your orders?” asked the waitress almost immediately after Kichirou's question. I looked from him to her and then back to my menu. I needed to find something to eat quick! "Hmmm" I said as I thought over all the different selections. Still too many to choose, I let Kichirou go first.

“Beef soup and a bottle of sake.” Sake for lunch? I didn't really know if that was the best choice of drinks as I enjoyed regular beer myself, but I went along with it. Sake did have a sweet taste to it, so I wouldn't mind at all that much, but it was his order that made me perk up. I loved beef and all I had seen were vegetable soups. I quickly turned the pages of the menu and found the beef soup. Reading the description made me salivate even more. "I'll have what he's having." I said, relieved to have been able to choose something to eat.

Looking back at Kichirou, I realized I hadn't answered his question. The waitress left with our orders as I remembered his question. "Ah, um.. things for fun?" I asked slightly, though I was sure that was what he said. "I like to exercise and dance a lot. Just really like being outside doing things. What about yourself?" I scanned his face as I talked, his face seemed to have a slight mischievous look with a bit of narrowing in the eyes and a crooked smile. What was he up to in that head of his?

“I'm a gambler. I enjoy gambling, it gives me a rush that only a few other things can give. And unlike most of consider themselves such, I actually win more than I lose. Besides gambling I enjoy spending time around children either at the orphanage or hospital of the location I might be at the given time, doing card tricks for them and letting them know that they aren't alone. As you might as guess traveling is another thing I enjoy immensely having been to all four of the five Elemental Nations – Iwagakure being the one place I plan on visiting one day." He paused for a moment before continuing, "You said you dance, right? I hate to say it but I'm not much of a dancer, maybe you can teach me sometime?”

It was a lot to take in, he must be quite the talker. I took in the information and mulled it over in my head. "Oh, I'm sure you're not that bad. Dancing is just as easy as fighting, sometimes it can even be the same thing." I kept myself expressionless as I said this, though dancing was one of my favorite things to do. "So you like to gamble, hm? I guess being a shinobi is quite the gamble then, isn't it? Oh, and were you at the hospital to be with the kids today, too?" He was quite the interesting character and I had quite a few questions for him still, but talking this much seemed already like a lot. Kichirou could really get me talking it seemed, I had already said a little speech just before and here I was nearly interrogating him about his life. I curled my hair behind my ears as I saw the waitress coming up to our table, looking at her expectantly for my food.

"Oh, I'm sure you're not that bad. Dancing is just as easy as fighting, sometimes it can even be the same thing."

Kichirou would be lying if he said that he wasn't a little peeved that the blank expression seemed to always be on her face. Hell he couldn't discern any time of emotion when she spoke about one of her likes. Shouldn't there at least been some warmth in the eyes? Or a smile when one spoke about something that they enjoy? She didn't have none of this. And now that he thought about it the only time he saw emotion was at the hospital and earlier when she ordered. So he couldn't help to wonder about the kind of environment she grew up in? He didn't mull over such a deep and meaningful question for long – for it wasn't really his concern.

“No matter how good one is, there is always room for improvement. And besides it wouldn't it be fun to dance with someone else besides yourself? Sharing emotions with another being through graceful movements that is dancing?” His intent was clear as day. The gambler had just extended a potential invitation to another meeting of sorts. Maybe she will pick up on it and accept it.  That is if she wanted to meet him again.


"So you like to gamble, hm? I guess being a shinobi is quite the gamble then, isn't it? Oh, and were you at the hospital to be with the kids today, too?"

So she understand. That's good. Many people didn't understand the real reason why Kichirou became a shinobi. But here was a woman who unknowingly understood why he became a shinobi. Risking one's life is by far one of the biggest gambles one can take and there was no words to describe the rush that comes from knowing that each day you are gambling with your life. And it's that rush which Kichirou constantly seeks. Mentally shaking his head, Kichirou thought about the children at the hospital, a pain expression marring his face – words being spoken softly as the waitress placed the food on the table.

“Yeah. Was there a couple of hours. I had promised them I would visit them after my match. So I went to my resident, cleaned up and spent three hours or so. I spent time with them learning their dreams, hopes, and fears. Held their hands when nurses came to give them shots. Comforting them when they had no one else to do so. I been visiting them since I came to Sunagakure, and they see me as a big brother of sorts. And I. . .” He paused blinking a lone tear from escaping “see them as family. . .” It was obvious that he cared about the children and that he would do anything for them.

“So Suzume-chan. . .” He teased, filling up both of their saucers with sake “Tell me more about the confident, head strong woman that you are? And do I need to worry about a jealous boyfriend finding me here with his beautiful lover?”

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((occ:: sorry if it isn't that great. . ))

“No matter how good one is, there is always room for improvement. And besides it wouldn't it be fun to dance with someone else besides yourself? Sharing emotions with another being through graceful movements that is dancing?” Kichirou seemed to want to dance with me. Although his forwardness was flattering, I could never accept. A dance for the Kōga means much more than it does for most other people. Emotions, expressions, and body language being so important to us that dancing is usually a way for us to let out all of our emotions, and when it is directed at someone or we dance with someone, it means something completely different.

"I'm sorry, I don't dance with people I've only just met." I understood he might be slightly hurt by this, but dancing is a very intimate thing. Dancing for someone or with them represents complete trust, and I have yet to find that person. A thought rolled through my head that he might be it, but it was much too soon to think like that, so I threw away the thought from my mind.

“Yeah. Was there a couple of hours. I had promised them I would visit them after my match. So I went to my resident, cleaned up and spent three hours or so. I spent time with them learning their dreams, hopes, and fears. Held their hands when nurses came to give them shots. Comforting them when they had no one else to do so. I been visiting them since I came to Sunagakure, and they see me as a big brother of sorts. And I. . .” He paused for a bit, wiping away a tear from his eye, "...see them as family." He had gotten quite emotional when talking about the children, I nearly broke my own expressionless demeanor. Thankfully the waitress came by, letting me compose myself while she gave us our food.

I started to take a spoonful of the beef soup when Kichirou spoke up again. "So Suzume-chan. . ." he said, taking a spoonful himself. "Tell me more about the confident, head strong woman that you are? And do I need to worry about a jealous boyfriend finding me here with his beautiful lover?” 'Lover?' His words nearly made me choke on my food. After composing myself and swallowing, I shook my head. "No, nothing like that." His straight forwardness had caught me off guard. Surprise and shock was all over my face now, and I went to take a drink of sake to help me regain composure. "I'm not sure what to tell you about me." After taking a sip of the sake, I used the small kick from it to calm myself down and again my demeanor was back to its usual self.

“How about this then. Tell me what does dancing mean to you? For I got a feeling it's something deeper than my meaning.” I grabbed a napkin and made sure my mouth was clean. I had been eating the delicious soup quite enthusiastically so I wanted to make sure my mouth was clean. Setting it down, I looked back at Kichirou.

"Dancing is reserved for those with a great bond." I needed to explain this simply. "To me, dancing is completely expressing yourself through the body and movements, and as I'm sure you've noticed by now, I'm not keen on such expressions. So for me to dance with someone is something I just don't do."

I didn't really think of explaining the entirety of the issue. That would have made me explain the Kōga clan's teachings and then state exactly why things were the way they were. A long drawn out speech was not my style, and I really didn't think explaining to him how intimate it was would be the best idea. It was best to leave things at this instead of making things awkward.

“Well now. That's an interesting take on dancing. I for one never thought about dancing in such a intimate way.“ He stated, sipping on the liquid within the saucer soup having already been eaten. “Does your view on dancing also the reason why you don't smile much?” He asked me while sipping from his drink. To him, my emotionless behavior must seem strange. I sat there, finishing the rest of my beef soup as I thought about how I should answer him.

"Yes," I answered finally. "Though I really can't say anymore about that." He was getting closer to asking about the Kōga clan's secret knowledge, which was something I could not just let slip in idle conversation. That was something to be kept within the clan, so I kept myself ready to leave if he pressed any further. I kept my face void of expression, trying to keep more focus on my behavior. I had slipped up too many times with Kichirou.

“Hope I didn't take away from wherever you was going when I saw you at the hospital?” Such a sudden change in topics made me wonder about his train of thought. I didn't break from this, however, instead taking hold of this new topic. He was fun to talk with, as long as he didn't dig too deep into things. I brushed my hair behind my shoulders and rested my hand on my folded cape. "I'm not really sure where I was going. At the time I just was leaving the hospital, but I guess I do need to get home eventually."

I noticed Kichirou's eyes flicker away and widen a bit before returning to normal. I glanced behind me to try to see what he had seen, but didn't notice anything. Turning back, I noticed him catching the waitress's attention. Looking at both of our bowls, we had finished eating quite a while ago and I hadn't even realized. It had been a very good lunch, and I actually really enjoyed spending it with Kichirou.

“I just remember I promised to visit the orphanage today. Can't let my children believe that I'm a liar now, can I?”

I just nodded, he seemed to have quite the plans with kids today. He had mentioned he loved being with the kids at the hospital. Unlike Kichirou, I had no plans for the rest of my day. Setting my napkin on the table, I started to get up with Kichirou, watching him stretch my eyes betrayed me as I saw his physique while his clothes tightened during the stretch. I averted my gaze for a few seconds, reprimanding myself for breaking my mask of expression in front of him.

“This was nice Suzume. Maybe we can do this again, sometime?” he asked me. I simply nodded, though maybe a bit too quickly. What was going on with me today? Had my fight with Izumi done something to my head? I had never acted this way before, but then as Kichirou started to leave, he said one last thing that caught me off guard. “You should smile more. . .”

Watching Kichirou walk away, I stood with my mouth silently agape before turning into a soft smile as he walked on down the street and out of sight. For him, I might actually try to, but what was I thinking? I needed to keep up my guard with him better. After all, he was from another shinobi village. Even though the Leaf and the Sand have a long history of being allies, there are also several times in history where we were quite bitter enemies. I straightened my back and concealed my face in its emotionless mask, stepping outside and heading back home. Today was a great day.