Despite being a Genin herself, Maemi would not be participating in this years Chuunin Exams, in fact she doubted whether or not she would be partaking in any of the Chuunin Exams. Maemi was the kind of girl who would prefer to level up in her own way at a pace that would suit her best. While the chance to prove herself against the other Genin did sound very tempting, Maemi knew she was simply not strong enough to compete properly in the exams. People who had far more training than her would be partaking in the exams, she knew that in order to have any hope of defeating them she would have to become stronger herself. However, in a years time Maemi expected to be significantly more powerful than any of the other Genin the world had to offer, which was why she never saw herself competing in this years exams. She had however, made the long voyage from Kiri to the exams location. Maemi had no interest in any of the festivities that were underway around this village, but she was curious about the talent that would be coming forward at this years exams. Yet the exams had not yet started, so Maemi had took it upon herself to explore the areas on the outskirts of the village.

That morning, she had dressed herself as normal and decided to head out of her small hotel room into the wide outdoors and scorching weather that the village offered to anyone who wished to go out and see the world. Despite her extremely introverted personality, Maemi had always had an acute sense of curiosity when it came to geography and history of where she was. A history truly defined a person, and a location. Holding the sheathed blade Maebure in her left hand, she began to explore. The map of the village had prompted many questions within the young shinobi's mind, yet one had interested her more so than any others. The Mire of Lost Statues. Rumour had it that only the strong could explore the forested area that was shrouded in mist and return alive, so the power hungry Maemi had naturally decided to explore to see what was what with the area.

After a brief hike out of the holiday complex, Maemi had left the village behind her. Signs of civilization decayed around her until only the vast forests around the village had consumed the girl. One of the first acts the founders of this village had to perform had been to assassinate Hashirama Senju, a task they had completely failed at in every way humanly possible. The Senju were an annoyance at every turn it seemed, creating orderly ways to live. It was Hashirama Senju who had first put forward the very concept of a shinobi, and it was for that reason alone that Maemi despised all the Senju. They had created the very civilizations that she wished to one day eliminate. However right now Maemi had to become strong, strong enough to deal with anything that could stand in her way, then the five shadows would fall beneath her and Maebure. She'd dye the rivers red with their blood.

A faint mist was the first sign that Maemi was drawing closer to her location. As a member of Kirigakure, Maemi was more than accustomed to dealing with mists so when the thick fog enveloped her she didn't react in the slightest. However this fog was different, it seemed... Heavier, attuned with nature to the finest degree. This was the notable Nature Chakra that the practitioners of Senjutsu utilized in the art known as Sage Mode. Maemi found the Sages an interesting bunch, but didn't care much for them. Maemi didn't care much about anything. Out of the mists, Maemi arrived in a clearing. In the middle of this clearing, a statue carved into the likeness of an adult male had materialized. Maemi studied it for a moment, acknowledging it's static features before she heard rustling behind her. Spinning around, Maemi turned, gripping the hilt of Maebure firmly, still holding the sheath of the blade with her left hand, the hilt with her right. One male form, then another. Each of them appeared out of the mist, forming a ring around Maemi. Fifteen of them in total. Maemi did not panic, nor flinch, she merely waited. One of them, the leader from the way he was dressed, spoke "'Ello there m'lady, your brother sent us here ta kill ya, so goodbye, ice girl" Maemi tensed up at that. Her brother despised her for what she had done to their parents, and now wanted her dead it seemed. Having no time to consider what that meant for now, Maemi span around as one of them lunged for her. The temperature seemed to drop considerably, as Maemi unsheathed the blade, and with a spin she slashed the mans throat, sending him to the ground with a thud. Another came at her next, who died in a similar fashion. Maemi continued to brutally kill them without a word, before she was down to five. One of them threw wire at her legs while she was slicing one of his friends open, she began to fall"Gah!" Was all she had time to say while the others lunged for the girl.

Training:

A manila folder containing detailed records of a man Ryusei had never met sat before him on the table in a rather shady bar located in the underbelly of Takigakure. Every village had places like these, no matter how pristine the outside looked. You just had to know where to look. Ryusei was no stranger to establishments like this. It was often in these places, away from the prying eyes of the outside world, where transactions in his line of work were made. He had been summoned here that day by one of his regular contacts with a job. The objective was simple enough, bring the target back dead or alive, which when Ryusei was involved, meant dead. “Suzuki Takuzu, huh?” Ryusei muttered, holding up a picture of his target which he would take along with him, “Wanted for theft, murder, & kidnapping. Known to prey on weak and vulnerable targets like women and children. Sounds like a real charmer.”

“Don’t get to lax about it, killer,” the man sitting across from Ryusei whose face was covered by darkness said in a low, raspy voice, “You aren’t the first person to be sent after him, and he’s still at large. He likes to travel with a large group. Despite how pathetic they might be individually… there is strength in numbers. Don’t take this lightly.”

“Please,” Ryusei scoffed as he got up from his seat, tucking the picture into his inside jacket pocket, “Have I ever once returned from a hunt empty handed, old man?” The shadow veiled man said nothing, merely smirking and shaking his head as he took a sip of the drink that sat on the table in front of him. Both of them knew the answer to that question, a resounding no. All that was left to do was await Ryusei’s return.

~~~~~~~~~

The hunt was on. The trail of his prey as fresh as their careless footprints left behind in the soft, muddy ground of the mire. The Mire of Lost Statues, quite the ominous place, complete with a thick fog, lifeless trees, and statues that once held the lives of people and creatures too weak to withstand the heavy aura of nature chakra emanating from the land itself. The sound alone of such a place would make a lesser man turn back in fear. It was curious that such cowardly prey would even come to a location like this. Ryusei silently wondered what business would bring his prey all the way out here. Something underhanded he could only assume.

Still, Ryusei couldn’t ask for a better hunting ground. A murky, forested area where the weak go to die, how appropriate. Using the fog and trees as cover Ryusei began prowling through the mire, hot on the trail of his prey. As expected, they had not even thought to cover their trail, allowing Ryusei to find them in no time at all. What he did not expect, was to find them already preoccupied when he arrived. He arrived just in time to see almost a dozen men bleeding out on the cold ground while five more, including his target stood over a woman whose legs were bounded by wires. Two of the men would flank the immobilized woman’s sides and, once she had been properly disarmed when they kicked the sword beside her away, grab her arms to lift her up off the ground. It was only then when he felt completely secure in his victory that his target would brandish a blade and raise it over his head, aiming to end the woman’s life with one swift swing.

From the cover of the fog Ryusei would draw one of his light guns, firing a slug directly at the man’s hands, sending his weapon flying off in a different direction. All five men’s attention would then immediately shift towards the fog, screaming out for Ryusei to show himself... and he would soon enough. The clanking of a smoke canister bouncing along the ground towards their feet echoed through the empty mire before releasing its contents into a black smokescreen engulfing the area. It was then that Ryusei would join the party.  Drawing both oversized trench knives from his sides he dashed through the smoke towards the first man, whose death would be denoted by nothing but the sound of gurgling as his blood came gushing out of his slit throat. One down, four to go.

The other four would hear the sounds and immediately take their captive and run out of the smoke. The last of them however, would not be so fortunate as to escape. Just as he reached the edge of the smoke, his vision becoming clear once more as he watched his companions reach safety, one of Ryusei’s bolas would ensnare his legs, causing him to fall face first to the ground. His comrades would not even budge to help him as he found himself being dragged back into the smoke, digging his fingers into the mud and calling out for help. Those pleas for help would soon be replaced by screams and feral roars as Ryusei mauled the man with his blades, leaving the body all but unrecognizable. Two down.

It was only then that Ryusei himself would emerge from the cloud of smoke, fresh blood dripping from every part of his weapons. He could feel the fear of the remaining men lingering in the air, which only enhanced his blood lust, which at that point would be almost palpable to the men who were the targets of all of his killing intent. The two men that were holding the woman up still immediately dropped her and the first one would charge at Ryusei, sword brandished. Using the curved spikes on the knuckles of his trench knives Ryusei would catch the slash and immediately turn his wrist violently, disarming the man as his sword was ripped from his grasp. As the man looked up at the towering Ryusei with fear in his eyes Ryusei would offer him no quarter, raising his blades up high and bringing them down into each side of the base of the man’s neck. Blood would gush violently from each side as the man fell to his knees, keeping his gaze locked with Ryusei’s as the life slowly faded from his eyes. Only two remained.

His target would send the last of his henchmen towards Ryusei, but by this point there was no fight left in him. He stepped forward trembling violently, unable to even keep his weapon still as he stood his ground. Ryusei could smell the fear the man reeked of. It was disgusting. Ryusei marched forward towards his target, all but ignoring the trembling man he walked past. That is, until the man tried to use the opening of Ryusei showing him his back for a sneak attack. Ryusei expected as much from such a cowardly lot. He blocked the slash with one of his blades and as he turned to face the man once again the coward would drop his weapon and get down to his knees, but not a word would be spoken as Ryusei performed one quick slash across the man’s throat, ripping away the flesh and leaving a straight splatter of blood on the ground alongside the body. And then there was one.

By this point his target had forgotten all about the woman that his men had attacked, instead turning away to flee and save himself… but he was slow. Ryusei pounced towards the man, blades brandished which the man avoided by throwing himself to the ground beside him. There was no escape now, and both of them knew it. Ryusei sheathed his blades and began walking towards his prey, who was know crawling pathetically away. He offered to pay Ryusei to let him go. He begged for mercy. “Mercy?” Ryusei repeated with an amused smirk, “That’s a pretty word.” Then brandishing one of his light guns Ryusei would place the barrel right in the center of the groveling man’s forehead. “You brought about your own guilt,” Ryusei stated bluntly as he pulled the trigger 6 times in a row, leaving a deep and seared hole in the middle of the man’s head, “I’m just the one that carries out the sentence.”

After blowing on the barrel of his weapon to cool down the stone that powered it, he would return it to its holster. He would then take out the picture of his mark given to him by his employer and, with the still bloody blade of his trench knife cross the man’s face out. His mind no longer preoccupied by the hunt, Ryusei would then turn his attention to the woman that he found being assailed by his targets. He would walk over to her, kneeling down at her feet in order to cut the wires that still bound her legs. “Are you okay?” he asked plainly, breaking eye contact directly after so that he could carefully cut the wire without hurting her.

---

1522~

Maemi thought this was it, that the curtain was closing on her stage prematurely. Maemi knew this couldn't be, not now, it was too early for her life to be thrown to the wind like so many shinobi before her she simply couldn't allow it to end this soon. So suddenly, Maemi then realized did one's life flash before them. You could live in the world and die, without a good 3/4's of its population realizing you had even been there. A mere dust particle flowing along in the great river of time that was known as life. As Maemi fell, Maebure was sent flying from her grasp, where it promptly impaled itself in the ground. The hilt seemed to radiate an ominous light, though Maemi knew this to be impossible, it was just a blade right? Little did she know, she was so far from the truth that she couldn't have been more wrong about Maebure. Maemi slammed into the ground, coughing as the wind was knocked out of her chest. The wires were being manipulated by some form of chakra as they were continuing to wind their way up her body, encasing her in the cold and biting metal. it would seem as though Albert had ordered Maemi to be captured alive, no doubt so he could savour the sweet taste of revenge in full glory as he made a spectacle of her. This was a strange time to be having thoughts about her brother, as the chains continually tightened themselves around her, choking out the breath from her body. No doubt they were attempting to knock her out for easy transport. The wire had completely encased her legs and waist at this point. Maemi desperately looked over at Maebure, but the blade remained as cold as the heart of its wielder. Maemi sighed into a submissive state, stopping moving as the wire slowly coiled itself around her like a vicious viper. Her journey as a shinobi had only just begun, was it doomed to fail so early? Her dream of one day riding the world of injustice and bringing about a new age for the world, gone? Shattered like the fragile ice that covered a vast expanse of water?...

Not yet, at least it seemed that way. Maemi's eyes snapped open as the heard someone spring into the clearing. From the look of him, he didn't look much older than she was, making it logical that he wasn't with these men. And from the violence that swiftly followed Maemi definitely knew he wasn't on their side. With wide eye, Maemi watched as he began quickly dispatching the men one by one. He seemed to prefer ranged weapons, though she could tell from merely looking at him he was far more capable of just using mere guns. With a grace and ferocity unmatched by many, this guy went about brutally murdering the rest of the men she had failed to deal with. Which reminded her, she had failed rather miserably hadn't she? She boasted of powerful feats yet she couldn't even take care of a group of her brothers henchmen... What a joke she must look right now. With one final blood-lust act, he dealt with the captain of the mercenaries. Once he did that, the wires progress up her body ceased, but it didn't snap free it just ceased moving. With a sigh, Maemi looked over at the man again. He proceeded to look back at her, which caused a faint blush to appear on her cheeks. What was this feeling? She didn't know, but when he asked was she okay she merely sputtered out her response "I-I'm fine, at least now I am..." as he broke eye contact with her she pouted somewhat but refrained from doing anything else. Once he successfully removed her bindings, she shuffled backwards out of the wire. Standing, she dusted herself off with another faint blush. Heading over to Maebure, she pulled the blade free from the ground. She also retrieved its sheath from where it had fallen. Picking up the sheath with her left hand as before, she slid the blade into its sheath, looking back over to him.... He certainly had a well-built frame "Um... Thank you for saving me, I'm um... Maemi, who are you?...." Maemi rarely talked at all to anyone, preffering to let her actions speak for her, yet this once she found herself open to the conversational and social benefits that came with talking to her saviour. Had she been younger, she would have thought of him as her shining knight come to her valiant rescue. Yet even as a child, Maemi had never believed in those stories, there were the strong and weak and that was that...

Spoiler:

After he Ryusei had cut the girl free from the wires the were binding her throughout the fight he would watch her as he shuffled out of the severed chords, dusted herself off, and immediately made her way over to pick up a sword that stood jutting out of the ground. He raised an eyebrow skeptically as he watched her carefully retrieve the blade and its matching sheath, telling him that she knew that blade in particular. It belonged to her. Was she the one that took down all of the men that laid scattered around the area before he arrived? At this point it could have only been her. There was no trace of another person in the area, no weapons out of place, and the wounds that had been inflicted on most of them were cuts made by a blade. He wasn’t sure if he should have been impressed by her work or irritated that he had arrived to complete a job that was already half complete, so he settled on a bit of both.

“The name is Ryusei,” he answered plainly, now realizing that after having saved this woman he was obligated to at least show her the courtesy of an introduction. He supposed this was fine on a first name basis as long as he was able to keep his clan name to himself. In his line of work it was often not wise for a person to be so forthcoming with personal information. “Don’t thank me, I was only finishing a job,” he continued, “A job that was already halfway done by the time I got here and it appears as though you were the reason for that.” With that said Ryusei would step towards Maemi, inspecting the woman that had encroached on his prey up and down. She was rather tall for a woman and her appearance strong, which was nice. Having been raised by the huntresses of the Shiryo Clan, who were just as fearsome and strong as the men, Ryusei had come to resent the weakness and frailty that these villages had come to value in their women. “Am I correct in assuming that half of my prey being gone by the time I got here was your doing?”

He knew the answer, it was obvious. Unless some invisible 3rd party had helped her kill off those men only to leave her to die at the hands of the last five she was the only one in the area, so assuming he was correct he already knew his reply. “It seems as though I’m now in your debt, Maemi,” he spoke seriously, locking his mostly cold gaze with hers, “I don’t take credit for another’s kills. Whether you intended it or not, this job was not completed by me alone. I hate being indebted to people. Tell me what it is that you want from me to square away my debt? A cut of the bounty or…?”

---

2022~

Maemi's grip tightened around Maebure's sheath, somewhat instinctively. This blade she knew, had been passed down through the shinobi side of her family, the side that has been powerful before her mother had tried to repress and throw away the arts that their Aisu heritage had so costly given them. It was one of the other reasons why Maemi despised her family, they valued money and material possessions over the things that mattered. Which was why the hey discarded their imperfect daughter and named her brother their heir, merely because they saw him in their eyes as better. Maebure meant a lot too Maemi, it represented the long road she was willing to go on in order too become one of the strongest shinobi around, whatever the costs of that road may bring to her doorstep she would be ready to destroy any and all who came before her. Sighing somewhat, Maemi loosened the grip on the blade's sheath, still holding it but not yet willing to fully relax her grip. Bringing her thoughts back to the present, Maemi studied the man in front of her carefully. He was older than she was, yet not by much. The air of youth still hung over him yet he was quickly becoming an adult. She guessed either early twenties or late teens, either way age wasn't a factor that concerned Maemi, their mindset was.

He introduced himself, however hesitant he may be about it. Yet, the hesitance wasn't from nerves more like boredom, hesitant to even engage her in a conversation. Maemi valued that mindset more than a social one, it worked with her using her own actions instead of a bandied word. Both of them had kept their clans a secret, which was formal among shinobi unless you knew them well. Her Aisu clanmates were growing ever thicker though it seemed, something she deeply regretted as the more Aisu, the more annoyance there'd be for her in Kiri. While she doubted any of them would wish to speak with her, she still hated their existence being even close to her. When he spoke about his work, Maemi listened as was courteous of her. So, he was on a job? He was most definitely a shinobi. Yet, she saw no visible headband on his person. That could be a personal choice, like her own to not wear her headband, but perhaps he was a Wandering Shinobi, which seemed more plausible. The Chuunin Exams had brought all kinds of people to this village, so no doubt some wandering shinobi had come, she'd even heard some were competing in the exams. Maemi looked down at her blade's hilt for a moment before he began speaking again, which made her look up. Sighing somewhat, in exasperation, she spoke "Yes, your 'prey' was taken down by my hand, at least, a good three quarters of them were. I'm sorry if I spoiled your game but I did not fancy being kidnapped today..." Sighing, Maemi straightened her posture and looked directly at him, her naturally red eyes glinting like the blood at her feet. When Ryusei started to speak again, Maemi frowned and looked over at him. It would appear as though he was an honourable man as well as chivalrous then "I don't require money, material possessions mean little or nothing...." Reaching into one of her side pockets, Maemi groped around for a second before her eyes widened. She was out of sweets.... She could have sworn she had more. Sighing somewhat, Maemi's eyes looked up with a faint glint in her eye "Although... You could, I don't know... Take me to the village sweet shop and pay for everything I buy?..." Maemi attached Maebure's hilt to her side, with a series of cords and her belt, the sheath then stilled and stuck firm to her side. She looked over at Ryusei, with the same hungry glint in her eyes.

Spoiler:

For a moment Ryusei’s eyes would be drawn to Maemi’s hands as they gripped the hilt of her weapon, making it clear that she was still wary of him. Funny how he went from an ally to an enemy in less than five minutes, not that it really mattered. She could think whatever she wanted about him, just like everyone else did. From looking at her he presumed that she was around his age. She certainly didn’t look much younger than him, not built like that. Even as she inspected him up and down, the hand on her weapon never relaxed too much. That combined with the look in her eye and the carnage she had left behind in her wake was not the tell of a defenseless girl. The Maemi was a warrior, and that katana was her weapon of choice. He could only hope that as a warrior she understood his necessity to repay his debts.

Ryusei would raise an eyebrow skeptically, wondering how serious she was being with him when she declined payment in favor of… sweets? He thought to openly question her, but the hungry look in her eye that flared at the very mention of the village’s sweet shop told him everything he needed to know. “Uhh… yeah, sure,” he replied, unsure of how he should even go about answering something like that, “Sweets shop it is. You’ll have to show me where though, I’m not very familiar with the layout of this village. I just arrived in town myself this morning.” He stopped to look over in the direction of the body of his target, reminding himself to get what he came for before he left.

“Hold on a second, I need to get something before we leave,” he said to Maemi, motioning with his head over to the body of the man a few paces away, “One last part of the job to do.” Breaking away from their conversation he would make his way over to his mark, kneeling down and turning over the body so that the man was on his back. What he saw when he looked at the man’s face however, he was not expecting. Better than three fourths of the man’s face had already begun converting to stone. Apparently the stories behind the mire were more than just talk. Wasting no more time he began to pat down the man’s jacket, reaching into the inside pocket to pull out an envelope that he would slip into his own pocket.

Once that was done he would raise himself back up and watch as the last bits of the man’s flesh began to harden into stone. Ryusei gazed down upon the eerie face of the statue, with a hole on its head, looking like it was frozen in time in a place full of pain. He was not satisfied. Knowing the deeds this man had committed Ryusei would not suffer an eternal reminder of this man’s existence. Raising one knee up he would stomp his boot down onto the statue’s head, shattering it to pieces and forever removing his face from history. With nothing left to do here he would turn back and walk over to Maemi, stopping just short of her before speaking, “Sweet shop right? Lead the way.”

---

2583~

Maemi watched the man before her as he watched her movements. Like her, he was not taking any risks and was being extremely cautious around her. It was a methodical and logical approach to ensure that if she did decide to attack to attack him he would most definitely be ready for her. Yet Maemi had no intention of harming the guy who has potentially just saved her life, it went against everything she knew about being a shinobi. It was dishonourable and plain wrong in the girls mind. So she decided against it, and decided she'd also never harm the man in front of her, not so long as she lived. Folding her arms, she looked at him as he considered her offer. Most other people would laugh at her request but the look in her eyes said she was not fooling around, at all. He was somewhat larger than she was, so even with this small distance between them she was still forced to tilt her head backwards so she could look him in the eye. The sceptical look that crossed his face was somewhat worrying, but eventually he agreed. A very small smile flickered across the girls face for a mere moment before it was transformed back into her usual neutral expression. Maemi then watched as he went over to one of the men who he had killed, the ring leader of the group. He retrieved whatever he had wanted from the man, just as he finished turning to stone. Somewhat perplexed, Maemi looked around at all the other fallen men. With varying expressions of pain upon their features, the men had all turned to stone, frozen forever like this. It was a strange sight to be sure, but these lost statues would forever mark this day, so long as the world continued to spin. The nature chakra of this place must have taken their weak bodies.

Returning back to awareness, Maemi looked at Ryusei as he asked her to lead on. With another small if brief smile, Maemi spoke to him again "Try to keep up, big guy" Without another word, Maemi grabbed the hilt of Maebure with both hands, winked at Ryusei before vanishing into the tree line. Holding the blade like this allowed her to better control where it was so it did not bump into anything. With a fleet foot, Maemi weaved her way between the trees around her, and the thick undergrowth below. Smiling to herself, despite her usual demeanour, Maemi dashed through the trees like some gazelle, with a powerful stag following just behind her. After a few short minutes, Maemi and presumably Ryusei broke through the tree line, back onto the outskirts of the village. Slowing to a halt, Maemi released her grip on Maebure, opting to just hold it lightly with her left hand, like most women place a hand on a hip she placed it on her blade. The smile vanishing somewhat, Maemi began to walk at a slow place back towards the village. They weren't that far away, so it didn't take that long for herself and Ryusei to arrive once more back to the village. Unlike Kiri, this place seemed to be no end of sunshine and beautiful weather. The cool air that seemed to pulse off the girl seemed to all but vanish under the heat as she continued to walk through the village. The two of them didn't attract many odd glances as they walked through the village. There were hundreds of shinobi in the village for the exams, two more didn't deserve a second glance. Weaving her way through the throng of people as though they were still in the undergrowth, Maemi continued to move, seeming to know exactly where they were going. Finally, after a couple of more minutes they both arrived. The sweet shop wasn't some lavish place, but it was well looked after with care and attention, something that Maemi valued. Looking sideways at Ryusei behind her curtain of black hair, Maemi took a moment to collect herself as she pushed open the door. Once inside, something seemed to come over Maemi. Her previously neutral expression positively lit up with excitement as she practically skipped into the shops depths, one hand still resting on Maebure's sheath. Upon every wall, rows of neatly arranged jars full of sweets could be seen. Everything you could possibly imagine, in jars that practically went to the ceiling. On the far wall, a small counter could be seen with a friendly faced old lady and presumably her husband sat behind it, talking to each other in gentle tones. Maemi stood in the centre of the room, looking around at everything she saw, trying to decide what she wanted. Smiling, a genuine smile this time, Maemi walked back over to Ryusei whose hand she promptly took to drag him over to the counter with her, not remembering to let go once she reached the counter, a giddy feeling bubbling within her. Looking to the old couple, she smiled and spoke "Hi, um, can I please have...." Maemi then proceeded to read off an exceptionally long list of sweets from the top of her head, causing the old man to dash about the room collecting them. Finally, the total came too several different kinds of fudge, sugared sweets and more. Smiling still, Maemi turned back to Ryusei whose hand she only finally let go, blushing somewhat "You're wallet then, big guy" This was promptly followed by another wink from earlier, Maemi's eyelashes fluttering.

Ryusei found himself slightly confused by the sudden shift in Maemi’s behavior. Just a moment ago she was glaring at him and readying her blade as if she expected to cut him down. Now she was smiling and winking at him and referring to him by some nickname. He wasn’t quite understanding her angle. He had already agreed to give her what she wanted, it wasn’t like she had to try and butter him up to get him to keep his word. As far as nicknames went, Ryusei had someone call him anything but his name in something that was not a diminutive manner, so whether or not it was her intention that “big guy” comment was almost mocking him. His clan did trained its members to be direct in their communication with others. Nicknames or pet names were not a normal part of their culture, so Ryusei misunderstood Maemi’s intentions.

“Big guy?” he retorted skeptically, prepared to question her about the name, but getting cut off as she darted off into the trees, “That’s not my- ugh, whatever.” Saying nothing more he would launch himself after her, not taking long to catch up and hanging just behind her so that she could lead the way. He watched Maemi’s movements carefully as they made their way back to the village. Her movements were graceful, swift, and silent, her footsteps barely making a disturbance in the area around her as each time she landed despite running at this pace. It was certainly not the kind of movement he would expect to see out of any normal person he came across. She had the talent to be a huntress. She would continue to lead the way as they broke free from the wooded area and returned to the village where their destination was located. The crowds of people made Ryusei a bit on edge as he followed her through the village streets. He wasn’t much one for crowds or loud and unruly locations. He would much rather be alone in piece, but for the sake of repaying his debt he continued on.

When they finally arrived in the shop, Ryusei’s mysterious companion would once again surprise him, this time with an extremely drastic change in behavior once she was exposed to the sight and smell of the seemingly endless amounts of sugary foods that lined the shop. Maemi almost seemed to prance through the shop, eyeing everything she could fit into her gaze, before turning back to him, smiling widely and grabbing him by the hand, happily attempting to drag him with her past the front door. Her hand was a bit cold to the touch, which took Ryusei by surprise as the weather was not cold at all, but it wasn’t bad. Ryusei detested extreme heat and enjoyed the cold. In his mind the cool sensation of their hands joining together was refreshing, a good counterbalance to his seemingly abnormally high body temperature that constantly left him radiating heat. He remained silent as she continued to hold his hand in hers, all the while spouting off a long list of treats that Ryusei had never heard of. She may have been more physically impressive than other women, but she didn’t really intend to eat all of that, did she? It was almost as if she was trying to eat her body weight in sugar.

When she turned to him to uphold his end of the deal, her wink and use of the pet name once again drew Ryusei’s attention. “My name is Ryusei,” he said a bit flustered, still unaccustomed to the social standards that Maemi had spent her whole life learning. The amount of sweets she bought was quite large, but the total was irrelevant. Ryusei had little care for the value of currency, being raised to live in the wild since birth. He knew how much money he needed to survive, and anything extra was simply a waste as far as he was concerned. He would gather the numerous decorative bags containing Maemi’s payment from the counter and carry them over to a small table for two inside the shop which was obviously meant for customers to sit and eat at. “I’ve never had almost any of what you ordered, but it must be good if you intend to eat all of this alone,” he said to her as he placed the bags on the table for her, “It seems we’re all squared up now. I won’t be an inconvenience to you anymore. Enjoy, Maemi. Try to be more careful, I can’t always be around to come to your rescue.” He hesitated for a moment after he spoke, keeping his gaze locked with Maemi’s. He didn’t understand why he hesitated, but once he continued on he would turn away from the table, prepared to take his leave and part ways with his new acquaintance forever.

There was little reason for him to stick around after all. She had already gotten what she wanted out of him, so she would have no reason to want him to stay. He also had never been to a sweet shop, so he wouldn’t even know what to order if he wanted to try anything. His mind would continue to wander back to the woman he had just met. She was unusual. Even Ryusei had a difficult time reading her intentions, which to Ryusei made her dangerous… fascinatingly dangerous.

---

3507~

Maemi smiled happily as Ryusei was weighted down by the vast amount of paper bags with similar designs to the rest of the shop. Considering where they worked, the old couple still had their eyebrows raised in faint surprise. The old woman smiled somewhat at her husband, and mumbled in a very sweet tone, just as sweet as the shop. Maemi wasn't paying any attention to that though, she was too busy obsessing over the sheer amount of sweets she had managed to collect from killing a few men. But, if anyone had been listening to the old couples conversation they would have heard the old woman mutter "Children and their romantic relationships these days...". Maemi followed Ryusei with the same persistent smile on her face as she had done earlier. Sitting down at one of the many tables within the small yet homely shop. Smiling still despite her usual outlook, Maemi helped Ryusei put the assortment of bags down under the table. As he made to leave the establishment, Maemi frowned ever so slightly, the crease between her brow barely visible. An ever so faint pout also accompanied this frown, but it barely served to contort Maemi's features so unless you were really looking at her you'd barely know the difference, especially considering the fact that Maemi's usual face was a frown anyway. Maemi locked her red eyes onto Ryusei's green ones for a moment. In a split second, Maemi saw within the depth of his eyes nature, towering trees and brambles. Yet what were her own eyes? Two pools of scarlet blood. Maemi had always found it interesting what you could see within a persons eyes. Their pained history and happier emotions, the eyes often showed many different emotions.

Despite herself, despite her rule of distancing herself from people to save heartache, Maemi found herself reaching for the fleeting figure of Ryusei. Something deep within her, a small voice that seemed to know everything, told her that if he left her now she'd never see him again. That was something that Maemi didn't want to happen if she could help it. So, despite herself, Maemi's hand reached out to grab Ryusei's arms, as gently as the swords mistress could manage. Even through the clothing he wore, Maemi could still feel the excessively high amount of heat that radiated from his body. Yet, due to her own cold body, Maemi did not seem to notice. Their body temperatures together seemed to make a temperature that was perfect, not to cold or too warm. Smiling again, she stood up from where she had sat, walking around so she was in front of Ryusei. An extremely small empty space existed between them right now, and one small movement and he'd be pressing up against her bosom. Not seeming to care, her grip very narrowly edged its way down from his wrist to his hand. Lacing her fingers through his own again caused a faint blush to spread over her cheeks. Yet due to her very pale skin, this blush was easily seen. Cursing her own complexion, she spoke after a couple of stutters anyway "Um... I think I've possibly bitten off a bit more than I can chew... Um.. So, even though you've paid your debt would you... stay with me a while longer?... If you've never tried them, you can share mine...." You could tell from just looking at the girl this was not something she usually did. She fumbled over her usual refined speech form, stuttered where usually she'd be composed. It wasn't love however, it was something however. Still stood a mere inch or two away from him, Maemi continued to hold her head back so she was looking up at him. Her left hand was still laced between the fingers of his right hand. His warmth was a comfort to her, and the fact he hadn't instantly recoiled was something new as well, most people despised the cold that radiated off the girl. Releasing his hand, Maemi quietly edged back over to her table and sat down. She then looked up at Ryusei's back again, and watched him. Even through several layers of clothing, she could still see his taut back muscles. Shaking her head, Maemi watched him, the blush still very evident on her face.

From behind the counter Ryusei could hear the whispering and hushed words of the older couple that ran the shop, who were not speaking low enough to escape his hearing. "Children and their romantic relationships these days..." those words repeated in his mind for a moment. Is that what he and Maemi looked like together? He had just met the girl and accompanied her to fulfill her request that would square up his debt to her, a debt that was written in blood. Surely there was nothing particularly romantic about their situation. Was it due to the sudden change in behavior that she had shown ever since entering the establishment? He couldn’t tell for sure. All that he knew for sure was that there was nothing going on between the two other than a simple transaction. It wasn’t like she was interested in something more than that from him… right?

The thought sat in the back of his mind as he turned to leave until he was abruptly pulled from his thoughts by a cool sensation gripping his arm. Under normal circumstances his reflexive response to someone grabbing him from behind would result in retaliation with deadly force, but he knew this feeling, this cold touch. He didn’t turn to face the woman who stopped him however, as before he even sorted out his thoughts to react she had already twirled her way in front of him. Before he knew it he was once again face to face with Maemi, but this time she was close… very close. His naturally high body heat made the slight difference in temperature that seemed to surround her all the more noticeable. Whatever it was that caused this feeling, it gave Ryusei a rush… as if their bodies were pressed against each other even though that small gap still existed, teasing him with each sway as they remained just separate.

He remained still and silent as she slid her hand down to his and laced their fingers together. He gulped down air somewhat flustered as he looked at Maemi. Her porcelain skin grew redder and redder by the second as the blush crept up her cheeks and the cold and calculated demeanor in which she spoke normally melted away as her words stuttered and fumbled from her lips. As she spoke, he unconsciously began to stroke his thumb against the smooth skin of her hand that was holding his, which he wouldn’t stop doing until she finally returned to the table, awaiting his answer. As she pulled a way, he held her hand tighter for just a moment as if the keep it from slipping away, but as she turned back to the table so would he.

“I… I’d like that,” he muttered as he faced her once more, his own face turning a slight shade of rouge, although not nearly as prominent as hers. He glanced over at the shop owners for a moment to see them giggling in delight at the sight of their two young customers. He snarled a bit in their direction, still clearly flustered and unsure of why he felt this way. It wasn’t like Maemi was the first woman he’d ever met. They weren’t even together. But the way she treated him was so gentle… showing him a kindness that not even his own family had ever provided. Finally taking his seat across from Maemi, he hesitated to lock gazes with her once more before finally trying his best to hide the slight smirk that sat on his lips. “So, uhh… like I said, I’ve never really been to this kind of place from before. I really wouldn’t know where to start. How about you show me what you like…”

---

4139~

Maemi stayed as she was, sat in the seat with a blush plastered over her face the colour of a cranberry and a feeling of trepidation in her stomach. The feeling wasn't an all-consuming one, one that tore at every fibre of her body, but the feeling was sat like a lead weight within her stomach. Watching the look of consideration on Ryusei's face somewhat intensified the feeling, but Maemi wouldn't force a choice out of him, she'd let him think. While he thought, Maemi's thought back to a few moments ago, specifically the hand holding. While thinking about this, Maemi subconsciously placed her hand on the table, then her other one. The hand he had held was the one she specifically was looking at with her blood red eyes. She could still feel the warmth that he had caused her body to feel, as his thumb had gently glided its way over the back of her hand. It had been a strange feeling for the young shinobi, who had never experienced things like intimacy or love before. Such a strange feeling, one of actually having someone willing to touch you without being repulsed by the cold that surrounded Maemi like a spectre of death. With her other hand, Maemi traced the path that Ryusei's thumb had taken over her hand with her own thumb. The feeling was not the same, and could never be replicated by herself, it was a feeling that only another person could truly generate. Maemi sighed inwardly, the sound barely audible as she shut her red eyes, the world being consumed by darkness again as her eye lids shut out all the light from the area.

For a moment, Maemi was sent tumbling back into the past. Her family were celebrating her brothers birthday a week early, forgetting that today was in fact the birthday of Maemi. Sat at the windowsill, Maemi watched as her brother and his friends celebrated his birthday. A single tear rolled down the child's face.

Ryusei's voice snapped her back into the present. His voice, a blade that cut through the miasma of sorrow and hate that was the childhood of Maemi so far. Sighing again inwardly, Maemi sat up as she opened her eyes and watched as Ryusei spoke. All at once, the ironclad weight in her stomach was lifted and a significantly more pleasant feeling had taken hold of the girls mind as she watched him approach her. Maemi watched as he turned his head in the direction of the two giggling older folk in the corner and snarl. Not taken aback in the slightest, Maemi giggled for a brief moment, the sound sounded unnatural to Maemi, but it was pleasant to hear for others nevertheless. As he sat across from her, she noted the very very subtle hint of a blush, but it could not be compared to the crimson that Maemi was displaying. Realizing this however, Maemi's blush subsided somewhat but it was still there. Somewhat subconsciously, somewhat willingly, Maemi laced her fingers into Ryusei's. For once, Maemi managed to keep her blush at bay as she squeezed his hand. She liked the fiery warmth and the fiery personality she had seen so far from him, so she held onto his hand with a small smile on her face. Smiling again, she began to speak as she reached under the table with her free hand, she reached under the table, placing four of the six bags onto the table, and spilling out their contents onto the table. Maemi smiled, and point to each of them in turn, opening them as she pointed "This one's vanilla fudge, oh, this one's a sherbet lemon, these three are all different kinds of chocolate, some with nuts, this is a..." Maemi continued to label each one of the sweets. As she opened them, she split their contents in half and ate one of the halfs for herself, leaving the other half for Ryusei. All the while, she continued to hold onto his hand as she spoke, smiling the whole while.

Time marched onwards however, and eventually the old woman approached the table with a somewhat sad look on her face, something akin to disappointment "I'm sorry kids, but we're closing up now, don't worry about the mess we shall clean it up" As Maemi's eyes left Ryusei, they lost the glint of happiness, but she smiled and bowed her head as was the courteous thing to do "Thank you miss" Maemi stood up, Maebure on her hip moving with her. With the free hand she had, she collected the other two bags as the old woman and man went about cleaning up the mess. Maemi watched them for a moment, and noted how without even trying their movements were in perfect synch with each other, something only two people who had spent their lives together could truly master. Pulling Ryusei along with her, her hand still laced into his she walked out of the shop, thanking the couple again. As they headed outside, Maemi looked up. The sun was setting, Maemi turned to look at Ryusei, whose hand she was still tightly hold "Soo, what do you want to do now, or do you want me to go?... I'll do whatever you want" Maemi's words raced far ahead of her logical mind, but for once she didn't seem to care. Leaning into Ryusei's left side with her right, she smiled somewhat as her hand kept tight hold of his. The suns final rays vanished while she waited, and the night life of the village leapt into life.

After Ryusei took his seat across from Maemi in the small confectionary he would find himself once again silenced by the woman before him taking hold of his hand, lacing their fingers together just as she had done previously. And just as she had done before Maemi had now stolen away his will to pull away from her. He glanced down at their clasped hands for a moment before locking eyes with her once more, the smile on her face and unfamiliar look in her eyes as she looked into his demanding his undivided attention. As she gently squeezed his hand in hers he would straighten his fingers, pressing his hand forward to close the last bit of space between the webbing of their fingers, curling his fingers back down over the back of her hand. Despite her being rather tall compared to the average woman, the difference in size between their hands was noticeable. What was more noticeable to him, other than the familiar cool feeling that he had already come to associate with her touch, was how soft and smooth her hands were, especially for someone who always carried around a sword. Unlike his hands that were made strong and rough through grueling conditions, Maemi’s felt well cared for, dainty and delicate even, although he already knew otherwise.

He sat in silence and wonder as Maemi proceeded to unwrap and identify the seemingly endless amount of sweets laid out before them. Despite his usual insistence on personal space and general dislike for being touched, Ryusei had no desire to remove his hand from hers. On the contrary, the feeling of their hands together filled him with an excitement that he had never known before. That feeling would remain as they gorged themselves on sweets, their hands attached all the while. How appropriate it was for him to be experiencing this feeling for the first time while at the same time being introduced to the world of sweets. This woman… Maemi, had done nothing but introduced him to new and enjoyable things since they had met. For a moment it made him wonder what would happen if their time together would become a more… permanent situation.

That thought would soon fade however, as the two of them continued to feast on all manners of cakes and candies that they had purchased, almost choking himself while being too overzealous and eating too quickly. Ryusei found himself particularly fond of the chocolates and fudge treats he sampled. He couldn’t remember the last time he had enjoyed an activity with another person like this. “Fun” was not necessarily a major part of his life, especially over the past few years. Perhaps that was why he didn’t seem to notice as he spent far longer in the shop with Maemi than he had originally intended, not realizing how much time had passed until the older woman who tended the shop approached their table and informed them the store was closing. After gathering her things, Maemi would pull him out of the shop by the hand and once they had exited the confectionary she would surprise him once again.

As she leaned her body into his, not even the cold sensation emanating off of her could suppress the heat he felt welling up in his face as it turned almost as red as hers did, although he had the darkness of the night sky to hide his blush. This intimacy that Maemi seemed to relish participating in with him was a foreign concept to him. He had experienced intimacy before, but never quite like this. He couldn’t identify it and he couldn’t resist it, but what seemed to unnerve him the most is that he did not want to. “N-no… I don’t want you to go…” he muttered as he squeezed down on her hand a bit more as if to make sure she was still there, shifting his eyes away for a moment before meeting her gaze once more, “But… I have something to do tonight. I need to turn in the job that I completed today and collect my bounty. It’s kind of a shady place though, typical for the kind of business I’m in. There isn’t really anything to do there but wait for my employer and drink. I wouldn’t ask you to go to a place like that.”

---

4878~

Maemi continued to lean into Ryusei, her hand still firmly intertwined in his own. Thinking about it, Maemi didn't honestly think there was a way to have their bodies any closer than they were at that moment. Of course, there was always the chance that they could be naked, but that thought only served to make Maemi's skin turn a shade redder than she was. Since they had been inside the sweets shop, Maemi had lost most of her blush, her skin returning to its usual pale state and perfect porcelain quality. Yet, once again her skin had turned red. In the dying light however, it was becoming increasingly difficult to see colours. Grateful for that much at least, Maemi smiled ever so slightly, a foreign feeling to her facial construct. Out of the corner of her eye, Maemi saw the old woman shut the blinds on the shop, winking to her. Maemi blushed just a little more at that. Looking up at Ryusei, she saw he was looking off into the distance. His expression was relaxed, if somewhat sad. Turning her head, she rested it against his chest. When she did that, she was able to feel his heart beat. Each beat was rhythmical and evenly spaced apart. With her head resting like this, Maemi moved slightly each time that Ryusei breathed. Beneath the layer of clothing he was wearing, she could feel his strong chest.

Smiling to herself still, Maemi found herself with some time to think while Ryusei mulled things over in his head it seemed. Her thoughts found themselves in the past, accompanied only by the sound of Ryusei's heartbeat. Maemi had found, that while studying the way Ryusei acted, he was similar to her. The way he had handled those bandits was brutal, something she would have done. The way he acted in most social situations was similar to her as well. Maemi knew the reason for her own chosen solitude, and that was something she rarely shared, but it only served to make her curious about Ryusei's past as well. Her smile faded as she leaned against him. Closing her eyes, she let the sound of Ryusei's heart lull her into a trance while she stood there. Right now, she didn't want to move and would not. Intimacy was something that Maemi had virtually no experience with, other than the passing nod and murmured word. Her childhood had been one without any contact with people, other than her teacher and her maid and dinner with her family. But that had been it, so as a result right now Maemi was enjoying this moment more than she should have, eating up all of it. She had seen couples around Kiri and this village acting in a similar way, but it had been such a foreign concept to her that she was unsure of what to do right now. However, she knew she enjoyed the feeling that Ryusei had managed to give her. Squeezing his hand, as if to check he was still there, she sighed quietly in a contended way.

When he spoke, Maemi was immediately snapped out of her trance-like state, her attention instantly given over to whatever Ryusei was saying to her. Looking up again at him, she listened as he spoke. When he was done, Maemi frowned somewhat. Lacking in experience with alcohol, and pubs in general, Maemi was sort of intrigued by the concept of visiting one, especially if it meant she could spend more time around Ryusei. Looking up still at him, she spoke in her usual tone, the blush from before fading somewhat though still very much there "I've never been to an establishment like that, at least to drink.... You could always take me with you, I could keep you company while you wait for whoever it is, that is if you don't mind... If it's someone you want to be alone with I can understand and I'll leave" However, after Maemi spoke her grip tightened around Ryusei's hand, revealing that she did not want to go. Yet, she had to entertain the possibility that he had a girlfriend, after all she barely knew the guy. Any woman who met him would be lucky to have him, so she was hoping that his gruff personality meant that he was single. Pressing herself into him a bit more, she looked up at him, fixing him in her gaze, studying his face. He didn't seem the type to betray his partner, be it romantically or for job related purposes. Therefore, Maemi assumed he wouldn't spend a full day with another woman, holding hands. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Maemi's hand loosened somewhat around Ryusei's though her grip was still tight.

Ryusei would stare back at Maemi somewhat curiously, puzzled by her interest in accompanying him to the bar he needed to travel to even after being told that it was a rather shady place. Was she really just curious about drinking or was there something else driving her desire to go with him? “It’s not that I wouldn’t enjoy having your company,” he began with a sigh as he looked down at the woman whose body was pressed so close to his own, “But as I said earlier, this bar isn’t exactly the kind of place where you would take someone that you didn’t want to scare off. It isn’t some upscale lounge. There is a reason why it’s a safe place to handle the kind of business I’m in. The people in there are probably more likely to be hunted by me than to work with me. I wouldn’t count on anyone else there being worth the time or trouble to speak to and other than drink there really wouldn’t be anything there to keep you interested. It would just be you and me… I don’t want to ask you to come to that kind of place for something as selfish as wanting company while I wait.”

The more he thought about it, the more Ryusei wanted to say yes and bring her along. She said she wanted to come if he didn’t mind, but on the contrary at this moment there was no one he could think of that he would rather have with him. His list of friendly acquaintances wasn’t particularly long, but right now as Maemi’s body was pressed into his he felt something unfamiliar to him, and despite the cold aura that he knew to surround her he felt warm. Locking gazes with her once more he would feel compelled to take her with him, even though he knew it was not a good idea. He just… didn’t want her to go just yet and from the way she was squeezing down on his hand he assumed she felt the same. He sighed deeply, looking away from her for just a moment as he collected his thoughts before speaking, “But if you really want to come, I guess I can’t stop you. It isn’t exactly like I don’t want to be with you.” He paused for a moment realizing the awkwardness of the phrasing he just used, before turning red and backtracking nervously, stumbling over his thoughts in the awkwardness of the situation. “Wait, that came out wrong. I didn’t mean “be with you” be with you. We just met. I just meant that… I don’t really get along with many people and… you’re very… ugh, let’s just go.”

Embarrassed, Ryusei would find himself averting eye contact with Maemi directly after his fumble, waiting a moment to glance back her way to gauge her reaction. After that he would simply tug on her hand gently with his to lead her in the direction of the bar. Pulling her a bit into him as they walked side by side to a rather seedy looking part of town. There was a line to get into the bar and two rather large and burly bouncers standing at the door, covered in scars and tattoos, but Ryusei would simply throw a nod their way and lead Maemi right past the line and inside without saying a word to anyone on the way in. The inside of the bar was fairly well decorated, probably better looking than the way he made it sound. Truth be told it wasn’t the bar itself that was the problem, it was the people. A simple glance around the establishment with a knowledgeable eye would reveal the kind of customers that frequented the bar. Criminals, bounty hunters, and deviants made up the majority of the crowd.

Needless to say, this was not the type of place where a young girl dressed as Maemi was would normally be seen. As he led her to the bar counter and claimed two seats next to each he would glare threateningly at the men who stared, compelling them to avert their eyes. This was exactly the kind of thing he figured would happen if he brought her here. Figuring that the experience would be more enjoyable for her if she didn’t have men like that hounding her Ryusei took an extra step to make sure onlookers knew that she was there with him. Pulling a laminated menu which listed all of the bar’s specialty drinks in front of her on the counter he would stand behind Maemi, pressing his chest to her back and placing his arms over hers, guiding her finger along the list of drinks as they perused the menu. Hopefully she wouldn’t be too averse to the act, as Ryusei only had good intentions, and after how close she had put herself to him before she couldn’t be all that opposed to physical contact, right? “If you like sweets, maybe you can try the dessert drinks they have?” he spoke into her hear as he leaned his head over her shoulder to speak over the loud, but not overbearing music playing.

---

5769~

Maemi continued to look upwards at Ryusei as he stared off into the distance. He was either in deep in thought, or extremely interested in the distance one of the two. While he was looking off into the distance, Maemi continued to study his profile as he thought. Yet this time, she look at the more subtle things that at first her eyes had merely glossed over or merely been too preoccupied with the rest of his handsome face. His jawline, the shape of his nose and even the curve of his eye sockets were things that she watched then. His face looked as though it had been effortlessly carved to look good, the kind of thing an artistic genius can manage. Messily attractive hair and a face that made her heart beat erratically. He then looked back, at her, making Maemi blush somewhat and avert her gaze as to not be caught looking. Listening, while looking into those eyes that were almost hurt in a way. After he finished speaking, she felt somewhat crestfallen, her grip on his hand loosening until she was barely holding on. So, she really as an annoyance. This was the same form of rejection she'd felt the rest of her life. However, his hand was still holding hers, so she couldn't walk away from him just yet it seemed. Fate was still toying with their destiny together. Leaning back somewhat, she created a distance between them as she looked down. On her back, the weight of Maebure seemed to be all the more noticeable now as she felt the distance growing.

Then, quite literally all of a sudden, the gap was closed. The weight of the blade on her waist decreased as Maemi felt Ryusei's hand tighten around her own, if reflexively, something she mirrored as she closed the gap she had created. Smiling to herself, looking back up at him, she listened to the calm and cool voice that she had come to like in the past few hours. Suddenly, Maemi realized just how much time had elapsed. It had been early afternoon when she had entered the Mire, and now here she was with Ryusei several hours later. It was strange, but Maemi had felt as though no time had passed at all when in reality more than six hours had. She was used to feeling each excruciating moment of her life tick slowly on, the dull pendulum swaying slowly. Yet with Ryusei around, she felt truly alive, for perhaps the first time in her life. Smiling to him somewhat more, still a foreign feeling for her, Maemi listened as he spoke. However, just as she was planning to speak she heard Ryusei say one sentence that made her heart temporarily jump into her throat. Turning a violent shade of red in embarrassment, Maemi stuttered out her next sentence "I.. uh..." Was all she managed to get out before he corrected himself. They were both tripping over their tongues, an act the two warriors rarely managed. Smiling a little in a shy manner, she nodded to him as he pulled her along.

As they walked, she was aware suddenly of how close Ryusei was holding her. Through their layers of clothing, she could feel the heat he naturally created. Maemi had become aware later in life that normal people produced heat instead of the freezing cold she had always created since she had been born, only her insides were warm. Initially puzzled by the concept, Maemi had eventually learned to live with the fact many people wouldn't get close to her. And yet, right now, someone was choosing to hold her close to him, willingly. That was one of the reasons she felt so comfortable around Ryusei, so normal, because he accepted her for who she was. The shopping district of the village was giving way to an entirely new area of the village. Cute shop fronts, dainty park benches and flowers were instead replaced by more rowdy establishments. Maemi had been through this kind of area before, and was familiar with the concept of a pub, but she had never directly been in one. Men and women, of varying ages, yet none as young as her, ambled about in the streets bathed in both moon light and artificial light. In varying drunken states, they shouted and laughed with each other. The feeling in the air was more relaxed and carefree than any Maemi had previously seen. With his hand still intertwined with hers, Ryusei led her towards a decent looking building. Walking past a long line, Ryusei merely nodded at the bouncers before walking in. Looking back at the angry people, Maemi casually spoke, without thinking really "Well if you're good for one thing, it's skipping the lines at pubs huh?" Maemi didn't pay much attention to any of the restaurants other occupants, to occupied with Ryusei. Yet he scanned the place, a cold look given to a few. Not seeming to notice any of the rowdy men stumbling towards the two, Maemi allowed herself to be guided to the bar by Ryusei. Maebure was still on her back, so as she sat down she quickly unclipped the blade from her back, transitioning it to her left hip. Sitting down now, she felt something on her back. Yet before she could turn to look, two very familiar arms laced themselves around her. Gasping very quietly under her breath, a small puff of cold air escaping her lips, Maemi turned once more a violent shade of red. On her back, she could feel Ryusei's muscles contracting as he breathed, and his heartbeat thumping into her back. This was the first contact he had initially put himself into, therefore it made Maemi blush more than usual. If it were possible, steam would no doubt have billowed out her ears. As he spoke, Maemi tried and somewhat succeeded to drag herself out her thoughts of carnal pleasure. "I, um, I... Oh! Right, yes, anything from the dessert drink menu will do great...." Even without fully touching them, Maemi could tell just how impressive the body beneath his clothing would be. On the counter, she removed her gloves to tuck them in her pocket, idly taking Ryusei's hands in her own, helping him to hold the menu. In reality, she just wanted more contact but it passed as though she was helping him to browse the menu.

1096 wc

He worried for a moment as he threw his arms around Maemi that she would be displeased with his sudden forwardness in taking the initiative to touch her. From the small gasp he seemed to draw out of her he half expected her to pull away from him, but to his surprise she allowed it, even going so far as to remove her gloves and touch her hands to his directly. This was clearly different than the feel of the mild cold he felt through her gloves. Her skin felt almost like ice, and not knowing her lineage he could not know the significance of her frigid touch that her clothing had previously hidden from him. His hands recoiled ever so slightly as she removed her gloves and he experienced the full brunt of her icy skin for the first time, but once the initial surprise faded he thought nothing of it than particularly cold hands. He would free his hands from hers and instead cradle hers into his, aiming to warm them up. “You’re hands are so cold,” he noted, bending his elbows to bring their hand back towards them, “Do you need something to warm you up? My jacket… or?”

He would pull her hand back in his in towards her stomach and hold them tightly in a ball of warmth, once again brushing his thumb softly over her skin. The way they were together now, almost in an embrace was the most intimate contact they had and Ryusei’s heartbeat sped up a pace as he pulled her into his chest. He didn’t know what had suddenly changed since they entered the bar, but the reservations about getting close to Maemi all seemed to be fading away as a more pronounced instinct to shield her from the hungry eyes of other men took control. She had made no qualms about getting close to him up to this point so he thought… hoped that perhaps she wanted this as well. “You said you don’t really have any experience with drinking, right?” he said almost in a whisper into her ear as if sharing a secret between them, “I never really drink dessert drinks either. Maybe this can be a new experience for both of us. I’ll have whatever you have. Go ahead, order something for the both of us. If you’re unsure about what you might like, we can share a drink at first.”

Lifting his left hand for a moment he would grab the menu once more and bring it back into his embrace of Maemi, tilting the menu back so that they could both read it as he leaned his head over her shoulder. The list of drinks available was rather long, probably daunting for someone who wouldn’t even know where to start, even with Ryusei’s suggestion of the dessert drinks. “Actually…” he continued, cradling her closer into his chest as his arms remained wrapped around her, as if he was trying to ‘warm her up’ by sheltering her with his own body heat, “I’ll order the first round of drinks for us. I hope you don’t mind. I think I’d be able to give you something you’ll enjoy. Coffee Liqueur, chocolate liqueur, cream, whipped cream, and a chocolate drizzle. It’s called a Chocolate Kiss. What do you think Maemi? How would you like a Kiss?” He would wait for her confirmation before calling over the bartender to place the order, but until then he would remain that close to her. It would not be until the drinks arrived that he would take his seat next to her and release her from his arms.