Lin got up, bright and early, to go shopping! She kicked the covers off of her feet, only to find a furry face staring at her with eager anticipation, her pupils completely dilated. It scared Lin so much she shrieked and hit the face with a pillow. She kicked and scrambled away for her life. A chortle of happiness came from the pleased 400 pound Gora who was just waiting in bed for Lin to wake up.

"And I suppose you're hungry?" Lin demanded in naught but her nighty, and Gora gave a pitiable look and acted like she was wounded. "Oh... Oh blast it all, fine then." Gora's ears perked up as Lin put her hands on her hips, feeling the bone through the thin material. Gora went to fetch her bowl, and Lin took out a steak from the mini-fridge in her room. Feeding a 400 pound animal every morning was... well it was work. She didn't know how the Inuzukas of Konoha did it. She sighed and plopped the steak down in the bowl as soon as it clanged to the floor.

Removing what little clothing she had, she inspected herself in the mirror. Still that self-same scar that she always tried to hid was glaringly mocking her on her body. She tugged at a couple places with more fat on them than she would have liked and then attempted to get dressed four times, before exasperatedly throwing her hands in the air and grumbling about nothing to wear and deciding to just pick the one that she had on. She rushed out of her room and locked the front door on the way out.

She had chosen a blue and green plaid, the blue a lightning color, whereas the green was a deep forest green. The shirt was white that she had on underneath and a jacket that matched the skirt was on over the shirt. She wore black leggings and flats, and raced towards the hotel. Running up the stairs, she knocked on Alwen's door, straightening her skirt for the umpteenth time.

WC: 359

With a groan, the suiton specialist woke up in the same hotel bed she had found herself resting in. Everything was a blur, and she found herself rubbing at her eyes as she sat up with a creak from the bed at the shift in movement. With a stretch, she hopped off the bed, now taking in her surroundings as she remembered where she was. Kumogakure no Sato, a place that she still felt weird being at. The atmosphere was more… Intense here. She was still in the same clothes she had worn on arrival, and was simply feeling exhausted. Was it the stress of being here, or was it something else?

Rubbing her eyes a second time, Alwen stood in front of the mirror in the room, looking into it as she went over the events of yesterday in her mind. That’s right, she drowned. And then didn’t drown. She woke up on the beach and found herself injured and bleeding, and without meaning to, stumbled into Kumo. She was attacked for being a ninja of the mist, and then rescued because she was weak. Her saviour set her up at a hotel, and helped her recover with medical jutsu, albeit in a painful way. Then that made her end up in her current situation. A foreigner in a hostile land, up within the mountains.

Her thoughts were broken however, as a knock at the door reminded her that she was expecting a guest this morning. With a poof, the girl quickly used the transformation technique to make sure her horns were hidden, before opening the door with a smile, relieved to find it was Lin. “Hey! It’s very good to see you! And thanks so much again for yesterday, and for, well, agreeing to do this with me.” She nodded, bowing in thanks as she stepped back, just in case Lin wanted to enter the room before leaving. “So! I um… I don’t know how these sort of things go… Um, did you have a nice evening and sleep? I um, I don’t know!” she asked, opening her mouth, and engaging it with her foot. Apparently fear causes social awkwardness, such as a fear of being murdered for being in a foreign village, something that she couldn’t quite get past. I mean, preferably she didn’t die. She had too many things to do, places to see, and procrastinations to accomplish. Not to mention some seafood dishes she wanted to try.

412

Chakra: 185/190 (-5 for Transformation technique, I won't post the technique, since, we all know what it is aha)

(OOC: Sorry for the delay! I'll be more active with replies now~)

Lin stayed outside of the room, and listened to Alwen. Her horns were gone, probably Henge'd before Lin had come in the room. She nodded to Alwen's thanks and replied with a simple smile. She went on to ask how Lin's night went.

In a split second she recalled. Well, she had gone home, Gora had glomped her, she had tried to wrestle her way to the bathroom to use it and had to do that with Gora the entire way. She wasn't any match for four hundred pounds of muscle. Perhaps she shouldn't tell Alwen what happened, "I slept well, did you sleep well yourself? She asked Alwen, smiling and waiting for a response, she didn't want to make Alwen uncomfortable, but apparently her presence here had. She twisted her left foot a bit, showing her own discomfort at causing Alwen discomfort.

"I was thinking that we could go and get breakfast first, then we could go and get some shopping done. Do you have any Ryo for clothes? If not I'll treat you, but first, I'll treat you to breakfast. It's the least I can do for hurting you last night." Lin said sheepishly. She gave a small smile, and folded her hands in front of her tilting her head, "Ne, Alwen-chan?"

WC: 592

Alwen rubbed at the back of her neck, smiling slightly in an attempt to break the rather thick ice. This was awkward. “I, uhh… I guess I slept okay? It’s a bit weird sleeping in a foreign nation, especially when you’re technically a criminal for existing here…” she laughed slightly, albeit a somewhat forced laugh, and looked down to the floor to try avoid eye contact. So much awkward. This much awkward should be illegal.

As Lin gave her suggestion, Alwen looked at her, tilting her head somewhat. The whole thing was… Very friendly, something she wasn’t really used to. She hesitated for a moment, before nodding. “Y-yeah, that sounds like a plan. I have ryo, but, um, you don’t have to buy breakfast. I know you didn’t hurt me for the sake of hurting me, so, I am perfectly fine with paying for breakfast. But, um… I’d like that, if you’re okay with it, Lin-chan. And um, thanks again for, you know… Saving me and setting me up here.” She smiled, before covering her mouth as she let out a yawn.

“Oh, I um, sorry. I think the change in location is a bit more exhausting for me than perhaps it should be. I just feel… Wiped out haha!” she shook her head, before going over to the pillow and taking her pouch of ryo from it. “So, you’re the Kumo knowhow and guide, so, I imagine you know your stuff about good places. Any recommendations for breakfast? The only restriction from me is I don’t eat fish… Seeing dead fish kind of upsets me.” She said simply, shrugging slightly, before moving to the door and waiting there. “On second thought, shall we walk and talk, and you can just lead me there? It’s a bit cramped in here…”

300 + 412 = 712

"Sure!" Lin answered to the walk and talk suggestion. She was alright with a little bit of a walk around Kumogakure. Sometimes it was good to live through another person's eyes for a while, to see the spark of excitement turn into the flame of exploration, of fascination. She turned around, and descended the stairs, making sure that Alwen was following before popping out of the Inn. She knew that the sites would cheer Alwen up. If they didn't Lin would be out of ideas.

"Perhaps we should get some breakfast. I was thinking Miso soup for it, there is a lovely place down by a coffee shop that I know of. The woman there sells all types of food, but she is known as Dango Obaachan. Mainly because she has the best Dango in town." She smiled and moved out into the street, inhaling the Kumogakure air and sighing happily.

If Alwen agreed to it, she would move towards the shop, if she didn't, she would head towards the market, perhaps to get something else to eat, not sitting down. The Market was teeming with different foods, and that is where they would be going eventually anyhow. It was where Lin always got her clothes, as there was a tailor who took her measurements and made her clothes custom for her at a cut rate, since she only bought her clothes from him. He was very..... into men... She needed to bring Maigo to him. She giggled just thinking about it.

WC:853

Alwen followed behind Lin, allowing her to take the lead and going with her out of the hotel, and back into the main streets of the village. It was a lot more… Lively, and different to look at now that she wasn’t bleeding and disoriented. It was brighter than the day she arrived, and people seemed to be moving around, going about their days. She looked around with curiosity in her mind, wanting to take in the unfamiliar sights and sounds now that she was in a state of mind where she had mental clarity. It was all so new.

As they got walking, Lin explained that there was a coffee shop nearby that has good Dango, and also sells Miso soup. Alwen simply nodded, her stomach rumbling slightly as she realised she hadn’t eaten in a while. The thought of getting some nice, warm Miso soup made her lick her lips, although trying to pretend she hadn’t appeared so obviously hungry. “Yeah, that sounds like a nice idea. I mean, back in um… You know where, there aren’t many coffee shops that sell more than just drinks and snacks. Food is usually for food stalls, or dedicated restaurants, so, I look forward to seeing this place! And, um… Eating…” she nodded quickly this time, before gesturing in a general direction, somewhat flustered by her apparent lack of knowledge on things. “So! Um! Lead on!” she declared with a nod.

Alwen followed along then once more, a complete stranger to the village and not wanting to get lost by wandering off alone when she had just got here. Out of nowhere, Lin began giggling, which made the dragon child raise an eyebrow somewhat, but otherwise, she didn’t question it, and just kept following along. She could always ask her later.

300 + 712 = 1012

Chakra: 180/190 (-5 for maintaining transformation)

"A good choice, one that I would have made myself. Besides, we can always try the things in the marketplace when we are in it." Lin said, as she wound her way through the streets of Kumogakure. Most of Kumogakure looked like a series of circles, since it had been built in an extremely mountainous area. The tall railings that kept people from jumping (most times) to their death overlooked a drop of at least one hundred feet down. One could, if they walked along the edge, see the other side of the village, as it was laid out, and running along the rooftops was actually the best way of travelling.

Lin, however, had chosen to walk along the streets with the people of Kumogakure, the early birds that was. Most people of Kumogakure actually stayed up 'till 11 or 12 each night, and rested until 9 or 10 AM. The reason? It was colder during the mornings in Kumogakure, and it was evident from the frost that clung to the shadows and the very edges of sunlight still, casting its coruscating cacophony of light at anyone who looked at it. Lin looked out over the edge, as she moved to the left and out of the way of a cart pulled by a very bored looking oxen and an even more bored looking wagon-driver.

The sun was peeking between the mountains, casting its brilliant golden light all over the walls of Kumogakure, making it seem like the dull grey buildings that had been built long before even the first ninja war, were painted a golden hue. No one bothered to paint their houses or anything in Kumogakure because A) when it snowed in the village hidden in the clouds, it covered any semblance of paint, and B) the colors of the sunlight when it came through the mountains, through the mist, and through the low hanging clouds was enough of a color difference for most people, and people that had tried to paint their houses in the past, ended up hating the color during some time of the day.

Lin had left Gora at home, intentionally, since people tended to give a wide berth and strange looks to people who had four hundred pound felines in tow. Lin didn't need the attention, and she knew that Alwen didn't either.

They were coming up on a shop, it had a plain sign on it, or so it seemed at first: "Dango Obaa-san's diner and shop." It read in kanji. Lin wove through the crowd from side to side, and as she did she enjoyed the effect that the sign had. It was, how to put it, holographic in nature, as it sparkled and glistened with a paint that was a different color dependent upon the angle that the person was looking at it. She had painted the sign this, because she enjoyed the way that the sun played with the buildings so much that she wanted her sign to.

Lin gestured for Alwen to walk inside in front of her, and she followed closely after, shutting the door.

The windows let light into a rather large diner type of place. There was a bar, but the people there were drinking coffee, The place was mostly deserted at this hour, and only the miners and people who had to do manual labor were about at this hour. Dango obaa-chan, a woman who had too many wrinkles to count flounced and pirouetted around the shop, picking up dishes and asking about orders. She didn't have any help, and the last time that Lin had asked she got a hard stare that could curdle milk.

The only one allowed to help her was her husband, who was cooking at the moment, and was the only cook in the kitchen.

"Dango Obaa-san, table for two please!" Lin nodded to her, as she pointed with a plate at a table that was empty. There were two menus in front of them, all offering Japanese couisine, but Lin knew what she wanted, Oolong tea and Miso soup sounded divine.

"Go ahead and take a look if you want to, Obaa-san will be right with us if I know her."

((you can play Dango-obaasan as well if you would like!))

WC: 1574

The village was pretty high up. In hindsight, how Alwen didn’t recognise it instantly as the village of the clouds could only really be blamed on her disorientation. The place was certainly unique, from its design, its altitude, and the fact that it was more grey than even Kirigakure no Sato. The route Lin had chosen was surprisingly full of people, and Alwen couldn’t help but feel herself grow nervous. If any one of these people was a chakra sensory shinobi, then Alwen would be in trouble. She felt her heart rate increase, palpitations in her chest as her anxiety for her safety rose. Lin wasn’t leading her into a trap right? No. She shook her head, shaking the thoughts out, and trying to ignore the doubt and fear. Lin had proven herself a friend and had helped protect and save Alwen. She wasn’t about to doubt her out of fear.

As they walked along, the dragon girl found herself concealing her eyes from the sun by holding up her hand, squinting at the harsh light that silhouetted the mountain tops. If she wasn’t so used to dark, lightless environments, Alwen assumed the view would be pretty. Instead however, it was somewhat hard to see. Still, she saw enough to just follow behind Lin – the local would know the direction and how to not fall off a mountain. Besides, Alwen had no idea where this Dango coffee shop was.

After a while, the two arrived at what looked like a rather quaint little shop from the outside, featuring the sign on the outside that clearly indicated this as the place Lin had suggested. The sign itself was, Alwen had to admit, creative, and interesting to look at, and she couldn’t help but look at it for a moment before taking the cue Lin offered and stepping inside. The room was larger than Alwen had expected when Lin mentioned the words coffee shop. People were here despite the time of day, or perhaps due to it, and while it was plenty spacious, the existence of others there was unnerving to the anxious fish person. Yet perhaps most odd was the elderly lady that seemed spryer than a cat, bounding and leaping around the building with vigour.

As the two were pointed to a table, Alwen and Lin went to where was designated, and sat down, Alwen taking a menu and opening it for a read, humming as she went through the menu, amber eyes scanning at a quick rate. Words went past her head as she made sure to make a mental note of what she was reading, wanting to guarantee she had the right idea of what to get, as well as making note of the prices, not wanting to make Lin have to pay for too much. Nodding to herself, she quickly set down the menu.

Before long, the elderly lady returned, brandishing a bowl in hand this time, with a cloth hanging out of the bowl, and a notepad and pen in the other hand. She spoke in an energetic voice that would, if one heard it without context, belie and disguise her age. “Well, Lin my girl and your new friend, what can I get for you two lovely ladies today?” she stated with a grin, Alwen growing uncertain once more for a moment at the sudden enthusiasm, before speaking up timidly. “Um, if it’s not too much bother, I’d like a bowl of Miso Soup, and a glass of water please…” she answered, before waiting for Lin to give her answer, looking down at the table. Even though her horns were hidden, Alwen still felt out of her element, and tense. Just being an outsider alone, and being used to odd looks in her own village, discomforted her.

632 + 1012 = 1644

Lin was not at all surprised at Dango obaa-san's spry figure lithely moving through her shop, nor was she in the least bit surprised that she could handle more than one thing at once. It was her shop, and she and her husband had managed it for more years than Lin had been alive. It was no surprise what she ordered either, "I'll have the-" as she was cut off by Dango-obaa-san because she already knew what Lin wanted, "Miso soup as well, with some warm sake, not too much, but enough to warm you up. And don't forget to add a bit of soy sauce to mine please." She mimicked Lin and chuckled a bit, her pen writing faster than any other that Lin had seen and tucked away an order to deliver to her husband.

"And you don't need to ask if it's alright, dear." She said to Alwen, giving a smile, and showing off all of the wrinkles she earned, every one from a smile, a laugh, a joke, a wry grin. "It's perfectly alright. I'll just make those separate shall I?" She asked Lin, before looking to Alwen, to make sure that was alright. Lin interjected, hopefully before Alwen was able to speak, "All on one, if you please." And shot a grin over to Alwen.

Dango Obaa-san would nod and whisk herself away, bringing waters before they could do much else, and smiling at them both, "Just hollar if you need anything, I'll come over as fast as I can." Lin nodded and looked back to Alwen, sipping her water.

WC: 1865

Alwen watched as the Lin went to make her order, but was quickly cut off. It was actually impressive, and gave Alwen the impression that Lin was a regular to this place. The elderly lady was cheery, and it reminded Alwen of the noodle shop she used to visit in the mist – the couple that would add chakra amidst their cooking to give it a little pop and crackle of flavour. At the wrinkly, expressional smile, Alwen couldn’t help but smile in turn. Still, before Alwen could reply to the separate orders question, Lin interjected, asking for it to be on one instead.

After a brief period of time, the old lady whisked off, and returned with some waters, Alwen clinging to the water desperately, like her life depended on it. For a moment, the girl lost focus on anything else, amber eyes staring at the water. She didn’t speak, or take her eyes away from the water. Just staring, as if looking at a fond friend she had not seen in a long time. At this point, it wasn’t even home sickness. It was a longing, a need for a sea, a lake, an ocean. Anything. The air felt heavy. Harsh.

Shaking her head, Alwen remembered where she was, and that she was in company, smiling to Lin before taking a sip of her water. However much time had passed, she had no idea, but, regardless, she remembered her manners and spoke up. “So, how did you find out about this place? It’s… Nice. Reminds me of a place back home.” A part of her was asking to simply not be rude, and to keep conversation going. Lin was being friendly after all. But, another part of her was legitimately curious. It was always interesting to learn more about how people find things. Especially a place as friendly and homely as this. Given her energy, no wonder the elderly lady had a reputation.

324 + 1644 = 1968

Chakra: 175/190 (-5 for maintaining transformation technique)

Lin watched as the kunoichi clung to her glass of water as if her life depended upon it. Perhaps she was parched? Well, they could get her a water bottle, one of the gallon ones, in the market and one of those... aqua... sack... type... things? They were pretty new but they had a tube that you could suck and put a cork in that went to a sack on your back (like a backpack) that was able to be filled with any type of liquid. It was mostly used by hikers in Kumogakure and Lin had been meaning to find one for herself for her hiking expeditions, perhaps she could snag one for herself and lure Alwen in to get her one as well.

She sipped her own water and looked across the table, trying not to give a face of concern over the girl's well being. Perhaps she should take her down to the lakes that filled some of the valleys in Kumogakure, maybe she was like a fish... and needed to be tossed into a body of water every so often. Or perhaps that was just the way that she was looking at the backpack that told her that. Lin was akin to a cat, usually sleek and carefully watching, whereas... Alwen... she was more like a sturgeon, or a... shark? Always seemingly needing to move, and apparently needing water.

Well, no matter, she was asked a question. "Oh, my mother and father used to bring me around here when I was a little girl. The wrinkles on Dango Obaa san have only gotten deeper, but I don't think they have been added to. She is as timeless as the buildings here in Kumogakure, and to be honest I don't think that the village could cope without her little shop. She has the spirit of the mountain, and I think she is older than a couple." She said the last bit with her left hand cupping her mouth grinning. Obaa-san must have heard it though, as she looked over to Lin's table with a motherly look. Ears like a bat, eyes like a hawk, and a litheness like a cat. Dango obaa san was nothing if not supernatural in her abilities to tend to her customers and keep them in line.

She was actually 92, in all seriousness, but she had been a very old iryonin before most of these people had been in their swaddling clothes, and she had run the hospital until she was age 42, then at that age, she retired, opened her shop with her cook husband and had donned the title of "dango obaa san" because of her amazing ability to cook and season dango. She had spicy dango that could melt the thickest ice on a mountain top, and a sweet dango that could melt the sourest of hearts. A sour one that could give your face cramps, and all flavors inbetween. She was masterful at seasoning them, and her husband only added to it with his making the base.

Lin, however, knew absolutely nothing except that when she went out to get someone else's dango, it tasted like dirt in comparison.

Dango obaa san started to head over to Lin and Alwen's table with their miso soup. It smelled divine. She could see the steam being coaxed out of the soup lazily, and rolling over the sides of the bowls as Dango obaa san deftly stepped over someone's leg that they had left carelessly in her way. She didn't even give it a second glance, having her eyes fixed on Lin's table. A duck avoided a flying airplane made out of a napkin, and a stern look put the five year old that did it and his parents in place. It was a good atmosphere, but people usually came because it reminded them of their grandmother's home. It was tidy, warm, family friendly, and above all else, there seemed to be love that went into every movement, every detail of the architecture, and every meal that was served.

WC: 2557

|Exit Thread|

Using WC for Spirit of the panther

Alwen listened intently as Lin explained how she had discovered this place. Ah, so, it was through her parents? That was nice. Alwen herself used to go to a small little ramen place that she found through her family as well, so, the dragon child could understand how much the little place meant to her. Still, the comment she made about the old ladies wrinkles brought out a somewhat shy giggle from Alwen, who tried to keep herself quiet to ensure nobody looked at her. It made her smile without a doubt, and Alwen couldn’t help but at that moment, glancing over to the old lady. With Lin’s next comments about her age, she couldn’t help but snicker at the sudden look the woman gave. It reminded her of her mother before Yasuhiro died. The look of… Well, of being a mother, she supposed.

As she looked over, she could see a bit of the man behind the kitchen. He seemed rather old, and rather happy, although worn down perhaps by keeping up with the spry figure of the Dango woman. The place itself was also just rather pleasant. Quaint, not too busy, but not too empty that it would run risk of being out of business. The entire place just felt so… Homely. She couldn’t stop herself from smiling while there. Alwen’s nose twitched however, as she found herself sensing that the old jolly lady was once more approaching, enticed by the smell of the soup the two had ordered.

Watching the kind old lady set down the soups on the table, Alwen nodded somewhat, feeling her stomach rumbling at the sight and smell of the soup. She had taken quite the trip to get there, the old lady practically moving through the tables like a cat on a table of objects, and Alwen respected it. Was this woman a shinobi before a chef? There was no way. That would be far too much of a coincidence. That would be too similar to the old ladies back in Kiri. It wouldn’t make sense… Yet at the same time, this place felt so homely. She found her eyes drifting to the water once more, taking a sip of it as the soup was placed, before turning and bowing her head slightly to the old lady. “T-thank you very much!”

Alwen felt herself gulping, staring down at the delicious looking and smelling bowl of soup, and taking another gulp of her water to try keep herself calm. She’d been opting for cheaper food recently, and in reality, just ate a wet food pill last night, not wishing to disturb anyone without need, and just wanting to get to sleep. She hadn’t had a proper meal in weeks, and while food pills kept you sustained, she couldn’t deny that there was something about real food that was just… Needed. She licked her lips, trying hard to stop herself from just tucking right in. But she couldn’t. Lin was kind enough to buy the food, and it would just be poor manners to be the first to eat when someone else paid. So, she just sat there, drinking at her water and hoping to not attract too much attention to herself, just staring at the food.

Stay tuned next time for the sequel to this thrilling encounter.

554 + 1968 = 2522

[EXIT]

Training: