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1Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Thu Jun 08, 2017 2:07 am

Seiryū

Seiryū


D-rank
The first and primary sense that had been stimulated far more than necessary was that of sound. For every corner turned, there would be another set of people loudly conversing with others within their in group. The ages of all the other building occupiers happened to fall within the early adult range, though there happened to be older individuals milling about as well, though in much smaller groups or simply by themselves. No matter the area where one would settle themselves, there was never a moment where pure silence would overtake the individual; the constant chatter and boisterous laughs would resonate within the vicinity for the next few hours, regardless of anything short of an attack breaking out in the village. However, such a thought was neither here nor there, for while it may be a legitimate concern for a shinobi village, for a shinobi who had no allegiances and was relatively unknown outside of his home village, he hadn’t developed many worries over the past few months that he’d been out on the run.

Here he was in a place where next to nobody knew of his existence – only a couple that he had potentially run into in his past, but even to them he’d likely remain invisible. It was best this way. The less people associated with him, meant he didn’t get to know them at all. Everyone he knew thus far had abandoned him in some way, shape, or form and any future acquaintances would follow that exact same path. Seiryū’s life was dictate by a script, one that meant people constantly arrived and left his life in just mere moments. That was how it was, whether it had been foreign shinobi or those who had lived in the village with him – eventually they would all stop any form of socializing with the bastard that had grown up in the slums from the ripe age of eight.

The burning sensation that once would have had a younger him sputtering and barely downing his drink, had grown used to that particular sensation that it was like drinking water in a sense; the initial taste of the alcohol still always proved strong, yet after that it was no longer an issue. The rogue-nin was nowhere near drunk, though that could mainly be accounted for by being on his second drink at this particular moment. He had stowed himself away by sitting in the far corner of the bar, such that his right side was facing a wall with an open seat to his left. The man could easily blend in for being a normal patron, for there was nothing out of the ordinary about him, nor was there any of the larger weaponry on him that would give him away as a shinobi. The only items he would have on him were his senbon and kunai, but those were safely stashed away in his pockets. Dressed in what happened to be a black sweater, and jeans, along with a pair of dark brown shoes, Seiryū fit the mold of any normal civilian – his long dark hair had been tied in a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck was the only thing that really stood out to an untrained eye.

“Rough day?” The familiar voice – of only twenty minutes – entered his ears, which made Seiryū look up only a second later. The bartender was a man in his mid-thirties, one who was prime for socializing with, primarily with the female audience, though smart enough to talk to the male patrons as well.

Swirling his glass of scotch briefly, before settling it back down on the countertop, “More like the past few months.” Being honest while leaving out any form of details was no major deal, for any person goes through a rollercoaster of emotions during the course of their lives – only that Seiryū’s had never really, truly hit that peak. It only ever neared it during his last few months in Suna, before he made the last choice he made in Sunagakure no Sato. “Though, things could always be worse.”



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2Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Fri Jun 09, 2017 1:35 pm

Sayuri

Sayuri


D-rank
Sayuri knew exactly where she was headed this time. And even what it was called, she had asked, it was the Shushaya Pub. Though she had not gathered a definitive answer as to what a ‘Pub’ was. She got more than a few strange looks when she asked that question, and mostly redundant answers, “It’s the Pub!” or “It’s the place where everyone drinks!”. Regardless, she’d enjoyed her first experience here well enough and was feeling confident enough to go again, knowing that at least this time she wouldn’t have to ask anyone to help her with the menu. She hardly saw anything of Mitsuo or Tsuyo these days, so she had taken to amusing herself, which was all well and good, it was hardly their responsibility to entertain her, but it did make her nervous  because if they were supposed to be hiding and she was off trying to make friends, how was she supposed to know if she was making the wrong ones. Or ones that would cause problems for them? “It’s probably best I don’t worry too much about it, they’ve been just fine this long without me worrying, I doubt me starting now is going to help anything.”

She wore her usual outfit, tall white leather boots laced up the front that came just over the bend of her knee. Her boots perfectly matched her white long sleeved blouse, the lace edging peeking out from underneath her fitted azure blue coat with turned up cuffs that showed off a scarlet red lining. Along the front were two rows vertical rows of brass buttons. A highly impractical garment, but it created a pleasing backdrop for her long snow white hair. She wore a short plain black skirt around which she attached her belt with very worn looking tanto, securing it comfortably to her left hip. She’d hardly ever used her grandfather's weapon, but it made her feel safer to have it with her. This evening she opted not to carry her pouch of shurikens and kunai, although it would have added to her feeling of security, it probably wouldn’t have helped her seem approachable. Twisting her hair into a loose braid that she hastily slung over her left shoulder and giving herself a quick look in the mirror, she scurried out the door of the cabin and up towards Konohagakure no Sato.

By the time she arrived at the pub it was just past sundown, and she was surprised at how noisy it was before even entering the building. She considered turning back right then and there, she had been all full of bravery when she’d left the cabin she shared with Tsuyo, and sometimes Mitsuo, but now that she could hear all of the laughter and talking she was less sure of herself. Come on silly duck, you made it this far, and it’s not like this is the first time you’ve been here after all. Taking a deep breath, she walked up to the door and stepped inside.

The first wave of noise was startling, the pub was full of many groups of people, and she could feel herself shrinking as she wanted to hide from all of them. There was a clear path from the door where she had entered to the far end of the room, where there was a long counter with chairs set up, one of the chairs on the far right was happily empty, and she would make a beeline straight for that chair. She ignored, as best she was able to given the panic that she felt rising, the groups of patrons as they guffawed and drank and ate during what felt like the longest shortest walk she’d ever taken. As soon as she was close enough to the empty seat she had spotted she would fairly leap into it, gripping the counter in front of her to stop herself from sliding into the man to her right. A handsome man by all accounts, dark hair and dark clothing, fairly ordinary really, which suited her just fine. Compared to the strange interactions she’d had of late, someone who was less likely to get her into a life threatening situation would probably make a wonderful acquaintance. So she would turn and face him, a sheepish grin on her face, her odd coloured eyes glittering with mischief and embarrassment. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to invade your space, the seat is uh. . . smoother than I was expecting. Is it okay if I sit here?” She would smile shyly as she waited for a response.


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3Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Fri Jun 09, 2017 4:24 pm

Seiryū

Seiryū


D-rank
Things being worse in Seiryū’s life meant that he was just accepting the time that was to come. He had told a small, white lie to the bartender, one that would never be picked up – for Seiryū’s life had always been rough. There was never, truly, a moment where it had been on a high – though it had been really close at one point. No situation he had ever been in had been ideal. His friendships all slowly withered away, though more recently not on Seiryū’s accord. His more personal relations had to be put aside, due to distance and the complications Seiryū caused on his own accord by leaving the village he had called home. Sitting here, in the Shushaya Pub of Konohagakure no Sato afforded Seiryū the ability of anonymity. Of all the people Seiryū knew over the course of his twenty-two years of living on his planet, he could count the people that he knew from this village on one hand.

“I understand. Things certainly can be rough with the world we live in. At least things have calmed down from the whole Kiri-Kumo predicament we had been caught in.” The bartender rattled on, trying to make for some conversation that he could hold for a minute or so before attending to the other patrons that sat at the bar itself.

Seiryū watched the man’s body language for a few idle seconds, not really thinking, but simply observing. He had always been so caught up with his own situation, where he never really had time for himself, especially now when he constantly looked over his shoulder – though he truly didn’t need to, for so far there was no trace of any Sunagakure no Sato shinobi tailing him. The whole Kiri-Kumo incident that happened hadn’t bothered Seiryū at all, nor had it affected Sunagakure no Sato at that time. “Mhm…” Seiryū delved into silence, not really having anything to comment on that entire issue. It never had affected him whatsoever, thus he’d just have to spin another lie, if he said anything. It simply wasn’t worth the effort when he eventually left Konohagakure no Sato for another country. That and it was very unlikely for him to run into the bartender again in the future. “At least that’s over and there is some semblance of peace, for the time being.” An objective statement that held true that Seiryū could somewhat relate to. Beyond there being peace in the world – for the time being – for as much could be given to a world like theirs, the politics of the world no longer truly mattered to the former Suna Jounin.

He should have expected the seat next to him to be filled eventually, though his lack of care or attention had only minorly startled him when someone had, essentially, jumped into the seat itself. Seiryū had only caught sight of the hands that gripped at the bar counter and the motion of the woman’s body as it seemed it was on a collision course with his own, though she had managed to stop herself just short of colliding with him.

When it seemed like she had settled herself on the seat and turned to him, would Seiryū then turn his attention on her entirely. A pair of mismatched eyes caught his purple irises, before he did a quick analysis of the person who would be seated next to him – and likely interact with him on a minimal basis due to proximity. The main things that had caught his eye were the weapon at her side, simply due to the possession of a weapon and her hair. The weapon would certainly be harmful against him should there somehow be an altercation between them, especially if she were of a similar prowess to him. His kunai and senbon would only do so much. The hair only caught his sight due to having dyed his hair a similar shade for so many years that it was almost natural to him, though that was neither here nor there. The woman didn’t seem to be too threatening in terms of the likelihood she’d attack him. Instead she seemed more nervous than anything, rather timid than nervous. Seiryū’s analysis was essentially done within the span of a second or two, taking in as much as he could like he had done during his time performing infiltration missions for Sunagakure no Sato.

His features eased quickly, being more inviting than aloof, but with a hint of distance hidden within. After so many interactions with strangers, this would likely play out like so many others of the past – with Seiryū getting to know the person’s name and a little bit about them before never seeing them again. “I’d give that landing a solid… 6 out of 10. Definitely room for improvement.” Seiryū defaulted for a light jest, as he always preferred dealing with people who weren’t hidden behind the shell of shyness. Confidence was always an ideal over timidity. “It’s no issue at all and that seat is yours for the taking. Unless you prefer searching for one that will give you a smoother landing.” His lips turned upward into a teasing grin. While being able to read people and ascertain the best route to interacting with them, it was still an art that always required fine tuning, each individual was different so he wasn’t even sure if his usual tactics would work to at least put the people around him at ease all the time.

“I’m Shin.” Seiryū extended his right hand forward, for a handshake, all while providing false information. His reasoning was simple – best not to give away his real name and eventually get caught because of it.



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4Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Sat Jun 10, 2017 9:40 pm

Sayuri

Sayuri


D-rank
Sayuri let out a giggle at the joke, she’d been worried that the dark haired man would take offence, or scold her. But a joke she had not been expecting and she was delighted that her spontaneity was not being punished, and the cloud of anxiety that she had felt pushing against her moments before lifted back a bit as she would sit a tiny bit straighter in her chair and raise her right eyebrow slightly in mock offence. Truthfully, she was not offended at all, she couldn’t be happier that she wasn’t being called silly or childish or foolish, even though what she had just done was all of those things. She knew full well it was, that was sort of the point, it was patronizing to point it out over and over, and frustrated her to no end. She enjoyed her life the way she did, and she didn’t feel like she had to change that just because someone else found it not to their taste.

She would lean her right arm onto the back of her chair on while smirking and speak in a lighthearted tone of voice. “Only six out of ten! Well now that I know I’m being judged I feel like I should go back and try it again. Maybe the next one will get a higher score.” For a few seconds she briefly considered getting up and trying it again, tensing up her muscles as she weighed the value of the joke over the potential danger of having to venture out amongst the throngs of loud and obnoxious people again. And as a grin formed on the man’s face and he suggested that maybe she could find a different seat with a smoother landing she quickly decided against moving. There was no way now that she was safely sitting down that she was giving up the seat that the dark and playful stranger assured her was hers for the taking. She was feeling much better about coming to the pub, so far she’d managed to not have anything catastrophic happen. She had walked in the door under her own power, didn’t fall on her face, actually spoke with someone and so far hadn’t made a horrible fool of herself. Well now, this was a good idea after all, wasn’t it silly duck? Worrying for nothing weren’t you?

And as she would relax once more against the back of the seat, smiling happily up at the violet eyed man the inevitable happened. He held his hand out to shake hers. Those first few moments were always the worst, when the invasion of her personal space seemed imminent. He hadn’t actually touched her, or insisted on it, there was no one forcing her to shake that hand but all the same she could feel its presence like burning embers against her skin. She desperately wanted to crawl away into a hole and hide, back into the forest and far away from people. All because of that hand, and the countless others before it that came before it. She could feel the white hot prickling of sweat and fear along her forehead and spine as she would look at it through tear misted eyes. She would keep her eyes fixed on the hand as she swallowed once, and then again trying to bring moisture back to her bone dry mouth and petrified voice so that she could speak. After a few seconds of what she assumed was awkward staring, she would blink rapidly several times to disperse the tears she raise her head, ignoring the hand and looking apologetically at the man.

“Shin? That’s a lovely name. I’m Sayuri, it’s nice to meet you. Even if you did give me a poor score. I uh. . . am not good after this part actually. I usually ask stupid question about things that really aren’t any of my business. And of course get pretty cryptic answers.” She would laugh nervously at her own joke, even though it most certainly was not a joke. She couldn’t count the number of times she’d very directly asked a question and not been given a straight answer. Now though in essence, it was her that was doing it. The question being the handshake, and her answer was silence. She would shift uncomfortably in her seat and lean back a bit from Shin, trying her best to keep a cheery and nonchalant smile on her face as inside she was screaming to be left alone. Ironically not at all what she wanted, but her mind insisted. Feeling as though she had no options but to either take Shin’s hand, run away or sit here awkwardly, so she chose the latter. And would add her own unique twist in the form a very poorly thought out distraction. “Shin, the last time I was here I had wine, which as it turns out I don’t care much for. Would you have any suggestions on a drink?”

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5Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Sun Jun 11, 2017 3:39 am

Seiryū

Seiryū


D-rank
Words often brought insight to factual information that needed to be known by the general public. Words could easily be bent and twisted to suit the needs of the particular individual – something which Seiryū knew first hand through his own usage of words and that of listening to politicians. Words were filled with empty promises, inaccurate facts, or a lie that one told to keep themselves in a better light. Seiryū learned that watch an individual’s body language and their expressions gave more away than was necessary. It was an art he learned early as a child from the Kōga clan’s teachings and then through his own personal use and experience of being a shinobi and using those aspects to help successfully complete missions. Now, Seiryū used those skills for his sole benefit – to make sure he was safe and didn’t have to worry about being conned into a situation where he would be terribly outmatched.

He always kept a brief note of the words spoken, which he had done to woman’s reply regarding the poor score he had given her in the first five seconds of their interaction. The jest had worked as intended, bringing about a lightened mood, one that was easily genuine instead of forced. Currently, at play, were two situations. Either the woman sitting next to him was far too advanced in the art of manipulation or she truly was genuine. Seiryū easily knocked out the former option, for while it was a factor that could be at play – for anybody else – he had long since learned that the bloodline he inherited from the man who sired him, for Seiryū would never refer to him as father, was far more adept at foretelling the facial expressions made my others. Even the most minute of details, a twitch or flinch, were apparent to his purple orbs at all times. She had tensed following his joke and her comment for a slight moment that he had clearly noticed, as if she was debating between two choices. It could have been something as simple as finding a new seat – where she wouldn’t be bothered by another individual, or something else entirely. She seemed to be preoccupied for a few seconds before it seemed her thoughtful expression completely evaporated. Following that she was far more relaxed now than she had previously been, matching his grin with a smile of her own.

However, that smile didn’t seem to last for long. Her eyes, instead of finding his own, seemed to be frozen on the hand he extended outward – a gesture that was usually met with ease. This was certainly a first for Seiryū, where the person had looked towards his hand as if it were the plague. The fear she showed towards his outstretched limb reminded him of all his failed relationships thus far, as if she knew that getting close to him would end up with almost nothing positive coming out of it. Yet, Seiryū knew that certainly wasn’t the case, for her fear seemed far more deep-rooted than that trivial thought that Seiryū had. Her facial expressions told him all he needed to know, that she hadn’t had the best experiences in the past with other people, yet what exactly caused her reaction still remained a mystery to Seiryū. There was a sense of understanding, that this was a fear that was from her past than anything on his part, but it wasn’t his place to really delve in to that territory either. That would require forming some kind of bond with this stranger, and that wasn’t something Seiryū could afford to do these days. He would retract his hand back slowly, a gentle smile on his lips saying more than he would – that he basically would let the past few seconds go without raising a single question about it.

“Well, Sayuri, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Seiryū didn’t bother to compliment on Sayuri’s name, for the simple fact that it wouldn’t sound normal coming off his tongue. He barely ever complimented names in his life and today wasn’t the day he’d start up that habit. “Think of the score this way, there is always the possibility that you can impress me and raise the bar.” His tone was fairly light, gauging how far he could take to simple jests easing Sayuri away from the negative thoughts she had previously. If he did not do such, he would either be dealing with someone in a negative mood or be sitting next to someone – and not interacting – who wished for nothing else but to be somewhere else. Ultimately, his decision was fairly obvious and did not need much thought towards. Best to be in pleasant company than nothing at all for however long he’d spend at Shushaya Pub. “Try me. I’m sure I can provide you with an answer that wouldn’t be cryptic.” It was a challenge, but more or less a transition to put the ball in Sayuri’s court. It would help relieve the tension she had felt early, or so Seiryū assumed would be the case. She still seemed to be doubting some aspects of their interaction, likely a result of his proposed handshake, for her expression was now more forced than it had been prior to his hand being extended towards her.

Her query about drinks put Seiryū in a moment of thoughtful expressions. They had been forcefully expressed by Seiryū, though subtle to the eye, for he was simply contemplating how to phrase his words – he already had an answer. “Suggestions on drinks?” He lifted his glass to his lips, taking a moderate sip of the contents within and feeling the familiar sensation as the liquid landed upon his taste buds. “I can’t really suggest anything to you unless I know your preferences. Besides, while I may look like one, I am far from being the resident alcohol expert. You’re better off asking the barkeep for suggestions. I don’t want to be responsible for you hating me just because of a drink suggestion. Who knows that havoc you could cause after seeing that landing.” He kept his tone light, evident he was still jesting, yet still honest in regards to the barkeep being the better option for drink suggestions.



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6Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Sun Jun 11, 2017 6:18 pm

Sayuri

Sayuri


D-rank
“Try me. I’m sure I can provide you with an answer that wouldn’t be cryptic.”

Sayuri pondered the offer suspiciously, it sounded possibly as though it were sincere but it was difficult for her to tell given the other teasing comments. However, she didn’t much care to think deeply on it, since he had said it she was willing to accept it as the truth, why would he bother lying about something so trivial? For that matter why would he bother lying at all, what could he possibly have to gain? So she thought about what she could ask a complete stranger that he would answer her honestly, as that was what she took his answer to mean. She was insanely curious about the world and she wasn’t usually given the opportunity to ask anything she wanted so now she was excited. She would peer at him intently for a few seconds taking in everything she could about him, his long hair dark was tied back loosely and neatly, he was dressed plainly but was clean and well groomed. There wasn’t much that she could see that really stood out. Except his eyes, those were something. She’d seen eyes similar to that before on Tsuyo Hyuga. They weren’t the same as Tsuyo’s were more silver than purple but what did she know about those sorts of things? For all she was aware Tsuyo just had lighter coloured Hyuga eyes the same way she had mismatched regular eyes.

As far as physical traits went that was it that she noticed, he didn’t have any weapons, though she would glance at his waist quickly to see if she could spy any, which she didn’t. So no interesting story there. She would frown inwardly as Shin suggested that he was not the best person to ask for drink suggestions, and that he didn’t want her hating him for what she assumed would be a poor one. What a bizarre thing to say to a person, and here I thought only I worried about people hating me. I would never hate someone for something like that, it’s so small. I really hope he’s joking. She would laugh outwardly at his comment about her hating him, the thought was truly preposterous, though he couldn’t possibly have known that. She didn’t even feel like she was capable of hate, though that was probably not true if she was being completely honest with herself. Still she would keep a smile on her face as she struggled to focus on his jokes rather than her inner turmoil. And as she would catch his eye again she remembered her question, like a tiny jolt of electricity it sparked a bit of mirth back into her own eyes. “Fine, I’ll ask the barkeep, however you should know that I’m hardly even capable of hating someone in the first place let alone over something as silly as a drink I might not like.”

And right on cue the barkeep was standing there waiting, a charming smile on his face and a practiced air of casual familiarity about him. “I heard you talking about me, now what can I get you young lady?”

Sayuri heard those words and her heart sank. She hated them. Just moments before she had thought she wasn’t capable of hating. And she was wrong. She would clench her jaw and breathe deeply and quietly, trying to calm herself so as not to scream at the poor man who was probably just looking at how short she was and making wild assumptions. It’s not his fault, he’s just doing his job after all, he’s not being mean or rude. And he couldn’t have known that you hate being called that so it’s not something worth taking offence over silly duck. She would let her breath out slowly before she answered, feeling more cheerful after accepting that it truly wasn’t intentional and would smile happily up at the barkeep. “I’m not sure what I want if I’m honest. Something not wine. I like rice and sweets. I really like sweets.” She would giggle softly and blush as the barkeep smiled his charming smile and nodded knowingly before hurrying away to create what she assumed to be some secret potion. “I’ve got just the thing for you then. You just sit right there.”  

Once he had gone she would turn back to Shin a look of mischief back in her eyes as she now had come up with not one but two questions, that she hoped weren’t so stupid that he would laugh at her.

“Now Shin, I distinctly remember you saying I could ask you stupid questions and you wouldn’t give me cryptic answers. So here goes, first thing is are you a Hyuga? Because I noticed that your eyes are purple and that you don’t have any weapons. So I thought that maybe you might be one. And also, is that why you didn’t bother giving me your last name? Because I found that strange. There’s only been one person I’ve ever met, besides yourself, that didn’t give me a last name. And that was because they didn’t know their name at all. So it was more to the point that they didn’t remember. Do you not remember your name? Uh. . . if that’s the case then I’m very sorry. I’m not trying to be rude or anything, it’s just that you did say that I could ask, and well I don’t usually get to. . . “

Her voice would trail off as she would look up at him expectantly, she was hoping desperately that she had not offended him. And that at the least he would find her prattling on funny and not insensitive.

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7Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Mon Jun 12, 2017 1:54 am

Seiryū

Seiryū


D-rank
As Sayuri would examine him, Seiryū swirled the glass he held in his right hand once more, letting his eyes slightly rove over to the liquid inside. He spent a brief moment idly glancing at the liquid that would tell him absolutely nothing in return. His life thus far had been filled with numerous names and faces, though very few truly remained memorable – if anything he’d be able to recount those encounters on both hands. There simply wasn’t much time he spent with people over a prolonged period of time to make it memorable; with the exception of a few individuals here and there. Like anytime he met someone new, tonight’s encounter seemed no different to him than any other. Sayuri would, likely, just be another person he met for a few minutes before he’d eventually depart from her life, especially now considering he didn’t spend too much time in one single place.

Taking another sip of his drink, Seiryū turned his eyes back to Sayuri as he put the glass back down on the countertop. He could feel her eyes on him, as if searching him for something in particular. Sayuri’s eyes seemed focused on his face for a few quick moments before they seemed to glance at the rest of his person. Perhaps she was a shinobi, simply assessing for a potential threat. Her laugh at his suggestion of asking the barkeep was met with the raise of a brow and a slight tilt of his head, but nothing else appeared on his features. The expression she was gracing him with still remained false, as if there was something else still on her mind; it could be likely that it had been his previous actions of extending his hand out towards her. With the two discoloured irises meeting his purple ones once more, it seemed Sayuri accepted the notion of asking the barkeep instead of Seiryū for advice in drinks.

With the unnamed worked taking Sayuri’s attention for a brief few moments, Seiryū simply watched the conversation between them, though wasn’t paying any attention to the words transferred between the two people he had conversed with this evening. The loud chatter of the remainder of the patrons reached Seiryū’s ears, no actual meanings being translated, for he could only catch blurbs of numerous ongoing conversations occurring. Only when he felt a pair of eyes on him, from the person next to him, would Seiryū then turn his attention back to the woman seated next to him. With her drink situation situated, it seemed she had turned her attention back to his agreement to allowing her to ask him some stupid questions.

The first question she posed to him was an easy enough query to resolve. For one, he was no Hyuuga and he knew what their features entailed – purple-silver orbs that stood out. There was no mistaking those eyes, especially seeing as how he had met a notable Hyuuga in his past, when he had been in Kumogakure no Sato for the Chuunin Exams. Seiryū listened to Sayuri ramble on to her reasoning, being the lack of weapons and not giving him her last name during his introduction. If anything, Seiryū was now trying to be the furthest thing away from a shinobi. He had the skills and prowess to be one – he was one – but living as an alternate ego meant he needed to behave differently in some aspects of his being. That meant limiting acting as a shinobi.

The second question was tied to the first, what his last name was. It would just need to be another lie he told in the numerous ones he span in the past. It was just a matter of procuring one to satisfy Sayuri’s curiosity.

With ease, Seiryū’s expression was one of slight understanding – understanding how one could, possibly, misperceive him as a Hyuuga of Konohagakure no Sato. “Well, I can certainly say for sure I’m not a Hyuuga. Their eyes are far paler than mine are. As for the lack of weapons, I’m not a shinobi, so there’s no real reason for me to carry a weapon. Besides, even if I was, carrying around weapons in a public place would seem… a bit off.” He nodded towards the weapon at Sayuri’s hip. “That’s just me though. I suppose shinobi have a reason to carry around weapons all the time.” The words flowed off his tongue like they had been said countless times before; it was just a matter of Seiryū remembering these details should the occasion call for it in the future.

“As for the lack of giving a last name… it just slipped my mind. Besides, what is a last name but who you are related to? For me, a first name is usually fine on its own. Though, since I told you no cryptic answers, my last name is Akagi.” He paused for a moment, to gauge Sayuri’s expression and what he could gather from his simple answer and storing away the name he had given to Sayuri. Being one of his first nights out in Konohagakure no Sato and no one else knowing his name, Akagi Shin would be the moniker he would be using during his time here.

Waiting a few seconds, whether it be of silence or of waiting for Sayuri’s reply, would Seiryū then go on to ask a question of his own. “Now, if you don’t mind me asking, I have a question of my own.” He awaited a second before going forth with a question of his own. “Assuming you are a kunoichi, what does a shinobi do for fun aside from landing horribly on barstools?”



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8Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Tue Jun 13, 2017 5:19 pm

Sayuri

Sayuri


D-rank
He spoke thoughtfully as he answered her question, explaining that the Hyuga eyes were much lighter than his. Which is what her reasoning had been, sort of. At least he was straight with her and not cryptic like he had promised, which brought a satisfied smile to her face. It didn’t matter to her at all that she had been incorrect in her assumption, she was simply pleased that he’d told her the truth about how he was going to answer. She was more than a bit taken aback as he glanced down at her tanto at her waist and explained that it was odd to see someone walking around with weapons. She hadn’t really considered that before, she almost always carried hers, and she always had. What was odd to her was the couple of times when she had made a conscious decision to leave it behind in the cabin. At those times she had been painfully aware of its absence for the few hours it had lain without her. Thinking about it now though, two things went through her mind simultaneously. How had she gone this long without ever noticing that it might make people uncomfortable that she was armed at all times, and did that mean that she was coming across as threatening to this man?

She shifted uncomfortably in her seat, it was not her intention to give off that impression, while it was certainly true she didn’t want anyone touching her, or as a general rule just approaching her at all, she didn’t want that to happen because she looked like she might stab them. Her face would twist ever so slightly as she processed the shame she was feeling. The second part of what he implied though was a bit harder for her to wrap her head around. She was no shinobi. She was just a person who happened to have a weapon and could access her chakra. That a shinobi did not make, and she was not about to fool herself into believing that. And with that in mind she felt all the more guilty for carrying a weapon around, if this man was right and shinobi did have a reason to carry weapons; then what was her excuse? Was she going to get into trouble? She hadn’t so far, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t at some point. The thought made her supremely uncomfortable, and she would scrunch up her nose as she tried to commit to memory the thought that she remember to ask either Tsuyo or Mitsuo about it later.

Sayuri listened politely as Shin explained his reason for not giving a last name, which seemed reasonable enough. And she suddenly felt very foolish indeed for assuming otherwise, so she would laugh and tug absent mindedly at her loosely braided hair, a habit when she was well and truly embarrassed. “I guess I didn’t think that one through all that well. Thanks for answering me honestly though Shin. I really appreciate, more than you know.” She kept smiling until the moment when he said he had a question for her, and her smile drooped just a smidge. She got ready to give her silly made up last name, which is what she assumed he was going to ask, and was visibly relieved when instead he asked a question she only half understood. A kunoichi was a word she had never heard before in her life. She could make the assumption it had something to do with shinobi only based on the context, but that was a stretch. And before the lie got out of hand she decided firmly to set the record straight.

“I uh, am not quite sure what you mean by a kunoichi, but I’m no shinobi. As for what they do for fun I honestly wouldn’t know, I know some of course, but they don’t so much have. . . fun. Or if they do it’s not things that I think are fun.” She would giggle at the thought of her idea of fun. Running through fields and climbing trees, splashing and puddles and rolling in snowbanks. Definitely not things she could see Tsuyo or Mitsuo doing. “As for what I like to do for fun though? I enjoy traveling and being outdoors mainly, I like climbing and exploring, meeting new people, oh and learning new things. Uh. . . now that I say that out loud, none of that sounds very fun I guess, probably. Unless you want to try climbing something?”

765/3390

9Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Sun Jul 02, 2017 7:21 pm

Seiryū

Seiryū


D-rank
Truthfully speaking, Seiryū was only half listening to his companion at this point. It wasn’t a matter of him not liking her, nor was it due to him completely not willing to participate in this conversation, but more along the lines of rationalizing what his future would hold. Seiryū only knew what was lined up in his near future, such as the day ahead and the remainder of today, but beyond that his future was complete mystery. Back home, the former shinobi of Sunagakure no Sato had at least some expectations of what the future would hold for him – taking missions, going on patrols, and training where what his days held. Now, being on the run and not having a primary place to live, Seiryū’s future was off-putting. One day he could be relaxing and the next he would have to move, such that there were no tracks of his existence in such a place. His time in Konohagakure no Sato was currently limited, such that he could spare a week or more in the village before he would need to consider uprooting himself once more and moving onward with his life. Where his next destination would be? He had no clue. There wasn’t really a goal for him to strive towards, no purpose to achieve, with the sole exception of survival.

The other thing that occupied his mind at the time was his current companion, not the one he was seated next to, but the one whom accompanied on his journey from Kaze no Kuni to Mizu no Kuni and then here to Hi no Kuni. A small little critter, a jerboa, was his companion who he could rely on, though Seiryū supposed it was primarily due to Seiryū being able to provide for it, seeing as how he found the creature when it was a baby. Momo was reliant on him, though the companionship of the creature was due to the nature of things – a baby relying on an adult for sustenance and protection. That was what Seiryū offered to the creature and ultimately, Momo would eventually grow up and be able to handle herself in the wild. At that point, Seiryū would once again not be needed.

His ears tuned back into the conversation after Sayuri’s small fit of giggling. Everything she stated that she liked to do was not out of the ordinary, not that Seiryū expected something wild and out of the blue, such as trying to murder someone with a spoon. Traveling could be classified as something he did now, though he could not exactly say he enjoyed it. It was, rather, a task he needed to accomplish simply because of his past actions. Supposing he could entertain the conversation for a bit longer, Seiryū would turn his attention to his glass, polishing off the remaining contents before turning to face Sayuri once more. “Now, while learning to climb seems like an intriguing idea… I have a difficult time picturing when I would exactly need it.” With the utmost serious expression on his face, Seiryū took on the façade of a civilian trying to picture why one would need to learn to climb, when their daily life didn’t really require it. “I just can’t imagine when exactly I would need to climb.”



556|4256 Total

10Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Tue Jul 18, 2017 2:35 am

Sayuri

Sayuri


D-rank
Sayuri would tilt her head to the side as she considered Shin’s question, she hadn’t ever thought of why a person would ‘need’ to climb, she just had always enjoyed doing it. True it had been in part out of necessity, being up high had meant better hiding spots, which had meant less danger while she’d been growing up. She doubted that this man had needed to hide from either people or animals that might bother him while he slept though. He had the look of someone who’d probably slept in a bed for most of his life. His clothing was clean and in good repair, and his manner was very open, not guarded or suspicious like some animals she’d seen that were nervous of being hurt. Sayuri thought about all the reasons why someone who wasn’t trying to stay hidden from everyone would want to climb, and she really had no idea. Maybe as part of their job, or their training for something. Her face would scrunch up as she tried to think of a good answer, until finally at a complete loss she simply blurted out the first thing that popped into her head.

“Well the best answer that I can think of is to be able to see further. The higher you are the farther you can see, and well, I can’t think of a time when being able to see more isn’t useful. So. . . I don’t know. Maybe that? Also if you’re ever travelling you’ll need to be able to climb, for instance, I have to travel to Iwagakure no sato very soon, and from what I’ve heard there’s a good many rocks both on the way and there. Which I suppose makes sense seeing as it’s the Rock Village, or something like that, I’m not too sure what it is really. I’m just supposed to go there to attend the University to further my training, other than that I don’t know much, not really even how to get there. Huh. . . I guess I probably should figure that part out.”

She would lean on the counter in front of her and let out a wistful sigh as she pondered how to solve getting to what would be her new home. It was a strange word, home. It still didn’t feel right when she said it, even in her mind. She hadn’t had a home in so long, the word and concept felt very foreign to her. It was nice, but it gave her a sudden mix of emotions that she wasn’t sure how to contain, she was quite sure if she didn’t do something about it soon she would end up getting herself into trouble. She rested her head on her folded arms and turned her head to face Shin, a mischievous smile on her face. “I’m feeling energetic, do you want to go climb something? Or do anything that involves not just sitting here?”

511/3901

11Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Tue Jul 18, 2017 9:11 pm

Seiryū

Seiryū


D-rank
Seiryū would casually let his gaze roam between Sayuri and the bar before him, debating the two options he had available to him tonight. Either to continue drinking and potentially take his mind off the thoughts that drifted back to his criminal actions, or call it an early night so his tongue didn’t slip from drinking further. He knew his own limitations, but after a certain amount of time, one knew how their body responded to alcohol and that it would eventually spill something, even when their mind was fully comprehending what was occurring and the repercussion surrounding giving away such vital information to a complete and utter stranger. Strangers were both easier and harder to trust with secrets. Easier due to the fact that their judgement wouldn’t affect the teller, for the lack of a close relationship would lack any situation that would require dealing with their judgement daily. Harder because the secret he was keeping was better kept quiet, for it would simply be a fact in another person’s arsenal that could give Seiryū away.

Utilizing climbing to help one find their way could prove to be useful, if one already wasn’t capable of using other information to assist in their journey. Seeing ‘further’ didn’t necessarily prove too useful in most situations, though it helped in regard to spotting out foreign shinobi that may or may not attack you. Climbing didn’t necessarily mean seeing further, but rather having a higher vantage point to be able to see more, but that was beside the point.

“I can see your point, though a map could just as easily fulfill the need of climbing. Now, I’m not too sure how difficult it must be to climb,” He did, it was fairly easy with chakra, “but I’m sure that the energy you use to climb could be saved by just using a map to plan out your route.” Seiryū was well aware of the benefits of higher vantage points, but that didn’t necessitate that his alter ego would need to be privy to that particular information. Playing dumb to the ways of a shinobi was a tad bit more difficult than he expected, for he knew the arguments for doing things a certain way that proved more useful, such as climbing, thus it was proving difficult providing a counterargument to Sayuri.

“Can’t say I have been to Iwagakure no Sato. I was thinking of heading their or towards Kumogakure no Sato next.” There was truth to that, for staying in Konohagakure no Sato was going to become a hindrance sooner or later. The less time spent in one place, the better. “The University? If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly are you training for?”

For Sayuri’s last inquiry, Seiryū’s expression transformed to one of thought, debating the options that were available to them. “Well, I can’t really partake in climbing, since it’s more likely that I’d injury myself than actually climbing more than half a foot.” He waited another second, before figuring that drinking more alcohol wasn’t the best option available to him at the current time. “Tell you what, how about you climb and let me see if there if it’s possible for me to do so?”



-Exit Thread-
555|4811 Total


Training Senjutsu (+10% Word Count - Kōga Clan Drawback):
A-Rank -> S-Rank: 7698 + 2202 = 9900/9900 Words

Training Speed(S):
S -> S-1 = 1750/1750 Words (859 Words Left)

12Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Empty Re: Down the Rabbit Hole? [Private] Sun Sep 03, 2017 5:37 am

Sayuri

Sayuri


D-rank
Shin didn’t look entirely convinced by her argument that climbing was a useful skill. And without going into too much detail about why she had had to learn it, she wasn’t going to be able to convince him anyway. So she merely shrugged playfully at the notion and then immediately scrunched her face up in confusion at his mention of a map. While she was not entirely unfamiliar with the name ‘map’, she had no idea what it was precisely or how it would help her get to Iwa. Here is yet another opportunity for you to look like an ignorant idiot silly duck. She thought that most of the difficult topics could be avoided, and that her lack of education could go unnoticed for the most part. It was not that she was afraid to ask of course, of all the things in the world to be afraid of it had never occurred to her to be afraid to ask a question. As was usually demonstrated by her willingness to ask anything of anyone, her assumption being that if they didn’t want to tell her, then they would say as much. Though this time she was annoyed that there was another thing that she needed to rely on someone else for. There was the barest possibility that she could set off in the general right direction of Iwakagure no sato and even make it all the way there without falling to too much harm. But there was a bigger chance that she would get horribly lost and end up dead somewhere after falling down some cliff or other, or possibly eaten by a bear or killed by bandits, or any other manner of ridiculous death for one such as her. One that is supposed to have been trained in the ninja arts.

Taking a breath after deciding that dying in a ridiculous manner was not worth whatever annoyance she would save now, she asked about the so-called ‘map’.

“I’m not too sure what you mean by a map actually. I assume it’s an object, like a book. And if that’s the case it will be of no use to me unfortunately as reading isn’t something I know how to do yet. You want to know what I’m training while at the University in Iwagakure? That’s one of the things; reading. Also counting and telling the time, writing. And I’ll be training while I’m there as well. All in all it should prove to be rather eventful, if not just plain frustrating.”

She leaned forward and sipped happily on the drink that the bartender set down in front of her. It barely had the pungent taste of alcohol to it, and mainly tasted of cherries and sweet things. She knew that the man beside her was probably judging her now, it was not often she noticed Or ever. that someone her age couldn’t read or write. She had had to tell that piece of information to so many people since she had been in Konoha though that it was quite as shameful to her anymore. And especially since she at least had a plan for dealing with it, however much she didn’t want to carry through with said plan.

She laughed as he said she should climb and then he would see about it. It was probably a safer plan if she was completely honest about the situation, if he did decide to climb it wouldn’t be her that would be able to catch him if he fell. Get squashed by him maybe, in a foolhardy attempt to save him and running to place herself bodily beneath the dark haired man. But otherwise it was completely ludicrous. As she sat there worrying about her travel plans an idea came to mind that superseded even the hilarious images she had conjured up about having to catch a man falling from Hokage rock that was very nearly twice her size. Turning to him she would lightly touch his arm to gather his attention before speaking.

“Hey, I just had an idea. If you know of anyone that is going to Iwagakure and could help me find my way I would be most grateful. Traveling alone in the first place isn’t particularly fun, unless there are campfire stories and it would be all the safer if there was someone else with me. Rather than a map I mean. You can leave a message with the ramen shop owner, I’m there nearly every day.”

With that she would gather herself from her chair and finish off the last of her drink, finding that the floor moved just a touch too much as she did so and thanked Shin for his company before heading towards the exit of the establishment. She was hoping that she wouldn’t have to go to Iwagakure no sato alone, she didn’t know how far it was but a journey any length of time alone after spending so long with other people was not something she was looking forward to. However thanks in part to the delightful concoction that the bartender had prepared she wasn’t particularly worried about it just at this moment and so instead of fretting, found the closest large tree, and after checking that she wouldn’t lose any of her valuables doing so, began to climb it. She had always felt safer up in a tree, or at the very least off of the ground and with the alcohol swimming through her blood she not only felt safer, but more bold as well. And once she was up several meters in the branches, and balanced what was probably fairly precariously within its foliage, she straddled a larger branch and swung her legs back and forth happily. Sitting there Sayuri had the distinct impression that everything would be fine, she may end up lonely for her trip but that fact would not dissuade her from her coming adventures. She had much she had to learn and it felt to her as not very much time to learn it in. Letting her back slump against the tree trunk she began to doze a bit and realized only as her body began sliding off her makeshift seat that she had made a poor decision. Perhaps climbing didn’t help you see farther, but it did keep you on your toes so to speak. With a reluctant sigh she would climb down and finally begin making her way home, weaving slightly to and fro throughout Konohagakure’s streets. The sky was dark and clear and the stars were starting to peek out and sparkle at her, making a wish on the brightest of those stars as she wandered about Konoha she felt her heart lighten. “I hope that its easy, learning all of these things. And that I can come back soon.”

{Exit Thread}

1161/5050

Stat Training:

SPD: C-0 > C-3 - 1875 words + 375 ryo
END: C-0 > C-3 - 1875 words + 375 ryo
PER: C-1 > C-3 - 1300 wc + 275 ryo

0 words left over

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