A look of bliss spread across Nova's freckled cheeks as Izumi's gentle fingers slid the hair that hung in front of her face behind her ear, Izumi's light blue eyes meeting Nova's emerald ones with a look of deep compassion. Though she was good at maintaining an even composure, it seemed a hint of displeasure tinged Izumi's voice as she spoke softly, “It’s nowhere knew to us, in fact we’ll probably need a disguise. My orders are to go to the Lightning Country to spy on a man I know very well. He’s … my sensei … from home. I was just getting settled here, and what’s worse we’re supposed to make it look like I’m defecting. Are you sure you want that burden? Everyone we know here will think we’re traitors. Some might even come after us.” Nuzzling her cheek against Izumi's hand, Nova looked for a way to phrase her thoughts for a moment before speaking carefully, “I'd go with you anywhere as long as you are willing to have me. I don't ever want to leave your side.”. Letting her eyes slide away from Izumi's gaze and drop to the floor with a slight embarrassment that she had let her emotions show so clearly, Nova fell silent. Slowly letting her gaze meet Izumi's again, it seemed as though the cornflower blue irises glistened as they looked at her. Izumi's hand slid under the base of Nova's neck tangling in the mess of hair and pulled her lips to hers as she spoke softly and let her words be cut off with the pressure of their lips on eachothers, “I love you”.
After a passionate moment, Izumi would wriggle out of the bed and get to her feet. As Izumi strode to her wardrobe to dress, Nova would stand and walk to the dresser near the wardrobe to dig through the drawers that had been delegated to her. Slyly Nova would look at the Karisuma as she dressed, partly to oogle as well as trying to gauge what kind of attire would appropriate for the day. Shorts and a tank top made up the simple attire of the red-headed girl, though it's simplicity allowed her naturally stunning appearance to show itself. Unintentionally Nova would sigh almost in envy as she tried to decide what to wear though nothing would look quite as good on her as it did Izumi. Settling on a similar outfit to Izumi, she opted on a tank top in black and tight shorts in charcoal grey. Her hands had started to open the next drawer to pull her kimono to wear over top but paused with it under her fingers, “Guess you'll have to take me shopping when we get there. Cant wear this anymore.”. Her voice was teasing almost as she help up the signature kimono that she had donned in the exams; A fine work of emerald silk and delicate embroidery along the hems and sleeves. Passing on the over-piece of clothing, she looked to see Izumi walk by in the direction of the bathroom who spoke as she strode by, “Hey Nova, do you think you could dye my hair? The red hair is kind of a dead giveaway… I have some experience in doing but I think you’d be better with a complete color change don’t you think? It might be fun anyways, something simple and easy to do before we have to be on edge 24/7.”
A smile would spread across Nova's face as she nodded vigorously, “I'd love to! What color were you thinking? We will need a few things... I can write a list if you would like. Ooooo... maybe I should do mine too? What do you think?”. Nova would prance over to Izumi and started playing with her hair. “I think I know what ill do.”, with that she wrote down an extensive list of items that she shoved in Izumi's hands with excitement and hoped the staff would return with it quickly. Though it was not a long wait, it was enough time to pack the necessities for travel. Nova found herself passing on more items than she had expected, bringing enough clothes to fit in one small duffel bag and all of her crafting tools. Nova would write out another list for the staff to acquire, this one including rations and preservable foods to last for two people for quite a long trek. Having the pair of puppets would come in useful, if nothing else she could use the second one as a pack mule to carry supplies. After the food, several waterskins, and medical supplies, wineskins would scratched onto the list as an afterthought.
The preparations were done by the time staff returned with a large basket of all the supplies Nova had wrote on the list. Along with that, a pair of men carried in a seat and washtub like that of a salons. Nova's eyes widened at that, a grin flashing at Izumi as she plotted what to do to the fiery mane. Though Nova was particularly fond of the flaming locks, she had an idea of something that would not quite take away Izumi's charm, though would be enough of a change to disguise her in their travels. With that she got to work; a flurry of hair clips and mixing of dyes would happen and Izumi would be subjected to the chair until Nova decided she was done. Nova hoped Izumi would relax as she worked, she herself always having found dying ones hair a relaxing experience. The brush coated in the thick dye would mask the glow of red hair, inky black spreading from roots to tip. The clips did their job and held small locks of hair out of the black dye, with which Nova painted with a red even brighter than the color before, before wrapping it in a sheet of foil. Nearly an hour had passed when Nova pulled away and wiped the sweat from her forehead with the side of her hand, leaving a black smudge on the pale skin and smiled. “Now you gotta let it sit for a while.... now what color should we do mine?”
[1066 WC]