Starring:
Date: November 26, 2014
Summary:
Eremi takes Renai to see his home and she informs him that she’ll not be going home again.
"Coming Home"
Kadomai
Kadomai - Green Street [Land of Fire]
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Green Street at a glance can clearly be told as home to the more humble of Kadomai's villagers. Primarily a residential road, by necessity it is not as clearly delineated with shrubbery and other such features requiring the attention of a groundskeeper. This region makes up for it in its lush grasses and frequent trees, interspersed at random between the houses.
Though its roads are rendered in bright new cobblestone the same as the town square, the houses themselves oft cannot claim the same level of luxury. Most here are small dwellings, modest huts of wood and thatch dotting the forested landscape. Though the most expressive and well-kempt of houses tend to be closest to the road, it is hardly the rule. Though some shinobi can be seen from time to time coming up and down the road, mostly the area is trafficked by simple village folk, going about their business. The road continues further west to the far end of Green Street, and then back east, to more ample homes and Kadomai's town square proper.
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Contents:
Eremi
Exits:
East - (E) [Kadomai - Green Street]
Leave Town - (LT) [Eastern Path]
After a few road bumps and minor distractions that managed to impede the duo's progress towards Kadomai, a trip that was supposed to be in and out, Eremi and Renai have finally made their way into Kadomai. A feat that was actually quite simple considering there are no guards stationed at the entrance. Kadomai, though under the 'protection' of Konoha, is a neutral farming village and while some Shinobi can be seen from time moving about the 'streets', their thoughts are elsewhere.
"Is it everything you imagined?" Eremi questioned the girl as he looked about his old home, taking in the familiar sights that spark memories he had not thought of in some time. Not much has changed, if anything. It all looked the same to him. The familiarity brought a smile to his face as he started to walk down the cobbled street. "Let's not linger and draw any attention."
Renai follows him with a pleasant expression on her face. When they pause, she looks around, her eyes big and her lips pulling into a grin. She's charmed by the feel of the place. Sure, they have villagers outside of Kirigakure, but they aren't like this. This place seems somehow happier and more peaceful. At his question, she turns her head to smile -hugely- ate Eremi. "It's better."
At his urging, Renai follows him along the cobbled street. "Is it like you remember? Has anything changed really since you were last here?" She tries to act like the other people around her, relaxing her rigid posture so that she doesn't draw too much attention to herself. She's taken steps to disguise her origins and identity, but Kiri nin tend to have a thing about them, a seriousness that marks them.
Seeing the expressions Renai has to give in regards to Kadomai, Eremi is actually surprised. It wasn't a reaction he was expecting considering the girls origins and upbringing, but he'd smile nonetheless. "Mostly. A few more houses then I remember and the forested landscape has grown more full, but yeah. It's about the same." Continuing on the path, they'd cross several individuals, male and female, with long ponytails. Members of the Yamanaka clan that blend in with the other villagers. Not surprisingly, spotting members of Eremi's clan would not be an easy task as many are still rather shy and timid, choosing to stay recluses to those outside their own clan.
The girl can't help but stare at the Yamanaka people for a moment. She finds it strange that they all look so similar even though she has no idea who they are. Must be a clan. The Kaguya are like that. And the Shirayuki sometimes. Her own ex-clan tended to be more varied since they mostly adopted orphans into their ranks instead of having their own children.
"Eremi." Renai catches up to him and looks to the man, "Is your family here? Can we meet them?" She blinks and blushes a bit. "I mean, well, you can of course. If you want to see them, I can go wait elsewhere." She seems to think that their knowing of her might bring danger to them somehow though it isn't something she voices directly or aloud.
"Hmm?" Glancing toward Renai for a moment before returning his gaze to the road ahead. The cobbled street coming to an end as it shifted into a dirt path that lead further into the village. "I don't know if that's a good idea." He'd frown as he looked in the direction he's sure his family most likely was during this time of day. "My dad is a shinobi for Konoha. Even though I'm his son, he still has a duty to the village. I can't make him choose between the two like that." This far into Kadomai, the random shinobi thins, leaving mostly the clans and residents that call this place their home. "The bars just ahead. We should get something to eat."
Renai looks in the direction Eremi does when he frowns. She frowns too, mimicking the expression inadvertently. She isn't /trying/ to make a face like him; she just does. "That's too bad. I was hoping you could at least go say 'Hi' or something." The bits of facts about his father are filed away in her memory in the little box labeled 'Eremi.' Thoughts of his family are pushed from her mind though when he mentions food. "Yeah! I'm starving! Do they have yummy stuff here? I mean, anything is better than what they serve in Sunagakure." Renai rushes ahead of him a few steps in her eagerness to fill her belly. Sometimes one might wonder if she has Akimichi blood running through her veins with that crazy appetite.
Eremi shrugged at the comments, but didn't say anything else on the matter to allow the topic to fade away. Naturally, the man missed his Mom, Dad and younger Brother and he was sure they missed him as well. Events just didn't allow them to see each other yet. "They definitely have better food than a desert. The water isn't too far away, so there's seafood if you're missing the tastes of your home. Other than that, this is a farming community so there's livestock and plenty of fruits and vegetables to choose from." With Renai increasing her pace, Eremi would do the same simply to keep up.
The girl stops abruptly a few feet ahead of him and then whirls about with a grin. "I don't know where I'm going." Renai slows herself down and tries to keep pace with him. At mention of her home, she tenses, her shoulder lifting slightly in a half-hearted shrug. Sure, she misses it. Who wouldn't miss the place where they grew up? Well.. maybe that's a silly question. She lifts up on her tippy toes to look for the bar he talked about and passively states, "I got rid of my uniform a few days ago. And buried the uh.." She motions to her forehead. "I'm not going back." There's a bit of silence between them and then she turns to look at him. "I didn't really know how to tell you. I guess in the middle of a busy street is perfect, right?" She brightens with enthusiasm though as a thought strikes her. "This place is amazing though. Maybe we can stay here a while?"
Eremi chuckles when the girl stops so he decides to take the lead. To be honest though, he's a little lost himself. It's been years if not longer since he was in Kadomai and he had never actually been to the bar before… He had a feeling though he was going in the right direction, but his momentum came to a complete halt with what Renai had to say next. "At least there are witnesses." He offers lightly as he tries to think through this situation. He gave his word to Meruin he would protect Renai no matter what, but this only made things harder. "You know what you've done correct? The choice you've made is yours to make, but the problems spread out to more than just you. However difficult you thought things were before, it's going to get harder."
Renai walks on a couple of steps when Eremi stops, but then she stops too and turns to look back at him. She seems a little confused at his reaction. For some reason, she thought he would be happier about it. It makes her frown a little. When he mentions that things will get harder, fear flourishes in her eyes. Yes, she thought about that. She's been trying to ignore it, but the alternatives.. "Do you think it's a mistake?" She takes a step closer to him so that she can keep her voice down. "You know what I would be otherwise. Do you think that is any less dangerous? At least, if I choose this, I can be my own master. Like you." Her lips twitch as though she might smile, but the expression doesn't quite get there. "Besides, I like the feeling of not being watched constantly. It's refreshing."
Eremi squinted his eyes at the girl, trying to figure out her motives, but he was never good at reading people. "It's not for me to say whether or not the choice you made was right or wrong. I can only say the path you've chosen is not an easy one." Taking a moment, he'd look about before relaxing some in his stance as he realizes where he is. "Eyes are everywhere, Renai and though you are now free to do what you like, you'll never be free from having to constantly look over your shoulder. You'll be hunted now, things are going to be dangerous. Your life will constantly be under attack." Sighing, "You've really given me no choice of my own."
At the mention of eyes everywhere, she has to strongly resist the urge to glance about herself in a paranoid fashion. "I didn't.." Renai starts to speak and then pauses. She swallows and tries again. "You can.." The words seem to get choked in her throat. She huffs. There's no other word for it. Then her brows furrow in anger because anger is the logical place for an emotional teenage girl to go when she can't decide what to feel, "I'm not forcing you to do anything."
Renai turns away from him as though she's going to storm down the street dramatically, but rather comically bumps into a woman carrying laundry. "Oh, I'm sorry!" Renai quickly helps the woman gather the clothes back up, enduring the chastising of 'Why can't you watch where you're going!' and 'Took me all day to get these clean. See what you've done!' Afterward, she just stands there rather stupidly since her dramatic exit was ruined.
Eremi would reach out instinctively for Renai as she spins about to take off, but was moments too late as the girl collides with another. The attention that was sure to follow from onlookers being more than the man wanted and causing him to glance away for the time being. Until the woman with laundry decides to leave after gathering her stuff does Eremi turn back to Renai, "Come on." Leading her toward the bar. "We need to eat and then I have a lot more to teach you." Sighing once again with the thought of what he was going to have to do now. It was something he had to avoid.
