Starring:
Akane, Sei, Chitose
Date: January 23, 2014
Summary:
Some shinobi run into eachother int he Land of Water
"Fish Market Has Spiders"
Just outside the Fish Market in the Land of Water
Akane is wearing her usual clothing, jacket over a leather bustier and lether pants and armed to the teeth with throwing knives around her waist and thigh. Her twin kodachi lay on the ground beside her. She's a ways out of the fish market itself, she wasn't sure how much more fish smell she could take, so she'd found a nice place on the edge of the water to sit and work. In her hands are a small mortar and medestal that hse's currently grinding, a leafy green powder-herb mixture in it as she works, her eyes are focused on it intently as though she has to concentrate to complete her task. She looks up now and then, once even looking directly at a boat but showing no comprehension that there's anything in front of her.
It'd start with a spider that would drop down to land on her head.
A forigner that's near where Kirigakure was at, the brood gave the feedback as quickly as thought, to which the thought was returned. Surround, watch. Be prepared. So the trees would rustle with no wind, the location studied as Sei got closer. Landing into a slight crouch, he'd study Akane where she was at with the pestal. Interesting. Very interesting.
The spider on Akane's head, if left alone, would drop down to the edge of the pestal.
Coming through the fish market, Chitose stops off to pick out something when she blinks at the sight of Akane working on whatever she is working on. She stops and peers at Akane before looking at the woman, "Well, hello again. I didn't expect to run into you again, so soon." She states very simply and then looks at the mortar, "Though, now I'm curious to see what you are working on in a fish market." She nods her head before her eyes glance at the spider that is lowering down off of Akane's head, "Oh, and you have something…coming out of your hair."
Akane blinks as the spider lands on her head, but does not squick out like a typical girl. She was well versed in the fact that there were many insects that could be deadly if provoked. Chitose comming close to her gets a slow turn of her head to glance at the familiar female. She offers Chitose a small smile as she is greeted. And when she points out that there's something in her hair she just says, "Oh, I'll get it…"
Then the spider begins to move and she holds still, not even grinding her pestal anymore, just being aware of the spider and when it finally comes to rest on the side of her bowl she tilts her head to study it, she moves a little closer, narrowing her eyes to focus, checking for the usual markings of the deadliest spiders she knows then, not seeing anything marking it as dangerous she smiles a little. "Hello there little one, you shouldn't be on that bowl. You never know what I might be mixing." She talks to it like she might a child and carefully tries to coax it onto her finger, if she succeeds, she'll set it gently on the ground.
Turning back to Chitose she offers a more ready smile. "Just a spider. Not even venomous. Do you want to sit?" She moves the twin kodachi to clear a place for Chitose to sit if the girl so chooses, ending up setting them by the spider instead.
The spider would move amiably enough onto her finger, dropping to the grass as it'd skitter away like spiders could do. If they noticed, the trees around where Akane and Chitose sat would start to get webbing on it. A lot of spiders, small, so hard to tell at a distance if they're even there, would criss-cross strands. Nothing like being prepared. Just in case.
Sei stepped out of the tree line. In silence, he'd approach Akane and Chitose, watching them still for a moment. Arms folded in front of him, hands hidden within his sleeves as he'd check out what Akane was making exactly. Noting the forehead protector on Chitose, Sei would pause for a moment, allies then? Alright, that made the job a lot easier at least… unless they're faking it.
A look at Akane and she nods and then settles into the spot before saying, "So, what brings you to the fish market in the Land of Water?" She hmms and sets down a small satchel she was carrying. She glances into the bowl she was working with before saying, "What is it you are working on?" She hmms before her eyes going up and she notices Sei. She peers at him for a long moment before saying, "Oh, hello again." She waves a hand at him before looking back to Akane, awaiting a response to her original question.
Akane had looked toward the exact tree where the webbing appeared and even directly at Sei, but just like with the boat from earlier, there was no comprehension tht anything existed in that direction. Her eyes remained unfocused even as Sei came closer. Akane wore no indicator of where she was from like Chitose did, but she did not act like someone looking for a fight. (Did a spy ever act like that?)
Akane's head turns again as Sei gets a little closer but still she makes no reaction. Rather she turns to Chitose as the girl sits and chuckles, patting a small well wrapped package. "Fugu. I thought this should be the best place to get it." She smiles innocently.
When Chitose notices Sei, however, and speaks to him, Akane's head snaps in the same direction as Chitose is looking and speaking… and.. she smiles softly toward Sei but hergreen eyes remain unfocused. Every fiber of the girl would appear to see Sei and react to him…except her eyes, which though they searched, appeared unseeing. "A friend of yours?" she asks Chitose, setting her mortar and pestal to the side by her swords and leaning on her hands.. one of which was very close to the hilt of the swords.
Sei stopped as he noted the hand movement. A brow raised at the question Akane made to Chitose, he'd nod to the older girl, then carefully pull out that board. The horde of spiders would come out of his sleeve as he opened the white board, allowing them to skitter across it's surface. Quickly, the single spiders turned into lines and the lines into letters. A flowing script of spider gliding across the pad in an uncanny exact sync with each spider working as one. ~Greetings, Chitose. I am presuming that this one is someone you know? If she is from Sunagakure, that makes it easier, as I don't have to take her things and kick her out then.~ Sei held the pad up, to let them read.. if Akane could even read. He was silent, no noise at all to the child while he watched them.
A smile at Akane and she nods, "I see." She nods her head and then she looks up to Sei, "An aquaintence." She states and then blinks at the board before staring at Sei, "Do you kick out every person who enters the land of Water?" She looks up towards the other vendors in the better part of the fish market, "Many of these vendors move their business to other lands from time to time and aren't from the Land of Water." She states and then peers at Sei carefully, "She is not from Sunagakure but then I'm pretty sure she's not someone who is going to cause problems. Unless there is a rule against moving down near the water to work versus staying up int he market and working. She is under no land's banner as far as I know."
Akane remained as she was, but showed little comprehension as all she could see was shadows moving just out of her sight's range. So nothing Sei did or said was revealed to the girl. She only reacts to Chitose's words. She keeps still as she had with the spider when the threat of being kicked out comes up. She had banked on the exchange of commerce to keep her safe here, perhaps she should have thought a second time before comming after the fugu she's wanted….
And when Chitose explains that they were aquainted but that Akane was under no banner that she was aware of Akane figures out that the shadows she was watching so intently was a friend of Chitose's and that he had some form other than speaking to communicate. That made life a bit harder. Akane thinks for a moment then makes an appologetic expression and waves a hand over her own eyes, showing no indication that she could see her own hand, though it was within her range, she was indicating that whoever Chitose was talking to was out of her visual range. She does speak though. "I was not sure i could take the smell of fish much longer. I'm not used to it."
Sei shook his head slightly. He'd point towards the blades that Akane held while the spiders moved across the pad. ~She is armed as a shinobi. Not a merchant. Most merchants hire guards. Thus why the removal.~ Studying Akane with her actions for a moment, Sei would slowly walk closer. She was studied intently, a soft chittering, a hundred arachnid reacting at once would drone in the background. He was putting himself in danger.. maybe. As they seemed fairly friendly, at least there was that. Potentially this was harmless. afterall, a wanderer just seeking herbs? No issue there. Sei would stop as soon as he saw a cue that Akane could see him, judging distance as he'd watch and wait.
Watching Akane a moment, Chitose hmms as she watches her before turning her gaze over to Sei and hten back again before saying, "Oh, and did I mention I'm pretty sure she is half-blind." She nods her head and then looks over toward Sei before watching him a moment and hten looking at the blades, "Yes, she is good with them and may have shinobi training." She nods her head, "I will admit to having seen her fight…but she apparently is only good very close up and only defensively, likely due to the blindness." She nods her head, "I have only met her once but I feel you throwing her out would probably be more trouble than it is worth in the end. If she were in Kirigakure itself, maybe not but just in the Land of Water? I'd ignore it."
Akane's eyes finally focused on Sei's form and she blinks as she sees a child before her. Once he was within her sight she smiled brighter at him, seeing the board more learly she sees the words, though she has to squint to read them. Ah yes, she was definitely outfitted as a shinobi. "I grew up in Fuuma Alley." She was not lying. She had noticed the odd chittering sound and she was aware that there was something very… different about this child but she just lets it go. As though she'd forgotten where her hand was she laughed and moved her hand from the hilt. "Sorry about that, old habit. I'm not used to being 'half-blind'."
Chitose's words make Akane blink and regard the other woman closely.. evidently she'd failed to see a few of her actions that night. All the better probably. However, her visible reaction is a pout aimed at Chitose. "So cold…. I got the artifact didn't I?" She laughs as she remembers that she was almost controlled by said artifact as well. For that one sweet moment it offered her full sight again and she had forced herself to drop it. Ah well. back to the herbs…And her fugu…. To Sei she speaks as though he were just as adult as the rest of them. "I'm not here to do any shinobi business and I have nothing against Kiri. I just came for the Fugu. oh and the Water Grass." An innocent sounding herb that could both be a poison and a cure for …eyesight.
Sei's head tilted to the side. Musing for a few moments, he'd finally give a small nod of his head. The chittering eased off. No, they brood didn't leave, of course not.. but no need to be using an audible pressure if they are indeed innocent in intent. Growing up in Fuuma also explains the weapons and the potential training too. Sei finally shrugged slightly. Once again the spiders on the board would shift, scrambling to reflow into new words on the white surface. ~Very well. I will monitor your herb gathering as that is my mission to verify and potentially neutralize forign entities that may be spying. I believe you due to Chitose vouching for you.~ He'd let the spiders settle in place, nodding in Chitose's direction in recognition of her words. He'd step closer, watching Akane's reaction closely. Yes, he was within range now that if she drew, he'd have to deal with a melee swipe.. but he figured he had it mostly plotted out.. just in case.
Chitose had seen plenty but she was from Sunagakure. She knew how to lie. That being that though, she simply nods to Akane before chuckling, "YOu did indeed get the artifact." She then looks over to Sei and smiles softly to him, "I will be sure to make sure she doesn't try anything to harm Kirigakure. I would hate for her to cause trouble after I had vouched for her." She then looks back to Akane, "Either way, I do hope you are doing well. I had not expected to see you again so soon."
Akane read the words on Sei's slate and nodded in understanding. She picked the mortar and pestal back up and continued to grind the dried leaves that were in the bowl half. Sei comming closer puts her into teaching mode and she can't seem to help herself. She holds the bowl up to show him the herbs inside. "I should have everything i need now that I have the Water Grass. All I have to do is mix this in with the Meitred root and a few other things and I should be seeing better. The tricky part is getting the right quantities. Water Grass can be used as a poison as well." She looks down,lowering the bowl and frowning a little. "My father taught me about herbs" To Chitose she nods. "I made it here in one piece at least. The air here is invigorating."
A small nod was given in response to her words. The spiders would shift across his pad once again to flow into new words. ~Mixed with nightshade and mandrake root. It's a base level poison we are taught and taught how to recognize the signs to seek medical help. I was able to resist the highest amount of the mixture before succumbing to it. I do not fail.~ Sei shrugged slightly, waiting for them to be able to read the words before the spiders would move again. ~The Land of Water has a wealth of resources. That is part of why Kirigakure shinobi patrol the extended area, to make sure they are not unduely tampered with or stolen. One person seeking aid with their sight is not an issue.~ Sei would look between Chitose then Akane with a small shrug.
A nod to Akane and then Chitose would peer at Sei before nodding her head, "Well, good." She states and then nods her head, "I don't want to have to fight an ally over another ally." She nods her head and then stretches and shakes her head, "It's not really something I seek actively." She then looks at Sei, "And how have you been anyway, Sei? I only met you twice while here last time and it has been some time."
Akane reads the words and smiles brightly nodding. Impressed by the boy's knowledge. "That's right." She frowns and gets a dark expression in her eyes when he tells her that he was resistant to the highest level of the Water Grass combination before he had to be helped. Such ways get her hackles up. Children shouldn't have to go through such things. The expression remains as she listens to Chitose speaking to Sei — that seemed to be the boy's name — about how he was. She would blink then, as a thought occured to her. She set the bowl aside and dusted off her hands before reaching out to offer a handshake to the boy. "I'm Akane." After all, who would hide thier own name? Certainly not someone innocently gathering healing herbs…..
Sei pondered for a moment, the spiders starting to wander across the pad while he thought, before they'd finally organize, settling into words again. ~I am well. I am stronger than when we last met. I still am actively learning and training, as I refuse to fail.~ Sei would shrug slightly, before his attention snapped to Akane. There was a definite hesitation there, the faint chittering starting up for a moment, before fading away. He had to get a grip.. this wasn't an attack or challenge. it was a greeting. Spider mentality vs human mentality there. Finally, he'd step closer. Enough to briefly shake Akane's hand. His nose wrinkled and he'd quickly retreat back to his previous location as the spiders in a different section of the pad would settle into line. ~Okumo Sei. Kirigakure shinobi.~
A nod to Akane and then she'd simply stand up and stretch, "Well, I have a delivery to make." She nods her head and bows to each, "I am glad I could help settle a misunderstanding." She then turns and smiles at Sei, "I'll keep that in mind." She then hmms and ponders to Sei before she watches the spiders and then nods to him. She pulls out a small vial and then simply spits into it. Spit? Eww…wait. Her spit is…black? She offers it to Sei, "Ink." She nods to him, "Get some paper and a pen and you can start writing your thoughts as well." She nods her head, "A gift." She then turns and starts off, "See you both later."
Akane notices the wrinkle ont eh child's face and can't help but chuckle quietly as he pulls back out of range again, she reads the name and makes a note to look that up later.. it sounded familiar… The chittering had caught her attention as well, but she figured she'd understand later. She's entirely startled when Chitose spits ink into a vial and hands it to the boy before telling him to write down his thoughts rather than use the board. Akane looks up at the other girl and blinks several times before she can shake herself loose. Ink… what was it with these Sunagakure shinobi and INK?! Once Chitose is gone with the proper thank yous Akane looks at Sei and laughs easily. "One would think that the shinobi using ink would come from the Land of Water." Then she gets somewhat serious again and she sounds like she's talking to a lower ranked shinobi when she speaks again. "She might have a point. A shinobi seeing your use of spiders would assume certain things about your abilities and lineage. Perhaps when approaching possible enemies paper and ink would be better."
Sei is slow to accept the vial. he finally does, which as he holds it in his free hand, a dozen spiders would crawl out of his sleeve to quickly wrap it in a thick layer of webbing. Enough to make it completely obscure. They carried it to his shoulder then, attaching the vial to his sleeve. Sei waved to Chitose as she'd head off, then look to Akane. A small shrug was given as the spiders on the board would shift, moving into new words in reaction to her own. ~Okumo are required to remember everything, so writing something down of my own thoughts is counter to the training. Also, having to carry enough paper for the regular conversation people have would make it difficult at best. I am, afterall, a shinobi, not a paper maker.~ Sei mused for a few moments, giving Akane a chance to read the pad before the spiders would move again. ~The ink thing is unique. Although there are tattoo artist in Suna that use ink, so not surprising to be coming from there. 64% of people I engage in combat I won't be talking to, I will be killing. Those I do talk to first are usually lured into a false sense of security, although there is a certain unease at dealing with spiders from 85% of those I deal with.~
Akane listens as the boy confirms that Okumo, his last name is indeed a clan by the way he speaks of 'them'. So she would have to do some research when she got the chance and was far from Kirigakure. The boy's use of percentages nearly gives her a headache and she digs through her bag looking for a water canister. Pulling it out she nods a bit as she measures visually, a bit of the herbs from the bowl and pours them into the water canister. "I am one of the 16% then I suppose, as I have no problem with your spiders. Many spiders have useful purposes to a medic. It would be stupid of me to be afraid of them." She caps the canister and shakes it vigorously before making a face and taking a drink of it. She rolls t over her tongue and very nearly spits it out but she gets it down and coughs.
Sei shook his head slightly. The spiders were already moving across that pad again. ~One of 5%. You gave response however that response was one of studying. Observation of surroundings. Marks you as dangerous, even if dealing with limited capabilities. I am limited in capabilities, that does not stop me. I do not dismiss someone else who is in a similar situation.~ Sei waited, watching Akane cough while she dealt with the mixture she made. He didn't offer to help, nor show any concern, a certain curiousity was there, however it was hardly enough to make him step closer. Either she'd pass out, or it'd pass. The spiders would start doodling on the board, white thread on a white board of little pictures of spiders wandering around. Well.. what happens when you have a mass of spiders inside your head? It's bound to leak out.
Akane managed to get down a second swallow before she turned away and shoved the canister back into her bag. "I have to find a way to make those taste better…." She turned to read Sei's words about her actually being in a 5% range and thus is considered dangerous. And then little doodles start showing on the board and she quirks a half smirk at the boy. "I'm not nearly as dangerous as you I'm sure." And she was willing to prove it… Drinking herbal mixtures, goading a kiri shinobi, teasing an Okumo.. perhaps she's suicidal. Nah, couldn't be… " As she searches her bag for something else there's clinks and the sound of vials hitting eachother then she pulls out a kunai, blinks at it.. "Che." And shovesit back int he bag, pushing her face closer to it in order to see better. Meanwhile, she'd turned her back slightly on the boy. "Ah! here we go…" She draws a vial with a deep tea tone to it's contents. "That mixture we wer talking about. Water grass, Mandrake Root, Nightshade…. A bit heavy on the Nightshade I think though. It was a new recipe." She sets it on the ground, having noted the boy's hesitancy at touch and rolls it toward his foot. "I think I got it right… Though that's pretty light. Have a look if you want."
Sei watched her as she responded, a non-commital shrug given in answer. Of course the dangerous types would say they're not dangerous. Part of why they're dangerous. He'd watch on curiously as she went through her bag, although not moving to get a better look. Instead several spiders would drop down on threads from the foilage overhead to peer into her bag, giving him as good a view as if it was him looking in. They would retreat, slightly, as she straighten up, the vial looked at as she rolled it over. The spiders from the pad would hop down, trailing webbing to land on the vial, that initial check good, they'd pull it up, depositing it in his hand. He'd open the stopper, peeking in curiously, before giving a small nod in agreement. Looked about right to him. Smelled right too. The vial was offered back to her then. A simple toss to get it back to her if she confirmed she wanted it.
Akane holds up a hand as he is about to toss it back to her. "Keep it. I have more." As she was sure he knew anyway, she wasn't entirely unaware of things going on around her. she just hadn't reacted tot he spiders presences. She also failed to properly lable the vials in her bag so they would all appear to be pretty random. Each held a symbol but it wasnt kanji or anything else that seemed like writing, her own little system of writing. Then she dusts out the bowl of it's remnants and slips it back in her bag. She looks up at sei with a deadly serious expression on her face. "I know you told Chi-san that you would simply watch me, but is that truely your intention?" Her expression showed that she was well aware that she'd given away certain hints about herself that didn't exaqctly fit together correctly, and she was now simply facing the boy with the question. What was he planning on doing about her?
Sei nodded in response and much like the first vial, this one too was concooned and attached to the sleeve of his shirt. Pondering, Sei would study her for a long moment before finally the pad was lifted up as his spiders flowed across it to settle into that spider script. ~Initial mission stated to explore forign entity, verify intent and remove if necessary. Shinobi of allied village stated you are non-hostile. you are seeking a cure. Personal observation verified this situation. Final conclusion; I will watch you to make sure you don't get in trouble, however you are not harming Kirigakure or the Land of Water.~ Sei shrugged slightly with his answer, waiting to let her read it before he'd lower the pad, which had the spiders on it scurry back into his sleeve. Not that he was done talking, simply just waiting for her response.
Akane read the words on the board. He accepted that she was searching for a cure for a personal condition and that he was going to watch her to be sure she did no harm during her visit. She nodded, comming to her knees on the ground and sitting up just enough to put the belt back on with her twin kodachi before sitting down on her knees again. "I appreciate that. I won't be here long. I found a good source for the Meitred Root in the Land of Grass. I'll be returning there soon." She would hopefully be seeing some improvement in her vision she had little intention of returning 'home' in her current state.
Sei nods in response, the pad lifted up as the spiders came out to settle across the surface again. ~I figured. A simple personal mission does not take long to complete. I will most likely return to the village to turn in my report soon. My brood can maintain watch of you while I am gone simply enough. Since you are not seeking hostility. I presume you are going to be resting here before travel. The brood will keep an eye on you until you leave the land.~ Sei shrugged slightly. Exactly how many and where they'd watch her from? Anyone's guess. That said, it was very easy to tell that Sei was completely serious about his statement.
Akane chuckles at the boy's words. "I will rest at an inn tonight and be on my way tomorrow unless that storm the fish mongers were talking abotu hits… I'm not going to walk through a thunder storm." She had relaxed visibly and she was smiling again, as though the serious person who had confronted the boy moments before had not existed. "Perhaps if you know of any other herbs good for the eyes you would send me word."
Sei would ponder for a few moments. A slow nod was given then, the spiders shifting across that pad again. ~I will see if I can find any information. It is not my expertise, so you probably know more on herbs than I do.~ He'd shrug slightly, it wasn't a failure to admit someone knew more. It was only a failure if that wasn't rectified.
