Starring:
Date: September 16, 2013
Summary:
Berii on her way back from a mission, runs into Eremi on her way back to Konoha and catches up on things.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Pain and Gain - Favor from a friend"
Land of Fire
The sun has come and gone and taking its place high above in the cloudless night sky is a partial moon surrounded by countless stars, each one twinkling as bright as the next, yet still remaining barely visible through the tree tops in the Land of Fire. The weather itself was rather cool and calm, though a warm breeze does manage to blow through the forests every now and then. Depending on the nose of an individual or just how far into the trees someone has gone, the smell of smoke could catch their senses and lead them straight to a campfire.
Now even though Eremi was technically a 'missing-nin', he didn't care about being found. The only thing that he didn't want to happen was to be captured and taken back to Konoha. Something he didn't think would actually happen. Sure there were more then enough people in the village capable of beating or even kill him, but there were few that could actually catch him at his best. Letting his guard down probably wasn't the best idea as he sat near the fire with a makeshift grill cooking his food. No traps to protect him or wards to alert him. It wasn't the smartest of moves, but he wasn't going to freeze at night and he sure wasn't going to eat his food cold.
Another irritating day, Berii had failed to catch up with a track and then found out crazy ouch might be happening between Konoha and another nation. Katsurou, was told to break off as Berii went to report what she saw and heard to the Hokage, though something distracts her on her way back, a trail of smoke in the air. Of course she had important information and of course she should get back to Konoha /immediately/ though, it was barely off course and well, she wanted to make sure the average person wasn't out here camping during potentially dangerous time.
So just like that, Berii drops in on another missing-nin. "You'd think that, with the amount of people in bingobooks… that you'd all be a lot more difficult to find." Berii's head tilts as she watches the boy casually grilling, Sharingan flaring up to confirm that it was actually him. "Hnn… awkward." Berii doesn't go on, she just stares with a look of disappointment now.
The food for the evening was a simple, yet plump rabbit that had been caught earlier in the day. It wasn't a clean kill as Eremi had never been skilled with anything, but weapons and his fists. So as the boy was trekking through the woods off the beaten paths and came across the rabbit, it was ended just as quickly as it was spotted with a flick of his wrists and a kunai that was sent flying through the air to pierce the rabbits neck.
After such an easy grocery trip, Eremi was a bit too preoccupied with making sure the meat turned out well enough to eat to just stop what he was doing and focus on whom ever had just shown up. Though as he continued to seer the meat in silence, Eremi would eventually offer, "There's plenty for two I guess. I planned on rationing some for later, but I can't turn away a hungry shinobi." Assuming such, only because of what was said, but it didn't bother him. He'd just grab a pre-sharpened sticks to stab one of the hunks of meat before turning to offer it up….
"Oh." The fire would flicker and the light would reflect off the forehead protector Eremi still wore, though a deep scratch now dug through the center. "I didn't think it was you Berii. You sounded…a bit different. Still good to see you though." Forcing the offered stick in the ground next to him before grabbing for the other piece of rabbit and blowing on it. "Hope you aren't here to bring me in or anything."
Berii blinks as he doesn't even respond to her properly for a while. She just quietly waits for him to look up and when given such a casual response she shakes her head. "Neh, different? Oh… oh boo-boo." Berii facepalms, Katsurou heard her too. "Oh well, anyway yeah I guess I would sound different, hnn." She steps towards Eremi, sounding much more mature with the accent gone, perhaps sounding more serious than she should. "At the moment, no I don't plan on bringing you in. As far as I know, there's no gain from it if you don't want to be there for now think of it as a favor from a friend that I didn't outright try to sneak up on you." Berii does not look all too eager to grab the offered food.
"For now, while I have you I want to know why exactly you left Konohagakure, I haven't seen you in a while but… seriously? I half expected you to be all crazy evil or something now but, just relaxing in the forests." Berii crouches down by the fire, "Either you're an idiot or you found out something about Konohagakure that you really didn't like. Something shady perhaps?"
Eremi snickered at Berii's behavior, blew on the meat once more and then took a bite. It was some what rough and dry, but had a decent flavor to it. Definitely tasted nothing like chicken, but he wasn't a chef so probably cooked it wrong. "Gain?" He questioned while continuing to finish off the meat, "I…" Chewing a few more times as he thought on what would be the right thing to say, "Well, thanks then, Berii. For not sneaking up on me and stuff."
Leaning back, Eremi rested on both hands, thinking about the question. Everyone he runs into or runs into him seems to be asking that question, but he doesn't have an answer he can give. Not one that seems to appease them. "Probably the idiot one. I'd go with that." Shrugging, "Seriously though? There just comes a time where you no longer want to serve the village and you'd rather serve the people. Some times your views of what is right and what is wrong isn't the same as the village you were raised in and the friends you grew up with. The politics of Konoha and the way matters are handled just no longer suit me. So I'm going to do my own thing as I want, when I want. It's as simple as that." Giving a glance toward Berii as he tilted his head, "Still, it's never too late to go all crazy evil and do something."
Berii's lips purse as she's obviously annoyed with it all. "Neh, there are official ways to stop working for Konoha right?" Berii glares at him, "Without being labeled missing and all that, now people are gonna be hunting you and…" She just shakes her head. "Hnn, I'm not going to argue and try to bring you back at the moment. There are much more important things to do, important things that /you/ can do, first of all don't bother going evil, I don't want to have to stab you. Secondly there are serious tensions rising in Konohagakure and there are already some who seem to want to take advantage of it."
She looks over her shoulder where she came, "Iwagakure are trying to set up posts it seems, near the Land of Fire they are aware of Konoha's unrest. Though to avoid stirring things up I decided to back off for now and speak with the Hokage." Berii steps closer to Eremi, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know what upset you with how Konoha works though I'm hoping you can assist me with this and ignore the fact I wear the Konoha crest."
The Uchiha looks him in the eye, with those freaky Sharingan. "Hnn, ff you can find out more information, heck maybe even work on the inside to try and help us to prevent another war from starting… or at least help us prevent many innocents lost in a sneak attack. It's be very much appreciated."
"I don't want you stabbing me either." Eremi made sure to get that out in the open and out of the way. Even though he'd like to think him and Berii have some what of a past together, struggled together and learned from each other, he wouldn't put it past the Uchiha that she might just stab him. "That's all very interesting and that sucks for Konoha. They're in hot water again over political matters and need bailed out by shinobi sacrificing them until the problems solved." He'd sigh, the thought of it happening like it has so many times before just made him frustrated."
The hand would touch his shoulder and it made him remember his visit with Etsu not too long ago, but the roles seem reversed. Is he supposed to slap her now? Laughter would fill his head and he'd try to hold back the smile, "You seem to have me mistaken. I hate Konoha, but I hold no ill will toward its people or the shinobi who are just doing their job. I just don't want to be a part of the village anymore. That doesn't mean I don't plan on helping in any way I can, but it will be on my own terms. If there's something you need me to do, I'll do it. I just won't be returning back to the village to do it."
As Berii continued to stare into his eyes with that mezmerizing look of hers, he hoped she wasn't searching through his minds for any secrets he might hold. She could actually do that, could she? Either way, he'd break the contact and look at the fire, focusing on it instead. "Wars are pretty pointless. No one wins, but all sides lose." He'd take in a deep breath, allowing his thoughts to settle, "What do you want me to do? Check out the Iwa camps, gather information, beat people up? I might not be a part of Konoha anymore, but I'm sure what ever I do Iwa won't be happy if Konoha can't keep their missing-nin under control…If survivors talk that is."
Berii smirks when he breaks eye contact. "What do I want you to do? At the moment just live, I'm just glad to know you're still willing to help out and you're right, missing or not I don't think Iwagakure would be all too greatful if you went around snooping and beating them up. Though… if you were on their side…" Berii squints off in the distance. "Maybe, that'll work. I'll have to flesh it out later. Though just keep your head up, listen out for anything they're up to and maybe ditch the stupid crossed out hitai-ate? That just seems like it's asking for trouble." Berii never understanding why people did that herself.
"For now, I can't chat much…" The Uchiha looks over the camp and a smile shows for a moment. "Not like it'd be too hard to find you again I guess." She starts to step off, heading towards Konoha. Though she'd hesitate… "Though just to let you know, future reference. Orders are orders, I won't mention you though if it ever comes to it…"
Eremi nodded, "You don't have to worry about me living. When things get too hot for me to handle, I run away as fast as I can until it's safe again. Though I don't plan on leaving the Land of Fire so long as it's my own choice. This is my home no matter what. I'll always be around." Eyes would look up and a hand would grasp the forehead protector, shifting it about, "I like to keep it for the memories I've had with it. I might not like Konoha anymore, but the forehead protector was always there with me. It's like a friend, and I can't just throw that away." Shrugging as his attention went back to Berii, "Besides, if anything this would make working for different sides that much easier. Pretty bold statement to be walking around with the village the individual has rejected strapped across their forehead." He'd laugh, "Besides, it makes me look cooler, right?"
Not expecting much of an answer, he'd nod once again, "I understand. I've heard this before, but don't expect me in this same spot. While I'm not actively hiding, I don't stay in the same spot twice. Come here tomorrow and I'll be gone, but I'll always be around." When Berii mentions the last part, he doesn't even question what she had to say and fully understand. "Until next time then?" Grabbing the left over rabbit meat that Berii didn't accept, he began to tear it into small strips in one hand.
"Neh, cool? No, it makes you look like someone barely avoiding getting his head sliced open." Berii's tone was joking at this point. "Anyway yeah, I'd be totally disappointed if you were in the same exact spot, I mean you may of just up and left the village though I don't think you're /that/ dumb. You see, that's not exactly what I meant on you being easy enough to find, hnn." Berii doesn't go on into detail. "Next time." The Uchiha disappeared into the trees above.
