Starring:
Date: October 30, 2012
Summary:
The salamander inform Mushi that Goh is once again attempting to gain access to senjutsu.
Poster's note: foul language filtered in obvious places.
"Quest for Salamander Senjutsu. Part 1"
Konoha
It's a day of pressing heat, when the sun scalds anything that's not under the shade and has driven many people to cooler venues. Mushi however enjoys the heat somewhat. Having gotten out of Sunagakure, this seems like a light summer air. Which is why she's in the clearing far from the sounds of the village. Not completely out of range, but away from some of the general commotion. She is lying by a bush on her long cloak, eyes closed and one arm flung over her eyes to shield from the bright sun overhead. She's breathing deeply. Either she's a master at appearing off guard, or she's really just napping in the sun. Improving her tan which, considering her current clothes, would be halfway up her arms and the part of her face not shielded by her arm.
Mushi may just feel the ground from beneath her rumble a little. The ground will shift, before right next to her it will open up! A lizard will creep out in a stealthy manner. Reiko will emerge first, followed by the much larger Wanpo. Who isn't quite as stealthy. In fact, he's so rough coming out that the healer will quite likely wake up if truly asleep! Once completely out of the ground, both of the sala sort of look around, as if to search for some shade. They scuttle off to some nearby shade, Reiko settling onto Wanpo's head.
They don't exactly look happy. Most wouldn't be able to tell the different expressions, though given how familiar Mushi is around them, she could likely easily tell that they're unhappy. "Mushi?" Reiko asks. Wanpo just lays there, looking grumpy.
Amazingly Mushi doesn't stir when the salamanders come out of the ground or even when they approach. Though they might notice that rather than her peaceful expression, her face is screwed in a determined look to keep her eyes tightly shut. Nothing to see here, don't wake the Mushi up. Ah darnit. She opens her eyes and sighs when she sees the two. At first she looks worried, why would they be here? But seeing their behavior, she relaxes a little. Naturally a fond smile breaks over her face. Yeah, she's glad to see the two.
But then her face hardens. "Hi Reizo-san, Wanpo-san," she says. She looks around to make sure no one is near. "Yeah, I see you're not happy with me and you're going to be even more unhappy with me right now. I don't care one more jot about Goh-kun. I don't want to see him again. He should just…just move on and find a better girl than me. And stay safe. And always make sure to eat enough. Now, unless he's dying and from your expressions he's not, you should leave right now so I can nap. It was a waste of a trip." Then she lays down, her arms crossed defensively and her eyes shut stubbornly.
"We're not here because of any personal relations you aren't having anymore." Reiko says, perhaps half expecting that immediate answer. "We understand what you did, Mushi. Even if he cannot. We just don't agree with how you did it." Reiko shakes her head a bit. "You can say that you don't care about him all you want, but surely you must feel something. That is why we're counting on you right now. No-one else can help Goh."
Unfortunately, it seems like one of those conditionals have been met. "Goh isn't dying right now. He is fine. But in only days, he could be on deaths door. And the one thing that got him through the same event last time, the one person, completely destroyed him only a month or two ago. He won't have the same thing this time." Reiko pauses in dramatic fashion.
"He's gone back into the Caves to try and learn Senjutsu. If he fails again… I don't think his body can take the stress. Not for a second time."
Mushi sits up slowly when she hears what they have to say. This isn't a house warming call. "You guys don't understand," she says angrily. "I can't be around him. I'm not going to see him ever again!" She covers her face with both her hands and just sits there. But she doesn't cover her ears, so she can hear everything the dumb lizards are saying. By the end part of her wishes she had. She rakes her fingers through her hair.
"You two insufferable pains in my toes," she says, with a total lack of composure. "I know Goh-kun didn't put you up to this! He wouldn't. And yet you…argh!" She grabs a nearby stone, stands up and hurls it as hard as possible. It smashes into a tree so hard splinters go flying. She paces back and forth. Then she sighs and turns to the salamanders. She says in a resigned tone, "I'm not forgiving you for this, you know."
Reiko seems a little caught off guard by the rock being thrown into the tree trunk, though Wanpo's eyes narrow angrily. "I told you this was a bad idea, Reiko." Wanpo almost snarls. "She's turned into something else." He sticks his toungue out to taste the air. "Look girl, you don't have to do anything. You can just lay here and let the troubles of the world pass you over if you want. Goh isn't relying upon you. In fact, he borderline hates you right now." He shifts a bit on his feet, as Reiko looks down at Wanpo. "Po, that's enou—.."
Reiko is cut off by Wanpo continuing. "Fact of the matter is, if Goh hits the wall again, he will need someone of serious skill to help him out. Both medically and otherwise. And the salamander won't let anyone else into the Caves." Reiko clears her throat loudly, as if to show she wants to talk. "If you don't go down there, he will die."
"That's quite enough, Po." Reiko calmlingly intervenes. "Mushi, if you are not interested, then Po and I shall do all we can to ensure Goh survives. It is quite possible that his additional months of living have taught him a stillness to gain access to senjutsu." Unlikely. >_>;
"We were unable to stop him going under the Caves. You know how he is once he makes up his mind."
"Don't say that!" Mushi says angrily to Reiko, when he says to her this is life or death. "Don't ask me for something I can't give. If I go, it will undo everything I've doneand haven't doneup till now." She turns away from them and rubs her eyes, maybe to get some sleep out of it, or dash any tears away. "To say I've changed…you guys don't understand me at all." There's that resigned tone again. She wipes her eyes and then turns back to them. Whether she was tired or crying, her face is calm now.
Then she starts picking up her stuff, fastening her cloak around her neck, putting her pack over her shoulder. "And to say he nearly hates me, I think I can overcome that impediment," she says wearily. "Anyway, I'm ready. Will you guys take me or should I find my own transportation?" She wipes her eyes. Yeah, those were tears this time but she's not going to let any of them fall.
"Undo what?" Wanpo gets out in confusion. Reiko waves a little foot. "Don't think about it too much, Po. It will make your head hurt. For what it's worth Mushi, I think you've done the right thing. Maybe a bit… stronger than I would have liked, but all that is in the past." Wanpo preps by opening his mouth, just as Mushi begins to pack her things.
"We will take you, via Wanpo. When you're ready." Only moments later, it seems the healer is indeed ready. "Alright. Here we go." And in an instant, Wanpo's toungue will shoot out from his mouth! Wrapping about the healers waist, Mushi will be pulled into the belly of Wanpo. Nothing too unfamiliar for Mushi, really. All stock standard stuff for salamanders.
Following this, both of the critters will burrow into the ground, dissapearing into the depths.
