Starring:
Date: August 5, 2014
Summary:
Renai comes across a dehydrated, starving Eremi and offers him relief and a place to stay to regain his feet.
"The Lost Drunkard"
Forest Glade, Land of Water
August 5, 2014
Forest Glade [Land of Water]
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The Land of Water is not dense with trees and plants like the Land of Fire, but it does have a significant degree of forested areas for a landmass of its proportions. The trees are those appropriate to a humid and chilly climate, with vegetation that either has a high tolerance for salinity in the water or adaptations to filter salt from the local water supply. Further inland, the trees are almost completely well-suited to fresh water.
There are few established paths through this part of the forest, with only a single route and a few signs to indicate the way to Koumorite Village. Few people come this way for fear of being accosted by marauders, bandits, or wild animals.
The sound of running water comes from the south.
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The most dangerous places are the best places to forage. So that is where Renai is. The air is misty and cool. Dampness clings to the leaves of the forest as though it had just rained recently. The Touketsu is in her typical uniform, dressed perhaps a bit more warmly with another layer, gloves, and a scarf to fend off the last chilly breezes of winter as dusk starts to take over the sky.
She is far into the glade, far from the Kuomorite Village, where the pickings of the early spring herbs will be the best. She sits among a bed of early grasses and small plants, inspecting and picking at them. Some are put into her basket. And every now and then, she'll stick a leaf in her mouth and chew quietly. Her voice can be heard in a pleasant, broken hum. She is entirely absorbed in her work.
Day or night, rain or snow, none of it was a concern for one who was so down in their luck. They expected the worse and simply had to deal with it, but dealing with it was something that became harder to do when the coping mechanism they had come up with had ran dry. The gourds that normally were filled with just what Eremi needed to make it through the day had gone empty and instead of hanging securely at the man’s side now dragged against the ground, each tied together with thin rope and held loosely within a single hand.
As it stood he had no idea where he was, but only knew after what had happened within Sunagakure he needed to get far away. It had been weeks if not longer since leaving the land of wind and having traveled almost entirely nonstop, Eremi was exhausted, stumbling this way and that without regards for anything of importance he might be trampling on the way. His directions thus far had been to just go east, but as he spots a figure in the distance, his path shifts. Not to move away, but move toward. The man was exhausted, starved and dehydrated. At this point, running into anyone was better than nothing, but as he tried to reach the individual, the strength in his legs gave out and he collapsed.
Renai's humming stops. She blinks and lifts her head. Did she hear something? The Touketsu looks briefly around herself. The singing of the birds. That's what tipped her off. They must have stopped for a second.
Then, the sound of someone falling. Renai rises to her feet abruptly and then pauses again, like a scared deer ready to bolt into the trees. She hears nothing else though so she simply pulls her basket up onto her arm and starts cautiously making her way toward the sound.
The girl would come into view a few moments later, peeking out from behind a tree. Renai would watch him for a few moments. He looks exhausted and hungry. Half-starved even. She approaches warily and kneels down a few feet away, studying him like she would an injured animal or a scientific project. Concerned, but afraid of being bitten.
No words leave her, but she would slowly reach into her basket and pull out a metallic bottle, a full container of purified, clean water. She extends it to the man at the full reach of her arm.
"Ugh…." Eremi grunted as he fell to the ground, but was still unfortunately conscious. How close was he to that figure. Did the figure even realize someone was nearby. It was something he thought about for only moments before hearing the soft sounds of someone slowly approaching. It would have been the same way he handled the situation if it were in reverse. "Ugh…" Grunting once again as the sounds ended and he needed to lift his head up to see just how close the figure had got. Very close it seems, but what was more surprising was that the figure was just a little girl offering a drink of some kind. As he reached for it, slowly, his eyes spot a symbol for Kirigakure on the girl’s clothing. Had he made it all the way to the land of water. This could be dangerous…depending. "Thank you." The man offers while bringing the bottle to his lips, praying that it would be alcohol but as the water touches his lips he was sorely disappointed and actually chokes a bit. "Where are we?"
Renai continues to study him as he accepts the water. "Drink it slowly. You'll make yourself sick if you don't." She doesn't answer his question for another long moment. Instead she scoots a bit closer to inspect him, looking for a mark of his village, trying to figure out who or what he is.
"We are in the Land of Water, outside a clan village, near Kirigakure." Her eyes flit toward said hidden village as if to indicate the direction. A hand extends to him again, holding three balls of rice, wrapped in nori. She must have brought a whole day's provisions with her for the gathering expedition.
A hand moves to shove long bits of green hair from her face and behind an ear. Her eyes move down the length of his body then and then back up to his face, "Are you hurt?"
Eremi heard the girl’s warnings as he drank the water, but continued doing as he was. It was hard to choke down, but mostly cause it was water more than anything else. "I see." So it was true, he was in the land of water. This could be bad or doesn't matter at all. He didn't. "And you would be…a genin perhaps?" Questioning while reaching for the rice balls, pulling them toward him and taking a bite and then another. It could have been seasoned dirt and Eremi would have ate it at this point, "I could be, but I'm fine." Reply to whether or not he was hurt. Medical treatment wasn't something he was looking for. A closer inspection of the man’s body might give away who he actually is or at least was. "Thank you…by the way. For this."
"I am, yes. Touketsu Renai." She extends a metaphorical olive branch to him in hopes he will offer her the same and that, for a least a time, they'll be able to trust one another. She also doesn't ask him who he is. If he wants to tell her, he will. If not, she's just going to assume he's too bodily weak to be much of a threat.
"You're welcome. You look like you've been having a rough go of it." She sniffs at the air and then tilts her head upward to peer at the sky just as a soft rumble of thunder is heard in the distance. Her dark eyes fall back to him and she holds up a finger as a gesture to wait.
Her hands form a quick seal and, other than closing her eyes for a moment, nothing seems to happen. Then, she extends her hand to him. "Come on. It's going to rain again. There's a cave nearby. I'd rather cook something hot and wait it out till morning than get drenched."
Eremi simply continues to eat the rice balls and drink down the water while the girl gives her name. Naturally he doesn't give his own for reasons obvious to himself, but he doesn't give a fake one either. Starting off lying is probably not the best way to reward someone that has practically saved your life. "A cave you say…." Taking the girls hand before glancing about somewhat nervously at the thought. "Is it closer or farther from the village, would you say?" Rising to his feet on unsteady legs, this strength not fully returning even with the food and water now in his belly, "Though, a hot meal and dry night of rest wouldn't be bad regardless of where it is."
Renai smiles at his question. "It's not far from here. Maybe a tenth of a mile." She would offer her shoulder to him to lean on should he need it. The girl is solid and strong, though perhaps not strong enough to hoist him up on her back. "It's just down this slope."
She would lead him off to a cave well-hidden by brush and leaves, big enough perhaps for four people in all. It's best feature is that it's hard to spot. Even Renai would have to pause and look around for a moment before finding the opening.
Once settled, she would make a low fire and cook a few fish gathered from a nearby stream. That, along with green tea and more rice balls would make a half-decent supper for the pair.
"I'll take first watch," she says after they've eaten and moves to leave the cave. "Get some sleep." She /is/ the rested one after all. "I'll wake you up when I get sleepy." And, she never did.
August 6, 2014
Forest Glade [Land of Water]
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The Land of Water is not dense with trees and plants like the Land of Fire, but it does have a significant degree of forested areas for a landmass of its proportions. The trees are those appropriate to a humid and chilly climate, with vegetation that either has a high tolerance for salinity in the water or adaptations to filter salt from the local water supply. Further inland, the trees are almost completely well-suited to fresh water.
There are few established paths through this part of the forest, with only a single route and a few signs to indicate the way to Koumorite Village. Few people come this way for fear of being accosted by marauders, bandits, or wild animals.
The sound of running water comes from the south.
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The air is chilly and damp. It's always damp in the Land of Water. Renai stands near the opening of the cave, drinking some vile-looking frothy green liquid from a tin cup. Tendrils of ice can be seen creeping along the visible plants and nearby rocks. Frost. Her nose is slightly pink and, when she breathes, the air lifts in light clouds of mist from her lips.
She listens quietly to the sound of a few birds, chittering, flapping, ruffling, and calling to one another. They land in a nearby tree and one squawks in an annoyingly loud fashion, making the Touketsu jump in her skin. She turns, with a shake of her head, and moves back into the shelter of the cave. Crouching down, she takes a stick and pokes the fire back up into a small flame to warm the breakfast she made the stranger.
The cold that permeated the cave, the sounds of critters outside the cave and the smell of food cooking on the fire could all contribute to why Eremi was up so early, but the fact of the matter is that the man had been awake for quite some time. "You never woke me." Commenting on how the two were supposed to take separate shifts for the night. After passing out once reaching the cave, he randomly woke a few hours after midnight confused as to what had happened the previous day, but was quick to remember the events that brought him here. Shifting on the ground, Eremi would bring himself up to a sitting position. "It smells delicious." Though he wasn't sure what it was, as long as it was edible, he was unlikely to complain.
The Touketsu girl lifts her eyes to him when he speaks. Her lips pull into a slight smirk and she nods, "You seemed tired and I couldn't sleep." Once the breakfast is warmed, she would offer it to him, more tea, rice, and fish and what looks like scrambled eggs. It's simple cooking. She never plans to have guests when she's out here in the woods.
The girl watches him over the rim of her cup for a long moment, inspecting, studying, analyzing. His build screams shinobi at her, but he looks like a tramp in a way. That must be the dirt and grime. She has never seen him before though so he is either on the run or lost. Her eyes narrow slightly as the possibilities run through her head.
Once he's finished eating, Renai would ask quite clearly, "If you could go somewhere new and start over, who would you be?" She sets her empty cup down on the floor of the cave. Yes, she is the type to ask /these/ sorts of mind-bending questions first thing in the morning.
With the food offered, Eremi didn't hesitate in accepting the breakfast. He'd look over it for a bit before glancing up at the girl and as he began to eat the meal, he wondered just how prepared she was for most situations. "Spend a lot of time in this cave?" Asking, but not honestly needing an answer to sate his curiosity. A sip of the tea would be taken only before being promptly set the down before rubbing his forehead gently, wishing there was a bit of what he's used to mixed in.
After his last question, Eremi remained rather quite while he finished off the meal, keeping his gaze focused on the food or glancing about the cave. When he finally finished, his focus shifted to Renai knowing she'd have questions and knowing he was ready for them, she was quick to ask them, "Go somewhere new? That's a tough question. I've done a lot of traveling in my life…" He thought on it for a few moments, not being sure how to answer it as it's not something he had considered before.
"I'd like to just be someone allowed to live their life how they want to live it."
She grins when he asks about the cave. The girl is quiet though, being attentive to his answer to her question and analyzing it in her mind to get an idea for what he's not saying. A hand moves to the herbs in her basket and she plucks a leaf and sticks it in her mouth to get rid of the nasty vitamin supplement taste still on her tongue. The smell of mint lifts into the air. She offers him one as well, should he wish to freshen his breath.
So, he wants to live as he wills which means he hasn't been allowed to life like he wants. Her brows furrow. The idea of living her life the way /she/ would want to. The girl can't even comprehend the idea. An internal shoulder lifts in a shrug.
"Are you in trouble?" That question is more direct and dangerous. "If the answer is yes, I don't want to know the details." The less she knows, the safer she is.
Eremi would eye the offered herb, thinking about its purpose and use, but waved the plant away as he wasn't interested. Fresh breath wouldn't help the possibly pungent smell coming from his clothing. He of course being nose blind to the odor. "If you don't want to know the details, then if I'm in trouble shouldn't matter. Yes?" He didn't want to share much about himself with the girl or anyone for that matter, but considering how generous Renai has been thus far, he didn't want her to end up in trouble like him. Harboring a fugitive and knowing, could end up poorly for the girl. Then again, this was Kiri, who knew how they handled missing-nin from villages they've been in war with time and time again.
Renai emits a faint laugh at his answer. "Fair enough." She leans comfortably back against the cold cave wall. Her shoulders tense slightly at the chill of it and then she relaxes, wrapping her arms over her knees.
Since he has been more or less generous in answering her questions, she decides to talk a bit more freely. "Look, I know you don't want to talk about yourself. I get it and I'm not going to try to force you to." She ponders asking him if he can be trusted.. Silly, ridiculous question. No ninja can -ever- be trusted. Not even her.
"It is not my goal to get you in trouble," her eyes meet his when she says that. The girl means it. "But, I have a house in the Touketsu complex with more empty rooms than I can manage. Should you want a place to recover and get yourself together, you're more than welcome to stay there for a time.. as long as you take a job and pay for your own food."
Eremi leaned back in his spot, resting weight on both arms while his hands keep him positioned, "I'm not as worried about getting in trouble as you might suspect. Were whatever about me that I'd like to keep a secret were to come out, I'd just move on." Though he is running out of places to move to. Hearing the offer to stay at the girl’s house, he couldn't help but be a bit skeptical of the offer, "That's quite the offer." For the girl to be willing to share her home with a strange man she had just met, he must not put off a dangerous vibe, which is a good thing, but still rather odd. Unless she was trying to trap him. Something she could have done in the night while he slept. "I don't know, I think I've grown rather fond of this cave." Slightly joking…slightly. "That's definitely something I'm going to have to think on."
So, he /does/ have secrets. She grins to herself. That's what she thought!
And, maybe, just maybe, she /is/ trying to trap him. That's just something he'll have to think about. She blinks and looks to him. "Oh, well, that came out strange. I'm not there a lot, you see. I'm working and training and travelling constantly. So, it's more like I'm willing to let you live in a place that hardly gets lived in." She bites her lower lip and thinks on her words. Does that sound better? Worse?
Renai shrugs a shoulder. "The clan has threatened to move orphans in with me." So, that's it. A look of horror crosses the girl's face. "I'm just really.. not all that fond of kids. So, I need a roommate." The truth is revealed. She would rather live with a hobo than a bunch of kids. Nice priorities, Renai.
"So can I ask why you have this giant house all to yourself? Are you royalty or the likes?" He'd look the girl over once again, not thinking it to be possible, but considering as he has met a few self-proclaimed princess already, maybe it was. "A giant house mostly to myself…That's a bit more than I think I deserve, but it's definitely becoming more desirable." The man took in a deep breath as he thought it over some. What could be the worst that could happen? Not like he couldn't protect himself were something bad to come out of this. "Alright, I'll take you up on the offer, but I'll need a job, right.." There's only a few things the boys good at and it's all shinobi related, "Guess I could get a job at the docks. Helping hand of some sort."
When he asks about the house, she shrugs slightly. "It's a family home my line has lived in for a long time. My parents are gone and my sister doesn't live there. They haven't exactly seen a reason to kick me out yet, I guess. I suppose they're still hoping I'll have babies one day." The girl shudders a little at the thought. She's /way/ too young to even think about all that mess.
At the mention of getting a job, she nods. "They always need help at the docks. And the marketplace always needs strong people to lift things or runners to deliver things. Oh! And we always need strong people at the bar to keep the drunkards in line." She nods and starts to gather her things. "I have to head back to the village so I'll be early for my afternoon lessons. You're welcome to come along." Renai looks to him as she pulls her basket onto her arm.
