Starring:
Date: October 27, 2015
Summary:
A social scene between Eremi and Chiasa where Chiasa questions how Konohagakure manages to stay so peaceful
"The Reality of Happiness"
Toshiba Forest - Inside the Forest [Konohagakure]
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Tall canopies of trees create shade for those wandering in this moss and stone dominated area. The moist ground indicates hints of a power river that was once flowed through this place that has been reduced to a very small stream. The animal life within here are plenty but hidden underneath the cover the trees. Several different states of paths lead in all directions, some often wandered and some rarely wandered; While a few look like they haven't been used in ages.
There are berry bushes found within here containing two different varieties, one poisonous and one edible. Animals forage within here in safety quickly disappearing at the sight of anything dangerous that might be in the area. At night this place is incredibly dark bringing out the night creatures and sounds, only if the moon is full can one find his way.
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Contents:
Exits:
South - (S) [Toshiba Forest - Clearing]
North - (N) [Toshiba Forest - Rocky Area]
West - (W) [Toshiba Forest - Entrance]
The strawberry-blonde headed woman could be seen making her way deeper and deeper into the Toshiba Forest, pausing only briefly to search out the most difficult path she can take before climbing up hills and over rocks and along precarious looking pathways until silence surrounds her. And, then she begins to climb. The woman takes only a moment to conceal her bag under some brush before sizing up the biggest tree she can find.
Chiasa gently wipes her hands on her legs, takes one step back and then runs forward, not bothering to apply chakra as she leaps into the branches. There's quite a bit of rustling as she gains a foothold and then, more or less, quiet as she begins to climb, up and up.
Well, she's gotta stretch her legs sometime. Once she gets to the point where the branches start to bend too much under her weight, she stops and gets comfortable, looking out to all she can see from so high.
The silence of the area was only occasionally interrupted with the random singing of the birds or the chittering of nearby critters. It was a typical noise of the forest through most parts of the day that simply filled the background with a rather white noise melody. To most it could be construed as peaceful sounds, one that was suddenly interrupted by the rattling of chains clanging together that grew steadily louder as it entered the area.
The chains were only a few links in total attached to shackles on either wrist of Eremi. The chains bouncing about as he swayed his arms while strolling through the forest, moving in a straight line as if going some where in particular. Single visible emerald eye fixed on trees ahead of him with no need to look around the area.
She doesn't pick up on the sound until he gets closer. It's more the sounds of the birds that tips her off, sudden silences in their song pattern, then eventually the clanging noise. Chiasa blinks and moves quietly from her perch to look in the direction of the noise. Right now, she doesn't spot him. There's too much coverage below and her sensing abilities just aren't quite up to snuff. On top of that, so far from the ground, she can't feel anything.
The woman moves this way and that and then moves back into her perch, gently tugging a loose branch down to shield her bright hair. She isn't /entirely/ oblivious to the fact that she glows like a candle in the deep forest, just mostly.
Despite the look of a man that clearly had somewhere else to be, Eremi stopped for a moment to briefly glance up at the many trees and branches catching sight of some that rustled more than others, a bit too much for the normal wildlife of the forest within the walled village. There was a chance it was just another shinobi that had climbed up high with the use of tree walking. Then again, it might be a bear that had managed to sneak past the gate and was waiting to drop on an unsuspecting genin or student.
Honestly not having anywhere to go, but simply wanting to stay busy. Idle hands and all…Eremi let out a sigh before moving in the direction of what might be a bear…or a shinobi. A simple leap in one direction and a bend of the knees once closer and Eremi would be halfway up before finding a spot to apply chakra from his feet and begin his ascent.
When he leaps up, Chiasa actually jumps at bit, smacking her head on the branch she was using to hide her hair. "Itai! Mother.." The rest of that comment is drowned out in grumbling. She just hadn't expected him to jump so high so quickly.
Her red head peeks over the branch she sits on as she looks down to Eremi, one hand holding to the tree and the other rubbing her head. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack~?" Chiasa frowns at Eremi and then smiles wide, genuinely happy to see him. Then, out of spite she throws some sort of nut or seed down at him, figuring it at least won't send him crashing down to the ground. Surely, he's more agile than that if he can jump half a tree in a single bound.
Expecting to find something, just not someone yelling at him, Eremi was a bit startled himself. Almost to the point of falling from his spot as he loses focus on his chakra and applies too much, forcing the bark beneath his feet to explode into tiny splinters. "Me! What about you?" Not sure if it's actually her fault or his and not wanting to think much on it as he now hangs from a branch, a single hand holding him up. "How did you even get here? They give you a visitor pass into the village or something?" It was a question that quickly left his mind as a nut suddenly bounced off his head. "Are you a squirrel now? D:"
The woman erupts into peals of giggles and laughter that echo through the forest, startling every bird around them for a good hundred yards. "Only the best squirrel~.." Still fizzing with laughter, she climbs quickly down to Eremi, not really helping, but looking down at him and staying out of his way so she doesn't cause him to fall by trying to help. "I just walked in, showed them who I am, and here I am. I think I may have an appointment with the Hokage, but no one has told me about that yet. I don't think they think I'm very much of a threat." She pulls a leaf from a branch and gently shreds it while waiting for him to situate himself.. unless he wants to continue dangling there like a monkey, at which she'll be happy to continue thinking of him as one.
Eremi was not amused, but the laughter of Chiasa was a bit infectious, causing a smile to at least appear on his face. "An appointment with the Hokage you say?" Chains clang together as he throws his other hand on to the branch before pulling himself up enough to throw over a leg and straddle the branch. "Are you in trouble? Do you need any help." He still of course thought of the woman as Renai, because there was nothing to say she wasn't. As far as he knew, Renai had merely contracted amnesia and thought herself to be someone else. So he went along with it. "The Hokage can be a pretty understanding guy. Just tell him the truth and it'll all work out."
Chiasa calms a bit more, watching Eremi as he speaks. Her smile doesn't exactly go away, but it changes from amused to rueful. "You still think I'm her," she accuses.
The woman sighs, seemingly exasperated and looks away from him. It's not a big deal. Surely, he'll realize that she is who she says she is in time. "I'm not in trouble. The guys that were tailing me… I lost them a few months ago. I thought you were one of them the other day.. But you aren't. You're too nice. And the people here like you too much for you to be one of them." Chiasa looks back to him, her features softening. "That speaks good things for this village. I've been around the others, you know? None of the ninja in those are as nice as the ninja here. I would say it's paradise, but that would be naive of me, wouldn't it?" Chiasa studies the man's face, watching for his mannerisms and ticks so she can guess at what he might be thinking.
Eremi didn't respond to Chiasa's accusation, instead he looked away, peering off into the distance with his one visible emerald green eye. It was clearly a touchy subject for the girl and he didn't want to push her away, not when she was so close once again. He simply had to be more careful with how he approached her in conversation.
"Oh? That doesn't sound right." Joining in on the change of topic. "Who could you have talked to that likes me?" Looking back at Chiasa with mild curiosity. "I just met you and you're already making friends in the village. Pretty interesting. And no, I wouldn't say this is paradise, but that's just me. Everyone's view of perfection is different. Maybe you could find yours here. I thought mine was elsewhere, which took me away from this village, but I returned. I couldn't stay away. I think I see paradise differently, but Konoha is pretty close."
"Daichi-san." She answers directly, not teasing him. "He's a Satonezu like you. Clan-mates." She smiles, reaching up to run her fingers through her hair, pulling it back away from her face. Light glints from the rings on her fingers, one light and one dark. "He's a fairly decent artist, I might add."
"What is your paradise, Eremi? I always envision it as a place where my family is, where everyone is fed and everyone is happy and no one is ever hunted or hurt. It's the sort of thing you have in dreams because no one can ever be happy all the time. There is always some sort of darkness that keeps everything from being as perfect as you would like." She looks out toward the village. "I wonder what is so dark about Konohagakure that it is rewarded with so much peace." She contemplates the idea and then looks back to Eremi, expectantly.
Eremi took a moment to recall that name before smirking a bit and nodding, "Yes, he's rather energetic for a Satonezu." Not having much else to say as the two had only just recently met for the first time. "Well it's good he's got other talents besides Taijutsu since that's how I met him. Over in the training area." He'd shrug slightly, letting the topic of Daichi fade away. There was only so much the two could talk about in regards to the boy.
"Your idea of a paradise isn't too bad. Everyone happy and no one getting hurt. Seems impossible if you think about it." A shake of his head, long, black hair swaying about. "Well, every village has its secrets. Konoha is probably just better at keeping them…secret.
Chiasa listens to him and allows a pause to fill the air after his words. The birds have started chattering again and the trees have regained their quiet, natural demeanor. The wind rushes through the leaves, whispering tidings of good, calm weather.
Eventually though, she does speak again, her voice a sharp tone against the beautiful sounds, "You know what my darkness looks like, even if I don't fully understand how. The fact that it is who I am is something I can't help. A blessing because it gives me strength and a curse for the same reason. I'm sure everyone with a kekkei genkai feels that way." The woman leans forward then, laying her hands on the branch in front of her and peering at him speculatively. "I wonder what yours is like." Her dark eyes narrow slightly as if she is trying to take a bite of his soul so she can know the flavor and texture of it.
She doesn't really expect him to answer, not right now, and it's evident in that she breaks her gaze and sits up, her arms reaching above her head as she stretches.
Eremi stared at the girl with little to say, simply holding Chiasa's gaze as memories of Renai flooded his mind. The overwhelming emotions almost unbearable with the only thing restraining himself from reaching out and pulling Chiasa into a hug were his fingers digging deep into the branch that holds him up. A deep exhale, breath perhaps the scent of Sake, as Chiasa leaned in closer, questioning his own darkness. "I don't have a Kekkai Genkai or anything that makes me special, so my life was rather boring. I'm sure you wouldn't mind trading me for it, but any darkness I have is nothing compared to what you go through."
Chiasa lowers her arms and looks at him. She starts to smile, but her lips don't quite make it, twitching on the edge of nervousness. She does reach forward then and put a hand on his shoulder. She knows she shouldn't take advantage of the fondness he had for.. whoever Renai is, but well… She can't help but feel a kinship toward him because of it. "You're lying. What ever you hold in your heart and your mind would probably tear me to pieces." She takes her hand away and moves, swinging a long leg over to sit on one side of the branch. "If you need 'her' to listen, I'm here. I don't share secrets that aren't mine."
With that, the woman drops from the branch. She forms a single hand seal as she falls toward the earth below. The ground beneath her changes, softening and turning over to catch her descent and keep her from breaking her legs. Chiasa pauses for a moment after she lands to regain her balance. She moves to retrieve her bag and starts to head back into the village.
Eremi started to get up himself until a hand gently touched his shoulder. Looking from the hand touching him, his visible eye would slowly trail up along the arm until peering into Chiasa's own. It was difficult to do. It seemed every time he did so she read deeper and deeper into his mind, into his…heart. "I…" The words couldn't come out. He wanted to talk to Renai and this girl simply wasn't her. Not anymore or at least, not yet.
Swallowing hard he was sure he was ready to speak, to open up even just a little bit, but just like that…She was gone. Dropping from the branch and onto the forest floor before disappearing from his sight. He'd watch her leave and as he did, the clanging of chains rattled once again as he brought up a hand to wipe away at the eye that hid behind his bangs…
