The first of many days to come [Open]

[Hijoshikina Meiryo]

The village hidden in the clouds…once a respectable place, still a respectable place. Well it is a place after all? Is it not? Kumogakure…yes? Sometimes it was hard to keep track of it. You would think that living here in such a place, one would find it easy to keep such a name in track but if you never really use it, never think about it, if this was the only place that had ever attached to you in some way. Could there be anywhere else? Why remember another name than this? Why would you need to know the name when this was where you always were, no one would ever ask you…would they?

Some complain about things like the rain or the weather…she figured that most people would simply leave if this place was not to their liking. Rain happened quite often…it was usually cold. For some reason they really did complain about things that they simply could not control.

Tap…tap…tap

The rain was dripping through the window of the restaurant. Her eyes quite fixed on it…or maybe that was not quite it. She had been here for a few hours…while the restaurant owners wanted to remove her…when they got closer that look of fixation was actually more like a look devoid of anything. It concerned them to see such a young girl with that void look as if no one was home. So for that matter they decided to leave her alone, they assumed maybe she had some loss and at first she did pay for a meal…though now it lay cold in front of her.

The girl was hardly noticed though by the hustle bustle and the commotion of the room. Most people enjoyed the beginning to a weekend. What time was it? Time was weird. It always seemed to speed up and slow down at different times, yet they say that it is always constant. For these people the time would slip by very quickly either by their drinks or there enjoyment, yet for this girl there would be no haste…the life of the room, the energy seemingly passed through her like she was not there. Times were always tough, yet here…it almost seemed as if nothing was terrible. Friends and family member’s enjoying their lives forgetting about debts, grief, and existence.

She would be attending the academy soon, just stepping into the darker parts of the village. Some may see it as a glorious profession and yet others see it as a curse. Who knew what the truth behind following the profession of a shinobi would be? Many probably followed their own path, whatever they made the world is what it would be, and others followed these leaders. Everyone here was only hoping that the Raikage knew what he was doing.

Was anyone able to full ascertain what was truly correct? Probably not. None of that mattered though. Friday afternoon was a time of joy and peace…in this restaurant along the main street.

 

[Morishige]

"Well hi there!" squealed Hana Mori. The very ostentatious girl had somehow found her way over to the gloomy girls table, and due to lack of any kind of social intuition, decided to introduce herself. "I'm Hana! It's very nice to meet you! Gekido said he'd take me around the village today so here I am, what's your name?" she said with no restraint. This young girl was obviously naive and ignorant of the world she lived in. Hana was dressed very colorfully, not matched her hair or eyes at all. She smelled like cherries for some odd reason as well. It seemed these two were quite the opposites.

Meanwhile at the bar within the restaurant. Gekido appeared to be having a rather emotionally repressed conversation with one of the owners. Who knows what that might have been about?
​

 

[Kurosawa Hiraku]

[Topic entered with Kurosawa Airi (Ghost NPC)]

A comforting wall of warm air greeted Hiraku as he slipped into the restaurant, Airi floating in gracefully beside him. The quiet muffled voices which could be heard from outside were now transformed into a blanket of noise. Hiraku adjusted his hood and wiped the worst of the rain from his face before weaving through the travelling maze of people. A blunt object thumped into the boys shoulder, spinning him half way round to see a disgruntled looking man staring at him.

"Hey, watch where you're walking kid."

"Why don't you watch where you're walking! Arsehole." Airi snapped back at him. Luckily, unlike his sister, Hiraku could hold his tongue choosing instead to simply turn away from the man and silently carry on walking. He wasn't here to pick a fight or get into any drama, he just wanted to get out of the rain and relax for a while.

Hiraku leant heavily on the bar as he arrived, taking the load off his tired legs. It had been a long day for the young shinobi, patrolling the village, training and taking care of any other errands that found their way to him. He gestured to one of the bar staff and once he had their attention ordered himself a glass of water. Looking over his shoulder he noticed his sister was still staring daggers at the man that bumped into Hiraku.

"Relax," He said, not lowering his voice as he normally would when speaking to his sister in public, "it's been a long day and we're never going to unwind if you keep giving everyone death stares.". Airi mumbled something inaudible before turning back towards her brother and replying, "He's just lucky I can't sock him." A smile spread across Hiraku's lips as he took a big gulp of water. It was nice to be able to talk to Airi in a normal volume for once, the background noise of the venue meant he didn't have to whisper to avoid being seen as a weirdo talking to himself.

Over the bar Hiraku could hear some of the staff talking about something, a strange girl who had been sitting alone for hours. Tracing the direction of their glances he saw a table occupied by two girls, one looking fairly vacant, the other practically bouncing around in her seat, 'Bit of an looking unlikely looking pair.' Hiraku thought to himself as he turned back around and looked up the bar. It seemed like there were all sorts of characters around today.

[OOC: Welcome to Kumo Meiryo ]

 

[Hijoshikina Meiryo]

The noise and the hello were almost ignored by the girl. Honestly with the hustle and bustle of everything that was happening within the bar it would have assumed that everything continued to move through the “life of the party”. It was not until the scent of cherries which were so out of place in her mind did her nose wiggle. Life seemed to flow from there as her eyes came into focus and suddenly she blinked and turned around. She looked lost for a moment turning to find the source of the smell. A pause when she noticed the female nearby looking at her expectantly…wait was it expectantly?

First the cherry smell which assaulted her nose, to the colors which stood out so violently against the background of the restaurant…followed by the emotion and energy she put into each word caressing her ears with something that would be a sweet wine…moving into and ending the cycle with her cherry mood.

It was her eyes however that were so mesmerizing. She looked back and forth clearly at a loss having never seen a person with such…well stand outish glow. A small smile crossed her face and she closed her eyes and nodded. She mentioned her name and then another…apparently this girl was walking around town. It was a rather interesting concept. If she needed to be shown around town then that meant she must not have been from the area.

“Ahh, hello…sorry I must have been out of it…my name is Hijoshikina Meiryo. If you would like please join me!” She was happy and enthusiastic about it. It was almost as if the smell of cherries had restarted her and the girl who was here a moment ago was a lifeless doll. She looked around a bit confused but relished at the activity of the room. She took a bite of her food and jumped and coughed…not realizing that it was cold. She slid it away and just took a sip of her drink to re-catch her balance.

She cocked her head around like an owl before pulling gaze back to the woman, “Are you new in town to be shown around or is this man someone more important…” She placed her hand on her lips and then said, “Or are you working?” Her head tilted to the side like it was a bit too heavy for her and then she let out a little giggle. She was unaware of Gekido and his doings but then again she was not a very perceptive girl. The attention near the door however did catch her ear and eyes as she was facing that direction watched as the duo walked in and one nearly starting something. Their voice became lost in the crowd since she was so far away from the bar front but it seemed as though the two would not be causing much of a ruckus. She thought she might have caught a glimpse of the boy looking her way but realized she might be incorrect…technically the girl near her would draw more attention than her. Stupidly though she waved when she though he was looking next but then turned her attention back to her… “Guest” Maybe? Who knew really.

[OOC: Thank you, I am very excited to role play, I heard great things about this site :3]

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Kahako had a bad habit. Well, she had two actually. One was that she muttered when reading difficult material. The other, which was a little bit more dangerous, was that she didn’t stop mulling over said material and would walk to her next destination without setting down what she was reading. Currently, she was doing both as her body searched for food while her mind processed the information she was gathering.

The little brown book she was holding sported no title. Its contents, however, was a detailed description of the Inuzuka clan’s social hierarchy. With Kushin’s recent permission to get a warrant for their compound, Kahako knew she needed to know more on the usual behavior within the clan. No one liked it when a stranger nosed into private business, but if there was a chance that the clan knew about the creature she encountered… well that was why Kahako was reading anything she could find to keep the confrontation as civilized at possible.

Kahako flipped a page with her thumb as she opened the door with her other hand. The soft chime announced her presence along with her soft mutterings. Without looking up, she turned to the side fully intending to sit at a table alone. Unfortunately, she never got that far.

Venturing a little too close to Hana and Meiryo, Kahako bumped into the table creating a loud, screeching noise that startled the entire room. The cold plate of food that was now on the edge of the table slid away, flying fast towards the ground. Immediately, Kahako caught the plate before it went very far, but the sudden catch pushed the food towards its intended target. Having no other choice, Kahako caught the rest of the food with the book in her hand; quickly flipping it back onto the plate before it could slip again.

Silence filled the room as Kahako straightened herself and stared horrified at her book. She had been brought out of her reverie so violently, that she reacted before she could think about what she was actually doing. The ruined book in her hands was a rental from the medical library.

“I am SO SORRY!” It was a little confusing as to who she was frantically apologizing to as she was looking at her book instead of anyone in particular. It could have been the two girls she just disturbed or the people around them whose meal she interrupted. It could have even been the librarian that would have to accept the now greasy, crumb-filled book when she returned it. Regardless, Kahako was embarrassed by her actions and mortified at the thought of having to pay to replace what was no doubt a very expensive piece of literature.

She turned to the two girls apologizing again. “I am truly sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going when I bumped into your table.” Her ears were a noticeable shade of red as she looked down at them. Too afraid to close her book, she held it open with her thumb, allowing the girls to see what the subject was about it they noticed and could read the upside down text. “I will be more than willing to pay for your food and order you a new plate.”

 

[Morishige]

Hana quickly took her seat when invited, nearly bouncing in excitement from meeting this new friends. Of course, they weren't friends, but that wasn't going to stop the hyper girl from believing they were. If it was apparent, this young female didn't get out of her house much, and by house, I mean the facility where she worked. They were nearing completion on a major project at the time.

Hana watched as Meiryo came out of her trance in a confused like state, only to taste her food and cough due to it's state. The young one couldn't help but giggle at her new friend and listen to her questions. "Oh oh! He's very important! At least, that's what Haruka-chan told me! She was like, Now Hana, you need to listen to everything Gekido-sama tells you to do. He'll keep you safe and out of danger. But he has important work, so don't bother him." spoke Hana with a very humorous mocking voice of Haruka. But just then, another of the female persuasion bumped into the table! Quite potently if I might add.

As the floor screeched loudly, Hana's hands quickly went up to her ears to shield them from the noise. A scowl on her face, she sent a rather angry little look toward Kahako. However, her angry face was probably one of the cutest in existence, so it usually didn't have the desired effect. But Kahako apologized quickly, and her cute little face soon turned to a joyful one that meant she was ready to make another friend outside of the hole she lived in. As the newly arrived woman spoke to Meiryo, Hana took a gander at the book she was displaying unintentionally. Something about the Inuzuka...

Gekido-sama! Come here, come here! called Hana, rudely interrupting whatever Meiryo and Kahako were saying at the time. "Your book, it's about the Inuzuka clan! My friend is the biggest and strongest of all the Inuzuka, you gotta meet him!" she said cheerily, waving for Gekido to hurry over.

Gekido heard his name being called by Hana and looked towards them with the Byakugan implant while he kept his focus on one of the men behind the bar. "I'll be back tomorrow. Have it ready for pick up, or face the consequences." he grumbled before turning and stepping his way towards the table itself. He soon arrived with an annoyed look on his face, wondering what this was about.
​

 

[Kurosawa Hiraku]

[OOC: Realised I forgot a link to Airi's description if anyone can see her - Click Me]

Looking up and down the bar Hiraku couldn't help but notice a large rugged man not too far away from him. The man appeared to be deep in conversation with some of the staff behind the bar, Hiraku's ears strained to try and make out anything that was being said but all he could hear was the garbbled mess of the other conversations going on around him. At this point any other person would forget about it and go back to what they were doing, but not Hiraku, his gut was telling him it was something more than simple small talk and the battle between his mind wanting to relax and his natural nosiness inquisitiveness was only ever going to go one way. "What do you reckon is going on over there?"

Airi was making good use of her ethereal state by sitting on the bar, allowing her to easily see over the groups of passing people. "What?" she replied as she peered over in the direction her brother was looking, "I dunno, just some people talking…"

"Yes, but what are they talking about?"

Airi's eyes rolled, she knew exactly where this was going, "What does it matter, you said it yourself, we're here to relax." A loud screeching sound drew the attention of the pair back towards the two girls at the table, except now there was a third and she seemed to be causing quite a commotion. The relative quiet after the disturbance did allow Hiraku to hear the tail end of the conversation he was interested in before the hyper girl called the rugged man over to the table.

"I'll be back tomorrow. Have it ready for pick up, or face the consequences."

That was it, Hiraku had to know... "Come on." He subtly gestured with his head for Airi to follow him, he couldn't let something as interesting as that go investigated. He picked up his water at claimed a seat at a table near the group, making sure he was still within earshot.

"Doing the whole stalker act again are we?" Airi said as she sat opposite her brother. Hiraku hissed at her to be quiet, as if anyone could actually hear her, "Yano I'm starting to wonder if you need to get help..." Hiraku ignored her and focused on listening to the group. No matter how weird it may appear to others, this was exactly why Hiraku was good at what he did. His gut instinct was rarely wrong and today it told him that something interesting was going on.

 

[Hijoshikina Meiryo]

It was very sudden and to be honest…unexpected. What really could have been done about it? Meiryo was not fast. Not nearly as fast as most average people. So by the time she noticed what was going on around her…she really was unable to react. This however is a tad bit too quick to go through…

Hana giggled when Meiryo had realized her food was bad…it was weird though…she felt like she had just gotten it. She doubted the cooks would have given her something like this but then again…she barely remembered ordering. Maybe it was the lack of interest or perhaps the fact she got distracted at dripping water. Meiryo looked at Hana a bit confused. She had been told to do whatever someone else said? Seems a little…limiting…? Was that the word? Looking over at the person she mentioned it just seemed the opposite of what she expected. Maybe it was interesting. Hana seemed so full of energy and joy dispite being in a…what position would you even call that?

Meiryo’s head hurt a bit from trying to understand the situation and in the end…just decided to leave it at that. Maybe this was why she could not have reacted. No…she would not have been able to either way.

Kahako was sorry but what had she done wrong. Meiryo’s eyes reeled a bit but when she noticed the ruined book…well it was a sorry state for a book. Meiryo was not a huge fan of books but she understood their worth…she was worried this one was either very expensive or very important to her. Hana looked rather weird…not really angry yet her ears were covered. She was cute…in a sort of childish annoyed way. Funny that Meiryo just looked more confused and out of it…shouldn’t Mei have the same reaction? Why was she so slow?

The girl's apology was directed towards the two girls instead of the general disclaim Meiryo thought was to everyone around them. She turned red and then mentioned something about food…it was weird though, the food was not good any longer. It had come past its life so to speak. Meiryo was not wasteful and so smiled but shook her head like it was no big deal. Honestly she was fine.

Hana suddenly called out to Gekido…right that was his name. When she said Inuzuka, Meiryo looked confused again. Who were they? What were they…? Mei felt herself collapse inward. Gekido was not only big but he fit the part of someone to not be messed with. If she could turn invisible, she would have. She shrunk down into the seat and avoided eye contact.

Now she really could not see around her. She was nervous and figured that the three would probably forget about her. It was not that she felt bad or anything….Gekido was…a presence…if that made sense.

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

If polarities could be humanized, Kahako was certain she found a magnet. While one of the girls was spritely and full of emotion, the other didn’t even acknowledge the situation. The anger that the one girl displayed was in its own way cute (she had to refrain from a small urge to hug the girl), but quickly it morphed into that of happiness.

The second girl, who seemed younger, barely even responded to Kahako’s apology. This worried Kahako slightly, as usually in a situation like this someone would display some sort of emotion (albeit shock, anger, or exasperation). But there was nothing… Was she even there? Did the girl not hear her? “Um… what was on your plate? I’m sure the cooks can create another dish qui-“ Before Kahako could finish her sentence, the lively girl cut her off, commenting on the contents of Kahako’s book and calling over the Inuzuka man named Gekido.

Was it fortune or fate that Kahako ran into this girl? Based on what was in her book, if Gekido was in fact the strongest, then he was the leader of the Inuzuka. This provided to be a fortuitous problem for the mednin. On one hand, if the Inuzuka were responsible for the creation of the creature that attacked her, then he would not only know, but be approving experiments that were not village sanctioned. If he was suspect, then potential evidence would be buried if she said something here. On the other, she could use this encounter to make the eventual confrontation less hostile. For now, Kahako decided that she would just make acquaintances.

She closed her book, looking at the girl who called him over with a half-smile. “Yes, though I doubt I will be getting much more from it.” As she heard the heavy footsteps approach, she turned to the man behind her. He was much taller than her, built bulky, and maintained the air of intimidation. This did not bother her much, as no one could quite match the level of intimidation Satou sported on regular basis. Giving him a small smile in greeting, Kahako bowed. “Inuzuka Gekido-san, is it? Hello, I am Higa Kahako, mednin of the Sentou Henkan division.”

Rising from her bow, Kahako noticed the small movement of the boy at the bar. At first, she thought that he might also be part of Gekido’s troupe. That thought was quickly squashed, however, when instead of approaching them he sat at a table nearby, within hearing range. ‘Curious…’

“I heard from your friend here that you are the strongest Inuzuka. That make you the leader of your clan, would it not?” She asked simply, looking to the two girls again. She shifted the book into her other hand before reaching up to play with her necklace. “Ah, I’m sorry I didn’t get either of your names. I promise I’m not usually this rude…” she trailed off keeping her half smile.

She noticed the quiet girl whose lunch she ruined was trying to blend into the furniture around her. Kahako wanted to ask if she was okay, but refrained. If she was uncomfortable in a crowd, then Kahako wouldn’t force the girl into the spotlight by questioning her well-being.

[MFT 534]

 

[Morishige]

With Hiraku covertly moving towards the group to sit in a nearby table, there had to be one amongst the group who noticed him. It did not quite matter, however, for the group was not talking about anything confidential, especially in a place such as this. No, the boy would get his wishes of information but they would be nothing of import that's for sure. Whether it was interesting or not, who could tell but him. Also, we must acknowledge that while no one could see her Airi followed in suit. A brave choice for a ghost, for if Hiraku was found talking to his dead sisters ghost, then surely he would be put into a mental institution.

Meanwhile, Gekido had arrived at the table to find three young women, perhaps children sitting there. The expression on his face could only been that of annoyance. After all, he had been dealing with the owner of the bar and restaurant moments before. What business was it? Nothing of the legal kind, that's for sure. But that was behind him and now he focused on the one specific girl asking questions. It appeared that Hana had told her who he was. Not quite problematic, but still a bump in the long road he had planned for the day.

She smiled, bowed, introduced herself. Customary, but a name was all he needed. This pish posh manner stuff taught by the village was a waste of time and resources, in his opinion. Naturally, he responded by nodding his head and slightly squinting his eyes, trying to get a read on her. He inhaled deeply the scent of the room, seeking out anything foreign before this little conversation began. But, she ended her words in a bit of embarrassment just as soon as she had become; apparently forgetting to ask of their names. It wasn't her fault, but on the others for not introducing themselves. Gekido looked towards Hana with a glare.

"I'm Mori Hana! Uh, chief ninjutsu researcher for the --" she started, only for Gekido to cough loudly before she could finish. "Researcher for a private firm." he said, avoiding using the name Titan. It wasn't a name you wanted to throwing around in public. "And to answer your question, Kahako of the medical branch, yes. I am the leader of the Inuzuka clan. What of it?" he asked. At this point, his only focus was on Kahako, and Hana's was on the both of them in curiosity and awe.
​

 

[Kurosawa Hiraku]

Whatever juicy and interesting exchange which began at the bar had seemed to have come to an end since the man moved across to the girls at the table. "Doesn't look like this lot are involved with what he was talking about..." Hiraku said quietly before finishing his water.

"Good, does that mean we can stop stalking them now?"

"Yea ok... let's go." With that Hiraku stood up and started off towards the door. It had been a shorter break that he would have liked, but his brain had woken up again and needed to get moving.

[Topic Left - Sorry for leaving before getting properly involved, my activity is going to drop soon and I didn't want to hold you all up]

 

[Hijoshikina Meiryo]

Higa Kahako was the girl who had bumped into the table. It was funny how she kept mentioned that she would replace the food when really it needed to be replaced long before she even showed up. Meiryo wanted to explain that, to get across that there was no transgression. It did not really matter though Hana dragged the conversation away and moved it in a direction away from Mei; it was both a blessing and a curse. Mei loved the attention of people; she loved to be noticed and to be honest, deeply needed that attention to feel secure. Sure it was a real negative she had but she wondered what girl her age did not need such a thing. The praise and admiration of others felt good…almost too good.

With Gekido’s presence there was no way she would even be noticed unless someone took pity on her. You could literally hold the authority and taste his power in the air. There were strong men, scary men or women who you could never tell what strength they were, those were scarier. There is however a different sense of it when one wears it like a cloak about them. It was a different type of fear.

The medical shinobi was trying to be respectful and yet at the same time she was started to go into the clan…outsiders are not usually privy to much information within clans. Sometimes that is for the best and other times…well not so much. Though Mei was more amazed at the fact she could hold her own against his aura.

Apparently the girl sitting across from her, Hana, was the chief Ninjutsu researcher…of some private company Gekido wished to remain relatively off the radar. For such a bubbly personality it was a little hard to imagine her as the head of anything, but appearances can be deceiving. It took Mei only a second to realize that the only two people right now who were of any movement to speak was Gekido and Kahako. Also she felt like this was supposed to be a more private conversation.

While it was interesting Mei felt quite rude. Not that Mei really wanted to leave; well sort of…Mei felt uncomfortable around Gekido which she felt made sense. There was nowhere really for her to go. Kahako blocked part of the way and Gekido the other. Trapped was not a terrible thing but it really made things…well weird? What was she supposed to do? Was she supposed to lighten the mood?

Mei decided that her only course of action was to move her legs back and forth to give her some kind of distraction. She focused on this and made sure her eyes never moved up towards anyone, especially Gekido. Call it respect or fear but either way she would make sure she was easily able to be overlooked. Just a derpy academy student, nothing to see here.

{488 MFT}

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

“Nice to meet you Hana-chan,” Kahako said, keeping her smile. Once again, the other girl didn’t answer her, but instead looked down at the ground and started to kick her legs. Kahako sighed a little, realizing that she might also be a little intimidating to the girl before her.

However, she did pick up on the slip that Hana apparently wasn’t supposed to tell. It told Kahako two bits of information that peaked her interest. The first: Hana, and maybe even Gekido worked for a research firm. The second: said research firm worked on jutsu, meaning that animal experimentation wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. Kahako had to wonder, however, if Gekido would willingly allow what was surely a painful experiment to happen to one of his own. The dogs that were a part of the Inuzuka clan were notoriously known for being family to their companions. Her train of thought was placed on hold, when Gekido took control of the conversation.

‘Tall, Dark, and Brooding sure lives up to his name,’ Kahako thought with a small frown when he questioned her motives. She crossed her arms and looked back to him. He was being rather abrasive for Kahako’s comfort. But at the same time, maybe she was being too casual for his. “I meant nothing of it, Inuzuka-san.” She said calmly, correcting how she addressed him to show more respect. “I only wanted to show my proper respects to the person I was introducing myself to.” But regardless, she took the cue to stop asking questions. She wanted him to like her, not find her mildly annoying.

Moving to the table next to the girls’, Kahako sat and waved one of the waitresses over while placing her ruined book on the table. Silently, the waitress placed a glass of water next to Kahako. Though surely she did not hear the conversation, the air certainly felt heavy between the standing man and the sitting kunoichi. “Can I take your order, miss?” she said, a little scared. Kahako turned to the girl and smiled. “I’ll just have some tea for now please, oh…" Kahako pointed to the youngest girl sitting across the aisle from her. “and could you please replace whatever she had? I’ll pay for it.” Kahako turned to Hana and Gekido, trying again to garner a somewhat pleasant acquaintance with the Inuzuka. “Inuzuka-san, Hana-chan, would either of you like anything? I’ve heard the cooks here make a mean chocolate cake.” She said smiling more to Hana as she said the last bit. She didn’t expect Gekido to accept her offer, but she did like Hana. Maybe he would let her talk to the mednin a little more before they left.

 

[Morishige]

Gekido looked to Kahako with a suspicious glare. But perhaps it was Hana who was at fault. She was specifically instructed not to bother him and yet she had. The girl was young and immature and the elder Inuzuka wouldn't put it past her to forget the only set of instructions given to her. Naturally, with so few words being said to him, it looked like it was Hana who had been the source of the issue. "Last time I take her around..." he thought with a frown as Kahako took her seat.

Hana sat there a bit confused as to what just happened. She had thought that the new lady and Gekido-sama were going to be talking for a long time, but instead she only said a few things to him and sat. As the waitress came over, Hana looked to Meiryo with a smile and poked her on the forehead. "Why so quiet huh?" she said, being somewhat invasive of the phenomena known as a personal bubble.

But before any real answer could be given, the young girl was addressed once again, and in the same sentence as 'chocolate cake'. Hana's multi-colored eyes grew wide with an immediate need to ingest anything with that much sugar in it. In a short second she turned to Gekido with eyes that said all they needed to say. For a moment he ignored her and looked to Kahako. "I would avoid that crap if you want to keep any semblance of your health." he advised as if he were the only authority. Then, the Inuzuka rolled his eyes and pulled out a girly looking wallet that was obviously Hana's. "One piece, then meet me outside. We got places to be." he directed, handing the small girl some money before pocketing the wallet once again. And with that, the Inuzuka was out of the scene.

After his permission and departure, Hana basically rocked from happiness in her seat and raised the money in the air. "One piece of chocolate cake please!" she cheered, quickly offering the money to Kahako so she could pay. After that, she turned her attention back to Meiryo. "Come on Miss Mopey, cheer up, we gonna have cake, woo!" she exclaimed.
​

 

[Hijoshikina Meiryo]

This was a much more tense situation that the little academy student found herself in. Higa Kahako and Inuzuka Gekido were playing a game of social chess. Her father had described these moments to her though he personally was terrible at them. Apparently one of her uncles was a master of this dance. One wrong move literally ended the entire game and whatever pretense you had behind it was lost. Mei knew that she had the social grace of a rhino in a glass museum and as such knew nothing about the hidden pretexts of this exchange.

Her focus was brought back to Hana when she felt a finger poke her in the head which startled her and she covered her mouth to keep from making an overly loud squeak. It was still a squeak but the first thing she did was make sure the Inuzuka man was not annoyed with her. Hana seemed to not mind in the slightest and asked why she was being so quiet. Mei not knowing that Inuzuka had great ears tried to whisper to Hana, “Intimdation…” She took a downward glance at the man. “I just do not have anything worthwhile to contribute so it’s best to avoid getting in the way.” She gave her a tiny smile though it was halfhearted and probably easily readable.

When the word cake was mentioned the little girl blushed, almost as if a lover had hugged her sudden and whispered sweet things into her ear. Meiryu gave look to Kahako and then to the waitress. She literally bursted out and said in a slightly louder voice than need be, “Instead of making up the food just get me an equivalent amount of cake!” There was a pause at least one that she registered. The redness of her face catching her slightly off…

The man had mentioned that it was terrible to eat that much cake if they wanted to be healthy. Mei inwardly thought about how horrible a life must be without cake…

No wonder he is so mean…

Mei genuinely smile and physically relaxed. Once she noticed the man was far enough away she said, “I’m not Mopey!” Her cheeks puffed up and her voice turned into a child’s by far. “I well I just am easily…startled…I don’t know. It’s weird okay!” She mumbled under her breath though it was huffy and could probably still be heard, “Nothing cake won’t fix.”

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Kahako chuckled at Gekido’s admonishment. “I personally avoid sweets if I can, horrible experience once. But it’s okay to allow others to indulge sparingly.” She said, smiling at Hana’s and the other girl’s reaction while accepting Hana’s money. The outburst from the once quiet girl made her want to laugh. Kahako could just barely remember a time when she was that small and bashful. She turned back to the waitress “Two slices of cake then please, and how about a couple glasses of milk to wash it down?” She said, completing her order and handing over the money required. She caught what Gekido said before he left, yet she kept her head directed at the waitress until he walked away. After their quickly patched up introduction, Kahako had a feeling she would learn more about the Inuzuka leader from Hana than she ever would from the man himself.

When the door firmly clicked shut, Kahako turned to the now relaxed girl with a gentle smile. “It’s not weird at all, onnanoko-chan. I guess I did give you quite the scare.” She said very amused. She looked down at her book again and opened the cover before sighing in defeat. “I guess you could say I startled myself as well. I didn’t even get a chance to finish it,” she despaired before closing it one last time. “The librarian is NOT going to be happy with me. I’m not allowed to remove books from the hospital in the first place,” she muttered to herself, slightly worried.

With one final sigh on the matter, Kahako turned back to both of the girls. “And don’t worry about Inuzuka-san, Onanoko-chan. I’m sure Hana-chan here can agree with me that he just seemed to be in a bad mood and isn’t as scary as he looks, no?” Kahako allowed Hana and the girl to take over the conversation until their order arrived, only answering when addressed. She offered a quiet thanks to the waitress when her cup of tea was placed on the table and enjoyed listening to whatever squeals came from next to her when the cake was placed on theirs. Oh how she missed being a child.

Once the waitress bowed and walked away, Kahako took a sip of her tea before looking to Hana again. “You mentioned you were a ninjutsu researcher, Hana-chan? I was really impressed when I heard that. That is quite an advanced field to be in.” She said nonchalantly after they started to dig in. If it's not too much for me to ask, what type of ninjutsu do you usually research? Kahako offered a smile at her question. Waiting to see what she could learn from Hana.

 

[Morishige]

Hana's attention turned to Kahako who, as the elder of the three, seemed to be taking charge of the conversation and making light of what Meiryo said. It was a shame about her book, but the young pink haired lass didn't pay much attention to that. Her mind was on the impending cake that was to be delivered momentarily!

As the med-nin sighed again, she turned to the girls and Hana sat up straight as if about to be asked a questioned, however it was more about Gekido, and what was said only made Hana giggled wildly with a genuine grin on her face. "Oh I don't think he's scary at all! But he's definitely like that all the time: always in a bad mood. He's not played with me at all, not like some of the others; especially Haruka! He's always busy I guess..." she chimed, mentioning her personal tutor she had for a few years who still happened to visit often at the Titan complex. That's when Hana got quiet. She saw it. The cake!

The young girl wiggled in her chair and clapped her hands as the moist looking cake was place before her, utensils on the plate ready for use. As soon as it was placed, the young girl took her fork into the frosting and began to suck on the tine's with a euphoric look on her face. Perhaps Gekido didn't realize what he was allowing, because Hana was going to be bouncing off walls once this sugar kicked in.

But soon things were back to business and Hana had to chew and clear her mouth before responding to Kahako. But the cake was so rich and tasty that it was quite difficult! Hana, obviously embarrassed by the time it was taking, giggled and hid her face until she was done. In time, she took a deep breath and smiled returning her attention to Kahako. The young woman had asked her a question, being rather sly with it when there was no need. Hana didn't quite understand that her work with Titan was supposed to be kept on the down-low. Besides, the med-nin's admiration only buttered her up further to talk about it. "Oh, right now they have me working on this new jutsu known as gravity jutsu! Lotsa books n' stuff, but it's fun when they give me alone time. I can make everything float around me! Dodge ball with Haruka was so much easier! I totally had the advantage." she concluded with a matter of fact nod of the head and 'Hmph!'. One of the ways Haruka motivated Hana to work was by making it a game of sorts. But Hana's mind soon returned to the cake and stuffed her mouth full once again.

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[Hijoshikina Meiryo]

Nothing else really mattered. There were many things in this world that mattered but sometimes…when another thing is in the presence of another…they tend to fall away from mind. You do not need an example if you have ever fallen in love. The primary example of when someone first falls in love is the most blissful thing to watch two people do. Kahako and Hana will witness such a moment.

Tall and dark…sweet on the outside and the inside, fluffy and warm to the touch. She stared…not really sure what to do with herself. She just sort of froze…she imagined herself. Wait…no. How would she go about it? Would she start with her hands…or go for a more formal approach? She felt a desire burn within her…what would happen if she just used her tongue? She shivered at the thought of sliding her tongue…oh that would give such a rush.

The smell finally connected to her nose, it flowed through her. Tickling her taste buds and slowing crawling down into her stomach where her stomach would respond with a tiny noise. She laid her head down onto the cold table to get a better look. It was a large piece for a girl her size…her eyes watched it, slide along it, similar to a lover sliding his eyes along his lovers curves. Mei bit her lip as if resisted some form of deeper urge.

It was time…waiting any longer than a few moments was too much to bare. She simply had to have a taste. She slowly reached out with one finger…tentatively it shook ever so slightly. She shifted a little and as if it were fire she quickly took a small swipe of frosting. Watching her finger with the frosting her mouth started to water…she sniffed it first and then gently she gave it a tiny lick, as if a damn had been broken a river of shivers washed over her. A mean piece of cake was nothing compared to this. She could taste the perfect blend of sugar.

Hey eyes went wide and she voice in the most certain tone she has ever used, “Meimei is pleased…” She took her fork and started to eat it. It made her feel wonderful, the smallest, happiest smile in existence came onto her face and she closed her eyes and gave a tiny sigh. Perfectly at peace with herself. Satisfied as a lover finally getting to be with her significant other.

“I am terribly at Ninjutsu, must be fun though…I would have cake follow me around.”

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Kahako couldn’t help but laugh at the two. She only met one person who was as obsessed with sweets as these two, and they were much cuter. She also caught the name of the smaller girl. It was probably a nickname, but it was better than nothing. “I’m glad you like the cake. I’ve never had it myself before, but I’ve heard great things.”

She took another sip of her tea while the girls chowed down, giving her a quick moment to collect her thoughts on what Hana was telling her. Truly the gravity jutsu research was amazing to hear. The possibilities could be endless if the jutsu was perfected. However, ninjutsu research was not what she was interested in. What she was looking for sang more to the tune of kinjutsu. Hana’s position told her that she had nothing to do with that field… but that didn’t mean the firm wouldn’t have its hands in other pies.

“That is amazing to know though,” She said, only regulating her voice slightly. She was impressed, but she wasn’t trying to suck up to the girl. Kahako could tell Hana was definitely the type to pick when she was being interrogated, despite how cute and innocent she seemed. The fact that she was a ninjutsu researcher at her current age told Kahako that. “I wonder….” Her trailing off was intentional. Slowly she lifted her hand and tapped her book, appearing as if she was deep in thought for a few seconds as if weighing her options. Finally, she turned fully to the two girls with a hopeful smile. “Hana-chan, Meimei-chan. Can I tell you a secret? You can’t tell anyone else because it’s a part of my research. If it gets out, someone could lay claim to it before I can… but I have come to the realization that I do need help.”

She waited for their responses before continuing. “I’m actually researching what happens to Inuzuka children when they come of age, if you could call it that.” She grabbed her ruined book and held it with both hands. “A few years ago, I was sparing with someone from the clan. Suddenly, she doubled over in pain and I could do nothing but watch while she… writhed.” Kahako was frowning now, keeping her eyes on her book. “I… have heard that not many Inuzuka children survive through this, and I want to change that. If I cannot lessen the trauma that they go through, I at least want to increase their survivability.” It was here she looked up at Hana. “I was wondering… if maybe your firm conducts research on the Inuzuka clan? It would probably be classified under kinjutsu if anything.”

It wasn’t a complete lie, no matter how far from the truth it really was. Kahako did, in fact, witness such events occur when she was sparing with an academy student all those years ago. If Hana did know about any kinjutsu research, then it could be a step in tracking down the culprit for the animal she was looking for. She looked down again. “I didn’t really want to ask Inuzuka-san because he seemed like the type to get angry at someone asking too many questions. I want to help his clan, but I have no intention of prying where I am not wanted.” This time, she gave both of them an exasperated smile, secretly hoping Hana and Meimei wouldn’t see through her lie.

[mft]

 

[Morishige]

Hana just placed another mouthful of cake into her mouth and and enjoyed it during the silence of mouth's being full and minds at work. Hana looked between the two and back to Kahako when she tapped her book, curiosity peaking. With a smile, she began. “Hana-chan, Meimei-chan. Can I tell you a secret? You can’t tell anyone else because it’s a part of my research. If it gets out, someone could lay claim to it before I can… but I have come to the realization that I do need help.” A secret; no, a mystery! Hana clapped her hands in excitement and anticipation of her opportunity to help this new friend. "Of course of course! Secrets are the best~" she giggled and leaned in close so she wouldn't have to speak up.

“I was wondering… if maybe your firm conducts research on the Inuzuka clan? It would probably be classified under kinjutsu if anything.” Kahako finished. Hana's expression scrunched up in thought and she tried thinking back to everything she had seen down in that hole of a headquarters she lived in. And while she was their chief researcher, she wasn't given access to too much information other than what they wanted her to have. After all, someone so young might prove to be a liability. Her loyalty had not been secured, in a sense.

As Kahako finished explaining why she didn't want to ask Gekido, the young girl's expression turned to sadness as she licked the chocolate frosting off of her fork. "I don't know Kahako-san. I don't remember seeing a bunch of dogs around where I work, but it's a big place sooo they could be somewhere else? I dunno! And what the heck is a kinjutsu anyway, something like gravity jutsu?"

But then, her cake was gone and she smirked. Standing up very quickly she looked to her friends and gave a small wave. "Welp gotta go! I think you should just ask Gekido-sama, yup yup! See ya!" she exclaimed and then skipping away towards the door, leaving her empty plate behind

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