A Classic Hot Springs Visit [Open]

[Akira Kazan]

This was usually the first thing people did after being granted entrance into a new village and of course it was rather cliché, but of course Sairasu didn't really give a damn about all that. At first, he greeted several people throughout the village and requested the aid of locals to help him find some nice hot spots within the village. He was kind to everyone he met, and shared his dream of reviving the hidden mist with all of them, but at the same time he was just happy to have some helpful and happy faces surround him. Helping people here and there, along the way to the hot springs, he smiled as he witnessed theirs. A year ago, he wouldn't be doing this kind of thing. Hell, a year ago he would has most likely cursed out the Anbu at the gates and caused a scene just for a laugh. It was amazing how a catastrophic disaster and taking care of others could help someone change for the better.

Regardless of what got in his way, he eventually made it to the hot springs and paid the standard fee. Entering into the changing rooms, he quickly undid his jack, pulled it off, and folded it neatly before placing it within one of the provided lockers. Next, he began to pull out his weapons, boots and pants, only to place them within the lockers as well. He was down to his boxers, and within a few seconds he was totally nude. He was a visitor within the Cloud Village, and a Mercenary at that, so it was very likely that an Anbu or two were following him. Laughing as he turned around and looked, he placed his hands on his hips and began to shake his head. ”If Anbu have been following me, they just got an eye full.” He thought to himself as he grabbed a towel, wrapped it around his waist and walked towards the springs.

Closing the door behind him, he noticed no one else was here. The Co-ed springs were rather empty, though he didn't exactly come here looking for company. It would have been nice, even nicer if that company had breast, but he wanted to relax. Slowly, he slipped into the springs, only before quickly removing the towel. Adjusting himself, he leaned backwards until the water had come up to just below his chest. Everything on him was exposed; including his lunar cursed mark on his right forearm. He really didn't care to much for anyone to see him, or it, but oh well. Extending his arms back, by placing his elbows on the cement, he let loose a sigh of relief. The Hot springs were so relaxing and had this healing like property to them. ”Better than I thought it’d be, honestly. But then again, after such a long journey, even a barrel of hay is a relaxing place to lay your head at night.” He thought to himself, while glancing around the springs.

”What is there to do next? I need to restock on medical supplies, basic weapons, sealing scrolls, food, and of course water. Though, I really should rent a room for the next few nights. I have the money to do so, plenty of it actually. All those missions really kinda put some weight in my pocket. But I shouldn't get to overwhelmed with the market here. Saving every little bit helps.” He thought to himself, only before leaning his head back and closing his eyes. The warmth of the springs only seemed to ease his soreness and pain. Though, it could not mend a broken heart that only beat for its home.

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

For all the amenities, beauty, and grandeur the guest houses at Kitsune mansion held. The one thing they lacked was a decent bath. Sure, there was a bathtub and shower, but it wasn’t the expansive springs Kahako grew up with in Kelmura. She knew she lived a privileged lifestyle before she became a shinobi. Some might have called her odd for throwing it away. Yet there were many reasons for doing so, and for the most part, she did not miss a bit of it.

Except one thing: the luxurious relaxation that came with bathing daily in a natural hot spring. Sometimes, she missed hearing the sound of nature around her as she soaked. Feeling the flow of a natural current taking the grim and worries away. It was that very reason why she was at the hot springs today.

Paying her fare at the entrance, Kahako grabbed a few towels before making her way into the lockers. She began to hum a tune, an old folk song from Kumogakure’s past. The sound of her tune wafted through the room and to the outside. “Am I a flower, a butterfly, or a demon? Should I no longer be concerned about my body or this world? What I wield is not a lipstick, but a piercing blade. Would you be so kind as to give me praise?....” She started taking her clothes off, placing them in the locker and putting her towel on. “I am a blooming flower, happy about my blooming too. However, a flower must scatter away at some point. I can sever my fate, but cannot sever that child’s life. If I should kill, only more infernal torture will await me…” Some parts she hummed, not entirely sure of the lyrics, others she could sing easily. She pulled her short hair into a tiny bun, tying it off to keep it out of the water. She would wash her hair when she got home, today’s visit was just for relaxing. She closed her locker, towel firmly secured around her body. “I am a withered flower, the flower bud of a demon. No matter how hard I try, I cannot stop being dyed crimson…”

When she opened the shoji door leading to the spring, she abruptly stopped singing. A man she had never met before with stalk white hair and a great scar upon his face already sat in the water, his head rested against the stone behind him. If he looked at her he would see emerald eyes look back at him in mild surprise. Bite scars littered her arms, various sizes and shapes crisscrossing with one still somewhat fresh along the base of her neck. She had never seen him before, but that was a blessing all in itself. It meant he had yet to have a reason to be at the hospital. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said with a bow before going silent as to not disturb him.

She then moved quietly to the edge of the water, dipping a toe in before sliding in and removing her towel. Slowly, she moved to a part of the large rocks and leaned against it herself, enjoying the warmth immensely and closing her eyes. Since she grew up in a traditional hotel with communal bathing, she was never bothered by being naked around strangers. With friends, however, it would have been different. Her mother used to tease her mercilessly about the lacking features she had yet to develop. Sure, she was just a child then, but how could a child know when ‘features’ were supposed to develop?

She sunk into the spring until her chin touched the waters. If only her mother could see her now…
[spoilername="OOC"]Herro Sai! Welcome to cloud. I wanted to let you know that if someone enters the topic and either of you feel like I am posting too slow, please feel free to skip me. I am only able to post in the evenings, and I can only knock out 2 posts at a time. I promise I won't be longer than a day though. Link here for the song Kahako is singing.[/spoilername]

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

It was not quite evening when the young ANBU decided to call it a day and head home. Where most shinobi chose to train at the Main Branch barracks (or the Sileo for the ANBU), ever since her Academy days Shashu had used the ancient forest that grew within the Nimbus Delectatio as her preferred training ground. The forest was ideal for her: it offered a myriad choices of cover, obstacle courses, hiding spots to relax in, and, most of all, minor criminals to hone her skills upon while they snuck in in an attempt to find hideouts or civilians to waylay among the trees.

One would think that between Hidetsugu-sensei's classes and my rambling about they would get the idea that the forest isn't a good place for them to go skulking around in...oh well. Keeps me in practice at least. Shashu reflected on yet another eventful day of training as she exited the forest proper, the treeline to her back as she followed a well beaten path towards the sprawling complex that encompassed the great banquet hall, normally reserved for some important occasion or another, and the ever popular hot spring resort. It was the latter that she was interested in; it was a habit of hers to stop in for a soak to ease the tension from her muscles and wash off the dirt and sweat after a hard-days training. After all, no one wanted to walk around dirty and smelly and sore when there was a nice hot spring conveniently located right next to their training grounds.

She nodded at the middle-aged woman at the counter as she walked in and headed straight for the dressing room. Shashu regularly paid for an entire month's worth of baths at a time, and the staff here knew her well enough to greet her by name as passed them on the way to the baths. That was when she heard a familiar voice, though it was unfamiliar in this place, singing a song she had not heard sung save in old musty books.

So it was with a mischievous grin on her face that Shashu snuck into the dressing room, taking care to avoid Kahako's notice. She quickly disrobed, disdaining a towel (They're going to see you naked in the water anyway, so why bother?) and snuck into the bath proper, taking care to open and close the door silently as she followed after the unsuspecting Med-nin. Once inside she quickly noticed the white haired man partaking of the comforts of Kumo's rejuvenating waters.

Well now, that's an interesting sight... Her eyes quickly flicked over the man in silent appreciation, noting the extremely well toned muscles as well as the markings that graced his right arm. A seal of some sort? Well he's no civilian, that's for sure, which means he's not from around here or somebody would have mentioned a guy looking like that. Ah well, it's nothing to worry about. It's not like anyone would attack a hot spring, after all. I mean really, you think somebody would do that? Just go into a village and blow up a hot spring?

Dismissing the man as a threat for now, Shashu placed a single finger over her still grinning lips and winked at him, enlisting him as a co-conspirator before continuing to skulk around the outside of the bath. The steam was a huge asset there, as it blurred the outlines of her form and hid her motion with it's own. She stayed back until Kahako was fully settled into the water before she struck.

"Hello, Kahako-chaaaaaan." She whispered from right behind the girl as she grabbed the poor Med-nin's shoulders with uncomfortably cold hands. The young ANBU's body would shake for a moment with silent laughter as Kahako collected herself, no doubt rather vexed with the sneak attack. There would be no contrition on Shashu's face however, though she would pause a second in appraisal at the sight of the girl before her. It didn't seem that long ago since she had tried with all her might to hate the girl for earning Ayumu's affections, something that she had ultimately been unable to do. The girl was simply too nice. And then there had been that trip to the hospital...

Shashu could feel the heat rushing to her face as she recalled the visit and the (at the time) strange feelings that the treatment had woken within her. Before that she had viewed Kahako as a rival in love, but after...well, suffice to say that afterwards she couldn't help but agree that her Shukun had good taste in women, a fact that she couldn't help but recall with the case in point right in front of her, clad in nothing but water and steam.

Before the moment became too awkward she too slipped into the water with a small splash before turning to Kahako once more. "It's been quite a while since we ran into each other last Kahako-chan, how've you been?" With any luck the embarrassment would seep away along with the ache in her muscles. Just to be safe she kept an eye on the white-haired foreigner as she spoke, purely for safety reasons. Definitely not as an excuse to keep her eyes from wandering below the waterline, nope. Definitely not.

 

[Akira Kazan]

He noticed both of the new arrivals, and somewhat kept an eye on the both of them as they entered into the springs. Both young, both women, and both had bodies like goddesses. Kumogakure had already proven to be worth the visit, and the springs were well worth the price he had paid. Silently, he continued to relax as he let the two enter the springs with him. He caught glances at their bodies, but he remained unphased. This was a co-ed spring, which meant he had no right to cause a disturbance here; which meant he was on his best behavior. As the two shifted in and made themselves comfortable, he lifted his head up and looked at both of them. Their smiles, their eyes, and their facial features were extravagant.

”Sorry to disturb the two of you, but to have guest such as yourselves is blessing.” He asked in a kind manor, making sure he did not to even glance at their chests out of respect. ”My name is Taishou Sairasu, former Medical Ninja with Tenure of the Hidden Mist. Who might you two be?”<i></i> He said, stating his name and former rank, but asking theirs at the same time. He wasn’t going to get close to either one of them, but if he was lucky he might end up with a dinner date tonight and a new friend to talk to while he was within the village. While he waited for a reply, he leaned his head backwards once more and closed his eyes. The two of them could see the relaxed look on his face. For the moment, not a single muscle in his body seemed sore or achy.

OOC: Sorry for a short post, I didn't have much to go on. My future replies will be much larger, I promise.

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Steam wafted over her. While she listened to Sairasu a thought occurred in her mind. “Here, Shashu-chan, let me try something to help your back.” She lowered her legs, lifted her body to the edge of the pool, and waved the girl over. “Come up here and turn around for me okay?” she said smiling to her. Once Shashu was facing away, Kahako performed a few handseals before dipping a finger into the water, slowly spinning it around. At first, a tiny whirlpool began spinning in tandem with her finger. “Is Mist truly what everyone claims it is, Sairasu-san? Completely frozen over and devoid of life?” The small, hand-sized whirlpool slowly separated, creating two tendrils of pressurized water that rapidly spun around her finger.

“What was it like before? ….The people and culture, I mean,” she chuckled, realizing that she asked the same question again. Pulling the spinning water from the spring, Kahako gently pushed the two tendrils gently against Shashu’s back. The water itself was healing, and though there weren’t any wounds to heal, there would be the feeling of relief that came with healing chakra.

Kahako had hoped that her healing abilities with water coupled with constantly moving water pressure would create a massaging effect that she would not be able to accomplish with just her hands. “Liiiiike…” she dragged her word out, trying to clarify her question further, “…if I closed my eyes and imagined I was standing in Kirikagure at the peak of its power, what would I have seen?”

When she did touch Shashu’s back, she immediately noticed the abnormalities that were around her sides. ‘Interesting…’ she thought, looking down to notice the marks along her body. She filed away the information away later, knowing that it would probably be embarrassing for the girl to ask about it in front of a stranger. For now, she listened to Sairasu answer her question.

When he finished answering for her, she looked up to him. It was then she noticed the nasty scar on Sairasu’s chest. She spent a second looking, wondering if it would be rude to inquire about it. In the moment of her personal silence, she realized she was looking for a second too long. Immediately she turned back to tending to Shashu’s back, her cheeks a slight brighter shade of red than before.

She couldn’t lie, Sairasu was a well-toned and attractive man. But many, and she did mean many, often misunderstood her actions and abnormal comfort with nudity. She was a doctor, a scientist who specialized in the human body. Half the time when she looked at someone’s bare chest, she was analyzing a part of it, like now. The rest of the time, she spent actually deciding how to heal it. At the hospital, her true intentions were always clear. Here however, shrouded in steam and dripping in water…. She just hoped neither of them noticed. It would be embarrassing having to defend herself.
[spoilername="OOC"]Imagine miniaturized hot tub streams hitting specific points on Shashu's back. MFT[/spoilername]

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

While Kahako's reaction to being snuck up on was exactly what Shashu had been looking for, her attitude when she asked how she had been was certainly not. Slightly slumped shoulders, averted eyes, face turned slightly to the side, and even feet turned as if to walk away from the conversation. And if the visual cues weren't enough, the half-hearted response certainly was. She wasn't one to pry (Well, not in personal matters anyway), so she let it alone. "Oh, I've been doing alright. A mission here, a mission there, and training in between. You know, the usual." She replied. It was somewhat disappointing, as she had hoped to catch up with the rather shapely med-nin, but perhaps they could talk about something else. It's not like I have any place to be anytime soon after all.

On the other hand, the relief on the other girl's face as she submerged herself in the steaming water reassured her that whatever it was wasn't a pressing concern. Shashu took that as a cue to relax herself, dunking her own head and letting her nearly waist-length hair splay out over the water's surface. The ever strange smell of hot water mixed with that of the many scented soaps and shampoos that were used here, creating a pleasing aroma that was more akin what one might expect when burning incense or scented candles in one's own home than a public bathhouse. The people who ran this place did a great deal of work to make one feel at home, and that was part of the reason Shashu continued to come here. The much smaller springs back at the Dragon's Rest were very nice, certainly, but they couldn't match the atmosphere one could find here.

Shashu twisted and turned, cracking a few joints and vertebrae with an audible groan of contentment. If either of the other two were to pay close attention they would notice the pair of chakra marks on either side of her rib cage and what looked to be extra muscle there as well as on her back, though the latter was mostly disguised by her small (especially in comparison to Kahako) breasts and long hair. The surgery she had undergone hadn't truly removed the extra limbs granted by her bloodline, it had only repressed them, or so it had been explained to her. She wasn't entirely sure on the particulars, not being a medical Kunoichi herself. Kahako would probably know more than she, though it didn't take medical knowledge to appreciate the soothing effect as the hot spring teased out the muscle aches from her earlier exercise, crossing her legs and lresting her hands on her knees as she let the warm waters do their work. She closed her eyes and let out a sigh to match Kahako's, taking the moment to just relax.

Of course, not a moment of said relaxation went by before the barrel-chested foreigner introduced himself. Shashu cracked an eye open to listen to what he had to say, and was mildly surprised when he said he was a former Shinobi of Mist, and a Medical Shinobi at that. The statement netted her other eye and a quirked eyebrow. A Med-nin? With that body? Somehow I doubt he was the type to sit in a hospital and wait for the patients to come to him...

Shashu's curiosity got the better of her (as it often did), and she found herself following Kahako's introduction with one of her own. "Tsuirakuya Shashu, Chuunin of Kumogakure," She would reply levelly when Sairasu's eyes turned to her. "I haven't had the occasion to meet many foreigners, much less foreign Shinobi. Most find our climate too inhospitable for their tastes...but I don't imagine someone like you has much of a problem with that."

She chuckled lightly as her eyes would once again flick over the man's impressive physique, though the look was more appraisal than appreciation. Still, she couldn't deny he was nice to look at, and he seemed civil enough. She had heard a lot of bad stories coming out of Mist, about the brutality of it's residents and the evil stuff that came out of the woodwork when all hell froze over (hehehe), so to speak. This one seemed harmless though, so perhaps there was something to be learned here...

[MFT: WC-722]​

 

[Akira Kazan]

The two women introduced themselves and said a few words themselves, but Sairasu continued to lay there and relax. Once they were both done speaking, he’d reply, but only after shortly hearing on of them pop their spine. The sound of bones popping caught his attention to a much further degree than it probably should have. Memories of missions and patients from his days as a hidden mist shinobi began to echo throughout his mind. While it did not relax him, in fact the sound kinda grossed him out a little bit, the memories it brought did. ”It's nice to meet you both. And Yes, it was within Mist. I should have become a cheif, but there weren't any open positions." He replied, only to continue with the first thing that came to mind. "Also, the Mist was an amazing village; it sat in the middle of a dormant volcano and the village was broken into many small islands, surrounded on all sides by a lake that had somehow come to be within that volcano's crater.” He said out loud, only before lifting his head back up and glancing around.

He was still trying his best to control himself, but a slight twitch of the eye pretty much all he needed. The details of their bodies had been scanned in one quick glance and deep down, he already know that both of these women had peeked his interest. ”Miss Tsuirakuya, you really shouldn’t crake your vertebra like that. There’s other therapeutic means of relieving joint pain, as I’m sure your friend can explain to you. But may I ask, is it due to combat complications? Oh, and this weather is nothing compared to the hell I lived with within the water country these past few months.”<i></i> He explained to her, only to shift his attention towards the other one.

She had his total focus, except the entire time he continued to give off a relaxed disposition. He was still trying to maintain his cool and not come off as a pervert. It was hard to do so, especially with these two naked and in front of him. A normal man would have already fallen victim to their beauty. ”I’m sure our villages had many differences aside from just location, laws, and culture. I’m willing to answer any questions you wanna ask. I don’t mind, there’s nothing wrong with making small talk while trying to relax.”<i></i> He told Higa Kahako, but in the way he told her, it was obvious that this applied to both of him. From there, he let loose a sigh of relief, stretched his arms out wide, and leaned forward, exposing his abdominal area. A rather large scar on his right pectoral was now exposed had they not seen it before. Then again, it wasn't exactly as eye popping as his cursed seal way, but regardless.

[wc: 479] [Marked]

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

Steam wafted over her. While she listened to Sairasu a thought occurred in her mind. “Here, Shashu-chan, let me try something to help your back.” She lowered her legs, lifted her body to the edge of the pool, and waved the girl over. “Come up here and turn around for me okay?” she said smiling to her. Once Shashu was facing away, Kahako performed a few handseals before dipping a finger into the water, slowly spinning it around. At first, a tiny whirlpool began spinning in tandem with her finger. “Is Mist truly what everyone claims it is, Sairasu-san? Completely frozen over and devoid of life?” The small, hand-sized whirlpool slowly separated, creating two tendrils of pressurized water that rapidly spun around her finger.

“What was it like before? ….The people and culture, I mean,” she chuckled, realizing that she asked the same question again. Pulling the spinning water from the spring, Kahako gently pushed the two tendrils gently against Shashu’s back. The water itself was healing, and though there weren’t any wounds to heal, there would be the feeling of relief that came with healing chakra.

Kahako had hoped that her healing abilities with water coupled with constantly moving water pressure would create a massaging effect that she would not be able to accomplish with just her hands. “Liiiiike…” she dragged her word out, trying to clarify her question further, “…if I closed my eyes and imagined I was standing in Kirikagure at the peak of its power, what would I have seen?”

When she did touch Shashu’s back, she immediately noticed the abnormalities that were around her sides. ‘Interesting…’ she thought, looking down to notice the marks along her body. She filed away the information away later, knowing that it would probably be embarrassing for the girl to ask about it in front of a stranger. For now, she listened to Sairasu answer her question.

When he finished answering for her, she looked up to him. It was then she noticed the nasty scar on Sairasu’s chest. She spent a second looking, wondering if it would be rude to inquire about it. In the moment of her personal silence, she realized she was looking for a second too long. Immediately she turned back to tending to Shashu’s back, her cheeks a slight brighter shade of red than before.

She couldn’t lie, Sairasu was a well-toned and attractive man. But many, and she did mean many, often misunderstood her actions and abnormal comfort with nudity. She was a doctor, a scientist who specialized in the human body. Half the time when she looked at someone’s bare chest, she was analyzing a part of it, like now. The rest of the time, she spent actually deciding how to heal it. At the hospital, her true intentions were always clear. Here however, shrouded in steam and dripping in water…. She just hoped neither of them noticed. It would be embarrassing having to defend herself.
[spoilername="OOC"]Imagine miniaturized hot tub streams hitting specific points on Shashu's back. MFT[/spoilername]

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

"Nothing like that Taishou-san, just muscle aches from training." Shashu replied to the Mist-nin's question. "I usually find that cracking one's back," she reached back and pushed her thumbs into the small of her back as she arced her spine, causing a satisfying pop. "And resting in a hot spring does the trick." A lazy grin crossed her face."Cracking your joints might not be very therapeutic, but it feels pretty good regardless."

Apparently Kahako shared Sairasu's dislike of joint-popping however, as she beckoned her over and had her sit down in front of her. Shashu obliged, tucking her legs under her butt in the seiza position while the med-nin did a couple handseals. She could feel the water swirl at her back, but before she could turn to look a smooth sensation touched in between her shoulder blades and spread relief to the sore muscles there.

The warm water coupled with the healing chakra relaxed the muscles in her back wherever they touched, soothing the small spots of tenderness one inevitably gets from that sort of heavy exercise. The twin tendrils of water applied just enough pressure to tease out the smaller aches, and Kahako added her hands to the mix to knead out the bigger knots. Bliss.

"Ok, not gonna lie, this definitely feels better." The young ANBU murmured. Truth be told it felt good enough that Shashu could feel herself doze off a bit, her eyes half-lidded in relaxation. Though she wasn't a med-nin herself, she had always found the interplay of muscle and bone rather fascinating. Something about the pop of joints, the tensing of muscles, and the movement of tendons over bone was somehow appealing to her, especially with someone at her back massaging the out of her. Well, more specifically, with Kahako doing the massaging that is. The feeling when she pressed her hands into the muscles below her shoulder blades was absolutely wonderful, and Shashu could feel heat rising into her face that had nothing to do with the hot spring.

By this point the ANBU's head was partially bowed, too relaxed to keep her neck straight. A curtain of wet hair framed her face as she bit her lip and rested her hands on her knees to keep from falling over. Kahako continued to converse with the foreign Shinobi, but beyond a cursory glance here and there Shashu wasn't paying much attention. The massage simply felt too good to focus on anything else at the moment. If she keeps this up I'll probably just pass out right here, She thought absently. Not that that would be a bad thing...

[MFT: WC-437]​

 

[Akira Kazan]

While everything happened between the two women within the springs, Sairasu took the time to relax and let everything soak in. First, he’d address Shashu and her replies towards him only trying to give some friendly advice. ”Very well Miss Tsuirakuya, but please do it sparingly and keep in mind your bones weaken with age.”<i></i> He asked, showing a bit of concern for her. Rather she knew it or not, doing exactly what she was doing could cause problems later in life. He didn’t want to see anyone crippled or in pain from such an immature habit. Letting lose a sigh, he thought about his home and the answers he should give this woman. She asked some pretty thoughtful questions, some of which made him ponder and imagine he was back home as if nothing had ever happened.

”Some plants and animals remain, but for the most part the entire country is basically a frozen wasteland. Whatever thrives there now is extremely resilient and hard to kill, so it’s not entirely devoid of life. Hell, I’ve lived within that wasteland for the past few months trying to find a solution to the problem… Unfortunately, I’ve had no progress.”<i></i> He was a little too sad to admit to it, but things weren’t good for the mist village or even the water country and there was nothing he could do to change it. As of right now, time had proven that the hidden mist village everyone once knew could never come back. It was stuck as a frozen hell.

As he went to continue, he stopped himself and thought about the people and the village’s culture. The fond memories of fresh baked bread, days out on the family farm, and time at the academy only seemed to bring a smile to his face. The people were kind and the era was peaceful, something the likes of which many people couldn’t really enjoy. ”We were very rich in culture. Farmlands helped provide crops, medicine, clothing material, and just about anything the village really needed. Many people hunted for fish and animals to sell at the market and for the most part, we came together as a community to make life better for each other. It was peaceful and simple, unlike our village’s past or so the rumors have said.”<i></i> He told her, only before lifting his hands behind his head and leaning back. His elbows were pointed up as he rested his head in the palm of his hands.

”As for the last part, if you were to close your eyes and imagine, you’d see a busy village filled with thousands of civilians and shinobi wondering the streets, enjoying themselves. Business venders left and right and shinobi just about everywhere enjoying themselves and the local cuisine. Huge groups of children, most of which academy students, would run the streets playing with one and another. Tall tower like buildings all alone, most of which homes and then there was the Mizukage’s tower. Lush greenery; tons of water and shore line. I wish I could go on, but I just can’t figure out the words to describe its beauty.”<i></i> He said in a sincere ton of voice.

Taking a moment, he thought he’d go ahead and talk about himself a little bit. He was originally a farm hand on his father’s farm, until he joined the academy. He was hoping that in return, perhaps they’d talk about themselves. Truthfully, he was interested in miss Higa and miss Tsuirakuya. Getting to know either one of them better would make his stay much more enjoyable. ”I come from a rather large clan of farmers. I believe there was about a hundred of us before the disaster, but only two of us were capable of manipulating chakra. That was my grandpa and me, but for the most part of my life I worked on a farm. I’d pick peaches, tend to live stock, and help maintain the farm’s integrity before I joined the village’s academy. After which, I was a combat medic who’s specialty was combat medical procedures, and field work. I’ve never once lost a teammate or patient, and I’m rather happy to say that. What about you two?”<i></i> He said and asked the two women in front of him. He was trying to get them to talk and lighten the mood a little bit.

[Wc: 727] [Marked]

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

"Ok, not gonna lie, this definitely feels better."

A soft chuckle left her lips and carried through the air. “I’m glad you like it Shashu-chan.” Kahako’s hands to rub out any kinks in Shashu’s back, slowly coercing the muscles to relax while she listened to Sairasu speak of his homeland. “You seem to have done well for yourself, Sairasu-san. You look quite fit and healthy for a man who spent months in a barren wasteland.” She turned to face him. “I’m sorry you didn’t have much luck in reviving it.”

When he described what Mist used to be like, Kahako did in fact close her eyes and listened. For the most part, it sounded much like Kumo in many ways. Life flourished in Mist like it did in any large village. But the location that it flourished in is what peaked Kahako’s imagination more. The shorelines… the sand… the life the people must have lived amongst those waves. To have only had the chance to see it herself.

He brought up his family and inquired about their own. She smiled to him and opened up her eyes, not wanting to bring down the pleasant and relaxing mood. “I come from a long line of merchants myself. Higa is not nearly as esteemed as the Shima family, but we are just as old. I am the first one known in my family tree to have developed chakra.” She let her hands pause, a sudden surge of memories dashed across her eyes. In truth, she may have been born a merchant, but her family, her true family, were the men and women who laid claim to this hidden village. Her comrades in arms, even Satou, were closer to her heart than any relative she had. They opened their arms and welcomed her where as her blood feared her powers. But she would keep the darker part of her past away from the conversation. “Much like anyone, when they learned that I could manifest Chakra, I came to the Academy and was taught to control it. So I’ve spent almost half of my life within the village,” she uttered a short laugh, “and somehow I ended up tending to my sensei’s garden in her absence while I stay in one of her guest homes.”

It was now that Kahako noticed Shashu’s slumped form. “Shashu-chan?!” The swirling water fell away as Kahako leaned forward. She pulled the younger girl’s locks away from her face. “You didn’t fall asleep on me, did you?” she said with a giggle in her voice. In a split second, a mischievous thought crossed Kahako’s mind. Reacting quickly, she grabbed whatever limbs her arms could reach and pulled with her weight backwards and into the water. A squeak of delight uttered from her lips before the splash of two bodies rippled the calm hot spring. When they were both fully underwater, Kahako quickly pushed off the shallow bottom, taking care that Shashu didn’t hit her head while she was unbalanced and brought her back to the surface just as quickly as she pulled them under.

Genuine laughter filled her lungs. “Revenge!” she clamored. She brushed the wet strands of hair that clung to her cheeks. “…for sneaking up on me earlier!” There was something about Shashu that comforted Kahako, despite not knowing the girl for long. Maybe the massage was therapeutic for both of them. She laughed fully as she settled once more in the water. Enjoying the turned tables, “I am glad to have met you both today.” Her mirth finally died away as she settled again against the edge. “I needed this more than I thought I did.”

[MFT 500+]

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

It didn't take Shashu long to doze off with the combination of friendly company and gentle massages. It seemed like her eyelids were weighed down with something unspeakably heavy, closing her eyes at the same time it bowed her head. Being a peaceful sleeper, there was little indication that the ANBU had fallen asleep aside from the closed eyes and slowed rate of breathing. Well, that and her complete lack of contribution to the conversation.

She wasn't truly asleep to be honest, but in that magical half-way zone where dreams seemed to pop up instantly but one still had a marginal awareness of the world around them. It was Shashu's favourite place, and not five seconds after she closed her eyes she found herself drifting upon the ocean and looking up at the sky. Light caresses on her back caused her to glance back, revealing Kahako in mermaid form, but with squid tentacles instead of fish fins.

Well, that's oddly fitting. Shashu thought, then followed the mer-Kahako's gaze over to a bloody red fog-man floating slightly above the waves. Ah. That must be Taishou-san then. He did say something about the Hidden Mist I guess, makes sense. The two were having a pleasant conversation about Sairasu's homeland, one that seemed to make him wistful for better days gone past. As he described the place small islands shot up out of the water, each covered in monstrous creatures of one form or another, and froze the water around them. The area they were in was still fine, as they were right over a volcanic vent.

This was followed by Kahako mentioning her family, and as she talked about them more mer-squids appeared and began swimming around in the warm waters, diving for what seemed like buried treasure and tending underwater banzai trees. Hehehe. And that one guy who tried to sell me hallucinogens told me I would never see anything as crazy as what they could show me. Obviously he doesn't sleep much.

At that point the mer-Kahako shook her for some reason, asking if she was still awake. Obviously, She thought. This is way too neat to fall asleep. Though to the real Kahako all that came out was a murmured "Mmmm. Berga frigga resh." Apparentely mer-Kahako didn't see that as an acceptable answer, and dunked her beneath the waves.

When she resurfaced, sputtering and red-faced, she found herself not in the mystical waters of the Village Hidden in the Squid, but in the rather normal (yet still relaxing) waters of the hot spring with Kahako laughing her ass off. Shashu glared and poked her in the belly in retribution for her so called 'revenge', but she was smiling as much as the other girl. She was glad that she seemed to be enjoying herself in contrast to her earlier glumness. The ANBU dunked her head up to her eyeballs and surveyed the two as Kahako settled back down, remarking that she was glad to have met them today.

"Hey, everybody needs a nice break every now and then. Too much work too often weighs you down." Shashu said, popping her head above water. She grinned. "Which is why I come here pretty much every day!"

Idly she paddled around, not wanting to make too much stir in the water but equally unwilling to sit still. While she did so she addressed the foreign nin. "So Taishou-san, what were the Shinobi of Mist like? Or are like, I suppose. I read somewhere that not all Shinobi villages follow our structure, some even cast aside the label of Shinobi, preferring to be called 'warriors' or some such."

[MFT-606]​

 

[Akira Kazan]

He was rather enjoying this conversation with the two of them. They made his time in the hot springs all that much more enjoyable, but small talk was always a little awkward; especially with strangers, while naked, and trying not to be a pervert. "I have no doubt in my mind that I’ll revive the hidden mist one day, even if I have to change the village’s location.”<i></i> He said with a smile. ”But tell me about your sensei, mine was a monster. He use to beat the crap out of me for fun, or at least that’s what it seemed like to me.”<i></i> He told Higa, before shifting his attention to shashu. ”Miss Tsuirakuya, some former mist shinobi are as kind hearted and hard working as they come, but others are ruthless, vindictive, and sadistic. Most of us would go out of our way to help even the smallest animal, as to where some of us would watch you drown just for the sake of seeing how long it would take. But, I suppose every village has Shinobi like that. I’ve met a couple out in this world so far who wanted to kill me just for my jacket.” He told her, not trying to make mist look bad, but trying to be honest with her.

”I use to be one of those people.”<i></i> He said, swallowing his pride and relieving painful memories. ”I became a medical ninja just to prolong the life of my enemies, so I could make them suffer more.”<i></i> He told them, knowing it would sound odd and weird. By now, he surely had to have their attention. ”For a long time, I was filled with bloodlust and anger and nearly nothing could satisfy my desire to fight. But that was a long time ago and that’s just not who I am anymore. Back then, I had no desire, no goals, and nothing to worry about. I guess losing your home, your entire family, your dog, the love of your life, your unborn child, your friends, and your future just forcibly changes you. Some men would have nothing else left to lose, but luckily I gained something more valuable; a purpose, a compassionate heart, and a sense of duty.”<i></i> He told them, letting them know more about himself, his personality, and his ambitions.

Sitting back, still relaxed he closed his eyes, looked down, and stared into the water near his feet. ”Sorry for ranting so much; I guess I just have a lot to say.”<i></i> He told them, before reaching towards his knee. It was rather sore, especially after his last mission and all he wanted to do was relax it.

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

The convictions heard in Sairasu’s voice left Kahako feeling as confident as he sounded. For who was she to naysay? His smile was contagious, and left Kahako a little speechless. She couldn’t wish him luck or pray for his success when his confidence was as solid as it was. Fortunately, she did not have to worry about commenting, because he asked her about her sensei and spoke more upon himself.

Just as she did with others, Kahako listened. It was such a bitter life he lived and there was so much he lost. But when he admitted to how he was in the past, before he lost everything, she could not feel complete sympathy for him. It was truly unfortunate that he had to learn in such a hard manner. At least now he seemed to be a better man. He also gave Kahako a moment to reflect on the question he asked her. About her sensei and the relationship she had.

“You have no need to apologize, Sairasu-san,” she spoke softly, the weight of his past heavy on her own heart. She looked at nothing but the water, her mind wandering, remembering. “Everyone is entitled to their own sorrow. Hearts are not comparable with a form of measure because all of it is irreplaceable.” She closed her eyes. “Kitsune-sensei… she was a fickle woman, anyone how knew her could tell you that, but she had a wild compassion about her. She fiercely protected those she loved, and meant well to anyone who gained her trust.” She cracked a smile. “She slipped me a concentrated potion once. The results were… unexpected, but I soon grew to realize that she did indeed only want me to feel better about myself. Though, I still get a little irritated thinking about it even today.“

Kahako could see a flash of the flaming red hair behind her lids. What her teacher looked like behind her desk at the Aesculapium… the red of her Sharingan that she kept constantly active. She opened her eyes again, loneliness taking hold in Kahako’s green orbs. “She died protecting our country… at least, she was legally dead. No one could obtain a pulse and her chakra systems were lifeless. Yet… at her funeral she opened her eyes as if life was forced back into her body.” Kahako remembered being at the funeral, standing strong among the medical shinobi when all she wanted to do was be alone. “I remember seeing it myself. It was nothing short of a miracle. Shortly after that, she just… vanished.”

By now, her hands were clasped tightly together. She felt a little better now, but it was still a difficult memory. “It has been some months since she left, but this is the first time I have been able to freely speak about it. I did not realize how much she meant to me until I thought she was gone, and just when I thought I had a second chance….” Kahako could do nothing but provide a sad smile. She didn’t want to bring down the mood, but it seemed that she had done just that. “I know she will return one day, so I will continue to maintain her home until then. The mansion was closed off to everyone, but the grounds still need to be taken care of along with the guest homes.”

Once more, Kahako pulled herself from her bath. She stretched her arms outward, letting the muscles loosen. “Ahh… that was pleasant.” She said reaching for her towel. Quickly she wrapped it around her body, protecting it from the chill in the air. “Shashu-chan, Sairasu-san, are you hungry? If neither of you are busy, you are more than welcome to my home. I have plenty to share. Oh! And if you haven’t found lodgings yet Sairasu-san, you are more than welcome to stay at the second guest home during your time here. There is the Dragon’s Rest hotel, but I hear it is an expensive place to stay.”

Kahako grabbed another towel and began to dry her hair.

[MFT]

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. The ANBU thought to herself as Sairasu answered her question. To be perfectly honest, she had been hoping to hear of some crazy stories or customs, and was a bit disappointed with the answer she was given. With the reputation that Mist had in some of the stories she had read, finding out that reality painted them much the same as the Shinobi she knew caused her to wonder why they were depicted as such bloodthirsty savages by other peoples. Surely there is some reason for it....

Rather than get the chance to further pick the Mist-nin's brains, Shashu found herself listening to an account of how he had changed from the exact sort of Shinobi she had heard of into someone with the sort of conviction and sense of duty she had come to expect from her fellow Kumo-nin. She pondered the implications of what the foreigner said. If someone as despicable as the person he had once been could change so much when everything was stripped away, isn't it possible the reverse could be true? If one's world was shattered completely asunder would even the most devout soul turn to the same depths of depravity, lashing out at the world that had wronged them? That's something to bear in mind I suppose...everyone is capable of change when pushed into a corner.

It was a sobering thought, to be sure. She didn't think any less of the man for his history, it wasn't in her nature to hold the past against the present, but nonetheless his story stirred up troubled thoughts. It reminded her of her mother, and how she left everything she had known to save her from the sort of life she had been forced to live, and brought new perspective as well. Shashu had never really thought about why things might have happened the way they did when she had only just been born.

She shook her head. Those were thoughts for later, when she had private time to think about them in peace. For now, Kahako had brought up her own teacher in response to Sairasu's earlier query. Kitsune's apparent death and subsequent resurrection had been a pretty shocking occurrence for everyone involved, Shashu included, especially thrown in the wake of Masao's death as well. She hadn't known the woman near as well as Kahako, but the time they did spend together had given Shashu a good impression of her. She was...vibrant is the word. Still is actually, I suppose. Even if she was rather pervy sometimes....

A smile crossed her face at the same time as it did Kahako's, though the memories that prompted the feeling differed. The short amount of time she knew the woman had left an impact on her, and it was with some degree of empathy that Shashu rested a hand on the other girl's shoulder. A gentle squeeze to let her know she knew at least part of her problems.

An abrupt change of topic followed as Kahako stood up and made to dry off. She invited both Shashu and Sairasu to have dinner with her at the mansion, an offer that Shashu ultimately decided to take up. Normally she would have stopped for food at the Dragon's Rest since she could always wheedle some free food from Maya, the head chef, but tonight was looking to be different. Besides, she still hadn't really gotten an answer to her question.

"I think I'll take you up on that Kahako-chan." She replied, getting up to dry off herself. The young ANBU decided to cheat rather than spend time toweling off, and simply repelled the water from her body with a current of chakra. She repeated the process with her hair, channeling chakra through her hands to literally squeeze the water out like one might squeeze toothpaste from a tube. "You might as well come too, Taishou-san. Take it from someone who used to work there, Kahako-chan is right about the Dragon's Rest. It's a great place to stay, and the food is absolutely wonderful, but it is by no means cheap. They usually cater to high-ranking officials and foreign dignitaries." Shashu paused, then added, "Although, it also houses the foreign embassy, so if you really wanted you could probably swing room and board for a little while under Kumo's good graces. I would like the opportunity to talk more about your home country though, so at least take her up for dinner."

[MFT: WC-750]​

 

[Akira Kazan]

The conversation continued and the three of them seemed to have gotten along great; at this point, Sairasu was invited back to Higa’s home for dinner and offered a place to stay. Nodding, he smiled and watched them both stand out of the water and dry themselves off. He had seen every inch of their body he wanted, and he was a little awestruck at the beauty of the hidden cloud, but he was trying his best to maintain his composure. Leaning forward again, he lifted his arms out of the water and pushed himself to his feet. There he stood, bare, flaccid, and proud. A man like him knew very little shame, and was comfortable flaunting off his appendages, though it wasn’t like him these days. There was a time where he would do some pretty outrageous things, but that just wasn’t who he was anymore. Grabbing a tower, he slowly tied it around his waist and followed. ”I’ve enjoyed myself with the both of you, so dinner and a place to stay sounds nice. Though, surely I can repay you somehow for your kindness? It’s not my custom to burden someone else.”<i></i> He stated.

"Some people in this world are rather mysterious and do obnoxious things, but a good bit of them are good people. Your former Sensei sounds like a caring person."<i></i> He told Higa, as he glanced at her. Focusing his attention towards Shashu, he continued. "You can ask me anything about The Hidden Mist that you want. I see no harm in answering a few questions here and there, but don't be surprise if I ask you a few in return."<i></i> He said with a slight smile and a chuckle. He was gonna play a little game with both of them, just to see what kind of people they were mentally. Personal questions, questions of past memories, and moral questions; all meant for him to figure out exactly what kind of people they were, and perhaps to get close to one of them.

”I’ll go get dressed, and I suppose I’ll be waiting out front for the two of you. Take your time and no rush.” He said as he turned and began walking to the men’s locker room. Going to the showers first, he soaped up, got clean, and dried off only before going to his locker and putting his cloths back on. Boots, jeans, a belt and his naval jacket hung over his shoulder with his sword across his back. Walking out towards the front, he waited for them both while he ran a comb through his hair.

[WC: 400+] [Marked]

OOC: Sorry for the wait, I've been rather busy OOC.

 

[Shinrya Kahako]

A light pressure came from her side. Kahako looked over to see Shashu’s hand on her own shoulder. The light sorrow in her eyes told her that in some way, Shashu knew Kitsune as well. ‘I wonder how,’ Kahako thought as she continued to dry herself. Suddenly, when Sairasu stood, Kahako couldn’t help but silently blush. Immediately she pushed her face into the towel she was using to dry her hair off with, pretending like she was rubbing the water away from her face.

A smile formed as both had agreed to join her for dinner. “Wonderful!” she said happily lifting her head up after she quickly hid her embarrassment “Hmm…I buy most of my food in bulk, so I don’t have to stop anywhere along the way….” she said, thinking to herself out loud more than to the two in front of her. When Sairasu asked about somehow paying her back, Kahako simply shook her head. Her eyes glittered with delight, still riding the high that there would be someone with her at Kitsune mansion. “Your company is more than enough for means of compensation, Sairasu-san. Besides, you are a guest by my request, what type of hostess would I be if I demanded some form of repayment? Same goes for you, Shashu-chan.”

In truth, only Satou would visit her regularly. With no one living at the mansion and no family to call upon in a friendly manner, Kahako was lonely. Something as simple as dinner with both Shashu and Sairasu made her quite happy. “Ask away, Sairasu-san. As long as it isn’t state secrets.” She added playfully, “like I have any.”

”I’ll go get dressed, and I suppose I’ll be waiting out front for the two of you. Take your time and no rush.” He said as he turned and began walking to the men’s locker room.

“Okay, see you out front,” Kahako said with a wave before heading to the women’s locker room with Shashu. Once inside, Kahako began getting ready to leave herself. “He seems nice, doesn’t he Shashu-chan?” She asked when she knew they were alone. “Not at all what I’ve heard about foreign shinobi.” She pulled out her tan jacket and scarf last, carefully covering the bite scars that littered her arms and neck. Sitting down on the bench to lace up her boots and put on her gloves, Kahako felt a sudden rush of dizziness.

She leaned to the side a little, just barely tipping before pulling her arm out to regain her balance. ‘Hmm… seems I stayed in too long. I’m going to have to change my eating habits as well.’ She thought to herself before pulling out a small medicine bottle. With a little shake, what could only be determined as blood pills clinked their way into her palm. Taking one, she popped it into her mouth before swallowing it dry and putting the bottle away. “Are you ready?” she asked, turning to Shashu. Once they were both outside, Kahako would spot Sairasu and lead them both to Shinrya Mansion.

[Topic Left. I've Already started another topic. Please join! I am enjoying RPing with the both of you. http://www.ninpocho.com/viewtopic.php?f=231&t=38837]

 

[Tsuirakuya Shashu]

Shashu made no attempt to avert her eyes from the foreign nin while she was drying off, giving him another once-over now that she could see his entire body. He was a good looking guy without a shred of modesty, but Shashu wasn't really affected by nakedness...unlike Kahako, who blushed and stuffed her face into a towel as Sairasu pulled himself out of the water. She herself looked him in the eye and grinned right back at his remark.

"Looking forward to it," she said in response, with an off-hand wave as he made his leave. The older med-nin sauntered off to replace his towel with actual clothing, leaving Kahako and Shashu to do the same. This should certainly be an interesting dinner...

After following the other girl back to the changing room, she changed back into her loose black pants and tunic. Normally she would be hesitant to put on dirty clothes after a bath (she had just been training after all, and training is dirty, sweaty work), she came back to a set of clean clothes courtesy of her resident demonic cleaning spirit. Thanks again Houki. She thought, patting the summoning scroll affectionately.

Kahako's question drew her attention back to the busty med-nin in the midst of changing. "Heh, I bet he seemed pretty nice below the belt too eh? Not at all what you had heard about?" She teased, nudging the older girl with her elbow. In doing so, she noticed the bite marks gracing Kahako's arms and neck for a second before they were hastily covered up. She wanted to ask where they came from, but sense won over curiosity for the moment. Most people (a few such as Sairasu and herself excluded) considered it a personal thing to ask such questions. Those are some scars...though I supposed that's to be expected, being a Shinobi. I wonder what beastie caused em...

"But for reals, he seems alright. Pretty laid back for a Shinobi of the so-called 'Bloody Mist', but you never know. Should be pretty interesting though."

The scars might not have worried Shashu, but when Kahako almost keeled over from dizziness and popped a couple blood pills she couldn't help but feel a bit concerned. She raised an eyebrow at the other girl, but no answer was forthcoming. Instead, she replied with a simple "Are you ready?" to which Shashu nodded, following her out. Once they had met up with Sairasu, Kahako led the way to the mansion.

Maybe it was just dizziness from the bath, but something seems a little sketchy... Shashu thought, her eye on her friend's back. Well, whatever it is can wait til after dinner. I'll ask her when we have some private time.

[MFT: WC-455]​

 

[Akira Kazan]

There he stood, outside the hot springs waiting for Kahako and Shashu, dressed in his standard Peacock attire; muscles flaunted in all their glory. ”I can’t really believe I’m making friends this easily. These cloud Shinobi seem almost to friendly.” He thought to himself, as he began to look around. Within a moments time, he spotted them both and decided it was time to hit em up. Approaching them, he nodded before speaking. ”Ladies, shall we?” He said, before opening the door for them. Following behind them, he gazed at their beauty from afar. "I'm pretty lucky at the moment. Many men would be jealous of this opportunity in front of me." He thought while walking.

[Wc; 100+]
[Topic left]