Hungry Dreamers [Free RP/Private]

[Suika]

A grand stage centered in Grand Palais's entertainment district radiated with shining lights and dazzling decorations. Thousand upon thousands of people surrounded the stage as they anticipated the arrival of their idol. “Shiraha! Shiraha!” chanted the crowd excitedly in unison. Girls of all ages (particularly teens) screamed out compliments, both appropriate and inappropriate, about the man's attractive appearance. Even men, who were not really into the celebrity scene, awaited the star's arrival on stage as to admire his supreme masculinity. Everyone loved him; Shiraha was Sunagakure's beloved and well-known Pop Star.

In a flash of smoke, mirror and light tricks, and catchy music, the white-haired man made his entrance on stage in a showy fashion. The middle part of the stage rose a platform that elevated from underground, and on it, Shiraha. From head to toe, he was covered in jewels and gold, and wore clothing made of the finest fabric (or really, wore little. Gotta show off that bod). With an overly confident grin and a seemingly unshakeable demeanor, it was needless to say that he knew he was hot stuff.

The idol slowly and dramatically walked forward, and with every step closer to the mic that stood at front-center stage, the crowd's roars grew stronger. People even began to throw roses and coins at his feet, and he hadn't even performed yet. Fame was beautiful and he loved it. After a couple of minutes of letting his presence soak, the star finally grabbed a hold of the mic and called out to his fans. “Thank you! Thank you all! You're too kind!” he waved, posed, and threw a couple of flirty winks, causing the audience stir more wildly. “Your idol, Shiraha, is here! Get ready for the show of your life!”

He opened his arms wide and laughed out with pure joy. Life could not get any better...

*THUMP!!!*

“OW!” exclaimed the tanned-skin Inuzuka as he rubbed his head. His vision was foggy, and his eyes tried to readjust to the world around him. What exactly was happening?

Oh, right. Back to reality.

“Wake up, Rara-kun.” growled an ethereal-like wolfdog which manifested enough to thump his master's head with another small rock. “Are you having dreams of grandeur again?”</B><i></i> The wolfdog sighed, and Shiraha remained silent as he rubbed his face. “Anyways, break time is over. You need to make some cash, and quick. You're practically a bum with no where to go, and it scares me that you're roaring stomach didn't wake you up before I did. I don't want you to join me; the afterlife isn't pretty.”

Shiraha stood himself up, yawned, and stretched. Getsurei was right about one thing; he was starving! He sighed and gave a 'pat' to his canine companion; he was harsh, but he always had his human's best interest in mind. “You're right, Rei-kun. I haven't made it big time yet! Until then, I gotta make a living somehow.” he picked his ear, grabbed his guitar, and headed down a dirt path. “Lord knows I won't embark on a mission, either! It pays the rent, but it doesn't feed the soul. My passion lies in music, and like every struggling artist, I'm just paying my dues. I'll get there soon enough. So don't worry, Rei-kun.” The Chuunin gave his wolfdog a wink which resulted in an irritated growl from his 'furry' friend. The man was obviously delusional.

Finally arriving at his favored spot in the entertainment district (right between the cut-off of it and the shopping district), Shiraha took his polished guitar, lied out its empty black case in front of him, and started to play various chords. His fingers were calloused and appeared experienced when it came to fingerings and the picking of his chosen instrument. His movements were sure and fluid, and with every strum came a harmonious sound. While doing this, he also did a few vocal warm-ups, too. His tone quality was a bit raspy at first, but after a few scales, he finally reached a full and ready tone. He played with his hair a bit, too, and did a quick check of his reflection in a nearby window; he looked great and was pleased with himself. Despite his poverty, he always somehow managed to upkeep his appearance. Vanity, maybe? Anyways, it was time to begin.

Shiraha strummed an upbeat song and sang lyrics of love and hope. His voice was pretty remarkable for someone who was never professionally trained in vocal musicianship, and his note accuracy on the acoustics were pinpoint. Regardless of this, this was only enough to draw in a few coins and shorthanded praises.

“I'm telling you, Rara-kun...” Getsurei's voice remained firm, but sympathy leaked from his tone, “dreams don't pay the bills. Just go back to your full-time shinobi duties... what are you so afraid of?”

“You know the answer to that, Rei-kun.”<i></i> he answered quickly with a bit of bitterness, his cheery personality almost plummeting completely in a matter of seconds. His wolfdog winced as a result, and taking notice instantly, a surge of guilt struck him like a flying bag of potatoes. Shiraha shook his head, grinned fervently, and attempted to lighten the mood. There was no need for frowns right now! “Don't worry, Rei-kun. I got this! Or my name isn't Shiraha the Magnificent and Sexy!” he laughed out an overly-cocky chuckle and placed his hands on his sides, posing in a cheesy manner. He was cut-off, however, by a particular angry and impatient organ.

<B>“Ooohh!”<i></i> he moaned, clenching onto his upset stomach. It obviously disagreed with him; it was like betrayal. “On second thought, make that a maybe, Rei-kun. I 'maybe' got this...”<i></i> he continued to laugh, but this time was more aware and cautious. Being a dreamer was fun and all, but dang, was he hungry! No matter, all he could do now was continue to play his music and sing. Perhaps he'd pull off enough cash to indulge in a buffet somewhere. “Mmm, buffet... sounds nice.”

And so he continued.

 

[Okibi]

"What Okibi do with this?"

The purple haired girl held a small metal plate over her head as she lie on her back. She turned it this way and that, but no matter what way she looked at it, it just looked like useless metal. Her 'ride' coughed, making her body shake for a moment. The enormous black doberman was more than big enough to hold up all of her slight weight. He craned his neck and looked at the girl on his back with red glowing eyes. "It's a symbol, and you can do whatever you want with it. It seems that most of the people who graduate from the academy attach it to some cloth and wear it on their foreheads. Some people wear it in other places though. You could put it on a favorite piece of clothing too, if you want." He grinned as he said the last part and turned around, knowing what was coming next.

The girl scoffed and growled, making the giant dog rumble with quiet laughter. "Okibi hate clothes..." She said quietly, rolling over so she was on her stomach. She let the metal forehead protector dangle with her arm, and looked at the shops and windows passing by with a bored expression. As she grew quiet, the dog looked back at her once more, just slightly worried. His human wasnt usually the quiet, thoughtful type.

Suddenly, Okibi blinked and sat up, leaning to the right. She heard something coming from a few streets over and was curious as to what it was. "Seven, what that?" She asked the beast without looking at him. The dog blinked and turned his pointed ears in the direction she was listening. When he caught what he thought she heard, he blinked again. "It sounds like a string instrument." He explained. The curious light in Okibi's eyes intensified and she nudged him, silently telling him to go in that direction. It wasnt like they were out doing anything in particular, so what was the harm? Seven shrugged and turned down the street from which the music came.

Okibi didnt know what she was expecting to find, but for some reason the sight of the young man with the oddly shaped wooden thing in his hands brought her up short. The sound coming from the 'instrument', as Seven called it, were beautiful and soothing to her ears. The pair stopped far enough away that the musician wouldnt notice them. They watched as a few of the people who passed by would drop a coin or two into the open case in front of him. Okibi wondered about this for a moment... until the young man started to sing.

If she thought before that the sounds he made with his fingers was pretty, she was absolutely touched by what came out of his mouth. She slipped the forehead protector into the back of her underwear and leaned forward against Sevens large head. Quietly, she watched and listened as the stranger sang and played, while all the time a person here and there left him some money. As his song drew to a close, Okibi's eyes narrowed questioningly. "Why they do that?" She asked Seven, pointing to the case that housed the measly few coins left by passersby. Seven hummed thoughtfully as he considered the the dark skinned youth. "Well, I think that's why he's out here playing; to earn money." He said simply. Okibi frowned further and slipped off the dogs back. Brazenly, she marched over to where the white haired guy stood and knelt in front of his case.

There was hardly any money in there at all.

The sound of a gurgling stomach drew her attention upwards and she gave the dark skinned young man a long hard look. Her gaze trailed down to land on his abdomen, where the sound was coming from. Slowly, things were piecing together in her mind.

"Hi. Okibi is Okibi. What your name?" She asked, introducing herself as she held a hand out for a shake. If all went well, perhaps she would be able to go home later having done something good for someone else.

(I wasnt sure about seeing Gesturei, so Ill leave it out for now! 8D)

 

[Suika]

“La la la la~” sang Shiraha with a small, soulful scale. Despite his continually ongoing top-notched performances, his diaphragm felt a bit weak and his finger tips throbbed and pulsed from overplaying. That wasn't enough to stop him, however, for he had a super objective to accomplish; he had to collect enough money to afford his next meal. Curious about the amount of coins that had piled up, the tanned youth took a quick peak into the black instrument case that lied before him. “4... 8... 13... dangit.”

It still wasn't enough.

Disappointment.

He let out a weary sigh and tilted his head towards his ghoulish canine, muttering a helpless complaint. “They pity me, don't they, Rei-kun?” his hands remained strumming and were focused, but his mind wandered elsewhere. “Pity money! All they give is the forgotten scraps hidden deep within the depths of their pockets. Is raw talent not enough anymore?” It was a rhetorical question, but it was something he couldn't help but think about. Well, at this moment, anyways. He was simply feeling sorry for himself. The wolfdog shook his head in response and let out a semi-condescending remark.

“I wouldn't say I told you so, but-” Getsurei's ears perked as his tone shifted completely to that of interest. “Oh, I guess you got a new fan.”</B><i></i> The wolfdog gestured ahead, and Shiraha turned his head in response. A girl, probably a little younger than what he was, brazenly approached him and took a glance at his case. Her hair was a bizarre purple, and her eyes were cotton candy pink. Her whole look reminded him of sugary pastries and candy, and it was in that moment that his stomach roared out loud like a famished lion nearing his prey. Not that he wanted to eat her, though. He knew she wasn't made out of sugar; she was a human being! A human being that reminded him of dessert...

Her bold voice interrupted his train of thought, and he stood staring at her curiously as he tried to process it all. Did she just hear his stomach grumble? Wait, did she speak in third person, too? "Oh, her hand...” Shiraha shook his head and blushed. “Sorry!” he exclaimed as he leaned forward and offered the girl a firm and welcoming handshake. She was being friendly and he was unintentionally being rude. Where were his manners? “Nice to meet you, Okibi-san. I'm Shiraha, full-time street performer extraordinaire and aspiring professional musician, and this is...”<i></i> he pointed to his side where Getsurei stood, but winced as he remembered the condition of his faithful companion. Getsurei did the same.

<B>“...is my guitar!” He shifted his attention towards his stringed instrument and acted as if he meant not to introduce her to anyone else. It pained him to think Getsurei was unnoticed and muted from all other living beings, especially since he was such a major part of his life. Regardless, there was nothing he could do. He was lucky enough to at least have some manifestation of him present.

“So, you got a song request I'm assuming?” Shiraha positioned his guitar, put his foot on a nearby step, and readied himself for another melody. He wasn't too sure of her intentions for approaching him nor whether she overheard his hungry and impatient tummy, but all who went up to him had done so for the sole purpose of a song request. Okibi was probably no different; plus, brightening up someone's day was sufficient enough to temporarily pacify the aches in his abdomen. Music fed the soul, after all.

“You smell that, don't you?” asserted Getsurei thoughtfully. “It smells like... dog, and not the normal kind.” Shiraha took a whiff as he tapped into his enhanced smell. Rei-kun was right; it definitely smelt like some type of canine was near, but its odor was different than any ordinary one. Where could it-

Taking a small glance over Okibi's shoulder, the white-haired shinobi instantly spotted a peculiar-looking canine that was at least the size of a horse. His dominating presence startled the Chuunin for a second. “How didn't I notice that before?! I must be really out of it. My senses are off today.” Was he a friend of Okibi's? Hopefully. Either that, or they were in big trouble. He released a feeble and nervous cough, and he gestured Okibi coolly before he took on any song request. “How about your friend? Does he have a request?”

His thought process ran fast and frantically. “Lord, let that be her friend, please.” He did not feel like dealing with some oversized violent monstrosity today. Not on an empty stomach, at least!

[OOC: You can RP Okibi and Seven seeing Getsurei! Or at least Seven (animals see spirits, no?!) and have Okibi eventually adjust to his presence and see him. Whatever you wanna do!]

 

[Okibi]

(That second idea! I like it. Imma go with that! And I apologize in advance for the slight metagaming in this post, but I knew you wouldnt mind. )

As their hands met and a firm shake was shared, Okibi's eyes strayed to the left where the young man gestured. It sounded for a second as if he was going to introduce someone else, but instead quickly drew attention to his instrument. Well, at least Okibi knew what to call it now, but was that really what he'd intended to do? The girl rose an eyebrow and gave him a look full of suspicion. Without turning away from him, she whispered at Seven in beast tongue, "You think this guy is alright in the head?" She asked, pulling her hand away.

"Maybe, maybe not. You can never tell anymore." The large dog replied as he strolled over leisurely. He could see that which he assumed the boy had actually been intending to introduce, but wasnt quite sure why he stopped. The wolf standing next to the human was plain as day to him, if not just a slightly out of place... in a spiritual sort of way. He wasnt quite sure, but Seven sensed that there was something off about the canine. He watched the ghostly apparition as he stepped up next to his girl, wary but not unfriendly.

Okibi turned her raised brow look on Seven, sensing that his attention was split between her and something else. She saw that he wasnt even looking at her, but the empty space next to Shiraha. Her eyes traveled back and forth between her companion and the emptiness, but she could not figure out what he was looking at. Growing impatient, she was about to demand to know what Seven was doing when the white haired boys question stopped her short. Did they have a song to request? Okibi wasnt even very in to music, although she did think most of it sounded nice, so she couldnt even say that she knew any songs to request from him... but... She glanced down at his nearly barren case once more, and quickly made up her mind.

But before anything else could be done, one more introduction had to be made.

Gesturing at the large mutant doberman next to her, Okibi said, "This Number Seven, Cheeta." Seven bobbed his head in greeting, as he had finally looked away from the wolf that went unnoticed by everyone. The name his human used registered in the dogs brain and he rose a doggy brow at her. He was pretty certain he'd heard the boy call himself Shiraha. Where in the world did she get Cheeta?

No matter. There was no getting something out of the girls head once it got in there. The boy would be forever stuck with the feline reference.

Suddenly, Okibi squatted back down and started to gather Shiraha's guitar case - and without asking too. She picked it up and held it to her chest for a moment as she eyed the tanned youth. "If you sing Okibi song, Okibi pay with food. Is good?" She asked, although it was rather rhetorical as she'd already decided in her mind that that was how it was going to be. She would feed the guy, whether he wanted her to or not. With a sudden grin, she practically shoved the case into his arms and started to pull him along with her down the street. "What Cheeta like? Fishies? Fruits? Oh, how about meat? Okibi love meat." The girl would prattle as she made their way in search of something to devour.

As he watched his human assert her herself as she always did, Seven hung back for a moment to make an address. When the humans were out of earshot, he looked towards the ghostly wolf and nodded. "Is he your human?" He asked first of all, most curious as to the canines presence near the boy. He was curious about many other things regarding the creature before him as well, but figured it was best to start small. "I can only assume so since you seem to stick very near him."

[MFT]

 

[Suika]

Getsurei curiously stared at the dog before him. It appeared as if noticed his presence. Could he? Most other animals were able to partially sense him, but most were too dim-witted to be aware of him completely. Perhaps the giant was different? Either that or he was just a bit paranoid. No matter, his master could, and that was all he needed in companionship. Speaking of his which...

“Seven?”

Shiraha sighed in relief. The mutant doberman was her canine companion, which was pretty weird, but at least he wouldn't face any real trouble. Besides, past his harsh exterior, he looked friendly enough. It wasn't wise to judge a book by its cover. What was more alarming was the nickname Okibi gave him. Cheetah? Did she misunderstand him? Or did she just fancy giving people nicknames? She did seem a little odd, but she was also pretty cool and likeable. He'd let it slide for her.

“Well, nice to meet you, Seven.” he greeted with a small, kind wave. He was still a bit wary of the dog due to his tremendous size and his potential lethality, but Okibi was nice, and if this was her animal partner, then he at least had to match her in intentions somewhat.

Shiraha readied himself to strum his guitar and enter into song for the purple-haired girl, but halted once she grasped his case and brought it forward to him. It was random and uncalled for, but she must have had a reason. Eying her wonderingly, he heard out her generous and selfless offer. His tanned complexion shifted into a light red color, and he held out his hands.

“No, no, it's fi-” She didn't take no for an answer. He firmly grabbed the case that was shoved towards him and allowed himself to get dragged by Okibi down the street. Well, it was semi-willing; the girl was surprisingly strong. Ox-like, in fact.

Normally Shiraha would have denied such a charitable proposal due to pride, but other than his stomach's growls convincing him otherwise, Okibi seemed dead set. Oh well, 'when-in-Rome'.

“Well, Cheeta,” he coughed and corrected himself. Her own speech habit threw his off course for a second.“I mean, I like meat, too. So that's fine. Whatever you want, Okibi-san. Actually, I know a place that serves delicious meats and is quite affordable. It's over there!” he pointed towards a specific direction and allowed her to lead. He just trailed behind her as she pulled him along.

Getsurei stretched and prepared himself to shadow the white-haired youth. Before so, he was approached and questioned by Seven. “You can see me?”</B><i></i> he asked a bit shocked. Other than Shiraha, the doberman was the first to recognize his ghostly manifestation. His suspicious were confirmed; Seven was no ordinary canine. He must have been some type of shinobi dog, and a highly intelligent one at that. He continued, now answering the dog's question. “Yes, Shiraha, or 'Cheeta' as who I'm assuming is your human has nicknamed, is mine.”<i></i>

The wolfdog was intrigued by Seven's company and discernment, but felt a bit nervous. Other than Shiraha, he has had no interaction with any other living being in years. It was refreshing; truly, it was. Regardless, it's been so long that he forgot how to engage and carry conversation. Hopefully Seven didn't find him strange.

“So your name is Seven, right? I'm Getsurei, and I'd prefer if you didn't name me differently. Only Shiraha can call me whatever he likes.” he stated this plainly with no intention of coldness. That's just how he interacted; he was awkward. “By the way, I'm dead, if you haven't noticed.” The wolfdog had wasn't bashful about his state and didn't care to hide it – might as well break the ice now and skip the dramatics and suspicions later. “How am I able to manifest and remain part of this world? I'll let you know once I figure it out.” He gave the dog a respectful head bow and continued. “Anyways, it's nice to meet you, Seven. We can continue talking if you'd choose to, but let's catch up with our humans.” Getsurei entered out of the bow and casually walked forward. “Shiraha has a tendency to get into trouble. He's a nice guy and I love him, don't get me wrong, but just be cautious. Wherever Shiraha is, chaos, for whatever reason, is soon to follow.”

Did he reveal too much? No matter, with his warning given, Getsurei caught up to the group without waiting for Seven to accompany alongside him. He'd catch up if he chose.

“There it is, Okibi-san! Niku's Meat Bananza!” Shiraha excitedly pointed towards a medium sized restaurant with an intoxicating smoky aroma flowing from its open windows. His mouth watered and his stomach churned in anticipation. His heart throbbed rapidly, and his voice was shaky. <B>“It's all you can eat, Okibi-san. Let's do this! Yahoooo!”<i></i> This time he pressed forward and carried (if she allows him) Okibi along into the food place. He was too stoked to hold back any leftover reservation. “It's time to get our grub on! Itadakemasu, or however you say it!” <i></i>

Getsurei sighed as his human rushed in like an impatient child. He was so silly.

 

[Okibi]

As the ghost wolf introduced himself, Seven sat with a firm 'thump' and scratched at one of his pointed, scarred ears. He laughed when Getsurei requested not being called anything other than his name; poor creature probably assumed he would do so, since his human obviously had a knack for it. "No worries Getsurei, only my human has such a habit. Though, I dont think you have to worry about her, as it seems she can't see you..." Because he was dead - a ghost - an apparition! He was in the presence of a living, breathing spirit... in a manner of speaking.

When Getsurei cued their departure, Seven stretched momentarily before following him. They walked at a steady pace, not in a rush to catch up with their humans. Their scents were easily traceable after all. They passed by many a civilian, a good deal of which still gave him a large berth. Although his presence in the village was becoming a regular thing, there were still many who were wary of the way he looked. Although honestly speaking, it was truly his human that they really needed to watch out for.

And apparently, Getsurei's human as well.

Seven turned a wry grin on the spirit wolf. "You dont say." He said in a sing song voice. "He and Okibi should get along swimmingly then. She has a great propensity for landing herself in sticky situations as well. We havent lived in the village for more than a year, and already shes set a building on fire, caused an explosion or two, and somehow had her DNA altered so that her hair is now purple." Seven turned his head forward once more, and couldnt hide his wince. "I fear that her 'luck' is starting to spread to me. Just a few days ago a put a rather large hole in the side of the Kazekage tower. Quite the mishap." If he had hands just then, he would have used them to scrub his face tiredly. Just thinking about that incident made him tired.

As they approached the establishment their humans had chosen, Seven took a seat outside its doors, like a very large watch dog. "These sort of places dont take very well to me. I will wait out here." He said as he lowered himself to the ground and got comfortable.

Inside, Okibi was looking around with glassy eyes. All the smells, all the meat, it was like being in heaven! For a moment, Okibi lost sight of Shiraha as she was distracted by a buffet cart covered in hams and roasts. More than anything Okibi preferred raw meat, but she learned a while ago that people didnt react well when they saw her eating it that way. She'd since grown accustomed to eating it cooked, and had even come to like some of it greatly. The rump she was eyeing smelled almost too good to eat. Almost.

Okibi was just about to start piling the steaming meats into her hands when another patron stepped up beside her with a plate to take a slice. She eyed him and his tableware; she supposed it was best if she did it that way too. Grudgingly, Okibi abandoned the cart to search out some plates, and along the way, caught sight of Shiraha. "Hey! Cheeta! She called out, wading through a small crowd of people gathered around a larger buffet table. "Where you get-" She was cut off as something large and heavy bumped into her from the side. Somehow, the girl lost her footing and was sent sprawling out on a table covered in cold cuts and cheeses. The smell of the meat almost distracted her from her anger, but not quite.

With a snarl, Okibi leaped off the table and searched out the one who ran into her. He was a big man, and looked as though he might frequent the restaurant often, if his "Niku's Meat Bananza" bib was anything to go by. He was rather disgusting, covered in sauces and meat juices, and he obviously didnt care very much for his hygiene. This didnt bother Okibi so much as the sneer on his face did.

"Watch where you're going brat." Was all he said before turning away from her to focus on gathering a tray load of food. Okibi's mouth fell open in shock.

Oh hell no.

This fool wasnt even going to apologize for practically running her over! No way was she going to let his tubby butt off for such a transgression. You did not cross Okibi without suffering some pain. Or at least a turkey pummeling. With her anger now at its boiling point, Okibi reached for the nearest weapon, which just so happened to be a stuffed turkey, and chucked it at the fat man's head. It hit him just right, and with just enough force, that it sent him tumbling forward into the large buffet, making a mess out of the drumsticks and chicken wings he was picking at. His new turkey hat did wonders for his appeal, though.

But it wasnt enough to keep the entire restaurant from going quiet.


(I hope you can guess where I want this to go. 8D I'll give you a cookie if you can! *Hint hint: think high school cafeteria.)

 

[Suika]

Getsurei, as they headed to Niku's, kept an ear open for Seven's words even though he appeared uninterested. The dog's speech pattern definitely hinted a sculpted intelligence; the gigantic canine was no idiot. It intrigued Getsurei. Was he finally in similar company?

“I'm sorry for that. Sounds like quite the predicament.” he stated in understanding. If he had flesh and the ability to physically effect his surroundings, he'd probably get into trouble because of his human, too. Luckily (or not) he was only able to remain in spirit form; bad luck had already reached him long ago. He did not have to worry about how his master affected his life. No, not anymore.

Seven decided to remain outside due to his enormous size, and the ghostly wolfdog decided to do the same. There wasn't much he could do within alongside his master; plus, he enjoyed the mutated doberman's company. Not that he'd bring it to his attention. “Ah, wise choice. I'll stay out here with you if you don't mind.”</B><i></i> The canine apparition took a laid-back stance near his new larger acquaintance. Seven had a nice, flowy aura; it was one that put the wolfdog at immediate ease. “So,” attempting to stir conversation, he turned towards the dog and spoke in an interested and casual tone, “what's with the scars? I mean-”<i></i> Getsurei bit his tongue and sighed. He wasn't good at conversation. “Sorry, that was rude. I'm just curious. Feel free not to answer at all.” With that he sat silent. Hopefully he hadn't stopped the progression of this potential friendship. Oh well.

Meanwhile...

“Okibi-san,”<i></i> muttered the Chuunin as excitement escaped his lips, “we have reached paradise.”<i></i> The smoky aromas within the buffet invigorated every sense in his body. His mouth watered to a point where drool managed to escape, and his heart beat rapidly. Every type of meat known to man was in that place, and there was several sauces to glaze the food in. It was every carnivore's dream. “Help yourself, Okibi-san. We don't have to pay till afterward, anyway. I'm gonna go grab myself some food and I'll find a table for us. Happy hunting!”<i></i> With a huge grin that flashed his readied canines, Shiraha rushed towards a cart of plates and nabbed one at a hastened pace. It was time to pray tribute to the roaring beast.

“Now, to the buffet stan-”<i></i> interrupted by a familiar voice, he turned towards the girl that had brought him only to witness her topple over onto a table of food. “Ouch.” he asserted as he reached out to Okibi to help her up. The girl snarled, leaped off the table herself, and had begun to scout the room in search for something... someone? Yep, definitely someone. “Okibi...?”<i></i>

Shiraha stood and watched the girl confront a rather large man; he was probably the guy who knocked her down. He looked familiar though... why? He wasn't pleasant on the eyes and looked like your everyday slob, but he definitely recognized his ugly face from somewhere. OH!

“Crap!”<i></i> hissed the dark-skinned Inuzuka. He remembered. “He's a grunt. The loan-shark's grunt!” Yup, that he was. Shiraha ran out of cash at the last place he lived and had to get a private loan to pay rent. He received this loan from a shady organization no less, and he was long overdue to pay it back. He was eventually going to, well, as soon as he made enough; however, he barely made coin to scrape by. Trouble would be sure to follow if that man noticed him.

Sadly, he did.

The man shot a glance at Shiraha after he finished speaking to Okibi, and his face soured. He definitely took notice of the white-haired shinobi. With a small gulp, he took a few steps back as the grunt took steps forward. He was doomed. Well, all until a turkey leg was flung at his head, anyways.

“Direct hit! Okibi, my savior!”

The man plummeted forward onto a table of food and set other meaty goods flying all over the restaurant. Some landed on the plates of others, and the rest smacked people on different parts of their bodies. It made a mess. The civilians in Niku's growled and shot aggravated glances at the man; they were obviously upset. This sparked a scandalous idea within the Chuunin's brain. If there was ever a time to create a diversion, now was the time.

Grabbing onto some juicy steak, he stood near a preoccupied man and threw the meat at a random person in the restaurant. That person, now ticked, shot a glance towards his direction, which he took a side step, whistled, and pointed to the distracted guy besides him. “You whore!” shouted the victim in an overly pissed off tone as he launched a whole plate of buffalo wings at the innocent man. The guy besides Shiraha was now drenched in buffalo sauce and grew enraged. This caused a chain of food flinging and angered shouts. “FOOD FIGHT!”<i></i> announced the Inuzuka as he took advantage of the chaos and sneaked off to the buffet stand. He stuffed some meats into a table cloth he took from a nearby table, and in a thief-like fashion, marched towards the exit of the restaurant and flipped some coins at the waiter's station as to wipe his conscience.

Grabbing onto Okibi's hand (if she allowed him), he gestured at her. “Let's get out of here, Okibi-san! We don't want to stay here and have the manager tab us with some of the wasted meat! Or worse... being forced to wash dishes!” <i></i>

Outside, Getsurei rose an eyebrow and turned towards the entrance of the buffet. “Do you hear that?” he asked as he motioned Seven. He heard a commotion brewing inside of the restaurant; he had a bad feeling about this. “For some reason, I think this has Shiraha written all over it...”<i></i>

With the sudden emergence of the Chuunin out of the building, the wolfdog's suspicions were confirmed. There his master was with a tablecloth full of goods and Okibi right besides him. This had to be his doing. “Come on, Rei-kun, Okibi-san, and Seven! I grabbed a ton of meat, so we'll eat later. Let's bounce!”<i></i> The ghostly dog sighed and followed his master. What a fool he was!

“Did you even pay for that food?!” growled the canine as they ran, disapproving of his human's shameful behavior. “Of course I did! Well, kind of. They inconvenienced me and Okibi, Rei-kun. They're lucky I didn't file a report on them!”<i></i> Every word that came out of Shiraha's mouth was bull right now, but there was no arguing against it.

<B>“Baka...”

[MFT]

 

[Okibi]

Okibi didnt notice as the restaurant grew quiet around them; her blood was raging too hard in her ears. It was so silent you could hear a pin drop, or a piece of silver wear on the other side of the establishment. It might as well have been a gong, for the affect it suddenly had on the atmosphere. Someone shouted - it sounded suspiciously like Shiraha - and then... all hell broke loose. Meat was flying everywhere, and it wasnt until a piece of an unknown type fit her in the side of the head that she was snapped out of her rage haze. Juices dripped down her face as she looked around, blinking in confusion. When the heck did everyone start throwing their food!?

"Hey!" Someone yelled as they grabbed her shoulder and spun her around. A fist came flying at her, clutching a large leg of lamb, and was close to hitting her. Thanks to her quick reflexes though, she was able to bend backwards quick enough to avoid it. She glared at the man who assaulted her, feeling her blood starting to boil again. He was tall and skinny, with stringy, greasy hair that hung in his face. He was also wearing a bib that told her he was a patron of the restaurant, and judging by his smell, probably friends with the fat slob lying on the buffet table. The man shouted at her, spraying her with his spittle. "That was my friend you threw that bird at girly!"

He took another swing at her, but this time Okibi saw it coming from a mile away. She stepped to the right and avoided the punch, caught his arm, and used his own force to flip him heels over head. He landed with a 'splat' on the mess covered floor. Okibi spit on him after wiping her face and looked around. She snatched an airborne turkey from the food fight and slid it onto the thugs head. With a nasty grin, she pat him on the chest, though he was obviously too dazed to notice. "There, now you has hat too. Match ugly friend."

With that, she stood back up and dusted her hands, avoiding any meat projectiles that came her way as she searched for Shiraha. Sad as it was, it looked like they werent going to be able to dine there. Things were getting way too rowdy for her dining taste. Certainly, she enjoyed a good brawl, but definitely not while she was eating. She much preferred peace and quiet while she chowed down. A sudden yank on her arm nearly took Okibi off her feet, and if she hadnt picked his scent out from all the others flying around, she might have tried to floor Shiraha too. However, she let him drag her towards the exit, and noticed the large haul he had. The sight made her raise an eyebrow until he flipped a few coins at the dumbstruck waiter standing by the exit.

The girl impersonated a fish for a moment before she declared with indignation. "Hey! Okibi supposed to pay!" She dug into her training bra and pulled out some folded up bills held together by a heavy paper clip. She threw them at the waiter, getting him right in the head. "Keep change!"

Outside the restaurant, Seven was just about to divulge some of his past to Getsurei (after having taken a few minutes to reflect and question whether he wanted to or not), but was stopped when their humans came barreling out the doors and towards them. He stood to his feet quickly, as he could now hear the ruckus coming out of the open doors. He turned a tame glower on Okibi, frowning. He fell into step beside his human, not minding that the human boy was literally dragging her. "You were barely in there for ten minutes." He admonished while Getsurei and Shiraha went back and forth. Okibi blushed lightly and scratched at her purple head.

"Fat man started it..." She murmured.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

At exactly that moment, the fat man with the bib came tumbling out of the buffet doors, covered in filth and followed by his skinny friend and a parade of equally foul looking men covered in equal amounts of filth. Funnily enough, both were still wearing their turkey hats.

Shouts rang out as the fat man pointed after them. "Get those punks!" He exclaimed, and as though a dam broke, the crowd of guys behind him rushed forward.

Okibi made a face as Seven glared at her again. Definitely, she wasnt going to hear the end of it from him or Sousuke, should the latter ever find out. "You will explain later." Seven said before he sprung into action. He zipped around behind their small group, and ducked his head under Okibi and Shiraha's legs. The girl was used to him doing this, and easily slid down his large neck to rest on his back. However, she figured that Shiraha would be a little startled by the sudden action, and so wrapped her free arm around his waist to steady him from behind.

"Hold on." Was all the giant canine said before taking off like a rocket down the street, leaving the crowd of thugs in the dust. He quickly took to the roof tops, and vaguely hoped that Getsurei would be able to keep up with him in his ghostly form.

As they left the chaos behind, Okibi sighed and rested her forehead on Shiraha's back. Just as suddenly though, she was lifting her head back up and grinning over the young mans shoulder. "That kinda fun." She said cheerily. Seven jumped a wide gap, going from one building to the next, and purposefully landed badly, jostling the two humans. Okibi 'oomfed' and glared at the back of his large head around Shiraha. "Okibi already say was not her fault! Fat man pushed her!" Seven just growled in response, bringing that topic of conversation to an end. Okibi pouted and looked sideways at Shiraha.

A thought suddenly occurred to her as she rewound back to the moment they had just stepped out of the restaurant. Just before Seven started to scold her, she'd heard Shiraha talking to someone, except no one had been there for him to talk to. Her eyes narrowed on the boy suspiciously as she scanned his face. "Hey." She said, calling for his attention. "Who you talk to back there Cheeta? Okibi not see anyone else there. You crazy?"

And it was just too funny, because she asked that last question so casually. As they rode on the back of a giant black dog. Leaping from one tall building to another. In an underground village.

Well, their lives were already to unusual, would it really be anymore so if her new friend turned out to be a little messed up in the head?

 

[Suika]

After his little verbal exchange with his wolfdog, Shiraha gestured at Okibi and Seven as if it was time to make a hasty escape. While making his signal, he noticed something awfully peculiar. Both Okibi and her giant dog spoke to each other in plain common language. “He talks?”</B><i></i> he whispered to Getsurei, who just simply nodded and responded. “Of course he does. Why do you find that surprising? They're like us; they also have a bond.” It made sense; the Chuunin knew he and his partner weren't the only shinobi-animal duo that had such rare abilities and traits. They were probably the same. Either that, or the mutant doberman was indeed some sort of experiment gone wrong. It was an intriguing thought, but it didn't really matter. They had more important matters to focus their attention on.

“Uh-oh...”

The hairs on Shiraha's neck rose as he heard the fat man's angry voice resound through the air. The grunts were in pursuit. The dark-skinned shinobi was confident that he'd be able to take them all down easily, but the last thing he needed were vengeful loan-sharks after him or the girl he was with. Their best bet was to outrun and gain distance from the band of crooked and food-wearing men; he'd just deal with them later after he paid his debt.

“Okibi-san, Seven-san,”<i></i> he called out with a bit of unease as he took a couple of steps back, “let's make like a banana and spli-”<i></i>

His phrase was interrupted by the doberman's sudden approach. Shiraha almost cursed as he was swept off his feet and onto the back of the gigantic canine. He was taken by surprise and didn't anticipate it in time to balance himself, but luckily Okibi gave him a helping hand and aided him to a secure position on top of the dog. “Thanks, Okibi-san.” he uttered as he made a tight grasp on Seven while also taking a firm hold of the bag of meats he collected from Niku's. He had a good idea where this was going, and he definitely did not want to lose the meats that Okibi bought with her own cash (mostly).

With slight notice, the humungous doberman took off like a torpedo and left the grunts in a cloud of sand.

They were off!

Shiraha turned his head towards the men before they made too much distance and childishly stuck his tongue out at them and waved. He'd probably pay for that later, but it was well worth it. “See ya later, ladies!”<i></i> he taunted with a bit of thrill coating his tone. They immediately took the roofs after that, and Getsurei trailed behind them somewhere. He'd catch up eventually; after all, the wolfdog was transparent and was able to walk through practically any object. He was pretty smart, too, which always helped.

“Woo!”<i></i> Shiraha laughed out loud as adrenaline still coursed its way within his body. “I agree, Okibi-san! In a way, I had a blast.”<i></i> It was long since he experienced such crazy 'fun'. Though, it wasn't so much fun as it was rejuvenating to experience something so wild with someone other than his ghostly companion. Okibi was a cool girl, and Seven seemed pretty friendly so far; he was pumped to have a developing friendship form with them.

“Oof!”

After a wide leap, one of their landings on a roof wasn't as smooth as the previous ones. Seven had excellent control when it came to building-hopping, so it was apparent that the faulty landing was on purpose. “Eh, that's probably just his way of telling us he disapproves. He reminds me of Rara-kun.” The wolfdog would have probably been scolding him at this moment if he were present; however, he was still no where to be seen oddly.

Speaking of the devil...

A bead of sweat dropped from Shiraha's face after Okibi had shot out her question. Who did he talk to? Usually, he did very well in hiding Getsurei's presence for the very fact most people would think he's crazy for claiming his dog's spirit still lived besides him. So how would he answer her? Would he not seem crazy regardless? He paused and thought about it before he answered. Although most would think he's insane for claiming such paranormal activity (or be in disbelief), Okibi seemed different. She appeared to be trusting and open-minded; besides, chances were Seven probably took notice of his presence, too. Most animals did.

“I was talking to my wolfdog named Getsurei, Okibi-san.”<i></i> he stated simply as he focused onward. “He's a ghost – a nice one, that is. He died a few years ago, and his spirit is still with me for some reason.”<i></i> With a small grin and genuine eyes, he turned his head towards the girl and continued with an assured tone. “It may sound impossible or insane, but it's true. Ask Seven. And as for the crazy part...”<i></i> he winked at her playfully, “...maybe.”

He chuckled lightly before his half-wolf suddenly decided to make his appearance. His body went upward through the roof's surface and besides the group; he easily kept up with Seven's pace. “Missed me?”<i></i> he asked sarcastically. He shot his human a curious glance, and then turned his eyes towards the purple-haired kunoichi. “You know, you shouldn't explain such complex matters so plainly, especially with someone who can't see me unlike Seven over here.”<i></i>

Shiraha shrugged. Honesty was the best policy, and being straightforward with it was the best approach. It'd be harder to fabricate some type of showy explanation or story; sometimes, the best answers came in the form of simplicity.

“Oh, Okibi-san,” addressed the white-haired youth with slight confusion spread across his face, <B>“where are we heading off to, by the way? I spend so much time at Grand Palais that I forget directions and where the village's paths lead.”<i></i>

Hopefully they'd stop by somewhere soon so that they could finally chow down; he was starving! Adrenaline momentarily made him forget about his growling stomach, but now it was more apparent than ever. He wanted and needed food in his system as soon as possible. Sirloin steak. Mmm.

[MFT]

 

[Okibi]

Images flashed through Okibi's mind as Shiraha explained to her that he was talking to his dead wolf companion before. She saw a rundown street, a dirty altar, and a building on fire. That'd been the first time she was introduced to anything 'spiritual', and at the time she'd been unable to really comprehend much of it. Still, she wasnt sure she understood the concepts of spirit beings or gods, but she was pretty sure she knew what a ghost was. She quickly came out of her trip down memory lane and looked sideways and Shiraha, suspicious.

"Ghost dog." She said, repeating his words in her own speech. It was apparent that she was doubtful about Shiraha, especially since he just admitted to possibly being crazy. Okibi took most everything at face value, and so didnt consider the possibility that the guy was just playing with her. But, he'd said that Seven could vouch for him, so she turned her suspicious eyes on the back of the dogs head.

As though he could sense her looking at him, Seven answered her unasked question without looking back at them. "I dont know what he's talking about." He said in a very even tone. Neither of the humans could see it, but he was actually grinning. Of course he knew about Getsurei - he'd been talking to the fellow not moments ago - but what fun was it to just go along with everything all the time? Sometimes, it was more interesting to just... not.

Okibi nodded her head slowly and hummed as she looked back at Shiraha. "Ghost dog." She said once more, although this time she sounded more like she was humoring him, rather that suspicious. She pulled back so she was looking at Shiraha's hair instead of his face and pat his back. "Is okay Cheeta. You not Okibi's first crazy friend. Still like you!"

It was around this time that the ghost dog whom Okibi did not believe in reappeared and caught up with them. Seven looked at him out of the side of his eye, still grinning. "We deal with crazies all the time." He commented, looking at the dead wolf, but sounding like he was responding to Okibi. He hoped the other canine would catch his drift.

The purple haired girl nodded in response to what Seven said and continued to pat Shiraha's shoulder, as though he needed comforting. The sound of her stomach interrupted her and she drew her hand down to cover it. It was then that her new friend asked where it was they were going, and the question threw her off for a second. She hadnt even thought of that, but then again, it wasnt like she controlled Seven. It was his idea to pick them up, so he probably had some idea where it was he wanted to take them. Okibi leaned around Shiraha's side once more and poked at the giant dog's side. "Seven, where we go?"

The dog looked over his shoulder at the humans for a moment, then turned back around. "I thought it would have been obvious by now." He said as he made another leap from one building to another. This newest one was rather tall, and gave them a birds eye view of the village. And yes, it was apparent to Okibi now, where it was they were headed.

The Kazekage Tower.

Okibi's mouth formed a small 'o' as she looked at the towering structure. "We go bother Sogay after we eat!" She declared happily. Making a new friend was good, but getting to introduce him to her teacher/father person was even better.

"By way, Cheeta, still owe song to Okibi."


(Go ahead and make one last post if you want to, then we'll close up this thread and Ill make another at the tower! :3)

 

[Suika]

Shiraha turned his head and stared at Okibi intently. Would she think he was crazy? Chances were she wouldn't, especially since he was confident in what he said. Besides, how could a person as awesome as himself possibly be insane or thought of as so?

He had hope all until Seven opened his mouth.

“Yup. She thinks I'm crazy. Oh well.” He probably had been wrong about the doberman. It was a gamble to assume he was able to remotely see or identify his ghostly wolfdog; it was his fault for making such reckless guesses. He felt comforted, though, because Okibi didn't appear to mind at all. Shiraha tilted his head in curiosity as the girl played it off as if unaffected by his seemingly 'crazy' explanation.

Getsurei, who already uttered what he needed to say, shot an unsure glance at Seven. There were two ways to interpret what the canine said. One, the girl's companion was mocking the duo and was attempting to play some sort of game for his own amusement. Based off the character the wolfdog observed so far of him, this was less likely. He didn't seem to be the jokster-type, but then again, he had just met him. It was impossible to understand motives without a keen understanding of the individual, especially so in Getsurei's case. He was naturally skeptical and never allowed himself to be too close to others to read them in such a manner. Or two, Seven was just looking out for the well-being of his human and his new acquaintances. He probably just pretended to not notice for the safety or well-being of both parties. This was more likely, but it still wasn't clear enough for him to discern his actions.

Nonetheless, the apparition just huffed in response and continued striding forward to whichever direction the group was headed.

“Hungry, too, ay Okibi-san?” asserted the dark-skinned man with a teasing, yet sympathetic, grin. At least she was able to relate to his hunger pains and help push to find a resting place so that they could chow. They had the same objective, luckily, but Seven was controlling the steering wheel. In the end they were in his mercy as to where they were headed and when they stopped.

After the girl's exchange with her canine, Shiraha remained silent and observed his surroundings. It wasn't too often he saw Suna from these great heights; he had a perfect eagle vision due to the high altitude which they traveled in. The village, although underground, was truly majestic. Architecture made of a variant of beautifully crafted stones illuminated brightly due to the reflections of thousands of chakra crystals. The atmosphere was somber, and the people below looked like peaceful working ants who strove for the benefit of their village. It was truly a sight to see and it made him appreciate his village for those few seconds of sentimental observation.

“Ahhh...”

This was his home and he loved it.

Not too deep in appreciative recollection, Okibi broke through his temporary trance and pulled him back to reality. They were going to eat soon, which was awesome, but she wanted to visit someone, too. Apparently, she wanted to go visit a guy who she claimed was flamboyant. Well, either that or extremely happy. Shiraha was a busy man in some ways and wasn't done making cash for the day, but chilling with Okibi was the best thing to happen to him in a while. He didn't mind at all. Plus, he still had to uphold his promise in playing her a song.

“Sounds good, Okibi-san!”<i></i> he exclaimed as he clenched the bag of meaty goods as the thought of stuffing his face soon made his enthusiasm peak. With a cheery smile, he continued. “I'm not sure who's 'so gay', but he or she must be awesome if it's a friend of yours.”<i></i> Shiraha turned towards her and gave her a thumb's up and a wink. She had no need to fret; he was a man of his word. “Don't worry, I haven't forgotten my promise. Just ask when and I'll play for you whatever you want.”<i></i>

With that said, they would probably settle somewhere soon to eat their food and prepare themselves to visit whoever the girl was bent towards seeing. Though, it felt as if Seven brought them closer and closer to a grand tower that stood above all else in Sunagakure; the Kazekage Tower. It was probably wishful thinking. There was no way Okibi was affiliated with the rich higher-ups of the village, right? Someone so friendly wouldn't probably do to well with the snobby elitists who resided over the government. Shiraha wasn't judgmental type, so he had no real ill-will towards the heads of the village. It was just a stereotype he attained from the slums.

“Regardless, it's a fun thought. I doubt it, though.”

Getsurei, contrary to his human, didn't care. He just silently prayed his charismatic companion didn't get into anymore trouble. He was wary of the other two, too. They were nice enough, but if Seven was honest about what he had said, their presence could potentially act as a catalyst to even more future chaos or catastrophe. The wolfdog enjoyed the other dog's company, but Shiraha's safety and his own sanity came first.

“Dear Lord of the Afterlife which upholds me and rejects me from passing on through Doggie Heaven's Gates, please let the rest of this day go smoothly...”<i></i>

Unfortunately, to his dismay, he couldn't help shake the feeling that things were kicking off. He had no choice but to brace himself.

[Marked for Training; Topic Left and Thread Concluded. Onto the next!]

(PS: Sorry for late post! You know why XD)