Komora Goes Shopping [open]

[Shinrya Riko]

”You’re not allowed in here.” The woman at the counter said. ”What? Why?” Akio asked. ”Because you’re a boy.” She answered.The doggo rolled his eyes. ”Please. I just want to make sure she behaves. BESIDES. I’m a dog. Humans aren’t even remotely attractive to me.” Akio didn’t think to mention that he was well past his prime as well, but no need to give her fuel to crush his ego more. ”Yes… but you’re a BOY dog.” She crossed her arms like the whole thing was final.

”Alright...I just hope that you know what you’re getting into.” The dog muttered under his breath. He found a nice cozy spot where he curled up and kept an eye on the curtain labeled “Women”. Today the pair were at a Bathhouse. Akio had managed to convince her to travel with him into the city once again after he had given her some Barbecue. The sweet sauce and grilled meat had proved pleasant enough that he had finally had an in with her. He could only wonder how the staff at this place were handling the little girl. She may be twelve but she didn’t think like she was. If anything she was more like a wild beast from the forest. She was like an uncultured wolf instead of an Inuzuka dog.

Was she fighting biting and kicking? Screaming and ripping up the staff on the otherside of the wall? The strong scent of soaps made it hard to tell if there was a scent of blood. He couldn’t help but imagine all of the gruesome fates that the people helping scrub Komora would meet. He had planned to relax but in the end was not able to. He just stared and stared until a girl with long hair, partly blond, and teal near the roots emerged from the women’s bath. Akio was relieved that she didn’t seem to have killed anyone. He almost expected someone to lose their life.She was dressed in some spare clothes, doubtless her other clothing had been thrown away. They would definitely need to go shopping.

”Hey Komora, how did it go?” Akio stretched and raised to his feet. ”Komora likes baths!” She exclaimed happily. Akio put a paw over his good eye. She likes baths? The why on Earth hadn’t she taken one in what must have been years? No never mind that. ”Lets go for a walk!” He said brightly.

”Okay!” Komora chirpped, and the pair began their trip around the shopping district.

 

[Kiri]

Spoiler

He was quite dirty, ragged almost. Probably because of his insistence not to buy so much clothes, and so what he had were mostly of what he had own for some years now. The inner shirt, the cardigan and vest, and open suit (yes, he wears quite a lot since he is still not used to the weather up high) were not so bad, but the cape that draped over him were almost in tatters. And to add to his misfortune of the day, he had just finished a bit of practicing in the forest that he was also sporting a bit of bruise on his cheek. But that did not deter him from walking through the crowd. Unlike in the past when he had to look pristine if he was to be seen by people, or when he had to avoid them, he had freedom now. And he he didn’t have to care at how he was perceived.

However, in terms of his own perception, the inner beast inside was rather still unsettled, if not bored. The practice was far too fast, too simple. He could feel the desire for more. So much so that his own senses were heightening up just as he walked through the crowded street. Never had Kiri ever felt that he was surrounded, almost enveloped before. He stopped on his tracks, wide-eyed, as he took a moment to grasp the visual imagery he was creating in his head from sensing those around him. Their voices, their chakra, their presence, their scent, everything was melding. Perhaps after years of isolation, even those few months of traveling and exposure to towns and he was still always surprised that he was yet to get accustomed to the fact that he lived and breathed among others.

And just as he was revelling in the thought of it, his senses picked up something amiss in the harmony of the city. His body moved instinctively as he sidestepped, barely avoiding a group of kids who were out to have some fun, running about. Then, he stopped and turned around as a merchant with a cart behind him suddenly jerked and his wares were about to fall. So reached out a hand to keep it balanced. Nodding to the thankful merchant, he proceeded to walk, though smiling lightly as he delighted in this strange new experience. And even then, he could almost tell the way that merchant handled his cart even when he wasn’t looking. But most importantly, as he passed by the local bath house, he felt a stir in the air, not a scent, just a strange convergence of chakra. Almost instantly, he was on-guard.

“Don’t tell me you’re alerted by the sight of a bathhouse,” teased the voice of the beast in his head.

“Not that. It just felt different from back there. I don’t know why. Perhaps an entity not completely human… but I still can’t tell. This is still new for me,” he thought back.

“Then shall we return for another round of training your senses in the forest?”

“Maybe,” he continued as he began to walk once more, carefully scanning the area with his senses though acting quite normally, “Maybe not. I’m tired. I have books to read later and things to memorise.”

 

[Shinrya Riko]

In a sea of faceless people Komora always knew the ninjas. Their chakras stuck out like sore thumbs from the common folk of the village in the clouds. There was one particular chakra that caught this girl’s interest. Akio had hardly been paying attention to Komora as the grizzled war dog had assumed that in her good mood she would just obediently follow him. He paused when he realized Komora wasn’t. ”Of course I can’t expect her to act like a normal person...” he muttered to himself. ”I think the first thing we’re going to buy is a leash.”

Komora wandered through the street until she met the source of the strange chakra. It was the duality she had felt before in the forest. Komora was not the kind who could read facial expressions, so while it was plain that the lad seemed taken in his ability to almost predict the future she stared at him interested in his chakra. Could his sixth sense detect a sudden Komora? The girl marched over to him, and despite being dressed like a normal person for once, proceeded to prove that she wasn’t. Additionally - she also demonstrated that she had no respect for personal boundaries.

She tugged as his clothes as she examined the fabric. She began to sniff each inch of him as she wandered around him like an excited puppy. She paused only for a moment when her attention came to the sword. Flashes of trauma glazed her eyes as she ultimately settled into sick look when it came to the weapon. Then she looked back to him. It was the first time she had actually considered him as a person. ”You feel like Mud.” Komora explained. ”Komora thinks you feel like mud.” She kicked at a piece of trash on the ground absently.

”Komora! There you are.” The doggo emerged from the crowd. He trotted up to her side. The dark hound was big, like an inuzuka dog. He was tall enough to be at Komora’s Shoulders in height. He wore an eyepatch over one eye and a shinobi symbol on a bandana around his neck. His black fur was graying especially around his nose, ears and eyes. ”You’ll excuse my ward I hope.” The dog addressed Kiri. He nudged Komora away from the lad hoping that she would stop trying to touch him. The close proximity to Komora made the dog grateful to the ladies at the bath house. ”Oh.” He said in surprise. ”Komora you actually smell like a refined lady for once. Good girl.” He pulled a piece of jerky from a satchel on his shoulder and tossed it up in the air. Komora snapped it between her teeth and happily chewed up the smoked deer jerky while she looked with eyes impossibly wide at Akio and Kiri.

 

[Shinrya Riko]

In a sea of faceless people Komora always knew the ninjas. Their chakras stuck out like sore thumbs from the common folk of the village in the clouds. There was one particular chakra that caught this girl’s interest. Akio had hardly been paying attention to Komora as the grizzled war dog had assumed that in her good mood she would just obediently follow him. He paused when he realized Komora wasn’t. ”Of course I can’t expect her to act like a normal person...” he muttered to himself. ”I think the first thing we’re going to buy is a leash.”

Komora wandered through the street until she met the source of the strange chakra. It was the duality she had felt before in the forest. Komora was not the kind who could read facial expressions, so while it was plain that the lad seemed taken in his ability to almost predict the future she stared at him interested in his chakra. Could his sixth sense detect a sudden Komora? The girl marched over to him, and despite being dressed like a normal person for once, proceeded to prove that she wasn’t. Additionally - she also demonstrated that she had no respect for personal boundaries.

She tugged as his clothes as she examined the fabric. She began to sniff each inch of him as she wandered around him like an excited puppy. She paused only for a moment when her attention came to the sword. Flashes of trauma glazed her eyes as she ultimately settled into sick look when it came to the weapon. Then she looked back to him. It was the first time she had actually considered him as a person. ”You feel like Mud.” Komora explained. ”Komora thinks you feel like mud.” She kicked at a piece of trash on the ground absently.

”Komora! There you are.” The doggo emerged from the crowd. He trotted up to her side. The dark hound was big, like an inuzuka dog. He was tall enough to be at Komora’s Shoulders in height. He wore an eyepatch over one eye and a shinobi symbol on a bandana around his neck. His black fur was graying especially around his nose, ears and eyes. ”You’ll excuse my ward I hope.” The dog addressed Kiri. He nudged Komora away from the lad hoping that she would stop trying to touch him. The close proximity to Komora made the dog grateful to the ladies at the bath house. ”Oh.” He said in surprise. ”Komora you actually smell like a refined lady for once. Good girl.” He pulled a piece of jerky from a satchel on his shoulder and tossed it up in the air. Komora snapped it between her teeth and happily chewed up the smoked deer jerky while she looked with eyes impossibly wide at Akio and Kiri.

 

[Kiri]

Strange as it may, a girl had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and came to sniff him out. Kiri was shocked, to say the least, that he didn’t dare to move an inch from where he stood. He kept his eyes on the girl that circled him, seemingly inspecting him, and when she finally arrived to a conclusion, he was left confused. Mud? The word was stuck in his head and he wondered just how on earth did such a conclusion came about. But before he could respond, another strange arrival made its presence known to him.

It was a dog, or maybe a wolf, but it was far larger than most of what they usually are. He (assuming it was a male one) definitely had a personality to him. But perhaps what was more confusing was the fact that the wolf was reprimanding the girl, and the display of familiarity between the two was even more confusing. Just who was the human?

But Kiri did not want to be disrespectful so the best he did was not to blatantly point it out. Rather, he went back to what he found rather interesting. “Excuse me,” he began as he approached both wolf and girl, “I’m sorry but what did you mean when you said that I was like mud?” For some reason, the curiosity he had about the word wasn’t one simply out of curiosity or the feeling of being insulted, rather, he felt like there was something grave. After all, if the girl took all that moment to carefully assess him and then spout such a thing, it must be more than just a simple whim.

“What interesting fellows, you stumbled upon,” said the beast inside him.

 

[Shinrya Riko]

The lad began to approach even after Akio had made headway in separating the girl from him. ”I’m sorry but what did you mean when you said that I was like mud?” He asked. Akio looked back from Komora to the man for a moment as he tried to piece together what had happened between them. Then it snapped. Yes. Komora must have said something about mud to him. Well, he didn’t smell like mud or have any on him - it must have just been one of those Komora things. Akio gave a mental shrug. ”Well lad, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Komora is an...” he paused. ”Yeah. She’s an odd duck. Or maybe more like a vicious puppy? I’m not sure. Probably not a duck though. Yeah.” Akio nodded in satisfaction with his conclusion he had presented to Kiri.

Komora looked at Kiri blankly as she chewed on the deer jerky. Akio had a lot to say, and as per usual, she didn’t really understand what the dog was talking about. ”Like Mud!” Komora reaffirmed. She demonstrated with her hands and body language. She held out one hand and wiggled her fingers as she made a wooshing noise and the other hand she held out a fist and made a crackling noise to represent the fist. Then she put them together and interlocked her fingers and made a sound that was probably what Komora thought mud sounded like when you stepped into it. ”See? Like Mud.” She finished her explanation. A mischievous grin spread across her face revealing that her teeth were very pointed much like a canine’s.

”Like I said. She’s...odd.” Akio nodded. ”I’m from the Inuzuka clan, and this here is Komora. I don’t actually have any clue where she is from, I found her in the forest living like a wild animal.” Akio scoffed. ”Believe you me, it was not an easy task to convince her to come here and give her a bath.” Akio bit the hem of Komora’s shirt and tugged her back towards him when he noticed her attention was starting to wander. ”I don’t know if she just didn’t grow up in society or what - but she knows the culture of us dogs better than that of the people. She’s mostly harmless I think.” Akio had to pause to seriously consider if bringing her into the town was a good idea after all given her temperament and personality.

”I’m sure It’ll be fine.” He smiled smugly - ah wait. A look of worry suddenly crossed his face as he remembered how she had set the library on fire. ”Ah...or maybe not..Hm.”

 

[Kiri]

Kiri looked from the girl and to the wolf and then back to the girl. Certainly, she was eccentric, but he had hoped there was more to it than simple eccentricity. “No, I guess I was just thinking too much about things.” Kiri sighed as he began to think that perhaps he was just thinking too much that anything that seemed out of the ordinary should be considered a sign of some sort. Normally, it would, but then he needs to learn how to chill and just take things as they are sometimes.

“I wonder how strong the child is,” said the beast in his head. “Wouldn’t hurt to test since even the wolf knows nothing.”

Kiri could only shake his head in response, not wanting to make a scene. His beast was definitely still too spirited about the current situation to dare suggest such a thing to him. Well, nothing new coming from the entity that’s supposed to play host to one’s destructive desires. Fortunately, the wolf made for an interesting conversationists. Kiri chuckled at the last words.

“Well, it doesn’t matter, I suppose. I did come from the forest, so I suppose I do look dirty,” said Kiri. Though now that he thought about it, there was something that he wanted to confirm, “There’s something that I’ve been thinking lately and your appearance seem to have reminded me, but just how many of you Inuzuka’s are there. Given I don’t walk around much, but I haven’t met much… well, you're the first but I have heard about your clan. Is it not from around this village? Are you originally from another?”

What may have piqued his interest was possibly finding something in common. The idea of a migrant, or in his case, a displaced individual.

 

[Shinrya Riko]

”You were in the forest…?” Akio mused. Now that the kid mentioned it maybe there WAS a reason why Komora had picked him out in the crowd. While Kiri spoke, Komora fidgeted in place and Akio just nodded. ”I don’t really know what you’re getting after.” He answered to Kiri’s questions. ”Now hold on a second lad, I want you to back up a second. You said you were in the forest right? Let me get a whiff of you. My nose isn’t what it used to be. The mastiff leaned forward and inhaled a big sniff. He mused on the scents on the boy before determing that the scent was definitely familiar. ”Oh yeah! You were in the forest! We saw you training.” Akio commented.

”Ah. Those hand gestures make sense now.” Akio commented. Komora didn’t seem to be paying attention at all, of course he didn’t expect her to. He thought she was behaving rather oddly though. She was fidgety, true, but normally she would have just wandered off on her own by this point. ”She made those same gestures before she dragged me through half the forest to find you.” Akio had to admire the girl’s sense of smell, but he got the impression that it wasn’t scent alone that she had used. ”And she made a bee-line for you here in the shopping district too...” It was practically impossible. There were too many scents to track just one person walking around this public space. ”I want to figure something out - I’ll get to your Inuzuka questions in a moment. Did you happen to go to the bathhouse before? Ah no...that doesn’t make sense. You already said you were dirty. Damn.” He eyed Komora with some more respect than he had for her previously.

”Anyway… about the Inuzuka. They own the forest here -” Akio’s muzzle was grabbed by Komora. He pulled free from here. ”Hey, stop that.” Komora grabbed his snout again. ”It belongs to Komora.” Komora told the dog. ”Komora knows everything in the forest. The forest belongs to Komora.” She told the dog. ”Okay, it belongs to Komora. Who is not an Inuzuka I might add. I’m not sure what clan she is… Oh wait.” A sudden moment of clarity hit the doggo. ”I completely forgot that she is a Mochizuki. You know, those circus folks who live near the gates?” He pointed in the direction. ”Eh… I don’t think she would be interested in introducing you though. Last time we saw her sister Komora nearly ended up in the morgue. Its a good story though.”

 

[Kiri]

To his surprise, he learned that these two were there in the forest earlier, even witnessing him. At that, he became a bit guarded. Then it would be explained a lot better by the wolf. For that, Kiri was a bit thankful. Though what piqued his curiosity this time was the mention of those circus folks by the gates. Thinking about it, Kiri did remember seeing them from time to time. Though he was practically busy with figuring out what to do with his life, earning some money, and going to the shinobi academy those days, he did caught wind of this certain clan. Still, he was very much in the shadow of things.

“That’s rather interesting. Why would someone from a different clan be in the territory of another clan?” he began, pondering on it some more. “I know Kumogakure may be stable and it’s a given that clans intermingle and people are free to move about within certain bounds, but if what you say is true– that you simply found her in the forest– wouldn’t that be questionable? For what reason was she there?”

He quickly turned to face Komora and smiled, “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be suspicious, but I’m just curious. Also, the last thing I want is to find others who are turned away by their own kind.” Indeed, despite the apprehension, learning a bit more about the girl made him sympathize. Though their circumstances may differ to some degree, they were almost the same. And the last thing he wanted was to learn there are others like him, who are forsaken by their birth clan. Of course, he had long forgotten about it, never one to keep grudges and such.

As such, he unknowingly reached out a hand and patted the girl on the head. “So, no fighting?” asked the beast in his mind and he sighed.

 

[Shinrya Riko]

”Heh.Those are questions that are impossible to know.” The doggo chuckled. ”I don’t think anyone has the slightest clue about the why of things. I’ve followed her around the woods so I know that she mostly just kills things with her bare hands. Heh. Bears too.” He commented. ”Komora wants to go home.” She announced to the dog and the inquisitive lad. Kiri addressed Komora, perhaps for the first time since the conversation with Akio began. The girl looked at him blankly, His facial expressions felt like they were slippery to her. Her eyes slipped and slid off of his face like it was impossible to look at him directly. She knew that the face were where the eyes were and the soul of a human, but it was so difficult for her to look at a face. She couldn’t understand what it meant, and to another extent, she couldn’t even recognize people she had met before were it not for her abilities to sense chakra and her incredible sense of smell.

Komora’s strange sense of logic digested his words. Her own expression was slightly amused. ”Komora thinks you will like the city. Everyone is the same.” She gestured at the people in this place. To her, they were all faceless blobs. They had no names and had no faces.She moved a little independently from the doggo and leaned in real close to Kiri. ”komora thinks you feel like mud. Like Komora! Nightime and daytime. Black and white.” It was an instant. Enough that it may not have even seemed real, but glyphs had definitely slithered all over her body. A forboding dark chakra emitted from her before it was sealed away as if it had never been. Akio didn’t seem to notice. It must have been somethign that she shared only with Kiri, the mark of a cursed seal. ”Anyway…. We’re on our way to the shopping district. You want to tag along? We could swap stories and talk more about philosophy while we play dress up with Komora.”

Uh...Komora hates Dresses? Komora rolled her eyes at the dog, like that was the most idiotic thing he had said in the entire universe. Akio couldn’t help himself - ”Bwahahahah! Get a load of this kid? After the dresses we’ll be getting a leash too!”

 

[Kiri]

His smile was short-lived as the girl answered him in such as way. Even if it may sound like a suggestion to others, it sounded rather sad. “Well, I haven’t stayed in too many cities before, and the longest I’ve stay within walled area was not exactly a happy one, but I will try to love this city we live in,” he said to her. But to his surprise, the girl would inch closer to him, break into his personal space and continue to speak. And in that moment, he was certain he caught sight of that unusual change about her, like a brief flash of an image.

He kept silent though he was certain that his beast had become rather interested in it. Another person who was cursed, though perhaps in a different way, but still cursed. As much as he would want to contemplate on that matter, he couldn’t help but smile at the interaction between the two. Envious, was he? Who knows? So long as he knew he wasn’t alone, that the entity was residing in his soul, it was good enough.

“Mah, don’t say that. For someone cute like you, you should take this chance,” said Kiri as he approached Komora and brushed his hand across her hair, “And perhaps a good trimming, just to give form to your hair. Akio, would agree to making you look more presentable.” Then he brought his hand to his chin as if in thinking. “But alas! I don’t know much about shopping either. I only buy clothes to make sure I’m not cold and such. I don’t bother with style.”

”So you intend to keep an eye on her,” said the beast. ”Fine by me. It might earn us an opportunity to learn and to hunt, should it be needed.” He nodded as if in agreement before he faced the wolf and said, “Since you were planning this beforehand, I suppose you know the way.”

 

[Nara Raian]

Spoiler

The man breathed in the cold breeze as he allowed the wind to cool his coffee. He was dressed in rather formal clothing as he walked through the village, a single piece of paper in his other head, as he scanned the document. It had been a while since he had received some time off and it was a good change of pace to travel around the village without a mask on 24/7. Tough he did keep his armor under the formal clothing, more a habit than his usual paranoia.

It was a low populated day, most of the people hanging out in groups, friends going off to explore and talk about how their week was. It was a boon for him, he had forgotten to restock his home with supplies, and some of the items had expired. Pocketing the list, he began walking eyeing the vendors, taking a small drink from his coffee. Hmm still warm. A few minutes passed as he examine the vendor’s wares, a small bag slung off his shoulder as the vendor wrapped the last of the perishables and handed the shinobi his the rest of bags. Placing a few yen on the table he thanked the owner and continued on his way.

Continuing his walk, he glanced down at his list as he moved out of the way to pass and odd group. Two of teenagers and a wolf? As long as the wolf didn’t do anything towards the civilians he was fine with leaving them be.

Then the feeling of something familiar passed though him, causing him to stop and stare at the group. As a being who aura cared the feel of evil within it, it was easy for him to pick on another case demonic intent, even if it was an unconscious thing. He examined the group looking at all them, before speaking.

“I didn’t think I would come across another like me…it’s a rather unique experience.”

WC: 326
MFT

 

[Shinrya Riko]

Komora huffed at the words of persuasion. She didn’t care for something that only served to trip you when you wanted to run around, and she would be convinced by Kiri’s encouraging words.”Komora doesn’t bother with Clothes.” She grumbled. Akio chuckled, ”she doesn’t meant that...probably.” He paused for a second so that he could nervously scratch his ear with his hind leg. ”Eh...she probably does. ANYWAY. I don’t tend to hang around this side of town much myself but I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be able to find something for the young lady to wear, and maybe gears and provisions as well. This is ninja country after all.”

Akio gave a wolfish shrug. ”I guess you could say I know the way. I was just thinking of walking on down to the Suskino District and seeing if we could find something she liked there.”

Then suddenly another approached. He mostly addressed Kiri, but Komora looked at his face without any sort of recognition. Of course that was, until she caught his scent. She stared at his face intensely as she tried to figure out what was wrong with it. She knew there was something wrong but wasn’t sure what it was. Her eyes slipped off of his face as they tended to with everyone. In the end she wasn’t to take in the details of his face, but thats when she remembered something. ”Why does your face look different?” She asked Shin. Akio raised an eyebrow at Komora. Already spouting nonsense to a complete stranger. ”Komora, you need to learn some manners...seriously.” Akio turned to Shin, ”Sorry about that. Komora’s a little odd.”

”No! Komora knows that his face was different!” She began to raise her voice at Akio. ”Uh… so you all know each other?” Akio looked from Shin back to Kiri and back to Komora then back Shin.

 

[Kiri]

It was rather amusing to see the wolf more civilized (if that was to put things in order though he didn't want to insult the girl). Still, Kiri had hopes for the girl and he believed that a good wardrobe change would definitely make all the difference. If he thought himself as a good example, he definitely looked quite different now then what he would be if he had started with the clan. Ah, but as they were joined by a stranger, Komora started with her quirky ways once more and Kiri was left to sigh thinking the girl would also need help in her manners.

Before anything else, however, Kiri faced the new presence and locked eyes with him. He was trying to make a name since the girl said his face was different. Perhaps someone from the village. Perhaps someone he should know. But he was getting just blanks and just as he was about to give up, the best in him stirred.

Like a sudden jumping of a beast, it almost felt like throb. And he became rather guarded against this man who was in suits. One hand unknowingly found its way to rest on top of his sword's pommel towards the side of his hip, while the other flexed.

"This is interesting," said the beast inside. A low murmuring laugh echoed in his head and Kiri knew there was desire for action. His blood was hot and his soul felt restless by the second.

He took a few breaths and then swallowed before he eased himself. He managed to contain the urge... for now.

"Sorry, do you need anything?" Asked Kiri, not moving an inch not dropping his gaze.

 

[Nara Raian]

The man blinked at the girl's question, before scanning her over. The face looked rather familiar, though it was much clear than the last time they had met.

"Ah, Komora, your face looks rather different as well. Surprised to see you outside of your forest, and not with your clan. My face...well that was an illusion for protection."He spoke calmly, not bothering to mention that the mask was a physical thing and that his identify was suppose to be secure outside of ANBU work. Though, if she was able to pick of things from smell, she was interesting one to sure.

Looking down at the wolf , he gave a laughed slightly. "Somewhat, she helped out with a task a few weeks back. I'm Kurogane Shin."

Shifting his eyes on the boy, he noticed the way his hand had moved toward the top of his blade, causing the man blue eyes to narrow at him. So this was the one he had picked up on? Rather cautiousness...good.

"Hmm...simply greeting one like me. I shall depart if my presence is overbearing on you." Shin said, giving the boy the once over, focusing on the tension on his muscle and studying him. The why his hand had shifted to his weapon wasn't lost on the man, yet he was used to such reactions.

 

[Shinrya Riko]

”Oh well color me impressed.” Akio chuckled. He had begun to see the girl in a new light. She had been helpful? Maybe ther was a way to cultivate this attitude. Akio didn’t pick up on the fact that Komora was alluding to the man’s ANBU mask, and that she was essentially in danger of breaking Kumogakure law by outing Shin as an ANBU. No instead, he was caught off guard when the girl began to growl. It felt like something was about to happen. ”Hey...” He began. Komora was incredibly sensitive to many things that weren’t picked up on by others. She could sense the inner dark chakras of these two. She could feel the chakra burn hot inside of Kiri and it made her agitated. For a wild creature like her life was kill or be killed. This hint of danger had her crouching low. ”Hey, steady - Komora down girl.” He tried to ease the wild girl’s agitation. He instead looked to the source, noticing that Kiri had his hand on his sword.

”Hey, could you maybe stop standing there like you’re about to cut someone down? Maybe take your hand off your sword while you’re at it?” Akio felt like it would probably be best if he took Komora away from the present locale for the time being. He was seriously worried that something bad would break out for absolutely no reason at all. ”Well gents, its been real, its been fun. Come on Komora we’re going shopping.” He bit onto the hem of her shirt and began to tug her away. She didn’t loose focus on either of them for an instant, although the slight hint of a cursed seal was begining to retract. As he put distance between Komora and those guys he could feel her relax, and he relaxed as well.

If a fight had broken out he had no idea whose side Komora would have taken. She was a wild animal so she may have just attacked them both. Still activity like this was ridiculous. He would need to Council with Yuii about this and whether or not Komora was fit for duty… then again… it wasn’t her fault she was reacting to someone who was moving threateningly. Maybe he should ask her about Kiri instead.
[exit]

 

[Kiri]

He was still staring at the man when the other mentioned his unusual, and perhaps, unfriendly action. Almost immediately, Kiri would ease from his standing. And to make it more confusing for the boy, when the man had first commented that he merely was there to greet “some like him”, Kiri blinked a few times before pointing towards Komora. “You mean you’re like her?” he asked out of genuine curiosity and perhaps because he didn’t know how to address the situation at the moment.

This may have gotten a laugh from those involved but he was still confused, until the wolf, Akio, motioned to pull Komora away. Now, the blonde was clearly a bit embarrassed. He could tell his unconscious actions may have stressed people around him once more.

“Nothing new. I can’t help it when I’m stirred. Besides, you were too,” said the beast in his head as Kiri was clearly frowning drom deep inside. He had come to Kumogakure to start a new life, and yet he was still tied down by the curse of his clan. No. It wasn’t supposed to be like that. He was there to change the perception– that something inherently different doesn’t make it evil.

“Wait,” said Kiri as he would grab Komora’s arm just as the other was leaving. “I said I would help. Don’t be scared or angry with what’s in me. Everyone is different, but that doesn’t mean the difference makes us less of who we could be.” He then looked back to the man from earlier and nodded at him. “I apologize for my rudeness. I’m still trying to get used to surprises in this village. However, if you feel like we’re the same, perhaps you’ll want to greet him properly later. It doesn’t have to be a fight to the death. He’s also bored in some way.”

WC: 309

[MFT]

 

[Nara Raian]

Shin simply waved off the man's concern, his stance becoming more lax. He was glad the man hadn't attacked him in the middle of the town, that would have caused a few problems for the newbie in thus village. But not at least he was cautious, so points in his favor.

At the mention of a him, Shin placed his hand over as chin, thinking. So a secondary enity is either in his body or another personality.

"It pays to be cautious, but I recommend nothing going straight for your weapon next time. Most might take it the wrong way."

Glancing at Komora, he offered a small smile, as he focused on making his presence lower.

"Apologies Komora."

 

[Shinrya Riko]

Komora was now being pulled in two directions. The frustration was plain on her face as she broke away from both Kiri and Akio. ”No!” She admonished them both. She held her arms to chest. ”Don’t touch her!” She took a step back. Akio looked at Kiri, ”I’m not sure if you were talking to Komora or me, but I’m just don’t want Komora to be caught up in a scene here in the middle of town.” Akio told Kiri. Akio knew that Komora didn’t really care about Kiri’s problems too much, but he didn’t know that. ”Listen, you need to be careful with your body language around Komora. She is very sensitive to that type of thing and it agitates her. So if you’re going to help - don’t touch your weapon like you’re going to attack because that will just cause us problems.”

”She can’t read your facial expression or your tone of voice. So it doesn’t matter what you’re saying to her if your body doesn’t follow through on that.” Komora had begun to wanderr off on her on, but Akio bit her shirt and tugged her over back towards himself. ”Okay then. We’re going clothes shopping, so if you want to help try to be supportive of Komora. If things go well maybe I could get her to become a cute housewife instead of bear-eating wild child.” Akio had a brief day-dream where he imagined someone else would be looking after the girl so that he could enjoy his retirement in peace. Although… there was something oddly empty about the thought.

”Alright if you’re coming - we might as start here.” Akio nodded towards a store that specialized in feminine undergarments. Komora needed proper undergarments especially since she was a growing young woman. Having clean small clothes was important to keep her healthy and he wasn’t sure how big she was going to become in the chest area but it was clear that she was already budding in that regards as well. He would see the determination of these mean in this manner. He ushered all three into the store.

”Alright, Unfortunately even my noble breed isn’t allowed to go into the store. Don’t worry about the price tag, We’ll just bill it to her clan - but I’ll need you to go in there and find something that fits her. It doesn’t all have to be the same, but I think about two weeks worth is what we should be aiming for.” He stood guardian over the entrance of the store as Komora looked around the place not sure what to do.

It was clear that she had no thought to try on any of the clothes. If she could read she didn’t show any evidence of it. With her powerful nose she detected the scent of something sweet. She wandered over towards the counter and found that there was some confectionary sweets on a stand at the check out. She picked up a chocolate bar, still in its wrapper and bit it in half, She chewed on the mash up of chocolate and wrapper with a confused look on her face before spitting out a chocolate wrapper mess onto the check up counter.

”Uh - hey!” The clerk was taken aback by the scene. ”You better be paying for that.” She told Komora, whom paid the clerk no heed.

 

[Nara Raian]

Shin raised an eyebrow at the store the girl's wolf companion pointed his noise to, blinking for a second to make sure he was looking at the same shop. I can understand the need for under-garments, but for the first shop? Signing and walking forward to lean on the wall across from the wolf, He looked at the boy. This wasn't a task that he felt comfortable with undertaking. Trying to help the child figure out which underwear was appealing would conflict with how his standard of dress matched against her rather feral nature. Regular attire he could help out with, possible using how she gauged the underwear as a away to better understand what clothing would appeal to the child.

Looking at the boy he spoke, his hand rubbing his chin, looking over the boys overall attire. His clothes were rather worn, possible making him more of an ideal candidate for the job. That and something about his words had him slightly cautiousness. Until, I understand who this him is, rather keep by back away from the boy, and keep him in sight.

"I think a bit old to be able to understand what Komora taste regarding...garments are. This could be your chance to help out, might ease to tension."