Maybe Tomorrow [open]

[Takahashi Aki]

There was something about the smiling. Some of them offered you very nice smiles. They made you feel comfortable, and warm. Other people smiled very sharply, like the people from the Miroku clan. Those people had smiles that did not make people like Sousuke feel comfortable. This smile that was offered was the kind that did not make him comfortable. "Okay."<i></i> Sousuke accepted the answer provided. Two life debts sounded good enough not to meddle in the affairs of another. The Kazekage understood what kind of power she had over him.

She listed the animals in her realm, and asked him whether not he was interested in them. He blinked as he thought about them. "Based on your description and naming scheme, I suspect the boars, foxes, bears, and stags are rather ordinary in contrast to the thunder hawks and the thunder birds. "<i></i> He assumed. "We have sand striders which are a flightless bird. Some people use them as mounts like a horse. Sandworms ... which are not at this time tamable but more of a large threat. Lizards of various sizes and shapes. Insects ... again ... of varying shapes and sizes... and some quite deadly. Armatunks. Don't get the in the way of those... well unless you think you can throw them and they are a hefty creature."<i></i> He fell silent for a moment. "From a research standpoint ... yes some of those creatures do strike my fancy."<i></i>

Kitsune explained the Iron Root. It was a curious tree. He was surprised by its qualities. A sweet syrup, but at the same time having strong roots. "What a unique specimen, to have two valuable qualities. Is the syrup produced ... used to accompany something like a panned cake? Er. no. Pancake. A foreign dish, but one I've used to break a few fasts, not prepared by myself."<i></i> That wasn't all. The Baroness had a forest of trees crystalized. The property of those trees were most unique as well. Like with the land of a lordling or lady, there was a rule as to how much harvesting could be done. Harvesting? Yes. Not poaching. Poaching was a term reserved for animals. "These crystal trees, ... do you know their history? Is there a narrative as to how they are the way they are?"<i></i> Usually there was a story as to how these things worked.

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

Kitsune nodded ”They are indeed fairly common, and don’t exactly possess any special qualities, but there’s plenty undiscovered wildlife living deep in the woods, I’d wager.” she said with a pensive look ”Sand striders, eh? They sound interesting. Considering most birds don’t grow large enough to be mounted. Then again, I’ve heard stories of people in Kaminari no Kuni that’ve trained thunder birds to be their mounts. So… Not entirely unlikely.” Training a thunder bird was an arduous task that most would die in the process of attempting. Kitsune decided the risk was too great compared to the reward, even if it’d give her a bird she could ride, that could generate lightning and fly.

When Sousuke asked about the syrup, Kitsune blinked ”Actually, yes. Your insight is incredible, Takahashi-san. Though we mostly eat them as a dessert, accompanied by fresh berries, some diced fruit, a chocolate sauce, perhaps some ice cream, and lastly whipped cream. All in all, a rather versatile dessert that can be molded according to the mood of the one consuming them.” she said, ending her sentence with a soft smile. This one wasn’t the same as before, this was a warm one that would reveal to the perceptive eye that Kitsune enjoyed cooking and food in general.

”Well…” she started, when Sousuke asked about the crystal trees, ”The story goes, that the grove was struck by a lightning bolt thrown by the god Raiden himself, and due to the immense energy contained in the bolt, the trees themselves became crystallized.” she said, recounting the local legend ”Of course, to people well-versed in science, there’s no connection between lightning itself and the trees crystallizing, but I haven’t been able to find an actual explanation for it just yet. Even if a perfectly normal tree is planted in the grove there, after a week or so, it has become crystal, and will continue to grow like a normal tree, albeit at an accelerated rate.”

She didn’t like admitting that she hadn’t the foggiest idea about the trees, but maybe Sousuke could offer up some theories on what was going on with that grove. So far she had done soil samples, wood samples, crystal samples of both growing and cut trees, all to no avail. Nothing seemed to yield any proper answers and it frustrated the woman to no end.

[MFT; WC: 392]

 

[Takahashi Aki]

"Evolution has been kinder to some and not so kind to others."<i></i> Sousuke would suggest. He finished his cold glass of cider and motioned for another one. He would hand the waiter the glass. He sometimes wondered if humans had taken a misstep in evolution and had ultimately became too self aware of something of the sort. "If you ever find plumage from a Thunder Bird, do remember me won't you? I'd be interested in having it for research, but a memento of sorts. While I do have an excellent memory, and I can replay it accordingly, there is ... well, sometimes an object is also nice to have?"<i></i> It seemed as if he wasn't even sure himself. Sousuke was not really the sentimental type, but sometimes he surprised himself even. He would in turn receive his glass of cider and he would drink from it. "Mmm. Blackberry. Excellent indeed."<i></i>

Sousuke noted Kitsune's new and improved smile. This one was ... less sharp ... and less frightening ... and less murderous. Still though, smiling viciously at him was still something to be alarmed about. "That actually sounds good."<i></i> He made a mental image of the dessert in question. "Would even make one's mood even better."<i></i> He figured. Sousuke didn't eat many colourful dishes. Gruel was one of the items that was on his usual diet. It the complete and total opposite of the dessert that she had described. No. Gruel was bubbling, oozing, and very dark grey. Sometimes gruel even moved on its own at times.

"Wait. A tree that is planted there, growing quicker? As in time has been accelerated? Why? How is that possible? Is it just the trees, or do ... rocks ultimately ... turn to sand in time?"<i></i> He inquired. Clearly the red head had gotten a rise out of him. It wasn't a loud rise, but it was more of a great surprise to him. Was there something in the earth itself that would cause an effect to ... transform the trees in crystallized ones? "So. Let's take the example of a hundred year maple. How fast does the tree evolve and grow then?"<i></i>

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

Kitsune smiled again ”I’ll make sure to keep you in mind if I obtain some.” she said, referring to the plumage of the Thunder Bird ”Objects also tend to strengthen the connection to a memory. But yeah. I understand perfectly.” she added before the conversation turned to the food stuffs, and then to Sousukes surprise at the growing rates of the crystallized trees. ”That’s correct. Trees planted in that grove grow faster. It isn’t an acceleration of time, per say, just a change in fundamental growth, I’d figure.” she said and shrugged slightly ”And it does seem to only affect the flora of the area.”

It was an odd thing for sure. Only plants, trees, and the like were crystallized. Wildlife and rocks and such were just… unaffected. ”To this day I haven’t been able to figure out exactly how or why. But with your example, I estimate if a maple tree had been growing in the grove for a hundred years, it’d be roughly the size of a 300 year old tree by now. So simple math shows it’s growing at triple the normal rate. Excellent for raw materials, to be honest.” she said and withdrew a scroll from her robes, and unfurled it onto the table, before activating the seal on it which would release a sample of the crystallized wood.

”A little gift.” she said and handed the crystal to the Kazekage. ”I’m sure you’d appreciate being able to study and look at this with your own eyes rather than listening to someone else explain about it.” she added at the end with a grin. Hopefully Sousuke would take it as a gift of friendship, and at the very least, it might open up the path for a lasting relationship between Sunagakure and the Shinrya clan.

 

[Takahashi Aki]

Sousuke was sitting very comfortably in his chair, when Kitsune produced a scroll and produced a crystal, Sousuke would look at it with a very intent gaze. It was an obsessive sort of look that he was giving the object. He seemed very much like a child in a candy store, but only if a candy store sold things that weren't sweet, more metallic, and less sugary. Upon receipt of it, he would kick forward and land on his feet. Sousuke was not only looking at the rock but going over the texture of it, particular scent of it, but he would not taste it. When Yume was observing his armour one time she did lick it, but that was began ... well she was having her first hand experience with it. Sousuke's armours were plentiful and very different. There were shifting mechanisms, and in others it was merely a modernization of an ancient design. The current black mesh he was wearing was infact more of the later than the form. The design was one of the lighter ones.

Sousuke had been silent for several minutes as he was looking over the crystal. He traced his fingers along the edges of it. Approximately thirty-seven seconds later he would blink not once but twice. He would turn his head and look at Kitsune. For a slight moment he would turn a shade of pink. He would rub the back of his neck and he would cough. "Apologies. First and foremost thank-you. Truly and completely."<i></i> He would state first and foremost. He would look to the object and then back to her. "Listening to you describe this is quite insightful yes, but an actual experience with said object allows access to the use of one's five senses. Granted I'm not going to taste this. No. That would be ... no. All the no."<i></i> He would add. "This is not a little gift by any means. I am ... at a loss for how to repay you. I will indeed send you a mighty gift."<i></i> Within that moment he would merely take in Kitsune's measurements, body type, body size, and probably weight. He had some ideas, but they would take time for him to create. While Sousuke was known to be an armourer, he did create clothes. He once sewed and stitched together for himself a red leather coat. "Once this wedding is said and done with, we'll begin trade. Do expect a parcel from me in the near future, more of a friend rather than a trade partner."<i></i> He would run his index finger along the edges of the crystal. "Again, I thank-you for this gift."<i></i>

 

[Shinrya Kitsune]

Kitsune giggled at Sousuke turning a shade of pink for a bit. It wasn’t every day you got to see a Kage get flustered or embarrassed. ”Oh you’re very welcome Takahashi-san~” she said with a soft smile ”I’ll include a larger sample in my first shipment for your research.” she added and made a mental note to do so as she rolled the scroll back up and put it back in an inner pocket in her robes before leaning back in her chair again. ”Oh right, there was something about a wedding. I entirely forgot about that, to be honest.” she admitted and gave a slight shrug.

”I shall expect the parcel with baited breath then~” she said with another smile ”Let me know if you figure something out about the crystals though. They’ve been a real conundrum for years.” she admitted and scratched her head a bit before getting up and bowing lightly. ”It’s been an honor meeting you, Takahashi-san. I’ll look forward to our trading arrangement to begin” she said smiling brightly before walking towards the elevator to go back to her room and rest for the day.

[TL; It was fun~]