New Clan in Town [Open]

[Gotō Daiji]

The click-clack of wooden geta sounded out as a teenage girl of small stature took a few steps forward. She was garbed in a simple yet elegant pink kimono embroidered with a subtle flower pattern. A ribbon of the same color held her brown hair up in a ponytail. "Wow...~" Her large dark-colored eyes drifted upwards, widened in awe at the sight before her. For awhile she simply stood there. Shocked. She had never seen anything like it in her entire life! "They're huge!" Of course she was referring to the massive gates that guarded the entrance to Konohagakure. All manner of people were coming and going as she stood and stared. Merchants, farmers, tourists...and even shinobi! Several Leaf ninja were going about their business, some on guard duty, some leaving to or returning from missions. She had never actually seen a real ninja before. Sure her father and brothers were trained in the usage of chakra (and secretly, her too), but they weren't exactly ninja. Her two older brothers were about as stealthy as a rock through a window, and her younger brother was a brat! Well...in her mind, anyway. Suddenly, a thought came to her mind and she pursed her lips in pouty fashion. "I can't believe Father and Tōsō didn't tell me about this!" They knew she was excited about the big city! How could they forget the humongous front door?!

It couldn't be helped. They weren't here with them now so she'd just have to yell at them later. Actually her father and eldest brother had traveled to Konoha about a month ago to visit and take care of some business matters. When they returned was when the news came that the family was moving. About a week ago was when they left their home nation of Ta no Kuni. The clan traveled together for most of the journey but both her father and eldest brother went on ahead and were already within the village getting things prepared for the rest of the family. They It was just her mother and two other brothers with her at the gates. Her uncle and a few members of the extended family were supposedly coming to join them a few days from now. It was a bit jarring to have been uprooted from her place of birth so suddenly...but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't excited. A part of her had always wanted to go out and see the world. Some of that wanderlust had been sated on the trip here. From Rice Country to Fire Country was no small journey, and the family got to see many sights along the way. Turns out the world was a lot bigger than she thought! But that wasn't the only reason she was so optimistic about this move. On the way here her brother Yasu told her that villages like these were very accepting of women warriors. Apparently female ninja were called "kunoichi", and Ninja Villages all had them in abundance. Gender didn't matter here. Girls trained alongside boys, and could rise through the ranks based on nothing more than merit. Needless to say this was a very exciting prospect for her. Maybe Father would relax his ironclad rules about women now that they were here? A girl could hope.

Another had overheard her comments and approached, coming to stand at her side. "Just wait 'til you see the inside." A voice chimed in. Its owner was a young man who looked to be in his late teens. Long black hair was tied in a ponytail and draped over his left shoulder. His eyes were just as dark, but despite what you would think, exuded a slight warmth. Standing side-by-side now, a family resemblance could easily be drawn between the shorter girl and himself. A small smile took hold on his face as he shot the brown-haired girl a sideways glance. Immediately she furrowed her brow, her face growing more pouty by the second as she turned to face her older brother. "What does that mean?" she asked folding her arms and narrowing her eyes. "Don't tell me you've already been here too and didn't tell me about it?!" A response chuckle only served to wrinkle her forehead even more. "No." he began, his smile remaining as his gaze fell upon the ajar village gates. "A trader back home told me about Konoha once." Rice Country wasn't the most busy nation in the world, but it did have its share of traveling traders. Occasionally they would bring back news from the world along with shiny new trinkets that were much too advanced for a country of grain farmers. Many a time Yasu had his interest piqued by tales from the bigger world. "Apparently they have a cliff that they carve their leader's face into." At this the girl's frown immediately reverted to an expression of shock. That couldn't possibly be true...could it?! "Really? That's crazy!" Another chuckle escaped the male's lips as he shook his head. "So is your talking to yourself a few seconds ago." This caused the girl to grow flustered and deliver a swift, ineffective punch to his arm. Still, even her brother's teasing couldn't erode the excitement she was feeling. None of the family was really keen on picking up and moving to a different country out of the blue...but so far things were looking up! Just from the outside alone it seemed like the village was huge! There would be plenty of people from all different walks of life to meet and mingle with. And if things went well she might even be able to try to become one of these kunoichi Yasu told her about. Having her two older brothers train her in secret paid off. Even though she's not as good as she could be if she was allowed to practice openly, she had already become skilled in shurikenjutsu and Genjutsu. If her father allowed her to follow her own path, there was no telling how strong she could become!

And yet...a part of her still missed Rice Country. Because for all this excitement, all these new avenues of possibility, her home was still her home. She could no longer walk the low rolling hills of Ta no Kuni, admiring the rice fields that stretched for miles. No more were the days of going to the market along with her mother and talking with the shopkeepers. Heck, she'd even miss chasing Kyō down the roads whenever he was being his usual annoying self. Apparently, her thoughts had transferred themselves unto her facial expression because a hand gently came to rest on her shoulder. Looking up she would see her brother, a sympathetic but warm look on his face. "We'll be alright, Saya." he said, giving a slight squeeze. "We always will." His words seemed strong and encouraging, but he too would miss their home. Reading to the village children, helping the farmers tend their fields. Not only was it the place where they were all born, but it was the place where they were molded into the people they were today. The Ōta clan wouldn't be who they were today without Rice Country...but it's not like they were gone forever! They'd return one day. When? He couldn't say for sure...but he knew it in his heart. Yasu smiled and turned his eyes once more to the village before them. So this place was their new home, huh? Konohagakure. The Village Hidden by Tree Leaves. Hopefully they would find their place amongst the leaves...


...but only time would tell as to whether or not that would happen.

[mft]

 

[Sukuna Kiyo]

It was quite a nice day out, warm, the perfect day to be running errands. Akumi learned quickly this is what genin here do, usually. It kept her busy.... but she wanted to show off her 'art' instead. It had only been a day or two since Akumi herself transferred to Konoha. She now wore a leaf headband, and a stone. Just like her brother, she Did earn her rank at the great village of stone after all, and she didn't leave on bad terms with the village either. So she wore her two head bands proudly, just like her older brother did. Or maybe she was just trying to copy him....

Other than the head bands, Akumi's atire was warm. She had a hoodie on, and a skirt, under the hoodie she was wearing a plain t-shirt. On her sides were her pouches that presumably held ninja gear. Her leaf head band was tied around her neck loosely, and her stone head band was tied to her left arm, and secured. Since she had arrived, she noticed everyone's styles were different. It wasn't hard to tell who was a leafie, and who wasn't. She had been exploring the village, ever since she was fully transferred, and her things were put away.

Even though Akumi wanted to explore the whole village, she was sent to a place where she'd already been. The gate. She had a package to deliver to the gate keepers, then as far as she knew, she was done for the day. Of course she'd have to go pick up her pay after she was done. This wasn't that hard, drop off the package, then go off and 'train' as they call it here. She called working on her jutsu playing.

After Akumi dropped off the package at the gate keeper, she turned around and tried dashing, but being in a crowded area, you tend to almost run into people. She stopped centimeters away from running into a little girl, who oodly enough looked very similar to herself. She was able to avoid hitting her, but instead made her loose her own balance. Next thing Akumi knew, she fell on her butt. Whew.... that was too close for comfort. She mumbled, then looked up at the brother sister duo. It was ironic, she had just met her older brother here at the gates, and now she found a pair that looked similar. "Apologies, I'm still not accustomed to ... well this flat landed village." She stated with a big smile as she stood. She said flat landed, because in stone there were many hills, cliffs, and mountains. Usually in crowded places she could easily avoid it by running on a ledge, or using the roofs that were so close together. Not like they didn't have roof tops here, there was just a lot more open areas.

 

[Yume]

The Ota clan, who had expended many hours and energy to get to the looming Leaf Gates would find themselves stuck behind in a queue for entry. Standing in line before them, they'd see a single carriage with windows covered by curtains and being pulled by a pair of horses. A small number of people congregated near it and talked idly amongst themselves while one person appeared to be handling all of their entry processes.

Young Akumi, from the inside of the gates, and if the clan cared to peer into the preview of the village, they'd see a larger crowd of people. Some held signs that said "U<3ME", others had their film cameras at the ready, and the majority were bobbling about excitedly for seemingly the rider of the carriage.

Oh my, oh my, it was already bustling at this time of day.

Inside of the carriage, Yume rolled about in her seat boredly. It was an interesting event out of the country, just to a nearby village for a promotional event for a few days. They just came back now. She heard the enthusiastic chatter outside and she knew exactly the strategy needed for the company to capitalise on her popularity and profit. It was a matter of timing, the vibe and the action. A finger poked out from the edge of the curtain and she peered outside, seeing the crowd of fans and paparazzi first, then her manager... well, managing her and the crew's entry into the village. Then she peeked to behind the carriage, seeing a trio waiting behind them to get in.

Oh no, how long were they waiting for? She knew that she had been waiting here for a while. Ahh, why is the border security process so slow!

The initial plan was thrown out the window, as was Yume's fleeting whims. The carriage door opened, and out she stepped onto the dirt and pebbly ground. The crowd from inside noticed immediately.

"Ah, Yume-chan!"
"Yun-chan!"
"Look this way!"

The clamour garnered the attention of her manager quickly, as he snapped his head towards her with an exasperated glare. "Yume, get back in the carriage."

"Aigoo, Oppa!" the girl cried, after a wave and signature hand heart gesture to the crowd. She jogged towards him standing by the kiosk. "It's taking way too long just to get in! These people have been waiting forever!"

She gestured to the siblings and mistakenly, Akumi.

"Should let them through first? There's three of them, and like ten of us. It's not fair to them."

"... And it's not fair to us, who have also been waiting--and outside of the comfort of a carriage for most of us," came the scolding reply back.

Yume froze, before smiling abashed and retreating with a few steps back. "I gotcha," she replied, though her mind was reeling for a review on new border security protocols when she's forced back into office. The girl turned, easily ignoring the noise behind the village gates and approached the people waiting behind the crew. Anything was better than lulling about in the carriage.

With a clap of her hands together, halfway in apology, the idol smiled at them all. "Ahh... I'm sorry, because of us you have to wait a little longer."

"Please wait back in the carriage, Yume!"

Her smile stayed unwavering and she hardly reacted to the call back. It was like a buzzing in her ear, the manager fly. Shoo, shoo. Hurry up and get the entry process done quicker!

 

[Gotō Daiji]

Fortunately, all of this mushy stuff didn't last long!

A few seconds after the siblings had their little moment they noticed an energetic young girl break out into a sprint nearby. People were moving all around them. Some going in, some heading out, and some just sorta standing there like the Ōta siblings. Both Yasu and Saya were taken aback slightly by the girl charging straight towards them, but luckily a head-on collision was avoided when she changed direction at the last moment. The sudden shift caused her equilibrium to go out of whack, and before anyone could do anything to stop it she had fallen onto her rear end. "W-woah!" the younger of the duo vocalized, eyes widening as she stared at Akumi. "Are you okay?" Falling like that sure didn't look too pleasant. Saya was just about to scold her older brother for not doing anything to help when she noticed him silently move forward and offer his hand to the fallen girl. Too close for comfort? "Just a bit." he responded to her mumbling, a soft smile was on his face. It was strange. Any way you looked at it, she shared a resemblance to his little sister. Like you could've plucked this girl straight from the Ōta gene pool. But then again, dark hair eyes aren't exactly rare traits...

Yasu would take a step back, folding his arms in front of him so that his hands were within the sleeves of his kimono. He shook his head, still smiling as the girl apologized. "No need to be sorry." She hadn't done anything wrong. Probably just busy and trying to make her way through the crowd. This was supported when Saya gave a big nod, closing her eyes and shooting a smile towards the girl. "Mhm! As long as you're not hurt." Being the reason a resident of Konoha got hurt would not have been a good look on their first day here. The second part of Akumi's statement however caused the older sibling to arch an eyebrow. "Flat?" he repeated, letting out a small chuckle as he turned his eyes once again to the Phoenix Gate. "These gates are taller than anything in our home country." It was true! Rice Country was one of the flattest nations out there. Of course they had a few hills, but those and the staggered rice paddies that covered the landscape were the extent of any verticality. His sister seemed rather excited, probably because she was talking to another girl around her age. She didn't have many friends back home. "Are you not from Konoha either?" A question that returned Yasu's gaze to the newcomer. Now that he got a good look at her... "Ah," he chimed in, nodding towards the girl's headband as his eyes fixated upon it. "You must be a shinobi." Unfortunately it seemed he wouldn't even be able to get another word in, because at the suggestion that this girl might be a ninja her eyes lit up. "Really?!" she asked hurriedly bringing her hands up in excitement. "A real-life kunoichi? That's so cool!" Already Saya had taken a liking to the girl. There was nothing more in the world that she wanted to be than a kunoichi...and here was an actual one standing before her! "You'll have to teach me some moves sometime!" Yasu was having a sweat drop moment as he watched. "Don't scare her off, Saya..." But his words were likely barely audible as he stood in the background. Still, it was nice to see her excited about something. Dreariness got old rather quickly. Saya could do with some friends to keep her mind off of things.

Sounds of loud cheering turned the young man's attention away from the girls. Just on the inside of the village was a mass of people, all chattering and looking absolutely thrilled about something or other. He even saw someone holding up a sign. It almost goes without saying he was obviously confused. Music was actually something he rather enjoyed. His mother played an instrument, and he even dabbled a bit himself. But Rice Country was far from a technological advanced country. Most of the nation's populace didn't even own a lightbulb, let along a radio or music player. So to say he knew little of the world's biggest pop sensation was an understatement. Soon after he took note an elegant carriage in front of them. It looked much more fancy than the old wagons the Ōta had brought along with them, which were visible but still rather far from the gate. He noticed the curtain on the back of the carriage move to the side a bit, which piqued his interest even more. But before he could even wonder what was inside the door swung open and a girl stepped out. Immediately the crowd on the inside of the village went berserk, the wall of noise comically causing Yasu's hair and clothes to billow in the wind. "..." he stood there in silence, hair slightly disheveled. Now these were some diehard fans!

Upon seeing Yume, the first thing he took note of was her rosy hair. The second was her eyes. Even at this distance, his sharp sight could make out the green hue of her irises. All-in-all, her appearance stood in stark contrast to his own. Where she had brightly colored features and wore a fashionable dress, he was dark and garbed in traditional clothing. Yasu watched as she made a quirky gesture and the crowd once more roared to life. She made her way over to the desk in front of the gate. One short conversation later and it looked like she was returning to the carriage...except she walked past it. A sympathetic expression was clear on the woman's face as she approached the trio. And with a clap of her hands she apologized for being the reason they would have to wait so long for entry. Yasu smiled. "Don't worry." he began, turning his gaze towards the convoy of wagons a ways off. About two dozen members of the Ōta were standing near their belongings, waiting patiently to advance in the line. A youthful looking but certainly older woman with long dark hair was seated on the frontmost transport, along with a young boy who looked to be her son. She waved kindly at the group from afar. "It'll take a while before we're all through." The immigration of an entire clan was no trifling matter...and this wasn't even all of them! Luckily the weren't the Ōta clan wasn't the absolute biggest one around. So they wouldn't be stuck out here for too long. After shooting a smile towards his relative aboard the wagon he turned his gaze back towards the crowd on the inside of the village, who were all fixated on the woman standing in front of him. That sign from earlier stood out. "U-...less than three-ME?" he uttered aloud, squinting slightly in a vain attempt to grasp the stylized name. If the clothes and the wagons didn't give it away, it would be obvious that he wasn't a city slicker. "Are they here for you?" A nod towards her adoring masses followed the question. Not a city boy, but definitely not dumb. The crowd reacted to her. These had to be her fans. But for what? Was she some sort of noble? Maybe a famous merchant?<i></i>

 

[Sukuna Kiyo]

Akumi was quite lucky, she didn't run into the poor girl. Though, it seemed a bit odd to have such a crowd like this today, but she didn't really know what goes on daily in Konoha. The other day it wasn't this crowded... "I'm fabulous." She responded to the girl whom was asking if she was okay, then she took the help of the older sibling. Her tone was cheerful as ever, she even showed the two a smile. She wouldn't admit that she was a wee bit embarrassed, she couldn't imagine what would happen if she did run over the poor girl. She could tell that this girl was not a ninja, yet. The boy felt like he had more power, but she wasn't sure. She'd someday learn how to sense chakra better, but for know, she just had to go with a feeling.

If only she were older, he was a handsome boy.

Despite being told there was no need, Akumi was sorry anyways, She should have been paying attention, and she is about to become a chuunin, so she should be better at not running into things. Akumi blinked as he stated that these gates were talll. They were, but she's seen tell buildings carved into mountains. So it wasn't really anything bigger than what she had seen before. Then she nodded to the girl to her question. "I transferred from Iwagakure, I came here to live with my older brother." She explained, then she showed a big grin as the older boy mentioned that she was a shinobi. "Yep! I'm Yumoto Akumi, Genin, and soon to be chuunin. I was originally an Iwagakure ninja," She explained, then she pointed at both her Iwa head band, and her leaf head band. She wore both of them proudly.

Akumi was a bit surprised at the excitement the girl showed though, it wasn't anything special... there were a lot of ninja in leaf now, but akumi could tell how much she wanted to be a ninja just by her excitement. "Oh, no problem!" She stuttered out, she wasn't sure if she could teach. Showing moves is one thing, but teaching a newbie how to do it was another. Pluss most of her favorite moves were... well an explosive manor. It'd be a bit dangerous to teach that, she knew her place. Explosion jutsu would require.. adult supervision.

Soon the crowd got louder, they were shouting a name, and cheering. Akumi almost thought a riot had started, luckily it wasn't the case. She recognized the name they were shouting, but she wasn't sure. Akumi's favorite hobby was singing, and playing musical instruments, besides her artistic explosions of course. That always came before musical art for her, maybe that just apart of her DNA. Anyways, a woman walked over, the crowd had their eyes on her, Akumi assumed she was famous, but she didn't really know who she was. U<3ME was someone she'd read about in magazines, and heard a few times. She never got into it because of her own training, but that didn't mean she didn't respect a fellow artist. It took a little bit to recognize her though.

"Oh wow, I never thought I'd see her in person." Akumi commented, but it seemed the girl thought that akumi was apart of the siblings group. "Actually there is two of them, I'm just passing through." She stated to the Idol. Then she looked at the boy, "Your home country must be REALLY small if you have never heard or seen the Idol U-heart-Me." She said to him, though she meant no offense of course. She was a bit happy to see the Idol pay attention to them though, but she wasn't really a "fan"

[mft]

 

[Yume]

"Omomomo! Is that your whole family with you? Ah, are you all moving into Konoha?" Yume gasped, hand over her agape mouth in surprise. Partially, she was happy with it, because that meant she can potentially stop hearing the old man lament on the low shinobi enrolments. Partially, Yume was not okay with it, purely because she, in Sennin mode, is going to have to be the one to process their immigration into Leaf as permanent residents.

Jokes, her manager is going to do that. She, herself, had songs to sing.

Speaking of, it was clear that Yasu hadn't heard of U<3ME. Not that it hurt her or anything--in fact, it had been drilled into her at an early age to always assume that no one has heard of her unless they say so. So much, if she bumped into someone on the street on her day off and they recognised her... Well, words can't express how happy she'd be.

So Yume smiled and couldn't help but giggle a little at Akumi's interpretation of her heavily stylised idol name. "I'm so happy you've heard of me, Miss! Thank you!"

She bowed in greeting and put her hands together in a heart like she did before while introducing herself, "I guess you can say that. I'm Yume, a music idol from FiRE E&M in Konoha. Nice to meet you all!"

She bowed again and clapped to herself when she straightened up. Yume thought of letting Akumi know that the heart was actually just a pretty logo the company decided to stick into her stage name and that it was just pronounced as her introduction. But she thought better against it. If she directly addressed the issue, that'd surely be embarrassing. So she hoped that her formal introduction was good enough to imply the correction.

After the introductions, the girl began to rummage around her skirt as if she was looking for something. Finally, Yume found her target: a box of matcha pocky. Limited edition! But only because there was a cute little egg character superimposed onto the packaging.

"Well since it'll take a little while until the crew and I can go back home, we might as well get comfortable," the idol remarked nonchalantly, chomping down on one of the candied breadsticks. She offered the box towards the three. "Pocky?"

Unbeknownst to them, and in the manager's defense, the reason it was taking so long was most likely because of all the food stuffs Yume decided to buy and bring home across the border. So it was Yume's fault. Shh...

 

[Gotō Daiji]

"Whew!" Saya ran a hand across her brow as Akumi confirmed that she was okay. No lawsuits! Yet anyway. Yasu simply continued to smile softly and gave the girl a slight nod to show he was glad she wasn't hurt. Whatever her feelings on the situation, she picked the right two people to almost run into! The Ōta siblings were generally nice people...as long as the sentiment was returned, that is.

The younger of the duo widened her eyes as the newly-minted Leaf Ninja explained her move. So she moved here with some family too. Maybe she was in the same boat as Saya when it came to the friend situation? "Iwagakure?" she mimicked, placing a finger on her chin as her gaze wandered upwards. "That one's in..." What nation was it again? It had been awhile since her last geography lesson. "Earth Country." her brother chimed in, meaning well in attempting to help his little sister out...however his response was met with two thin arms pressing against his side in a vain attempt to give him a shove. "I knew that!" A sigh was all he gave in way of reply. He never could catch a break with this one...

After getting frustrated and giving up on her attempt at pushing her rude and immovable big brother, she returned her focus to the conversation between her and Akumi. "Anyway..." she began in exaggerated fashion, puffing her cheeks up at Yasu before turning to face their new acquaintance. Her brother merely arched an eyebrow. "Smartypants here and our older brother already taught me a few things, so I'd love to-... " Suddenly her words halted as she furrowed her brow and turned once more to her older brother. "...what is it you and Tōsō do again?" Saya clearly sounded frustrated about having to ask Yasu for the answer. He crinkled his nose a bit before shifting his eyes from side-to-side. "Spar?" At this, his sister clapped her hands, her expression returning to one of joy as she moved her gaze from Yasu to her new friend. "Yes! That." Yasu raised a hand to rub the back of his head. What was she in a mood for? All he did was say what country Iwa was in! Last time he tried to help out...

Akumi's reaction to the woman and the crowd cheering for seemed to confirm Yasu's suspicions. So she was some kind of bigshot! Interesting. At the insinuation that their home country must've been small, the dark-haired young man let loose a chuckle "Very." He responded, shooting the girl a smirk. Saya nodded in agreement. "Ta no Kuni isn't the biggest place. Most of the people back home don't even own a radio." Possibly a bit hard to believe in the modern age, but it was absolutely true. A nation full of farmers didn't need much in the way of technology. Traders sometimes brought back trinkets from other countries, but they were often too expensive for the general populace and of not much use to people who tended rice paddies all day. Yasu had always enjoyed marveling at the baubles though. They were like a window to the outside world. Something that showed him there were bigger places out there vastly different from his home. He may have missed his home and objected to the move altogether, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't somewhat anxious to see the world. "Yep!" His sister confirmed his statement. "But it's really pretty! Rice paddies covering the countryside...rolling hills that stretch for miles around..." Okay. So maybe saying it out loud made it sound dull. But Rice Country really was a picturesque nation! Its beauty was in its simplicity rather than grandiose gates, jagged mountain passes, or endless deserts. The pink-haired idol gasped, taken aback by all of their clansmen. "Yeah, that's most of us." Yasu gave a small nervous laugh as he responded. Hopefully all of their paperwork wasn't too much of a pain. "Our father decided it was best for the family to move here." he stated, his smile fading ever-so-slightly as his eyes lowered. It was just one of the decisions his father made that he disagreed with...but what was his word against the Head of the clan's? If Tōsō spoke up maybe it'd be different, but part of him doubted even that. His old man was as stubborn and conservative as they come. It was tough trying to convince him of anything. Yasu didn't want to bring down the mood however, so he quickly caught himself, perking up his facial features as he raised his gaze to meet Yume's. "So here we are." ...did that sound forced? I think that sounded forced. "...great."

Changing gears, Yasu turned his attention back towards his family's caravan. His Ōta clansman were busy getting their belongings situated. Meanwhile, the woman aboard the front wagon shot him a questioning look. Moments later she began to gesture slyly back-and-forth between him -and from what he could tell at this distance- Yume. "..." Silently, he stepped to the side, his back to the group in an attempt to block the idol's vision. An expression of pure shock flashed across his face. He hoped to the many different Kami above she hadn't seen that. How could someone be so embarrassing at a distance?! "Jeez..." Hopefully she stayed with the wagon. He wasn't sure if he could handle Saya AND her at the same time. Yasu was brought back to the conversation as the crowd-drawing woman introduced herself as Yume. Suddenly, something clicked inside of his head. "That sign makes a lot more sense now..." Of course! It was a cutesy way of spelling it. There were probably people who spelled things in a similar manner in everyday life. But it almost goes without saying that such trends eluded the young man. "So you're a performer?" Saya asked, giving her brother a slight nudge in the side. He knew what his sister was getting at, but wasn't too eager to divulge such information. Besides, the conversation wasn't about him. He was interested to hear about this "idol" business, though. While they waited for a reply something else occurred to him. Turns out? The sibling duo had been incredibly rude. "Ah, I nearly forgot." he sounded out, another thought filling his brain. After bowing, he finally properly gave his name. "I'm Yasu of the Ōta clan...and this is my sister Saya." ...and his sister's. Slowly he raised his head, his eyes shifting from Yume to Akumi. "A pleasure to meet both of you." A little late, but lordly enough to make up for it. The younger of the sibling duo blushed immediately. How could she forget something as simple as introducing herself?! Maybe all of her lessons on how to be a "proper lady" had been for nothing? "Y-yeah! Nice to meet you two." She could't even remember the last time this had happened! Meeting a potential new friend must've completely sidetracked her. Oh well. At least her father wasn't around to witness it...

Actually, she was really lucky her father wasn't here. Because at the sight of candied bread-y deliciousness, Saya's left eye began to twitch. Yasu noticed this immediately and gave her a sideways glance. Saya loved candy. Or rather, she was in love with it. Whenever the chance arose she gorged on sweets and didn't think twice about it...this time was a bit different because the pocky wasn't actually hers. It took every ounce of her willpower, but the girl managed to extend a slightly trembling hand to take just one of the treats. "T-thank you...Yume-san." It took about a second flat for her to finish off the stick of pocky, her voraciousness prompting another eyebrow raise from her brother. His face was half-amused, half-weirded out as he shook his head, declining the kind idol's offer. Sweets weren't his thing. He could go for some actual food though...hopefully his brother and father would have some sort of meal ready when they arrived. Today had been a long day and it wasn't even over yet!

[mft]

 

[Sukuna Kiyo]

Akumi found it a little bit silly that The other girl, Saya, didn't know where Iwagakure was. Her older brother had to point it out, it seemed like he did his studies, for one who came from such a small place. She had heard of the rice country before, it was... Well backwards in a way. But the rice from there was amazing, she had to admit. Maybe it was because of their lack of technology, that their rice was so amazing. Though the next thing that came out of Saya was speaking about a spar. This girl didn't even look like a ninja yet... "Well if you think you're ready for a spar... but I am above my current rank, so as long as it is supervised..." Akumi explained, she didn't want to hurt anyone, or worse. Depending on where the spar took place, Akumi probably would not be able to use her big bombs. Though it also depended on if Saya was ready for those techniques.

Ta no Kuni... Akumi thought she heard of it, but she was not sure. Akumi was surprised to hear that barely anyone there had a radio, that was basic technology, Saya spoke about how pretty it was, rice fields as far as the eye can see? It might be pretty, but it was somewhere she wouldn't want to stay for long. It seemed like the older boy, Yasu, was down about their move, Well she assumed that by his fading smile, and lowering eyes, he tried hiding it with a forced wording. "It takes time to get used to things. It'll be okay." She stated, then she looked back to the idol figure, Yume. Sucks for all these guys, Akumi already did her paperwork, she can just leave at any moment, but she didn't. She didn't have any more work to do, after all, the most she had to do was prep for her upcoming mission.

Akumi was a little surprised that Yume thanked her, like doesn't half the population of Konoha listen to her? "You're welcome?" she said in a questioning and confused tone of voice. it wasn't every day that you get thanked for knowing someone.

Akumi looked at Yasu, as they finally introduced themselves, well AKumi didn't mind. Even if they didn't introduce themselves, she would have just made up names for them. "Tis nice to meet you as well." She commented, then she gave them a firm nod.

Akumi watched as Yume looked for something, finally, she found it, pocky. When she offered it to them, Akumi smiled and took one, then began to immediately nibble on it. "Thank you." She expressed, with the pocky in her mouth.

[mft]

 

[Yume]

"Yes, I'm an idol," Yume replied to Saya with a smile. "For about...four years now?"

A moment of confusion flashed across her face as Yasu suddenly stepped to the side with a , blocking Yume's direct front view. She tilted her head to the side with a couple of blinks, tiptoeing up to peek over his shoulder to see what he was trying to hide. Yume even very blatantly leaned over to the side to look behind him. Seeing nothing of worth to be hid, the girl straightened up again with a curious look at Yasu's unnerved expression.

Oh well.

After her offer of Pocky to the three, Yume couldn't help but giggle at Saya's reaction. Her hand holding the Pocky box reached out towards the young girl again and she smiled a dazzling smile fit for an idol. "Long trip, I assume? You must be hungry! Here, take the rest. Don't worry, I have plenty of other boxes in the carriage!"

She waited until Saya took the box. If she fought against herself to refuse, Yume would turn to Yasu and plop the box in his hands, just in time to hear her manager call for her to come back. "Oh, that's my cue! Remember to share the Pocky, alright?" Yume beamed, finishing the goodbye with a cute salute. "Come by the FiRE E&M building sometime tomorrow! I'm recording a live performance for the music channels; you're totally welcome to come watch!"

The idol hopped backwards a couple of steps before turning and jogging off towards the border security kiosk, waving to the stragglers of fans that still remained. She stopped beside her manager with a spring in her step, chatting amicably with him and the gates shinobi as if they were friends.

It was about five minutes later when she returned to the trio.

"Never mind, they just needed some of my personal details. My invitation still stands, though!"

 

[Gotō Daiji]

A small smile took hold on the young man's face as he watched the interaction between Akumi and Saya take place. She and Kyō had taken the move the hardest by far. So he was glad she had already made a new acquaintance. It was still too early to say for sure if they'd fit in or not...but so far things seemed to be going alright.

Saya puffed her lip out slightly at the girl's response. She definitely wasn't angry or anything...but she could tell Akumi doubted her abilities. A thin girl in a cute pink kimono might not look that threatening, but if they ever did get around to sparring the new Leaf Genin might be in for a fiery surprise. "Hey, hey..." she began to speak, the beginnings of a confident smirk forming as she continued on. "Don't underestimate me now! I can throw a mean kunai." Yasu only barely managed to stifle a chuckle at his sister's fighting spirit. What she was saying actually wasn't wrong. Saya had a knack for shurikenjutsu. And though she didn't possess Dōjutsu like him, their father, or their older brother, she was still quite adept at weaving illusions. Not to mention her budding skill with Fire Ninjutsu. Yes she's quite the little firecracker. When she's not being forced to act "ladylike", that is...

It seemed his momentary drop in mood didn't go unnoticed. Damn. "Hm.~" His eyes closed softly as the corners of his mouth perked up a bit, a light chuckle sounding out but remaining trapped in his throat. He didn't mean for anyone to catch that...but he did very much appreciate Akumi's sentiment. A smile was sent her way as he nodded. "Of course." Ultimately he felt like they were going to be okay. It was just the length of assimilation that concerned him. Coming from such a small and underdeveloped nation to the gates of Konoha was quite the transition. Culture shock to the max, really. The Village Hidden by Tree Leaves had all sorts of technological marvels. Radio towers, giant buildings, electricity. Things one would certainly not find in Rice Country. But like the girl had said, it would simply take time. The Ōta would be regular Konohagakurians in no time...probably. Saya smiled as Yume answered her question. Of course the siblings weren't familiar with the "idol" business, but now they at least knew somewhat of what it entailed. Yasu nearly breathed a sigh of relief as the rosy-haired idol tried to get a peak of what he was blocking. If it wasn't Saya embarrassing him it was her. Couldn't he ever catch a break?

"Ah!" The younger of the siblings enthusiastically accepted the box of Pocky as Yume offered it to her. Her eyes might as well have been sparkling. "Thank you so much, Yume-san!" Apparently it was very easy to win Saya over. All it took was gifting her something sweet and the girl's friendship meter skyrocketed. The siblings watched as the entertainer's manager waved her over. It looked as if their conversation would be cut short. Yasu's sister gave Yume a nod as she was told to share her treats. "Mhm!~" she responded with a smile, as innocent as can be. But her brother knew better and shot her a questioning glance. Sure she said she would share. But on the inside? "Never." Yasu may get a tad bit annoyed at his little sisters antics from time-to-time, but he definitely knew how she thought. Especially when it came to sweets. The dark-haired young man lowered his head as the idol began to leave, seeing her off with a bow. He did not expect the invitation. "Eh?" a sound of confusion echoed in his mind. It wasn't all that crazy to be invited somewhere...but it did catch him off guard slightly. Or maybe he was just flustered. "S-sure..." his response came, eyes widened slightly as he watched the idol take her leave. Saya waved excitedly to Yume as she left...before shooting her brother a sly smirk. Call it a "woman's intuition" but she had a hunch as to why Yasu's cheeks had suddenly gained a bit of color. But she wasn't cruel! No. She'd at least wait until they got to the estate to pick on him.

Now it was down to just the two of them and Akumi. The older Ōta sibling was just about to ask the new Leaf Genin more about her home when a familiar voice sounded out. "Yasu-chan...~" His brow immediately furrowed. He did not look amused. Yasu slowly turned to face the voice's owner. An elegant-looking woman with dark brown hair and black eyes met his stare. She was shorter than Yasu but taller than Saya. Her clothing was traditional just like the two siblings'. A finely-made but simple lavender kimono covered her body while wooden geta adorned her feet. Though she certainly seemed older than Yasu and Saya, she still looked good for her age. Anyone who didn't know could have easily mistaken her for being in her late twenties or early thirties. "Mother." he acknowledged the newcomer, his voice tinged with the slightest hint of annoyance. It seemed like he wasn't big on the pet name she had given him. A small melodic laugh was all he got in way of response. The woman then turned to the younger of the siblings, smiling at her as she noticed Akumi. "Making new friends already, Saya?" Two large dark eyes turned towards the former Iwagakure-nin, looking for some sort of validation. Were they friends? They'd only just met and didn't really know all that much about each other...but Saya wished to one day change that. At the very least she hoped Akumi would take her up on her offer to spar. A friendly bout was sure to be a bonding experience. "Yeah, this is Akumi. She's new here too!" the girl finally answered with a nod. She hoped Akumi didn't mind her referring to her as a friend. The older woman gave a slight bow towards the girl, continuing to smile all the while. "Nice to meet you."

It didn't take long for her to refocus on Yasu, much to the young man's chagrin. She stood by her son's side, leaning in slightly and arching an eyebrow as she began her line of questioning. "Who was that girl earlier?" a sly smile had formed on the woman's face. What? It was a mother's job to ask such things! Before he could even reply Saya took the opportunity to join in. So maybe she was a bit cruel. "That was Yume. A super famous idol." her words were exaggerated, the girl wearing an even more sinister smirk than her mother's. Saya looked like the spitting image of her. "She makes music...and she's even on the radio!" This prompted an impressed, "Oh.~" from the woman. What a high-profile encounter...and on their first day here! Who would her son be chatting up a week from now? Yasu simply sighed, hands still clasped within the sleeves of his kimono. This was exactly what he didn't want to have happen. At least Yume wasn't here to witness any of this ridiculous- "Never mind, they just needed some of my personal details. My invitation still stands, though!"

...oh dear Kami.

The young man's eyes widened slightly after hearing the sound of the idol's voice. This was quickly turning into a recipe for disaster. Or...at least crippling embarrassment. Yasu and Saya's mother looked visibly surprised upon seeing Yume. After a moment of staring she leaned in towards her son and whispered, </FONTFACE><FONTFACE fontface="tahoma">"She's even cuter than I thought!" Her words were meant to be quiet but they really weren't that muted. A mortified look flashed across Yasu's face as he shot his mother a sideways glance. "Mom..." it was more a plea than anything. This was just fantastic. Saya and his doting mother both in top form and ready to humiliate him to the nth degree. When any girl near his age was around they were each ten times worse than usual. And as a team? They were unstoppable. Another heavy sigh escaped Yasu's lips as he closed his eyes. Maybe if he wished hard enough he could just disappear? Saya placed another stick of pocky in her mouth as she shot the idol a quick thumbs-up. "We'll definitely be there!" As if this wasn't enough, she quickly jabbed her brother in the side with an elbow. Yasu nodded and force a weak smile. It really did sound like fun...but he was a bit preoccupied at the moment. Y'know...just praying that his mother and sister didn't preemptively ruin his new life. The older woman took a step forward, smiling at the idol as she bowed her head once more. "I'm Ōta Suzu. It's a pleasure to meet you." Yasu would watch their interaction with baited breath. All he could do was hope she didn't say anything too crazy. But taking into account her track record?

He was doomed.<i></i>

 

[Sukuna Kiyo]

Akumi grinned at Saya as she became defensive about being underestimated. "I'm sure you can throw kunai, but I can't help but worry since my Jutsu style is.. well explosive." She admitted, she wouldn't want to do too much harm after all."But I'm sure I'll see your skills soon when we spar." She stated with a nod, she didn't mean to underestimate her. Akumi should know better than that.

Akumi looked at Yume as she gave Saya the rest of the box of poki, it seemed she was off then. Akumi waved to her as she left, she didn't understand why the idol was inviting them to her studio. Her attention went back to Saya, she doubted the girl would share the sweets, so she didn't ask. One was enough anyways.

Right after, an older woman walked up. It was soon revealed that she was their mother. She asked if she was a friend, but before akumi could answer, Saya did. She didn't mind that Saya referred to her as a friend. Akumi respectfully bowed to the older woman, "It is nice to meet you as well." She spoke in a moddest tone. She spoke differently to those her age, or those she thought of as equals. Respect was one thing that was drilled into her head, especially for people who seemed... older, and more traditional.

"So Saya, after you get all settled in, come find me, and we can spar then." Akumi said to her, she then nodded. It was about time Akumi picked up her payment and went back home. "I usually hang out in the forest training ground, but just ask around for Tamashii's sister, and people can point you in the right direction." She explained quickly.

"Anyways, I am gonna get going, see you guys around, it was nice meeting you." Akumi said with a grin, then she turned and started walking towards the gates. "I hope moving in goes smoothly for you guys!" She said as she walked away.

She passed Yume while she was heading back, "See you on stage Yume." She stated, implying that maybe she'd go to one of her shows. Or maybe they'd meet randomly again. Either way, Akumi was sure she would see the idol again.

[mft, topic left]

 

[Yume]

Oh, dear. It looked like she returned to the group at the wrong time. After waving goodbye to Akumi as they passed by each other, Yume found herself in a confusing situation when faced with the siblings' own mother! Her bewilderment was quite evident on her face, but she still had the manners to smile and bow back in greeting.

"How do you do, Ōta-san?" she replied, straightening back up and shooting the older woman a cute idol smile. "I'm Yume, from FiRE E&M's Idol division. Welcome to Konoha, by the way! I hope you have a great time here."

She giggled and clapped her hands together in delight at Saya's confirmation of her invitation. "Oh, that's fantastic! Then you'll definitely have a great time here," the idol said with a wink. Soon, she was patting around her pockets again, as if looking for something, though it wasn't Pocky this time. "I'll just..."

Like Mary Poppin's bag (pockets), Yume pulled out a small notebook and pen. Scribbling on a page in cursive, she wrote down Yasu, Saya and Suzu's names and signed it with her U<3ME signature. Hell, let's just officially seal with the U<3ME stamp too. Ripping out the page, she handed it to them to take. "If you head to the FiRE E&M building on Red Oak Street tomorrow, give reception this so they know you're free to pass through into the studio."

Yume grinned, with her hands behind her back and rocking on her heels cheerfully. "You'll definitely recognise the building because of its size and lighting--can't miss it! I can't wait to see you there!"

More fans are great fans. And lucky for her, think there was enough space to just squeeze a few more people into the audience. Now it was just tiding over some time until Yume was finally through the gates. Think they're almost done. So if Suzu and Saya wanted to embarrass Yasu at this point, now was a pretty good time.

 

[Gotō Daiji]

"Mhm.~" A pleasant, melodic laugh filled the air as the Ōta matriarch placed a hand to her lips. "So well-mannered." Of course she was referring to Akumi who bowed when greeting her. She was glad to see her children getting along well with the locals. Suzu had her own grievances about moving to Konoha but she wouldn't dare let them be known. Not only because her husband would be irate at being questioned, but for the sake of her flock. If the children saw their mother apprehensive about the relocation they would surely follow suit. Doubt was a silent killer. Especially when it came to families like theirs. Families who were drawn into..."non-traditional business practices". It was more important for the Ōta clan to remain united now than it ever was before. They needed to stand together for what was to come. She just hoped Arata knew what he was doing.

A confident smirk from Saya met Akumi's gaze the entire time she spoke. She was much too tenacious to be deterred. Even at the suggestion that she possessed explosive Ninjutsu! The younger sibling simply nodded and pumped her fist. "Our's is fiery!" It was true. Much like the Uchiha the Ōta nearly all had an affinity for flames. Prodigies were rare amongst their clan...but hard work and determination ran rampant. This unassuming cutesy little girl had put a lot of effort into training with her older brothers. She learned to do battle just like a boy. She was also possibly even more competitive than either Yasu or Tōsō. Definitely not one to be taken lightly. "No matter who wins...It'll be a show!" Saya commented with a wink, giggling a little afterwards. Fire and explosions...what could go wrong? Of course Suzu couldn't help but to arch an eyebrow at all this "sparring" business. Between Saya's nervous glances towards her whenever her friend mentioned it and Yasu avoiding eye contact, she could gather that her children took her for an airhead. Of course she knew that her daughter had been training with her brothers. She was a lot of things, but inattentive wasn't one of them. Luckily it was her that knew of these activities and not her father. While Suzu wouldn't say anything and in fact was quietly supportive of her daughter breaking the harsh gender norms of Ta no Kuni...the same could not be said for Arata. Perhaps the modern world would soften her husband's conservative outlook?

One could only hope.

The younger sibling waved Akumi off as she took her leave. "See you soon!~" she shouted after her newfound acquaintance. Maybe living here wouldn't be so bad after all? Suzu followed suit and waved gently to the girl while she walked away. "Thank you, Akumi-chan. Please come visit some time!" Anyone who was a friend of her daughter's was a friend of the family's. She wouldn't be able to thank her enough for making her child feel welcome. Yasu (in typical fashion) simply bowed, that same soft smile ever present on his face. As part of his upcoming duties he would surely be required to teach courses at Konoha's Academy, and possibly even mentor younger shinobi. Maybe he'd see her there some time? He was glad to have met her...but a part of him was secretly glad she didn't stay. Not because of her! No of course not she was as pleasant as could be. Not to mention she reminded him of his sister, so he was almost subconsciously forced to like her. The real reason was because of the dynamic duo over here. His mother and younger sister were experts at embarrassing him in front of people. One less person meant one less witness to the horror that was to come...

...or maybe not? So far things seemed to be going okay. "Just fine, thank you." His mother replied to the idol's question, a kind smile on her face all the while. The older woman couldn't help but giggle slightly at Yume's introduction. She was good, this one. "Thank you very much, Yume-san. I'm sure we will." Yasu hadn't looked at his mother in quite some time now but he could feel her gaze burrowing into the side of his skull. His eyes shut as a sweatdrop rolled down his head. What was she getting at? Whatever. He'd just keep pretending he didn't see her. Another giggle sounded out, this time from Leaf's biggest pop sensation. His dark eyes watched as she retrieved a piece of notepad and jotted down some info on it. Before he could even question it she was outstretching her hand, offering it to him. With a nod the young man took the paper and glanced over it. Yume seemed rather excited to have some people along to watch her performance. And yeah, Yasu supposed he was too. He'd grown up listening to more traditional music and listening to the soothing sound of his mother playing the shamisen...but it would be nice to get a taste for something more current. Rice Country was stuck in the past, it seemed. This was just another part of their integrat- "Oof!" a distressed sound escaped the boy's lips as as something sharp jabbed him in the side. His eyes rolled off to the side to see his younger sister's elbow firmly planted in his waist, but her front facing Yume with the biggest grin ever seen on her face. "We can't wait to be there!" What were they doing? Was it because he wasn't saying much? He never said much! That was Saya's thing. Suzu couldn't help but laugh as she watched the abuse sibling bonding. These kind people had already made their first day in Konohagakure a success. The older woman placed a hand on her cheek and tilted her head, continuing to smile as she spoke. "To think...my little Yasu-chan going on a date with a celebrity...and on his first day here!~" ...

...

Have you ever seen the look of terror -true terror- on a man's face? Well that's exactly the expression that Yasu took on as soon as those words left his mother's mouth. At first it was his mouth dropping open and his eyes looking like they were going to pop out of his head...but then came the color. The all-telling color. In the span of five seconds the young man's face adopted the hue of a ripe tomato. "Mom!" Any traces of his reserved demeanor had been burned away completely. His eyes darted back-and-forth, no doubt scouring his brain for some way to get himself out of the hole his mother had just dug. Alas...he couldn't come up with much. "That's not-..." he stopped. Yasu's eyes drifted downwards. "It's not-...!!" It was no use. Any way he could try and explain the situation would only serve to add further humiliation. An exasperated noise sounded out as he turned his back on the group, likely in an attempt to face away from the embarrassment. But it wasn't going anywhere. A hand shot up cup his head and he ruffled his hair out of pure distress. Why him?! "Raijin please help me out here..." Man what he wouldn't do to have a bolt of lightning shoot down from the sky and hit him right now. If anything this completely convinced him he needed to start praying more. He was sure an insta-kill escape from reality would come in handy at a later date. Especially with his mother and sister around. The bright red Ōta sibling mussed his hair some more as he closed his eyes tight, shook his head, and sighed...

...where was the god of lightning when you needed him?

 

[Yume]

Yume's smile stayed firmly stuck on her face, though the confusion was apparent in her eyes. They looked back and forth between the siblings and their mother, before gazing off to the side. She rocked on her heels, hands behind her back while she considered her words carefully. Didn't want to embarrass the poor guy any more if she could help it, since it seemed like his female family members were already doing a bang up job of it.

"Oh, well... I'm inviting all of you to come watch!" she smiled. Her hands moved to her front, with one finger tapping against her chin as she considered her words again. "I think the audience spots are pretty full, but we can probably squeeze you in!" Hopefully that passed on the underlying message that it wasn't going to be some intimate private show. Unless, they considered a performance in front of hundreds of people private and intimate.

Yasu was so red now, if Yume was as mean as his family, perhaps she'd comment on how he matches her hair now! But no. She wasn't that kind of person to her fans (or soon-to-be fans), so she said nothing for the moment. Luckily for the boy, his prayers were answered--although it wasn't Raijin who appeared to intervene.

NPC: U<3ME Manager​

"Yume."

The girl looked over her shoulder to see her manager standing behind her. Behind his glasses, his eyes were quite steely in its gaze at the four, mildly offsetting his otherwise perfectly neutral expression. He looked at Yume last, garnering the usual reaction of very innocent ignorance.

"Ah, Oppa!" Yume chirped, probably almost as happy as Yasu for having someone else intervene. She turned to the others and gestured to the older man. "This is my manager, so you'll see him around as well if you come tomorrow! Say hi!"

"..."

The manager, while exceptionally polite, had difficulty sometimes in hiding his annoyance when dealing with Yume's antics. Perhaps it was something Yasu and Jun had in common--crazy females that do nothing but give them grief. Same with Yume and the Ota girls; they just wanna have fun. Nevertheless, the man turned to the trio with a slight bow in greeting. "Pleasure to meet you," he said.

Yume mentally wiped her brow in relief, only for the moment to be short lived. A slight nudge on the small of her back told her it was time to go, and a firm grasp on the top of her head told her that she was going to be in trouble somehow. Her expression slipped for a second to a pout, though the others could easily think that she didn't want to leave so soon with that face.

"Time to get back to the studio. We're very sorry for the wait," the manager said, pushing the idol's head down to a bow. "Someone in our group snuck foods into the luggage without informing me."

"I told Eonni about it, though...!" Yume protested, struggling to straighten up against his hold on her. He let go of her shortly after and Yume huffed, fixing up her hair. "Maybe."

He shot her a look.

Don't go blaming others, you crazy girl.

Yume giggled sheepishly and covered her mouth with her hands. "Okay, maybe I didn't. But that's okay, we made it through!" She clapped, as if to change the subject on command. "Good luck with the immigration process, Ota-san, Yasu-kun and Saya-chan! I will see you at the FiRE E&M building tomorrow! Afternoon! Four o' clock, specifically, is when it's my turn, but you can come a little earlier if you like!"

The neutral look on her manager's face was nothing new to the idol and always had hidden meaning. When he closed his eyes to shield away his true ire, Yume took that as her cue to cut things short and let the line into Konoha continue on. With a swift and modern bow, Yume said her goodbyes.

"I'll see you around the village sometime," she laughed. With a perfect dazzling smile fit for an idol, she strolled back into the carriage, not before a wave to the stragglers by the gates, and entered the village.

Topic left unless stopped
Marked for training
See you at Red Oak sometime

 

[Gotō Daiji]

Dear Kami above this was a nightmare.

The tomato-faced young man nearly jumped for joy when the idol elaborated on the nature of the invitation. "Exactly." Yasu concurred, turning back to shoot a knowing glare at his mother. "All of us." Of course the Ōta matriarch knew this. She was many things, but dim-witted was not one of them. What could she say? She just wanted her son to find a nice girl! And had no problems embarrassing him to death in her quest to locate one. Luckily, it appeared the boy's prayers had been answered. And while the solution to this problem wasn't a bolt of lightning zapping him out of existence...it was the next best thing. A distraction. A stern-looking man wearing glasses entered into the conversation, ripping aggro off of the current topic and onto him. If anyone were paying close attention they'd notice Yasu glance skyward and mouth the words "Thank you." He'd have to make sure to visit the kamidana at their new place one they arrived and say a few words of thanks. It seemed somebody was looking out for him up there.

Yasu watched as the bespectacled man interacted with Yume. It was kind of comical. If his cheeks weren't still so hot he might've actually laughed at the back-and-forth the idol/manager duo had. From what little insight he could glean into the man's personality, he was almost certain that he'd get along swimmingly with his father if the two ever met. They could have a stone-faced staredown or...whatever deathly serious people did. As he bowed in greeting he returned one in kind, even managing a, "L-likewise..." as he lowered his head. Sure he was still a tad flustered, but that didn't mean he could forget his manners! The remaining Ōta women bowed as well, hints of two devilish smiles still fresh on their faces. Once the intros were out of the way Yasu stood up straight, relaxed himself, and took a deep breath. Okay. Things hadn't gone that bad. I mean...it could've been worse...

...right?

Suzu and Saya both giggled like mirror images of eachother as they watched Oppa and Yume's antics. Both mother and daughter had taken a liking to the idol. Saya because she'd been bribed with a box of pocky and Suzu because...well...she thought she was cute? It seemed as if this little welcoming party was beginning to die down, but before the idol took her leave she left the group with a few details of their future meet-up. E&M building. Tomorrow. Four o'clock. A finger came up to tap lightly on Suzu's chin. "Tomorrow?" she repeated back to herself, squinting her eyes as her gaze drifted upwards in thought. Yasu observed with narrowed eyes, apprehension at 100%. He had a bad feeling about this. "Oh dear, I won't be able to make it tomorrow...I have to help get the estate situated." Oh. Well that wasn't so bad. Sure it was unfortunate because he was sure his mother would be interested in music (being a talented musician herself and all...), but it wasn't the end of the world. Getting the new place set up was important, after all. Besides, he still had Say- "I can't either!" the girl puffed one of her cheeks out and made a displeased snapping gesture with her hand. "Kyō made me promise to take him to see the Academy..." ...of course. A dull, annoyed expression took hold of Yasu's face as his eyes shifted back-and-forth between his mother and sister. "..." They were sending him to this thing. By himself. After what they just pulled?! "...could really use that lightning bolt..."

At least he would at least be able to come to grips with these terms away from the idol! She was a busy person and had elsewhere to be. Hands from both of the women shot up to wave goodbye at the departing pop star and her manager. "Thanks for the pocky, Yume-san!" a laugh barely escaped her lips as a stick of the candy remained gripped firmly between them. "Take care, Yume-dear! Please come visit sometime!" What a nice girl. She'd definitely have to listen to some of her music one of these days. A few steps away from the women stood Yasu. Hair ruffled with a single loose strand sticking up. Face still slightly red. Scowling. He waved goodbye as well, though his was much more subdued. The invitation had already been accepted so now he HAD to go. Except he'd be alone. In a village he didn't know. Going to see a girl who had borne witness to his mother calling him "Yasu-chan"...

Fan-friggin'-tastic.

[mft]
[Topic Left]
[OOC: Yes! We should do another topic sometime ^^]