Shopping Around [OPEN]

[Uka]

A staccato beat echoed through the corridor leading to the outside as a single figure grew closer and closer. The source of the noise appeared to the pair of black and gold boots of that same individual. As she moved closer one could make out even more and more - her bleached leather chest piece, the blue and gold hooded cloak adorning her back, the white sleeves of her blue jacket, the multiple large leather pouches adorning her belt and the blue, white, black and gold leather armour cuisses that draped around her like a dress gave her quite the unusual appearance. One could even go ahead and call it daunting, especially when paired with the singular pauldron she wore on her left shoulder, the black gloves and the singular blue and gold metal gauntlet on her left hand with its' talon-like fingers. This was further compounded by her piercing, steel-blue eyes and silver hair with a single blonde strand, tied in a neat ponytail across her right shoulder.

Natsuru stepped out of the tailor and leatherworker she had found at the edge of the bazaar where the dilapidated structures ended and the grand houses began. This appeared to be one of the few high-class shops that had managed to stay open in this rather... slum-like marketplace. It was rather likely it had some of the more well-off denisens of this city as it's customers and she had just left a fairly substantial amount of money for her newly-acquired outfit as well, though it had been worth every penny. The tight-fitting clothing was pressing down against her skin just enough so that she could get some feel of herself actually moving, especially in her feel, which helped substantially since Natsu had basically felt like she was walking with buckets tied to her feet, being unable to register stepping on the ground. It was not an ideal situation, but a lot better than it had been rather recently. Her arms still felt rather unnervingly warm, however once more it was a huge improvement.

The hustle and the bustle of the market was more than enough to drown out any other noise and it was frankly refreshing. The silence of the sea, desert and even the forests had been... boring frankly. This was a substantial improvement over that and no matter where she looked something was happening. People were bargaining over potatoes and rice, others were partaking in what appeared to be a barrel of ale, another group shadily hid in one of the side streets conducting whatever, likely illegal, activities they pleased. All in all this place was amazing in some ways and horrendous in others. One could only imagine how much worse it got once the sun set and there was no guards around to make sure it is at least somewhat civil... as close to that as you could when you took into consideration the sheer amount of haggling going on.

The Senju would let out a quiet huff as she considered what to do. Her companions were still taking their time and to be honest she had been expecting that to happen, especially since she knew how bad Michi was when it came to seasickness. It was staggering really. This unfortunately left her with a substantial amount of free time before they headed back to the village, time she had to somehow fill. The question was how. She would ponder, remaining atop the staircase and drawing a fair few gazes her way. People were shaking their head, trying to figure out how she could be overdressed like that and not even be sweating at all.

[Topic Entered/Created]
[MFT]

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

Haru's footsteps echoed along the pitter patter of many others as he made his way through the Haven, passing through the gate not too long ago. Its been a while since he last visited, and given how the visit consisted of a lot of frantic searching through libraries, tomes, and scraps of papers on the bazaar, thrift shops and involved two attempted muggins, he was looking to slow it down a bit this time. Not that he made an attempt to stand out less, a somewhat large white cape waving against the wind as he moved forward, contrasting with his dark shirt and golden accessories on his body. Though to be fair, traversing the desert without a clock was a dangerous endeavor, even if you were as skilled at controlling the sand as the Sunaku. He sometimes wondered if he truly needed to fear the heat now, given his predicament, Maybe the heat he felt was simply his mind trying to ease him into thinking he was fully human...

He shook his head, making a step left to leave the crowd pouring from the gates of to the side of the Bazar. He didn't come here to worry or pity himself. He came here to unwind, do some errands, maybe have a good meal. He needed to get some supplies after all. Just hard to figure out what to go after first. The commotion of the crowds and calling out of stand owners had him a bit distracted. He surely needed parchment and paints, though what types would be available today? Maybe he could visit some of the libraries to browse through tomes in a less hectic manner? Though he hoped they would let him in again after the mess he made. The cloak he had was doing rather well, and the more heavy duty one was tended to by his clansmen at home... but perhaps more sturdy boots? The Journeys outside of the Wind Country could get a lot more treotorus when the ground beneath his feet became more sturdy...

In this absentminded musing state, he had made his way through the market, passing through one of the better tailer shops nearby, which was quite clear by how it stood out. He was slightly worried for the owners, though he assumed that with the money they were paid they could afford to pay for proper protection. Plus he knew how the village of Shinobi tended to make sure a shop is kept clean if there were satisfied customers. Speaking of, it seemed one was just leaving the establishment... And it was an unusual site. He knew full well that you needed to bring somewhat heavy gear when moving through the desert, both to defend from the harshness of the winds and the cold nights but this was quite the heavy duty get up.

At least that's how part of his mind rationalized the fact he caught himself staring for probably a second longer than it was polite too. It slightly argued with the fact his gaze linger around her head and face, which he found quite striking. It was somewhat strange, attractive, but at the same time, you could feel a certain harshness in her Icy blue eyes. And the coloring of her hair was quite unique in its own way. Most of the people who turned to look at her simply regarded her as an oddity and moved along their way, but that wouldn't quite do for him. He was pretty sure he would remember her if ever saw her in the village, and he couldn't see any clear mark of the village. A Shinobi from a different Land? A civilian traveler? A mercenary seeking work of refuge? These though swam through his mind as he approached the women standing on the Stairs, taking in her surroundings as he said "I see the place leaves another satisfied patron? Its been a while since I've bought here, but I guess that is a testament of the sturdiness of the wares" he said with a laugh before dipping his head in a slight bow "Sunaku Harupia. I'm sorry to bother but I figure someone here had to show the guts and actually approach you after gawking at you...for which I do apologize" he finished scratching his head. Finding a balance between smooth and earnest was never his good side.

Mft

(OOC: I know the pic is a bit difrent but IC Haru's eyes are green like in the Signature ^^

 

[Uka]

It did seem like her new apparel was attracting quite the attention for certain, maybe for the wrong reasons, but for sure. Thankfully it seemed that there weren't any brave individuals about, her gaze being enough to deter the few attempts to approach, though she wasn't really doing it on purpose. Unfortunately for her it was still somewhat difficult to actually move her facial muscles right now, resulting in a rather cold expression as they remained mostly relaxed. 'This will take some getting used to' She thought, letting out a quiet huff as she once again glanced around in another attempt to find something to distract herself whilst Michi was able to move again. Or at least she would if she hadn't found something to entertain herself with - the prince of persia.

Natsu would raise an eyebrow in question as he just stared unmoving, one could even argue that his jaw had dropped. It had been a while since she had seen such a reaction for sure and it seemed like this one actually had some backbone. "They are pretty decent tailors for sure, though not as good as the ones in Konoha before it burned down."<i></i> She would note, shifting ever so slightly to face the man without actually facing him head on fully, a subtle hint he had her interest, but not quite yet. The kunoichi attempted to smile, but couldn't resulting in a very slight curl of the corner of her lips. Her comment was more than enough to show she wasn't quite as young as her appearance suggested, especially considering that the village had fallen close to twenty years ago.

"It would appear to be a common way of acting around Suna."<i></i> She would add after a while. "It was quite similar when I was visiting Sunagakure itself. Just stares and only one person who actually decided to speak to me, a rather charming individual."<i></i> Natsu would pause for a moment, nodding ever so slightly as if to reassure herself of something. It was nothing more than an act. She knew exactly who she was speaking about, but found it more interesting to make a little game out of it. "Takahashi Sousuke if I remember right. Yes that was it. Oh where are my manners."<i></i> Natsuru would raise her left hand up to her face, covering her lips with her index and middle fingers as she rested her thumb just under her jaw to the left side. She would quickly lower it before finally continuing. "I lost myself in thought and forgot to introduce myself."<i></i> The Senju slowly extended her left hand towards him in an attempted handshake, the metal plates on her glove clanking ever so lightly with the movement. "Hayashi Natsuru, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Sunaku-san."<i></i>

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

Well, he got a response. Always a good first step, despite his...lack of decorum earlier. The response did surprise him tho as the mysterious lady turned ever so slightly to him, her lips moving just slightly in amusement. She apparently knew of tailors from the Konoha village of old, before it was burnt down...which by now was decades ago. Metting someone who had witnessed or survived the firs was not so outlandish, but it was more so the fact she looked quite young for someone who could have been through that. Then again, looks could be deceiving, especially in the world of Shinobi. It also seemed to explain something about her as he mused "Mmm...your eyes did look like those of someone who had seen a lot in their life" as he imagined the gaze she had regarded everyone on the streets before he approached. There was this cold yet resolved feeling one would get after witnessing horrible things and living through them... might not have been the most polite thing to point out but he tended to mutter without thinking is something captivated his mind.

She did then mention this was not the first time something like this happened. As she tried to remember the name of the Charming follow he would say with a chuckle "Well, I'm glad I came here just in time to defend the honor of the homela...oh so you met the Sosuke?! Erm, I mean, Steward Takahashi. Either you have quite the luck when it comes to meeting Sunan's, or you may be a more important visitor than I have imagined. I'm glad to hear such praise from my friend. Some strangers seem to be a bit... put off when they first meet him" he finished, noting that while he seemed to become a bit more of a social beast, Sosuke still had his speculations to him.

The lady then did a gesture which almost seemed as if she wanted to come of a dainty lady from the summer festival... which was not a look she couldn't pull of, of course, but it did seem a bit... off. Was she trying to tease him? Well, that was as good of a Sign as ever. He would meet her hand with his with a firm grip, noting the sturdiness of the glove as he said "Likewise, Natsuru-san. May I ask what brings you to wind Country? I would assume someone from Konoha wouldn't come al the way here just for a new set of clothing" he asked with curios look in his eyes.

 

[Uka]

An interesting statement on his part for sure, so much so that she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at it. It was more out of sheer surprise more than anything else, though how Haru took it was well beyond her. "I suppose that is one way to put it, yes. Though I suppose anyone has."<i></i> She would nod briefly, allowing her expression to return to neutral once more.

She couldn't help but chuckle at his sudden surprise. It seemed that it was a good choice to see what his reaction was, though everyone likely knew the man by name and had likely seen him. The fact that he was referred to as a friend left open two distinct possibilities - one he actually knew the man, which was the most-likely possibility or two he was pretending, though if she went by attitude the latter was quite unlikely. "I wouldn't call Sousuke off-putting at all. Extravagant, yes, but not off-putting."<i></i> Natsuru would respond, purposefully not answering his other claim, allowing it to fester and pique his interest even further. "Now wouldn't you say that answering that question would take all the fun out of an encounter? I might or might not be important and I might or might not be lucky. That makes it more interesting, no?"<i></i> She would smile once more, yet again barely managing a light curl of the corners of her lips. 'In a way this might be both a blessing and a curse' She thought, remembering Sousuke's reactions when she no longer had to hold back. Her grins did sometimes tend to overwhelm people after all.

"You would be surpsied how difficult it is to find a decent set of clothes nowadays, but wouldn't you say that continuing a talk in the middle of the entrance to a shop is a bit rude? Why don't you suggest a nearby restaurant or coffee shop?"<i></i> She would suggest, another small test to see what his reaction would end up being.

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

Well, all things considered, he got off with a small sentence for being a bit too focused on a ladies face and eyes. A raised brow and bemused comment. With a sheepish chuckle, he would say "Sorry if that comes off weird. I just like to sober the world and...I dunno, make sure I take in the most I can. Sometimes I might end up overthinking for sure. Though to be fair the gaze that probably scared everyone away was the main reason I couldn't stop myself from coming closer to chat" he finished, calming himself down.

Clearly amused by his reaction to her being acquainted with the former Kage Steward he couldn't help but return in kind, with less awkwardness this time. The thought of her not being honest didn't cross his mind. Perhaps her unusual appearance made it more plausible for her to be tied with some of Sosukes misadventures? Maybe being around an attractive lady was dulling his senses? Maybe he was gathering information about someone claiming to be the Stewards friend as part of the task? Well, he knew it wasn't the last one...would be interesting if they were in a meeting with him together at some point. He was glad to hear her speak somewhat fondly of the meeting as he added "True, though his particular style of extravagance might not be something fitting well in some situations. But he is a good man and friend, despite all the hardships" he mused with a hint of melancholy in his voice. Him, the Sunaku himself, Suna...its been through quite a bit.

It was his turn to raise a brow at her reply, though this time a more playful smile graced his lips as he said: "True, though I have to give a fair warning I really hate cliffhangers, so you might find me quite inquisitive about that..." quite glad the conversation could garner a smile to her face...as strangely controlled as it seemed. His smiled faded slightly at her suggestion, more so because of the point of blocking the way. With a bit of an exaggerated sidestep, he moved out of the way saying "Yeah I guess you have a point there...though their wares speak for themselves. If anything we could have given them some time to brew a coffee of their own... Speaking of which, Id is glad to lead the way. I'd gladly go for a cool drink right now but if you hungry there is cause to be had for sure" his voice rising seriously by the end, given a quick bow and turning to his side as to indicate where he wanted to go, and moving at a slow pace, assuming she would follow along.

 

[Uka]

"That is one way to look at it. In a way it is a lot better than walking around with rose-tinted glasses, completely oblivious to it all, but that would be going a bit too deep down a rather dull topic, wouldn't you agree?"<i></i> She would smile, as he put it in that rather reserved way. It was safe to say that Michi would still be quite a while before she could actually get back to things, considering the state of her when Natsu had decided to go and get some new clothes. Kazuki had also gone to acquire a means of transportation, which again would take a rather long while when one considered it.

"That would explain the rather peculiar stares that we were getting back then."<i></i> The Senju would pause for a moment to ponder. "It would seem it wasn't just my influence as right now."<i></i> She would add, her expression returning to neutral once again and in some ways cold.

"Ah but that would remove the mystery and that adds to the charm of a lady, wouldn't you agree?"<i></i> Natsu would respond jokingly, having found something to amuse herself with. It would be a matter of seeing how much she could pique his interest. This would be a fairly interesting game for certain and hopefully would be enough to waste enough time."A cool drink would be ideal right about now for certain."<i></i> She would smile ever so lightly. "So what brings you over to Soon's Haven if you don't mind me asking,Sunaku-san?"<i></i>

[MFT]

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

"Heh... being able to work around without a care in the world, just basking in the warm sun. It is a luxury for sure... one that Shinobi should be careful to indulge in" he said with a somber tone. Being to carefree is something he did indulge in... and it did cost him. Or rather, his attempts to fix the deficit cost him... He did agree this would be a somewhat dull topic, and surely not one he wanted to get into right now. He had a lady to entertain.

"Hmm...cant say I noticed people staring later on... then again the realization we were blocking the doorway to the tailor also didn't come to my mind. And I guess I do have some notoriety within the village and outside of it here... I guess someone has to keep the rumor mill going huh?" he said half in jest, though he could only imagine a subset of people quite interested in what the Village shinobi did in their free time.

Regardless of who was staring at them and who wasn't, It seemed Natsuru was fully intending of keeping her cards close to the chest. Was she hesitant to reveal much about herself due to a task or mission she was on? Was she merely an eccentric traveler with no real mystery or secret behind her but was just using him to pass the time? regardless, he'd take the bait. He had a feeling there was something more to the women, but even if that wasn't the case, good company was nothing to scoff at. Easy on the eyes too, though he took care not to have them linger on her for too long.

"Some iced tea would help to stave off the heat if only a little bit. Personally, I wouldn't mind grabbing something to eat myself...not sure if you'd be interested in some kind of snack of a fuller meal maybe?" he said as he lead them a ways of from the merchant bazaar, starting to enter into the area where food stalls and more fancy restaurants were settled. As she asked her question he would say "As much as Id like to return the mysterious vibe you gave out, I don't have a particular lofty reason to be here. I guess its been a while since I was here so I was simply looking around for various things. Mostly parchments, paper and some good quality paint... which I have to tael you, can be a bit tricky to find in the middle of the desert" he concluded, his face assuming a very serious expression, as if he was sharing quite vital information with her "The woes of the creatively minded I guess, haha"

 

[Uka]

"Not a world I would worry about. After all one cannot remain there for long."<i></i> Natsu would attempt a smirk, but would once again fail miserable, managing only a slight curl of the lips. She had to look into this matter for sure as this was starting to get a little bit... annoying. One didn't realise how expressive a human face truly was until their own decided not to listen to them anymore. Oh well she would find a way around this eventually.

"Fear the day when it stops as only then are we truly in trouble."<i></i> The kunoichi would chuckle. "And honestly I have no preference. I haven't had anything to eat quite yet and I have been recommended to try cactus coffee, as weird a combination as that sounds. I will leave it to you, Sunaku-san."<i></i> Natsuru would reiterate. It wasn't as if she didn't know the area, quite the opposite really. She knew it like the back of her hand as it came with the territory, but that wasn't something she was keen on showing off at all. The whole idea behind the new appearance was on purpose and with the looming danger it was a very good idea to keep her cards to herself, even when it came to supposed allies.

"Mysterious?"<i></i> Natsu would ask, raising her left eyebrow ever so slightly in question. "I suppose I can't blame you there. What sort of art do you do? Calligraphy, painting or writing with handmade illustrations?"<i></i>


[MFT]

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

He did notice her seemingly struggle to smile. he could see the attempt but it almost seemed her lips could only just barely curve enough to give a hint of an amused expression. Of course, had di consider the fact his attempts of entertaining were simply falling marvelously flat... however it seemed she was putting effort into giving a wider smile. Though that wasn't something he wished to pry into. He knew enough about medicine and anatomy to know that whatever injury might have caused such an effect on somebody wouldn't be something they wanted to talk about. He did respond to her comment saying "I guess you right...though one can't help but think about a less tumultuous time to live in can he?"

After a moment he let out another laugh saying "Most people look at the end of a day as a moment of respite. But I guess for us Shinobi it's prime working hours. And I was wondering if you'd mention that. Its peculiar, though as someone who doesn't enjoy usual coffee all that much it is a refreshing change. I guess a cafe should serve us well. We should be near one actually...probably the food will be slightly overpriced but at this point, my stomach may take over the wheel soon"

As they neared the cafe in question, a moderately sized establishment called the Sunroast cafe, he seemed to perk up slightly as she asked about his art as he said "Well out of those is mostly painting. I do practice calligraphy but it's not quite something I have the patience for. Though you could say the painting and drawing are more of a sketch. You see I try to use my talent for sand for slightly less...direct applications. Be it sculpting in the sand, creating pictures from it...recently I've considered getting into glass work though as you may imagine that can turn out to be a slightly tedious task given the general heat of the desert" as he spoke he would lead the way into the cafe and towards an unoccupied table a bit further inside, a flow of words about his artistic endeavours coming out...though in this seeming uncaring torrent he tried to keep a discreet eye on how she reacted. whatever she was bored, interested in his talking...or is anything or anyone else in the cafe brought her attention.

 

[Uka]

"Possibly, possibly, though unlikely I would say."<i></i> It would seem that her current conversation partner was partial to keeping pink glasses on. She didn't quite understand why that might be as nothing good ever came of that, though it was quite possible that this was just a ruse really. The game of cat and mouse was starting by the looks, the race to find out the true intentions of the other party, as funny as they much be, such as in her case.

"Oh I am no shinobi. Though the only time one can really rest is when they are dead, no matter what profession one is in."<i></i> She would note initially, brushing off his idea that they both were. He wasn't exactly wrong to assume she was, but she hadn't been one in a very long time. "Can one really put a price on a decent meal? I don't believe so, but you might disagree."<i></i> Natsu would gesture for him to lead the way once more before she followed just a step behind him.

It seemed like she had managed to find his theoretical weak point - he was an artist and that was just enough information for her to work with. Every situation could be dealt with in so many ways and knowing how was the make it or break it factor and also allowed one to control it in a way. In conversation one could gain information through sheer accident - that the man was a shinobi and that he was quite a fan of using sand, which could be taken in a few ways - he used it for sculptures or something more as he was a shinobi, though that one remained to be confirmed. "Oh I am sure that maintaining the shape of the glass sculptures can be quite difficult when you cannot effectively lower the temperature."<i></i> Natsu would finally speak up, her expression having remained neutral for the most part. He would have noticed that she studied her surroundings carefully, even if she hid that as much as possible to the point of being passed off as the interest of a tourist. Her entire stance was fairly relaxed, yet there was something in it to suggest it was her being prepared to react at any point rather than being truly at ease. "So do you display your works somewhere or is it more of a hobby?"<i></i>

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

He simply nodded at her response to his optimistic comment. For as little as he knew her, she did seem like the more glass half empty type. Which he guessed was fair...hard to not see the world in gloom after living through life long enough, especially given his... profession. One he assumed his companion shared, which she claimed to be false. It did leave him curious, but he didn't question it at the time. Seemed like one of those things she keeps close to her chest. Her comment about the food prices prompted him to raise his brow before saying "Well, I guess you do have a point... though all the restaurant owners put prices on them all the time...sorry I can't resist a bad joke at times" he said with a sheepish smile.

He glanced over the menu card while she spoke, before quickly rising his gaze back to say "Well, it can be a bit tricky, though I am finding ways to deal with it...though that is more of a work in progress in terms of my capabilities with the art form" maintaining his slightly sheepish demeanor. He did notice that while she paid attention to him talking, she also had a keen eye on everything else around her. And it didn't seem to be your standard tourist wanderlust, she seemed to be taking in everything quite deliberately, almost as if she was on edge... there was a general sense of rigidness around the women, and more then just her difficulty to smile. He couldn't quite say he trusted her admission of not being a Shinobi...Not that it took a ninja to be careful of your surroundings, but still.

At her next question, there was a brief pause from he-man before said "Well, at the moment you could say I'm storing my stuff in the proverbial closet...and the literal one to if I had room still. When I was younger I did a bit of street vending with my works, much to the chagrin of my parents. After that I've managed to get a few of my pieces of various artists to the few museums we have in the village... unfortunately most of them didn't quite survive the incident that we dealt with a few years back... Apparently, some of the instigators of the mob riots during the Cabal attack had a pretty big distaste for anything even remotely tied to a Shinobi... Do you prefer your coffee on the stronger side?" he asked, trying to change the topic. Even after all this time remembering that particular time of his life was...not pleasant.

MFT

 

[Uka]

"Honestly I'd be quite worried if I was eating at a restaurant and the owner wasn't asking for anything in exchange for the meal. There would need to be something very wrong there. <i></i> She would chuckle. A poor joke, but she found it quite funny nevertheless. Natsu would walk around the table, taking a seat opposite him before slowly removing her gloves and placing them on the left side of the table, away from the surface they would be using, before taking one of the menus and slowly beginning to browse it.

"I see. On the lighter side I would say with three cubes of sugar."<i></i> She would quickly respond before something caught her eye. "I'll also grab a piece of tiramisu cake. It is quite surprising to actually see it around here."<i></i> It had been quite a while since she had had something sweet, so this might be the best time to go ahead and do that.

"My condolences for the loss of your work. Must have been a horrible experience, though I would be lying if I said that I understood what I could be like. My artistic abilities are exhausted completely with drawing a stick man and that is about it."<i></i> Natsu would chuckle once again, trying to nip the sad note whilst it was still in the bud. Unfortunately it was unlikely that would be possible to do. From what she knew artists treated their work a lot like one would their children, though like with many rumours that might just be an old wives tale

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

"Well, no one is expecting that... at least not me. Just the fact you could find a vendor on the street selling a similar sandwich for half the price, and it would be just as tasty...though I guess you pay for the nice local...and the decreased chance of a health hazard" he countered with a small joke of his own as she picked up the menu "Well sweetness is one thing. I do like mine with milk. The pure taste of black coffee is currently...invigorating in its own way. But I don't really feel I need that kick in a more relaxed environment, if you know what I mean...And yeah, it is quite a popular treat here. I can only imagine its a pain to keep that type of cake around. The temperatures must make it a challenge... I actually think I got myself hungry for a sandwich with all the talk earlier" he mused looking at his own menu.

He listened to her talk as he said "Well, not much I can do at this time. Some of it was recovered, and I'm working on new things, but... its never quite the same. The pieces I make ore wonderful in their own right, perhaps even better than that one before.. but no two works of art are ever identical. Even if you were to draw a stick figure, there would most likely be differences, even if its just a little as one's leg being shorter than the other. And one has to wonder why that would happen. Did your hand grow tired doing the stroke? Did something break your focus? Perhaps a thought of something amusing or a streak of nostalgia...All these little elements and details, inducing your actions as you work on something. Thus making it one of a kind..." he spoke for a while, long enough for a waiter to look at them with a bit of a confused stare.

Coughing a bit the Shinobi would say *Erm, right. Two Cactus Coffee for us, with sugar and cream brought along? The lady will have a Tiramisu cake and Ill have the Teriyaki sandwich please" smiling brightly as the man took the order and stepped away. With a bit of a sigh, he said "Sorry for that. I sometimes tend to...blaber a bit too much once I start talking about something I'm interested in... Do you he anything that interests you in a bigger degree, if not art? traveling perhaps?" he asked in a curious tone.

Mft

 

[Uka]

"Can't say I ever understood the milk in coffee thing. It just doesn't seem right you know?" </GLOW><i></i> The former kunoichi would note, her brow furrowing ever so slightly as she said so. "About the only thing worse I can honestly think of would be putting milk in tea and that is just plain wrong. You just end up ruining the pure taste of the tea itself, masking it with dairy." Natsu would shiver, growing quiet once more as she diverted her attention to listening to what Haru was saying. She couldn't help but feel bad that he had lost all that work. Whilst she was no artist, unless blood splatter patterns counted as art, which arguably it could technically be, but that was besides the point. It wasn't quite the same thing after all.

<GLOW glow="dodgerblue">"Oh it is quite alright. It just shows that you are passionate about what you do and I believe that is an amazing thing."<i></i> She would nod ever so slightly as she finished. Before she could continue the waiter brought over their orders, placing the coffee and cake in front of her and the sandwich and second coffee in front of Haru respectfully. To say she wasn't looking forward to it would be putting it lightly. With that mess in Tea and the voyages... It wasn't a fun time. "I would be quite interested in seeing some of your work if I have the chance at a later date. I do hope you don't mind."<i></i> Natsuru would mention, raising her cup for a sip of coffee before placing it back down and taking a bite out of her cake with the fork the waiter had brought over.

[MFT]

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

Hmm...this is a conversation he didn't have in a while. Not that he minded that much. Laughing a bit he would say "Well I guess its just a way to dilute the coffee a bit without simply using water to muck up the taste? or people just enjoying milk in general. Nothing wrong with it, though I get preferring just the clear taste. But yeah I agree with you on the tea. Just seems...ugh" he said a slight shiver tingling down his spine "I did try it once not to be biased but yeah...not something Id do ever again"

He let out a smile as she assured him she didn't mind his talk "Eheh, thanks. I just try to reign it in sometimes. Excess of anything can be a bad thing. But I always enjoy talking about it to people who are interested" After a moment the orders came, with him giving a nod of his head in appreciation. As she spoke about seeing his works he was mid chewing on a bit of his snack, which was as delicious as he remembered. Swelling down he bites he would say "Ah, well, I wouldn't mind that. Just at the time the work I have is a bit...erm...disorganized" he said with a sheepish tone taking a sip of his coffee "I've been a bit busy as of late so didn't have much time to organize things...actually I probably should make sure there isn't to much dust in the place I'm storing things in "he half muttered to himself. After a moment he would ask " I guess we could talk about some arrangement depending on how long you would be staying in the country, and whatever your plans might be. Unless you'd rather leave it up to another chance meeting?" he said with a chuckle, taking another sip of his caboute, trying to gleam a bit more information bout her in a slightly more subtle way.

 

[Uka]

"Right?"<i></i> She would note, briefly nodding in accompaniment. At least he wasn't one of those weirdoes by the looks of it, though she wasn't one to speak really. "I can't say I've ever been fond of milk in general, but the mix of tastes just plain seems wrong to me really."<i></i> Natsu would nod once more, finishing the last little piece of her cake before diverting her attention to her drink once more, growing quiet for a few moments.

"A disorganized man of the arts... who would have guessed."<i></i> The Senju would shrug, letting out a light chuckle at her own little joke. She would slowly raise her cup, taking a sip as she savored the flavor, placing it back down carefully as she listened and considered what to do. It would be simple to keep the chance meeting thing and that could be... easier. Though she could prompt a meeting, but that might not be as fun. Choices, choices. "I plan on staying for the foreseeable future as it stands, so arranging something shouldn't be difficult to do really."<i></i> She would note, bringing her cup up once more. "Though I would say that free time is a bit of an issue, so it would really depend whether you have something specific in mind..."<i></i> Natsu would trail off, glancing away and to the side for dramatic effect. It was time to continue the games and see how he would actually respond. A test in a way or rather her desire to see how he would react more than anything really. Someday she might learn to not mess with people, but today was not that day...

[MFT]

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

"I enjoy milk quite a bit actually. It's a bit of a different feeling than other drinks, kind of more...filling I say? Or I guess I can just enjoy the creaminess of it. While tea always seems more refreshing, perhaps fruity in a way...I tend to drink tea with lemon when I get the chance" well at least his idle chit chat game was pretty on point...or he was talking with a really polite woman...or one with insomnia.

He shook his head a bit. Bah, it's been so long he was doubting himself too much. Didn't matter what they talked about as long as the time was being enjoyed. And he was having a good time himself. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit at her comment saying "Guilty as charged. Cliches tend to have some root somewhere. And being able to kind of let yourself go like a that, not think of specific and just enjoy the flow of your actions is relaxing in a way. Especially when your job often times requires you to be on guard constantly...least you want to perish". He blinked a bit at her response...at least he knew she was planning to stay a while. though she seemed somewaht coy about having enough free time. With a chuckle, he said "well, I must be doing something right if I managed to divert your attention for this long in spite of your schedule. And if you'd wish for something more concrete, I've been meaning to actually try and decided which of the existing works I'd be willing to put out in the open. And I think an opinion outside of my circle of family and friends, a fresh set of eyes, could give me some valuable information" he responded, taking another big bite of the sandwich...already halfway gone. Bah, all good things had to end so fast.

 

[Uka]

"I would say that tea honestly depends on the type you are drinking. It can either energize or relax. You can even consider things such as using it to get a specific emotion through a blend. It is quite the science when you get down into it."<i></i> The kunoichi would elaborate, making a light gesture with her right hand as she did so.

"The joys of the lives of you shinobi, right?" <i></i> She would shake her head, pursing her lips slightly. "The aftermath of such encounters is never a pretty one in my line of work, but let's not discuss grim topics on such a nice day."<i></i> Her expression would remain as neutral as before, not really showing what she was thinking at all, whether it was just her own desire or the issues she was having remained to be seen honestly.

"Speaking of that I will need to excuse myself unfortunately. My caravan will be leaving relatively soon and I do need to make my way back."<i></i> The Senju would slowly stand up, reaching into one of the pouches on her belt and taking out a handful of coins, which she already knew was more than enough with a tip, having been to the establishment before. "I'd rather like that, but how about we make it a bit more fun?"<i></i> A light smile would grace her lips, again nothing more than a light curl of her lips. "We do so the next time we run into each other in the village. Having said that it has been a pleasure, but I will be taking my leave."<i></i> Without much more she would make for heading back towards the docks...

[TLUS]

 

[Sunaku Harupia]

"That's true, though that Is one thing I haven't paid to much attention to I have to admit...guess that one more reason places like this deserve the coin they ask for "He nodded, finishing up his meal. He raised a brow at her second answer but didn't quite press on as he saw her rise up and reach for the coins from her pouch while saying she would need to be on her way "I see. Well, I wouldn't want to keep you more occupied than I already have. I hope I at least helped spend the time in a pleasant way" he said smiling while he brought up his own payment. She didn't seem displed with the idea of meeting again, though god knows when hey would bump into each other... He at least would have some time to think about things he wanted to ask...maybe see if he could find out a bit more. He would stand up with her and after sharing farewells move in his own direction... he'd probably need some more blue paints now...

(Exit)