The Legend Of The Runaway Princess [OPEN]

[Kokomo]

BG Music​

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess. A young princess who spent most of her life at home. She lived in a big beautiful castle, with lots of things for her to do and anything that she so desired-- for if it was her wish, it would be. No matter the question, she would always have an answer. But one day, the princess decided she didn't want to live in a big beautiful castle anymore. Instead, she wanted to live in the city. She wanted to know what was beyond the castle walls, and what kind of people there were out there. So the princess said goodbye to the queen and king and moved to her own studio apartment in the city. And just as any princess would do, she horribly abused her new-found freedom.

* * *​

The memory was blurry. Bright red lights, pulsating music, and lots of people. They were running into her, pushing her around, and the music pounded against her brain. It lasted for hours upon hours, but she didn't remember the specifics. She remembered wanting to find out what 'night life' was in the city, and now, she was jolted awake by blinding sunlight. She laid very still, feeling suddenly very cold and... wet?

As Kokomo came to from her alcoholic coma, blinking furiously as the afternoon sunshine glistened she noticed the heavy glare from the water surrounding her. She wasn't submerged in it, and there wasn't that much, but there was a spout that flowed from the center and drained elegantly out of the bottom of the ceramic bowl she had found herself in. Koko sat up slowly, her heavy thick hair drenched in water and dripping out the ends as she looked around to try and figure out where she had ended up after her nightly charades.

As she sat up, she noticed she was pretty high up in the air. In fact, she was on the top tier of the center fountain in the Susukino District. Totally soaked in it's crystal clear water, and completely oblivious as to how the hell she ended up there.

"Shit," She mumbled quietly to herself, peering over the edge to figure out how she was going to get out. It was no secret that she wasn't going to get out unnoticed, unfortunately, but she wanted to try to be as graceful as possible when doing so. And so, she put her chin up, and threw her legs over the edge of the ceramic tier, her green sundress sticking to her body awkwardly as she dropped down to the second, and then hopped into the first. She re-positioned her dress as gracefully as possible, and pushed her heavy wet locks behind her before stepping out of the water and onto the sidewalk. Water splashed out of the fountain and drained loudly from her hair and dress as she stood and began to ring out her hair back into the fountain.

She closed her eyes, feeling the warmth from the sun on her wet and cold skin, mixed with the heat of embarrassment in her cheeks. She was red in the face, but her posture tried to stay as confident as possible - which was growing more and more difficult as she felt the eyes on her back and the upper lips curling in disgust and confusion. The sound of the water was starting to give her a headache, and she was finding herself more sensitive to the lights and sounds as she became more awake. She rubbed her eyes violently, letting out an exasperated sigh. As soon as she got rid of this excess water, she'd need to figure out how to get back to the apartment complex.

 

[Kawakami Hotaru]

"Shouldn't you, uh, you know, uh, wake her?", A pudgy middle-aged man stood beside one of the many Kunoichi of the lightning village his tone denoted a certain amount of nervousness as he addressed the one-eyed girl beside him well aware that she was not only a member of one of the more well known Yakuza families of the village, the Wakahisa, but not only that she had only been cleared of her treason charges days before. Word got around town quickly, whether it was supposed to or not, one would think Shinobi would be able to keep their lips sealed a bit tighter than they were able to. "Let her sleep, clearly had a long night." her gaze moved from the pudgy man to her side back toward the grand fountain of the Susukino district, and the intruder sleeping in the tallest basin of the fountain. She, the intruder, reminded Chiyoko of the lady of the lake, graceful and angelic even while passed out shitface drunk in the middle of an urban area. Okay, maybe she wasn't all that like the lady of the lake, but she was certainly beautiful regardless. The Angel, wait no, the beautiful moron seemed to be waking from he coma catching the attention of the girl who watched her curiously from below wondering how she had made her way into the fountain before swiftly remembering that alcohol was a hell of a drug, especially in large quantities.


To her surprise the pudgy man skittered away as he noticed the woman awakening, running off to an angry wife and seven children no doubt. Chiyoko remained steadfast, she would at least have to ask the woman how she managed her way into the central fountain of the Susukino district, though it seemed like something that one would do after blacking out, but hey there was always the chance that the fountain's intruder found herself in it's depths while still clinging onto some shred of memory from the night before. Stepping back from the fountain Chiyoko dug through her pants pockets searching for the black packet held within them retrieving a single cigarette from a crumpled and beaten package, her addiction to the damned things was getting as bad as her love for liquor.


By the time she had been able to take a drag from her smoke the woman had managed to escape the fiendish fountain, wringing her chocolate hair back into the fountain, must have been one hell of a night. Staring at the woman it became quickly apparent that she was beginning to realize where she was as her skin turned a flushed bright red, being the little asshole Chiquita was she could barely contain her laughter as a small grin pierced the edges of her lips.

Stepping toward the woman Chiyoko looked down, having stepped in a shallow puddle, no doubt created by the sopping wet woman, "Honestly, it's a little impressive you made it all the way into the fountain. I usually pass out about half way to my goal, or that's what I've figured after waking up. Anyway, don't guess you have a change of clothes? Lot of fuckin' lechers around here." her tone was not so much caring as it was matter-of-factly. Staring toward the sopping wet woman Chiyoko couldn't help but further wonder about the amount of drunken willpower she contained to make it all the way to the top tier of the grand Susukino fountain, she was certainly interesting.

 

[Takaki Saeko]

There’s nothing like steel. No other metal has the structural integrity, flexibility, and ease of workmanship that steel—hagane in the old tongue—does. Those attributes are why it’s found in nearly every weapon known to man, from the lowliest prison shivs to the pip-organ artillery of the Tenouzan Basilica. Steel is the backbone of Ultima Ratio Regum, that final argument of tyrants and freedom fighters alike. Take the rapier I’ve got in my hand, the one slung at my hip, and the two pistols tucked into my belt. They’re all made of steel, because I intend to hurt me a bitch today.

The details are still fuzzy, but from what I remember, someone at a local watering hole tried to both impugn my honor and also give a clandestine “service” to my man. When I threw my glove in her face and tossed a flintlock at her for an engagement at ten paces, she just ran out of there like a simpering little shit. You can argue that it’s my fault for inviting Tomo out to two-for-one ladies night, but he was dressed as a girl, so I thought it was fine. Men know to avoid those establishments late at night if they don’t want to get taken advantage of.

Regardless, I’ve been on the hunt for her all night and all this morning. Dueling is kind of illegal in Kumogakure, but now that the ANBU face a numbers shortage, it’s open season for unlawful shenanigans in Cloud!

There’s a commotion brewing in the Dawnbringer’s square. Usually, I pay these things no mind, because it’s always just a bunch of yokels marveling at someone’s underpants wrapped around Aion’s face. Anyone who’s actually studied the life and times of the Dawnbringer knows, however, that Aion would have greatly approved of being festooned with ladies’ smallclothes…and boys’ too, so long as they were cute.

Today, however, I’m extra keen to catch my target, and thus I pause for just long enough to make out an obviously hung-over woman wringing the ick out of her tresses while sitting daintily on the fountain’s edge. When I see her, though, something clicks. I push my way through the crowd and draw my sword again.

“You!” I snarl. “Finally found you! What the hell were you thinking, running from a challenge? I wasn’t going to kill you. Maybe just cut your face or put a ball in your ass, depending.”

As is my ineffable luck, I spy an old friend slinking around.

“Hey, Chiquita! You remember her, right? Isn’t she the one who tried to take Tomo’s dress off and fondle his manly bits? No one does that but me!” I turn my attention back to the soaked woman. “Okay, you want to do this with swords or guns? I’m taking Chiquita as my second, by the way. You’ll have to find your own. Use someone from the crowd if you have to.”

 

[Kokomo]

A voice.

The young woman turned slowly, her feet causing a quiet slosh in the shallow puddle below her. She turned towards a woman, looking into one eye - the other covered by an eye patch. She took a gentle jab at her nightly travels. Her emerald eye glistening in her direction - it looked much like a jewel on her face. She was kind, and did not look at her with disdain as the others did. Though she had ended up in a strange and embarrassing location, she had certainly learned her lesson with the liquids she had consumed the night before. She had recognized the bottles from a locked cabinet in her parent's home, but never thought her family would own such devilish power in a bottle. But now she knew if she was going to drink it - perhaps one would be enough.

The woman gestured to her green sundress, and the woman pulled it from her skin. It made an ugly sucking sound as it unstuck from her elegant frame, and she looked back towards the emerald jewel on her face. "It was my first time," She gave a shrug, "I don't even really remember leaving the building..." She turned her head sharply, trying to look for the building she had stumbled from that night. Nothing in the district looked familiar, and she was running out of patience. Her head began to throb in the light, and she squeezed them shut again. "Do you..." She sighed heavily, opening her eyes again to the strange woman. "Do you know where the Aoi Umi is?"

The Aoi Umi was an apartment complex in the city where Kokomo lived. It wasn't in the slums, but it definitely wasn't anything she was used to. Coming from a very wealthy family, the apartments were nice - but they were cramped and it seemed like something was always breaking. Perhaps from so many people using it over time. The woman began to explain that she lived there - when another woman approached boldly.

Her sword was drawn, and she snarled at her as though she knew her... in fact, she sounded like she thought she knew both Kokomo and the stranger. And she accused her of something pretty horrible. "I would never try and... did you saw 'fondle his manly bits'?" Kokomo raised an eyebrow, wondering why there were 'manly bits' under the dress of this 'Tomo' she spoke off. She shook it off, "I don't have anything on me, would you really fight an unarmed woman?" The timing was terrible for a duel of sorts - not to mention she was soaked, and not really in the mood. Her head throbbed some more.

"I don't have time for this silliness. I don't know who you are," She turned to the other woman, "Chiquita," She said her name boldly, thinking it was... actually her name. Since the stranger had called her such. "Do you know where the Aoi Umi is or not?

 

[Kawakami Hotaru]

"I'm sure he was a lucky boy." Chiyoko remarked unable to contain her acerbic nature, watching as the woman peeled the dress which had become more of a second skin than an article of clothing from her body. Gray smoke billowed from her nostrils as she watched the woman clinch her eyes shut, it was always adorable to see someone so green suffer through their first hangover, she remembered those times when she still had hangovers, though those times were long since passed. As to her question Chiyoko was well versed enough in the Susukino district to know where the Aoi Umi apartments were, a haven for middle-upper class kids with daddy-money beginning their course through life and the odd middle management type. While they were not the most extravagant of apartments they were far better than the tenements she was used to. She couldn't help but wonder for a moment how much Yen the woman had on her, but after her previous night she doubted it was all that much. "Yeah, I know it." The woman hadn't asked for directions just quite yet, and Chiyoko hadn't asked for payment for said directions just quite yet.

Her gaze lifted from the woman as a familiar voice echoed through the Susukino district, Chiyoko was more than accustomed to her Senpai's insanity and it seemed today would be one of the days she would be dealing with it as Saeko shouted something about a challenge and shoving a ball up the woman's ass, par for the course. "So, what did you do to piss her off?" She asked the still soaking woman, unaware that she would soon have her answer.

Chiyoko did not in fact recognize the woman but from what her Senpai was explaining she had, in her drunken stupor, sexually harassed Cloud's unofficial trap mascot Mochizuki Tomo, well it was between him and Osu, anyway. Then it seemed she had been volunteered for a duel with the woman where the loser would have something shoved up their rectum for whatever reason, that was Saeko's style. Chiyoko remained silent staring at the crazed woman who held her hand on her prick, no doubt deadly serious about the duel. The formerly drunken woman of course denied the allegation, though she did ponder whether her would be attacker would battle an unarmed woman, clearly having never met Saeko before, "Yeah, she would. She's kind of crazy if you hadn't noticed already." Chiyoko commented rubbing her temples at the situation she found herself in. It was what she got for starting a conversation with someone who had tempted Aion, the Swordfucker was creating chaos even after his ascension to Godhood.

Before Chiyoko could begin to extrapolate on the grand karmic irony of someone trying to "service" Tomo the woman called out to her by her pet name, which she simply could not allow, that was exclusively reserved for people she knew fairly intimately, "Chiyoko, don't call me that, and yes I where Aoi Umi is. Answered your question once already." honestly she was beginning to grow a bit aggravated with the situation as her cigarette burned down to it's filter falling from her lips to the puddle below.

Once again her attention turned back toward her Senpai who was clearly in need of a stern reminder that she was in no state to claim who was able to touch Tomo's junk over the last month they'd had, "Karma, Senpai. Now maybe you should put your cock away, I don't really feel like going back to prison for more ANBU cavity searches. I can hear Jesus Saito yelling in my ears already, less than a month after avoiding treason charges and you're trying to run some hungover bitch through in the middle of the shopping district, and of course I'm your accomplice. As always."


Sighing heavily Chiyoko wished she had another cigarette, but had no such luck, "So, are you really going to make me do this, or are we all cool?" she questioned, despite the insanity of her friend if she wished for a second in some ridiculous duel Chiyoko would support her in the endeavor, it was one of those undying loyalty sort of deals.

 

[Takaki Saeko]

"That's some juicy slander comin' out of yo mouf," I huff at Chiquita. "I'd never just stick it in someone without protection! That's like, the height of rudeness and unfit for a lady of either of our social classes. If she doesn't have a weapon of her own, I'll lend her one of mine."

I proffer the hilt-end of a rapier at the Hangover . "Well? Are we gonna fight? Or will you pay the fine?"

Maddeningly, the Princess brushes me off and belittles my attempt to settle the misunderstanding between us. You see, the issue wasn't that she actually did anything to Tomo. The issue was that she dared to lay her hands on my property without permission or offer of recompense. Social Justice Fighters at Lightning National University can whine all they want about pervasive societal misandry and that men aren't objects, but they're wrong.

"Chiquita, put her in a Nelson so I can shoot her. Don't worry, I didn't load enough powder to actually hit you..."

Even more maddeningly, now it's Chiquita brushing me off as well. My eyelids twitch. Don't ever tell a lady to put her prick away like that!

"God dammit, Bobby," I growl. "This is a matter of honor, not propane accessories!"

Unfortunately, she's managed to remind me of my already-tenuous legal situation. Although my name's been cleared as a result of that clusterfuck earlier in the month, I've still managed to get myself plenty of the Sennin's ire. That, and having openly socialized with Shima Haruka, will get a girl on a few watch lists. I sigh loudly and flap my hands like the frustrated little autist I am. Finally, I sheath my sword and pop a squat.

"'Quita, you're such a killjoy. You party-pooper woman. You ancient enemy of fun. I bet you love to watch Jesus Saito flagellate himself in front of Shinbatsu's altar for hours on end. You're the second coming of Hayata Shin, minus the fun parts like eating your own uncle, or executing dudes by stuffing them full of lobster until their guts explode."

I stare at the Hangover Princess. "I live near the Aoi Umi, actually. In its slightly poorer counterpart across the street, for that matter. Lanky-chan over here crashes at my place all the time and eats my food and drinks my beer. We're like committed lesbians going through a divorce."

 

[Kokomo]

The maiden took a step back as the careless filter dropped by her feet in the shallow puddle. She looked curiously at it, wondering what it would be like to smoke one. However, she decided alcohol had taken it's toll on her for today, and she'd have to experiment with that another time. Her eyes lifted back up as the two bickered. The other one revealing that her name was Chiyoko, not Chiquita - which was good. She didn't quite like that name, and thought it was a bit strange and other-worldly. Chiyoko fit her much better, anyways.

The other complained about feeling as though the fun was being sucked out of the situation. What was fun about fighting with someone over something that never happened? Chiyoko was correct, she was bat shit crazy. She sheathed the rapier, getting it out of Kokomo's face, and she scowled slightly at her sudden willingness to help her. Despite the fact that she had accused her of man-handling a certain 'Tomo'.

The mad-woman spoke again, saying that her lesbian lover frequently went to her place to eat and crash. She never pegged either of them as lesbians - at least not with one another. They didn't seem that much alike at all - (She didn't understand the obvious joke within the sentence) but let love be, she supposed. A relationship as fire and ice was never going to last, as far as she was concerned, and it sounded like their inevitable divorce was falling through.

"Great," She nodded simply, "Would you mind pointing me in the direction? I'm from the Seki district, and... honestly, I haven't wandered much out of it until recently." Ahhh, the Seki district. Where all the spoiled brats were born and raised. Everyone there knew everyone by stature and namesake. Everyone was related to everyone and laughed over the poverty of the people living elsewhere - OK, not really. In fact, not at all. They were just as miserable as everyone else, their houses were just bigger and their bellies fuller. It certainly didn't stand for much more than that though. Money is just paper, and it doesn't produce any sort of happiness. All it took was a casual stroll through that part of the town.

"I promise not to eat your food or drink your beer," Her stomach lurched at the word 'beer'. She held it in, giving a polite smile. Her head spun again, and she squeezed her eyes shut for another moment before forcing them open once more. She couldn't wait to crawl back into her bed and sleep away the misery.

 

[Kawakami Hotaru]

Chiyoko's gaze remained fixated upon her Senpai as she commented that she was no fun, shrugging her shoulders Chiyoko did not argue her points, it would only be a few months now before she left this village for the life of a Madame, Obaa-San had to retire at some point, and she had not intention of fucking her prospects up by brawling in the middle of the street like a pissed off teenager and catching yet another felonious assault and battery. "One of us has to have good judgement at least some of the time, otherwise we'd have burned the village down by now; besides, I think we've had enough fun for a little while, a woman can only kill so many Dragoons before getting tired of fighting." It had been a tiring month and all Chiyoko wanted to do was hammer back a couple cases of Tiger Brew and bang some oddly androgynous men of the night.

Her mind fluttered back to the prospect of accosting the hungover woman for Yen for helping her back to her humble abode. She was fairly sure her Senpai would find the plan agreeable as she listened to her ramble about having to live in a shittier complex across the way from Aoi Umi, at least she didn't live in the Cronopolis where it was prevalent to be stabbed over games of dominoes and shogi. Then of course she had to bring up the fact that her young protege had been emptying her fridge and crashing on her uncomfortable-ass Ikea couch, to her memory she had only emptied out Saeko-San's fridge twice and had vomited in her bathtub a measly one time. "Might as well be, minus all the rage fueled sexual tension. If only you had 'manly bits' Senpai, then my world would be complete." For a moment she thought of what Saeko would look like as a man soon finding herself pushing away the incredibly weird and confusing thoughts away as the hungover woman began to explain she was from the more expensive part of town.

Chiyoko's eye glimmered as she listened and thought of the prospect of leading the poor woman through town until she was far too confused to possibly find her way home, kidnapping then ransom, oh that would be a good bit of fun, alas she ultimately decided against it. She did, however, still very much intend to get some payment for guiding the woman back toward her home, "We would be happy to give you directions, or hell escort you back, for the low low price of a case of Tiger Brew and a carton of cigarettes. Prices not negotiable." she interjected before Saeko could possibly answer, almost certainly sure she would try to do the same thing for a much higher price that they would inevitably not be getting paid for. In fact that was how she had initially met the woman, after getting caught with some red-head gal in the middle the forest and being extorted for, if she remembered correctly, 1,000,000 Yen and digging around the forest for mushrooms. The beginning of a beautiful relationship that she could perhaps replicate with the hungover woman, though there would be no digging for truffles today.

Staring toward the chocolate-haired beauty Chiyoko quickly realized that she had yet to get her name, and it simply wasn't agreeable to coerce her from her Yen without her name, it would also probably be a good idea to formally introduce her to the woman who had just drawn a blade on her. Gesturing toward her Senpai she began formal introductions, "That's Saeko, otherwise known as the Tax-Bitch of Kumogakure, and you've already gotten my name. So, who're you, and why are you outside of the rich kids district? Aside from getting really hammered and sleeping on the Dawnbringer."

[MFT]

 

[Takaki Saeko]

“Dohohohoh!” I let out my best stereotypical rich-lady laugh. “Chiquita, you forget we’re in a magic shinobi village. We could give less of a fuck about thermodynamics. We can change our forms at will for the sake of plot holes. I mean, have you ever seen my take on dear old Dad?”

I join my fingers together and intone the proper sutra. Prana rushes forth from my heart stores and suffuses my outer layers. It’s somewhat painful, but for the sake of one-upping little ‘Quita I’m willing to do almost anything.

“Haha! I’m Sennin Masao, the King of Swag, and Duke of Deep Dickings!” I pirouette and toss my wraparounds to Chiquita. Unfortunately, they’re just a small light wave projection and dissolve once they’re gone a few centimeters away. “I’ve got all the manly bits right here!”

As I try to strike a provocative pose, the illusion fizzles. This is what happens when you don’t maintain a build, no matter how capped you are. But I’m sure Chiyoko’s not in the mood for transformational hijinks, because she’s already thinking about how much to charge the Hangover Princess to walk her home gently. A case and a carton is kinda low-balling it, because I’m sure someone who lives in the Aoi Umi could afford more, but it’s Chiquita’s swindle today.

“And those cigs had better be…Jarlbros!” You know, smoke a Jarlbro and step into Viking-flavored country. “Don’t try to buy us Virgin Slims or whatever dinky cigs they market for chicks.”

[For those of you who didn't grow up in the 80's, that's David Bowie in the pic. And Bowie has all the manly bits.]

 

[Kokomo]

Rich chocolate tresses dripped weakly into the shallow puddle, and a bitter wind gripped her. She shivered as the warm air froze against her wet clothes. Each droplet chilling upon impact as she folded her arms over her chest. The one Chiyoko called 'Senpai' flailed around in a strange dance, and Kokomo raised a single eyebrow in her direction before averting it back to Chi who gave her an interesting offer. Show her the way home for a price?

Apparently common kindness wasn't very popular. Everything cost something.

"Yeah, no problem." Perhaps she'd buy herself a pack - but her stomach lurched again at the sound of alcohol. She was really nice looking forward to even smelling it. The cost of cigarettes and beer wasn't steep either way.

Chiyoko introduced her 'senpai' (how could someone who acted so much younger be a senpai?) as Saeko and Kokomo raised her eyebrows and looked at her. It was a pretty beautiful name for such a brash woman. "Kokomo." She gestured to herself, giving a polite smile.

"I have no idea the difference between Jarlbro and Virgin Slims are, honestly," She gave an innocent shrug, "But point out what you want when we get there, and I'll get them." Kokomo gave a smooth caramel smile, her pale skin matching painfully with her white teeth. One look at her, and it was obvious she grew up in the Seki District with a Med Nin Surgeon father.

Straight white teeth. Chocolate tresses. Fair skin with a dust of freckles. Tall. Slim.

It was disgusting how straightened out she was, even to her.

"I'm assuming you'll want to start at the shop and pick out some goodies, yeah? So I don't rip you off." Her eyes moved towards a corner store, with 'LIQUOR' written in colorful lights above the door. She wondered if she could get something else to wear in there - even if it was a thin cheap tourist-y dress.

 

[Kawakami Hotaru]

Lifting an eyebrow Chiyoko watched the spectacle of Saeko suddenly change into one of the most prolific, or infamous depending on who you talk to, figures of Kumogakure's recent years. Alas it was a shallow imitation without Kitsune or Rin here for her to dry hump, still she did manage to crack a bit of a smile from Saeko's imitation. "Shit, if you were able to hold it a bit longer I'm sure all the panties in the Susukino district would've started to drop." In fact it was nothing short of a miracle that fangirls hadn't found their way toward the three before Saeko's illusion dissipated, not that she was complaining as there were few things more aggravating than a bunch of tweens shrieking in excitement of getting to meet the great Masao.

Senpai seemed willing to go along with her plan as she exclaimed that the haggard woman better be buyin' Jarlbros, one of the most popular brands of cigarettes in the village of Kumogakure, she personally preferred Shinobi Spirits, but Jarlbros would work just as well even if she had to chain smoke a few more than her regular brand. Chiquita's gaze moved back toward the woman who proclaimed her willingness in the plan, mission success, perhaps she could have gotten more from the deal? It wasn't like it really mattered all that much anyway, soon as they found themselves in a corner store she was planning to get an extra five or six Olde Kumogakure 800's, there was nothing quite like starting a day off with 40 ounces of malt liquor, or 120 in her particular case. "It's a deal then, now we don't have to kidnap you for ransom. Uh, not that I was planning that, anyway." She had, no one ever accused the young Chiyoko of being a good person, well a few had and they were nothing short of stupid.

Kokomo, that was her name. It fit her, or so Chiyoko thought once again giving her a good look over as she gave her smile that she couldn't help but think was more out of etiquette rather than a genuine expression, nodding simply she acknowledged the woman's name and the fact that she had no idea what the difference between Virgin Slims and Jarlbros, which was believable. She doubted the woman had ever smoked in her life, apparently having drank for the first time the night previous, it was always odd to see someone so unused to city life, or lower-class city life, anyway. "Yeah, I hear all they smoke in the Seki district is Insignia, must be nice to be able to afford a pack of cigarettes that cost like three times the cost of Jarlbros." Chiyoko couldn't help but wonder what the magic behind such an expensive pack of cigarettes, though she simply couldn't figure out their appeal.

She doubted the woman was moronic enough to contemplate ripping them off considering she had become well aware that one of the two was crazy enough to brandish a blade on her in the middle of the street for a duel though it was certainly better to get their booze and cigarettes sooner than later, smirking slightly she nodded looking back toward Saeko for a moment, it was time to restock her fridge with cheap frozen burritos and malt liquor.

Mussing her hair about Chiyoko stood outside the corner store for a moment admiring the fact that, unlike the Cronopolis, no one stood in front of the store accosting her for Yay or to buy a piece on the down low, it was also a pleasant thought that she didn't owe the store owner several thousands in back tabs. The cashier smelled of cheap cologne and reminded her of a dark furred Yeti as he sat behind his counter reading the morning's paper, scratching tufts of chest hair that peeked through his half buttoned shirt, his eyes moved upward toward them for a moment as the sound the door's bell rang before returning to his paper.

Shite easy listening played in the background of the store as Chiquita made a bee line for the back of the store, opening the cooler and wrapping five cans of Olde Kumogakure 800's in her arms, reveling in the fact that she would be getting absolutely hammered later. It was going to be a good day.

 

[Takaki Saeko]

I often forget that Chiquita's still just a kid in a candy store. The "candy" happens to be beer and cigarettes, but the pure joy of being able to purchase forbidden things on someone else's dime lessens as one grows older. Adults are always looking over their backs and around the corner for the trap to be sprung. For the con to emerge. For disappointment. Or perhaps that's my own broken brain talking, and my problem is that I'm unable to trust others. Hence, I'm hanging pretty close to our new acquaintance, lest she do something dumb like call shinobi law enforcement. If she does, the joke's on her: I am shinobi law enforcement! Or at least, you know, as much as it applies to taxation.

"'Quita! Don't be a selfish bitch! Grab enough goodies for all of us!" I shout at my friend before she disappears into the "adult-only" part of the store. That leaves me with Kokomo for company.

The weird thing is that despite my earlier attempt to exploit cigarettes out of our new acquaintance, I'm actually more fascinated in who she is than what's in her wallet. I can't pin her age down exactly, but I'd venture that it's probably close to mine. I don't remember her from the academy, however, and I certainly haven't gone on any assignments with her. There aren't many of us twenty-something women in the village (it's either old ladies or jailbait, much to the disgusting joy of most of the men here), so I'm always interested in meeting more of them.

"You said your name was Kokomo, right? I haven't seen you around. What's the family name? Mine's Takaki. My old man was the Sennin of the Main. He's dead, though. Your family still around, or are you the sole survivor as well?" I stretch and yawn. "Anyway, now that I remember more clearly, I guess it wasn't you who grabbed at my boyfriend's junk in the bar. She had jet black hair and blue eyes, which means I'll never find her in this damned homogenous cesspit. So I guess I owe you an apology."

I stick my hand out to shake.