You know, the nice thing about being free to travel wherever you want whenever you want are actually quite numerous. Sure there are downsides, but who honestly could consider such things when faced with the spanning ocean off by the coast side as the sun bore glimmers over the expansive waves? No, it's not a particularly rare sight. Quite common actually... though not a sight that one would be able to catch every day unless they lived in the area. That was indeed not true for someone such as Sumire, who had grown accustom to endless sands instead of blue waves. As such she was enjoying the sight as long as she could. What better way to do that than to sit back on a dead log, munching away at a small serving of warm takoyaki by the local food stall of some remote seaside fishing village. [break][break] It wasn't anything special. Sumire simply felt like beholding the sight of the ocean she had been so far removed from as a village servant... so now she was here. There was no other meaning behind her being there and perhaps a ridiculous reason considering she made no effort to blend into the village. Donning her usual shrine maiden outfit was enough. The village was small enough that doing so would simply raise more suspicion of the locals than otherwise. Not to mention too much effort to boot. "Hm... I wonder if I should save some for Yohei..." Sumire murmured to no one as she lifted a skewered octopus ball over the silhouette of the sun. "Well... either way I could get used to this place." Ending with a self assured hum, she daintily plopped the beheld snack between her lips and looked out into the distance. It was almost as if she were waiting for something.
A frustrated groan could be heard down the road as Yohei quickened his steps. There weren't any pressing issues he was being forced into, and certainly no emergencies worth attending, but he gave off a sense of urgency in the way he moved. "Hey! Sorry I'm late," he called out to the familiar pinkette once he was within earshot, an apologetic grin fixing onto his features.
Joining his partner by the scenic overlook, Yohei seemed more flustered by his tardiness than concerned with the beauty of their surroundings. "That village elder would not shut up." Even now he could hear the old codger's voice in the back of his head, spouting all that nonsense about local traditions and when certain fish were in season. "All I wanted was a little info from the guy and instead what I got was a whole history lesson about the different ways to slice a fish." What a complete waste of time. It wasn't like he planned on staying here very long, much less starting a new life as a fisherman.
Yohei sighed. "I swear, these people are hopeless."
Suffice to say, he didn't have any leads worth following. There weren't any big and famous clans to be found in tiny places like these. Hell, there wasn't even the faintest rumor of something like retired ninja or suspicious visitors passing through town. It irked him to have put in the effort for absolutely no reward, and by this point he was beginning to doubt there were any worthy sacrifices nearby.
The scene was just so serene that the bustle of the local-folk was hardly enough to burst that metaphorical bubble. That said, it was hard not to be pulled away from it when a loud voice called out nearby that brought a subtle glance to the periphery. "Hm? Oh, you found me." The voice didn't even bother hiding the hint of surprise contained in those words. See, Sumire is known to go wherever she pleased whenever she pleased. A true whimsical and capricious soul that most certainly could cause trouble for whoever was trying to keep track of her. The silverette certainly fit in that category, but she wasn't disappointed from his discovery either... this time. [break][break]
Since it was Yohei, the false miko turned her head to offer the flustered male a bit more attention. Complaints weren't uncommon and the tale was as expected. Otherwise, why else would she have wandered off on her lonesome instead of sticking around and chatting as well? Reclining back, she let the momentary breeze pass by before responding. "That's not surprising. Really, there's no rush. Relax." As calm as ever. And it was true. Rushing to get information or doing anything wasn't going to help them and it wasn't as if they were on some special deadline. They had all the time in the world. Plus, when it came to places like these, it was more worthwhile to try and eavesdrop on gossip anyway. Well... it was more amusing to her at least. [break][break]
However, when Yohei shared his sentiment about the locals, Sumire couldn't help but pause. That... was odd. The thoughts didn't reflect in her features but that did catch her off guard. Bravo. "They're just trying to live their lives. Even if they're hopeless... they're still trying to scrape by how best they know, which I think is commendable." Another piece of takoyaki disappeared from small box, eaten by the maiden that appreciated the effort that went into the meal itself. Almost as if the try to share the sentiment, the pinkette subsequently raised another skewered orb to the grumpy nukenin. "Those that aren't willing to try will meet their fate eventually... one way or another."
True. Living a simple life was nothing to get bent out of shape about. Yohei was hesitant to admit it, but sometimes he wanted a lifestyle like that. In a world of ninja he was mediocre at best, but in a world of fisher mongers he might've fared better. Or maybe he would suck at fishing too. Who knows?
Accepting the treat without any hesitation, Yohei gave an impressed smirk in response to his partner's comment. "Wow. Listen to you, handing out words of wisdom. That getup really suits you after all, huh?" If he didn't know any better, he'd say Sumire was really getting into her role. The whole shrine maiden appearance may have just been one more method to make their travels easier, but perhaps they'd found her second calling. "All we gotta do now is learn how to chant a few sutras and you'll really fit the part."
Unfortunately all the sutras about Jashin were not meant to be uttered in public.
Yohei finally joined his companion on the log after that, taking a bite of takoyaki as he settled in for a moment of relaxation. The ocean view was pleasant enough. Some could even call it breathtaking. For the zealot it was merely a temporary distraction to gaze at while he sat there to think, contemplating the next move. "A lot different from home, isn't it?" he observed with a sigh. He meant different in a good way, of course. Refreshing. "Never visited the sea back then." He couldn't remember why. Though it made him wonder if there were still places in their desert homeland that were worth seeing like this.
"Honestly, I'm surprised places like this are still around. You'd think some crazy rich lord would've built a mansion here by now."
"Oh? Should I chant some now and do a little dance?" A joke. There was no way that Sumire would chant some weird death sutras. Mostly she was curious as to whether he'd be remotely excited by the prospect or realize that such a thing would actually be insane. Good for gossip, bad for image in more ways than one. Either way, the whole idea was brushed off one way or another. She'd rather be caught dead... but her zealot partner didn't know that. Thus she simply moved along, offering yet another piece of takoyaki in all of its skewered glory to the one that sat at her side before being presented with a surely rhetorical question.
[break][break]
It was a similar sentiment that the kunoichi had held a few moments before. She took a moment to hum in thought, reclining backwards as her gaze shifted back towards the expanse. "Yes... quite different. The air actually feels clean and breathable, not to mention the food." Not that she didn't miss her parent's cooking, since they worked in the restaurant business and all. Rather... there were things that existed that was rarely available in the land of the sands unless they traveled away on mission. Even then, on mission they rarely had the time or the luxury to experience all the outer world had to offer. Now they didn't have to worry about that.
[break][break]
Speaking of authorities, always the pessimist's mention of the haughty lords earned an amused chuckle. "Lords tend to fancy living together than with the common folk. Anything less and they wouldn't be able to call themselves lords." Some sentimentality she was sure that the strong should stay together and the weak allowed to perish. It was very wrong considering that lords were usually the weakest out of anyone and needed the most protection. Yet they always acted so far above others... like certain others that did not deserve their station. Nevertheless, "Which is fine since it keeps the scenery from getting sullied. Or were you saying that because you're worried about the travel funds?"
"We have travel funds?" Yohei gasped and his eyes went wide in surprise. "I thought we agreed to give up all our worldly possessions and start our careers as nomadic hermits." He held the same astonished look for a second or two longer before withdrawing into a chuckle. "Or were we going to try soothsaying first? Can't remember." Although he was just making light of the situation, neither of those options were far from the truth. They would always be on the run now, forced to use their skills to scrape by.
At least they had their freedom. And each other to rely on.
"Anyway. Seeing as there's nobody in these parts that's...worth our talents," Yohei continued with a deliberate pause. It was both for emphasis and to give him a moment to snack on another takoyaki. "Wanna pick up a souvenir while we're here? I think I saw some little shops down the road." He gestured vaguely to the other end of the village where there stood a couple of tiny stalls. None of them were especially busy since it wasn't like the place was a tourist trap or anything of the sort. More so, the locals seemed keen on selling their old junk to whoever passed by. "My treat," Yohei offered with a munch, gulping down the last of his octopus. "I owe you for these."
Besides, who knew if they would ever get to visit the scenic fishing village again. There was just as good a chance that it would get swept up in turmoil before long. Nice communities tucked away from the reach of ninja didn't stay nice forever.
While the overdramatic false expressions were laughable, Sumire restrained herself to a giggle. How silly. So much so that she waved off the idea of soothsaying or any of the other nonsense that the overzealous zealot was going on about. It wasn't as if she agreed or agreed to disagree. She simply knew they each had their own way of doing things and navigating this space of freedom. What Yohei had done with his half of their... earnings was his business. Speaking of which. "And what happened to giving up all worldly possessions?" Asked with a raised brow in spite of a hint of that previous giggle lingering. [break][break] Naturally the kunoichi had no interest in souvenirs. Not only were they a waste of space, they were also unnecessary even if not paid from her own pocket. The memories were enough and it wasn't as if she were caged to never return. Considering she was now on the run, having too many and being attached to material goods would also be quite the issue. All things considered, Yohei should have known that. Unless... "Did you just want to get one for yourself and not admit it?" [break][break] Regardless to how the silverette would choose to respond, she continued as if he had agreed. It was funnier that way. "I can pick one out for you if that's the case. Then you can show everyone and tell them that the amazing and beautiful Sumire Kabeya gave it to you~." A smile rode on her features, waiting for the certain retort that was to come. The actual answer mattered little. In fact, the use of her actual name mattered more than that. Even if Yohei had agreed to getting a souvenir of her choice, that'd only make things more amusing. [break][break]
Yohei clicked his tongue in feigned disappointment, pretending like the jig was up; his master plan had been thoroughly foiled. "Aww. Nothing slips past you. Looks like you found me out." He shrugged in defeat but wore an obvious grin. Sumire always had a way of reversing these situations on him. Not that Yohei was the type of complain. "Guess I don't have a choice now, hm. Wouldn't want to miss an opportunity to brag about you." After sparing a chuckle he rose to his feet, taking a moment to stretch his arms out. Then he added tauntingly.
"It better not be something tacky though."
With all that said and done, it was only a short jaunt down the street to where the stalls were located. Like Yohei had alluded to before, they weren't anything spectacular to behold in terms of presentation or products. Mostly mom-n-pop storefronts with bits and baubles on display. There were tiny ornaments made out of painted seashells, dishware made from driftwood, fishing rods and lures, and so on and so forth.
"So what's the amazing Sumire thinking about this impressive selection?" Yohei quipped after a few moments of browsing at his leisure. Although he never had a good eye for art, he wasn't very convinced that these goods were worth the advertising price. "Blown away by all the choices, aren't you?" he snickered, holding up an abomination of a toy made from nothing but fish bones. Before it had the chance to crumble apart in his grasp, the nukenin placed it back on the shelf with the countless other oddities. Roaming toward the next stall, he plucked a some kind of bottle from the display and gave it a hard shake. "Oh hey, I always wanted one of these as a kid," he remarked flatly, turning to show it off to his partner. The bottle was filled with...sand. Yeah. Just sand.
"Haha, you don't have to act so shy~." A needless jest. Yet Yohei didn't seem to mind and was even taking it in stride. As such, Sumire didn't mind the thought about speaking her name despite their newfound wanted status. However at the accusation at the least the miko had to exaggerate the pain of his words to the same level of her miko status. "You wound me! Do you truly think so little of me?" Asked with a hand held to her chest, turned away from the male up until the point he had begun to move towards the marketplace. [break][break] It was a good enough way to waste time, especially if it kept her partner entertained in a way that wasn't related to his new religion. Thus the pink haired nukenin silently followed behind the lead pioneer while glancing about towards their surroundings quite casually. None of them appeared to do the scenery it came from any justice and that was before even checking the price points. Who cared for fragile items or useless trinkets? There was even a stall attempting to sell rocks! Ridiculous. [break][break] Speaking of ridiculous that was exact the example Yohei was intent on displaying as she turned to see the bauble of decorative fish bones in his hand - a sight that cocked a brow even as he had placed it back from whence it came. "Are you sure you aren't mistaking me for yourself?" Asked as she followed his movements towards the next display. Yet, despite his words, she couldn't help but chuckle at the next choice in his hands. "Are you missing home already? We can always go back if you want?" [break][break] Another jest. There was no way the could without a death wish... at least for now. [break][break] Either way, a bottle of sand was too on the nose even for Sumire. Instead she waved a hand as she turned to another nearby bauble that caught her eye. "Or maybe something more elegant for your tastes? Like this seashell tiara?" Truly fit for a mermaid princess or something. Which is probably why she had subsequently picked it up and held it out in front of her as if to picture it on top of the crown of silver hair already there.
Yeah right. Poor little homesick Yohei. Granted, he really did miss that scorching breeze from the homeland sometimes. But other than that, he'd had his fill of getting blasted by sandstorms and slipping into dunes. Getting the stuff out of clothing was nota part of his former lifestyle that he missed either.
Anyway. Upon setting his sights on Sumire's find, the silverette visibly cringed with unease. "Aheh. Yeaaaah. Stylish as it looks, I'm pretty sure twinkling tiaras are against my religion." Religious exemption - his greatest excuse nowadays. Jashin probably outlawed tiaras hundreds of years ago, especially the freakish ones made out of seashells and household baubles. Or so he would surely claim if the issue was ever pushed.
"Besides, when have I ever been the elegant type? I'd prefer something a lot more..."
He hung onto that last syllable as he poked around the next shelf, searching for an item more to his tastes. Or maybe he was just looking for one that could match Sumire's ridiculous choice. "Like this!" Yohei grabbed what appeared to be an ordinary folding fan and flicked it open, partially concealing his face in a dramatic presentation. The design that spread before Sumire was like a bejeweled turtle with giant eyes...or perhaps it was merely a very ugly fish. Whatever it was supposed to be, the craftsmanship was unlike anything one could find at a real market, rivaling the most talented toddlers in the land.
"See? Plain and functional." Yohei gave the thing a quick wave against silver locks, looking rather pleased with the meager breeze that brushed his face. "And would you look at that. They even come in a matching set," he continued with mocking enthusiasm, pulling out another fan from the rows of goods. The second one flicked open to reveal a pair of misshapen sharks...or maybe they were supposed to be eels. Again it was hard to tell.
Bold move to say such a thing in the face of the woman wearing shrine maiden garbs. So much so that the false miko smirked despite herself and returned the seashell construction back on its display. "You'll have to show me that passage in the scrolls." A lighthearted reply as she turned away before getting roped into any further religious talk. It was for the best that the topic was left up in the air. Luckily the weird items that this marketplace had in stock had supplied more than enough interest in the subjects. [break][break] Which, by the way, was very apparent as Sumire was in mid reach for another ornament and was compelled towards the exclamation of feigned excitement. One look at it was more than enough to cause the extended hand to retract and mask the movement of its owner's lips. "Plain? You believe that looks... plain?" There was a hint of disbelief in question. There was a chance that this was a jest, a fairly large chance at that, but for some reason that statement seemed more believable than anything else the zealot had said in the past few moments. Even worse was how the man managed to fetch an even worse article than the last. The ridiculousness of it all more than earned a dainty laugh from the wanted kunoichi. "You did truly always have eccentric tastes~." [break][break] She wouldn't give him the chance to question the statement either, striding past the rest of the trinkets to confront the silverette with a smile on her face. "Which, need I remind you, is why you asked for my help." And with that attempted to snatch away both fans and follow up with a light flick of the forehead. "Speaking of. Some sushi would be nice right about now, hm?"
Okay, okay. The flick to the forehead might've been deserved after all his playful banter, but did Sumire really have to take the fans away? Two for one deals were hard to come by, so they could've looked at the price tag first. At least the kunoichi suggested an alternative, if one could really call it that.
"Well now, there's a unique idea. Souvenir sushi."
Yohei gave an affirming snap of his fingers and narrowed his gaze a bit, giving off a pensive vibe as if he was really considering the proposal. "I bet lugging that around in my pocket for a while will keep the trackers at bay," he remarked in a hushed tone, holding back a devilish snicker. For some reason he was surprisingly committed to this sarcastic routine today. Raising a brow with intrigue, he continued, "Wouldn't hurt to have a snack at the ready either."
Then he backed up and paused, a glimmer of realization dotting his teasing grin.
"Oh wait. Unless...? I'm not the only one feeling homesick around here?" Yohei hummed in contemplation, cupping his chin like he was delving into deep and meaningful thought. In truth the zealot was just pushing his luck, because he knew there was no way to contend with Sumire's jabs. That didn't make it any less entertaining however. Wagging a finger in the kunoichi's direction next, he continued the charade in a cheeky tone. "Ah, I get it now. So you *were* after something all along. How sneaky." Was she a ninja or something?
"In that case..." Reaching past Sumire and grabbing another obscure object from the shelf, Yohei hid the thing from view but pressed a small piece of metal up to her ear. After the briefest inspection he gave a satisfied smirk, remarking conclusively, "I guess you'll be needing these then." He jangled a pair of sushi-shaped earrings before the kunoichi's eyes.
Oh? This was new. Was he really playing this game? With her? All the false miko could do to hold back her laughter was allow a playful smile to decorate her features. She was quite sure that the silverette knew what she meant by that statement, but if he wanted to throw the gauntlet down then so be it. There wasn't much doubt in her mind who the victor would be. "Dear me! And here I thought you'd want some of my home cooking with some fresh ingredients," she replied with fingers loosely hiding some parted lips. A guise of shock as widened eyes closed in thought. After all, it wasn't as if her parents were the only ones in the family that knew how to prep a fish. [break][break] "Well! Far be it for me to make this all about me! We can make due with nuts and dried fruit after all." As exaggerated as Sumire's tone was, the last sentence was the only one that had not oozed sarcasm, for she was quite serious about letting their same pattern of rations continue. That little sliver of the truth hopefully conveyed the threat she wished to portray. However, she wouldn't stop there. There was no stopping when the silverette kept going and even tried to offer a ridiculous set of earrings as a potential gift. He certainly asked for it. Which was why the kunoichi purposefully paused as her eyes lingered on the sushi earrings being used in his taunt. [break][break] That pause turned into a saddened look and a developing pout. A downcast look swept through and a softened voice responded. "And you're being so cruel... trying to give me a constant reminder of the home I left behind to become a miko." That last bit should have been a decent indicator of her true motives between the duo. Not that the townsfolk knew anything. Some started drawing their glances towards the scene that was purposefully unfolding as the woman turned away from the 'inappropriate' souvenier. "How could you..."
What was this? Could the tables really turn that quickly? Yohei barely believed what he was hearing. A second ago he'd thought himself awfully clever for making a few quips, yet now he felt his chest tighten in distress. "Uh, that's not what I...wait Sumire," he fumbled through his words, gaze shifting nervously from side to side. Hell, even a couple of the shopkeepers were starting to whisper and point in his direction.
Had he really gone too far this time? It was situations like these that were the reason why Yohei always tried to hold his tongue. Deep down he knew it was only a matter of time before he said something he'd regret, and here he was getting his just desserts for that arrogance.
"H-Hey, come on. I didn't mean to..."
Wary of the attention that he'd drawn from the locals, Yohei slid closer to his companion and patted her on the shoulder. "I'm sorry. I forgot how...hard it's been." The zealot's tone was much quieter than before as he expressed an apologetic grin. That nervousness from being watched and judged by the locals was still part of his demeanor too, the unease showing in the crease of a brow. "Forget what I said earlier, alright? L-Let's grab a few ingredients and I'll help make some sushi!"
Yohei hoped that would reverse the sour atmosphere at least to some small degree. Even though he knew little of sushi besides the taste, it was worth the effort if it meant raising Sumire's spirits. And should that fail, then he would simply resort to begging for forgiveness.
"Sumire..."
The zealot continued to look over his shoulder every so often, feeling the oppressive gazes of the villagers bearing down on him from behind.
It was too late now. No matter what Yohei wanted to attempt he had no one else to blame for this unconventional punishment that he brought upon himself. She almost felt sorry for him. The gazes of the bystanders were difficult to ignore, especially for the kunoichi who was specifically sensitive to it, but it couldn't be helped. As long as no one recognized them then it mattered not which is why she didn't take any of what was unfolding to heart. Though... it would be a lie if she claimed not to make a mental note of every face that deigned to look their way. Speaking of, listening to her partner continue on so clearly genuinely made the rose haired 'victim' restrain an impulse to bring a palm to her forehead in dismay. [break][break] Instead that same hand had redirected itself to her chest. [break][break] "You just... forgot huh?" The word was repeated but in a completely different tone than he used. There was no true sense of betrayal or indignance, but she certainly sounded like there was as she pulled away from the pats. If only Yohei wasn't taking all this so seriously. Somehow it all made the woman wonder how exactly it was that someone so inappropriately innocent managed to become such a death fanatic to the highest degree. It was true their new path had its own difficulties that were none so familiar from their previous life. However it wasn't so bad. Sumire thought they were actually doing pretty well with all things considered. Minus the whole... wanted criminals thing. [break][break] You probably think that this would be a good time to drop the scorned miko act, huh? Well you'd certainly be wrong with all those eyes staring at them so Sumire could only continue as the zealot made even more awkward moves. Like... continuing to bring up sushi. Wow, he was really bad at this. She almost wanted to laugh. Instead, she put her hand down on the nearest tabletop to respond. "I don't want it anymore..." Almost begged to question what would happen if she truly were upset. "Let's just go. "
