Kinomi No Toshi

[Baromosa]

Baromosa over heard Jinsoku and Soujiro talking as he hate breakfast, and since then had been aimlessly walking around town, waiting for this 'festival' that was to happen later from what Baro had gleamed off other people's conversations. Smiling softly to himself, Baro drifted from street to street, sifting his way through the populated sections of town and striding slowly through the unpopulated parts. A soft chuckle cracked past his lips when he came to the thought that soon he would know this town better then he had ever knew Konoha, if just because it was a good deal smaller. The light brown of the dirt, and even the small bits of color on people's clothing fascinated Baro who had never before had so much free time to do anything he pleased. Rays of sun were hitting his back softly, but of course they grew hotter as time past and Baromosa sweated a bit under his white t-shirt. 'If this keeps up, I'm going to need a bath soon.' He thought to himself, still looking around for something fun to do. For an instant Baro thought he saw Lily again, but it must have been a trick of the light. 'There's no way anything could move that fast... is there?' Baro asked himself before ignoring it and looking around town for a place to wash up. 'I haven't had a good bath in.... well a while.' He admitted mentally. Baromosa found it hard to concentrate though, he had chosen not to eat a large breakfast and could smell other house's cooking enticing berry flavored dishes. With a small shake of his head, Baro ignored it and wandered further in town to find a bath house.

Baro found his chance when he observed Kaoru entering a house that looked like it was for the public. Walking calmly, he was careful not to draw attention to himself so he could see what his teammate was up to. For too long he thought they were always on edge with each other, and rather distant. These sort of thoughts flooded Baromosa's mind while he walked on the smooth tile floors of the bathhouse. Kaoru had quickly changed and entered his own bath, so Baro did the same in a separate room. "This should be nice and relaxing. I haven't had a hot bath in so long." He stated to himself and when he was changed and ready, slowly lowered himself into the steaming water, his skin turning smooth and loose just from being in the room. A comforted sigh escaped Baro and his arms stretched out, letting him lean on the smooth wooden side and feel the water soak though his skin in the most interesting way. 'I've forgot how this feels.' he thought to himself, but knew it hadn't been all that long in reality. 'I wonder what it feels like to miss this after a couple months.' Baromosa thought and laughed to himself. When it was late evening, Baro retired to his own personal room this time with his key and flopped on the bed until he got bored and wrote a messily written note to be placed on his door that said, 'Visitors Welcome.'

Word Count: 533

Total: 7868

[Arika]

Arika plopped down on the seat again, positioning herself cross-legged on the bed as she had before, Ryuu's words brouht back a small rush of emotions. She suppressed them with a long sigh, the boy was indeed clueless as to what others felt. "I'm fine Ryuu-kun, just fine. For now we have to work together, it doesn't mean that I forgive Mizu at all." Arika combed through her silken bangs with delicate fingers as she readied herself for training. She didn't much mind Ryuu being there, but it would be the first time he would see her unleash the Byakugan. "Um..thank you for your kind words, I might've done something stupid had you not said something when you did...thank you..." Her final words carried like a fleeting wind as she averted her eyes. Her already pink cheeks deeped in coloration becoming a vibrant red against her pale complection. She tried to shake it off with various other thoughts but to no success. "Ryuu-kun, I'm...I'm going to try something." Arika informed him with a hesitant look, "you can watch me if you like." With that said, her chest heaved with the weight of the task she would undertake, her eyes closed momentarily, and she focused on her chakra flow. The Byakugan was a jutsu she was a beginner with, Mizu was now a chuunin and her title was well deserved. Just watching the way she handled herself against so many shinobi was amazing, her grasp of the Btakugan dwarfed her own. Somehow, some way, she'd have to hone the skills her father taught her as a child. In her mind she recalled the lessons concerning the age old blood line limit. Her mind drifted back to a time when she was an adolecent, learning the ways of the Hyuuga from her father deep within the confines of their safe house in the forests of Konoha. She could see her fathers face clearly now as he explained with a command in her voice rarely found in the most skilled of Jounins.

"Now Arika, you must pay attention, you are coming of age. I believe it is time to teach you how to unlock the power hidden deep within you. The Byakugan, but first, I must explain, for knowing about your abilities will serve you well daughter. In the past, during the founding of our great village, many of our clan elders have taken time to dissect the nature and ful capabilities that our heritage grants us, and although only a few scriptures do remain, I'll explain it as best I can for you. The Byakugan is an ability that grants members from both the Main family and the Branch families a vision that spans to 360º." Arika gave him a sideways glance of curiousity, her eyes were large and vibrant, excited to learn. Her father shouldered the burden of preparing her for the world of the ninja with a heavy heart, he continued. "The Byakugan theory was a manuscript that was created many years after the founding of Konoha and the Hyuuga clan. Although a lot of it is lost, most of the information it contained was passed down throughout the generations. Our clans doujutsu also grants us the ability to see through solid matter, our vision becomes so acute we can percieve things on a quantum scale. Specifically, to be able to see not only individual atoms but the space between them,to the point that with enough focus one can see straight through the very matter an object is composed of." Yasuragi paused, a smile washed away his stern appearance as he watched young Arika taking small notes. Her attentiveness pleased him as he continued. "Again, this is all theory my dear, remember the nature of chakra is mysterious and can grant a shinobi limitless capabilites if harnassed correctly. The theary itself seemed quite accurate, but actually not all that unreasonable, seeing as the eye can detect a single photon of light, but the elders belivied that with the application of chakra that could be amplified to subatomic levels. Now, in order for an eye to be able to see 360°, the pupil would have to take up almost the entirety of the eye, with just a small portion being reserved for the retina as well as where the optic nerves are located. If you noticed, your eyes as well as our kinsmen are quite like that. Our vision and insight are superior but it isn't without weakness child, we do have a blind spot, located behind the first thoracic vertebrae. Arika sighed, she was losing interest fast and Yasuragi could tell, he'd have to grab her attention. He approached her, kneeling infront of her so his eyes, were locked against hers.

"The normal eye for a Hyuuga clan member differs from a normal human eye. The iris and pupil are barely discernable with both appearing a milky white in color. The pupil itself is larger than a typical humans and it is outlined by a black region. The sclera remains normal except the larger size of the pupil reduces ones ability to view it. But when chakra is applied there's a totally different story. Arika watched as her father activated his doujutsu, his expression becoming fierce, and his nerves bluging, almost pulsing with chakra. "Once the eye is fully activated, the hidden iris becomes more apparent. Also when providing blood and chakra for the eyes' bloodline vision, veins will bulge lateral to each eye. In a sense giving us the ability to percieve things more accurately than any normal shinobi. We are also able to see the tenketsu, the chakra circulatory system. It's a network of highways throughout your body, akin to veins, but invisible to a normal eye. This ability also spawned many jutsu that our Jyuuken is based from. Yasuragi smiled at the little girl, placing a hand on her head as he deactivated the jutsu. "Now Arika, I want you to mold chakra and direct it to your eyes, it will help you unlock your abilities. Once unlocked you can practice expanding your vision just by sitting right where you are." Yasuragi stood and left the girl to practice, and the sounds of her straining to mold chakra echoed throughout the dojo.

Opening her eyes her kimono fluttered a bit with the sudden concetration of chakra she was accumulating, her hair followed as strands of her dusky locks swayed, engulfed by the invisible energies. Her eyes narrowed as she staired into space, she had now begun concentrating the chakra in her head, letting the needed amount flood her cranial nerves with enough chakra to release her from the confines of normal sight. Arikas' nerves began to bulge, and a small network of nerves and veins could be seen rising from her skin on either side of her face near her eyes. Her eyes widened as the outline of her hidden irises appeared,"Byakugan.." Arika whispered as her mind processed the sudden rush of black, white, and grey images that her enhanced vision granted her. Details and subtle elements of her surroundings became clear, more vivid than originally. Ryuus' tenketsu were clear as day, coming into full view, each point in the now visible network was clear. His chakra reserve seemed a bit spent, it seemed he had been training hard, though now his chakra flow seemed normal. Perhaps that is what the tenketsu looked like when one was not in battle, just a constant, yet steady flow, niether fast or slow. Arika could percieve all of the her surroundings in a new light, the smallest of cracks in the wooden planks that made up the inn were easily located. Particulates in the air and the invisible wind in which they road on could be seen, it was amazing.

More, the young Hyuuga maiden urged inwardly, willing more chakra to the optical nerves in her head, her vision expanded that much more. The perimeter of her sight rached new limits, now expanding a a good deal as it covered the whole area of the inn. Arika could now see into every room through she will, nothing that sight could reveal would be a mystery to her. The thought of being able to spy on her friends brought a smile to her face which clashed with her intense eyes. To the average onlooker it would seem like a erie sight, as she sat perfectly still through the entire activity. Her through the supernatural perception she was in, she spotted two sets of tenketsu, one massive, and teeming with energy, the other dim, a dull blue coloaration. She recognized them to be Soujiro and Jinsoku. She was not too familiar with the boy, but from what she could see, some sort of training was taking place. A slight hint of jealousy coursed through her, wondering why he was getting a personal lesson by the jounin sensei. Shrugging off the reality that she may have to train alone for the moment she let her vision take her to a different part of the in, spotting the chearful face of Namiko preparing the inn for more customers should they arrive. The girls' image came out vivid, and then she became curious as to what the others were doing. "I Wonder what Kit-chan is doing, maybe she's returned." Arika then phased her vision to various parts of the building, her mind processing each image with suprising accuracy and speed. There was no wonder why her ability to evade and attack were greatly increased. The Byakugan sight brought her to another image, she focused in a bit more, there were two of them. It was Kitara and Kaoru, though there was no way of knowing what was being said, from what she could tell they were enjoying friendly conversation in the comfort of the armchairs that the inn offered.

She wondered who else from the team might be in the inn, deciding to scry further with her vision, she caught the motions of another character, unfamiliar to her, but she knew him as Baromosa. Her vision scanning his appearance, taking his appearance in to view, from his broad shoulders to his muscular legs. Calling upon her reserves of chakra she began prying her way through the barriers of clothes, seeking a peek at his tenketsu, when she noticed the scar on his skin. The scar seemed to run down the length of his spine, it brought an unsettling feeling to her gut. More, she said inwardly, trying to expand the bounderies of her vision. What wasn't aware of was that in the midst of her training she had depleted a significant amount of her chakra, her vision became fuzzy, blurry if you will. She blinked, and the veins that bluged once on her pale skin pulsed with energy now more. Her eyes and expression softened, and then the gennin was left with the brief vision of her room, before passing out from the low chakra levels within her body. Arika fell on her side, onto the soft surface of the bed, her ebon tresses scattering about her body thoughtlessly. She didn't move, looking much like a poreclian doll that had been discarded without care.

[Word Count:1865]

[Total Word Count:3986]

Edited October 21, 2007 by Arika

[...Rhianna...]

Kaoru smiled his sly, half smile while his crystal-blue eyes gazed into Kitara's azure ones. Stretching out his arms before him with his fingers interlocked he clicked them, enjoying the sensation that came with it. Bringing his hands back to his chest he did the same to his knuckles, the sound that came from them was surprisingly loud and hollow.

The teen took a deep sigh and leant back in his seat before turning to his female friend once more. "Not really..." He said, his gorgeous voice rolling off his long tongue in an almost teasing manner.

"But you look like you've been doing some hard training," Kaoru spoke while his eyes glanced over Kitara's body, noticing the bruises and scratches that littered her form. It amazed him how she looked after only a couple of years, he was still getting used to it.

Then he spotted the kitten resting on Kit's shoulders, and his eyebrows rose in question. Kaoru didn't really favour animals over humans, nor the other way round. Cats were okay in his books though because they were less susceptible to bend to human will as say, dogs do.

"I don't remember him," Kaoru nodded to the feline as he followed the cat's movements.

((Word Count: 208

Total Word Count: 3,676))

Edited October 21, 2007 by ...Rhianna...

[Azure]

As the children discussed and reminisced their previous few hours of training they were not instructed to do, Soujiro appeared through the door, Jinosku in toe, meeting the group as they chatted away, Mizumono still yet to be found. It was still early in the afternoon, but many people still at work busy about the festival they were going to partake in. Tsukasa was also absent from the scene, probably helping Namiko in some unforeseen task. But as time would pass, seconds turned to minutes, to hours. The sun soon fell, leaving the sky painted with gray, pink, orange and red.

As the light of the day faded away, the torches below; their flames all aglow. They were lit, the dancing, music and laughing voices filled the small town, the echoes being caught by the trees. Seclusion had helped in containing the noise and the festival only to those known. The scents of foods filled the air, pastries, sweet dishes, even beverages all falling back to the same feast of the harvest of Berries. "Well, are you ready?" Without an answer, Soujiro opened the door to the inn, stepping outside to be greeted by a few known townspeople. All seemed at harmony and at peace.

As he maneuvered around, he hoped his students would break off at some points and inspect all there was to see. Some would still follow him, which was also good, for he would lead them to one of the main attractions of the eve. As he paced, he grabbed a berry smoothie from one of the people handing out beverages and continued pacing until he got to around the center of Kinomi no Toshi. A giant stage had been constructed in the time alloted for the entire day. as a dancing act finished up, the next performer took the stage. Two familiar faces; Namiko and Tsukasa filed on, along with some other members holding instruments. wood crafted instruments, flutes, drums and Tsukasa with a tambourine beat their harmony as Namiko began to sing a famous folk song, officially making the festival start. Her voice, light, cheerful and smooth; the song she sang was comforting, moderately slow. "It was a lullaby that mother used to sing to us..." Soujiro trailed off, not knowing who was listening if anybody. Soon after, the mood changed as the song did; picking up and moving quickly, with energy filling the air. The festival that they had waited for began, many activities and games were scattered about if they wished to play. They had much to experience and a long night in the wait.

[Cellar Door]

Arika's proclamation to use her Byakugan had taken Ryuu a little by suprise. He'd never actually seen her use the inhereted Kekkai Genkai. It'd been too dark for him to see Mizu's eyes when they'd fought. That seemed so long ago, but in reality it couldn't have been more than a couple of days since the event. Needless to say, the bulging veins and intensity of her eyes took the young ninja completely by suprise. She seemed to be concentrating with all her might. He was hesitant to say even a word as she scanned the small inn with her Byakugan sight.

It felt almost penetrating, he knew she could see inside of him. Ryuu's inner workings, the stuff he couldn't even see was now plain as day to her, just as anyone else in the inn would be equally vulnerable. It didn't feel as violating as he might of thought, but never the less, it was uncomfortable. The veins near her eyes pulsed, bringing forth the needed energy to keep the trait activated. The look on the girl's face was unsettling, but the technique brought with it a kind of supernatural beauty. It was strange.

"She can see everything." Ryuu thought as he tried to look in the direction of her eyes.

He was of course stopped by a wall, and it wouldn't have mattered anyway. She could see much more than Ryuu ever would be able to see. Giving up his attempt to see what she saw, he settled for looking back at the female ninja. He had no way of knowing Arika's chakra usage. The fact that it was running low completely eluded him. It was only natural that her passing into unconsciousness took him completely by suprise. As she dropped to her side, laying still on her bed, Ryuu flushed with worry. He toyed with the idea of running to get help. No, that wouldn't be necessary. He was a medical ninja too. He could at least figure out the problem.

The saffron eyed ninja approached Arika cautiously, laying his hand apon her forehead. The temperature felt normal, and there was nothing visibly wrong with her. It seemed as though she was merely asleep. Pulling a chair near to the bed, he watched the girl carefully as he though. Slowly it dawned on him.

"The Byakugan requires chakra, and probably quite a bit. She must have run low."

This new theory was quite a relief to the Gennin, he wasn't prepared to heal any wounds. He couldn't even heal his own. Running his bandages hand over his damp brow, Ryuu watched the girl carefully. What should he do? Wake her, and risk her passing out again? Or perhaps he should give the girl some time to rest. He decided on the latter as he walked gingerly into Arika's bathroom. They were in an inn, so naturally there would be some kind of deodorant for their occupants to use. Applying some of the cologne liberally, Ryuu examined his hand in the mirror. It looked much better.

Returning to the side of the bed, Ryuu gently nudged Arika, hoping that she would rouse from her slumber. Laying his hand on her shoulder, he swayed her body back and forth as he softly called her name.

"Arika, wake up... I'll bet we could go see that festival now." Ryuu called to her, a hint of worry in his voice. "Arika? H-hey, you okay?"

Wordcount: 575

Cumulative: 1275

Edited October 21, 2007 by Cellar Door

[Ash_x]

Kitara smiled half heartedly as Kaoru commented on the feline adorning her shoulder, watching as Orion's frail body gently heaved with each breath. "I found him on the ship taking my team to Kiri, and I guess he thought he'd stick around" The girl replied, pursing her plush lips as she thought of her two team mates, she hadn't seen either of them since early that morning and was beginning to wonder if they were alright. "Looks like the festival is about to begin" Kitara whispered as she observed Soujiro exit the inn, melting into the bright, twinkling lights of lanterns and a sea of masked faces.

Taking Kaoru's wrist in her slender fingers, the sapphire-eyed kunoichi gently pulled him upstairs, deciding she would have a quick scout for Ryuu and Arika before following her sensei out into the bejewelled night.

Slowly stepping down the long corridor, her heeled zori making only the eerie echo of silence as she walked the girl came to a halt at the entrance of Arika's room, leaning against the door frame as she studied her unconscious hyuuga comrade then switched her attention to Ryuu who stood above her. Delicate brows raised as she shot a glance towards Kaoru, gracefully sweeping her silky tresses across her shoulder. "Everything okay Ryuu-kun?" Kitara asked, inspecting his battered appearance and knew without a second glance he had been training as hard as she.

[Word count: 235]

[Total count: 3154]

Edited October 22, 2007 by Ash_x

[...Rhianna...]

The ebony haired boy listened to Kitara's tale of the two and how they met he showed a good common interest in what she was saying. It had been so long since they had talked, or merely seen each other. It was just weird talking to her again. He took note of his sensei leaving, and understood that the festival all the townspeople had been preparing throughout the day was finally starting. Kaoru actually quite enjoyed festivals and parades, strangely enough. So Kaoru began to stand and offer to go outside with Kit, but instead she took control.

Kaoru let Kitara take his hand in hers and lead him upstairs, guessing she was looking for the others. He couldn't help but cringe at the creaks and groans of the inn as the inhabitants in it moved about. He liked silent houses, so it was easier to catch sneaks and spies. When the girl opened the door and they saw Arika on the bed and Ryuu trying to wake her up they shared a split glance in each others direction. At the sight of Arika out cold and Ryuu in the same room, alone, he couldn't withhold a sinister smile from escaping his lips.

The teen didn't say anything though. He was unsure what they could do in this situation, so he waited for Ryuu to answer Kit's question before he might suggest anything to help.

((Word Count: 235

Total: 3,911))

[Baromosa]

As Baromosa's boredom grew, he soon realized the town would be far more active tonight with the festival so near. He could probably even get to know the other members of the team while he was exploring the now familiar streets that stayed in his memory. "It beats staying up in here, I've done nothing but relax today." Baro whispered to himself, brushing his thin fingers through short locks of brown hair. Finally deciding to go out he donned his faded green vest and fastened it before removing the konoha headband from it's pocket. 'It's not dangerous anymore, I think I can risk it.' Baro thought while tying the cloth to his head, feeling the added weight of it's forehead protector. Smiling he checked himself in a small mirror and brushed his cheeks to inspect his shave which was more rough then he thought. "Oh well, It's still good enough." Baro muttered with a practice smirk in the mirror before turning to leave the room.

Now that he was heading out of the Inn, Baromosa stayed relaxed and walked cooly down the street with his thumbs ins his pockets, letting his hands casually hang on his hips. The torches of Kinomi No Tashi were Baro's favorite part of the moment now, how the fuzzy orange glow made his eyes widen. Baro's back straighten and he removed his hands to walk more quickly and maybe catch up to familiar faces, going from light to light and letting his eyes lightly scan the people near by. The music made Baro look up to the stage that had been constructed without his notice, and it finally hit him. "The festival already started, opps. Soujiro must be already out here." Baro stated the obvious now and looked around for his teacher. He was walking just a head of him, so as Baro continued to enjoy the music he kept his eyes on Soujiro and the others that might soon appear. Still, even that grew less and less important as the energy of the song mad Baro's shoulders move.

Word Count: 344

Word Total: 8212

[Cellar Door]

Yellow eyes widening in suprise, Ryuu whirled around to see a couple of people. One familiar, the other new, and different. He knew he was in an akward position but it should have been obvious that he wasn't doing anything "wrong". It was a precarious situation indeed, but if he could talk he way out of it then he would be alright.

"Oh... h-hey Kit, and... guy." He paused, not knowing her companions name. "This isn't what it looks like. I swear. She ran out of chakra while she was training, and I guess she passed out."

Ryuu felt very akward but he knew he wasn't doing anything wrong. He continued to nudge the unconscious girl beside him, while he conversed with the other two. The two sets of blue eyes made him feel very uncomfortable.

"Are you two going to go to the festival now?" He asked, trying to change the subject from the sleeping girl beside him. "I'll meet you there, once Arika wakes up."

Wordcount: 167 (WEAK!)

Cumulative: 1442

[Ash_x]

Kitara observed the scene in front of her with apathetic, moonstone eyes, seemingly unfazed by Ryuu's obvious discomfort as she ran her fingers softly through her liquid-charcoal hair. She was no medic, but knew Arika would awaken when her chakra reserves began to regenerate. "...Yeah" Kitara whispered, glancing towards Kaoru for a moment then departing her hyuuga companions room, the soft echo of her footsteps trailing down the hallway broke the eerie stillness that seemed to linger about the building. As the girl walked, her slender grasp fumbled around in the hide pack that swayed gracefully against her thigh, resting on a smooth, metallic object that was adorned with a navy cloth. Pulling her Hitai-Ate from her carriers depths, Kitara gently fixed it around her fragile waist, feeling the band constrict her hips and admired the way it complimented her slim figure. "Kaoru, if you like... I can help you train" The kunoichi offered over her shoulder, a delicate smile brushing her pale yet feminine features. Kitara, unknown to most had a very good judge of physical character, and her crystalline-sighted friend, despite his structure and seemingly powerful allure, was in much need of practice. "In the morning perhaps, before everyone wakes up" The girl continued, her angelic voice trailing off as she neared the door to the inn, already the delicious scent of sugary food and rich beverages had slithered into her nose, bringing a fierce jolt of desire to her stomach. Like a ghost, unnoticed by all the young woman melted into the beautiful scenery of night, weaving carefully in between laughing people and decorations that chimed in the wind, Kitara soon made her way towards her sensei, listening to his sisters enchanting lullaby before making sure Kaoru hadn't gotten lost. "It reminds me of the banquets I used to celebrate with my parents a few years ago" she whispered, more to herself than her raven-haired companion.

[Word count: 319]

[Total count: 3473]

Edited October 23, 2007 by Ash_x

[...Rhianna...]

Kaoru raised his eyebrow at the obvious request at them to leave. So he did, without a remark to the duo. He guessed that Arika's chakra must have run out, though doing what Kaoru hadn't a clue.

The door closed with a soft click behind him and Kaoru followed Kitara back the way they'd come. "Okay," Kaoru agreed to the girl's suggestion. He didn't like to admit it, though he would when needed, but he was the weakest here and in need of some good training.

A cool, soft breeze tugged at Kaoru's long midnight hair as they opened the door and stepped outside. He had hardly noticed from the inside but the singing and cheering and laughter was very loud now, as the festivities had started to pick up. Walking a short way behind Kitara, Kaoru found himself carrying a wine bottle after only a few paces. Raising his dark eyebrows, but smiling all the same he uncorked the drink and took a swig. He didn't really care where they were going, so he let Kitara lead him.

"Nice, " Kaoru said, raising his voice above the loud chorus people were singing a short way away. "This is similar to the midsummer celebrations at Konoha. I love these kind of things; all the music, dancing girls, drinks, girls wasted..."

Kaoru laughed, he was only joking but he was interested in Kitara's reaction.

"What about you? Do you not like these festivities, Puppet?" The boy smiled, and grabbed a piece of blackberry pie from a girl who was walking around with a tray in hand and giving out different assortments of food.

((Word Count: 272

Total Word Count: 4,183))

[Arika]

Arika could feel nothing in her chakra exhausted slumber, she looked very much like an old painting with the way the rays of sunlight that danced on her pale skin. Her hair loked like ebon brush strokes about her shoulders and side as if the artist of fate meant to render it that way. Her breaths were even and rhythmic, it was not hard to tell she wasn't in pain. Her features were soft and in her slumber she retained a peaceful expression. THe sleeping Hyuuga saw nothing in her hours without conciousness, no dreams or nightmares, simply blackness. Though ripples of sounds seemed to call her back, her mind was like a placid pond which was being disturbed by small dew drops. Outwardly her brow furrowed at the nudging of her shoulder, causing a disturbing wave that broke her sleep like trance. Her eyes blinked open, half lid in fact, watching as two figures exited. Muddled by sleep, se merely placed a delicate hand on the Ryuus' to stop him from nudging her. Still half asleep, she just let out a sleepy moan as she turned over on her back staring at Ryuu through half lid eyes. She knew it was him, the faint smell of tobacco was familiar to her indeed. She smiled a bit at her friend. "Ryuu...kun..?"

[Word Count:221]

[Total Word Count:4207]

OOC:Sorry I haven't been feeling too well.

[Baromosa]

Pulling himself away from the stage, Baromosa gracefully walked and sifted through the growing crowd until he recognized Kaoru's voice somewhere near by, even through the confusing movements of the crowd. "Kaoru?" he called out, still keeping his hands to his side and pushing through the main stream of people in the area. Seeing several cute girls move past his vision, Kaoru's head popped into view if only for a moment before it was replaced by someone else. Baro surprisingly smiled more and moved to the outside of the crowd to run over to him and a group of strange people that seemed to be in conversation with him, that he had seen only briefly earlier in the Inn. "Hey Kaoru, I didn't know you were friends with them." Baromosa said walking by their sides. A small smile spread further across his lips and he looked over his companions more closely. Seeing a girl looking apparently exhausted, he smiled softly at her drowsy features and scanned the contours of her face. "Is she alright? She looks completely worn out." Baromosa inquired, letting the situation replayed in his mind. A slight feeling of awkwardness came to him from how he had approached the group, and embarrassment pawed at his resolve but still he kept up with the others and looked them over with a friendly expression, brushing the hair from his eyes to look at them more meaningfully. The torch light glowed on the drowsy girl's pale face brilliantly, making Baro look at her for a few moments longer before staring back to Kaoru trying to understand what they could be doing with wine and a partially passed out girl.

Word Count: 279

Total: 8491

Edited October 23, 2007 by Baromosa

[Ash_x]

Kitara smiled softly, the gentle curve of her ruby stained lips holding an almost playful allure. Dainty fingers carefully reached out and wrapped around the bottle of sake her companion was holding, pulling it to her lips and taking back as much of the sweet liquid as Kaoru had. "I like them... just fine, Kaoru-kun" The girl replied, artfully maynovering her delicate hand between a few by passers and snaring two small glasses filled with creamy alcohol. Handing her forget-me-not eyed amigo one of the two shots Kitara raised her own slightly "To new friends" The kunoichi whispered, glancing towards the inn where her team mates still receded "To old friends" she continued, smiling affectionately in Kaoru's direction. "And to the hope that we will live... to see the dawn of another day" With that, Kitara lifted the rim of glass to her mouth and tipped it's fill quickly onto her tongue, feeling it glide down her throat and seduce her body into a tingle of sensation. Casting her sapphire gaze heavenward, Kitara smiled ever so slightly at the beauty that lay above her, a great ocean of black liquid speckled with numerous twinkling orbs, complete with the silvery globe that was so proudly known the moon. The night was in full blossom, laughter echoing into the icy air yet heated by the many fires. "It's going to be a long night..." Kitara thought wearily, circling the tip of her glass with a claw-like nail, already enjoying the soothing spell it had began to bewitch upon her.

[Word count: 254]

[Total count: 3727]

[Cellar Door]

Ryuu smiled as he watched his companion stir. He'd waited for quite some time, becoming more and more anxious as each minute passed. He had no idea that she would sleep so long. His chakra recovered fairly quickly, he assumed everyone's did the same. He stood up from the chair he'd pulled near the bed. Having waited and waited for her to stir, he'd almost lost hope that she would today.

"Arika, are you alright?"

He gently toyed with the bandages covering his right hand, as he looked into her eyes. He was glad that she was awake again, and that nothing was wrong. He wanted to hug her, but stifled the urge. Holding out one of his hands, Ryuu offered it to her.

"If you're feeling alright, It'd be great to go to the festival." He said, with a grin.

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Arika had shaken already shaken off the tired look that sleeping had left her with. Taking her hand back from his, she stood up, hiding the small shade of pink thatformed on her cheeks. Did he actually stay here with me the whole time. Ryuu-kun is really nice.

Rushing into the bathroom to freshen up a bit, Arika washed away the sheet of fatigue from her face. "Thank you.." She called out from the cracked bathroom door. After a few minutes she stepped out, looking every bit as fresh as before she went to sleep. "I'd love to go to the festival..." She spoke in a shy tone, her long, now damp bangs hid her eyes, shadowing her expression. Her lips curled into a pale rosey smile, and hints of her blush escaped the shadow that her hair had csated.

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"Are you almost ready?"

Having spent a decent amount of time waiting for Arika to wake, and now waiting for her to get ready, Ryuu was getting a little anxious. He'd spent most of his time since she'd woken up standing in the doorway twiddling his thumbs in a nervous sort of way.

Ryuu had been happy to hear her response. He didn't want to go to the festival alone. Everyone seemed to have somebody to go with. Ryuu wasn't a real people person, but he enjoyed the Hyuuga girl's company. So he waited there, in the doorway, for her to get ready.

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Stepping past him out of her room door, Arika could sense the other medical ninjas' apprehension, placing a friendly hand on his shoulder. Her smiled remained and her eyes gleamed a pearly white. Her features seemed more vibrant this evening, like her mood reflected the festive nature that the evening offered. "Come on, lets go or we'll miss out on all the fun."

With a little effort, the Hyuuga gennin took his hand, darting throughout the hallways of the inn. Her steps were ginger yet swift, driven with the excitement that was yet to come. Upon exiting the in with Ryuu in tow, a fresh gust of evening air made her kimono and dark hair flutter about. Looking back at him, she paused smiling as if asking him, 'are you ready?' Her eyes darted down to the hand that held his, and then there was one of those awkward pauses.

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Ryuu's cheeks turned a cheery pink color as she took his hand. With sweating palms and nervous steps he followed Arika outside. He couldn't help but keep his eyes focused on their interlocked hands. Before he could even accurately engage his senses they were outside. The cool breeze was calming, and allowed him the chance to breath again.

Ryuu had forgotten to remove the Hitai-atai around his neck, but he wasn't worried about it. "Y-yeah," He gulped in response to her question. Allowing himself to be led down the small street which was filled with festival goers and merry-makers. "It's been awhile since I've been to something like this." He said more to himself than to his companion.

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The faint sounds of celebration could be heard, and the aroma of fresh meats and vegetables being cooked could be smelled. It seemed like the wind brought with it an invitation as she broke her own loss for words. "Yeah, um, they seem like the ones my parents told me about. I heard Konoha used to have festivals all the time." Once again with the sandy eyed ninja in tow, she darted off of the inn steps and onto the cobble stone paths that the town offered.

"What would you like to do first? she asked after slowing her run to a moderately paced walk. Arika let her gaze trail to her hand, which was still holding his, letting her grip loosen when she felt a blush threatening to taint her pale complection again. "I was hoping we could get something to eat and..well do whatever you wanted to do. She looked over at him, her pale eyes, reflected the vibrance of the moon perfectly as they neared the festivities.

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"Food sounds good,"

Ryuu replied, noticing her grip loosen on his hand. He however didn't take his hand off hers. Instead, he simply followed her as Arika made her way towards a kiosk where a man was grilling squid and various other vegetable. It looked quite good in his opinion, but he wasn't sure if Arika liked the seafood.

"This?"

He pointed to the sticks of meat and plant matter. He was much hungrier than he first let on. In fact, he hadn't eaten since this morning. Not waiting for Arika, Ryuu ordered a pair of the shiskabobs. Handing some money to the man at the bar, he took a couple of the sticks, handing one to his friend.

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Arika smiled inwardly, feeling how his grip didn't loosen as hers did. Upon reaching the bar, the scent of seafood was mouth watering. Her eyes followed the movements of the man, moving the small pikes of impaled meat and vegetables, licking her lips as he turned them over. Watching as Ryuu pointed to the tasty morsels, she was going to pick one, but before she knew it, she was handed a shishkabob of her own.

"Thank you, I haven't had one of these in a long time."

She took a bite, walking idly over to more festive noises, it seemed like there was some sort of dancing or performance happening nearby. With Ryuu at hand, she took a few careful bites of a bell pepper at the top of her stick, savoring the spie it was seasoned with. "I want to see everything..." She said with a playful smile, tugging Ryuu along a wide strip of stands and performers.

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Ryuu's face blanched a bit as she declared her proclamation to view the entire festival. The young, yellow-eyed ninja wasn't a huge fan of large crowds and he would have much preferred to retired early from this village-wide party, but he remained quiet.

"Yeah, that sounds pretty good."

He wasn't being completely honest but who was around girls? Following Arika down the line of stands, Ryuu examined all of the passerby. There were men and women in jester's costumes and minstrels playing various instruments at the corners of almost every street. There was merryment everywhere. It wasn't Ryuu's particular brand of fun, but he could live with it if he must.

"Where too first?"

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Glances around, totally overwhelmed by the festive atmosphere. Darting her eyes from one activity to the next. There was so much to choose from, but then she lands her glossy white optics on a stand riddled with plush dolls, and just about drags Ryuu the whole way there. She giggled the whole way there, feeling like a normal teenager for the first time in a long time.

"Ooh, how about that one, a stuffed animal would be so cute!

Stopping infront of the stands, there was various trinkets and souveniers that could be had. Though upon closer inspection, she saw a few bowling pins stacked up in a neat pyramid. She gave it a thoughtful look scanning it to see how she could get one of the plush dolls for herself. There was many, of various size and type, too many to choose just one, though she would gladly settle. A short man rounded the back of the stand to set infront of them. He had the thick smell of sake on his breath, and his belly spilled over his pants. In short he was really fat.

"Um hello, how could we get one of those plushies?

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Ryuu chuckled mentally as the man presiding of the game explained it's rules. The object, as with most carnival pass times was to throw a series of balls at a collection of bottles with the intent of knocking them over. Ryuu knew the game was rigged, he could tell by the way the man demonstrated the toss, but he was also fairly certain that this carnival leech hadn't had many ninja toss balls in his booth. They were after all in some backwoods little town with no ninja to speak of.

"Yeah, I'll get you one Arika."

Ryuu slapped some money down on the table, receiving a trio of balls. Ball one; The saffron eyed ninja took the sphere in his hand and belted it at the collection of masonry. Apparently one was all he needed. He didn't technically knock them apart. The bottles fell as one stack, stuck together by some form of carnival trickery.

"Ryuu, the festival ninja one. Carni, zero."

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Arika clapped at the feat, she didn't know how it worked and surely would've failed out of sheer ignorance. The carni as Ryuu called him, collected his rigged stacked of bottles, mumbling curses under his breath as he asked Arika what she wanted.

"May I have the Anbu plush doll please?

The doll was small and it sported an animal mask much like the anbu. It also came with a length of small rope which she used to hang the doll from her sash. Leaving the disgruntled man behind she dragged Ryuu the cobble stone steps to seek out new entertainment. "Thank you so much for the doll Ryuu, I always wanted to go to one of these festivals, but with the way things have been in the hidden villages, I fear it'll never be the way it used to be."

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"Don't worry about the toy, it's all in a days work."

Ryuu was starting to warm up to this carnival thing. There was after all, nothing wrong with having a good time. Before he could even enjoy his victory over the sleazy carnival worker, he was whisked away by Arika's grasping hand. With his bandaged right hand wrapped around his friend's petite one, Ryuu followed obediently, listening to Arika fret about the villages.

"There's nothing we can do about change. Nothing will ever be the same as it was, but that doesn't mean it can't be better."

He wasn't sure if he believed his own words. There was no guarantee anything was going to get better. There was no way of knowing that there would be any ninja left standing when this was said and done.

"Come one Arika, let's go find something to do."

CD's wordcount: 905

Cumulative: 2347

Arika's wordcount: 969

Cumulative: 5176

Edited October 27, 2007 by Cellar Door

[...Rhianna...]

Kaoru grinned and downed the shot Kitara had handed to him, mixing the taste with the wine after he took it back of his raven-haired friend. He loved the bitterness that came from alcohol, and the feeling you got after only several glasses.

The boy turned at the voicing of his name, to see Baromosa approaching the duo through the crowd.

"I'm not," Kaoru laughed. "But this girl is an old friend."

He glanced between the two before adding, "Kit, this is Baromosa. He's on my team." He practically mumbled the word team, seeing there was not much team spirit going on in their group. "Baromosa, this is Kitara from the other group that just arrived..."

Kaoru grabbed more food and ate them quickly, getting down the amount he would usually eat at dinner of berry pies, tarts, cakes and beverages. And then came the time of thought when he wondered whether to get drunk, or stay sober and alert. Of course, in the end he would be wasted but he still tried -sort of- to count his drinks.

"What is there to do in this tiny town on a night like this.." Kaoru wondered aloud, to any ear really that was listening.

((Word Count: 203

Total Word Count: 4,386))

[Hardcore Skittlez]

(Sorry if I mess some of the Scenery up, I only skimmed the previous posts)

A single, fluorescent cherry blossom danced in the gust caused by Arika's breath in front of her face. Invisible, for the time being, Arika's distant cousin watched her with longing eyes. Mizumono wanted nothing more at that moment to regain her old life, to join her friends in crazy antics and heroic escapades once again. A time without Kaosu, a glorious time indeed. Following a sigh, as if prepared some time before this particular night, a wave of shining pink blossoms swept past Mizu's location. She stepped forward out of the haze of petals, completely unharmed. Now standing on the edge of the roof on which she had been standing, Mizu allowed her vision to encompass all of the group below her. "Hail, Cousin.", her voice was plain as she dropped to the ground near the genin group.

(Did the best I could given the circumstances)

[acillies45]

Jinsoku had followed behind Soujiro to town. All the way, he had tryed out the walking up trees technique that he had just been taught. He was having fun with it, and getting a little better at it as he went, but he had to get it out of his system. He knew that once in town he couldnt barley even thin about doing it. He just wanted to enjoy it awhile. He was really excited now that he had learned these two abilities. They would definitally help to make him stronger. Thats what he wanted right now, to be even stronger, but he was satisfied for now. He would get the urge to train some more later, but for now he was contented with the training that his sensei had taught him.

As they went into the festival, he broke off from Soujiro. He wanted to see what there was to do here. He didnt go look for his team, seeing as there was no point in hanging out with them. One he didnt like and the other was new and he didnt know him very well. Besides, he figured he could see more of the festival if he just went where he wanted. He liked it that way. Being free and by yourself is somthing he enjoyed when he had no one to hang out with. He liked to be able to think or do as he pleased without inturruptions from anyone.

He looked around at everything to do. He was extremly hungery, he hadnt eaten since breakfast and the training didnt quench his hunger in the slightlest. He looked around and saw a wide variety of places to eat. He smiled a little, relieved that he wouldnt have to search to find substanance.

After he had eaten at a few stands, he decided to walk around. He still had a sandwhich from the last place he had eaten at and was muching on it quietly. He looked around at a few of the games that there was. They were mainly ment for littler kids and he just watched the little ones have fun, joining in once in awhile if the game would be at all challenging, or to just let the little kids laugh at him while he pretended to mess up. He liked to make kids laugh. He felt better about anything that would be troubling or hurting him. He thought that there must be some magic in thier voices, though he just knew that he was liking the attention.

After playing games with a particularly wide bunch of kids, he sat down on a bench and just watched the festival go on. He wondered where the rest of the team was and what they were doing. Were they having as much fun as he was? He shrugged the feeling off and went back to the games.

(word Count=481

Total Count=7753)

[Baromosa]

"Greetings Kitara." Baromosa said with a slight bow of his head, saying more with the excitement in his eyes rather then words. He looked very happy to see them from the soft firendly smile on his lips to the intensity of his brown eyes. "I saw Sensei earlier by the stage walking, but we can do pretty much whatever we want I guess. I'm starved." Baro stated and smoothly took something from a server girl as she walked by, instantly nibbling on the delicate pastry. It crumbled against his mouth and the glazes melted in such fantastic ways Baro's eyes widened from the sugar rush. "Woah, sweeeeeet." he whispered and chuckled softly still eating and walking with the group. Looking around for something to do, Baro noticed Jin playing some games, and then looked to the stage to see that next performer was about to set up. It wasn't the kind of music Baro wanted though, recently he had been getting into modern artists who took classical themes to make something more enjoyable. 'I wonder if I could learn to play an instrument....' Baromosa mused to himself but still looked for other things to occupy his time. Soon the pastry in his hands was gone and Baro brushed his hands of the crumbs and just stood there near Kaoru. "Hey, you think they'll have anything good enough to dance to?" He suggested, thinking that if maybe if someone started to, others would join in. "What else is there to do at a party anyway."

Words: 254

Total: 8745

Edited October 31, 2007 by Baromosa

[Arika]

Arika moved with the light heart of the average teenager throughout the festival, looking to enjoy these rare and fleeting moments that times like these offered. The evening was delightful and it showed in the soft features of the young Hyuuga gennin as she smiled, leaning against a lone sakura tree. Her hands grip had tightened around Ryuus since it wavored all those moments ago. A refreshing gust sawayed the branches causing an overcast of blossoms to rain down upon her hair. The lustorous colors of light and dark pinks tainted the pitch locks, giving her bound pitch tresses a natural decoration. But with that gust of wind came her distant cousin, Mizumono. Arika paused in the midst of her laughter, taking in the form of the much stronger chuunin shinobi.

"Hello, Mizumono-san..."

Arika spoke reluctantly, a brief flash of the burning body of her lost but not forgoten Aburame friend flashed through her mind. Mentally, she shook it off, Ryuu worked hard to help her through such a trying time. She offered a polite smile, and with the way her sakura ridden hair framed her pleasant features, it made her look something like a girl from a painting.

[word count:198]

[total word count:5374]

((OOC:Sorry it was short, no inspiration in the morning.))

[...Rhianna...]

"Uh, I dunno.." Kaoru replied to Baromosa's question, his icy gaze travelling the scenery. He didn't expect the musicians on stage to perform anything he would like, and Kaoru didn't dance. He'd had minor schooling in ballroom but he wasn't about to demonstrate those skills anytime soon. He was surprised when the violinist started a haunting solo, which was close to Kaoru's favourite genre of music.

"I'm going to find more things to eat," the ebony haired boy said and walked off a bit, careful not to lose Kitara in doing so.

The time was passing slowly, but as the moon shone brightly in the midnight sky and the torches gave the most light Kaoru felt the need to stop drinking. Finding it hard to stand any more he sat on a bench and watched the carnival go on. He'd participated in several events, mostly because of his tipsy manor.

((Word Count:150

Total Word Count: 4,536))

[Ash_x]

Kitara gracefully returned the polite greeting as Baromosa lowered his cranium, the opal pendant complimenting her delicate neck catching glimmers of the fire-jugglers flames and casting exquisite shards of rainbow hued light around the trio. A gentle sigh slipped the girls lips as she eyed one of the numerous carts skirting each cobbled road, delicious fragrances of grilled fish and honey-dribbled cakes seemed to form a coil around Kitara's senses, dragging her helplessly towards them despite her lack of appetite. Reluctantly the sapphire-orbed kunoichi allowed her grasp to form around a glass of sweet ice, dropping a coin into the waiting palm of the salesman and bringing the little metal spoon to her crimson-stained lips. Kitara sort in her memory for the recall of when she was a young girl, carelessly venturing into the city simply to indulge in the traditional spring-time treat with her loving parents close at hand. Something she had taken so little granted for was now such a precious memory within the content of her mind. "Why so down m'dear?, tonight above all nights we should be put aside our troubles no!?" a sudden shriek of a voice broke the young woman's trance like state, forcing a wince upon her soft features as the broken glass like words grated across her. "I...I-uh" Kitara silenced herself as the painted face man wrapped an arm around her, holding the other out and inviting her to embrace the festivities. Kit felt herself shrink under the odd performers grasp, a nervous smile twinkling upon her creamy complexion as she eased away, carefully weaving her way back to Kaoru and shying into his side. "Everyone's so nice and friendly here..." The girl whispered timidly though she still refused to stray far from her companion, the overpowering roar of carnival games and travelling bands was almost deafening though the fond sight of a rather intoxicated Kao eased her tension greatly. Following the stumbley adolescent over towards a perfectly scrubbed bench the girl gently sat down, rolling her azure gaze once again at the sheer doll-like appearance this merry little town suffocated her in. Loosening the ribbon from the tips of her hair Kitara watched as the helpless threads bathed her shoulders and waist with there liquid silk texture, the pretty picture of a lifeless figure sitting upon a shelf amongst the company of stuffed teddies and wind-up toys. "Kaoru-kun... before, when you called me puppet... do you think... do you think it fits me?" The girl asked softly, her sapphire eyes slowly travelling up to meet his in a curious gesture.

[Word count: 429]

[Total count: 4156]

[sorry I haven't posted... low inspiration]

[...Rhianna...]

Kaoru sat with his head in his hand, stopping the dizzy spells that came when he moved too fast. His long midnight hair fell over his face, casting a ghostly shadow across his features. At that moment he looked like a dark, haunting man; the type that would easily use their stronger form to overpower an innocent girl. But when the teen turned to look up at his friend as she sat next to him, Kaoru smiled and became high-spirited once more.

"Of course, my doll-like friend," Kaoru grinned an evil twinkle in his eye. "Do you not like it?"

Even though the boy was highly tipsy and had trouble walking straight, his speech was the same as ever and he seemed to have a cool head.

For a tiny millisecond he studied her, the way she acted around him and others, her appearance, but it was so minute it was unnoticeable. Standing he walked over to a drink stand and bought two drinks. One he gave to Kitara, with that weird sadistic smile on his lips that people who knew Kaoru got used to. Had you looked close to the two drinks together you might notice a slight difference in thickness, but only for a second before whatever else was in it dissolved.

"Bottoms up," Kaoru said, his cold voice louder than usual to be heard above the singing, music and laughter as his crystal blue eyes roamed the square and he downed his sharp tasting drink.

The night was ablaze with colour and light. Red, blue and yellow ribbons pranced and moved with grace as the dancers controlling them twirled and danced through the glow of lanterns and fireflies. The stars above seemed to sing in tune with the choruses; the night was alive.

((Word Count: 296

Total Word Count: 4,837))

Edited October 30, 2007 by ...Rhianna...

[Ash_x]

Kitara smiled half-heartedly as Kaoru spoke, his words comforting against the icy breeze that lingered upon the softness of her bare legs. an eerie tingle crawled along the girls spine as she waited for her companion to return with beverages, like crippled fingers caressing the small of her back. She knew this unpleasant sensation all too well, her instincts kicking in, surging her with enough adrenaline to clear the intoxication from her mind. Kaoru's sinister smirk brought an uneasiness to her, though she gratefully accepted the drink. "Thank you Kaoru-kun" Kitara whispered, her innocent, sapphire eyes glancing up to his, a twinkle of sadness hidden behind such a trusting stare. Bringing the glass of liquid to her lips, the girl quickly drank it, quenching her thirst and savouring the bitter-sweet taste of cranberries and alcohol. A strange, almost wrong tang was apparent on her tongue, like it did not belong in the blend of sweet, fruity extracts. Putting the thought aside, Kitara concentrated on picking out familiar faces in the crowd of merchants, only to find her vision a distorted blur, shapes moving in front of her like large, colourful blobs. "Whats wrong with me... The girl thought as she rose a delicate hand to her forehead. Kaoru's voice sounded like a distant echo, low and deep, as though it fought to reach her hearing. Kitara glanced towards the raven-haired boy, her dark gaze narrowing as she focused on his facial features, wondering why he was smiling at her with such amusement, an almost cruel twist on his mouth. Suddenly, the well-known vocals of another wriggled into her senses, gentle and sweet though unlike usual they were smeared with an uneasy texture. Standing slowly, Kitara moved towards her white-eyed team mate, finding Ryuu accompanying her. The kunoichi's smile soon vanished as she followed Arika's gaze, settling her own on the hyuuga's cousin and scowled. "Whats she doing here" Kit wondered coldly, her legs tensing as she felt her balance sway, catching Kaoru's shoulder before she misplaced a step.

[Word count:338]

[Total count: 4494]

[Baromosa]

As Kaoru and Kitara sat with each other, Baromosa stayed backed and observed them just long enough to realize they had some wish to be alone between them and he should give them their moment alone. A gentle smiled spread over his face at the romance that could be, but ultimately turned and looked up to the starlight above the festivities. Unlike the others, Baro was quiet and calm, passive before the music and the shouting he didn't hear. As he stared to the heavens, it was like Baro placed himself out there, drawing away from the frenzy of food and fun.

Slowly working his consciousness down to earth once again, Baromosa felt his dry lips part and rub together and his stomach rebel on itself with a low growl. 'I think it's time to feast with good company.' Baro thought to himself, gazing over the crowd for somewhere to belong. Finding difficultly just like so many other times he had tried to meld with the crowd, he frowned a bit as he side stepped one of the more vibrant and flamboyant party dancers. The red material on her dress swirled in the air, catching Baro's eye for a moment as it traced up her body and landed into two excited and wonderful eyes. Stunned briefly, Baro moved on into the crowd until he found a small table to sit at where people gathered to eat. A young girl came up to take his order which he gave her, asking for something sweet along side something with meat. As she walked off to fill his order, he smiled softly and parted his hair, running his fingers through it to make the brown locks appear neat again though he never thought he was satisfied. Next his eyes stared at the grain work of the table, flowing along its patterns and waves underneath it's polished surface. Each small grain reminded Baro of a river, cutting through a dense forest. Baromosa's memories of his first time climbing the rocks outside the village made him stare deeper in day dream at the table, only disturbed when the girl thoughtfully nudged his shoulder. "Thank You." Baro whispered loud enough for her to hear above the noise and nodded his head to her with a friendly smile before digging into his food. It was a plate full of beef strips cooked in special sauces and slid onto wooden stakes, with light pastries glazed with a very sweet icing. Thankfully he began eating the pastries, his eyes still lost in thought while he remembered old friends and his awe of the forest when he was young, an awe that had never lessened through his life.

Words: 448

Total: 9193

Edited October 31, 2007 by Baromosa