A Day Off in the Mist (Open RP)

[Hishime]

‘Where is this home, and what sort of men are after you?’ Takumi asked. Hishime sighed quietly, secretly relieved that it wasn’t ‘that question’. Still, would it be wise to tell him where she came from? If she didn’t, he wouldn’t like it for sure. But if she did..

‘If I am to be your ally, I will need to know what I’m up against.’ Ally? Was he seriously thinking about being her ally? The girl blinked in disbelieve. Even though he knew it was dangerous, he still considered helping her out? She had to admit, she didn’t mind at all if he was telling the truth. She could use some help now and then, she truly did. But, what if he was lying? Maybe everything was an act? If so, she knew she would be in serious trouble. Even worsthan she was in right now.

Many thought ran through her head in a very short period of time. Three things could possibly happen, she figured. For the worse, he was lying. Just acting so he could gain her trust, and then hand her over to the police. There was a chance that he would kill her himself, in desire to stop his involvement in this little game. Or, he would either help her out. Let her stay, and keep her secret and name away from the other villagers.

“Sunagakure No Sato.” She said, almost in a whisper. Maybe telling him wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but it could make the situation worse if she didn’t answer. According to his reaction earlier, he would keep asking, and maybe even use force to get the answers out of her. Not that it would help. There were things she would not tell him. Private things. Things he wouldn’t even be able to understand...

“As for the men..” The ninja glanced up at Takumi, her locks covering her left eye, hiding the single tear that was forming in the corner. “It’s different each time. Sometimes just regular policemen. Sometimes someone you would never expect. It’s hard to tell..”

[Kirihara Takumi]

"Suna..." Takumi didn't feel strongly towards any land, really, so in a way that made things easier... but the men. Even regular policemen? Someone he'd never expect? Somehow that seemed even more dangerous to him than hunter-nin.

"Are you free to hire ninja here for missions? Or would it be too dangerous? By ninja, of course, I mean me." "I'm not asking to be paid, I'll supply the money if you'd like... but Kirigakure probably wouldn't like me acting without permission on this, and it isn't like I can explain the situation and simply ask for permission." It was a strange idea, but it'd help him if she did. It could well be that she wouldn't be able to, in order to conceal herself, but it was still worth a try.

[Hishime]

‘Are you free to hire ninja here for missions?’ Hire ninja? What was he talking about? She had never asked for anyone to protect her. She had never even mentioned that she needed someone to help her in that kind of way. The shinobi looked at him with confused eyes. Things were getting a bit strange, yet suspicious. He wanted her to hire him, so he could defend her? That meant she had to ask permission herself. What was he planning? Was it a trap?

Hishime narrowed her eyes slightly, slowly shaking her head. It was weird. It was starting to look like he was plotting something. From simply asking questions, to offering to ‘work’ for her. This wasn’t right.

“I don’t want to.” She told him honestly. “Asking others to help me in that kind of way; it isn’t my style.”

[Kirihara Takumi]

"Actually, I meant it more as a help to me. Still, if that's your decision... Tomorrow. I'd like to test your ability, if you don't mind... Perhaps a sparring match?" Takumi grinned. "Loser cooks?" He really hoped that she'd accept - aside from wanting to know what she could do, he didn't really like cooking, since he was rather lazy... so pawning it off like this would be a bonus if she accepted. Assuming, of course, that he won. He was fairly confident in the tricks he had in his sleeves, but as he'd noted before he'd met this woman...

"You never know. You just never know..."

[Hishime]

A sparring match? She had to be honest, it made sense. But, all this so suddenly? At first, he just wanted to know the situation and her name, which he still didn’t know. Now, he suddenly wanted to test her ability. Things were starting to get more and more suspicious. He had got her so far to tell her about her ‘situation’, he had won that round. But there were much more battle left untouched. Probably battles he would’ve never knew they even existed.

“Don’t be so confident, little boy.” Hishime replied, but this time, she couldn’t fake that smile of hers. There were just too many things on her mind at the moment. The little trust she had for him, had become weaker. Now, she was doubting if it really had been a good idea to tell him all that. And the way he was acting right now, didn’t make things easier. “There’s no way you’ll win without giving it your all.”

[Kirihara Takumi]

Well, she certainly didn't lack confidence... Very good to know. Takumi had a very strange way of gathering information, and indeed a strange way of thinking in general.

"Just be sure not to awaken the spirits," he said mysteriously. A little smile crept over his face - not like the smile she usually had, but the smile of someone who knew far more than they let on. Everyone who had ever fought against Takumi would agree on one thing... Even among ninja, he was a strange one.

"By the way... might I inquire as to the name of my opponent in our friendly match on the morrow?" There was a glint in his eye now. With the promise of battle, he was beginning to feel like he was on a mission, and that meant the rest of him was being drawn out. Things he had no use for in peace. Things that made him... unnerving. He didn't mean to unnerve her, of course, but some things just can't be contained...

[Hishime]

“I guess it’s too late for that.” Hishime replied to his vague, yet interesting statement. Her once shivering lips curled into a tiny smirk. The way he was talking, it was different than before indeed, but it enjoyed her. It sounded much more like a real shinobi. Much more mysterious. And although the sudden change was a bit odd, she couldn’t help but look forward to their little, friendly, as he called it, spar.

Again, he made it clear that he had desires to know her name. It was almost amusing, all his attempts to get to know one single name. Yet, it was a name that meant danger. Not for him, at least not yet, but for the person who carried it. Still, she figured that he already knew that she wouldn’t give him what he wanted. Not even now, after that little conversation he practically forced her to have with him.

“If you want to know that name so badly.” The female rested her elbows on the small table, leaning forward a bit to look at him. Eyes amused yet curious. “Then prove yourself worthy enough.”

[Kirihara Takumi]

Takumi laughed, quite enjoying this development.

"Raising the stakes, are you? Ah, but what can I offer in exchange?" The hairs on the back of his neck were bristling with excitement. Tomorrow should yield a very good battle... He wouldn't allow himself to use the most powerful jutsu he'd created, not unless he really needed it... Opponents never seemed to last very long once he'd used it against them. No, he was going to have to enjoy this... but he still didn't intend to lose. He wanted that name...

[Hishime]

The girl’s smirk grew larger at Takumi’s reaction. He laughed, something she hadn’t seen him doing very often since she was here. Secretly, she was glad to hear that sound of laughter, she only wished she could do it some more. Even if she was laughing or smiling, it was usually fake. Always covering up the darkness deep inside her heart, it was starting to get a habit. A bad habit? No, it wasn’t bad. Others wouldn’t notice, normally, they would be safe as long as they didn’t know anything.

‘Raising the stakes, are you? Ah, but what can I offer in exchange?’ Hishime snickered, slowly shaking her head. Always being so polite, it wasn’t necessary. “An enjoyable battle, perhaps?”

She knew damn well what she was risking by using her name as some kind of trophy. It was dangerous, but at least she got something in return. If her name really was that important to him, he would fight her with all he got. Exactly what she wanted...

[Kirihara Takumi]

(ooc: Sorry I took so long with this, I had some stuff that needed to be taken care of. By the way, if I disappear suddenly for a long time, it means my dad's back. )

"Hah... if that's all you want, then I'll gladly deliver! Tomorrow, then."

Takumi sighed and settled down, folding his hands in his lap.

"Back to business. I don't expect everything, and I know you wouldn't give it anyway, but... Please, tell me. What else should I know about you?"

As much as he hated to ruin the mood, it had to be taken care of.

[Hishime]

“What else should you know about me?” Hishime repeated his question silently. She knew that he wanted to know more, it wasn’t hard to see he was curious. But, what else should he know? That was a good question. She wouldn’t tell him why she ran away, and her name would have to wait for the next day.

The smirk on her face slowly faded. Her expression went back to normal; innocent, curious, yet serious. “Well..” The kunoichi eyed her plate. She had almost forgotten that they were eating. “What would you like to know about me?” Maybe it was a foolish action, maybe she just wanted to know what he thought of her. Picking up her chopsticks, she went back to eating. The food had gone cold while they had been talking. But, food was food, and she would need it to be in good shape for their fight tomorrow.

[Kirihara Takumi]

“What would you like to know about me?”

Takumi pondered this for a while. Everyone had the right to some secrets, so some questions were sure to be off-limits... She'd just avoid those, most likely. He picked up his chopsticks and began eating again as well. The food was by now very cold, at least for being indoors, but he'd noted earlier that it looked healthy, and now that he had a fight scheduled, he did not intend to mess it up by not eating well.

"Let's see... something she might not avoid..."

"Why were you already tired when I found you?"

[Hishime]

Yuki looked up from her half-empty plate, quietly munching on a piece of chicken. She glanced at him before going back to her meal. She couldn’t tell him that she had to flee from the village she was staying earlier, being chased by a strong ninja half the way to Kirigakure. He would start asking even more questions. If there was a reason for asking this question, then the truth would probably be what he expected.

The female swallowed. “Well, isn’t it normal to be tired after walking almost continuously for three days?” This, indeed, was part of the truth. She only hoped that he would believe her. She had mentioned nothing about being chased, not even a small hint. Still, she had to admit, this guy here was pretty sharp. He was good in this little game, like a real ninja.

[Kirihara Takumi]

“Well, isn’t it normal to be tired after walking almost continuously for three days?”

A reasonable response, Takumi supposed, but... she was definitely holding something back. It was the delay before she'd given her answer that had tipped him off. Yet he didn't detect any actual deception... So it was part of the truth, but not all. What else could have happened?

"It's obvious, isn't it? She was attacked. There's nothing else she'd likely need to hold back, right?" Takumi thought. In that case...

"Does anyone else know you're here?" If an enemy had managed to follow her here, there would surely be trouble soon enough. Even if none had, it could still be dangerous if anyone else knew her location.

[Hishime]

Hishime thought for a moment. Would anyone else know she was here? She wasn’t sure. She had lost her enemy in the mist, and hadn’t seen nor heard anything suspicious apart from Takumi. If someone knew, who could it possibly be? It couldn’t be her father; it would take at least three days to send a message all the way to Sunagakure. But if someone did know, they would most likely find out soon enough.

“Not that I know of.” The girl replied, trying to keep the little hesitation out of her soft voice. According to Takumi’s last question, he had probably noticed that she was holding something back, and was now trying to figure out what it was.