The way we were (Dachi and Sal)

Salzem wandered through the Village of Tea, wrinkling his nose at the thick smell of smog, alcohol and other substances Salzem didn't want to identify. His efforts to make these streets safer seem to have turned up fruitless, what with the drug dens and suited baddies still a frequent sight. He rolled his sanguine eyes. He thought he wanted a challenge, something that would test his skill and prowess... Something like this! Then he got it and realized... he didn't like what came with it. He hated the byproducts of these dens... they polluted the air so much, Salzem could taste it through his breathing mask, He had to bite his tongue a couple of times to avoid lashing out at every other intoxicated person who bumped into him. He finally had enough and stormed out of the gates, needing some calm, relaxing nature to clear his head. Outside, the air wasn't too bad. As he approached the beaches, the air smelled of the sea and felt as cool as the ocean spray. It didn't leave that vile taste in one's mouth that the exhaust from the dens did. Salzem walked along the sandy shore, setting himself down in a spot right ahead of the tide as it hit. He enjoyed the salty spray as it hit his face. He enjoyed being back in nature again, feeling it's blessed touch upon his face. Salzem's inner demons quieted as he sat, gradually turning into a form of meditation. His mind became free of all worries, all desires, all hates, fears and sorrows. He just existed there on that plane of existence and it felt great. Salzem's inner peace was such a wonderful thing. Clarity was hard to find in a place as mechanized as the Land of Tea. Gradually, he tore himself out of inner peace, feeling the inescapable urge to punch something. He felt.... aggressive... Meditation just wasn't doing it for him today...

Dachi felt more at home on the beach than he ever had, though he was not sure why. With his small snadals plodding through the wet sand, and his cloak billowing lightly around him, his eyes were constantly bouncing from one side to the other, wondering if anyone else would be here. He was not sure, as many of the people that he met here in the village were... stranger, and always seemed to be not set right. 

However, as he walked along, sometimes asking fire man some questions, to which he would get nonsensical answers, he noticed a being that seemed familiar to him. As he approached, he instantly could tell why. It was that man, Salzem, who had saved his life, and offered him a place here. He smiled, remembering these things, and decided to go to him, as he seemed to make much more sense than fire man, and he could actually see Salzem as well, instead of just being a whisper of a voice that seemed to float around.

Once much closer, it was clear, or rather, it would have been clear to a shinobi that something was off, and perhaps this was not the best of times to approach Salzem, but Dachi, despite his own thinking, was truly far from being a ninja, and had no such sense of a person. And so onwards he went.

"Hi-ya!" He exclaimed, waiving a hand at Salzem as he approached.

Salzem was about to head back into the village before he heard a familiar voice behind him. He turned and saw it was none other than that kid whom he'd saved. Dachi. Despite the mood he was in, he couldn't help but smile at the little one. Salzem returned Dachi's wave and walked over to him, actually glad to see him. He hadn't gotten to see much of the seven year old after their initial attempt to purge the village of the gang activity. He was getting worried something happened to him. Salzem offered Dachi a hand to shake, still grinning at the boy's presence.

"Hey there Dachi." he greeted. "How have you been?"
He didn't know why, but he had become somewhat attached to the little odd-ball. What, with his ghostly pale skin, white hair and oversized robe. Salzem felt like he had some kind of... obligation to protect the little one, seeing as his life was saved by Salzem's hand once before. What a waste it would be if Salzem were to let him get hurt or even die. His mind flashed back to when they were teleported to swamps, when Dachi flailed about in the water as if he didn't know how to swim... Perhaps he didn't.... He was pretty young after all... 

"Hey... this may be a weird question and all, but... do you know how to swim...? like... at all?" Salzem asked, a skeptical look on his face.

(Short post coming in, sorry, got more busy than I had expected, but also don't want to delay the topic for a long time.)

Dachi looked at Salzem, and smiled. He was glad the man was doing well, and it seemed that he was also glad that Dachi was alright. Then, however, Salzem's face change to a different emotion, and a question followed.

Did Dachi know how to swim? He honestly wasn't too sure himself. As he usually did, Dachi stared wide-eyed and mouth open at Salzem while he dug through his memories for this answer.

He had certainly not remembered how to swim when Salzem had saved him, and as far back as he could remember, he had never truly learned. Perhaps people could innately learn how to swim, just as they learned to walk? But he supposed that too would take at least some practice. He closed his mouth, and his brow came together, giving him a much more serious look on his face. 

He guessed swimming must be a more normal thing for people to know how to do, but he honestly never had. He had spent so much of his life switching from home to home that no one had ever bothered to teach him, so, he didn't.

"No," Dachi replied, in a very serious tone, that was for some reason almost commanding. It made sense in his mind, of course; he had ruled out the answer. However, for one that didn't follow his train of thought, his sudden change of mood would likely be somewhat comical.

(guess I'm giving this kid all the mental issues then.)

(lol Its all good mate)

Some other person might have laughed at Dachi's response. How could he not know how to swim? Swimming is crucial to survive in the ninja world! But Salzem didn't laugh. He didn't look at Dachi like he was crazy either. He simply nodded in understanding. He didn't question the boy as to why. That didn't matter. No matter how strange it might be. He looked back out into the ocean, taking a deep breath, smiling at the salty sea air that managed to make it through his old breathing mask. He looked back at Dachi and gave him a small, encouraging grin. Salzem might as well teach him how to swim. It's simple once you get the hang of it, but until then... its a trip. Salzem knew from experience that flailing in the water is a one way trip to the depths.

"That's not a bad thing." Salzem began, drawing on what skills he had as a teacher. "It just means that I have something to teach you today." He walked into the surf, the cold water splashing over his ankles. The ocean water was quite unlike the pond water he learned to swim in... It was gritty, forceful and powerful. It was also serene and rhythmic... Over all, it was confusing. Nonetheless, it was a body of water and Dachi needed to learn this.

"Today, I'm going to try to teach you how to swim!" Salzem announced none too loudly. He hoped Dachi was willing to learn because trying to convince a child to strip their clothes would be both awkward and embarrassing. The last thing he needed was to blush in front of a child. Something like that he didn't think he'd ever live down.

"First, lose the robe." Salzem asked. "It will get heavier as it absorbs water and the last thing you need is extra weight when you're learning to swim."

Dachi listened to Salzem as he spoke, and grinned widely. He was going to learn something from this man, this strong Shinobi. It also seemed like something that most took for granted, and seemed to be able to do at will and with ease, yet Dachi could not.

He supposed that taking off his robes made sense, as he stripped down, leaving his undergarments on, and folding the long, white silk into a nice square. However, it confused him slightly; what if one had to fight when they were swimming? Or swim while fighting? Would both people take the time out of their fight to take off their clothes, and then continue? It seemed very strange to him. However, then he thought back to the swamp.

Salzem had somehow stood on the water. Stood, as if the surface was as stable as solid ground. That didn't make any sense what so ever, and confused him deeply.

"How come you can stand on water?" He asked, turning towards the man, with the cool water lapping around his ankles. "Standing on water isn't normal; are you a spirit, just like fire man?"

He was genuinely interested. He had never seen, or ever heard of someone walking on water; such was godly. He guessed that fire man was able to do this though, because he was a spirit after all. 

Dachi squinted at Salzem. If he was a spirit, then what was this world, and why did he have such a connection with them. Yet, if he was not a spirit, then what was this man, with the power to walk across water?

Salzem nodded, seeing Dachi take off his robes, leaving only a pair of square boxers underneath. That would do. In Salzem's experience, telling was rarely effective when teaching and demonstrations were required. So, to make this easier on Dachi and himself, Salzem tore off his jacket, shirt, and mask tossing them into the sand a few feet ahead of the surf, leaving him only in his pants, sandals. Once, he might've needed the mask to be his saving grace, but, having his lungs being repaired, he wore it for customary reasons. A memorial to what he had to go through to get here. Regardless of his nostalgia for that piece of face wear, Salzem walked deeper into the surf so that the waves now ran up against his waist and beckoned Dachi to follow him with his hand. At this point, Salzem would stare at Dachi oddly, unsure of what he meant by asking if he was a spirit. He also mentioned this "fire man" again... What in the world was he talking about...? And who was this fire man...? Did he even exist? Dachi said he was a spirit... That means he died right...? Salzem had so many questions.

"Uh... I'm not a ghost, if that's what you're asking... but I'm not fully human either." Salzem replied, referring to his wolven side. He was clearly human. He still had his flesh and bones. That much was obvious. He had carried Dachi across Kumo after all.

"As for walking on water, its a ninja trick. Maybe I'll teach you one day. Perhaps soon, if you pick up on swimming quickly." Salzem intended on helping Dachi into the water a few steps at a time as apposed to throwing him into the deep surf.

Dachi stared at Salzem as he took off his mask, and watched wide-eyed as it fell to the ground. Didn't he need it? That was why he wore it, right? Because he needed it? Glancing quickly between the two, he thought about this a moment more. Perhaps Salzem just thought it looked nice, because he seemed to be doing just fine without it. Dachi could hardly blame him either; he thought the mask was pretty cool himself. 

Then, listening to Salzem explain that he was "not fully human", Dachi squinted more. He what? Dachi found that very strange, and didn't like it very much; it sounded too much like fire man to him. Maybe he really was a disciple of fire man's, talking in such ways like that.

However, at the mention of ninja skill, Dachi snapped to attention. Was Salzem implying that anyone could learn to walk on water? Or, that many ninja did? They fought by walking on water? Running about on the waves as if they ran on rocks? Dachi found this very exciting, though perhaps too much so.

"I want to be a ninja!" He yelled loudly, and in a very exhilarated manner, and then, promptly ran head on at the waves, following Salzem.

Unless something happened, Dachi would happen to charge the shore just as the waves lapped backwards, causing him to run much further than he would have liked to, and when the waves came back again, Dachi found himself being pulled at by water as deep as his waist, dragging him out towards the ocean. His excited face would change to one of shock and terror, as he glanced to Salzem.

Salzem smiled at Dachi's enthusiasm, enjoying the drive and energy the youngster had as he waded his way toward Salzem. Him screaming how he wanted to be a ninja was both flattering and disturbing. However, as he waded closer, the waves reseeded once again, dragging Dachi farther into the ocean water than he initially intended. Although he was still a little ways away from Salzem, he could make out the alarm and terror on his face. He found himself second guessing himself, thinking that maybe he should have found a small pool of still water for Dachi to swim in rather than the mechanical tides of the ocean. If he questioned himself openly though, Dachi might panic, or worse, refuse. Salzem had to get him used to his current situation. He had to make him comfortable in he water. Salzem waded over to the 7 year old, putting on a reassuring smile meant to calm the boy.

"I know its a bit weird, the tides." Salzem said, referring to the waves pulling and pushing them. "Don't worry. I won't let them pull you too far... Now, we need to get you a little farther into the water so that your feet don't the sand beneath you." Salzem placed a hand on the boy's back, guiding him slowly toward the vast open blue. With his other hand, he kept a gentle, yet firm hold on the boy's shoulder so that the ocean wouldn't drag him out of arm's reach. Salzem looked up and saw some heavy clouds off in the distance. A good hour... maybe two away... He could see the darkness underneath and the chaos brewing even farther within. He might have to cut their lesson short if the bad weather comes their way.

(Might be a bit short, cause it's hard to put a lot into this. Also, feel free to end it if you have to, I'm mostly waiting around for the village to be made so that I can have some more things to do.)

Dachi listened and nodded as Salzem explained the tides. It made sense to him, and he believed that he had heard of such a thing before. However, he hesitated when Salzem said that they needed to go further into the water. Wasn't that dangerous? He could drown, like he almost had before. 

Yet, he understood why. If he stayed where his feet would touch the ground, then he would always be used to that feeling, and would never be able to move past this point. He wanted to prove that he was strong, and that he had what it took to be a ninja.

"Okay!" Dachi exclaimed again, with just as much enthusiasm, and pushed himself further into the water, until the small ripples came up to just below his nose. 

Not being quite too sure what to do, Dachi tried wiggling his arms downwards, like he had seen others doing while they swam, but it did not do anything. Being slightly nervous, though no longer afraid, Dachi glanced at Salzem, with the only visible part of his body being from his nose up. It was a very strange feeling, to be surrounded by water and yet not to be drowning at the same time. He supposed this was a good thing.