Bug Catching with Masashi [p]

This was it, Kari was ready to make her first puppet. However, there was one problem. She did not know what to make it look like. She had been boiling down numerous ideas but ultimately decided to make make it look like a bug. Bugs were scary to numerous girls at home and even some adults. After a careful survey and being called weird by at least 100 people, Kari discover that the scariest bug that she was going to use would be the one and only jumping spider. Now she needed to find one in the forest. She had everything one needed for this task. She brought a small clear plastic container for holding bugs, a nifty bug net, a great looking safari hat with a net to keep away the flies, and her trusty cloak in the dark green variety. A star headband plate covered the zipper keeping the outfit closed. She decided that since she was doing this to help her ninja qualities, she could wear her cloak. Underneath, she was wearing nothing but shorts, a spaghetti strapped t-shirt, and bandages around her chest. She was ready for the hunt however she dread the idea of having to do this alone. If only something else would come and help her. In fact if they could do all the hard work too, it would be great. The day was very hot and all the gear was making her sweat.

WC: 241

It was spring in Hoshigakure. That meant it was hot. Then again, it was always hot in this damn country. It was in the middle of the day, and Masashi was taking a break from researching in his lab to do a different kind of research. As a medical-nin, he would need to familiarise himself with all of the local plants and animals in order to ascertain which flora and fauna would be able to be used in the production of poisons, antidotes, medicines, and other tinctures that the village could benefit from. For a country that was almost nothing but desert, there was still an abundance of plants and animals to look into. Especially around the Tachibana Wildlife Reserve. The Countess Akari's son had not had the chance before to walk through the dense, forested areas of the Wildlife Reserve, so he took his time and enjoyed himself. There was plenty to look at, and Masashi made sure to collect plenty of samples to bring back to his lab in order to analyse. Some of the plants he recognized and collected some in larger samples because of their known usefulness in various aspects of medicine.

While he was there exploring, he ran into a recent acquaintance of his. Kari was there walking around as well. They had recently med in the Kozai Yuki National Archives. In addition to her regular attire of dark green cloak, she had supplemented that with what appeared to be a bug net and safari-style hat with its own netting. Judging from the gear she wore, it seemed like she was here to do some collecting of her own. He couldn't help but smile. 'I wonder what she's looking for...' He thought to himself. He made his way over to her. With a wave he said "Good afternoon Kari. It's nice to see you again. Out on an expedition today?"

WC: 315

As she wandered through the forest, she heard a familiar voice, a voice that knew her name but did not add any insults to it. Was it a good thing? Was it a friend, or was it someone trying to instill false confidence? She turned her head and the giant red hair was waving at her. She stopped taking a more neutral stance. What should she do? Not only did she have to respond to the wave, he asked a question and said it was nice to see her. In addition, she did not recall him being mean, but her memory with people was bad enough if they were not important. His name was Masashi Uzumaki meaning he was more important than she tried to tell herself. Still, she could always play the stranger card. It would be all too easy, unless he wanted to help her. He was tall and could see much higher than she could so his help would be good. She remained silent staring at him as she continued to filter through her options. Finally, she made up her mind. She jogged over to him and took a bow.
 
"Greetings Uzumaki-san," she said in her usually not energetic quiet voice, "I am looking for inspiration for a design of mine. Despite being a stranger, would you assist me? You are tall and can reach things without climbing." 

This was the correct response. She gave the man a proper greeting even though she only seen him once. She was polite like the workers at the inn and even acknowledged that it would be out of his way. Then she remembered she something, she had no way to reward him. 

"I could give you a... I can buy you a bento box lunch if we succeed."
 
Now she covered all her bases. It was not big like a coupon for a discount at her father's inn, but since he probably lived here, that idea would have been dumb anyway. It was the best she could do with her limited funds.  
 
WC:342

Kari had stopped and looked over at him when he had called out in greeting. She seemed to hesitate for a few moments before reacting. Masashi wasn't concerned about the response, but it was a tad strange. Nonetheless, the young kunoichi jogged over to him and bowed before saying "Greetings Uzumaki-san," she said a quiet tone. "I am looking for inspiration for a design of mine. Despite being a stranger, would you assist me? You are tall and can reach things without climbing." 'A design for what I wonder...' Masashi thought to himself as he smiled down at the young girl. "You can call me Masashi." he said to her. "No need to be so formal, I get enough of that when my mother drags me to court. Masashi is more than enough." After quick pause, he responded to the question that she had posed to him. "I would certainly be interested in helping. I am hunting for various things myself. Rare plants, insects and some creatures for medical research. If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you looking for and what is it that you are designing?" There were plenty of things to find inspiration from in the wildlife reserve and there were an almost limitless number of things that the young girl could be trying to design. Narrowing the focus would certainly make things easier for the Uzumaki to help the young girl achieve her goal.

Her next comment was a tad surprising. "I could give you a... I can buy you a bento box lunch if we succeed." Kari said to him. Masashi smiled again. "That's very generous of you. I don't need a reward if we find what you're looking for, but I would have no problem joining you for a bento box afterwards if you wanted." Masashi had not spent much time around other shinobi of the village, apart from those who were at court with his parents. He would need to interact with others, especially since he will need to go on missions to supplement the funds that his family had put aside for him. Missions would be easier if you had a squad to work with, so it would be in his best interest to look into that option sooner rather than later.

WC: 381
TWC: 696

"Ma-sa-shi" she broke down every syllable in a attempt to keep it in memory, not that she could not remember his name. The important thing to remember was they were on a first name bases. Kari did not care which name people used. A name was a name, but her parents drilled these formalities in her head because it was good business or something. It just became a habit to be formal. It was a way to lessen pointless interactions, lessen the chance to disliked. However this man, after only meeting once, wanted to be on a first name bases. Did he think of them as close friends? Was he her friend at all. He had a smile on his face. It was different from her mothers. It was not bright, but still looked natural. His genuine smile was not a lie, she thought. It was just a reminder of something she did not have. 

She took a small breath. The man was looking for a varies of things for medical research. Would it have been better to offer to assist with that. The man was most likely a medical ninja, a type of ninja most people respect and like to have around. Kari did not see the use in having medics on the battlefield. They could could only delay and minimize wounds during battle after all. Should she say something about it. No, He agreed to help. It would be best not to angry the man. She just needed to answer his question, but how. 

Kari's empty stare locked onto the giant man with another long pause after saying the man's name. She was unsure what to do. She did not want to give away her techniques or secrets, even if they were close friends. Maybe she should deny his help. No, his type would become pushy and insist they help. 

"Mother told me not to talk to strangers," Kari stated while turning her head to the bottom half of her cloak. 
She pulled her free arm in and after a minute her arm popped back out with a small notebook. The book had lots of sparkles, glitter, and a few rime-stones pasted on the cover. 
"However, since we are close friends now... I can share some small." 

She opened the book and revealed several drawings of different landscapes, depictions of the sky, and even a few village. None of which could be identified as anything in the current world. Then she offered the man the book. 
"I wanted to added some jumping spiders to my collection. A lot of people are afraid of them, so I wanted to see it for myself."

It was a lie, sort of. She did have a interest in finding jumping spiders because they were scary but it was not so she could added it to her art gallery. She doubted the man would figure that out and if he did, well she would act accordingly. 

Now all she had to worry about was the man's last comment. He refuse to allow her to by him a bento and offer to eat with her later. She never ate with other kids before, let alone a close friend. Did the man think of her as something special? Is that why he was being so nice. 

"Masashi, is that a date? is your heart going Doki Doki right now? Can i hear it?" She moved closer to the man, her voice remaining the same tone and never speeding up except for when making the sound effects. The man was becoming more interesting. Maybe he would be more valuable than just someone who could reach high places.

WC: 611

"Ma-sa-shi" She had a strange way of stating his name initially. ‘Perhaps it’s a form of mnemonic device for her.’ He thought to himself as she stood there for a few moments. The older Uzumaki had a good memory for names, so it was fairly routine for him to catalogue names with faces so that he could keep track of the various individuals that he has encountered in his life so far. It made life much less complicated, especially when dealing with the nobility. In those circles forgetting someone's name can be considered an irreparable slight. Masashi was not the kind of person to take offence to that, especially in this situation where they had only met each other recently and it wasn't a particularly long interaction at that.

The pause had almost gotten to the point of being awkward when the small girl spoke again. "Mother told me not to talk to strangers," Kari started to say, looking down at the bottom of her cloak. Masashi had raised an eyebrow briefly. She wasn't incorrect of course. One interaction was hardly enough to consider someone much more than an acquaintance at best. Masashi was quick to befriend people, and he had to remember that not everyone was like that. Kari pulled one of her arms out of her cloak, holding what appeared to be a notebook of some kind. The book had lots of sparkles, glitter, and a few rime-stones pasted on the cover. 'How very stereotypically female.' He thought to himself as she started talking again. "However, since we are close friends now... I can share some small." Kari then opened the book and revealed several drawings of different landscapes, depictions of the sky, and even a few villages. None of which looked like they were drawings of the current landscapes. 'What an imaginative young girl..' He thought with a smile as she then offered the man the book. He would leaf through it, not looking for anything in particular. He was not the kind of person to psycho-analyse someone from their artwork, so he simply enjoyed the pictures in front of him. It would seem that Kari had more to say, as she continued talking, "I wanted to add some jumping spiders to my collection. A lot of people are afraid of them, so I wanted to see it for myself." Masashi would nod in understanding. "Jumping spiders are a very interesting breed of arachnid. They're not venomous from the research that I've gathered so far, but they interest me for other reasons as well. There are several species of Jumping Spider, and I believe there are a few different kinds that live in this reserve."

While he wanted to get to know the young girl better, there was no reason at this time to divulge and of his own plans at this time. 'Perhaps if we end up working together in the future.' He thought to himself. 'But for now, I have no problems simply helping her with her bug hunt.' Her response to his offer of eating together was not what he had expected from her. "Masashi, is that a date? Is your heart going Doki Doki right now? Can I hear it?" He was surprised at the young girl's forwardness. He was definitely looking for some companionship, but not from Kari. Unless she looked really young for her age, she would most likely be way too young for him. He laughed and shook his head. "I wouldn't call it a date Kari, unless you happen to be at least 18 years old." he said with a smile. "I enjoy making friends, and a good way to get to know someone in my opinion is by sitting down and enjoying a meal together." While he said this he would pick some nearby herbs, examine them, and place them in small vials before placing them in one of the myriad of pockets on his person.

WC: 658
TWC: 1354

The man smiled when she offered him the book. This smile, resembled one like her moms. It seemed real and genuine. However, the truth behind it was well hidden. Still, he seemed interested in her sketches as he looked through most of them before returning the book. She hoped he would have said something about her book, maybe even make an attempt to assume her style. It would have been great to know if her book made her seem more like able, cute, or weird. She was willing to change it for the better, but she had no reference point except her mother enjoyed it when she did girly things. 

His next comment after she explained her goal was surprising as well. She assumed people were scared of spiders because they were poisonous but if the man was right, it would throw a stick into her plan. Her puppets needed to be scary one way or another and she only had a limited amount of time before she would have to become a combatant with or without her puppets. 

She lowered her head, staring at her book. Her blank face became engulfed into the stones on her book as she debated whether or not to continue the hunt. She did not want to waste time. She needed results fast, and all she had was her little survey. Also the man seem most knowledgeable in spiders so spiders would have to do. 

When she mentioned the date, the man laughed. Did he think she was making a joke. Humor was not something she thought she was blessed with. Rarely did anyone laugh with her or did she genuine laughed by choice. She would pretend to chuckle to fit in but even that was overly fake. They were close friends though so he would not try and hurt her feelings. He was also honest which only added to his character. 

Kari pulled the book to her chest favoring the spot over her heart. 
"That is okay. My heart was not going Doki Doki either. It was just Doki... Doki... Doki. Very normal and contained. We can still eat together as friends." 

She raised her head and the man started picking plants. Was that his mission? She would take note of that. She thought she would have to repay him even though she denied her first offer, especially after they find the spider. 

"Do you know where the jumping spiders live?"

WC: 408

It appeared that she was staring at her book for a few moments. 'Is she trying to decide what else to do with it?' He asked himself. She had talent as an artist, but that would likely be a hobby for her, since she was clearly a kunoichi. 'Perhaps she is unsure of her path in the ways of the shinobi and is looking for inspiration.' He thought to himself. It's not like he could really provide much, what with him not being well-versed in many of the shinobi arts himself. But he was an expert at research, which would allow him to look into different specialties and offer objective feedback. 'Something to bring up later.'

The girl responded to his comment with a chuckle of her own, whether forced or genuine Masashi couldn't tell. She held her book in front of her chest before saying "That is okay. My heart was not going Doki Doki either. It was just Doki... Doki... Doki. Very normal and contained. We can still eat together as friends." Masashi smiled at her as he continued about collecting samples. "Good." He said. "I'm glad. One can never have too many friends, and I like to get to know my friends and spend time with them as often as possible.

He looked back over at her while she watched him. "There are a fair few plants, insects, and animals in this forest that we can use for a wide range of purposes. Right now I'm collecting samples of as many different things as I can in order to determine whether they are best used in medicines, or poisons." He would explain to the girl. "Being a medical-nin, I need to be intimately familiar with all naturally occurring substances so that I can ensure I have more than just medical ninjutsu to help my allies and hinder my enemies. I plan on taking any samples I find back to my lab and examining them thoroughly."

"Do you know where the jumping spiders live?" Masashi shook his head. "Not offhand, but I would imagine they are all over this forest. Since there are a few different species, they shouldn't be hard to find." He stood up and started looking around in the trees nearby for jumping spiders, along with any other insects that looked promising.

WC: 387
TWC: 1741

This was unfortunate. Sweat continued to roll down her neck in this darn heat and the man's bug knowledge was not useful enough. Disappointed that her new friend did not know where the spiders were she began her walk into the forest. Around them were many different things that she never seen out in the outskirts of the city. From mushrooms, birds, plants, and even bugs, it was all different. Pushed aside leaves with her foot, pulled on bushes, scowered the ground, but she could not find any spiders. She did spot a weird looking mushroom. It was red with white spots. It did not look edible but maybe Masashi would find it useful. She scooped it up along with the dirt, unsure if it would be safe without its roots. Mushrooms were different from flowers but they also grew out of the ground, so she treated them like plants. As she stood back up and placed the shroom in her pocket, she felt something tickle her skin. Nearly invisible lines dangled off the side of her face. It was obvious what happened, but the way Kari should react was not.

She knew a lot of girls would scream but she was a ninja. Ninja's were brave and not afraid of things so maybe it would be best not to pretend to be screaming. Then she thought about Masashi, if he saw her now, she would have to react soon. So with little time left, Kari decided to go with the girly response and screamed.


"It's in my hair... it's in my hair... get it out!" 
Kari struggled to panic unsure what to do. In her heart, she did not care. Even her heart was calm despite the extra movement. To finish the act, she lowered her head and pretend to claw out the webbing from the side of her hair, clearly missing the fact that the spider web and probably the spider as well was on top of her head. 

WC: 331

The day so far was going really well for Masashi. He had come across a few plant samples that he was not wholly familiar with, so he would place them in containers to examine later. One in particular fascinated him. It was a small flower with blue and orange petals and a white stem. It was a very unusual coloring so it was very likely to have some interesting properties for him to examine. There was also a few varieties of berries and mushrooms that he had collected samples of in order to examine further. In addition to the live samples, he would attempt to collect seeds from each plant in the hopes that he could start working on his greenhouse in earnest. That way he would not need to continually travel in order to find what he needed. ‘I’ll definitely need to hire a botanist to help me with this.’ He thought to himself as he made his way back towards where Kari was.

He had found 2 different species of jumping spider, but rather than tell Kari about them, he was going to hold onto them to surprise her with later. Neither one of the two appeared to be venomous at least to the point where they would cause serious harm to a human. He was on the looking out for the more dangerous creatures like that though, as having several different samples to study would definitely further his interests as well as improve the village on the whole. His train of thought was derailed though. "It's in my hair... it's in my hair... get it out!" Masashi moved to where Kari was sweeping a spider web out of her hair, with a spider still in it. It was not a jumping spider, but it wasn’t a species that Masashi was familiar with either. As carefully as he could, he would scoop up the spider and place it in a container to examine later. He would look down at Kari, with concern on his face. “Are you alright?” He asked her. 

WC: 343
TWC: 2084