The best kind of alcohol is a lot (open, nk)

She listened intently to the boy’s vague and unsure answer, shrugging off its simplicity. Hikari had not expected much from the question, after all he was just starting out in his career as a shinobi, and like he said, had never ventured out of his home. He knew not what the other villages were like, or the traditions they held, and who knows, perhaps the lessons in the academy about the outside world warped it into a horrendous place so that no one would ever try to escape the bloody Mist or the dark history it was built upon.

He went on to ask about herself, and the numerous stories she most likely had. Hikari didn’t devel into her past too much, not wanting to give away her own dark secret out of carelessness. Her stories, the ones important anyways, would all have included death, for everyone she ever loved had already passed on, leaving her to fend for herself in their heartless, icily cold world.

In a twisted sense she much preferred it this way. Having no one to care for meant she didn’t have to suffer through any more deaths, or the excruciating pain they left behind.

Or at least she liked to fool herself into believing that.

After all she was a medic, instantly meaning she cared far more than she should about people, even strangers. Why else would she have offered to look after the intoxicated woman known as Yata, if not because she cared about the unknown person? Hikari could curse the world for all eternity, and still never rid herself of the life she had always known, the life that kept her coming back to help others day after day, death after death.

Even being mentored by Xyxer, the only monster to have walked into her life, might not change the nature of her heart. She might be able to put on a facade and act as if she didn’t feel an invisible pull to help the broken, but at the end of the day, behind the masquerade, her desire to save others would remain unwavered. It had stayed despite the person closest to her being murdered before her eyes. The only thing that had changed was that through the atrocity a new, desire was given birth to. One that knew not what kindness or mercy was.

The lights overhead dimmed as they turned the corner, her lilac eyes narrowing ever so slightly to adjust to the darkened surrounding. They were roughly five minutes, give or take, from Aryll’s house as they moved from the cobbled streets of Kiri to the earthen trail. Silence hung in the air, the only sounds coming from their feet as they thumped lightly against the dirt, leaving small indentations as they crossed. Normally the quietness of the night would have brought peace and serenity, but tonight was not the time for her to enjoy it. She wasn’t alone this night, giving her the opportunity to learn more about the Kirigakure shinobi.

She couldn’t let her time with Hayate go to waste, and as such, her voice chimed up, light and full of innocence, “Since you’ve never been outside of Kirigakure before, would you ever like to travel? To see what the other villages and their cultures are like?” Hikari turned to look at Hayate as she spoke, flashing him a soft smile. She wondered if the boy would ever want to go to her home, to see the vibrant green hues that were unlike the colors one could find in Kiri. If he did, she would be able to enlighten him about Konoha under the guise of having traveled there with the war party. It’s not like he would’ve known, afterall she had traveled with the Kiri forces on their main ship back home, so anyone who had witnessed them leaving the ships would have seen her snowy locks from a mile away for not many had such light hair.

(WC: 5,583)

The young man thought for a second while trudging up the dirt path.

"Yes.  Someday, i would.  I mean theres nothing wrong with the way things are - but i've heard a lot of things about outside.  Like some pretty crazy stories about foreign ninjas and their techniques, and lands that are just all nice weather and greenery as far as the eye can see.  Or places of sand where the sun beats down so hard that you can't survive for a full day out in it.  Even regions covered in ice might be worth a quick peek.  I probably wouldnt get to stay long though, since it would most likely be on a mission." 

A soft sigh escaped his lips.  Not from the lack of seeing these places, like he said, he was perfectly content with the land he had grown up in an spent his entire life.  But he would probably need to be at least chuunin to do these things.  And that reminded him that first he would need to make genin, and then spend a lot of time helping old ladies and repairing fishing boats before anything exciting happened.  It was necessary, and worthwhile, but that didn't mean it might not be a bit booring.  As as of this moment, that was his forseeable future.

"Perhaps someday when I've made chuunin, like you.  Have you been anywhere worth going?  Did you get to stay for a bit?  What were the other ninja like?"  The relaxed way they had been speaking broke a bit, as Hayate's still young enthusiasm poked through.  His voice sped up with each question, unintentionally adding an eager tone.  As he asked, though, they approached the door of the house Hikari seemed to be leading him to.  Hayate wondered if she'd dodge the question at this excuse like she dodged earlier questions about her shinobi life, or if she might pause before entering (or need Hayates help getting yata situated) to provide some insight.

wc 330 twc 3159

Hayate would listen to Hikaris response intently as they approached the house.  He would either leave Yata with the medical ninja, or help Hikari get her situated inside, as Hikari saw fit.  At this point Hikari could see that while he did enjoy their conversation, he was ready to go for the night.  This wild ride of a festival didn't afford him the relaxing he wanted (yet).  He would stay long enough to fully fulfill any request relating to his duty of getting Yata set and easing the burden on Hikari, but as soon as that was done he would make his excuse and exit.

Without carrying someone it was a short way back to town, and he enjoyed the cool air for a bit before he hit the festival proper again.  He had a bit of cash to spend on treats, and a good spot on a roof to get to where he could lie back and listen to one of the live bands.


wc 165   twc 3324
=========
EXIT
==========

Buying Swordsman Armor (weaponry version)
Costs 7500ryo.  Using 4400 ryo and [(7500-4400)/2]=1550wc

Buying Seiteki Brand: Speed 
Costs 2000 ryo, using 1000wc

Buying one Military Ration Pill 250wc

Buying one Justu Encyclopedia 250wc

total spent so far: 4400ryo and 3050wc

twc3324-3050 =274
1 stat and 274 toward body is a weapon (2824->3098/4000)

Approved

The light haired kunoichi perked her ears in attention as the man beside her broke through the silent night with his deeper pitched voice. He admitted that someday he did indeed want to travel outside of the ever present walls surrounding Kiri. A part of her hoped he would get to travel the world to his heart’s content, wishing only the best for the young man. Another part of her envied the carefree tone lacing his words. She held herself back from lingering on her jealousy as he sighed softly to himself. It seemed traveling was a daunting task even for him. If only he knew that it wasn’t always as challenging as it seemed, like how she was able to get the permission to travel to Kiri in the first place. Of course she had to use her favor from winning her fight in the tournament, but ultimately she still could’ve been rejected her request and asked to change what she wanted.

It was her turn to delve deeper into her person, and she didn’t hesitate to give her almost fully honest answer, giggling slightly as Hayate’s excitement caused his words to come out faster than normal “I have no doubt you’ll be able to travel the world when you get stronger. The only place I’ve traveled to was Konohagakure, and yes, I did get to stay for quite a while. The land was covered in greenery and plant life, you couldn’t pass a corner on the street without seeing some kind of vegetation growing. The other shinobi weren’t all that different from here, although to be fair they had just lost the war against Kirigakure so perhaps that dampened their Will of Fire spirits far more than expected...I’m not entirely sure to be honest.”

Their conversation was cut short at their arrival to Aryll’s house. Hikari gingerly took the unconcious girl from his grasp and said her farewell to him while bowing in respect and gratitude. He had not needed to carry her all the way to the front door, but she appreciated his efforts to help and was thankful for it saved her from having to carry Yata a great distance herself, alone at night she might add.

It didn’t take long for her to get Yata situated and prepare the necessary arrangements for her to rest. Once everything and everyone was taken care of, she drifted off into a peaceful slumber with Kuro curling up right beside her. Luckily the Hyuuga was a very light sleeper in case Yata needed immediate medical aid at some point during the night, or what remained of the night as they had been at the festival throughout the evening and well into the night.

(Exit)
(Will add up WC and make claims later)

(TWC: 6,083)
(Claims:
5 of these for 250 words
3 of these for 1,500 words
2 of these for 200 words
2 of these for 1,000 words

Using -25% for max stat discount:
2250/2250 for Shadow Clone
113  words for Fuinjutsu Lock, which finishes learning it at C rank from this thread
Placing 770 words towards my amazing tattoo for Sal <3, placing it at 11,410/12,500 for 5 charges (which can be found here) ^.^)

You can't claim ap while using full stat discount.

Ooof, forgot about that. My bad! Edited my claims ^^’

Actually I think I made a booboo. Go ahead and change your claims back if you want.