Walking on the Moon (Ryal, Taishi)

"How long was I asleep?" Barely woken up from what felt like a slumber the Nara looked around trying to figure out where he was. The last thing he remembered was that he was traveling with his two companions Ryal and Taishi and the three of them had ended up in a place unfamiliar to Levi. "Oh right, we arrived in Moon Country." Unforeseen circumstances had led the trio to their current destination. Joint forces of Kirigakure and Konohagakure had ended up at the gates of Sunagakure, the place where they used to reside before the threat had caused them to make their escape.

Unaware of the outcome and what could possibly have happened to those he met in Sunagakure, the Nara stood up and decided to scout the surrounding area. A lot of different events took place ever since the day Levi joined the crew. Together with the two other misfits they formed their own little group under their leader, Alice. Ever since they had arrived in Sunagakure the whereabouts of the crazy woman became unknown. Was she still alive looking for her underlings, or did she perish during battle? He wouldn't really bat an eye, he didn't spend enough time with her to care. 

But all of it would now be in the past, with no point in looking back. The present was the only thing that counted. Levi refused to think about the future, it was how he had lived his whole life. Taking it day by day, not knowing which could be his last. Since long had returned the feeling he had grown stronger. The short Nara had undergone official shinobi training in the Land of Fire during his time as a Konohagakure ninja, but years on the run had caused him to become rather rusty. In his time with Ryal and Taishi he was able to pick up the talent he once thought he had lost.

Now that the three of them ended up in the Moon Country they had to figure out where to go from there. Would they keep traveling from country to country or would they try and find a place where they could finally settle down? Given the situation they were in, that of a missing ninja, it wasn't particularly easy to get accepted or welcomed by others. There were far more evil monsters out there but once you got marked as a rogue hard times were ahead of you, unless you were powerful enough so no one would try and mess with you. Or you would surround yourself with people who were strong and capable of taking care of whatever threat would come your way. Levi had found himself some good company. Who knew, maybe together the three of them would be able to start something new. Speaking of his two partners, the Nara was wandering around, wondering where they were. Maybe they were still sleeping, or maybe they had the same idea as him and were scouting the area.

(WC: 500)

Taishi would slowly wake, his eyes opening slowly as to let the light slowly enter and give his pupils time to adjust to the blinding stimulus. Unsurprisingly, it was rather early and the sun hadn’t quite risen up above the horizon, instead just peeking at the campsite like a hiding child. Taishi would wrap himself tightly in his cloak to avoid catching a morning chill and make haste towards the nearest woodland area to find some breakfast to warm his little gang’s guts and prepare them for the day that approaches rapidly. It wouldn’t take him long to find himself in a place more likely to be home to food. The brute would pop open his flask, take a heavy swig and seal it back up, returning it to his side.
 
He would seek out the telltale signs of game to hunt his prey such as tracks, droppings, rubs. Hell, he would even be looking in the trees for nests. If he was lucky he’d catch the bird AND get the eggs. Was it even the right season for birds to be laying eggs? He would ponder this momentarily before deciding it best to not allow himself to get lost in thought while out here by himself. Sure, he wasn’t far away from the others, but you never really know what may happen. That crazy Alice woman seemed to just appear out of nowhere and run amuck through the group, so he would be on his guard and constantly checking the area for signs of a chakra presence while still focusing on the hunt for food.
 
It wouldn’t be long before he found some tracks. There looks to be deer prints in the softer ground, so Tiashi would follow them, finding his way silently to a sleeping deer. No antlers meant that it was a doe, which may explain the lack of scraping on the nearby trees in the vicinity. With a whistle the deer would wake, standing up to try and find what made the sound. Right as it was about to flee, Taishi lined up his shot. With a swift motion, a kunai was gathered and released, zipping along through the chest of the animal. It would tear through, puncturing both heart and lungs. The deer would die quickly with no chance of escape. The last thing Taishi needed was the damned thing running through the woods bleeding. He could track it, but he didn’t want to create too much distance between himself and his comrades. The now downed deer would be gathered, Taishi collecting the kunai and using it to gut and clean the animal. He would then lift it on his back and carry it to the camp to cut up and prepare.
 
Upon reaching the campsite, Taishi would see Levi had woken up as well. “Hey kid, got some fresh game to eat. Hope you are hungry.” The brute would then begin to cut up the deer, readying it to be cooked up in one of his Earth Tool pans. “You wanna start a fire going? I’ll cut off some of the best meat so that we can get that cooking while I finish this. The large, grey man would then remove the back strap from the animal, cutting it down into decent sized fillets. With a hand touching the ground, Taishi would form a skillet and three sets dining sets. He would toss the fillets into the skillet and hand it to Levi.

WC: 579

While minding his business Ryal awoke to a fish? trying to eat his hair, there was also a small bird standing on his chest but he was used to that kind of thing. The Shinkou couldn’t understand why he was still so tired after sleeping for what felt like an eternity. Opening his eyes he saw the early morning sky above him but when he sat up it wasn’t earth beneath him. The blue haired male was floating along a stream. I guess I subconsciously used my chakra to keep afloat. He thought to himself as he scanned the area for any chakra signatures. Had Taishi and Levi done this as some kind of joke? No, this had to be a dare or else he wouldn’t be naked; the golden eyed god did keep some wit about him when drunk. And alcohol would surely explain why he couldn’t remember anything that happened after they’d left Suna. Finally, back in his true form the blue haired male, confident in his physique, didn’t bother to cover up before going to look for his clothes and/or comrades, whichever showed up first. Due to the memory loss, he couldn’t be sure that he was going in the right direction luckily after a few minutes of walking he came across some animal innards.

Although most of the blood was in this one spot there was a light trail he was able to follow to the campsite. Once there he saw Levi making a fire and Taishi slicing the meat of the animal he caught, a deer, it would be enough to fill them after a night of shenanigans. However he didn’t see his clothes, that was a disappointment but he could always find them after he ate. For now, he would simply reach into a spacial tear and pull out his backup outfit and proceed to get dressed. A nonchalant nod to the other males as they greeted him, he would take a seat near the fire after clothing himself. His hair still wet he wore it down for the first time in ages, this was probably the most feminine he would look without makeup and probably a good time for a haircut. It had gotten long on him; The Shinkou would take a few strands twisting the ends up to face him while waiting for a comment to reply to should there be any.

WC: 400

He hadn't gone too far from the camp before he would run into one of his companions, Taishi. It seemed like the brute had gone out hunting so the three of them would be able to have breakfast. It was the most important meal of the day so Levi was glad Taishi had brought something back from his hunt. The Nara remembered how during one of their past conversations it was mentioned that the grey skinned man enjoyed a good hunt. So it came as no surprise that it was him who had gone out looking for food. Levi would then follow his companion's request and start a fire so they could cook the meat.

The Nara was starting the fire while looking how Taishi was removing the back strap from the animal, cutting it down into decent sized fillets before handing them over to Levi. The shortest of the bunch would then take the skillet and put it on the fire in order for the meat to be fully cooked. While their breakfast was being prepared the brute and Levi were finally joined by Ryal. The Nara was curious as to where his partner had been but he figured it might be best not to ask too much. When the meat was finally cooked Levi grabbed the skillet and divided the pieces amongst each other.

Enjoying the juicy taste of flesh he would take his time to savor every single bit of it before he would start to speak. "Ah, comrades!" he yelled in his best Russian accent. Levi was glad that the two of them hadn't abandoned him. After all, he knew just how much of a pain in the ass he could be. Some might even call him too much to handle. He didn't know when to shut up, his jokes were often out of place and most of all, he was freaking short. All the more reason as to why he was happy he was able to become a part of the crew. "We came a long way" he would say before finishing his breakfast.

Although he was glad to be safe he couldn't help but wonder what was next for the three of them. "But where do we go from here?" He could only hope that either Ryal or Taishi had some kind of idea. Maybe one of them had a suggestion on where they could go next.

(WC: 403, TWC: 903)

"That was one hell of a night, huh?" Taishi would ask boisterously, his energy high upon seeing both of his pals alive and well. "You know it was a crazy night when you have no idea how you ended up where you are." Taishi would look around, taking in the area. "So, uh... where exactly are we?" He would ask, unsure of many things at the moment. “I think this is Moon Country, but I’m not really sure.”


The smell of the meat cooking would cause the empty stomach of the brute to begin to gurgle, it begging to be fed sooner rather than later. He was tempted to simply eat it as is, but the last thing he needed was food poisoning or something. He would whip out his flask and take another swig, hoping to drown some of the hunger away. It wouldn’t be long before the meat finished cooking and the greyish brute would dig in, devouring it almost like some sort of ravenous dog. It felt like he hadn’t eaten in ages and this was hitting the spot just right. The meat was incredibly tender, and worth savoring each bite but that didn't stop him from scarfing it down.
 
“Yeah, we have come a long way haven’t we?” Taishi would add, thinking about all the odd crap they have done. “Kids right, though. We should have a game plan.” The large man would take this pausing moment to chomp away at another piece of succulent deer flesh. “Maybe take up some odd jobs?” he would offer, wondering what the others had in mind. Of course, ‘odd jobs’ meant some less than legal activities, but money was always useful and it has been a while since he was able to crack some skulls. Speaking of cracking, he would finish the piece of fillet he was eating before stretching out some and cracking a few problematic spots on his neck. Maybe he slept on it in a weird position, but it wasn’t bothering him any longer after a good cracking.


WC: 342
TWC: 921

The Shinkou smirked when his partner commented on the not so distant past. “You can say that again.” Ryal would add before the brute would go on to question their location. “This is definitely Moon country, I could see a waterfall in the distance of the stream I woke up on.” Before the golden eyed god could go on a sound like a pack of wolves filled the air, Taishi would take a sip of his flask to silence the noise. Normally Ryal would do the same but he was still wary of their memory loss and decided against it, he wasn’t even sure how they could’ve had a hell of a night and there be liquor left over. Luckily the wait wasn’t that long and the three men were able to dig into their meal, over the chewing Levi would break the silence. Ryal squinted his dragon-like eyes as the shortest of the group shouted “comrades” in a strange accent. The blue haired male couldn’t tell if he meant the journey from Wind to Moon when the Nara mentioned coming a long way or if he was being figurative and talking about the challenges they faced. His next comment, a question, didn’t help with clarity either. His pinched eyes would glide towards Taishi who would reply, agreeing with Levi. Odd jobs huh? A missing ninja’s bread and butter; Placing his empty dishes on the ground Ryal would reach into his spacial tear again. “Let’s count up our pennies. We could probably buy some abandoned property, protect ourselves from nature, get some beds.” He suggested as his coin pouch made a jingle as it entered their dimension. It seemed like the best idea since he wasn’t sure which, if any, villages would adopt them or if his companions wanted to rejoin civilized life. Though he hadn’t asked why they left he was sure they weren’t just out here for fun.

WC: 320

From what he could tell they were indeed in Moon Country. The brute wasn't sure about their location but Ryal was certain of it as he mentioned he had seen a waterfall in the distance from where he woke up. The journey of Levi and his two companions all started in Wind Country all the way up to where they had find themselves now, Moon Country. The place they were currently in was a big change to the time when they were in Sunagakure. The Land of Wind was more lively, had more people and activity as where in Moon it was just the three of them. At least for now, they could never be too sure no one else would show up.

The Nara would let the other two finish their meal as he started to think about their future plans when suddenly Taishi suggested the three of them would take on a couple of odd jobs. It didn't come as a surprise and it would make sense for them since they were marked as Missing Nin after all. They couldn't just go to a job interview hoping to make money the legal way. No, for them the options would be far more limited. Levi was aware that they would have to get their hands dirty if they wanted to survive. They wouldn't be able to continue the way they were now. They would need more than hunting to make sure they get food on their plates.

Money makes the world go round. It was then that Ryal suggested to count what they had so far. If they had enough maybe they could buy some property to protect themselves from nature, get some beds to sleep in. The short one of the bunch followed Ryal's example and started to count his ryo. "Hmm, if I add up everything I have about 10k." It would be more than enough for now, but he would need some sort of income if he didn't want to run out of money. Levi did like the idea of them having their own place, it had been long since the last time he was able to feel at home somewhere.

Maybe they could make the best out of the two ideas, make enough money and get a place for themselves. "We might as well earn some quick money, combine it with what we already have and get ourselves a nice place to live. I'm tired of running and moving from place to place." The Nara wasn't sure how his two companions felt about what he said, the only thing he knew was that they couldn't keep living the way they were now. Change was coming.

(WC: 450, TWC: 1353)

With Ryal confirming it due to the waterfall, they were in fact in Moon Country. Taishi wasn’t incredibly familiar with this place beyond knowing that in no longer has a Hidden Village. While some might exercise caution due to concern with their limited knowledge of their surroundings, Taishi would just shrug it off. Not knowing meant that it was a new experience for him to look around this place, and while they may not stay here for an extended time it was likely to be filled with at least something that would interest the brute.
 
Ryal would make a decent suggestion, as if they pooled their money together they could most certainly afford something to call their own. At least, the large man figured that would be the case. He would shift his hands to his money pouch, it honestly feeling a bit lighter than he figured it would. “I, ugh, don’t got much.” He would scratch his chin, pondering for a moment. “I know I got some investments out there that I could probably collect on. Not really sure how much that will come to. Probably a few more thousand, I’d reckon. Mostly depends on if they pay up.” Taishi would clear his throat before downing another swig of his flask.
 
“I’ll be honest, a bed sounds pretty good right now.” The brute would mutter as he rubbed his neck of any remaining soreness or stiffness, “This sleeping on the ground is making me feel like an old man.” He’d look at the fire, watching as the flames licked the air around it. It was a beautiful sight to behold. His thoughts would shift to another helping of the deer, his piercing hunger pains satiated but leaving plenty of room for seconds. His mouth would begin to water before hearing the reply of Levi. The brute would snap back to reality and listen. “Well damn, kid! Where did you find all that money?” Taishi would ask in jest, his tone jovial. “If those investments of mine don’t pay up like they should have, we can always just take the money they do have by force. It might not be official work, but I’m sure that we could make off like bandits if we play our cards right.” With this said he would deny himself no longer and stab his fork into another piece of the cooked meat, bringing it to his plate with swiftness. He’d dig in, taking a bit more time to enjoy it while hearing how the others responded.

WC:422

After his “teammates” followed his example of counting what money they currently had Taishi would be the first to finish. Ryal almost laughed at his partner’s modesty when the grey-ish man admitted that he didn’t have much. Even though there was a pause Ryal could tell he had more to say and waited until the male completed his thoughts to speak. Though the Nara would steal the spotlight next, his number surprising the brute a bit. “I have about as much as Levi but I also have a few debts to collect.” The Shinkou would announce then nod to the short one as he complained about the constant running, it was good to know that they were all in agreement. Ryal grinned when Taishi mentioned beating up those who couldn’t pay their debts, it had been quite some time since they last got to fight. “Without a doubt.” The blue haired male commented in response to the grey male saying they could make off like bandits. And while the aforementioned went in for thirds the golden eyed god went in for seconds, in between bites he would suggest they take a look around the Sky village ruins before going to collect. They might be able to find some salvageable items so they won’t have to buy all the necessities. "We need to brush up on our skills as well, it'd be embarrassing if we went to crack skulls and got our asses handed to us instead." It would also come in handy should this land be under the jurisdiction of one of the Great Villages they would need to know which even if they didn’t decide to settle here. Nothing worse than losing a fight because you use the wrong hand seal or place your hands incorrectly. If anyone objected he would listen for what other idea(s) they had, however, should they continue on the same page he’d ask Taishi where his people were likely to be found so they could plot a course of travel. As well as decide whether to train now or after they scout the ruins, not that it mattered to the blue haired male.

WC: 359

All that thinking had made him hungry again. As he listened to his companions he would grab another piece of well cooked meat and took a couple of smaller bites so he could truly enjoy the taste of fresh dear. Juicy and full of flavor. Levi had to be careful not to choke on his food when he heard Taishi count the amount of ryo, or rather the lack of it, in his possession. "You might have to cut back on that beverage you're always drinking" he would say while laughing out loud. The brute would add that he might have some investments he could possibly collect on. Knowing his companion the Nara could already guess what kind of investments those were.

Ryal would be the one counting his ryo next. The blue haired rogue had about the same amount as Levi, and similar to the brute he claimed to have some debts to collect as well. If the three of them would combine their money maybe they would have enough to buy themselves a decent place. But the Nara couldn't know that for sure since he wasn't really up to date with the current real estate market. In order to make sure that they would have enough money to purchase a place he figured it indeed might be better to collect some extra cash. "I guess we'll have to pay someone a visit." 

But he would also have to agree with Ryal on that it wouldn't hurt to brush up on their skills. What kind of bandits would they be if they weren't even able to defeat some low ranked gangsters? "True, we can't let ourselves get rusty. You never know when a moment arises that requires us to fight." Levi did prefer taking care of things without spilling blood, so he would rather avoid having to kill someone. But by now he had learned that sometimes you would need to break an egg in order to make an omelette.  "Since both of you know where to find some quick cash I'll let you guys decide where we go next." Levi would follow Taishi and Ryal once they had figured out their destination. 

(WC: 364, TWC: 1717)