Checking on home

Due to not being around women for so long Levi had almost forgotten how much they liked to talk. Although everything Jamie was talking about seemed interesting the short Nara's empty stomach was causing him trouble to pay attention. Regardless of the hunger getting the better of him he tried his best to listen attentively to the woman's life story. So she started out as an engineer in Skyscraper, no idea what that place was supposed to be but nevertheless he continued to hear her out. Alright, then they went to war to which Jamie disagreed and as a result bruised her reputation. 

Levi started to wonder about how people thought of him, that is if they even knew he was still alive. He wanted to believe he had build up quite the good reputation over the past years. But those thinking highly of him all lost their lives so he doubted there would be anyone left, and so his reputation was probably lost as well. As he was reminiscing about his own past Levi forgot to listen to the rest of Jamie's story and was only able to pick up at the time where she explained she had run out of places to go. "Ah, yes. Sounds horrible." The Nara would awkwardly look around, not knowing what to say next. 

"Well I'm sure you still have some things you'd like to do, places you'd like to visit." Levi mainly said it without thinking, but maybe Jamie had indeed something she'd like to achieve or experience. 

(WC 256, TWC: 1486)

"Sorry for souring the mood," she would say as she reached into her backpack, after the two had commented on her tale. Then, after Levi spoke once more, she would mull over the idea. "Never really was one to travel. Liked my job, my friends, and, well. Traveling is fucking dangerous for someone like me. Never really had the money to afford ninja escorts, and most of my adult life was spent in either war or other turmoil.

"But maybe there are some places to go." Jamie would smile at Levi. "Honestly though, the thing that most bothers me are those fuckers are STILL running that village. If they did ti once, what's to stop them doing it again?" As Jamie finished her sentence, she pulled out one of the dried shark steaks, wrapped in cloth. She tossed it over towards Levi. "Try some, it's good. Just be careful of the skin. Kinda sharp."

[[2022]]

After commenting on Jamie’s story it seemed as though the sound of a new voice snapped Levi back into reality. Ryal almost chuckled at how he awkwardly looked around before asking a question. The female apologized for bringing down the atmosphere before answering, stating that she didn’t do much traveling before adding that she might find some places to go. The next thing she said threw Ryal though. “They were still running that village”? Although he didn’t have x-ray vision he could still see chakra, if there was anyone left in Tenga he would know. The Shinkou would let her feed Levi before asking, “What do you mean that village?”

WC: 110

That village? Levi wondered what Jamie meant by that as she tossed some shark steak towards him. "Baby shark, du du du" the Nara started to sing before indulging. Reminding himself to be careful of the sharp skin as Jamie warned him about. "Look at me, I'm a short dude who uses jokes to get around and I'm still alive. There will always be dangers no matter where you go, but that shouldn't stop you from doing what you want." Carefully biting his way through the shark, licking his fingers. "Thish ish really good" he tried to compliment the woman on her cooking skills although his message was hard to get through with his mouth full.

"So" Levi would begin his next sentence. "When you mentioned that village, I assume that's one of the places you'd like to go?" 

(WC: 139, TWC: 1625)

Jamie would smile at Levi's levity. It was... refreshing. An actual moment of pleasure, rather than fear. Or anger. Or sadness. Or just uncertainty.

...And then Jamie went and ruined it before it even happened. They'd caught her mentioning the village. And... she was not entirely sure where to go with this. I should not have said that.

Then, she thinks for a moment. ...Probably too long of a moment, but she tries to pass it off with a nervous chuckle. Yeah, great idea there, chief! Cover up for your fuck up by pointing out how nervous you are! "Oh, I'm not, like, talking about Skyscra- I mean, Tengakure. I'm talking about Pulverbatch. where a bunch of us fled to after leaving Tengakure all those years ago.'

Jamie sighed, and dropped her head a bit. "I guess I do kind of want to head back there. Just don't know how, considering how I left."

The Nara sang a weird song before taking a bite of his food and encouraging Jamie to travel. Ryal did a slow blink when the male chose to talk before clearing his mouth, the woman on the other hand smiled. The short male then asked the same question the blue haired god had asked yet with a different purpose. Her pause before asking was suspicious and the nervous laughter didn’t help. Pulverbatch? What the hell kinda name was that? The Shinkou thought as she explained that it was the place the remnants of Tenga moved to. She sighed before expressing uncertainty about returning. “Is it near here? We can be your support system and free bodyguards.” He offered with a smile.

WC: 121

Levi continued to listen attentively as the woman made mention of a place called Pulverbatch, a name that didn't ring a bell for the Nara in the slightest. Jamie explained it was indeed one of the places she would like to return to, only not knowing how considering how she had left. Ryal suggested for them to take her there, act like her bodyguards and whatnot. "Yeah, once they see me coming no one will dare touch you, 5'2'' of pure power coming at you baby!" Of course he was joking for the biggest part, there would be no one in the world who'd be intimidated if they saw Levi running at them, that is if they would actually even see him given his height. Nevertheless the Nara wouldn't mind taking it upon themselves if the crew decided to aid Jamie in her quest of returning to this so called place, Pulverbatch. 

(WC: 152, TWC: 1777)

Jamie sort of... blinked at the two men.

Did they just offer to... overthrow a local government?

"Wait, did you just offer to overthrow a local government?"

She was absolutely dumbfounded by that.

"I'm absolutely dumbfounded by that."

Next to her, the rotisserie was beginning to run out of power. Without taking her eyes off them, Jamie grabbed some coal out of her backpack. She knew exactly where to reach because she had carefully packed the bag.

Then, without looking, she threw it under the boiler of the rotisserie, thinking I can clean out the old coals later. She could do this without looking because the minimum view of it within her peripheral vision, and the amount of experience she had with refueling furnaces was actually someone relevant here as the tiny boiler had been modeled after a furnace.

Ryal smiled at Levi’s comment when he agreed to take Jamie back to Pulverbatch. In turn, the woman just blinked at them, she was completely dumbfounded. Asking if they offered to overthrow a government while also verbally announcing her shock. Funny enough she continued tending to the fire although she was otherwise frozen in place. “Well, they obviously aren’t a major village and can’t be much of a minor since we travelers haven’t heard of it. So how hard could that really be?” He asked mostly joking but if they got to the destination and the people were in need of liberation he’d lend a hand. “We can get disguises if that makes you feel more comfortable.” He added hoping that she would agree, he wanted to see what machines were created by engineers. There were surely more like her which meant there should be another town like Tenga somewhere but if there were no tales of it then they must use jutsu to conceal it. If that were the case that meant they had decent power and it would be advantageous for them to go there.

WC: 187

Whether or not the woman was surprised by his humor or the fact that both Ryal and Levi offered to help, the Nara decided to go with both. No one was able to resist his jokes, not even his blue haired friend. But all jokes aside, it caused Jamie to be dumbfounded. It made sense for her to feel that way, it wasn't every day that some strangers offered to help overthrow a local government, yet there they were. "Well, it's not like I would go in guns blazing. We'll need more information, a plan of action." Although it would hardly be Levi's business, the short Nara didn't plan on missing the opportunity to help those in need. 

Regardless of how much he heard since he was too busy eating and reminiscing about the past, the rogue decided to aid them. "So, what do you want to do? Your call." Depending on Jamie's answer Levi would prepare to act accordingly. 

(WC: 160, TWC: 1937)