Fruit for thought

Emerging from the unsettling ruins of the abandoned city and stepping out into the open plains at the center of the island, Ren allowed himself a moment to catch his breath and regain his composure. The encounter with the misshapen ninjas and their eerie ritual had left him with a sense of unease, and the transition from the eerie urban landscape to the tranquil plains provided a much-needed respite.

The sprawling plains stretched out before him, bathed in the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the forest canopy. The gentle rustling of leaves and the distant calls of wildlife filled the air, creating a soothing backdrop to the natural world around him.

Ren took in the serene beauty of the island's heartland, finding solace in the tranquility of the moment. He knew that his quest to uncover the mysteries of this enigmatic place was far from over, and the challenges that lay ahead were as unpredictable as they were formidable. He would   create a clone made of the water that lie beyond the shores, then he and his clone would walk back over to the plains, passed the sand of the shores, and he lay upon the grass, having his clone stand watch for him. He closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath, and he began to scan his surrounding area for any chakra signatures.

WC:227

Due to an increase in bandit activity on the island, while not doing jobs and missions Junko would often take strolls in search of anything nefarious going on. She was genuinely concerned for the safety of the civilians living in the area and was determined to do everything in her power to protect them from the various criminals that plagued the island. She soon found herself walking through a dense part of the forest that led to what looked to be an open field. She had always admired the landscape but knew this wasn't a good time to relish in its beauty.

Before taking a step into the plains, Junko would notice a figure off in the distance approaching the same field. She felt a wave of anxiety surge through her body as she began mentally preparing herself for a fight. Though she didn't want it to come to that, she knew that the world was a dangerous place and decided to proceed with caution. Her recent interactions with Yume, Azuki, and Takehiko proved that taking risks could turn out to be beneficial.

Junko decided to approach the man, she'd make herself known by stepping out from behind a large tree and out into the opening clearly for him to see. She would then cup her right hand beside her mouth, raise her left hand above up, and begin waving at him in a friendly manner. Junko is roughly 5'4 and is rather elegantly dressed. She wears a simple black dress that bunches up at the hips, causing small slits up the side of it.

She would then call out to him
"Hello!! My name is Junko! Are you friendly?"

As Junko watched the man and what she could only assume was an exact twin or a clone of some sort, she was giving off a friendly demeanor. If the man was able to see chakra, Junkos would be a lilac purple color with what seemed was the texture of cotton candy.

WC:332

Ren's clone would alert the original of an individual coming his direction, stepping out from behind a tree. Ren would leap up and scan the horizon. Ren was a rather tall individual with what one would see as a minstrel's type of attire. He wore a robe that was tied at the waist, it was bright and colorful, except for the dirt and grime that had just come over it through the combat that he had just been in maybe a few hours before.

He looked to her, and was in awe. A cheery demeanor was not the only thing that caught his eye. Her beauty flooded his senses. The very air around her seemed to bend to her will, her dress cut up the sides, revealing a pale complexion that lied within the beautiful dress that she wore. She was darling in every way, something that Ren more than appreciated. Ren's clone was not as smitten as himself, but Ren was certainly smitten indeed. He did his best to gain his composure, only after his clone had nudged him on the side. "Focus, damn it." Ren would snap out of his trance and would respond to the woman. "Er-Yes! We are friendly! Provided you are, of course." He then turned to his clone.

"She doesn't look misshapen, Ren. What do you think? Safe?" Ren's clone would ask. Ren would nod, "The others were outright hostile. They didn't seem to have the ability nor mental capacity to come at us with this type of scheme. I think we're safe with this one. Now remember, just because the world is troublesome, we always have time to be happy. So let's take a deep breath... and exhale." Both he and his clone would perform the same ritual. Ren and his clone would approach the woman both waving in a similar means that the woman was. His clone would be wearing the exact same clothes and having the same equipment.

"Hello, dear friend. Rather fetching attire you are wearing, beautiful indeed." He would bow before the woman, but his clone would continue to stand there, watching the woman's movements in a rather inconspicuous way as to not seem uncomfortable. "Forgive my clone, he shares my same apprehension towards others when I get to a new place. We had just been attacked by some of the locals, rather unseemly bunch. So we are both a bit on edge, as it were. My name is Ren Kurosawa, and it is my pleasure to meet you." He would bow once again, holding his arm outright to the side, a means of respect and homage to the one that stood before him.

Junko was a bit hesitant to approach the men, but a wave of relief washed over her as the man stated he was friendly. Feeling more at ease she would continue to move closer, though still keeping her eye out for any fast movements that would indicate an attack. As they drew closer to each other Junko would stop about 10 meters away from them. Though most things could hit her within this range, she figured she might be able to dodge whatever was thrown her way.

A light pink blush began to form on her cheeks as the man complimented her, it was a stark contrast to her porcelain skin. For a brief moment, she'd look away from him, breaking eye contact and moving some of her long black hair behind her ear. She would then sheepishly look back at him and say...
"Well thank you very much. It's lovely to meet you."
She would return his bow with a small curtsey, showing him the same respect. As he spoke, she listened intently to his words. When he mentioned being attacked her demeanor would change from sheepish to more serious. She couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed in herself, she had been the only other shinobi here for quite a while, and yet she hadn't run into any trouble like that. She wondered what locals it was since those she had encountered were relatively kind people.

"Forgive me, but you say you were attacked by locals? If you don't mind me asking where? The people I've run into wouldn't do anything like that so I'm feeling a bit concerned. I'm part of the few shinobi that have ended up here, and I've been trying to work with the locals as much as possible. They don't have many here to protect them, so if there is a threat on the island I'd like to try and handle it sooner rather than later.... however I should inform the others."

Junko would seemingly get lost in thought for a moment, she knew that bandits had been becoming a more pressing issue, but she figured it was due to the lack of protection for the locals. "How could something so out of hand, slip under my radar.. I guess I need to start patrolling the island more." she thought to herself.

WC: 389
Total WC: 721

"This woman listens with such intensity. Seems the type to give you their full attention." Ren appreciated her intensity. She asks about the locals, the ones that had attacked him. He responded with the story of what happened. "There were these rogues that came out of the forest's edge along a pathway towards the ruins of what seems to have been a rather large skyscraper city just on the other side of the mountains. A woman had called out to me, asking for me to help, so I did. I followed her along the pathway until we were attacked. At first, they were simple enough, normal individuals with a rather sharp aim with their projectiles," pointing at the cuts along his arms and one very unfortunate cut across the side of his neck. "I do try to keep myself looking presentable, but they had gotten me pretty good," He grins with a hint of embarrassment. "But after dispatching them, a few were more... odd." His grin turns to discomfort.

"They were misshapen as if they had been spliced partially with animals, to be honest. Heads marginally resembling that of a mole, and a hedgehog. It was odd, but they fought as if they didn't need sight. They just fought like beasts. I ended up having to drown them both in the ocean." A tear formed in his eye, he sniffled slightly as he held back his tears. He cleared his throat and began again, "Erm, sorry. I continued the trail to the ruins, where I saw many more just like them scattered across the area; some were gathered performing some ritual that I couldn't understand. Then I left. Now I'm here. I know it doesn't make much sense, but that is what happened." He stood there, lightly rubbing the cut on his neck, looking over to the woman, awaiting her response.

wC: 311

Junko looked at the man with a soft expression, empathizing with him. Her eyes nearly shined as the light from the sun reflected off of them. She admired the man's bravery to jump into action with nearly no regard for his own safety. However, her level of concern only increased as he regaled her with his story. She was unsure of the man's abilities but she knew should attempt to heal some of his wounds, recently she had been inspired to pick up a few healing techniques and couldn’t think of a better time to put them to the test. Though she was unsure if he’d allow her to touch him, she would feel guilty not offering the suffering man her services.

After he finished speaking Junko, not wanting the man to suffer longer than he should, would show the man her pale, dainty hands and would ask...
” If you’d like I can attempt to heal your wounds, or at least quicken the progress. I would have to perform a string of hand seals, then touch you. I know that can be dangerous, so if you’d like me to refrain I completely understand.”


If Ren accepted her proposal, Junko would approach him and stop within arm's length. She then began to perform the snake, ox, tiger, ram, and rat hand seals. Upon completion of the hand seals, she would activate her mystical palm technique and hold out her red glowing hands for Ren to take. If he accepted and took her hands, the glowing aura around it would soon envelop his own. He then would immediately feel the pain in his body begin to melt away. She would watch as the man's injuries seemingly stitched themselves together and the only remnants that remained would be his distressed clothing. Soon the glow from her hands dissipated, and she would release him from her grasp.

A kind smile would come across her face as she asked” Did that help? Like I said before I’m relatively new at stuff like this, I could try something else if it’s not enough.”

If he denied the healing, or after the healing was completed Junko would turn to more serious matters. Rogue she could handle, but stitched-together abominations were a whole new level of intensity. For a moment she wondered if Takehiko had encountered them while he had been exploring the ruins, but decided not to tell her. She knew the issues wouldn’t be able to resolve immediately, but she knew they would have to act soon.

Junko would then begin to speak once more in a soft, calming tone, saying…. ” Are you planning on staying on the island? I have a home nearby if you’d like to stay there for a little while. I also have another young woman named Yume staying with me, and my two sisters. However the home is relatively large, and I have two empty rooms but it’s up to you. On the way, I can introduce you to some of the locals, and get you familiar with some of the landscape.

If he agreed Junko would lead him to the small community where Junko’s home was, and she’d begin introducing him to some of her neighbors. As she interacted with those around her, Junko gave off an air of charm and didn’t allow herself to stop smiling.

WC:573
Total WC: 1294

-50 AP
1,950 AP remaining

She would move toward Ren after offering to heal his wounds. His heart immediately began to pound. He hadn't felt like this before. He could feel sweat forming on the back of his neck and his breath hasten. "Oh! Ummm yes, that... that would be lovely." She offered her hands out towards his own, and he attempted to offer them back towards her's. His hands would shake terribly, he would think to himself, "What is happening to me? I feel as though I've never talked to woman before." He took in a deep breath and tried to steady his hands, but this failed immediately as his met hers.

Her skin was soft, especially when pressed against the callouses that he had gathered from his many years of living in the wilderness. He was sure this was nothing new to her, she didn't seem bothered by anything, except for the qualms of the locals. "You're very kind." He said through a slight tremble in his voice. "Sorry I've never... Never had anyone heal my wounds before. To be quite honest I'm short of words and even shorter of bodily function apparently." A nervous chuckle would escape his lips as he stared at hers, before staring directly at her hands, trying not to seem so odd. "Damn it, Ren. You're ruining this whole thing you buffoon." He thought to himself.

Her hands would leave his, and he would hover them there for just a moment, before bringing them back to his sides. "Thank you... Again. For everything. You are beautiful... Like in your heart. Very sweet... indeed." She asked if she needed to try something else, and his face would go red slightly, "Oh no.. That wouldn't be necessary. Not that I don't want that or anything. Because the healing is more than appreciated, but I think I'm okay."

She would offer to bring him to her home and have him meet others that were on the island. She would even mention a name that he did know, "Yume! I know her! I had traveled with her in the land of Mountain. I'm glad you've already met her." It was the offer of the room that caught his attention more so. "Oh I would love to have a place to stay for a night or two while I gather my bearings that would be very appreciated. Thank you!" He would bow to her, partially because he wanted to hide his face, and partially because he wanted to show respect to her.

He would follow Junko through the wilds of the islands. In awe of her charm and charisma, something that he couldn't believe he had been so smitten by.

WC: 447
TWC: 1430

Before releasing his hands, Junko would give them a quick squeeze attempting to reassure him. She could feel him trembling but thought it was due to the trauma he had recently endured. She would chuckle slightly at his joke about his bodily functions and would reassure him that everything was alright.  Junko blushed once more at the man's string of compliments, nobody had said anything like this to her, at least not recently. She would give him a quick curtsy once more and thank him profusely. Only recently had she come more into herself than ever, and she felt a bit of warmth at the man's sweet words. ” That’s so sweet, he said I have a beautiful heart.” Junko thought to herself.

” Well once we’ve got you cleaned up, and your clothes washed you won’t be too bad either” Junko would say in a playful voice, obviously trying to crack a joke.

As they walked, between introducing him to some neighbors and pointing out specific landmarks, Junko would maintain a pleasant conversation. She would tell Ren about the amazing community she now found herself in love. She spoke idealistically of what the island could become, and her hope to protect it once she was stronger. As she grew excited about her ambitions her eyes would begin to glow a faint crimson red and were burning with passion, but that would soon fade as she realized it was happening. She would speak about the culture of the locals, and tell him the very little she knew about the various myths. If he wished, Junko would show him the local market, where to get the best food, and the local inn. She would remark that if he didn’t feel comfortable staying at her place, he could stay there.

However, if he decided to follow her back to her home, she would then say” I just want to warn you, my house isn’t in the best state. You see it was abandoned for a few years before I moved in, and I’ve just been so busy helping the locals that I haven’t had time to do it myself. There 2 empty rooms left, so you can pick either to stay in. Also, I usually wake up and make breakfast for everyone, so I wouldn’t mind making you some as well” As the words escaped her mouth a light pink blush formed at her cheeks. She felt incredibly embarrassed, if she knew she would have been housing near strangers, she would have made more of an effort to fix up the place.

Soon they would come upon a 2 story home, the home did look like a significant amount of damage. Though most of what could be seen looked to be patched, or recently fixed. The yard was clean, and well taken care of, there was also a small well behind the home. Upon entering Junko would call out, announcing her arrival. A female voice, similar to Junkos would call out informing Junko that they were in the living room. Junko would then usher Ren into the house, and begin making her way to the living room. If Ren followed Junko would introduce him to “her sisters,” Jun, and Kiko. They looked identical to Junko but lacked the air of charm she carried. Though they were just as visually stunning, they had yet to fully come into their identities and lacked any unique personality.  

For the rest of the evening, Junko would try to help Ren settle in as much as possible, or if he requested she would give him space. He had just recovered from some rather serious injuries so she couldn’t be upset. That night she would make a hearty stew for everyone who wanted some dinner. Then she would relax a bit before excusing herself to bed.




(Exit)

WC:644
Total WC: 1,938

The entity before him, someone he hesitated to call merely a woman, or human for that matter, blushed. Her pale face was lively with blushing red cheeks, he could hardly contain himself that he could make someone so beautiful blush in the slightest. She would joke, speaking on when they would get him cleaned up, he wouldn't look to bad, he blushed at this. He knew that he wasn't in his usual presentable state. He hadn't had the time to fix his clothing, but even then she didn't make him feel lesser because of it, her kindness didn't know such a thing. He smiled and cupped his hand behind his neck "Haha yeah. I'm certainly in no presentable state to dinner, unfortunately. I mean not that we were going to dinner, but like... ya know.. in general." He stopped talking, and luckily she changed the subject for him.

She spoke about the community that she was building, and her idealistic outlook on what was to come. Seeing her with this much passion was truly a sight to behold. Her hands would get slightly more animated, and her eyes would burn with an intensity that he could tell meant she was truly passionate about this project. He knew in that moment, that he was destined to do whatever he could to make her dream, a reality. He would listen intently, every word examined and cherished like the treasure that they were, her voice flowing through the air, causing him to become intoxicated on its sheer existence. On occasion he would show his excitement for her dream, letting her know that he wanted nothing more than to make them happen. Shortly after, her eyes would calm and she would change the subject. She brought up the inn, a place he could stay if he didn't feel comfortable staying with her. Ren thought that staying with her sounded like the best of dreams, so he was not about to wake up from that one. He said that he felt completely comfortable staying with her, knowing that this would be the best way for him to stay closer to Junko, the goddess that she was.

They began to travel, to traverse the lands to a small settlement, the one that Ren thought he had seen evidence of when he first arrived on the island. It was beautiful, quaint, and unassuming. A place that he could truly say that he felt in touch with. The locals all seemed to have their own way of living life, something different than the world that surrounded them, and he loved it. Junko would then turn to him, and her face would be filled with color once more. She spoke of her home and it not being in the best state. Ren smiled and without thinking said, "As long as I'm with you, it's heaven." He coughed loudly. "And what I mean by that is we can build it up! Make it look the way you want it, ya know." finishing with a nervous chuckle. "I've spent some time as a carpenter, I'm sure that we can fix it up!" They came across the 2 story home, and sure it looked damaged, but he began envisioning a life together within that building. His mind wandered farther and farther as she began giving him a tour of the home.

They came across two identical sisters to that of Junko, but they did seem different than Junko in their hearts, something about them were missing. He bowed to them both, "It is a pleasure to meet you both, I cannot wait to see more of the both of you. You both have a remarkable sister, truly." He spoke per his usual, suave style. When he wasn't speaking to Junko, he was able to keep his bearings, and not fumble all over the place. When he was done bowing, he looked back to Junko, and he began fawn once again.

She offered to help him settle in, and said that she would be making dinner in the kitchen. He simply set his bag down on the bed beside them, disrobed himself and searched for another robe within his bag. He didn't realize that the shirt underneath his robe had also been cut, so he would inadvertently reveal his tattoos along his hip and his ribs. "Oh my apologies. I didn't realize my shirt was cut. If you would approve, I would love to cook with you in the kitchen. But I will need to change before I do so, and get washed up." He would then watch as she left the room, and when she closed the door behind her, his body would go limp. His mind was somewhere else, he could barely keep in his excitement. This had truly been the best thing to happen to him, she was the best thing to happen to him. He was ready to do whatever it took to keep her in his life, somehow, and some way.

He would go into the kitchen, and he would bring his Biwa with him as well. He would offer to play music while they cooked, ensuring an enjoyable evening for them all.

EXIT

WC: 865
TWC: 2295

Claims:
+92 AP
Current bonus AP after this is approved = 798 AP

WC Claims (25% discount max stats)

1125/1125- Earth Release Earth Style Wall Pervious Training here
839/2000 Switching to Medical main