Dreams do come true! [Mission]

The little dreamer found himself comfortably splayed out across his single bed in the generous inn. Their travel here combined with the hospitality of the inn keepers had really proven to be a boon to the small family. Already in their small number of excursions, Kuiaratame primarily, had experienced the hostility of small villages in response to foreign forces; of which he was considered due to the unfamiliarity of his marked face and youthful voice. Yet, in the Land of Honey, he had not came across as much hostility or oppression as he had instinctively expected from his past experiences. Not all people were the same, it appeared, and that made the little dreamer very grateful that he had already found somewhere where he could maybe call it home.

Speaking of, wasn't that something that his sister was actively wanting to talk about soon? Making this place more than a pinpoint of a journey, and turning it into somewhere they would continue to stay because of her enjoyment of this place. It was a little weird to Kenchi; it was nothing like their original home, nor the replica they had stayed in before. The temperature wasn't eclectically cold and miserable, and the people were much more open than those of their homeland. Yet, something about this place called out to the kunoichi and who was Kenchi to deny his sister her own little fantasies?

Rolling over in the bed, his arm instinctually lifted itself to shield his eyes from the oppressive light that skillfully evaded the blinds of the window and found their purpose in disturbing his sleep. One arm shifted to provide protection from the onslaught, then he rolled over, and soon enough he was out of the bed as if his natural training had kicked in. He stood there for a moment wearing only his sleeping trousers, somewhat confused on what had just happened to have him already out of the bed when he was enjoying the fantastical nature of his thoughts. Taking a moment to regain his composure and a measure of his surroundings, he noted the absence of a figure in his sisters bed, the light sound of graphite scraping on paper, and of course the birds outside. His sister was awake, that much was certain. Turning his head he saw the girl absorbed in her work, drawing over some paper on the desk as her thoughts ran through all of the possibilities of a new home to latch onto. Amused, the young boy scooped up a handful of clothes and entered the bathroom in order to fulfil his morning duties; a shinobi should never stink, after all, who wants to be saved by a stinker?

Concluding his bathroom visit, Kenchi swept his hair to the side, knowing that the wind and sun outside would be kind enough to dry his locks and afford them some texture, he just needed the right framing for it to all come together. Hell, he even had his ronin robes on, he probably looked quite the part of a reasonable shinobi as he exited the bathroom and finally made his way towards his sister quietly, not bothering to disturb her from the thoughts she was currently parading around in. It was nice to dream after all. Gazing over her shoulders, he looked at the extravagant plans she had conjured up: Muiltiple stories, many rooms... She had conjured the very image of an actual house. She realised they were not construction workers, right? If they were to make this work, they needed to be a little more... subtle. A shinobi that stayed in a overt house invited attention from others, if they were to make their own home, it should be... different.

Placing his hand upon her shoulder, he'd give it a light squeeze before he spoke gently, hoping to not provide a rude awakening from the dream with his words, "It's an outstanding blueprint, Sakura, I just fear it's too much beyond our needs as of this time." It was always best to provide some constructive criticism and to make the other person know their work wasn't invalid, after all, it's much more difficult to negotiate an appropriate situation if they were put on the backfoot, "Perhaps we should spend our time today searching for a more fitting location, perhaps one that isn't even within the village so as to not be reliant upon these people for protection? We could maybe make your dreams come true in this new place, but it would take many hours, let alone funds..." Kenchi had done some light research ahead of this day, knowing that his sister had been planning for a new abode for them. He'd spoken to a few contractors, some rather shady people, and of course, just general shinobi in the area to try and get a measure of what they could expect if they were to want something to name their own, "For safety, inconspicuousness, and relative comfort, we'll likely be looking in the realm of 20,000 ryo total, and that's just something that's lightweight and realistic. If we wanted more..."He paused as he took in her multi-tiered home once again, gulping before he continued "If we wanted more luxury and rooms, we'd be looking at much more than 20,000 ryo, but I fear that's already quite hefty in our current situation. I'll go fetch some food and then return, let me know if you're still up for searching when I'm back."

Kenchi offered a light hug before he exited the inn, intending to find some light pastries and maybe even fish to start the day off. It was imperative he didn't start walking on an empty stomach, especially knowing what he could be made to do as a shinobi on a moments notice. Sure, some days he's cooking for orphans, some days he's doing some other bizarre culinary activity, but what if today he's forced to karate chop a dude? Do the splits and then a backflip? He'll have to do it one day, and for damn sure he will be ready for it.

The small embers flickered in the dark room. Their tiny reflections were cast in Shojiro's eyes as he gazed upon the dying flames. His mind was not at all on the image before him though. No, he was reliving these last couple weeks. He had fled the Land of Lightning, abandoning his mother in order to spare her from the hunters who pursued him. He had destroyed the notes sent by his distant relative, notes which probably cost his dear father Naejiro his life, the same notes which detailed his heritage. Now that knowledge remained only in his mind. But he knew that was not the only reason he was hunted, so just skipping town was not enough. To escape his hunters he stowed away on a ship leaving Land of Lightning and then at some port hopped onto another headed for Land of Fire. He only stayed there for a week, got rid of most of his old belongings in case that might have given him away and forged a fake new identity. Whatever money the boy had after selling his stuff and working a bit, he used to buy robes like those of a ronin and two blades, a full on katana and a wakizashi as a side blade. After evaluating his options he booked passage to Land of Honey on the eastern continent of Naito, off the coast of Land of Water and a fair distance away from where he had started. This land was very tolerant, its people sweet - like the namesake of their country. Shojiro decided to keep his name and visited several villages here looking for meaningful contacts and work. His money had just ran out when he visited Kōyō village. Luckily there was work here. He managed to befriend a local artisan - a woodworker named Heiji; Shojiro's understanding of various tools, his experience in a workshop enabled him to find common ground with the man and from him the boy learned that there was a building project of sorts being started. More importantly, they were looking for helping hands and he as a son of a smith had what it takes to assist with it. So he asked Heiji to put his name forth on this assignment. Naturally he did not mention his father being a renowned smith - no no no, it was his uncle who was a smith from whom Shojiro had learn all that he knows; his father's name he does not know, but he is a samurai who smells like sunflowers and the young boy is looking for him in the Land of Honey after his mother had died of sickness. That was the story and he made sure it was tear jerking enough to made Heiji offer a room to stay overnight in. After all, the self taught shinobi had no more money to rent a room.

The embers were all but gone now. The kid rustled a bit, finding the wakizashi hilt under the blanket he was given. He had been sitting in front of the irori, the sunken hearth of the woodworker's house for the last hour or so. A quick glance outside confirmed that the dawn was fast approaching. This would be the perfect time to attack. He waited. Nothing. He moved the dagger closer to himself as he took a quick glance at the katana leaning against a corner of the room. Then back outside. Nothing. The sky was turning quite blue. The smith's son blinked a couple of times at the remaining embers and sighed - he should start getting ready. He stood up, stretched then folded and laid the borrowed blanket next to the bedding on the floor. On a table at the edge of the room lay a bag of some basic tools he had persuaded Heiji to lend him for this job. After picking up his weapons and neatly stowing them at his waist, the boy made sure there were no more embers in the hearth pit before moving the stack with tools close to the door. He slipped into his sandals and making sure to keep it quiet slid open the door to the outside. The cool morning air was quite refreshing and waking, but he could do better. Boy clan in robes walked outside, through the garden and up to a little pond. Leaning down he took a handful and splashed his face. The cold hit him like a rush and he rapidly blinked silently exclaiming. After splashing himself once more the now fully awake shinobi returned to the door, grabbed the stack and after tossing it over his shoulder he closed the door and left the premises. It was starting to dawn.

Not that many people walking the streets of at this hour. What a relaxed village. That's what the boy noted while making his way towards the inn, where he was told to meet his partners for this job. The two were apparently also newcomers here and neither was known to him. Silently envying a cozy stay in a room with better amenities, the boy approached the inn in question. Of course he had seen it before, it was the only inn in this place. A two storied building, stone walls at the bottom, white plastered wood on top. Could be difficult to make if the new building was to copy this style, he was no mason after all. Plus stone was heavier than feathers, hard to transport, certainly harder than wood, and absolutely harder than feathers. He sighed, standing at a few steps from the entrance. Should he enter and ask for them? At this hour? It had just dawned and the village felt like it was still asleep, they might not come out before noon! Before Shojiro could make up his mind the door in front of him opened and another boy stepped out. He wore similar robes to his, which did not conceal the larger build, he was taller, had blue hair which seemed wet. Looked capable.

"Hail, friend!" He greeted, then added. "And a good morning. Would you be Kuiaratame? I'm Shojiro, you can call me Sho. I was told to meet you here, we would be doing a job together."

1041 wc.

Feeling something crawling on her shoulder jolted the petite woman from enjoying the imaginary slice of pie, her head whipping to the side as her eyes met her brother's gaze and her cheeks puffed out slightly as she pouted. Her daydream was just getting to the best part! Sakura silently decided to herself that he would have to make it up to her by cooking an apple pie once they moved to their new place, it was the only thing he could do to repent for interrupting her. As if he could read her mind, he tried to butter her up with a compliment about her drawing, and it worked for a few seconds before he continued his train of thought. The smile that had replaced her pout disappeared in a flash, her lips curving downwards.

“Oh uh yeah, you’re right! I had gotten lost in my thoughts and my hands must’ve had a mind of their own while I was drawing...” She sheepishly replied, her cheeks a light pink hue and her eyes breaking contact with his crimson ones to look over at the house she had drawn, covered in intricate details and realizing it was all pointless. Of course they wouldn’t have been able to afford a two story building when they were barely making ends meet, working every oddball job they could get their hands on for money. “Perhaps getting out of this room will help get my creative ideas flowing enough to draw up a new schematic, one that will be more within our budget at the moment. We can always expand upon it later as we gather more resources.” Truth be told Sakura didn’t so much as open a book to research the ins and outs of masonry, plumbing, or electrical work, having focused solely on the architectural and decorative aspects.

She nearly fell out of her seat upon hearing the BASE cost for a building, not the cost for a fancy and exquisite home. Her ears must have decided to play a trick on her, causing Sakura to hear the wrong pricing. She even pinched herself on her forearm, the pain reassuring her that this was reality and not a dream. “Wait, wait wait…I must’ve zoned out and heard you wrong. You surely said 2,000 ryo right, not 20,000?” Sakura’s eyes followed the trail of her brothers, graphite on paper encompassing her vision as the duo paused to look and attempt to calculate how much the house she had built in her dreams would have been worth. Fifty thousand? One hundred thousand? Could it be worth even more than that?

Sakura cleared her throat, lifting her eyes as she turned back to her brother once more, an apologetic look crossing her face. She appreciated that he tried to break her heart gently, having soared too close to the sun and gotten burned despite only aiming for the sky. She could acknowledge that it wasn’t an easy task for him to tackle, letting a loved one down was difficult no matter how kind you were about it. Seeing their expressions crack, the enthusiasm fading from their eyes, the tone of their voice losing its luster, all evidence pointing to you causing their misery.

“While you’re getting breakfast I’ll start from scratch and come up with less grandeur homes for us to start out with.” When his arms wrapped around her shoulders she gave them a gentle squeeze, returning the hug in the only way possible whilst sitting in a chair. “Be safe! Ah wait! If you see any fruit could you please get me one?” The pink irises twinkled in excitement, silently begging him to bring back some tasty fruit for her to snack on.

Whether he acknowledged her request or not, she would then turn her back to the door and turn to a new page in her drawing book, picking up her pencil and getting back to work on remedying her earlier mistake. By the time Kuiaratame would return, several pages of designs would be eagerly awaiting his return. Houses of all shapes and sizes would be available for him to scrutinize, the criticism helpful in guiding her hand to the perfect design for their new abode.

(WC: 708)

Upon leaving the precipice of their current home, Kuiaratame was greeted by a strange fellow. He seemed similar in age to himself, although perhaps more subtle on his colours. Instinctively analysing the boy who stopped opposite of him and greeted, it soon became apparent to him that this would either be the boy that had been assigned to help he and his sister with their desire to draft up a competent building plan, or it was a rival ninja that would need to be talked down. Given how he had simply greeted without retrieving a weapon of any variety, he felt like he could reasonably assume the former. Lifting his left hand up in greeting, he flicked his wrist for a light hand wave before lowering it back down to his side, resting snugly at the waist level of his ronin robes. So this was Shojiro, the fellow shinobi condemned to relatively menial work. Had this boy also dreamt of grander things when he pursued the path of a ninja, or had he anticipated all of the foundational work required in building up the psyche of that which he wished to be?

Flashing a remedial smile at the younger boy, he pointed behind the kid whilst he spoke, "Pleasure to meet you, Sho, I'm Kuiaratame. Kuiara maybe? Nobody's really shortened my name before, you can call me whatever really." A brief chuckle escaped his lips at the awkwardness of first greetings before he continued on, "I was just about to go collect breakfast for the planning session, you're more than welcome to come with me and have a little talk about ourselves before we head back." Kuiaratame paused for a little while to try gauge the boys reaction to what he suggested before continuing on, this time curling his fingers in and extending his thumb to gesture behind him, "You could also just head on in and keep my sister company, she's drafting up a new plan but her eyes are far larger than our wallets are; currently, anyway.It's the room at the end up the stairs." Giving the boy the options, Kuiaratame flashed another grin before he continued on, still determined to enjoy the freedom of the breeze and the ambience of the village.

There was a little, more niche cafe that Kuiaratame enjoyed frequenting. He considered it a hidden gem, and despite his adoration of its low traffic and quality service, he still had to recommend the location to any who asked for any places to visit whilst here. After all, it was worth the small sacrifice if he could see the owner of the cafe gain the prominence that his service deserved. Assuming Sho had followed and was walking beside him, Kuiaratame would fill any silence by asking a question as they moved through the streets that slowly gained more villagers, "I hope you'll pardon my prying, sometimes my mind likes to look into things where there isn't any meaning, but where are you from?" Kuiaratame briefly looked towards Sho as he asked the question, posing another reassuring smile before turning back to continue the journey, "It's just that your accent doesn't seem to be from here, at least not any of the villagers I've talked to but granted, I haven't been here for a long time either." Kuiaratame decided it was best to volunteer some of the information instead of needing it to be forced out of him, after all, if the boy knew he wasn't alone in this village and all three were on a journey together, then perhaps he would be more receptive to the question, "My sister and I have had a strange journey together, it's difficult to really pin down where we're from and where we've been... but you could say we've been around; usually in wetter climates, mind.. I kinda miss it." Kenchi chuckled a little, briefly reliving some of the memories he had attempted to keep locked away.

Soon they would be approaching a small cafe with a bamboo banner proclaiming "ICHIKOS CAFE". Sure, it wasn't the most creative name, but why dress something up in bells and whistles when the service itself was the main attraction? Kenchi could scarcely contain his excitement, his lips furling upwards in a grin as he could already imagine the taste of the food, and the coffee. Some light pastries maybe... fruit, of course. Coffees of any variety! Kenchi skipped then ran into the shop at the last few meters, offering a loud greeting to the middle-aged man behind the counter which was returned in kind. "Hello, Mr Ichiko, this is my friend Sho, I told him you'll turn him into a believer soon!"

The pair laughed together, with Ichiko shaking his head and feigning a distancing from the words of Kuiaratame, "High praise, Kuiaratame. Is it the usual? What would you like?" Ichiko would smile down at Shojiro. Once Sho had placed his own order, Kenchi would update his own, "Mostly the same, yeah, but throw in.. some sugar-coated donuts...ANOTHER coffee... and a banana?" Kuiaratame would then proceed to remove his pouch, refusing to let Sho pay should he intend to; after all, he had to give a good first impression if this was the boy that would know their hideout. Removing a few coins, and of course a sizeable enough tip for Ichiko to not be bothered by the youths energy, Kuiaratame would lay it down upon the counter and spin around, prompting Shojiro to know another question was about to be launched at him. "So, have you ever been to a Major Villages prison? Do you like watching shinobi? Have you ever read about the Monsters?" Kuiaratame rapid fired his questions, no doubt keeping the boy on his toes long enough for him to try see what his genuine reaction to the line of questioning would be which he'd attempt to decipher through the microexpressions the boy displayed; Kuiaratame was no expert though, and it was highly likely he'd even misconstrue them, but you've gotta' start from somewhere.

With time, Ichiko would provide the requests of the boys with a nod as some more customers would start to walk in. Taking the cup holder with coffees in one hand, banana in the other, and then biting onto the bag containing the pastries, Sho would be blessed with silence from Kuiaratame for the remaining journey back to the inn, although he'd still hear some grumbling through the teeth that were likely questions unable to perforate the paper bag. Once they were back at the inn, Kuiaratame would lead the boy up the steps and down to the last door of the corridor, opening it with his hip before setting the goodies down on a nearby table so as to not accidentally spill anything on the new blueprints formulated by the mastermind, "Hey, Sakura, this is Sho, he wanted to help us out. Seems like a pretty interesting guy, maybe you could explain your new blueprints to him?" Kuiaratame mediated, although secretly, he was simply wanting to drink his cooled down coffee and engage in some pastry savagery.

To the young outcast shinobi's surprise the boy in front of him did not initially reply with words. No, he raised his hand in response to Sho's hail and for a moment, for some reason, it felt like a threat; like he might suddenly leap behind him. But he did not, a simple wave followed and then some words. As the guy chuckled after introducing himself, Shojiro pondered if he should try to give him a different short name, would that make Kuiaratame more likely to trust him. And Shojiro was fairly learned, that was probably one of the few good things he has learned from his mother, who emphasized the importance of knowledge and especially language. Provided Kuiaratame's name was not written in some unusual way, it probably had a meaning akin to penance. In which case the first part of it, Kui, would mean regret. While figuring that Shojiro continue to listen as his new teammate explained his morning plans and offered Shojiro to walk with him or alternatively head on to meet his sister instead. Figuring he should try to score some points and get to know this guy better first, the dark haired kid would nod and choose thus. "Walking a bit more to take in this wonderful morning sounds nice; I will tag along if you do not mind. Would it be alright, if I called you Kui for short?"

And so they started walking. Shojiro did not know their destination, but as long as at least one of them knew where they were going... Before long Kui began his questioning, in vein with his proclaimed purpose of Sho joining this little walk. None of which the younger of the two objected to, it would no doubt let them bond better. Shojiro carefully followed his counterparts face and expressions as he spoke, scanning for anything that could give him insights into the man's thinking, or potentially signs of danger. The first questioned seemed to be about the place of origin. Still unsure about potential hunters, the Shinkou boy was not very eager to reveal his actual town of birth, or even admit that he hailed from the Land of Lightning. But being reluctant to share would be a bad move at this stage. "Oh, I am not from around here. I have come from the mainland. North of the Land of Fire. Why?" He blurted out rapidly when Kui smiled at him. Waiting to see if he was satisfied with that answer, Sho heard the guy explain his and his sister's origins... in no great detail. Guess they were both slightly on guard. Hopefully it was not Sho's answer which pushed his new acquaintance there.

Before long they had arrived at their destination - what looked like a teahouse. The name implied they also do coffee though. Shojiro had tried the drink, but it was not to his liking. He knew he preferred tea. But it did not matter much here, as he was also out of coin. But as Kui introduced him to the owner Ichiko and they both laughed at their inside joke, Sho figured he would see if his breakfast-mate would mind buying him breakfast as well. After all, he had discovered that asking for a favor, in a way having them 'invest' in you is a great way to build trust. Naturally he would have to repay in kind eventually, but for now. Shojiro looked at Kui questionably, as if asking if he minded, and if he got an affirmation he would then ask Ichiko to make him milk tea and picked a chocolate bun. Once both of them had made their orders and presumably Kuiaratame paid, Shojiro was suddenly attacked with the next series of questions. And what bizarre questions these were. The first one made the hairs on the back of the boy's head stand up. Was Kui implying something? "N-no, never been." He replied to that one. "Not particularly. They are powerful and dangerous." To the second. And the last one he did not really understand. "Monsters, what is it?" As if it was important right now.

Eventually the breakfast would arrive, Kui would take all the packs and bags which thankfully also meant his mouth was occupied. And they would start a calm and questionless journey back to the inn. Sho pretended he did not hear the questions attempted through the paper bag in his counterpart's teeth. He would just stare into the tree line in the distance, thinking to himself of how... well, he knew how he ended up here; so it was more about how things might go from here, with this strange fellow and his no doubt stranger sister. Taking in that moment, of them walking the quiet morning streets of Koyo, of the end of his flight, of this new beginning, Shojiro almost did not notice as they reached the inn's entrance again. He quickly opened to door in front of Kui, seeing as the guy had no spare hands; then he followed him in. The carrier of the trio's breakfast led him up some steps and down to the last door of the corridor, just as he had described previously. After Kui opened the door himself this time, Sho followed him into the room. And the first thing he noticed were drawings and plans he accidently immediately stepped on. Those covered all surfaces and littered the ground. And in the middle of the room was the cause, the reason, the origin - a design manufacturer.

There he saw a girl shorter than him but about the same age. She shared her brother's hair color and that was about it. Their builds were vastly different, even their eye colors were different. Had Shojiro randomly encountered them on the street, he would not have guessed that they were siblings. Maybe there will be some similarity in behavior he was yet to observe. But that did not matter now. She will be an ally to him, so he should become friends with her too. After Kui briefly introduced him, the dark haired boy flashed a smile and gave his greeting. "Pleasure to meet you, I am Shojiro, you can call me Sho. Did you do all of these? They are amazing!" He would pick one of the designs off the table where Kui set the breakfast down and give it a thorough look over. They were moderately detailed, but enough to get the idea across. Clearly done with the goal to get as many different options out as quickly as possible. Taking a sip of his tea and looking over more designs Sho would give a minute for the girl to explain the drawings or catch up with her brother if she so chose. Then he would note "Well, we do not want to start too ambitious. How about a relatively simple wooden building somewhere away from the prying eyes of the villagers? And then, when we accrue more money, we can expand - above or below ground." He had a couple designs that fit that description at hand on the table by now. So he would gesture at the sack he had on his back this whole time. "I have borrowed some tools we can use to measure once we pick a spot. The local woodworker also said he could supply us with materials." He would let the siblings think about it, maybe throw some ideas out, while he broke the fast on his bun. He would see where this goes and if they pick a design, he would go with them to see if they had a spot in mind. Would bring his tools with as well. But not before finishing the bun and the tea.

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2334 twc.

The door creaked open followed by a pair of footsteps shuffling inside the room, the flooring replaced by countless pieces of paper strewn about everywhere. It was easy to tell she had been nonstop crafting up sketches while they were out grabbing breakfast, her pencil much smaller than it was before as she had sharpened it a dozen or so times. When her brother's voice broke through the quiet room her pencil did not come to a halt, it took several more seconds before her hands dropped the tool onto the wooden desk and her eyes turned to greet the two boys. Her pink orbs met those of the void as the boy, Sho, introduced himself with a grin plastered to his face. The corners of her lips curved upward and her chest filled with pride as he called her simple sketches amazing. What would he think when he saw what she was truly capable of drawing? Would he be left speechless with his mouth agape? The idea of their new acquaintance left in awe of her made the young woman’s lips form a small smile, and she secretly hoped she would get a chance to show him her true talents.

“You would be correct, I sketched all of these while the two of you were gone. They aren’t as detailed as I would’ve liked them to be, but I was trying to get out as many options as I could.” She rose from her perch at the desk and walked over to where Kui had set down the breakfast, her inquisitive eyes meeting crimson as she silently asked if he had gotten her the fruit she had requested so kindly of him. “The best one that I think fits our means right now is the one I just finished drawing if you would like to look it over.” If Kui didn’t understand her nonverbal request or chose to ignore it, Sakura would open the bag he had brought in to search for the fruit herself. Once she found the banana she would happily go back to her desk and either grab the drawing to take over to the boys or would discuss with them at the desk if they moved to take a gander at it while she fished around in the paper bag.

The drawing in question was quaint, full of only the necessities that one would need in order to survive and would be small enough to fit practically anywhere, even inside of a cave. There was one room that would count as the bedroom and living room, the size of which could be scaled up or down depending on the size they needed, one bathroom, and a small kitchen area adjoined to the bedroom for them to cook their meals in.

Blueprint:

“Well brother, do any of these designs fit what you had in mind?” Sakura nodded along at Sho’s assessment, agreeing that for now they would have to go small but could eventually have the kind of house she had dreamed of, like the one she had shown to Kui before he left that was no longer visible amongst all of the sketches laying around. She had packed it away in the back of her drawing pad for safe keeping. It would become a constant reminder of the goal she was striving towards whenever she thought a mission was too boring or tedious, as they would need far more wealth than they currently had in order to make her dreams a reality. “That is quite kind of the wood maker to provide us with the necessary materials. Did he say how much it would cost for us to get the supplies?” She would listen quietly to whatever answer Sho would give while peeling open her banana and taking a bite, drawing all morning had certainly worked up her appetite. She wanted to appease her stomach as soon as possible and provider her body with energy for what was to come, as they would soon be leaving the inn to scope out a place for their temporary abode and possibly even begin the process of building it, depending on how long it took them to find the perfect spot.

(WC: 706)

For a moment it felt as if Shojiro and himself were on the same wavelength, but that was before the opposing shinobi wanted to shorten his name further. Down from Kuiaratame, to the mid point of Kuiara, even further to Kui. How long would it be before the boy wanted to just call him K for short? By that time, it'd be too close to his actual name, the gig would be up, and Sho... Sho would for sure have to sleep with the fishes. Chuckling at his train of thought, Kui realised that perhaps he had been attending too many theatre nights, although fortunately for him his chuckle would be more appropriate in the social setting and most likely come off as a friendly laugh to alleviate the awkwardness of the question, [color-firebrick]"You know what? Sure, call me Kui. Although I've got my eyes on you if anyone ever asks for my actual name and not the shortened version."[/color] Kui said with a cheesy grin, pointing his index and middle finger from his eyes to the boys own to symbolise watching him in case this deal was broken.

Further on, during the conversation that was made to shatter any awkward silence on their mutual journey, the boy mentioned that he was from north of the Land of Fire. Kenchi hoped that the boy had hailed from the Land of Iron although that seemed relatively unlikely - It was a land he had heard great stories of, especially for their martial prowess. It would be thrilling to meet a fighter from that land. To test their will. To be victorious. The actual location of the boys home was a mystery; obfuscated through his indirect detailing and reference points. There were many places he could hail from, and the absence of one answer gave truth to another - The boy was just like him. Something about his home had gone wrong or he wouldn't be here, just like Kenchi and Sakura. "You're a long way from home, Sho. Are you finding the people hospitable? I've explored some other villages whilst I tried to find somewhere more... subtle. Most aren't fond of outsiders, in my experience." He recalled the moment he thought he had found a home in a village he had performed missions in. He had done so much for them, and they had discarded him out of fear of what a single villager seemed to propose about him. It was difficult to change the minds of people, and generations of shinobi had ruined the reputation of ninjas in the eyes of common folk. It was his job to repair the damage that had been done.

Recognising the distinct look from Sho, Kui simply bowed his head in agreement; it would be rude to ask him to escort him on this journey only to forbid him from indulging himself. It would be a power move, sure, but it's not like Kuiaratame had to worry about power moves when he was in the pursuit of making friends and influencing people. His choice was slightly weird to the older boy, but he appreciated that he wasn't the only one with a sweet tooth. Sakura adored fruits and while that's good for the body and all, it did feel a little judgemental when he was clearly going to obtain a sugary delight and she remained stern to a diet. Perhaps that was why she had steadily shown developments in being faster than Kenchi. Was a good diet really the main thing differentiating their speed currently? Only time would tell, because if Shojiro was also faster than him, then perhaps he was simply not gifted like the two of them when it came to being physically faster. Well, it wasn't for certain that Shojiro was a speedier shinobi, so there was still a pang of hope in the blue haired boys heart. As for the responses to his questions that aimed primarily to startle the boy, amusement wrapped itself around Kenchis soft, youthful features. He lifted his hand and dismissed them shortly after, "I'm just messing with you, Sho. Except about the Monsters, anyway. HUUUGE creatures. Tails. Scary as all heck. Don't worry though, I'll keep us safe, I'm gonna' learn seals." Kenchi chuckled, holding his hand outstretched and imitating a five-point seal.

Inside the inn, the suggestions of Shojiro made sense but contained an element which made the plan fatal to the will of Kenchi - a hut, presumably above ground, that could THEN be expanded below. It wouldn't work. Vagrants happen across huts all the time and it would cause too many issues on that issue alone, although a part of him knew his true concern was that in this hideout, he wanted nothing to be seen. It was perhaps one of his issues that he appeared to have inherited a paranoid mind, and the idea of a shinobi happening across a hut and then a scene reminiscent of a movie, which did not exist, having an opening scene of a rather bad fellow hunting for people of a particular religion. They'd probably throw their senbon through the floorboards in this situation though, but either way,it was too much of a gamble for Kenchi. "We need the entire thing to be underground, hidden. Maybe rocks on top over a trapdoor or something, maybe it could even be like an entry where you have to climb through a cave to get in, the really thin ones that some people die in, y'know?" Kuiaratame ripped a chunk out of a sugary donut as he spoke, slowly lifting up at the gaze of his sister.

Digging his hands into a bag, he'd retrieve the ripened banana and toss it towards the girl - He didn't have to worry too much about whether it would hit her head or not, after all, she was much more gifted in those endeavors than he was. Perhaps he was a late bloomer in that regard, although he was somewhat happy about that, as oftentimes in their training she had relied purely on her physical attributes as opposed to her stratagems - It could work, sure, but he knew eventually that when Sakura would be able to seamlessly battle and think at the same time, she would be a true shinobi.

Finishing one of his donuts in the interim, he'd snatch another and stand up from the bed, wandering towards the desk to look over the drawings his sister had procured. Sucking his fingers of the sugar and wiping them upon his clothing inside the robes, he'd move some of the papers around before settling on the primary. It was relatively simple, although more becoming of a conventional home. The skeleton was adequate of a place that could be home. "We won't be needing the windows, of course. Big living area is useful and will probably be the main thing for us to work on. We'll probably need ventilation for the kitchen that's... still hidden. Bathroom would be good, we'll need to figure out how plumbing will work in such a remote area." Kui nodded approvingly to his sister Sakura - Something he had learnt from observing the different in his parents to her was that validation must be external, otherwise she could feel unpleasant with herself. "This looks like a good outline for the sentiments of room locations. Good job, Sakura."

At this point of time, a warm feeling had been brewing within Kuiaratame over the start of the morning. Usually this would manifest multiple times a day where he would have to simply step out and avoid being around other people for a while, but he'd push through for now as his feelings became more ecstatic and volatile - although this remained to be seen for the other two. "What do you both think? Have you seen any caves or somewhere that looks out of the way and can be underground? I don't... want our place to have any sign of existing, no mile markers, no monument." Kenchi looked between the two of them, now shifting onto his third donut as he gazed upon them both with curiosity in mind.

Praise be to all chefs of the world! What a profession it is! To master the nature in such a way as to provide the people with the very stuff of life. A sustenance that keeps them going, invigorating starved body with newfound strength to tackle the troubles of the day, an absolute necessity to everyday life. And that was not even all! Besides sustenance it was also nourishment for the spirit, for a delicious meal was capable of uplifting, of inspiring, of giving one something to look forward to and rejoice in their life even when battered and broken to the extreme, struggling in a hopeless existence. And it was all taken for granted. It was an everyday miracle and the lonely boy held it in his hand. He gazed at the chocolate bun like a sailor gazes at their welcoming lover awaiting them at the docks. The inside of it was filled with the sweetest molten cacao lazily rolling out, ready to coat his tongue, like a blanket mother pulls atop her child before kissing them goodnight. The white bun with light brown edges framed this essence in soft and mushy delight, yet the edges were crispy and concrete; like a map was framed in clouds of the unnamable, where the drawers knowledge and the world ended. Atop this divine construct was its maker's mark. A star was carved into the cloud, a mere cross slice with a knife grew as the dough expanded in the oven and it was now a beautiful crown which his fingers lightly grasped. It was his, his own little miracle. And it reminded him of hope, of the time before all his trouble, of his parents' love, of when the world was full of wonder, unknown and unnamable, as if it had just emerged from those clouds that hid the true horizon. Ichiko was a culinary genius. It was such a beautiful profession. Maybe the true way was to just abandon the ways of the shinobi and live to provide those around him with little miracles of their own. The boy's graze fell onto the hilt of his sword hung at his waist. He would, if he was not forced into this situation. He had foes to slay, his persecution to end. There would be no peace until he was safe. And for that he had to make allies and gain power. But once it was done, once there was no longer any threat to himself of his mother, then surely. One day, that teashop that sells buns and sweets will be his.

Shojiro continued to enjoy his bun, occasionally taking a sip of the white tea. He halted only twice. First to get a quick look at the specific design which Sakura put forth before them. And then to answer her question about the woodworker. "Indeed. Heiji is his name and he seems the honorable sort. I did not ask him about exact prices as I did not know the scope of our project, but I do not believe he would give us an unfair bargain." He would explain, after washing down the chocolate with some tea. After that the young Shinkou listened to Kui expand upon his suggestion as he finished his snack and drink, voicelessly giving a quick last praise to Ichiko - Kui was not wrong about him. Then, thinking to himself how glad he was to be alive and eager to make the most of this newly found pair of friends, Sho would add his opinion to the male sibling's proposal. "Underground is doable. More complicated of course, unless we possess some easy way to excavate, but doable. If there is an underground river nearby, we can tap into it for a lot of our needs. While working as an apprentice smith I have read on some engineering solutions, like those in far western lands. We could use filters, to hide any smoke and such." He would halt for a moment, struck with an idea. Looking at the one who suggested the underground solution, the boy would continue. "Kui, you mentioned you were going to learn seals, yes? Well, it is my understand that those can be quite versatile. And it would not be beyond their capability to filter gases and liquids, heat water, heck even cast wide range illusions to mask the presence of any dwelling."

Picking up the scattered designs and putting them into a single stack on the table where Sakura created them, Shojiro continue and further expand on being hidden. "We can make it with time, but this base will not be truly concealed immediately. And people from the village will know we are working on something, from the supplies we buy, help we hire and so on. If we wish to avoid being discovered by them, we need to find a place deeper into the country, away from the village. Or alternatively, we can try to hide in plain sight. That is, buy an abandoned building in town and pretend we are renovating it, make a story to go with it - a front if you will. The building itself may be just that, something the locals would not object to. But inside of it, we can hide an underground entrance into the actual hideout. How about it?"
If whatever they decided, he would have everything tidy by then and was ready to leave to find the place for their new base, with his tools in hand. Or more precisely in the sack, which was in hand.

925 w.
3259 twc.

[Exit]
Claiming Mission complete
+2000 ryo, +10AP

From 3259 WC:
+20 chakra
+12 speed
2500 wc towards completing training Flower Garden up to A rank
759 wc towards progressing training Autosuggestion at A rank