Gone Fishin' (Mission, Hira & TOPKite)

Age : 34 Posts : 1209

[This mission corresponds with the following mission request. Thank you for your time. ]

Sanjiro yawned rather loudly, causing one of the guards at the gate to glance in his direction as the young genin approached. The boy was wearing his usual apparel, a sturdy grey jacket, with the very distinguishable red kanji insignia for the word "sky" on his back, worn over a dark blue t-shirt and coupled with a pair of black cargos that were adorned with a kunai holster strapped to the left leg. For footwear the young genin chose to wear the traditional dark blue shinobi sandals as he usually did. The guard gave the boy a rather detailed look over before finally giving a hint of a smile.

"Where are you off to today young man?"

Sanjiro paused, stopping to look at the guard with a rather sleepy look. The boy was honestly a mess in terms of his current appearance. His cloths, while being the same, looked dirty. His hair was tangled, messy and even a little greasy. It had looked like he hadn't been home for days. In truth that was exactly the case. The boy hadn't bothered to even sleep in a proper bed for the last few days. The dark circles under his eyes told the world that he was sleep deprived and had been for a very long time.

"Oh! I'm headed off on a mission."

As he said this Sanjiro quickly reached into his pocket, pulling out a folded piece of paper, handing it to the guard. It was a pass to leave the village for official business. Most ninja didn't need to show this to the guards but all genin were given this pass just in case when they needed to venture outside the village unaccompanied by a chuunin or a ninja of higher rank. The guard looked over the paper before nodding.

"Alright then Hikari-san, you be careful out there."

Sanjiro nodded lightly as he rubbed his eyes. He wasn't about to leave just yet though. He wasn't going to be alone on this mission. Ami had been paired up with him, the two having a history. Someone must have thought it a good idea for the two to start running missions together again given the current state of affairs in Kumogakure. Of course Sanjiro had had a slight hand in this decisions, making a formal request to start running missions with her due to his team being largely dysfunctional. The boy moved toward one of the walls near the gate, letting his body lean back against it so he could rest. As he walked one might have noticed the slight limp that he displayed, favoring his left leg over his right. He had done well to wrap it with gauze, disinfectant and some topical local anesthetic along with dosing himself with some over the counter pain killers but he still felt a bit weak in that leg. It was his own damn fault.

The crazy genin had, in a state of frustration and stupidity, inflicted a moderately serious wound to his own leg in an attempt to block out the emotional anguish he felt over the way Ami and his reunion went. The thought still depressed him as it had only been about a day since they met last. Despite that, however, Sanjiro felt excited to see her again. He knew that nothing would come out of it but at the same time he couldn't help but want to see her over and over again. His cheeks turned a light red as he thought about her, his eyes closing as he let himself become lost in thought. Before long though his daydreaming turned into real dreaming as the exhausted boy slipped off into a light nap while standing against the wall with his arms crossed. He didn't even notice the sheath of his sword pressing rather awkwardly against his back. He'd most likely remain this way until Ami showed up; he was really tired after all.

Posts : 36

"Go, go!"

"I'm going!" Ami began walking down the sloping path at a brisk pace, stifling a yawn. After a few steps she looked back over her shoulder and smiled. "Thanks."

"Good luck." The woman standing in the doorway returned the smile. The Hozuki looked forward again and quickened her steps. She didn't know what she would do without Reina, her roommate - odd, given the years Ami had lived on her own. Had Reina not prodded her on, Ami would still be asleep in her breakfast. She cringed to think of Sanjiro's reaction had that been the case. Thinking of her Sanji brought her back to the previous day, and a frown crossed her face. Yesterday had been the reason she needed so much extra help that morning. She and her old teammate had reunited by coincidence at the training grounds. It seemed like a pleasant meeting, they had rekindled their old friendship and were now even going to work together. Yet, she had left the meeting feeling heartbroken, as if they had fought on some lower level. She had not fallen asleep until the early hours of the morning, and what sleep she did get was fitful.

The young shinobi had a long walk ahead of her, her lodgings being on almost the opposite end of the village as the gates. The room she shared with Reina were actually not near anything. Its poor location was how they had managed to get it in the first place. The two girls had met shortly after Ami became a genin. During her time in the academy they granted her free lodgings with certain conditions. After she graduated she was expected to fend for herself, a problem with her limited funds and no family aid to call upon. All of the places she could find were either overpriced or in shambles. After a few weeks the then-new genin had given up, and moved into one of the run-down single room apartments. The first night she discovered there was a horrible leak coming from the room above, and went to report it the next day. In the office she met Reina, who had come to complain about her leaking plumbing. The girls put two and two together, and ended up becoming friends in no time.

Reina was an independent girl with deep blue eyes and flaming red hair, feisty but truly kind. At the time she was seventeen, and preparing for the chunnin exams. The older girl admitted she had slacked in her duties during her first years, and it had come back to bite her on the ass. Ami actually gained respect for Reina, for persisting despite her several failures. The white haired girl learned Reina was in the same living position as she, and the two decided to rent a room together. After much searching they found the perfect place, the residence they still shared now. It wasn't terribly large, having one main room with a built in kitchen, and a bathroom of "modest" size. However, they had separate bed rooms; and the place was nice. After the first few months they had begun making changes, and now it felt more like home than any other place Ami had lived.

The shinobi slipped out of her reveries as she passed through a small market area. She had been dragged from her thoughts by someone bumping into her, and she became aware that it was almost crowded. A few moments later the significance of customers already being out sunk in, and Ami broke out in a run. When she had received the message about a mission with Sanjiro, she was nervous. The pale skinned girl did want to see him, of course. It was she who had suggested going on missions together. But she had upset him somehow the day before, and she knew Sanji was the brooding type. She had been planning to ignore the feelings inside her and try a fresh start that morning. Now her anxiety sky rocketed as her imagination played various scenarios. There was no way he would be late. What would he say? What would he do? What if he didn't say anything at all, and just gave her that look of his? Her run became a dash.

Kairi skidded to a stop at the gates and glanced around. It was almost barren, which was a good sign for her. Though on the other hand, it was never exactly bustling. Her eyes scanned the desk, where one of the guards on duty waved, and the area around it. Ami returned the wave, but her eyes had already focused elsewhere. She turned to the gate itself and gave a sigh of relief, spotting him leaning against a wall. The possibility of him hiding from her to teach her a lesson had begun to cross her mind. She walked over to him, tying her hair up in a ponytail. She was trying to prepare what to say, and decided to play it simple. She would gauge his mood before she tried to get too talkative. She couldn't truly ignore her emotions, but she could hide them from him, and pretend they didn't exist. Someone in pain doesn't have to shout out, right?

"Hi."

...

"Sanji?"

She paused, staring at him. Her anxiety began to race again, all sorts of fears pouring out. What was wrong? Was he hurt? What if he was fine, and was just ignoring her? Was he mad? Should she apologize? "Sanji? She whispered, taking a few more steps. As she got closer a smile bloomed on her face and her worries disappeared. The shinobi crept up to her sleeping partner. She watched his face, in a rare peaceful state, and listened to his soft breathing. After a while Ami glanced away, telling herself she had been trying to think of a prank. At that thought she tried to think of one, half to justify her reasoning, but stopped herself as the previous day flashed before her eyes. To get his attention that time, she had thrown a kunai past him and into a training post. His reaction had been drastic, not just drawing a kunai but nearly attacking her. It wouldn't be right to tease him while he slept, if he was so edgy. Instead she leaned in, bending forward so she could look up at his face and not be hindered by his bangs. A small hand fell gently on his shoulder, and gave it a soft shake. "Hey, it's time to go, Sanji." She smiled up at him. "Wakey-wakey."

Age : 34 Posts : 1209

Sanjiro had been tired, so tired in fact that it hadn't taken him long to fall into a deep sleep, one that brought dreams to his weary mind. For once his dreams weren't filled with the painful images of his past. This time they were peaceful and restful dreams. For the first time for what seemed like ages the boy slept soundly, despite being propped up against a wall. A soft breeze rushed by, brushing the hair from his face briefly, causing him to wrinkle his nose a bit as he turned his head slightly away from Ami.

~~"Sanji?"~~

The call went unanswered as Sanjiro took another deep, restful breath. His nose wrinkled again while his brow furrowed for a brief moment before he regained his somewhat serene expression. The boy dreamed of a better time, a point in his life where he truly felt on top of the world. It was not a dream of the past, but of the future. Sanjiro's mind had seemingly begun to look forward instead of focusing on the past. The reason as to why this was would have eluded Sanjiro even if he had had been in a state of mind to actually ponder on it. He muttered something under his breath as Ami stared at him.

"Ami..."

His voice was hushed making it a chore for most to hear. Though at the distance at which Ami stood from him she may have been able to pick up on it. Nothing came after though. There was no follow up to him saying her name. The boy turned his head again, a large smile spreading across his face. The smile he displayed was an unusual one, so different from his usual smile that he displayed for the world. This one was bigger, fuller, and happier. It was a smile he never showed to anyone. It was a smile he hadn't donned for the longest time.

~~"Hey, it's time to go, Sanji. Wakey-wakey."~~

Sanjiro's brow furrowed once more at the voice that was now pulling him slowly from his slumber. The shake was the final blow that broke him from his dream, causing his lids to move up slowly, dark brown eyes staring down at her with an unfocused, slightly disoriented gaze. It took him a moment to realize who was staring at him and to remember his current location. He seemed totally out of it for the moment as his senses slowly came back to him.

"Ami?"

His voice was slightly raspy as he spoke, cracking at the last syllable of her name. He'd bring a hand up toward his own face, balling his hand into a loose fist as he rubbed one of his eyes in a sleepy manor. He didn't seem too surprised to see her, in fact he seemed somewhat happy as a small smile spread across his face. He was still slightly disoriented, still working to regain his bearings as he brought his other hand up to rub his other eye. She had been there when he woke up, the thought was a nice one. In fact at this moment it was all he could think about until he remembered that they were supposed to be on a mission.

"When did you get here? How long have I been out?"

Sanjiro started to remember that he had fallen asleep waiting for his team member. How long had he slept? How far behind schedule where they? He felt a bit of tension rising within his spine but a small yawn quickly relieved it as he let himself stand up straight, pushing himself from the wall. He'd move his neck to the side suddenly, releasing an audible crack.

"Are you well today?"

The question came suddenly as he turned his gaze away from her, looking up toward the sky, using the sun to try and judge the time. It hadn't been too long since he had fallen asleep, but despite it still being relatively early a small scowl now appeared across the genin's face. He had wanted to leave before the sun had risen too high, thus making the trip warmer, but now it seemed as though it was mid-morning and noon would soon follow. He let out a soft sigh before looking back towards his teammate with a slightly anxious expression. Sanjiro was such a stickler about being punctual.

"We should get going..."

Posts : 36

Ami stood straight again after Sanjiro woke up. As he rubbed his eyes she looked down and blushed. For some reason, when she saw his smile, her heart began to flutter. "Good morning..." She murmured quietly, reverting to her shy state.

"When did you get here? How long have I been out?" She looked up and saw Sanji was really waking up now, and he stood straight. Now her anxiety reappeared, wondering how he would take the delay in their mission. It wasn't one in which time was pressing, they had plenty of time to arrive, but she knew Sanjiro. If it were up to him, every mission would start an hour ahead of schedule.

"Um, not too long ago. I didn't want to wake you up..." Her voice got quieter still, fearing his anger. She felt relieved when he asked after her well being, but his eyes were not on her. They were looking up at the sky, and the smile he had woken with was already turning into a scowl. Her shoulders slumped. "[color=indigo]Um, yeah, I'm...I'm...[color]" Her sentence, weak to begin with, faded away as she saw his attention didn't return to her. He sighed, and her shoulders slumped. Things were already going poorly, and it was her fault. How long must he have waited to fall asleep? Ami noticed his dark brown eyes were focused on her again. She felt an inkling of hope rise up, but it was all business.

"We should get going..." Kairi gave a quick nod, her snowy bangs bouncing around her face. She started walking, wordlessly asking him to follow. The girl quickly took the lead so she could hide her frown. As she had suspected, his mind was on the time. They could still avoid being late, but that wouldn't matter to him. In his mind, they were no doubt already late.

"Y-yeah, let's go. No time to waste, right?" The genin called over her shoulder as she passed under the gates. She hoped she woud earn a bit of his favor back if she showed initiative.

Age : 34 Posts : 1209

[Let me start by apologizing for the delay in my posting. Usually I tend to answer posts quickly. I don't know what happened but for some reason my "watched topics" list didn't update and I failed to check the topic manually until now. I didn't know you had posted last night. I will be more regular in the future.]

Sanjiro watched as the girl suddenly took off, walking straight past him along the path that would take them away from the village and toward their destination. His dark brown eyes narrowed slightly behind her as he watched her for a few seconds. Was it just his imagination or was something off about her? She hadn't really answered his question about whether she was doing well or not. She had stammered, a sign of her anxiety. What did she have to be anxious about? It couldn't have been about the mission. This mission was a simple mission, helping a fisherman with his fishing competition. All the two needed to do was work on his boat as he caught the fish. So then, what did Ami have to be anxious or nervous about? The question left the boy wondering as he started to follow her.

~~"Y-yeah, let's go. No time to waste, right?"~~

"Right."

The boy gave a small smirk as he once again analyzed her speech, noticing the slight stutter. He hoped that whatever was bothering her wouldn't interfere with her ability to perform on the mission. He also hoped that it wasn't anything too overwhelming for her. The boy sighed as he glanced up at the sun again. It was rising higher and higher as they walked and with that he knew the temperature was sure to increase, making the journey all the more unpleasant. It wouldn't have had to be this way had he not fallen asleep. He would turn his gaze back to Ami at that thought. She had mentioned that she hadn't been waiting long, yet she hadn't wanted to wake him. Had she been late? The idea was certainly not an impossibility. Sanjiro was very aware that he himself was a bit of a stickler for punctuality, so much so in fact that he'd often show up a good hour or more before the start of missions and events. He didn't like to keep people waiting and he hated to be kept waiting. In his opinion, the world would move so much smoother if people adhered to specified times and dates. The ideal might have been unrealistic but the effort to strive for such a thing was important in the boy's eyes.

Sanjiro continued to think about the heat, about the sun over their head. He could just feel the air around them getting warmer as they continued to walk. He remained a few steps behind Ami, doing so not because he wanted her to take lead, but so she wouldn't notice his slight limp. He did his best to keep up with her, not wanting to give any indication that he was indeed feeling a good deal of pain from his self inflicted injury; the end result of his little pity party after she had left so suddenly from their reunion.

Sanjiro worried about the heat for two reasons. The first was of preferential nature. The boy didn't enjoy warm weather. He much preferred the feeling of cool breezes and cold air. He loved the feeling of the early morning chill when one just woke up and stepped outside before the sun had even bothered to peek over the edge of the horizon. It was a time when one, if lucky enough, may see their breath condense into a miniature cloud right in front of their face. He loved to feel himself developing goosebumps and he loved the winter when a white blanket of snow coated everything as far as the eye could see. It was for this reason that Sanjiro enjoyed living in Kumogakure. In the winter Kumogakure seemed to get plenty of snow and plenty of ice formation. It was just...nice.

The second reason why Sanjiro worried about the heat had to do with Ami. In their initial time spent together, when Sanjiro and Ami were part of team 13 along with Ichiro-sensei and Kenshin, Sanjiro had noticed that Ami was an individual who would get dehydrated very easily. In fact the quirk was so noticeable that Ami often carried a large canteen or bottle of water with her on her missions just in case there was no nearby water source for her to drink from. Back then the habit had been an annoyance to both Sanjiro and Kenshin who constantly had to worry about their team mate's level of hydration. There had been times where she would seemingly drink for minutes on end and at some of the most inconvenient times.

Sanjiro had never understood why the girl could never seem to control her urge to drink and why she needed to drink so much at one time and to this day he still didn't. But despite his former attitude toward her quirk he had grown to accept it as part of who she was and now, after spending so much time away from her, he looked back at it with fondness. Yesterday's annoyance had become today's endearing quality. The thought brought a small smile to his face as he once again found himself staring at Ami from behind. In fact the thought had occurred to him this morning, causing the boy to bring along two large canteens with him, storing them under his jacket by looping both canteen's strap around his shoulders, wearing them like bandoleers in a criss-cross fashion. He hadn't revealed to her that he had done this, not wanting her to feel self conscious about it.

He had done it because he cared for Ami, despite his current inability to show it. He knew that they'd be spending the day on a boat in the middle of a large body of water. Sanjiro was no expert on fishing but he had been out enough times to know that when one was on the boat in the middle of the day, fishing for hours under the hot sun, surrounded by nothing that could provide you with much shade, one tended to get dehydrated very easily. Sanjiro was unsure of Ami had realized this fact. He wondered if Ami had ever been fishing. If she hadn't then perhaps there would be no way for her to know just how hot it could get out there. For this reason Sanjiro had brought the water for her. He cared for her, he really did.

As these thoughts ran through the genin's head he suddenly felt his right leg give out for a split second, causing him to stumble forward just a bit. He did well to suppress the grunt of pain that tried to squirm its way out of his throat.

"...."

At that moment he looked up to see if she had noticed, hoping she hadn't. They'd be there soon and there wasn't any time for her to be worrying over his leg and the wound that he himself had caused. He'd grit his teeth as he continued to walk forward, now dealing with a slight shooting pain rushing up the front of his leg. He'd need to take some of the pain killers he had brought with him when Ami wasn't around to notice. This meant he'd need to do so before they got on the boat. He'd have to make up some lame excuse about needing to use the bathroom or something. He just hoped that the pills would last him long enough for him to make it through the 6 hour competition without the pain becoming too severe.

[Exit]

[This mission will be continued in the next thread]

[Hira, please post your next post here! Thank you ^^]