[Nōhime Ren]

"a bowl of noodles". "I fight to save everyone, and I live thanks to everyone. That's who I am!" COLD DAY, HOT NOODLES Ren has been assigned to guard Kuwana during the Chuunin Exams, but with the candidates undertaking the first round of their examination, his time was freed up enough so that he could take on an escort mission in a non-shinobi nation. The mission was simple enough and was completed rather quickly, meaning he was good to go back to Kuwana and resume his guarding duties there. Still, he was feeling rather starved, and since he had until the next day anyways, he decided to stop by a random noodle shop by the side of a road in a town he didn't even catch the name, close to the border with the Land of Earth. The Nohime would walk into the place in his full shinobi glory: a layered kimono. The first layer a thin fabric in pure white, while the second is a more formal kimono, slate gray in colour, with more fitting sleeves, and finally, a larger kimono on top of it all, white in colour with red and black stipes on the edges of it, and around the sleeves, with the symbol of the Nōhime clan emblazoned in the back, all held together by a cyan obi, where he carried both his swords. His hakama was crimson red, with the end of it tucked in his black shinobi sandals, and the Hidden Rock Village's forehead protector on. He would bow respectfully upon entering the place, and then head to a table beside a window. It was overcast outside, with some snow already covering the ground. It was a cold day, so a warm noodle would help him find the energy to continue his travels. "Uncle, can I please have one of your Tsukemen Ramen, please? With some green tea as well?" he asked in a rather polite tone, and the ramen shop owner nodded to him, turning around to start preparing the meal, while Ren removed his katana from his obi and rested it against the wall before sitting down. "I want you to understand something. If you should lose, not only does your future end, but also the future of the one you are trying to protect. Defeat isn't an option for the sword that protects others. You should keep that thought engraved in your heart." Near the Land of Earth Noodle shop [Ryuujin Shiina] [352 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Nōhime Ren

NOTES -

Another cold day was almost all too familiar for Ryuujin Shiina. From what she could recall, Kumogakure was never this cold, she thought to herself while she walked down the road. She had her hair tied back into a ponytail, and wearing a traditional silk kimono of black and purple largely hidden by her oversized fluffy fur coat, she shivered slightly. She despised the cold, especially because there was an absence of hot springs in the area. The woman made a mental note to always find places with hot springs. Everything else was secondary. She walked down the streets, suddenly noticing that her stomach was growling.

Right, classic...she thought with exasperation, remembering that she hadn't eaten since early last night. And since last night she had been drinking, taking in liquid calories to fill her stomach. But there was only so much alcohol could combat physical hunger, as she found herself now craving for something warm and hearty. One would hardly know that the woman was a shinobi since she neither dressed nor acted like one. Catching sight of a ramen shop nearby, she decided that it would do since it was both savory and warm. Shiina took a seat as she entered the ramen shop. Although tiny, it felt oddly like home, as she remembered when she ate ramen at one of her childhood favorite shops in Kumo. How long ago that was...

She sat down near the entrance of the store, looking at the handwritten menu papers on the wall. "Can I have a large bowl of tonkotsu ramen with extra vegetables and meat?" The man behind the counter looked at her, a little surprised she ordered a large bowl. Most women couldn't even finish a normal portion. "Are you sure you want the large one? Our bowls are a little bigger than other ramen shops." The man warned her, but she merely nodded her head, waiting patiently for her food to arrive. A lot of people wer eoften surprised at just how much she could eat, especially when she was hungry.

MADE BY MIZO

[Nōhime Ren]

"a bowl of noodles". "I fight to save everyone, and I live thanks to everyone. That's who I am!" KINDNESS TO A STRANGER Ren was sitting there, patiently waiting for the man to prepare his food when someone else entered the store. The formerly empty place now had two patrons, but this second one caught his gaze. His grey eyes rested upon her figure as she entered the place. The eyes like liquid gold and the dark purple hair, in an interesting contrast with the tone of her skin, one you would normally only find in the Land of Lightning and its borders. The woman was beautiful, and him being young, inexperienced and a bit foolish as he was, was unable to fight the flaring of his cheeks, which gained an intense hue of red. "So pretty..." he gulped, gazing away almost immediately as he tensed up his shoulders. And even though his gaze had been redirected from the woman, he didn't fail to notice that she had ordered a hearty amount of food. "Oh... Maybe she is waiting on someone... Makes sense." he thought to himself, then blushing a bit more violently as he wondered why he even cared about that, prompting him to shake his head and shiver for a moment, as a cold breeze made its way inside through a crack in the window. "Sir... Could you, uh... Please give the new guest a warm green tea? I-it's rather cold outside." he asked the man, without even looking back at the woman. Still, he wanted to share with this stranger a little act of kindness, since she hadn't ordered any drinks for herself. "I want you to understand something. If you should lose, not only does your future end, but also the future of the one you are trying to protect. Defeat isn't an option for the sword that protects others. You should keep that thought engraved in your heart." Near the Land of Earth Noodle Shop [Ryuujin Shiina] [272 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Nōhime Ren

NOTES -

The kind gesture would not go unnoticed by Shiina of course. As the owner of the noodle shop set a cup of hot green tea in front of her, she looked up at him quizzically. "Some tea from the young man over there." He gave her a cheeky smile as he turned back to his ramen making. The woman glanced over at the boy and bowed her head in silent appreciation. As she looked at him more closely, she could see one of two things: that he was considerably younger than she was, at least in appearance, and that he came from a wealthy family. The fabric of his attire spoke volumes, made of only the finest of material, it would draw attention regardless of whether a person knew anything about fashion or fabrics. The color of his hakama and attire also were the finest grade, only produced by the best in their craft.

She picked up the cup of tea and made her way to his seat, sitting down next to him. For a good minute she would simply look at him before opening her mouth. "Are you always so kind to everyone, or am I just special?" She winked at him, the smile on her face a little wider as she spoke. Her words were meant to be half flirty and half serious, primarily because she presumed he was quite a bit younger than her. She liked to mess with the heads of people her junior, or at least make them a little uncomfortable. After a moment though, she would put down her cup, this time her tone was more serious. "In any case, thank you for the tea. The cold outside can be unforgiving at times." Her voice was melodic to the ears, as she trained herself to talk in this manner over the years.

"I noticed you have quite the nice outfit." She glanced at his hakama, her eyes resting a fraction of a second longer on the hilts of his swords. A shinobi, no doubt, the woman thought to herself, although not wanting to give off the impression that she knew more than she should. "It seems a little too luxurious to just be casually walking around in, especially in these parts." It would seem slightly odd, if not out of place for the boy to dress the way he did in any part, but she assumed there was a reason for this way of dress. "I'm Ran, nice to meet you."

MADE BY MIZO

[Nōhime Ren]

"a bowl of noodles". "I fight to save everyone, and I live thanks to everyone. That's who I am!" INTRODUCTIONS He didn't expect that the woman would respond to his act of kindness by moving over to his table and sitting down next to him. That was enough to make his cheeks burn at an even brighter hue of red, and he found himself unable to stare in those golden orbs of hers. When she asked if he was this kind to everyone, or if she was just special with a wink, he felt a shiver running down his spine as his heart started beating like crazy; he was definitely not used to dealing with the opposite sex, especially not one as attractive as she was. "K-kindness goes a long way. We should strive t-towards making this world a... B-better place." he explained, trying to glance over at her, but quickly gazing away again. Still, when her tone got more serious, he found in him the strength to once again look her way and he nodded. "The cold can be unforgiven... We need to try and find opportunities to warm ourselves. A nice warm tea, and a hearty warm meal will definitely help." he said, in his tone caring a genuine care even for a stranger like her. When she pointed out to his outfit, he would once again gaze away and scratch the back of his head, showing he was a bit embarrassed. "A shinobi should dress in a way to inspire confidence on their clients... And to represent the honour of their village... I... I try to portray myself that way." he admitted, remembering the words his father used to tell him back when he was still alive. The woman would introduce herself as Ran, and he would look at her with a shy smile and bow with his head. "Our names are similar. I'm Ren, from the Nohime clan." he introduced himself. "I want you to understand something. If you should lose, not only does your future end, but also the future of the one you are trying to protect. Defeat isn't an option for the sword that protects others. You should keep that thought engraved in your heart." Near the Land of Earth Noodle Shop [Ryuujin Shiina] [321 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Nōhime Ren

NOTES -

She almost giggled at the boy's nobleness and chivalry, at least from what he says. The woman nodded her head, even though she wasn't entirely trying to disagree with him. He had a very positive and somewhat child-like way of thinking, believing in things like positivity and goodness in the hearts of mankind. It was quite plausible that the boy hadn't seen any negativity in the world, or that he was ignorant to just what the world could be. Despite her thoughts, the woman would simple continue to nod his head, choosing her words carefully. "I suppose you're right. Kindness can go a long way depending on the person." It wasn't that she didn't believe the words to be true, but simply that she had been amidst unkindness that had skewed her own sense of what exactly the word meant.

"Yes, indeed, winters are not fun..." she gave a chuckle, taking another sip of her hot tea. "It's really surprising how some people can like this weather...I myself prefer spring and autumn, neither here nor there in terms of temperature." It was also because Shiina loved the rain, loved bathing in it the way people seemed to enjoy bathing in the sun. Rather depressing, one might imagine upon first hearing it, but the coldness against her skin especially when it was a hot day made all the difference. The man behind the counter then produced a small bowl of soup, a plate of pork and boiled eggs, and a giant plate of noodles for Ren. A few minutes later, he would place a giant bowl in front of her. The owner hadn't been joking when he said that his portion sizes were bigger than the normal ramen shop.

"I suppose you're right about the shinobi attire, too. You are representing your village, after all." Shiina recalled how carefully she picked out all her outfits when she was once a shinobi, representing Kumogakure. She remembered how excited she had been when she received her Kumo headband after gradutaing from the academy and how she spent days trying to see which outfits would best represent who she was as an individual and how she wanted others to see her as part of the village. Those seemed to be such distant memories, her eyes flickered sadness very briefly.

"In any case, let's eat while the food is still hot!"

MADE BY MIZO

[Nōhime Ren]

"a bowl of noodles". "I fight to save everyone, and I live thanks to everyone. That's who I am!" SOUP AND SADNESS Some people would take Ren's positive attitude as a sign of naivety, or lack of experience with the cruelty of the ninja world. But in reality that was quite the opposite. Because he had witnessed just how cruel and miserable the world could be, he wanted to break that wheel, to go against what was easy, and become a force of change to the world, even though he was realistic enough to know that there was little impact he could cause on his own. Shiina may think that way, but her words revealed nothing of such line of thought and he nodded to her, happy that she seemed to have agreed with what he had said. Winters were really not fun, and while he didn't hate it, he knew just how much people could suffer when exposed to the elements. "I like spring. We can see beautiful flowers, and people feel hopeful for the summer." he said, with a shy smile on his face. And there was also the rain, something the Nohime enjoyed a lot. The owner of the establishment would then bring Ren his soup and he would thank the man with a head bow and then clap his hands together. "Itadakimasu!" he exclaimed, before grabbing his hashi and eating some of his food. He was a bit amused when he saw the size of her serving, but if he had anything to say, he kept it to himself. "I'm from the Hidden Rock Village, by the way." he added, agreeing with her when she suggested they should eat. Still, he didn't fail to notice the flickering sadness in her eyes, and that prompted him to pause. "Are you... Are you okay, Ran-san?" he asked, showing that despite his shy and naïve attitude, he was quite perspective. "I want you to understand something. If you should lose, not only does your future end, but also the future of the one you are trying to protect. Defeat isn't an option for the sword that protects others. You should keep that thought engraved in your heart." Near the Land of Earth Noodle Shop [Ryuujin Shiina] [318 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Nōhime Ren

NOTES -

Naivety wasn't really the word that she would use to describe him. In fact, she understood that he at least appeared to be much younger than she was and recalling how she had been at his age, she wasn't surprised that he was acting this way. He seemed a lot more humble, easygoing and somewhat too positive than how she had been when she was still a shinobi. But that was all because she had experienced the world and life a little differently, and had grown to loathe how the system functioned at his age. She had turned her loathe into something much darker and more sinister than perhaps even Ren could fathom.

Yes, that was how she became a neukenin, after all.

As the giant bowl of ramen was set before her, she readily dug into her meal. The saltiness of the soy sauce, mixed with the slightly fattening yet richness of the pork bone broth created the perfect soup base harmony. Shiina took one sip of the soup with her spoon, lightly skimming the surface of the liquid as though she was scooping the top of a freshly opened pint of ice cream. The richness and warmth filled her system, and reminded her exactly why she loved ramen. The woman gave a content smile, a genuine smile of pure happiness, before picking up her chopsticks and taking her first chopstick-full of noodles. She liked this ramen place already with the soup base. Tonkotsu-shoyu was hard to perfect, combining the best of tonkotsu soup with that soy sauce to create next tier heaven. The noodles were thick and chewy, the best texture. At other ramen shops, she would have needed to ask for the noodles to be extra hard, which meant that the time they cooked cut in half the normal. But this shop had it all done to the tee, and she knew even before she took her first slurp of noodles that she would enjoy every mouthful.

She had made a good choice.

And of course she would be taken aback just a little at the comment Ren made, being an observant young boy, for noticing the even smallest flicker of sadness in her eyes. Shiina wondered how much she could tell, if at all, especially given his loyalty to his own village. What would he think of her as a neukenin? Instead of answering his question directly, she would counter it with her own, a chance for her to understand her new acquaintance just a little more. "Are you here for a specific event? I see that your clothes are of fine material and if you were just here for a regular mission, I doubt you would be wearing something of such extravagance, let alone of material that would probably hinder your movements." She understood a thing or two about fashion though, wondering if maybe he was the type to wear expensive clothes regardless.

MADE BY MIZO

[Nōhime Ren]

"a bowl of noodles". "I fight to save everyone, and I live thanks to everyone. That's who I am!" CLOTHING AND NINJUTSU Ren paused and blinked twice when asked if he was here for any specific event or reason. "I was on my way home after an escort mission. I can't share any more details, as they are classified. But I'm currently on guard duty for the Chuunin Exams in our nation, just taking a short break for this particular mission. I usually come to this place on my way back, it is close enough and I love the broth." he explained, then, he looked back at his clothing and grabbed a string of white fabric. "When I'm actually on duty, I will tie the sleeves of my haori with this, and keep them out of the way. And although I have a sword, I mainly fight from range using ninjutsu, so my clothing do not get in the way much." he explained, and then something came up in his head. "Are you at all familiar with ninjutsu, Ran-san?" he asked her, unsure if he was speaking with someone with any degree of shinobi knowledge or with a complete civilian. He didn't seem to care either way, nor was he able to provide a proper explanation as to why he dressed the way he did. In truth, he had learned how to dress up with his father, and just kept on repeating that, as the man always said that they needed to represent their village with class and honour. "I want you to understand something. If you should lose, not only does your future end, but also the future of the one you are trying to protect. Defeat isn't an option for the sword that protects others. You should keep that thought engraved in your heart." Near the Land of Earth Noodle Shop [Ryuujin Shiina] [255 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Nōhime Ren

NOTES -

Escort missions...she remembered when she had been on a few of those in her time as a Kumo shinobi. She merely nodded her head at his comment about not being able to reveal much, biting her tongue as she almost agreed and provided him with the insight that she too had been or was a shinobi. "Chuunin exams? I heard about that from a few villagers around here. You say you're on guard duty? That's interesting..." Shiina put down her spoon her eyes trailing to the half-finished noodles. From this tidbit, it meant that Ren was probably of a higher rank than Chuunin, or at least be stronger than the average Chuunin. Hm...this was indeed interesting, she thought to herself. She wondered just how strong the boy was, if at all, and whether she would be able to test out that theory one day.

It was only then when she heard his question about her familiarity with ninjutsu, especially since she considered herself a master in ninjutsu, especially her own clan's techniques. "I would say that I've heard of it." Of course, if he was as strong as she was, he would immediately recognize that she was not only a shinobi, but also had her name in the Kumo BINGO book. Subsequently, he would have know that she hailed from the Ryuujin clan. The fact that he had asked her this further implied that he was not at her level, or at least not sharp at understanding who and what he was dealing with. "I assume you are good at ninjutsu yourself?" An honest question that hopefully would result in an honest answer.

"Is it tough being a shinobi?" This was rather a vague question, and one that could tell a lot about the person who answered it. The purple-haired woman wanted Ren to talk, wanted him to be comfortable enough to speak his mind to her, so that she could learn a thing or two more about him, his clan and perhaps his village. He did say that he was from Iwa, a village she herself had not had the luxury to learn too much about other than surface level things. "And please, tell me more about your village. I've never been to Iwagakure or Tsuchi no Kuni."

MADE BY MIZO

[Nōhime Ren]

"a bowl of noodles". "I fight to save everyone, and I live thanks to everyone. That's who I am!" KUWANA Chuunin Exams were not very interesting, they were brutal, and Ren didn't like the amount of bloodshed that happened there, but in a way, being selected as a guard was an honour of sort, it meant that the village trusted him enough. "I guess it is to be expected. I am a Special Jounin after all." he revealed, as his rank was no village secret. Still, being a Special Jounin that young meant that he was likely skilled. The woman would then reveal she was familiar with ninjutsu and he nodded, and when she assumed he was good with ninjutsu, he nodded. "Not as good as I wish I was, but I'm working towards it. I need to grow a lot still, but I'm a capable shinobi in my own right." he said with a more shy tone. He didn't like to brag, but he wouldn't sell himself short, he worked really hard to get to where he was. Ren would then nod when she asked him if it was tough being a shinobi, his eyes gazing away at the horizon, showing hints of sadness and longing. "It is, but we have to do it, so others won't suffer. So others won't lose what we have lost." and his mind thought of his father, and how his life was claimed during the war. Then, he would turn back to her when she asked him about his village and his country, saying she had never been there. "If you are interested, you could go to Kuwana, watch the exams. The final round should start in the next few weeks. There are a lot of shinobi from all over the world there. It is an interesting moment, I feel... Where we are not at each other's throats." he said, with a faint smile making its way to his feature. "I want you to understand something. If you should lose, not only does your future end, but also the future of the one you are trying to protect. Defeat isn't an option for the sword that protects others. You should keep that thought engraved in your heart." Near the Land of Earth Noodle Shop [Ryuujin Shiina] [323 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Nōhime Ren



NOTES -

Kuwana? She had heard of the place, but not really anything about it. She had also never set foot there, despite her years of traveling. Of course, she had been busy trying to lie low from the shinobi of Kumo, but also she couldn't help but admit that she frequented bars, hot springs and food places so much that she never really stepped outside to places that didn't have a combination of those three things. "Kuwana? I've never been there before!" She took another sip of the ramen soup. "Are there any good Chuunin candidates this year? And I would love to go and watch, if not to explore the place!" Shiina took another slurp of her noodles. "Is it far from here? I wouldn't mind going, if you're up for it!"

Contrary to popular belief, the woman had a very subtle and sophisticated side that she put on for a certain type of audience, but she also had a rather fun and playful side that really clicked with younger people. Both of these were a combination of facades the woman had built over the years, from the countless of interactions with commoners, shinobi and diplomats alive. And this rather nonchalant and fun side she was showing to Ren was in answer to his rather shy and nervous personality. She wanted to be like a big sister, someone who didn't judge him, as she guessed many of the people back in his village and his clan would. This was something she could relate to, especially the elders of the Ryuujin clan were always unforgiving.

"Ahhhhh I'm so full!" She let out a sigh of pure satisfaction as she ate the last bit of noodles. Shiina lifted the giant bowl and tilted her head back, drinking every last drop of the soup before she put the empty bowl down with a thud. It had been a gigantic bowl of noodles, that much was fair, but not big enough that she had any trouble finishing. It was always an on-going joke among the extremely few friends she had back in the day that if she ever stopped being a shinobi, she could be a competitive eater. She eyed the rest of Ren's tsukemen and smiled.

MADE BY MIZO

[Nōhime Ren]

"a bowl of noodles". "I fight to save everyone, and I live thanks to everyone. That's who I am!" IT'S ON ME Kuwana was the capital of the Land of Earth, one of its largest, and more important cities, maybe to the same level of importance as the Hidden Village itself, but he couldn't say it for sure. "Like I said, it is a good time to visit it. And since we are on high security, it will be a very safe place as well, so you have nothing to worry about." oblivious to the fact that she was a missing-nin, Ren ended up giving her a fair warning about how dangerous it would be for a wanted person to show up there. "There are always good candidates. The great nations often send at least a handful of impressive candidates. This year, however, I would say that the Lands of Fire and Lightning may steal the spotlight." he guessed, but then he quickly shrugged. "But surprises can happen, so we never no. And yes, it is close enough. Maybe a day and a half, at a good pace." he said, with a firm nod; he could make it in less time if he really pushed it, but there was no reason to do that. Ren had also finished his food and he felt rather satisfied with that, he didn't eat nearly as much as the woman did, but he had a smaller appetite than most. He did feel warmer, and that was good, for the weather was a bit unforgiving and windy today. "Sir, could you bring us some more tea and the bill? Put them both on my tab." he said, and the man nodded in agreement. He wanted to do an act of kindness towards this stranger who had been such a pleasant company so far. "I want you to understand something. If you should lose, not only does your future end, but also the future of the one you are trying to protect. Defeat isn't an option for the sword that protects others. You should keep that thought engraved in your heart." Near the Land of Earth Noddle Shop [Ryuujin Shiina] [304 words]

[Ryuujin Shiina]

In the city of fools, I was careful and cool but they tore me apart like a hurricane.

TAG - Nōhime Ren



NOTES -

Throughout Ren's speech, her eyes sparkled at the words Land of Lightning. She had anticipated that he would talk about the exams, since she obviously showed a lot of interest in it. The woman remembered when she had participated in the exams herself, some years ago, representing Kaminari no Kuni. She had been feared, and perhaps continues to be feared within her village, given her background as a Ryuujin. She pushed the thoughts out of her head as the boy finished both talking and eating. "It sounds like a nice place to visit." hearing him ask for the bill and placing her tab on his, she bowed her head in appreciation. "You are too kind, Ren-san. Let me treat you to some dessert if you fancy?" She was never one to take advantage of others. The fact that he was nice enough to pay for her meal meant that she would have to return the favor, in some way, shape or form.

"Are you returning to Iwagakure? I've never been to Tsuchi no Kuni and would love to visit it..." Treading dangerous waters, she knew, as a neukenin dared not step foot on the soils of the great five nations. But she was not Ryuujin Shiina today, but Miitake Ran, and for a woman who simply loved to travel, going to Tsuchi no Kuni seemed like a reasonable idea. "If you are, would you mind taking me there and showing me around?" Her voice was soft and sweet as she continued. "We could stop for some dessert along the way. I would love to treat you to something for your hospitality." Although one could see this as her trying to get on the boy's good side, there was some genuine feelings of gratitude behind her words.

"What kind of desserts do you fancy? If you don't like sweets, perhaps some alcohol?" Two of her vices, alcohol and sweets. Shiina often became too excited at the mention of both of those things, and from the sparkle in her eye while she spoke, she guessed that Ren could feel the excitement as well. There was nothing she enjoyed more than eating and drinking, and from the way Ren ate his ramen, she assumed that he too was fond of food. The owner of the ramen shop would return to Ren, giving him the bill for both their meals and giving them discount tickets for their next visit.

MADE BY MIZO

[Nōhime Ren]

"a bowl of noodles". "I fight to save everyone, and I live thanks to everyone. That's who I am!" ONLY 18 When the woman offered to repay his kindness with some desert he nodded in agreement, it was only fair to allow her to treat him as well, if she so wished. "I would like that very much, Ran-san." he responded with his shy smile. "I really like manju." he added, to give her a suggestion of potential desert. Then, when she askes if he was returning to the Hidden Rock Village, he shook his head. "No, I'm actually heading back to Kuwana to resume my guard duties for the remainder of the Chuunin Exams." he explained with a calm tone. "And if that's a place you would like to visit, you are more than welcome to tag along and travel with me." he quickly added, blushing ever so slightly as he still had a bit trouble with this sort of interaction, even though the woman was making him feel at ease. "And uh... I'm not old enough to drink alcohol yet, as I just turned eighteen earlier this year, so... I have to admit that I never tried it." he sighed, feeling a bit like a child when he said that, but his father had told him not to drink until the age of twenty, and he was determined to honour the late man's request. "I want you to understand something. If you should lose, not only does your future end, but also the future of the one you are trying to protect. Defeat isn't an option for the sword that protects others. You should keep that thought engraved in your heart." Near the Land of Earth Noodle Shop [Ryuujin Shiina] [230 words]