[Ryuujin Shiina]

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

TAG - Nōhime Ren



NOTES -

Shiina wouldn't hide her surprise at learning that Ren had just turned eighteen. She knew that he was young by appearance, but the young woman would quickly give an understanding nod at his admission that he had never tried alcohol. Of course, she wouldn't expect an underaged person to have tasted alcohol. But the mere thought that the boy hadn't drank before amused her for unknown reasons. "That's quite alright! But you are a young one, aren't you?" she said rather teasingly, giving him a cheeky smile. "I suppose you aren't really missing too much. People who have tasted alcohol either despise it or become quite addicted to it." She made no mention of which category she fell under, but rather changed the subject quickly. "In that case, it will have to be desserts! Please tell me you like sweets!" The woman had never met anyone who didn't at least fancy dango.

"Yes, I would love to travel with you to Kuwana, if that's not too much of a bother. I've never really been there and thus know nothing more than the information you tell me." This part was true; although she had ample opportunity to learn and travel to the land, she had become way to comfortable with places that had bars and hot springs that she hadn't yet ventured. It was kind of like a failure as a neukenin. "Lead the way, Ren-san!" The woman again gave the boy a wide smile, tagging along behind him as they exited the ramen shop, once more thanking the owner for his food. "How far is it from here to Kuwana?" Shiina was determined to keep the conversation going especially because she wanted to learn as much as she could about this person.

Out on the streets were food vendors selling a variety of delicious street food like takoyaki and dango. The woman would smell the familiar charcoaled sweetness that would be unmistakably mitarashidango. Turning excitedly to Ren, she wondered if he was also a fan of the salty-sweet dessert. "I smell mitarashidango!" And out of nowhere, Shiina would grab Ren's hand, pulling the boy with her to the stall in somewhat of a run. There was nothing that could or would stop the neukenin when in the face of delicious food, that much was a given.

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!" DANGOS When she called him a "young one", he blushed heavily, his cheeks now the colour of a ripe tomato, prompting him to gaze away as he couldn't look into her golden eyes in sheer embarrassment. "B-but I'm a Special Jounin too!! S-so... Age is not everything!!" he defended himself, but the pout that followed made him look a bit younger than he was in an almost comical - or perhaps cute - way. The words that followed, however, helped him relax a bit more and he nodded. "I don't think I will ever enjoy substances that cloud my judgement. Being poisoned is enough in my line of work..." he admitted, grimacing as he recalled the few times he had experienced such an unpleasant thing. Ren would nod, confirming he liked sweets; even though he wasn't crazy for them, he appreciated it from time to time. "It's no bother. That way it will be safer for you as well." he said, trying to give her a sense of security she didn't need, but he was oblivious to the fact she was a stronger shinobi than he was. And when Shiina told him to lead the way, he would nod and start walking in the direction of the Land of Earth. "If you want, I can already work on your admission paperwork. That way it saves you time when we arrive. I just need your identification, really." he said with a simple smile. If anything, that was a good chance for the woman to go there. As through as Ren was, he didn't have a bingo book of his own, and thus far, no reason to suspect the woman was dangerous. As they walked through the town's market, the smell of food filled up their noses and it was rather pleasant. When the woman smelled the dangos, she would grab on his hand, pulling him to the stall. The touch made him blush once again, but he didn't resist and just went along with her. "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 Passing through the town's market [Ryuujin Shiina] [350 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 -

Tokujo...she mused, remembering the time when she too had been a Tokujo in Kumo. She nodded her head at his suggestion of offering her some security. If only he knew...the woman mused. Of course, she knew he meant well, and despite the fact that she guessed she wouldn't need the security, she also understood why he wanted to offer, especially since she almost mocked him for being so much younger than she was. And she wouldn't continue this way until Ren asked her for some identification, to ease the process of admission into Tsuchi no Kuni. "Oh...I didn't know you needed identification to enter the country..." she thought to herself, mind racing. "...I mean I guess that makes sense." Crap, she didn't have any identification, or at least any that used her alias she conveniently made up for herself along the way."

"What..What happens if I don't have any? Will we be unable to go?" It was possibly a stupid question, but one very valid one. Kumo had a system of screening people into the village that she was all too familiar with. If they couldn't go to Tsuchi no Kuni, she would have to think of something, an excuse to make it reasonable why they needed to give up on the idea. "I mean...I'm from a minor village and when I started my travels, I hadn't thought about entering one of the five great nations..." she lied through her teeth, although expression remaining calm. There wasn't much that phased her nowadays, especially having survived some of the roughest years of her life as a neukenin.

The worst case scenario was that Ren would find out her true identity...

And then she would have to kill him if he chose to stand in allegiance with her village and its corruption.

By then, the two of them were already at the dango stand. Shiina ordered two mitarashi dango skewers for the both of them and as they waited for their treats, she would glance at Ren. She hadn't taken the boy seriously since the first time she laid eyes on him over an hour ago, but she wasn't stupid to the thought that he could potentially be strong in his own right, which made sense for being a Tokujo at his age. The woman would wait for his response, hoping he wouldn't become suspicious at the obvious lack of common sense of a traveler.

She wasn't an ordinary traveler, after all.

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!" GROWING SUSPICION "Normally you wouldn't need one unless you were going to the Hidden Village, but since we are hosting the Chuunin Exam, and there is always the possibility of international repercussions if something goes wrong, security is greatly enhanced." he explained with a nonchalant tone. Then, the woman asked how would things proceed if she didn't have any identification, prompting the boy to glance back at her with his curious grey orbs. "Well... Without identification, we would need to get the ANBU to sit with you for an interview to be able to assess if you can get clearence or not. It is a formality, yes, but a necessary one... Is that an issue, Ran-san?" he wondered. Not many people travelled internationally without means of identification or travel documents. The woman would explain that, coming from a minor village, she never thought about entering on one of the five great nations. Ren sighed, scratching his chin as he pondered on her words. "I see... Is your village far from here? The lack of documents would make it more of a hassle, but then again, you should be fine after a brief interview with the ANBU." he added. He didn't want to grow suspicious of her, but that had risen a red flag, and he knew that sometimes appearances could be deceiving, and while he still wanted to believe this woman was a good person he had nothing to worry about, he was now paying more attention to her words and reactions. Hopefully he wouldn't have anything to worry about, but if he had to, he wanted to avoid being caught off-guard. "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 Market [Ryuujin Shiina] [286 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 woman had to think fast. She nodded her head, her expression unfazed, as Ren told her about this interview with the ANBU. Shiina's mind hadn't been racing this hard for a long time. In a way she needed to thank the boy for giving her the run for her money. "Actually, the village I reside in isn't really far from here but it's in the opposite way we are currently headed. If you don't mind making a detour with me, I'd gladly go and get some documentation. Then there won't be the hassle of an ANBU interview." She could smell that he was suspicious of her. Despite the fact that she had been trying to play it cool, the woman knew that anyone who said that they didn't have identification on them would automatically be subject to undeniable suspicion. As the continued down the road, she opened her mouth again, this time slightly more hesitant than the last. "You see, Ren-san, I have something I have to tell you..." her voice was that of a low whisper, and her expression was one quite genuine. She cast her eyes downward as she said this, for one of two reasons. One, she was going to tell him a half-truth, and two, regardless of whether it was a half truth or a whole lie, this was going to taint her reputation and perhaps image she held in his mind.

"...the reason I don't have identification on me constantly is my occupation." If he thought she was going to reveal her actual occupation, the woman was thinking of her secondary one. "I'm a geisha." Shiina allowed her words to sink in. Even if Ren were to have extensive knowledge of geisha, she could guarantee that the misconceptions one had between that and an poran were bound to be a hot topic of discussion. Oiran sold their bodies for money, entertained wealthy diplomats and found their way to their beds in order to maintain an income. Geisha, on the other hand, were sophisticated performers. They only performed for the wealthy and the powerful, and maintained a code of conduct that was stricter than even that of a shinobi. It was also why she had chosen the name Ran as her disguise, for it was the name of her geisha teacher who she had managed to persuade to allow her to stay and learn the art from the time she was a young child.

Geisha were also unknown to the general public, their identities and faces often covered whenever they were requested to do performances because of the nature of their job. It was also because of this that many often mistook them for being oiran of a different grade, when in truth, they were required to perform to people who often discussed secrets and intricacies that couldn't and wouldn't be repeated. The young woman knew that geisha had the special exception, which was a logical exception, of not carrying an identification, so as not to expose their job. "That is why I don't have any identification as Ran. Ran is my geisha name..." She was being surprisingly truthful though only half truthful. She looked at Ren then, her eyes searching his.

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!" GEISHA A detour was not ideal, but it was something he could probably still afford, meaning he would still be able to get back to Kuwana before the end of the current round of the exam, thus allowing him to resume his guard duties. "I guess that is a viable option. Which way leads to your village?" he would ask, but before she could answer that, she would notice his suspicious look at decided to give him an explanation. When she said she had something to tell him, he silenced and nodded at her, looking right into her golden eyes with his grey orbs. "Go ahead." he said, with a far more serious, focused tone. Still, he couldn't hide his dumbfounded expression when she revealed to be a geisha. Ren felt embarrassed when he realized he was mouth agape, and his cheeks immediately flared in an intense hue of red. The boy gazed away almost immediately, and his shoulders tensed up visibly. Her explanation, even if not entirely truthful was found to be very believable by the Special Jounin, if only because it was making him feel so embarrassed his brain was refusing to overthink the situation. "W-would you then... Uh... Have documents with your... Uh... Original name? T-that would be acceptable..." he said in a lower than usual tone, as he bounced his index fingers onto the other, feeling a bit anxious and uncomfortable with the situation. But in a way, it made sense. The woman was immensely beautiful. "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 Market [Ryuujin Shiina] [264 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 -

Shiina knew for a fact that Ren hadn't been prepared for what she had just said. In fact, nobody ever was, especially since geisha were a very low-profile yet high-profile occupation even within the five great shinobi nations. She knew that despite geisha holding a certain skewed reputation with its misrepresentation, she knew of people who truly admired and respected them. And it was for this reason specifically that she had trained rigorously under her teacher. As a geisha, it provided her with the identity and yet lack of that was perfect for situations like this.

Or at least situations that didn't involve another shinobi.

"I understand that my profession may not be the most respectable, in the eyes of many, and for someone of nobility like you, I suppose you have lost any ounce of respect that you had for me." Shiina was genuinely a little hurt, not because he found that geisha were not worthy and not reputable, at least from the way he was looking at her. Of course, she was oblivious that the boy was somewhat infatuated by her and thought of it rather unbelievable in its own right that was an actual geisha. "Do you still want to travel with me then? I will understand if you don't..." She allowed her words to trail. For once she wasn't baiting or pretending to be an emotion she wasn't.

"And I don't...I gave my identification over to the okiya, which is the school that I practiced in. As a way of repaying my teacher for parting her skills and seeing the talent in me, all geisha are expected to live in the okiya and pay a large sum of our earnings to the school until we have practiced as a geisha for five years. If you would like me to get the identification, I will have to get it from my teacher." She spoke mostly the truth, but her expression changed to that of a rather cold one, one that reflected the hurt she felt.

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!" PROCEDURE "T-that's not what I meant... I... I've killed people... I c-can't say anything about how respectable your life path is... I forfeit that right when I placed myself in a position that should belong only to the Gods." he said, still embarrassed, but giving her some insight on how he saw matters such as life and death and the responsibility of shinobi. "And... Ran-san... I may be a member of the Nohime clan, but I'm not any important member of it... It's not like I am nobility or anything, and my respect to you is based on you as a person, not on your profession, so please don't say that." he sighed. He didn't like what she said, its words rang wrong to him. Her value was not determined by her profession, at leat not to him. "It uh, doesn't change anything..." he reassured her, still unable to look back into her eyes; he was a bit too shy still. When she explained that her identification was over to the okiya, he nodded. And while he wasn't very knowledgeable of the ways of the geisha, he knew enough to know she was likely telling the truth. It did sound complicated, and if a Geisha were to go to Kuwana, that could potentially be good for business within the city. Still, he wasn't the one in charge of security, so he honestly didn't quite know how to proceed under this situation. "to be honest... I don't know the right procedure... I apologize, but it is my first time meeting a Geisha... I would have to ask my superiors on how to proceed with the identification for the clearance, but I believe uh... I believe you would be fine. I think the city would like to have a Geisha there during the exams. M-maybe you get some nice clients..." he added, scratching the back of his head. "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 Market [Ryuujin Shiina] [330 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 -

They were too close to Tsuchi no Kuni for them to turn back, and it would seem a waste, if not suspicious if they did. She nodded her head understandingly to all that Ren said. She had made him flustered, while he stammered for words to tell her his stance on the situation. "I understand. I guess I just assumed you didn't want to associate with me." Her eyes cast down to the ground again. "Many don't after they hear that I'm a geisha. People form their own opinions about what it is that we do, and over time I just got too tired to explain myself and my disposition." She didn't look at him either, instead she continued to speak, her true feelings about the people she met so far rang with each syllable. "You see, Ren-san, there are not many like you. I have no way of knowing whether you speak those words because you genuinely feel this way or whether you are simply being polite, but there are not many who can even be as polite as you, so to speak. I've always made the argument that geisha are in no way selling our bodies for money. On the contrary, what we do is true art, and we practice for many years to perfect that art until we are skilled enough to demonstrate this art to those who know how to appreciate it."

Shiina looked at him when he suggested that perhaps the Chuunin Exams needed geisha. "We do not have performances lightly. I don't mean the monetary compensation, but the fact that we only perform based on what is accepted by our okiya or whoever governs it. Unfortunately, even if I enter your country under the name of a geisha, because we did not make arrangements prior to this very moment, I doubt I can perform. It is against the rules of my house to do so, moreover against the possible entry regulations designed for performers in Tsuchi no Kuni, I assume." She heaved a small sigh, her eyes not leaving Ren's. "There is one thing I can do, but I would have to do this here, and not in your land, for you."

"Have you ever been a part of a tea ceremony? As a geisha, we are taught how to host one and I would love to host one for you in this village. I know a few people here that could help me get a tea room set up." She smiled at the boy genuinely. "Then we can make the best use of our time and maybe we can wait until after the exams are over to visit, when the protection has eased up a little?" Although Shiina had wanted to visit Kuwana, she knew that the place was still going to be here for many years to come. She simply hoped Ren would take her offer, as a tea ceremony one-on-one with a geisha was a highly sought after and precious experience in and of itself.

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!" TEA CEREMONY He nodded as she mentioned how people reacted to the revelation she was a geisha. This world was unfortunately full off people who were quick to judge, and even quicker to hate. "I'm sorry about that. It's not fair to you." he commented, feeling saddened by the tribulations she had been through due to her path in in life. The woman would go on about how there weren't many people like Ren, although she still wasn't sure if he was being genuine or merely polite, and then explaining the difference between the work of a geisha and an courtesan. "I mean what I said... I have no reason to be lying to you..." he retorted, pouting with a slightly grumpier tone; despite everything, he didn't like when people doubted his words, as it as something valuable to the young Nohime. His suggestion was not really something feasible it seemed, as there was a lot of steps involved in the performance of a Geisha, so when she explained it to him, he nodded slowly in acknowledgment. "Ah... I see..." and with that being said, it made sense it would be better for her to visit Kuwana after the Chuunin Exams were over. Still, she offered to do something for him while in this place, and it sparkled his curiosity. "Oh yeah? What is it?" he asked, unable to hide the curiosity in his tone. Shiina would then ask if he had been a part of a tea ceremony and he would shake his head. "Not personally, no." he admitted, and when she offered to do just that, his eyes sparkled in excitement, which made him look a bit younger than he actually was due to the sudden enthusiasm. "For reals?! That would be awesome!!" he said, and upon noticing his tone, he blushed heavily once again and gazed away. "I m-mean... If you want, sure." he corrected himself, trying to sound more mature. "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 Market [Ryuujin Shiina] [338 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 -

Shiina found it oddly comforting even as he apologized profusely. She felt kind of bad, knowing that she had caused him to become embarrassed, wrongfully assuming that his blushes were from this than what they truly were for. "It's what people presume. I used to care very much about how people saw me and my work. But when I realized that explanations often went nowhere, I gave up trying." Contrary to his sad tone, she felt nothing. Even though she had just displayed feelings of hurt, she had wanted so much to defer Ren from finding out who she truly was, and for that she needed something that could make him temporarily forget that she had no identification on her and possibly even the suspicion he had harbored against her only moments ago.

She actually gave a chuckle at Ren's first response of excitement, reminding her of a teenage boy. But then again, he wasn't far from being one, age-wise. "Of course, I wouldn't mind at all." The woman kept her smile as she directed Ren to the direction of a smaller village. This would at least buy her some time, although she did truly want to show him how tea ceremonies were supposed to be conducted. Having trained in the art for almost three years, she understood a fair better amount about tea and its culture than most people.

Of course, she hadn't forgotten that this a simple detour. But she was hoping that this experience would be one that could allow the boy to at least cut her some slack today. As they walked in silence, Shiina would be open to him to break the silence. The woman herself simply didn't feel like she could break it herself, after almost compromising her carefully crafted façade because she hadn't accounted for the fact that there would be ANBU in the five great nations. Has it really been this long since she had been a shinobi that she forgot about something so logical as this?

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!" WHAT IS IT LIKE The two would continue to walk towards the smaller village nearby, with Ren trying to keep his cool after acting a bit like a child, which was overly embarrassing to such a brooding teen who took himself way too seriously, but as they walked in silence, he slowly started to relax once again, when they were getting closer to their destination, he would finally turn back to her, looking more calm and collected now, and break the lasting silence. "Is it hard? The training I mean. If you don't mind talking about it, that is. Being a shinobi is hard. There's a lot of training involved, and some things are hard to learn." he said, frowning his brows ever so slightly as he remembered how much he was struggling to learn to control his power in a more advanced way. And until he could do so, he wouldn't be able to use his father sword as it was meant to be used. It was frustrating, yes, but he wasn't going to give up. Maybe hearing the woes of another profession would make him feel a bit better. It had to be hard, right? Being a Geisha. "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 Approaching the small village [Ryuujin Shiina] [217 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 -

It seemed that he would become interested in her geisha life, or rather the training to become with. Whether he was doing it out of trying to find something to talk about or whether it was sincere curiosity. She would try to answer him in the most honest manner. "Our training is that of memory, really. What I mean is, everything we do, including the tea ceremony, dancing and playing music are all learned through constantly doing. We have a rule within our profession, that all trainees are not allowed to take notes during lessons. This is why it can take up to ten years before a maiko becomes a real geisha." She thought of her own days, and felt like she had taken a short cut, streamlining the process so she didn't have to wait those ten years.

But it also meant she had incredible skill. Shiina picked up what would take years to perfect and finesse quickly, the process of repetition most of the other trainees struggled with were foreign concepts to her. She also had an extremely patient and wonderful teacher though, remembering how the two of them would stay up well into the night for lessons so as to make the streamlined process even more smooth. She had definitely gotten lucky. "You say that being a shinobi is hard. Did you have a hard time being one?" Although she knew full well the struggles of a shinobi, having been one herself, she wanted to hear what Ren had to say. It was rare that shinobi would confide in each other, most of them would always prefer to just compete.

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!" VALUE OF A LIFE, WEIGHT OF DEATH He nodded as he paid attention to her words, it seemed like it was really hard indeed, not being able to take notes or anything. "Oh, I see. That sounds really tough." he admitted, thinking that becoming a shinobi was also a lot of work, as they also had to learn and master a plethora of different skillsets and abilities, and in some cases, like himself, advanced bloodlines and such. Thinking about it, he couldn't help but to remember he was yet to develop an advanced mastery over his Kekkei Tota, so that he could eventually use his father's sword as it was meant to be used. "One day, Ama-no-Habakiri... One day..." he made the silent promise to himself and to the legacy he carried like a burden over his shoulders. Almost as if she was reading his thoughts, the woman would ask if he had a hard time being a shinobi and he would slowly nod. "It is a hard life. I won't lie to you. I still struggle with it, trying to become better, stronger... And at the same time trying to retain my humanity as I do so. It is so easy to let it get to your head, you know? All this death... It is easy to lose track of just how precious life is." he sighed, as his eyes did little effort to hide the sadness that struck the young man. "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 Conversation [Ryuujin Shiina] [257 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 -

Shiina listened to Ren, listened to him speak of life and death. She couldn't really sympathize with how he felt, especially given the circumstances of her past. She didn't offer any words, as a result, simply nodding her head. Death was hard to face, and the death of a close person in one's life could be shattering to some people's souls. She herself had been the recipient of all this emotion, when her parents died and those who were closest to her did as well. The thought made her tense, her eyes wandering away from Ren completely so as to not give away the fact that the anger she felt inside was coming back to her now. It had been many years ago, but the wound felt fresh, and would probably feel this way for a very long time.

They would arrive at one of the small villages, where she took him to a tea house. It had been a small restaurant once upon a time, rebuilt and renovated into a tea house for those who wanted a little peace and quiet to enjoy. Shiina took Ren inside, where he would find a zen garden with some candles paved along both sides of small path, leading them to two small houses. There was one with a basin and constant water flowing into it, a ladle placed on the stone basin for guests who were about to enjoy a tea ceremony to wait for the host. The woman excused herself so as to go to the other house, where the tea ceremony was to be held, asking Ren to sit in the other house and wait.

MADE BY MIZO