[Festival] Chit chat and snack attack...

[chocochipgamer]

It had been an eventful evening, so far. She had seen a large handful of very interesting shinobi. Even going so far as to spar with one a little. As she walked away from the group, she wondered if she would ever see any of them again. Yozei had made it clear that he wanted to take her on as a student. Fanho just seemed to be intriguing. Then there was the large monk-like man, the female archer, and the piloted puppet woman. So many people had shown up to the little spot she had claimed. It actually made her smile just then. Her parents would have loved to hear her stories about seeing them all.

A small smile crept up as she pondered over what it would be like to actually be taught by someone, one on one. She made sure not to go too far since she was waiting for Yozei to join her. Her eyes landed on a bench not too far from the training spot, but closer to the food stalls found at the festival. The smells were already teasing her as she tried to keep her mind on the possibilities of her future. He seemed to be very skilled in swordsmanship and hand to hand combat, so that was something she noted. She laced her fingers together and rested them atop her head as she sat on the bench for a moment. Her hope was to make sure he wasn’t rushed since she wasn’t, herself. Besides, he had an entourage of sorts that appeared to be following him.

Instead, she busied herself silently, replaying their sparring match in her mind. She made notes of each motion she made that she didn’t like. Each thing he did to counter. She even tried to change how she would have gone at him, now that she knew how someone more skilled might parry her movements. It was interesting to her, but she didn’t really have a lot of tools in her combat chest just yet. Her feet swayed back and forth as she sat on the bench, leaning back with a gentle smile on her face. Unbeknownst to her, she had started humming a bit. It was a quiet sound, gentle and soft, but it was there. Her head even bobbed from side to side as she waited for her companion to make his way to her.

[Izanagi]

After a few minutes, that felt more like a few weeks, Yozei managed to get in some parting words with his friends from his past. Smiling and feeling invigored by nostalgia, the 6th Prince of Fire country strode down the stone streets toward the woman that patiently awaited him. He had given instruction to his guards to keep back fifty meters, he didn’t need them hovering around him everywhere he went, especially with Pebble country samurai providing their own security. But he knew their diligence was justified. He had been targeted several times and even kidnapped on more than one occasion, no matter how much he professed he could handle himself he seemed to often get mixed up with S-ranked shinobi and others of terrifying talents.

But he would attempt to keep such thoughts of paranoia far from his mind. He had a new student to get to know, one that showed great promise in close quarters combat which had always been an area he had neglected in his teenage years. His cerulean blue eyes fell upon Sachi waiting for him, even as the aroma of various foods filled the air. “Sorry to have kept you waiting. Are you hungry?” he gestured toward the various food stands not far from them. “Get anything you like, my treat” he insisted. Despite his fine clothes, Yozei’s demeanor was typically gentle and down to earth. But he still walked with an unmistakable confidence and grace. “I haven’t had a chance to try most of the local cuisine, I’d love to discover what they have to offer together” he suggested.

Yozei’s auburn hair seemed to almost glow in the sun, tied back in a short ponytail. In this lighting the shades of red seemed to be accentuated by glimmers of pink. But ultimately, he carried the likeness of his father much more than his mother, strong jawed and athletically built, he was not one to live a sheltered life. Rather he sought adventure in any and all forms. And Sachi indicated a new chapter to his life, or so he hoped. To take on a student, away from the palace and his usual responsibilities felt in a way a fresh start and a connection back to his days as a Konoha shinobi. In this moment he felt genuinely content and optimistic about what the future might hold and the thoughts of going to war in the coming days was far from his mind.

[chocochipgamer]

She watched as he spoke to his guards. What it must feel like to have so many people following and watching your every move. The moves of every person around you being judged on whether or not those motions had ill intent. Sachi figured, for her at least, it must be tiring. Then, she considered WHY he even needed to have guards constantly. Yozei had said he was the Prince of Fire Country. In that regard, it made sense. He was high nobility. The fact he was even willing to spend time with her and take her on as a student spoke volumes as to him as a person.

When he eventually came over, she saw as the guards stood further back than they had been at the training field. Her smile softened as she watched him. As he apologized for her waiting, she shook her head and waved away his words dismissively. “No need to apologize. You seem to be quite the popular fellow,” her words were pleasant and cheery. Now he had her attention, he offered to buy food. She was almost always up for a bit to eat. He gestured at the stands and she followed his gaze. As she stood, her tone shifted a little to show a more caregiving side, “Are you hungry for a meal or an after spar snack? I’m good either way, I pretty much have a bottomless appetite.”

His grounded attitude was visible and that alone made her a little less anxious to be alone around him. Well, as alone as they could be with his guards mean mugging anyone that looked his direction. As they walked closer to the food stands, she reached up to her hair. The spar had undone some of the work to keep everything out of her face, so she took the opportunity to clean up her appearance. Instead of leaving it in the ponytail from earlier, she tugged the long tail of hair over her shoulder. The sun capturing the hints of golden honey colored highlights every now and again to make it almost sparkle. She ran her fingers through, untangling as she went, before braiding it down in front of her shoulder. The braid came down almost to her elbow before she tied it off with a band. Once that was done, she seemed to relax a little.

“I’ve had a few meals from the inn where I'm staying and snacks from the festival,” she offered with a smile. “Everything seems to be really good.” She couldn’t help but glance at him from time to time. What kinds of responsibilities did he have as Prince? His skill with a sword was impressive, but she wondered if he had any shinobi training. He used that kunai with a fair amount of skill, so she wouldn’t be surprised. Another thing struck her at that point. He was a handsome man. As that thought ran through her head, she turned away, knowing there was a tiny blush creeping up on her cheeks. Silently, she scolded herself and bit the inside of her cheek a little.

[Izanagi]

Yozei only shrugged and sheepishly ran a hand through his hair when Sachi called him popular. He had always had attention on him and high expectations, but he couldn’t say he ever enjoyed any semblance of the popularity that had followed him over the years. “It’s to be expected I suppose” he commented, leaving it at that, almost as if he was ashamed of that fact. But he bounced back quickly, smiling and maintaining a friendly aura as they meandered through the streets in search of food. “A meal it is then” he decided, he couldn’t in good conscience let a hard-working woman go hungry. Inhaling slowly, he appreciated the crisp mountain air and basked in the warmth of the afternoon sun across his lightly tanned skin. He had always loved the mountains and felt invigorated being this far North. The food here was hardier than what he had gotten used to, more dishes of meats and potatoes and less exotic spices and flavours of Shrimp continent. Or at least that’s what he had assumed until the scent of various Wind country spices filled the air; specifically turmeric, garlic, hummus and other earthy aromas. “I wonder if they make curry” he considered, it had been a favorite dish of his when he had visited Sunagakure, and even in Shrimp continent they had their own versions. But then, in the spirit of trying new flavors he considered perhaps branching out. Various vendors sold kebabs and meatballs and even grilled zuchinni and eggplant.

Despite having suggested a sit-down meal, Yozei found himself too easily tempted by the convenient street food and his desire to try each and every new experience. Finding his gaze lingering on each of the various food stalls, he swiftly turned and followed his nose and grumbling stomach toward their salvation. “Well, maybe just a few of each. What do you say?” he suggested as he patiently waited in line so that he could order. One of his guards began to approach to clear the line for them and Yozei nonchalantly waved him off, insisting on waiting just like anyone else. Truthfully, he detested being treated differently and he had always admired the Konoha way of treating one another as equals and family regardless of one’s station.

The prince smiled, watching Sachiko as she fixed her hair. She was quite a bit shorter than him, barely chest height. It was all the more impressive that she had managed to fare as well as she did in taijutsu training. “You’re quite beautiful, you know that?” he complimented. He tended to speak his mind plainly and led with his heart, always lifting up his friends and loved ones. Sachi may not have been a traditional beauty in the way of a full-figured seductress, but there was an undeniable appeal to her more natural and subtle features. He smirked as she blushed and he reached out to pat her on the back, “Don’t go turning into a tomato on me” he teased, chuckling lightly as he put a hand on her shoulder. Perhaps it was that they had already done some grappling that he felt comfortable being close to her and making physical contact. He knew back in Dragon’s Breath Province he would be reprimanded sternly for being too friendly with a woman in public. It was an old habit from the days before he was legitimized as a Prince, but he found himself wanting to slip away from his responsibilities and take this tie to enjoy a night out as a common man. Still, his touch wouldn’t linger long, just enough to jokingly jostle her around a bit before retreating his hand to his side.