Oceano

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Omoi scribbled down notes and medical statistics furiously, just as she had been for the vast majority of the day. For some reason, today had been incredibly busy; on top of the normal check-ups people had scheduled today, the entirety of the village's accident-prone population decided to be clumsy. The hours literally flew by as the kunoichi filed form after form. She was pretty sure that after today, she didn't want to see another filing cabinet for quite some time.

She had finally gotten some down time, which she used to nibble on a little bit of food and get refreshed. Though she didn't have anything else to do after she was done at the hospital, Omoi hated leaving work in a contrived mood; she thought doing so showed a lack of appreciation for a job she actually very much enjoyed.

Finally, she had come down to the last patient of the day. She grabbed the clipboard from the secretary at the desk and gave a quick scan before calling out into the lobby. "Is there a Hurn Tobika here?" she asked politely, a pleasant ring to her voice as it carried just a bit throughout the still-busy waiting area.

[Mortalvis]

Being laden with cuts and bruises was beginning to become a commonality for Tobi. With his blacksmith apprenticeship picking up, his clumsiness had seen to it that he made mistakes at every possible opportunity. Today had been particularly eventful, and Tobi's battered torso was but a trade off for a laborious day of work.

Orik, Tobi's mentor, was sure the genin had bruised his ribs trying to handle a mallet that was likely heavier than he was. If the pain in his chest was any indicator, Orik was surely correct.

By that time, Tobi had been waiting for several hours for attention. The packed waiting room was starting to become a headache, and he was mulling over thoughts about leaving.

Just as he was rising out of his seat to part from the legion of people still waiting for the same thing that he was, he heard his name. His gaze, first lured by the chime of the Omoi's voice, was followed by a few words:

"A-Ah, yes, right here." A soft, habitual smile came across his face as he came forth, but not without a bit of unease due to his injuries.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

For a moment, Omoi had wondered if the person she had called forth might have left. Then a small timid response broke through the crowd. Omoi's eyes followed the sound until it set eyes on a most curious individual.

The young man was a bit taller than Omoi, but despite this, he seemed a bit skinny and, to be quite honest... adorable. She couldn't really put her finger on it, but something about this Tobika fellow seemed friendly. Whether it was this lanky frame, his soft ocean blue eyes, or his baggy clothing, but she found herself warming up to the guy already.

'I think Maru-kun would definitely like him,' she thought as she smiled as she moved towards Tobika. 'He seems to be a very pleasant transition from the series of half-baked hijinks that make up Nat's entire personality.'

Approaching the young man, Omoi's words were soft and kind. "Hello, Hurn Tobika-kun. My name is Nenshou Omoi and I'll be the nurse administering your examination today," she stated gently as she gave a small bow to the fellow genin. "Please follow me, sir."

Making her way to the examination room, Omoi closed the door before pointing to the small cot. "Would you please remove your shirt, Tobika-kun? she asked as she began filling in some of the information on the form. "It'll make it easier to measure your vitals and administer the examination."

[Mortalvis]

Oh, the social awkwardness; it plagued Tobi. His stomach tightened as he was directed to the cot and instructed to take his shirt off. Had Omoi not sounded so kind, Tobi's uncomfortableness would have been completely justified.

"Oh... yeah, just a sec..." His tone was faint and hesitant. Tobi was no stranger to the hospital, especially considering some of his worst moments, but those trips hadn't gone any better than this one thus far. It was in Tobi's nature to be cautious and anxious at times like this, and if not for the necessity, he would have wished he had left when he had the chance.

After finally sitting himself on the cot, he carefully removed his sweater. It stung dearly to move his arms over his head, and the unsightly, purple bruises on his chest only made him feel worse.

As Tobi sat there, he could only hope that the examination wasn't going to hurt too badly.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

As soon as he sat on the cot Omoi could tell something was wrong. The kunoichi could see the young man straining to get his sweater off. "Please, let me help you with that, Tobika-kun," she softly requested as she set down her clipboard and moved to assist him.

When she set eyes on the large purple blotches that spanned his chest, she had to resist the urge to gasp in shock. "Oh, you poor thing..." she whispered as she surveyed his many scars and, more notably, the significant burns on his hands.

'Whatever job he has must be quite rigorous and intense,' she thought as she made a mental note of what to treat. 'I haven't seen such deep bruising on a man this young in a very long time...'

Carefully placing one hand upon the front of his shoulder and another on his back, she very carefully had Tobika lay down on the cot. "Please rest, Tobika-kun," Omoi gently commanded, the same peaceful smile upon her face as she lowered his back onto the cot. "I'll have you fixed up in no time."

With that, Omoi placed her palm upon his forehead and closed her eyes, concentrating on flowing her chakra into his body. Perhaps it was redundant to perform a secondary diagnosis, but there wasn't any reason she couldn't be thorough about her work. Seeing as his wounds were only external (thankfully), Omoi carefully set her hands down on Tobika's chest before sending her healing chakra through her palms. It reached out into his musculature like tiny rays of light, slowly wiping the pain from his flesh.

JutsuShow

*Eisei Shindan no Jutsu [Medical Diagnosis Technique]
D-Ranked Ninjutsu
By kneeling over a patient, the shinobi using this skill can probe the body for signs of injury that cannot be seen by the naked eye. Internal wounds, non-apparent bone fractures, poisoning, disease, and abnormal or improper heart rate can be found quickly depending on the user. If a Genin is using this technique, it could take several minutes of work to diagnose the problem, while a higher ranked ninja could have it done from less than a minute down to a few seconds time.

*Shousen Jutsu [Mystical Hand Technique]
C-Ranked Ninjutsu
Shousen Jutsu is a Ninjutsu technique utilized by medical ninja. This technique allows the ninja to heal wounds by focusing their own chakra to their hands. If the ninja is highly skilled, they are able to heal more critical injuries. Highly skilled medical-Nins such as Tsunade can use their techniques to perform surgeries that otherwise would not be possible.

[Mortalvis]

"Alright..." he murmured as he tried to relax. It was only natural that he'd wince when her hand came near his injuries. He felt that pain was nearly imminent, but Omoi proved her gentleness once again.

As she started with her diagnosis, Tobi tried to keep his gaze away from both his wounds and Omoi. It wasn't long before his curiosity got the better of him, though, and he shot brief glances at the kunoichi to judge her expression. By the looks of things, he wasn't too badly injured, which only helped to ease some of his anxieties.

Now came the anticipation of having all the dull, throbbing pain washed away.

The skills of a medical-nin always baffled Tobi. They were quick, percise, and they healed mortal wounds as though it were child's play. Even Omoi, as young as she looked, was tackling his deep bruising with skill beyond his understanding.

'She's really good at this...' he thought to himself, taking on a little more curiosity for what she was doing. He was sensibly jealous, but also in admiration of her skills. It made Tobi feel it was necessary to utter a few words.

"It feels a lot better already."

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Tobi's compliment wasn't met with a "thank you," oddly enough. "It's great to know that you're starting to feel better, Tobika-kun," Omoi answered, her voice's gentle touch rivaled only by the brush of her hands. "I'm just glad I was able to ease the pain."

The bruises and cuts had all but vanished. Omoi was certainly thankful she had managed to cure his ills, but this poor young man's hands were still so very burned and damaged. She carefully moved her hands over to his right hand, still maintaining the jutsu. For several minutes, she stayed there, channeling her chakra into the skin cells and muscle below it, trying her hardest to heal the injury until a few beads of sweat began to run down her brow.

It was to no avail. Though she knew from sight the burns were relatively minor, the damage was still too much for her to heal on her own. Still, she wasn't completely helpless; reaching into her pack, Omoi pulled out a small jar of medicinal cream. "I'm not sure how well it will perform... but here's a salve that might be able to help with your burns, Tobika-kun. Please make sure to use it at least once every evening," she told him as she set it down right next to the cot and offered her hands out to help him get up from the cot with a mostly relieved expression. "Still, I'm very happy to see all those bruises and cuts gone. Do try to be more careful in the future."

[Mortalvis]

Tobi somehow knew that Omoi wouldn't be able to heal his burns. Not because he doubted her skill, but because he had carried the scars for so long that it would almost be wrong if they were gone.

"Oh... alright, I'll do that. Thanks," he said. The genin seemed grateful, reinforced by a small, but warm smile and the pleasant tone of his voice.

"Heh, yeah. In my line of work, I'm surprised I didn't come in here half dead." Cue goofy smile and nervous laugh; Tobi was still showing signs of awkwardness, but he tried to reach out and inject a little more of his personality into the situation.

By then, he knew it was time to get up and go, but he lingered on the cot after he had pulled his sweater back on. Should he say something? No, Tobi didn't have the words to say much else.

"Well, uh..." he mumbled, averting his gaze.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Something had been seriously bothering Omoi ever since she set eyes on Tobika, and she finally realized what it was: the young man was ridiculously thin. He wasn't unmuscular, but she couldn't spot any sort of body fat on the young man. She remembered being able to distinctly see each rib in his ribcage during his examination. Omoi knew very well that she couldn't really do anything in the long run... but maybe she could at least do something for him right now.

"Tobika-kun... I get off work in a moment. Would you allow me to perhaps buy you some dinner?" Omoi asked politely. "It's not entirely healthy for a young man your age to have so little meat on his bones. Please, allow me to do you this favor."

Omoi knew what that sounded like, and she couldn't care less. Her mother hen complex was in full force, and she simply refused to do nothing, even if Tabikou thought less of her for it.

[Mortalvis]

If her request had been anything else, Tobi might have said no, but to food? He'd take that up any day. Ever since his mother forced him to begin feeding himself or face starvation, he had been losing quite a bit of necessary weight. Thankfully, Orik had the appetite of a great beast, and when Tobi sat down to dinner with him, he would be full for days. Unfortunately, those days had past and the genin could hear his stomach growling at him angrily.

"That, uh, sounds great actually," he replied, trying not to sound too eager. Luckily for Omoi, in Tobi's naive mind, being asked out for food meant nothing more than sharing a meal with someone and had no romantic connotations.

"Thanks again, by the way. And again... for this," Tobi mentioned as he picked up the jar of cream. He hopped off the cot shortly after and stared expectantly at Omoi, not entirely sure if she had something small to do before they could get going.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Omoi gave a small sigh of relief. At least he accepted her offer; she had been fearing that such a forward request would have driven the young man away. A small growl emanated from Tobika's stomach, and Omoi couldn't help but giggle at his body betraying his thoughts on the matter. "Well, you were my last patient, Tobika-kun," she told him, still chuckling as she removed his form from the clipboard. "So we can leave whenever you want. Was there a specific place you wanted to go?"

Omoi had to admit that although she was buying this young man dinner, her deciding to leave the choice of restaurant up to him was a tad bit selfish on her part. She was hoping that Tabikou would introduce her to a place that she hadn't been to before. Who knows? Maybe Omoi would find another place with which to sate her ravenous sweet tooth.

[Mortalvis]

Tobi didn't get out much, especially when it came to places to eat, so he grew nervous when Omoi asked him where he wanted to go.

'Where to go... what places do I even know in Iwa?... Oh!'

"You've probably been there before... but Ougonjidai? A friend of mine's mother and grandmother run the place. The food's really good too," Tobi mentioned, reflecting on the last time he had eaten there. Surely Oushi's mother would kindly welcome him, which was all the motivation he needed to go back.

"How's that sound to you?" As he waited for her reply, he felt awfully sure that his choice was boring and not what she was looking for. That said, he had a claim to being too busy most days to scope out places to eat--or eat at all.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

As soon as Tobika mentioned Ougonjidai, Omoi had to hold back the geyser of excitement that suddenly welled up within her. Even with this precaution, the young woman showed a bit of her age; she was absolutely bubbly. She had never had the chance before to go to Ougonjidai. Not only that, but she had always felt a bit odd about going to such a prestigious place by herself, and whenever she had saved up enough money for two people, Maru would always be on a mission or running errands for his mother. The fact that she finally had someone to accompany her there made the kunoichi absolutely ecstatic. "I would love to go there, Tobika-kun!" she answered, doing her best not to burst with joy. "I've always wanted to visit Ougonjidai, but I never had the chance to go there. Oh, this is going to be fantastic! Let's go, Tobika-kun!"

Uh oh. He had done it. He had released the bottomless pit.

As Omoi made her back into the lobby, she ushered Tobika to follow her. Guess he'd just have to see what happened.

[Mortalvis]

A sense of relief washed over Tobi as Omoi's reaction turned out to be much the opposite of what he expected. In a way he felt bad, despite her reaction, because he knew it was somewhat expensive. Though, now that she seemed to eager to go, he couldn't try to suggest something cheaper.

"Heh, let's go," was all Tobi managed to utter before being ushered out after the girl. It put a small smile on his face to know that he had picked a good place to eat (even if it was the only place he really knew) and that Omoi had jumped at the opportunity with such happiness. He could only hope he didn't suddenly return to his awkward manners the moment they sat down for dinner.

As Tobi kept close behind his company, he looked for something to say.

"Oh, uh... by the way, you can just call me Tobi. Tobika's kinda what adults usually call me, and you don't look like you're that old."

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Omoi was a bit too excited to notice any nervousness that Tobi might have expressed; all she knew right now was that she was going to Ougonjidai, and by golly, she was gonna eat them out of house and home if she could. Her overactive sweet tooth would not be denied!

As Omoi turned in Tobika's release forms and made their way out of the hospital, she decided to try and learn a bit more about her new friend. "So, Tobi-kun... tell me about yourself," she said as they walked along the road. "I mean, it's apparent enough that you're a shinobi, but what are your hobbies? What do you like? Do you do any work off to the side like I do?"

Omoi, besides having a raging sweet tooth, was also an immensely curious individual. Hopefully, Tobika might be open enough to share more about himself with her. Besides, a quiet dining partner would make for an uneventful culinary experience.

[Mortalvis]

Tobi wasn't accustomed to having someone that was curious about his life. He usually had no qualms about telling people what they wanted to know; it wasn't much of a secret that he was quite chatty if he found someone that was genuinely interested in listening to his drabness.

"I'm kind of boring, actually," Tobi began, giving himself something to fall back on just in case Omoi found what he said to be exactly that.

"Yeah, I'm a shinobi, if not only the second to ever come from my family. Genin. Aaaaaaaand I don't really have a lot of hobbies... these days, all of my time is spent with my mentor, Orik. Not a shinobi mentor... blacksmith. If you can call getting burned and bruised almost every day a hobby, then sure it is. Even then, it's rewarding."

Pausing to dodge through the sparse population littering the road, Tobi found that he hadn't much more to say by the time he could resume. Instead, he turned the conversation around.

"And what about you, Omoi? I've already seen that you're a pretty talented Medical-nin, but I'm sure that's not all..." Tobi trailed off before he realized that was the first time he had used her name that day. It almost seemed improper given how they met in a professional versus patient scenario, and his lack of honorifics was something that often got him some awkward looks.

"Oh, uh... is there anything you'd rather I call you? I-I know I'm not great with honorifics. I hope that doesn't bother you."

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Omoi had only a small amount of information about smithing, but she still found the entire process fascinating. Omoi held metal in her hands all the time, and she could never imagine it otherwise. To know that Tobika had the fortitude to stand near heat hot enough to turn such a tough material into molten slag was astounding. "Well, you may think that medical ninjutsu's this extravagant art, but smithing is easily more amazing than anything I could hope to do. I mean, you bend metal to your will! How isn't that incredible?" she asked as they made their way towards Ougonjidai.

Omoi shook her head at his next question. "To be honest... there's nothing much about me that you probably already don't know... other than the fact that I have a boyfriend, of course," she stated. "And don't worry about about honorifics, Tobi-kun. Actually, I'd be more worried if you did use them. As it is, the only person that uses honorifics with me is Maru-kun."

The kunoichi turned to Tobi, her curiosity piqued. "What about your family, Tobi-kun? What are they like?" she asked. Count on Omoi to ask the most inconvenient question ever.

[Mortalvis]

In a way, Tobi felt good to be sharing this small talk with Omoi. He usually struggled against a gag of self-consciousness, but this felt very fluent and there was no unnecessary awkwardness. In fact, he felt genuinely interested in what his company had to say, kindling the small hope that the two might become friends after this meeting.

"I take it Maru is the said boyfriend? Huh." Tobi scratched his head. He was naive to these things, and decided to move onto the next topic.

"My family? Uh, well, no siblings. Mom's a housewife that teaches other housewives about being homemakers. Dad's... well, dad's something. It's not too bad. Mom's constantly saying to me, 'just because you're a ninja doesn't mean you don't have to learn to be a homemaker too.' But anyway. Oh, there's one last family member--if you can call him that..."

Reaching into his pants pocket, Tobi extracted a small amphibious creature that looked as though it had just woken up.

"This is Pumpkin. He sort of just... hangs out in my pocket. I found him in Rain Country," Tobi mentioned, holding the salamander out toward Omoi. He didn't put the little critter too close, aware that not all people were as amused by these creatures as he was. This would be more than enough to fill their time as they made the final stretch to Ougonjidai.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Omoi would have responded with details about her own family... had Tobika not produced what was possibly the most adorable little thing she had ever seen. Omoi couldn't help but give out a small gasp in amazement at the tiny creature. A huge smile planted itself upon the kunoichi's face as she slid her hands underneath the salamander and scooped it into her hands. Ever so carefully, she pet the small salamander with the tips of her index and middle finger, moving from the head down to the torso in long slow strokes. "He's absolutely precious, Tobi-kun!" she exclaimed. "How'd you come up with the name Pumpkin?"

Omoi would probably get herself a small pet of her own if she could find one.

[Mortalvis]

It was hard to contain the smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Omoi was quite the girl--then again, anyone that would so readily take to holding his pet salamander was a mighty fine person in his books.

"Yeah, he's my buddy," he began, smiling softly at Pumpkin as Omoi patted his head. The little creature had become rather docile since coming under Tobi's care. Orik was rather fond of him too; there must have been some strange charm that made the salamander so alluring.

"His name? Well... I remember when I was young--I don't even know how old--I found a little lizard in my grandpa's basement. It was a weird orange color, so me being me, I named it Pumpkin. He was a lot of fun until he ran away. This Pumpkin isn't quite a lizard... but I thought the name suited him anyway."

By that time, Pumpkin had become a little more alert, and was reacting to Omoi's attention by attempting to touch the tip of his snout to her fingers each time they came near his head. It made Tobi grin to see the salamander react kindly to the girl, but the growl of his stomach brought his attention away from the scene.

"I don't know how late the restaurant is open. We should probably hurry," he announced with a nervous laugh. He didn't like being the one to spoil the fun.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

(OOC: I know this a short post, but I figured you should describe the restaurant considering that Tobi's more familiar with it than Omoi.)

Tobi's reminder brought Omoi's attention back to the forefront... sort of. She nodded as they made their way towards Ougonjidai, but she still held the small salamander in her hand, continuing to bet the tiny creature.

Finally they came upon the restaurant, and for being so famous, Omoi had to admit that the establishment's outward appearance was rather humble. She knew that it'd be better for Tobi to take the lead here. "Shall we, Tobi-kun?" she asked politely, motioning towards Ougonjidai's main entrance.

[Mortalvis]

"Let's. Oh... one thing first. I don't think most places like weird little animals getting on their stuff, so let's put Pumpkin away," he said, chuckling softly. He reached toward Omoi and swept up Pumpkin before placing him back in his pocket.

The two could enter the restaurant now. As Tobi opened the door and headed in, he was expected to be greeted by Oushi's mother, but rather, he and Omoi were met by a smiling waiter. Soumei was likely busy in the kitchen, which sunk Tobi's spirits.

"Welcome to Ougonjidai. Let me guide you to your seats," the waiter said, guiding the two genin to a plush booth near the door they had just come through. This was a typical place to be seated given the business of the restaurant, and although it was almost full-up, the atmosphere remained rather calming.

"I am Koichi, your waiter for this evening. What can I get you to drink?"

"I'll have tea. What about you, Omoi?" The waiter looked ready to set off as soon as Omoi gave her order, which would leave her and Tobi to chat a bit while they waited to be served.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

"I'll have tea, too, please," Omoi replied with a smile. After the waiter departed, Omoi set her menu down, looking at Tobika curiously. "Tell me, Tobi-kun... how'd you first come here? How do you know this place?" she asked. Omoi figured that Tobika might know people here; why else would he recommend such an expensive restaurant right off the bat?

Omoi was a quick reader; she had already chosen what she had wanted when they had first been seated. It's a trait she picked up so she could enjoy the company of the people she was with more fully, and she was using it to her advantage yet again. She was immensely curious as to what Tobi's story might be.

[Mortalvis]

Tobi ran a hand through his hair and did his best to keep his posture straight and his elbows off of the table. Both were habits that are hard to break, but for Omoi's sake, and the sake of their environment, he wouldn't be so rude.

"Oh? Uh, well..." Tobi had another habit: he was terribly modest when it came to the strangest things. This story was the perfect trigger for such meekness.

"Well, this friend of mine... he brought me here once," he began, purposely being vague. His plans to be humble about the situation (however unnecessary it was) were foiled by the woman who brought the genin their drinks.

"And that's tea for the both of you," the woman said, her eyes on the beverages as they traveled from her tray to the table. It was only then that her eyes caught on a familiar face, and a warm smile curled at her lips.

"Ah, you're Oushi's friend aren't you? I barely recognized you without your hat and goggles. It's a pleasure to see you again. Oh--I'm sorry, I'd linger, but the dinner rush is hitting. I'll tell Oushi that I saw you!" With that, the woman rushed away and began to clear plates off of another table.

Tobi turned back to Omoi, his mouth open and a soft blush growing across his cheeks.

"Yeah... my friend's mom owns this place. My friend being Sekitan Oushi, leader of the Sentinels." Oblivious flustered, Tobi took to yet another habit, this one of the nervous kind. With nothing else to say, he averted his gaze and slowly rubbed the back of his neck.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Watching Tobi trying to be prim and proper was probably one of the more humorous things Omoi had seen that day. She couldn't help but giggle pleasantly at the sight. "Relax, Tobi-kun," she reassured him. "When you're with me, the only thing you should be worrying about is having a good time. Besides, we're teens, right? We've got a few years to learn about etiquette and stuff of the like."

When Tobi finally answered her question, his answers seemed... elusive; it was almost as if he didn't want her to know who had brought him her in the first place. 'Friend?' she wondered, her eyes bright and inquisitive. Then the waiter came... and things became even more interesting.

"Eh?" That initially was Omoi's only response, as she had yet to thoroughly process the revelation. When she finally realized what he had told her, her eyes went wide in amazement as she. "Tobi-kun, that's incredible!" she quietly exclaimed, containing the full volume of her excitement to keep unwanted eyes away. "How did you and Oushi-sama meet?"

[Mortalvis]

"H-He took me for a ride on his... his goat," Tobi muttered, slouching in his seat as the embarrassment set in. When he thought of his first encounter with Oushi, all that came to mind was the traumatizing goat ride that he had endured that day.

With a warm blush adding a rosy hue to his cheeks, Tobi continued:

"What I mean is-... well, that came after I ran into him hopping across rooftops. He's kinda... dunno, he's pretty soft. We recently got back from a trip to River Country. I haven't seen him much since. I guess that kind of absence would mean a lot of paper work piling up for when he got back." Tobi chuckled, but his light laughter was interrupted by the waiter that had greeted them at the door.

"Now what can I get you two to eat?" he asked. As he did, Tobi was a little disappointed that Soumei hadn't been the one to return.

It was then that Tobi realized that he hadn't even bothered to look at the menus that were propped up on a stand to the side of the table. He reverted to plan B, which meant ordering what he had last time he was there.

"I'll have the red bean soup and dumplings, please and thank you." He smiled softly at the waiter before glancing at Omoi to see if she was going to order or wait.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Though Tobi might have expected amused chuckling from Omoi for his embarrassing experience, her response turned out to be quite different than what Tobi might have thought would happen. "Really? Oushi-sama has a goat? I didn't know that..." she asked, honestly baffled by the idea that one of Iwa's Sentinels had time for leisure pets.

Omoi's cheeks puffed out in jealousy. "You're really lucky, Tobi-kun. I've never been outside of the village, much less with one of the Sentinels," she admitted enviously. It's not that Omoi was vain, but she did have her own sense of exploration that had largely gone unfulfilled.

The waitress coming back forced a short break in the conversation, one that Omoi loathed to stop. Still, she was hungry. Normally, she'd choose something else entirely on the menu, but she wasn't confident enough in her palette to make a choice of her own. "I'll have the same, thank you," Omoi replied, giving a slight bow to the waitress as a polite courtesy and sign of respect.

After the waitress had left, Omoi took a sip of her tea before continuing. She absolutely adored this place already; the tea was fantastic and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. She could only hope the food tasted as good as it smelled. "Tobi-kun, tell me what the River Country was like," Omoi requested, her eyes flashing brightly again, her curiosity piqued. "What did you see while you were there?"

[Mortalvis]

Even though the experience had been such a large part of his life--particularly his discovery in Rain Country followed by another event in River Country--he still didn't exactly know what to tell Omoi.

"It was... I don't know how to describe it. It was more than just River Country. We traveled through Rain Country too, which took several days. I've never seen so much vegetation. Grass, trees, all coated with millions of tiny water droplets... Heck, it rained more in those few days crossing Rain Country than it has in my whole life here in Iwa.

Our trip through Rain Country is also what first sparked my passion for smithing. I won't get into that right now, but I won't ever forget it. Anyway... after getting through Rain Country, I was relieved when we finally hit the River Country border. I had never walked so much in my life." He paused for a moment to chuckle a little. Recalling the experience had already brought a smile to Tobi's face and he was beginning to lose himself to a dreamy state as his gaze fixated on his tea.

"While in River Country, we sought out, uh, inner peace. We--both Oushi and I--were trying to leave our vices there. We spent several days at a waterfall with no contact with other people, and even then we barely said a word to each other. It was part of the process, I guess, but it was really amazing. I don't know if either of us changed after that but... I don't know what more to say to you, Omoi. It was all just... really, I don't think I'll ever have an experience like it again."

[OoC: Let's try to move this into talk about the chuunin exam or something so we can start thinking about wrapping it up in a while.]

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Omoi was dreaming of visiting these lands that seemed so far away as Tobika's words echoed through her mind. "I can't wait for the chuunin exams," she sighed, taking another sip of her tea. "I love this village, and I always will. It's where the only life I've ever known is and where the people I care about are... but I know it's not the only place there is in this world. There are so many different things I want to see and learn... and all I have to do is pass that exam."

"Then, I'll really be able to start finding out who I am," she said aloud, a hopeful smile on her face.

Omoi blinked for a second, remembering something that she had apparently put at the back of her mind. "By the way, Tobi-kun... do you have anyone to take the exams with?" she asked. She couldn't really help but wonder; Tobika didn't seem like one who warmed up to many people.

[Mortalvis]

As Omoi mentioned her love for Iwagakure, Tobi couldn't help but think back to a boy he met while on a mission. It wasn't of importance, but it gave him an uneasy feeling until the subject moved on.

"Oh? Oh... no, I don't. The thought sometimes crosses my mind, but uh..." he paused. Tobi was a little embarrassed for he knew the only reason for his lack of progress was the fact that he had very few friends.

This time, however, Tobi was saved his embarrassment by the waiter returning once again. Gingerly and without the slightest error, the agile man set down the bowls of soup in front of each of the patrons, followed by a small bowl of dumplings to go alongside it.

"Oh, and this is courtesy of Soumei," the waiter mentioned, setting down a rather lovely dessert between the two genin. It was a smallish cake with whole strawberries decorating its top, clinging on by the creamy white icing that covered the pastry.

"Enjoy!" he cooed before leaving.

"Oh wow, would you look at that..." Tobi stared at the cake, but as his gazed drifted across it, he saw Omoi and realized that he had gotten distracted.

"Whoops. Uh, as I was saying... I don't have anyone to take the exams with me. Unless you..." the genin trailed off, his gaze falling onto the steaming soup in front of him.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

For as much as Omoi loved to have a conversation, she had a bit of a one track mind when it came to food. She fell into a bit of a "tunnel vision mode" when the food was set before them; the scents and sights flooded her senses. With a deft twist of her wrists, she snapped her chopsticks apart. "Itadakimasu!" she called quietly before chowing down.

After a few bites of dumpling (some of the best she had ever had), she regained her focus. "Well, Maru-kun and I are planning on taking the exams soon, but we need a third partner. Perhaps you'd like to accompany us? I'll get to introduce you to Maru-kun, and ever since Nat's been gone, he needs some more male company," she mentioned, giggling with a half full mouth that had been occupied by yet another piece of dumpling.

[Mortalvis]

The idea appealed to Tobi, but he tried to remain modest.

"Oh--Oh, is that so? Well, uh, I mean only if you want me to join, and Maru is alright with it." Tobi had been picking away at his dumplings and soup as the conversation went on, even though he craved to shovel them brutishly into his mouth. It was the first real meal he had eaten in over a week. However, even at this slow pace, Tobi was getting on to being finished already.

"Maybe we should talk a bit about our skills now, just in case we don't see each other again before the big day," he offered.

"I'm a Katon user myself, and uh, well... I use a couple styles related to that. I even know a bit of genjutsu." A sheepish smile came across his face and he returned to eating. Omoi had already told him a little bit about what she does, and he saw her medical skills first hand, but he held a small worry that he'd somehow be inadequate to his team.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

As soon as Tobika started mentioning combat abilities, Omoi got a bit... sheepish. Needless to say, studying iijutsu took up much of her time and didn't leave much room for more offensive skill sets. Whenever it came to comparing battle abilities, the kunoichi usually felt completely outclassed.

"Well... uh..." It was all she could manage before she gave up trying to look even slightly important, letting forth a depressed sigh. "Aw nuts. I can't really say much else about myself other than my iijutsu. I mean, yeah, I dabble in a little bit of everything, but to be honest, it's nothing worth mention."

This foreboding wave of depression led way to a small sulking rant from Omoi as she muttered to herself. The entire scene was quite humorous from a stander-by's perspective."First there's Nat-san with all of his physical prowess, and then there's Maru-kun and his glass, and now there's Tobi-kun with his fire. They're all so much stronger than me..."

Having finished her meal, she took a fork and took a bite of the incredible cake that sat between the two. The richness of the cream and the juices of the strawberries brightened her mood a bit.

[Mortalvis]

"You say something?" Tobi inquired, his attention being drawn from the cake to Omoi. He was sure that he had heard her mumble something, but with his stomach controlling his brain at the time, he wasn't present enough to be sure.

The cake was a fine treat to fill the final empty place in his stomach. Tobi had given up on some of his manners to truly enjoy the dessert, which was accompanied by much wiping of the area around his mouth.

"Someday I plan on developing jutsu to help me with smithing," he mentioned, shortly after swallowing a bite of cake. "Right now I'm not all that great. Sometimes I don't think I was cut out to be a ninja, but I'd still like to use those skills for something I am made for."

As the two came close to finishing their meal, their waiter stopped by long enough to set the bill on the table before scurrying off in to the kitchen.

"Oh..." Tobi's eyes came slowly to the paper sitting on the table. He was a little scared to see how much the meal would bite into Omoi's pocket, especially because he hadn't the money to lessen the expense.

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Omoi herself had becomed somewhat absorbed into the scrumptious desert that lay before them, though Tobika's comment about not being cut out to be a ninja did make her ears twitch in intrigue. It was all soon forgotten, however; this desert was huge, and even with two ravenous genin, it took a bit of time to finish.

When Omoi finally got the bill, she stared at it for a moment... then, with an unfittingly sweet smile, pulled out an abnormally large wad of cash and plopped it on the table. If the server was nearby, he'd probably be crying tears of joy at this point, for he'd see that his tip was almost as big as the bill itself.

Generous tippers, ftw.

Something Tobika probably didn't know about Omoi was that outside of her work at the hospital and missions, one of her ways of both keeping her skills sharp and getting some extra money was making house calls. Though she wasn't famous or anything, she was well recommended by her patrons, had a very solid work ethic, and never left a house without the customer and the children she cared for completely satisfied. What's more, some of her patrons enjoyed her company so much that they would always slip in a little extra into their bill.

This made Omoi possibly one of the wealthiest genin in the village.

After setting down more money than most of the restaurant's eaters had ever seen in one location, Omoi looked towards Tobika with a completely innocent look, daintily wiping her face with the cloth napkin that had been sitting on her lap. "Are we ready, Tobi-kun?" she asked as she set the napkin back down on the table.

[Mortalvis]

Omoi caught Tobi in the middle of blinking incredulously at the money on the table. It took him a moment to realize she had asked him something, and his gaze came up followed by a slight "Huh?"

"Oh... Yeah, let's get going. If I can manage to walk, that is," he half-joked.

With that, Tobi slid out of his seat, stood, and stretched his arms above his head. After he was sure he was ready to go, he led Omoi out of the restaurant.

By that time, the sun had already set and the streets were dimly lit by the lamps that clung to the earthen walls of the surrounding buildings. The night had brought in a cool breeze, a pleasant break from the warm temperatures of the daytime.

"Well..." Tobi began, turning to Omoi with a small smile grazing his lips. "Thanks so much for the meal. I-I really appreciate it."

He knew it was getting on to where they would need to say goodbye; Tobi was looking a little awkward, hoping that Omoi would be the one to say farewell first.

"So..."

[Yasashikaze Seiken]

Iwagakure's sunsets and nights had always fascinated Omoi; she was fortunate enough to live on the upper levels and was thus given the privilege of gazing into the starlit skies at every day's end. Part of her felt sad that not everyone had such a joy. Often times, the stars gave her consolation, inspiration, and hope.

As they approached the next intersection, she knew it was time to depart. When Tobika began to speak, however, it was not with a feeling of content that she had hoped. Instead, his words were forced and awkward, no doubt a sign of his nervousness. What's more, his eyes reflected the unease he felt within, as if he had trouble saying goodbye. Omoi found herself wondering why Tobika was the way he was.

Still, she knew what he meant.

With a gentle smile, Omoi slowly stepped forward and hugged him. It was a firm hug... but it was warm. It sought not to crush, but rather, to cradle. It was like she was making a promise to be there for him. "We're friends now, Tobi-kun... You don't need to be afraid around me," she spoke softly in his ear as they embraced.

For a short while she held the hug, pulling away at just the right moment. She started into a light jog, heading towards her house. "Come visit me anytime, okay, Tobi-kun?" she called back before turning forward, heading off to her house and recounting the nights events with a new fondness.

[Mortalvis]

The gentle embrace left Tobi without words. Its distinct warmth lingered just as he did where he stood. Such gestures were often replaced by empty goodbyes or the intangible, nervous energy which Tobi radiated. Not tonight, though. It gave him something to think about; internally, he grasped at it any way he could, looking for a way to comprehend this feeling of acceptance that had bloomed so quickly, yet so deeply.

"Goodnight, Omoi," came his breathless whisper as he watched her fade into the gloom at the end of the road. The moment that she disappeared from sight, Tobi's time with her seemed more surreal than it had just moments before.

"Heh..." Tobi murmured, shaking his head. He turned and walked away slowly, thoughtfully, and most importantly, with something more than a full stomach.

Friends? No, Tobi wasn't much of one to find or make them; they had a habit of finding and making him instead.

[OoC: I'll hand this in now.]