A Day At The Park

[Unknown Eldritch]

The sun was high in the sky, its warm rays beaming down on the inhabitants of the village on a clear day. The atmosphere that had settled over the village was relaxed, almost lethargic, and many people were spending their day relaxing, whether in their homes or out and about. Seiza was no exception to this, and he found himself sitting on a bench in the park, watching a performance with a popsicle in hand.

He was not originally planning to sit on this bench, as he had only left the house in order to pick up some ice cream before heading back, but then he saw the performer, a middle-aged man strumming away at his shamisen, and he decided to sit down on a bench and watch. He was far from the only one, as over a dozen other people, most of them looking to be civilians, could be seen standing around the performer, laughing, cheering, and singing along to the music. So far, nearly half an hour had passed and the musician hadn't paused for more than a few seconds between songs, and Seiza found himself humming along quietly as his legs slowly swayed forward and back, dangling off the edge of the bench that placed him further away from the music than the civilians crouding around, while still allowing him to watch and listen clearly.

[hobnob]

With the Sun shining so brightly, Noeru decided that it would be good to get himself out of bed. It was already mid-day and he thought that sixteen hours in bed was more than enough to recover the energy that he failed to expend the day before. Quickly he threw on some clothes, his usual attire and pelted out the window. With a rather loud, clumsy thud, he landed in the busy street and the people around him looked at him with disappointment. Luckily he was not wearing his headband, he always took it off at the end of duty and stored it in his back pouch. With a grin on his face he looked around, not sure which direction to go in, he decided to go with the crowd, it seemed they knew what they would do with their day and so, he decided to trust them.

And it was not long until he found out exactly what it was they were after. A musician was performing in the park, and he appeared to be pretty good. Attracting numerous people to the area. Noeru thought that it would be a good way to spend the late morning, or afternoon, depending on who's watch one is watching. In the distance, Noeru recognized a face; sat on a bench; popsicle in hand; feet dangling; it was his friend Seiza, Noeru quickly took a detour around the crowd. 'Hey Seiza...' The youth let out casually to get his attention, also offering the boy a wave. Noeru approached him and perched on the other end of the bench. 'How's it going?' he asked.

[Unknown Eldritch]

More time had passed, with the crowd growing as word spread about the musician's talent, and Seiza watched thoughtfully as people began to encircle the musician, eager to listen. As a familiar voice called out to him,Seiza blinked slowly, attention momentarily drawn off of the performance as he began looking around to find the source. Glancing in the direction of the voice, Seiza was curious about who would call out to him, only to see a member of the newly-formed team approaching to take a seat. Seiza took a few moments to recall the person's name before replying softly. "Ah... Noeru... Hello. It is going well." Seiza looked around the area, half-expecting to see the other members of the team approaching as well... Maybe he was running late for a team meeting of some kind?

When he did not see the others, Seiza found himself perplexed. Why would Noeru have approached him if not for that? Responding with the same amount of tact that he uses on a daily basis, Seiza looked Noeru in the eyes, having learned that eye contact was an important part of communication, and asked "Why are you here? Is something wrong?" It was then that he noticed the drop of sugary deliciousness making its way down the side of the slowly melting popsicle, and in an effort to keep himself clean, he turned his attention back to his frozen sweet, swiftly licking up the side until there was no longer a risk of a mess.

[hobnob]

A nod and a smile came from Noeru as the boy answered him, and followed up with a question a few moments later; 'Uhh... Nothing... I just saw you while I was in the middle of that lot,' he said and gestured pointing at the crowd of people he just came from, 'I thought I'd come and say hello, see how you're doing after our shenanigans the other day.' After answering his friend, Noeru's gaze returned to the musician who was becoming more surrounded by the crowd, it would not be long until they lost sight of him. The music reached them easily and Noeru enjoyed every tune that he heard, it was very relaxing. Among the enjoyment of music, Noeru realized that he just witnessed his friend sat on a bench in a park on his own, eating a popsicle. As very rare thing to see; 'Hey uhh... If it's okay for me to ask... Why are you here?'

[Unknown Eldritch]

Seiza blinked, tilting his head to the side as he pondered his teammate's words. Outside of his parents, he had never had someone seek him out if it wasn't something important, but from how Noeru was describing his reasoning, he just wanted to check in with Seiza. It was... nice. "I'm doing okay." Seiza started, a small, genuine smile on his face as he looked at Noeru. "I went to get something cold and sweet to eat, but when I got my ice cream I saw the person setting up his instrument to perform, so I decided to sit down and watch." Seiza noticed his popsicle melting a little more in the heat and frowned, decided to bite a chunk out of it to finish it before it melts too much. Wincing slightly, Seiza swallowed down the mouthful before continuing, "Ah, cold. Anyways, I like tasty food and music, and since I don't have anything else to do today I decided to watch until he was done performing. It's always really nice to watch and listen to performances like this." Smiling up at Noeru, Seiza patted the bench next to him, wordlessly indicating that he should take a seat as he pulled another popsicle, this own red, out of his insulated bag and held it out for his teammate to take.

[hobnob]

Noeru nodded as he watched Seiza. They seemed to be in the same boat this day. 'Yep... I'm the same, I spent the last sixteen hours in bed and finally decided to get up, I kind of just followed the crowd here so I think our day is equally as eventful.' Noeru said and finished the sentence with a chuckle. His arm extended along the top of the benches back-rest and his gaze shifted from Seiza and onto the growing crowd. 'Don't you think it's interesting how people quickly flock to something new?' The words came out in a yawny fashion. With his sixteen hours of rest, his body was still calling for more.

[Unknown Eldritch]

Seiza tilted his head slightly in confusion at Noeru's explanation of spending sixteen hours in bed, having trouble understanding how anyone would willingly spend so long not doing anything when there was so much to see, to learn, and to experience. As he went to open his mouth to ask Noeru about his reasoning, his teammate continued talking, and Seiza blinked before instead choosing to respond to the subject change. "I guess so. I think it's because there is so much to do and to see that people want to feel as though they are living their lives to the fullest... I know that I always like to try new things, whether it's a food I haven't had or a song I haven't heard before, though I'm not sure if other people's reasoning is the same as mine... I just know that I want to learn more."

Seiza glanced over to Noeru to see his thoughts on the subject, only to see him yawning. "Ah... You seem tired. Would you like to go somewhere else? I'm sure that there's something to do that you would enjoy."

[hobnob]

Noeru shook his head. He was happy being there, in that relaxed atmosphere where everyone seemed to be enjoying what was going on in that very moment. But at the same time he acknowledged what his younger companion was saying. Noeru was not much older than he, but already managed to grow out of that youngness that gave the novel feeling to everything. As a person he had seen and understood how things work and why things are done, and it did not interest him as much as it did his young companion. But, being away from stress of the everyday, and in that very situation was enjoyable and he did not want to dismiss it before its time was up. And so he sat there in that very moment: relaxing, absorbing the music, the fresh air as he took a deep breath that filled his lungs. But soon, he turned towards his companion and broke the brief silence filled with the melancholy music. 'Tell me more about you, Seiza. Why did you become a shinobi?'

[Unknown Eldritch]

At Noeru's rejection of Seiza's suggestion to move, he just shrugged his shoulders and settles in, eyes locked on the crowd around the musician as he smiles, quietly swaying along to the music that flowed over the area. However, when Noeru asked his question, Seiza glanced over at him, confused for a moment before his small, soft smile brightened a little. "Ah. I think... a lot of shinobi would say that they want to protect people, or get revenge, or out of a sense of duty, or even just get stronger. But for me, my main reason for becoming a shinobi was because it seems like the best way for me to reach my dream. I want to sail among the stars and explore the universe until the end of time, but to do that I need to become much, much stronger. I need to learn more about my techniques, and learn as much as I can about the world so that I can really appreciate the things outside of the world. Does... does that make sense?"

Seiza blushed slightly, a light pink tinge making its way onto his pale face as he glanced away, peeking at Noeru out of the corner of his eye. "What about you?"

[hobnob]

'Sail among the stars and explore the universe?' Seiza's words echoed in Noeru's mind after he heard them. Saying that Noeru was confused was an understatement. He assumed that the boy said it as a metaphor to simply travelling across the continents and exploring what the world had to offer, but he did not bother chasing this up just yet, and simply nodded at the boy when he asked if what he said made sense. Noeru looked over at Seiza to see the youth blush a little before quickly looking away, but he still felt that the embarrassed youth was keeping half an eye on him. When Seiza asked the same question Noeru did not have to think much on the response. Shinobi life was common place in his clan, and so he was signed up for the Shinobi Academy before he could remember. His response came in a relaxed tone as if he had said these words many times before; 'It wasn't really a choice for me, everyone in my clan becomes a shinobi at some point in their life. I was born to be a shinobi.' Noerus gaze then returned to the crowd before them and he paused for a brief moment before chasing what Seiza had said.

'What did you mean by sailing among the stars and exploring the universe?'

[Unknown Eldritch]

Seiza felt a small frown plant itself on his face as his brow furrowed slightly. The idea that someone would become a shinobi without wanting to was... unpleasant. However, he knew that many people saw it as their duty to become shinobi, even if they themselves did not feel the desire to become one, so he dismissed the thought as Noeru asked for clarification on his own answer. With a thoughtful expression, Seiza carefully considered how much he should say, before beginning to explain. "The world has so much to do and so much to see, and it really is beautiful, but what I have always been most interested in has been what's outside of the world. The stars in the sky above, the other planets, everything else, there's just so much, and I want to see it all firsthand. I want to personally witness the birth of a new star, or watch as distant planets collide, and travel along the trail of a comet... There's just... so much..." Seiza's words trailed off for a moment, before he turned towards Noeru, giving him his full attention, his blue eyes burning with his determination and desire to explore and discover.

"I know that it will take a lot of time and hard work, but considering the wide range oe abilities across the world, many of them giving their wielders some form of limited immortality, I'm certain that eventually, I will reach the point where I can do it. I know I can."

[hobnob]

'So he really does mean what he says... How interesting... The brown haired boy thought as he listened to his young companion go on about the dreams he has. It was very inspiring to listen to. Not being the dreams that ordinary people had, not even any of the shinobi Noeru knew, except for Seiza, had dreams like that. Shinobi life usually revolved around the events and happening in their village, and their country. Seiza was the first person to think on such a different scale, to think what is beyond the world they live on. Part of Noeru admired that, but his older, grown up part was doubtful of his dreams as life has a tendency to crush any far reaching dreams that anyone has. But mocking other peoples dreams, or putting them off them was not in his nature, and he hated the people who did resolve to such measures. He turned to face the boy:

'If you stick to something for long enough, you will reach your goal, so whatever happens... Just keep going, every day, get closer to where you want to be and you will succeed.' Noeru was not sure where that little motivational speech came from, he was not the type to dish those out, but he was pretty impressed with himself regardless of whether he care for motivational speeches or not. He offered him a smile and then turned back to gazing at the musician who had finished the tune he was playing, and was now beginning a new one.

[Unknown Eldritch]

A small, soft smile found itself on Seiza's features in response to Noeru's words. It was rather common for people to put down or insult his dream, and even his clan viewed his goals as being naive and unrealistic, so to hear Noeru voicing his support for them instead of burshing them off was a pleasant experience. Seiza went for one more bite of his popsicle, only for his mouth to close around the bare wooden stick, every ounce of the sweet treat having been consumed. Seiza stared at the popsicle stick for several long seconds, before tossing it into a nearby trash can, disappointed that he couldn't enjoy his treat any longer. Regardless, as Seiza settled into his seat and listened to the music, he found himself relaxing, enjoying the warmth of the sun combined with the gentle, cooling breeze on his skin.

Seiza considered his surroundings for the time being. The musician would likely take a short break soon, having been playing nonstop for nearly an hour at this point, and while the popsicle was delicious, it wasn't exactly filling. Maybe some lunch would be nice? Seiza thought to himself, considering the nearby locations to get food before he began to speak his thoughts. "Noeru? Do you want to get lunch when the music is done?"

[hobnob]

Noeru gazed out at the musician as he played his slow, relaxing tune, and noticed how the people around him were placing their arms around one another and swaying from side to side. It was a very nice place to be in that moment, it showed the villages unity and its culture of supporting one another. Noeru really enjoyed this moment. He wished it would last forever, but a moment later the musicians tune came to and end and the people around him began to scatter as it appeared that he himself was going for some sort of break. And following Seiza's offer of lunch, Noeru decided that it would be great to fill his stomach, considering that he left home on an empty stomach, not eating would only hinder his growth. 'Yeah sure. Where do you want to go? I'm not fussy.' Noeru stood up to a gentle stretch, his body became a little stiff from sitting down and now he felt a little more energized. He looked over at Seiza and waited for him to make a decision.

[Unknown Eldritch]

As Noeru began to wonder where to go for lunch, Seiza tilted his head to the side with a furrowed brow, thinking carefully. "I don't know. Usually I just walk around until I see something that I like or that I've never had before, but I've never gone out to get food with a friend, so I don't know what to do." Seiza's gaze wandered, glancing at the various different buildings nearby to try to figure out what to eat. His eyes passed over a ramen stand and he considered it for a moment before moving on, trying to figure out where to eat.

Suddenly, Seiza had an idea. "What about Omurice? There's a place nearby that makes super tasty omurice, and it's cheap too!" Seiza was practically salivating, vivid memories of the delicious omurice flashing through his mind as he stared eagerly at Noeru.

[hobnob]

Noeru shrugged. The food that he enjoyed the most was one that was packed with flavor, or one that he had never tried before. And when Seiza mentioned omurice, Noeru's ears perked up and his gaze shifted towards the friend. 'Omurice?' He said with a curious look on his face. Not sure what the dish was, but he assumed that it involved rice in one way or another. Regardless of what it was, it was something that he had not had before, and so he had to tick it off the list. 'Let's go and try it... It sounds interesting' With hands in his pockets, and flicking a pebble on the ground with his foot, Noeru waited for Seiza to lead the way to this restaurant which served this dish, and seeing how the young companion was near enough salivating, Noeru was quickly growing hungrier.

[Unknown Eldritch]

Nodding eagerly, Seiza hopped to his feet, dropping slightly as he rose from the bench where his legs were dangling above the ground. Without bothering to check to see if Noeru was following, Seiza began to walk at a sedate pace towards where he knows the restaurant to be in relation to the park. Seiza's prodigious sense of direction came in handy as he weaved between the civilians passing by, periodically glancing back to make sure that Noeru wouldn't lose sight of him while passing through the crowd, considering his own rather lackluster height.

The pair's intended destination was not too far from the park, only about a 5 minute walk, so when they arrived at the entry of the establishment, Seiza strolled in waving at the restaurant's owner. It was a rather small place with only 4 tables, each with 4 chairs. Making his way up to the counter, Seiza ignores the menu, saying "Ah, I would like a serving of Omurice please. Can you draw a smiley face on it with ketchup?" With his order placed, Seiza turned to Noeru, watching.

[hobnob]

Noeru could not help but let out a small chuckle as the youth requested a smiley face to be drawn with ketchup, temporarily forgetting how young his comrade was and the fact that is has not be so long since his mother was doing the exact same thing, on omelets rather than portion of omurice. Noeru could not help but decide to follow the youth lead on the dish decision. Never having it, his taste were keep to try it, something new was always a pleasure to eat, especially when one already knew the taste of the main ingredients. Once Seiza placed his order, Noeru moved towards the girl behind the counter and ordered the same thing, just without the smiley face, and instead a side pot of hot sauce to wake him up properly. The girl smiled and took their order, disappeared into the kitchen where she placed the little sheet of paper in the chefs station so that he could crack on once he had seen them. In the mean time Noeru turned to Seiza and looked out onto the restaurant, wondering where they should sit and asked the youth about it as he was not too fussed, just hungry.