Sliding back the thin paper door, new arrivals are greeted with the welcoming sound of numerous friendly conversations. When inhaled deeply, patrons are pleasantly surprised at how heavy the smell of fresh, delectable Ramen hangs in the air, to accompany this is the strangely soothing sonant of the various pots and pans and their contents that simmered, fried and boiled beneath. Glancing towards the bar, it's not difficult to spy a number of lavishly adorned nobles and gentlemen--and even the occasional, legal-aged, off-duty ninja--partake in an hearty discussion; the heated debate only broken by the rhythmic sipping of captivating milky sake.
Tables also dot the large room past the bar, where the younger shinobi, students, and civilians congregate. Giggles of laughter, squeals of delight, and the general murmur of daily conversation pepper the sound of clinking bowls and plates as the delicious food--including the Ramen the Inn is famous for--can be received here when the bar is full of the sake-drinkers.
Once a room has been paid for downstairs, an assistant graciously guides visitors to what will be their humble abode (as long as your wallet can afford it to be so). During this process, it's not uncommon to be amazed at how extravagantly and lavishly the room is decorated. Soft, cream walls are bordered at the corners and edges with golden ribbon, a large crystal clear window provides a beautiful view of one of Fire Countries many Forests, the furniture consists of a single deep hazel dressing table, flawlessly laminated, and a small glass coffee table, which by the looks of it was crafted by no amateur. And finally, in the far corner, lies a soft, plush bed, calling out with promises of a perfect night's sleep...
The warm eastern wind blew hard along the tiled roofs of the village. It did little to cool the humid hot air caused by the red blazing sun casting it's long, merciless rays of heat upon the town.
Sitting atop a high branch of tree is a little girl of young age with a green bandana wrapped snugly around her head. Anyone would have a hard time looking at her eyes for they look like two sinuous lines across her face, added with the bandana always slacking off to cover her face, it really didn't help at all. She seems to be enjoying a delicious hot bowl of tasty ramen and fanning her mouth with a free hand, savoring its spicy ingredients.
Her leg is propped against the thick bark of the large tree while the other seems to be swaying back and forth in tune with the rustling of the leaves in the wind, giving off a refreshing scent that made her mood just as bright.
But not for long though.
A fast moving figure caught her attention as she playfully sucked the last noodle only to stop at the middle of doing it when she recognized it was moving towards her direction.
A few distance across the roofs leveled with the height of the branch she was sitting in was a very fast moving dark figure of a man. She didn't moved at all till it all became very obvious to her.
It was not moving towards her direction. It was moving towards her.
With a squeal of alarm, she hurried up and threw her empty wooden bowl devoid of noodles at the perceived danger and hastily tumbled along the sturdy little branches and off into the scorching heat of the tiled roofs.
Bursting with all the speed her little legs could muster, she tried to put as much distance between her and that... whatever that thing is. She rolled at the base of a stone chimney, trying to set-up her feet for a good leverage for a big jump across and above the main street below her.
She just closed her eyes, muttering a silent prayer and lo!
She was up in the air screaming from both exhilaration and fear of her impulsive flight.
It was not long-lived though as she came crashing down along the roofs, trying to put her little body into a defensive roll ineffectively and finally dropping in a green roll of grass with a grunt. No sooner than she tried to get up clutching her head when a roof tile suddenly dropped on top of her head as if adding insult to injury.
She angrily shook her little fist in frustration at the dark figure who landed to the ground on both feet with relative ease and calm as it produced a scroll and stupidly began announcing some incoherent gibberish she didn't understood from the throbbing pain from her head. A flash of recognition at a mention of names came from those dark sinuous line that was her eyes, if that was possible.
The little girl then made a casual glance to her right as if looking for some sign of exactly where she was when she suddenly noticed a girl reading a book in her hands. And for some reason, she had a gut feeling about this woman as if she should know her name. Whether the dark figure left or stayed, she was not ware of it, for all her thoughts was on the woman still reading her book, wondering, just idly wondering, if SHE was what she thought she was.
But then again, strange things seems to be the norm today.
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