Don't Trip, Potato Chip! S & J's Salty Adventure!

[ℐai-ℒin]

With Sakaki joining her, Jai tucked her legs into an Indian-style sit. Far a minute she watched her young companion poke at the ground with a stick. A slight smirk lit her face. It was peculiar; Sakaki was just a child. But; she was so much more. Even, a force to be reckoned with; if she had the right attitude. Sighing, she rested her head against the trunk of the tree. As her eyes seemed to wander from leaf to leave above her, she closed them, settling in to a rest.

Help seemed to come rather quickly, to her. Three men came running their direction, relieving them of watch. “Oh! Looks like the collectors are here.” She smiled, pushing herself up from the ground. Fixing her backpack, she addressed the men with a welcoming smile. “I‘m so sorry to take from your day. But, I don‘t want to see these men giving anyone trouble anymore.”
She began to wonder if the men were paid for their services. All they did was collect thugs and bad people. Although, generally shinobi took on that job.

The collectors ran off with the unconscious and paralyzed. Jai-Lin turned to The small girl with long, blue hair, waiting for her to follow. “Well I would say were about a mile or two from the village,” Jai-Lin grinned. “Good timing too; because I could really go for some grub!” Jai spoke, laughing as she rubbed her stomach. They were continuing to walk.

But that was when she recognized they girl was rather frail. Her clothes covered her, but still. Her awkwardness… And that was when it finally donned on Jai-Lin. Nobody was really taking care of Sakaki. She could tell by her speech, the way she carried herself, her fragile form… It saddened her. Jai-Lin knew what it was like to be by herself. Both of her parents were killed on duty. Jai was actually, probably about Sakaki’s age then. But; she was not like her at all. Jai had not perused the life of a kunoichi until she was probably ten or so. On her own account.

“So um, Kiddo,” She said sort of awkwardly, “What do you say I treat you to some ramen after we report our mission status?” She grinned. “ They have specials on Tuesdays; ‘Two extra bowls free if you buy three‘!” she rhymed. That was a lie. Not the special; but the fact she couldn’t eat it all herself. She just wanted the girls company, and free food was hard to give up.

[sakaki]

There were a couple of times during their wait that Sakaki would glance at Jai-Lin. It was as if looking to the older girl could possibly make time go faster. However, it didn't, and the long wait seemed nearly endless. So it was that Sakaki would feel overjoyed as Jai-Lin spoke of the men's coming. Sure enough, when Sakaki looked up, and turned, there were three men jogging towards them, ready to take the criminals away.

“I‘m so sorry to take from your day. But, I don‘t want to see these men giving anyone trouble anymore.” Jai-Lin would do the talking, and Sakaki merely nodded in agreement. She had nothing of importance to add, really. Then Sakaki would deal with the bag that she'd been neglecting, having put it on the ground earlier. She wasn't too thrilled about hefting it up again, but it sure beat sitting around doing nothing...

“Well I would say were about a mile or two from the village. Good timing too; because I could really go for some grub!” The smaller Kumo-nin would not only nod, but make a small squeak in agreement. Food did sound really good, and would likely lighten up the mood! The dark clouds overhead were nothing in comparison to a warm meal.

As they began to walk again, Sakaki's thoughts trailed off to food. There wasn't much variety in her head, but whatever it was she envisioned looked rather delicious. Even as Jai-Lin watched her, her mouth would open slightly, the corner of her mouth becoming moist as she started to drool. When had Sakaki even last eaten, she had to wonder?

“So um, Kiddo. What do you say I treat you to some ramen after we report our mission status?” Sakaki was snapped out of her trance. It took her a moment to register what Jai-Lin had said. But when it got through to her, her face would light up like a spotlight. She'd only ever smelled ramen, and from what she could tell it was amazing! Jai-Lin was going to 'treat' her to it?!

“They have specials on Tuesdays; ‘Two extra bowls free if you buy three‘!” Sakaki's drooling only got worse at that point. She stared absentmindedly at the older girl. She had a hard time believing that this was all occurring. She reached up and pinched her own cheek, shook her head, and then beamed up at Jai-Lin.

"Reawwy?!" she cried out, her childish voice squeaking as she mispronounced the word. Even though her cheeks would then flush, she continued looking up at Jai-Lin, her eyes nearly quivering with delight.

[ℐai-ℒin]

((crappy post. Sorry!))

Apparently Jai-Lin had struck something in the girl, because she seemed completely different. It was as if she were in disbelief; like she was being taken to a spa. Jai would have, if she could afford it. Jai-Lin grinned at the young girl, who seemed to brighten up several notches. "Reawwy?!" she cried with excitement.

“Um, yeah!” Jai-Lin smiled, beaming with happiness that she made the girl so gleeful. Sakaki could use the grub as well. “It‘s not a fancy place though. It‘s by my apartments…” She dragged, not wanting to bring her hopes up too far. Jai-Lin lived towards the ratty end of the village. Things were cheap, but people were rude. She tried not to spend too much time at home.

At this point, the village gates came up very quickly. The guards brought them to a halt, looking suspicious. Flashing mission permission, they let them pass back into their home. The familiar scent of the village filled her nostrils, is smelled like rain and hard work, or at least to Jai anyway. She couldn’t love any place more than Kumogure. Taking a cut to the grocery store, she slid off her backpack, emptying its contents into the back-storage. The man waved them a goodbye, and handed them each a bag of chips.

Jai became overjoyed. The single most delicious chips, period.

“So um, lets run up to the compound really quick,” She told Sakaki. “Then we can run down and get some food!” Jai-Lin spoke excitedly.

[sakaki]

The little girl's hands would raise in front of her, her entire body wiggling with happiness. The aspect of not only getting food, but spending time with this cool, older girl was really exciting! How she could not express it in physical form? If she had known how, she possibly would have broken out into dance on the spot. But... that was a bit beyond her.

“It‘s not a fancy place though. It‘s by my apartments…” Jai-Lin simply must not have realized where Sakaki came from. An apartment was like a palace to her, she who slept in the broken part of a building long since unoccupied. Sakaki's 'home' was a room that was missing most of the ceiling, and part of two walls. Basically, it was just an open area that was up a couple of stories, out of the way of people wandering the streets.

Sakaki had bounced along happily all the way back to Kumogakure, and for good reason. She was a happy child, ready to fill her mouth and stomach with deliciousness! She almost couldn't wait for them to get there. The closer Kumo got to them the closer she was to ramen! The excitement built up inside of her, swirled around, and demanded to be released, although she held it all in.

They traversed the streets without any trouble. Apparently the three guys who had come after them were all that were after the chips... at least for that day. Sakaki had to wonder what the big deal was. They were just a bunch of chips, right? Why did people want to steal them so badly?

“So um, lets run up to the compound really quick. Then we can run down and get some food!” Jai-Lin would say after they'd unloaded their bags to the store. The older girl's voice would draw Sakaki's attention from the bag in her hands, the small child becoming even more excited from being given a gift for her hard work! She'd stare at Jai-Lin for a moment, and then nod. Even though she wanted to go eat so badly, as a shinobi, she knew she had to follow protocol before indulging in self-pleasing actions.

[/Exit]

[ℐai-ℒin]

It seemed the girl was even more thrilled than Jai-Lin was. She began to notice they were a lot alike. She picked up her walking speed, reaching the compound rather quickly.

Jai-Lin walked into the compound, looking around slightly. Several ninja were there, taking mission schools, on the Double. There seemed to be many more lately.
“Hello again,” She smiled at the woman at the counter. Again, she looked even older than the last time. “I would like to report on the mission,” she smiled, sighing. Quickly, she told the woman all the details, and the woman’s hand recorded her story. With a stamp, she turned to her companion, Sakaki, and gave her a thumbs up. “Let‘s go, kiddo!” She smiled, practically drooling over the thought of ramen. Her feet padded softly against the cement floors.

[[exit]]

[Sayomi]

Saka; 92 exp!

Jai; 88 exp!