[ml1201]

She nods her head slightly in agreement, if they wanted to scare the villagers they could have easily moved faster than anyone in that village. Though she wasn't fond of the idea, she didn't want to stick out too much to be honest. When they reach the ramen shop sh too lets out her own sigh.

"Yes, they really should. It's very unnerving having people stare at you for no known reason." Looking at the menu she decides to get something with fish in it. Even though it was easy enough to get fish from the streams and lakes she didn't really get to eat them often.

[CycloneKira]

Akira smiles hearing her decision. "Fish sounds good," he says and orders two bowls of ramen. He looks at her, wondering if he should make conversation with her, but is saved by the prompt arrival of the ramen bowls.

He smiles at the bowls and devours the whole thing, enjoying himself as much as he had yesterday. When he's done, he looks up.

"Just as good as it was yesterday," he says. "Did you like it?

[ml1201]

Not knowing what to say she just sits quietly waiting for her bowl, nodding her head in thanks to the server. Trying a piece she hums softly in delight, enjoying every bite of her meal. When Akira asks what she thought she smiled, "Yes, I completely agree with you. Whoever makes it makes really good ramen, makes me wish I knew how to make something as good..." Her eyes become a bit sad, never having really done much cooking besides camping during her travels.

[CycloneKira]

Akira looks at her as her facial expression changes, and she looks a bit sad. He thinks about what to say and then looks back at her. "Well," he says. "I don't know about ramen, but my mother taught me to cook some things as a child. Just some small things here and there, nothing fancy. My father didn't like the idea of me learning to cook, but my mother had insisted."

He chuckles at the memory and continues. "Maybe I could teach you how to make those things, sometime?" he offers. "I mean, I might not be as good a cook as my mother was, but she taught me some simple things, so it would be easy to teach you how to make them."

[ml1201]

A bit surprised when he says that she looks at him with wide eyes, "Really? It sounds like you had really nice parents, makes me wonder who things would have been if my mom were still alive. Everyone else said that my mother had my father wrapped around her fingers after all. And thanks, I'd love to learn at least something other than roasting game." Smiling happily she finishes her ramen and hums softly, delighting in the taste of the ramen.

[CycloneKira]

Akira smiles back at her, happy to see her smiling face. She looks pretty when she smiles, he thinks. And then he pauses for a moment as he realizes what he thought.

He sighs a little as he realizes that this is to be expected. He is traveling alone with a woman, who happens to be really beautiful. He is of that age himself. It is obvious that thoughts like these will cross his mind from time to time. His face is a little subdued as he thinks.

[ml1201]

Seeing his smile she realizes she likes it when he smiles, looks better than when he's frowning or upset about something. Like last night when she got upset. Though when his expression changes slightly she gets a bit nervous, wondering if she had done something.

"Well, guess its time to get ready to go then, do you want me to cover for the ramen this time?"

[CycloneKira]

Akira looks up at Yusa, a little startled at being disturbed from his thoughts so suddenly (or at least, it feels sudden to him). "O- oh no, that's fine," he says. "You don't have to pay for it." He gets up and pays for the ramen before going back to her.

"All right," he says. "We should get going. Your father said I had to get you there in the morning, which doesn't give us much time." His face is a bit serious as he remembers her request to stay at the gate, whatever happens.

[ml1201]

"Alright, we better go then." Leaving the ramen shop she heads into the trees, a bit away from the town, then jumps up into them and leads Akira back to her village. The sun is not yet at its peak when they arrive there, the ninjas standing guard looking at her a bit in surprise, obviously not having expected her to come back. Going over to one of them she issues a command, "Tell my father that if he wants to hear what I have to say then to get everyone gathered in the center of the village, I'll at the raise used for making announcements." Nodding nervously he does as she asks. Looking over her shoulder she smiles nervously at Akira, taking a deep breath and heading to the center of the village. Luckily the village is small enough so that even Akira will be able to hear her from the raise.

[CycloneKira]

Akira follows her and is relieved when they reach her village more or less on time. He nods and gives her an encouraging smile. "Do your best, Yusa," he says as he watches her go in.

As promised, he stays at the gate, watching the raise curiously as the villagers slowly start making their way there. He waits patiently for everyone to come, wondering what Yusa will say to them. He is somewhat glad that the village is a small one. If Yusa is loud enough, he will be able to hear what she has to say.

[ml1201]

Once almost everyone had gathered and her father finally comes to stand among them she takes a deep breath before addressing everyone.

"Some of you might have heard how I've left the clan and you're probably wandering what I'm doing back here. Even more so after the deal my father has made with some of the men here in the village. But enough is enough, I don't care about becoming the head of the clean and I don't have any plans on causing any trouble either. Most of you think that I'm probably just some cold hearted assassin that did the elders' and my father's bidding. You both right and wrong about that. Yes I did their bidding, but only because I knew how to do nothing else. I had spent so much of my life killing and training in ways to kill them that I didn't know how to act around others, not even my own family." Tears begin to form in her eyes and she has to wipe them away so she can continue looking at the crowd before her.

"But to be completely honest, I have always been jealous of my sisters, being allowed to choose their life, being able to fall in love and have children of their own. I felt like an outcast in my own family, and I felt like my father never even cared whether or not I wanted to lead a different life, just the life he thought my mother would have wanted of me. But after meeting Akira I realized their was more out there that I could do, I just had to be the one to take the steps to achieve them. So I'm leaving the village and I don't know if I will or will not return, it all depends on how I feel during my travels. But I'm tired of doing nothing but killing my whole life, I'm going to do something different with it now."

[CycloneKira]

Akira looks up as everyone finally gathers, including Yusa's father. He is able to hear what Yusa is saying and his mind wanders back to the time when he himself had done this.

"All of you know about me, about how my father adopted and took care of me when I had nothing. For that, I am and will always be grateful. But I have decided that, honorable as it may be, the ninja way of life does not suit me. Thus, with my father's permission, I am leaving the clan.....

His attention is brought back as he listens to the end of Yusa's speech. She is not mincing words the way he had done. That is her personality, he supposes.

[ml1201]

While everyone is murmuring and talking about what she's just said, Yusa ducks down into the crowd, making her way through them. As she breaks away from the crowd she sees her two sisters, standing there as if waiting there for her. They both rush over and hug her tightly, "We're so sorry, we never realized you felt so lonely. You just always did what father told you to and you always shied away from people. Whatever happens to you, we wish for your happiness." Giving her a gentle squeeze they let her go, letting her return to Akria. Just as she gets there though her father approaches them.

"Huh, never would have thought you'd have the guts to say that in front of everyone, and you've caused quite a stir while you were at it."

[CycloneKira]

Akira smiles as he watches Yusa with her sisters, who are hugging her. Good, at least they understand her well. He gives her a wide grin as she approaches him and is about to tell her that she did a good job, when her father approaches them.

"Really?" he says, when the old man says he didn't expect her to speak. "I would have thought it was to be expected. She's your daughter after all." He smiles at Yusa for a bit, before turning his attention to her father. "I have done what you have asked me to do. I brought her here and she spoke her mind in front of everyone. I hope you will keep up your end of the deal. It would mean a lot to Yusa and me." He looks at the other man, trying to show the respect that is due to an elder but at the same time making it clear that he will not be trifled with.

[ml1201]

"I keep my word, boy. But I can't guarantee some of the boys won't get their own idea of things. Seems some of them have had a liking for Yusa for a while and only didn't go after her because of me. So I'm washing my hands of this, if you get into any trouble its on you two now." Him and Yusa turn away from one another at the same time, her father heading back further into the village.

"Let's get out of here, he's making my skin crawl and I'd rather leave while there's still some confusion anyways. It will keep the guys busy."

[CycloneKira]

Akira looks at the man and nods. "Fair enough," he says and the other man walks away. His attention turns to Yusa. "That's true," he says to her. "Let's leave. Maybe we can go back to the village we were in last and head south from there?"

As they walk away, Akira turns back to look at the village one more time. The crowd is still there, as though expecting some explanation about what they had just heard. He chuckles and turns to Yusa. "Seems like your little speech has left the people dumbfounded," he says.