|
"Stranger Places" (Radat) It's always funny, how being in a strange place, with strange people and strange surroundings, can still remind you so much of home. Here I am. I don't know where I'll be a day or so from now, I don't know where I'm going, and I don't know where I'm going to end up. But the more different everything seems, and the stranger everyone else seems, I'm always reminded of Rokkaku. I have to admit, there's not really much in Rokkaku to take pride in. We don't have any interesting landmarks, no popular tourist attractions for people to come and see. The fact that we've taken great pains to hide Rokakau from the rest of the world may have had something to do with that. But there's always that distinct quality in Rokkaku that I never find in most other places. Sure, they may have beautiful scenery, but they didn't have the old and very high steel pole right at the center of the town, where children try to climb and reach the small white handkerchief at the very top, proof that they were ready to begin their ninja training when they do manage to take it off. They didn't have the small rickety house at the very end of the street, filled inside out with the scents of white bread, cookies and ginger snaps; special treats my grandmother used to make for the whole block. They didn't have a bubbling spring tucked away just a little behind the Chief's low-roofed house; the only noise you'd hear at night when you want to go outside and watch the sun rise. Amazing how vividly I can recall all those things in the here and now, when back in Rokkaku, I barely paid attention to any of those at all. And it's even more amazing that I'm thinking of Rokkaku right now, just when I'm hunched over to one side of a ship, busy getting sick from a previous night's drinking spree. Amazing how the mind works. Simply amazing. Radat was a small yet busy town, of people from all walks of life. Sailors frequented the port, mending boats, gambling, or just relaxing in the shade, with the occasional feet popping out from within large comfy-like hammocks scattered around the vicinity. People young and old walked about; buying, selling or just enjoying the view of the huge dam that rose from Radat nameless river, apparently one of the town's prides and joys. Kasumi took no notice of them, as the boat she was standing on eventually drew near to shore. What need does a dying girl have in taking pleasure from viewing her surroundings, no matter how beautiful the scene? Without a doubt, Kasumi *was* dying. Slowly, painfully, excruciatingly. Or at least she prayed she was. She very much wanted to have everything over and done with soon. Her tongue and eyes burned, as if she hasn't seen a drop of water for the past week, though drinking was the farthest thing from her mind. When the burning in her eyes cleared --it wasn't a marked improvement, but it had cleared somewhat-- she began to see two of everything. She spent the two hours she had since boarding the small ship huddled on the starboard side, emptying whatever contents still remained in her stomach, much to the amusement / irritation of the fishermen they passed, as well as to the sailors manning the said means of transportation. And someone was beating out a steady tattoo involving something heavy and obviously sharp, in constant rhythm to a battle cry she had heard during the days when she had taken part in the Toran Liberaton army. From inside her head. Stupid hangover. It would have been more embarrassing if they knew she was a famed ninja from Rokkaku. More so if they learned she was actually a government official. Technically. Maybe it was from all that beer she had taken the night before. She didn't recall drinking too much of it to give her such a headache today, though. Everything had started to get quite blurry after gulping down that fifth cup in her room. Relief washed over her, in small bursts of waves as soon as the ship began its docking. Once firmly moored, she hurriedly gathered her belongings, haggled for a bit with the captain regarding the fees (didn't know the captain had a twin), and hopped down happily onto solid terra firma. Miraculously, the pounding in her head lessened to a considerable degree. Physical health reaffirmed, she turned to look around the town. Radat didn't seem like a bad place, even though she was still seeing double of everybody. In fact, everything looked peaceful and ordinary. Maybe those rumors she had heard back in Banner Village about an impending war was just a rumor after all. But if that was just a rumor, those of McDohl somewhere in South Window could be just another rumor as well. Kasumi felt another headache coming on. "First, supplies." She muttered to herself, walking in a rolling gait of a woman unused to being away from land for a long time. "Then, rest. Then....South Window, I suppose. It's not like I have anywhere that I have to go." It was only when she was halfway up the street that she realized yet another problem. With the exception of her encounter with the samurai the day before, all her money were in bits. The currency in Radat was potch. Inwardly, she groaned. That did nothing to soothe her still-pounding head. She had only enough potch for either the supplies, or a night at the inn. Obviously, with the state that she was in, she was going to need medicine. And as much as she wanted to have a nice comfy bed to spend sometime in after such an ordeal, that was going to have to wait, at least until she found a coin exchange shop. With much effort, Kasumi managed to locate an item shop at the next corner. Stopping in front, she was rewarded by nearly getting trampled by a harried-looking mom and her brood of squealing children on their way out of the store. It was only through years of training was she able to avoid getting stepped on and shot at by water pistols. Inside, after much haggling, she was able to get a couple of packs of medicine, with a littl bit left over for the owner's special hotdogs. It turned out that the shop specialized in food as well. Taking refuge under a stout oak tree, Kasumi took a little of the medicine from one of the packs, enough to make the pain in her head go away and stop her from getting double vision. She even relaxed enough to enjoy the hotdogs. Now there was only a matter of finding a place to rest. Kasumi casted a quick look above her. No better place than here, I suppose. Except maybe the inn. Slinging her pack over her shoulder, Kasumi began her ascent up into the tree, stopping only after finding a branch that could carry her full weight. She had slept in trees on several occasions, when there was nowhere else to stay or during missions, and it wasn't really as bad as a lot of people claimed it was. She had a good view of most of the town while remaining hidden among the leaves, and it was a comfortable enough tree to settle in for the meantime. Leaning back against the trunk, she allowed her eyes to wander around below. She was facing a large house, much larger than most of the others, and somewhat set apart from them all. Somebody important living there, she surmised. She let out a deep breath, and slowly let it out. At least some of her worries were over. What else could go wrong, anyway? *hic* Damn.
| ||||
