Six times a charm [Open]

[ryosuzuki]

If there was one thing to be learned while going out and about by yourself without any supplies, especially when you're Ryo Suzuki, is to bring extra food. Of course, being a ninja, Ryo had the experience and know-how to fend and feed himself and since he was becoming hungry, he had no choice but to use that knowledge and training to settle his hunger, just until he got back to the ninja village (Which happened to be a bit far from Ryo's current position). He already started the campfire, now all that was left was the task of actually catching something to eat. He happened to be near a lake so, obviously, fish would be on the menu. With all the confidence the young ninja had, he took out a kunai knife that he had on his person and made his way to the lake, having to resort to the bare handed method of catching his dinner. It seemed simple enough...

Splash! If it wasn't so tedious and hard! Ryo had to remove his sandals and jump in the lake and survey the water, looking for passing by fish. Occasionally, some of the fish would make their way towards him, only causing him to dive for them but missing. With his speed and quickness, Ryo thought that he would be able to best the fishes with no trouble at all. However, it seemed as though things had a different idea on how it would play out and in the matter of three tries, Ryo was already on the verge of soaking wet.

He groaned and kicked at the water, frustrated at the futile task. Some ninja, he thought. Fed up with failure, he jumped at the nearest fish swimming pass him, only to end up back in the water and face in shame.

"Send me a person that can catch a fish and I'll donate my weekly earnings to an orphan," He stated. Ryo rolled his eyes and pouted.
Why did fishing have to be so hard anyway?

[Suzumu]

The soft crunch of dirt accompanied the coming shadow of a rather tall figure- though not so tall to be freakish and a slim body that held just enough muscle to show the curves in his body and biceps as well as his abs. His pace was leisure, his body clothed in black. It wasn’t a usual style most people wore, and wasn’t entirely traditional either. He wears two pairs of slim Shitagi. One white, one black, with the black being on the top of the white. He wears traditional black Hakama that reach to the ankle and barely cover the straps of his Waraji and the end of his black Tabi. Above this he wears a tight haori that is cut to the middle back. The long sleeves reach to his elbows, covered by a pair of black, fingerless gloves that ‘seem’ to be connected to the haori. The color of the haori is initially black with light gray lining and purple detail. These gloves reach up his entire arm and stops an inch or two bellow his shoulder.

He has a fairly regular skin tone, not light, but not tan. He has eyes that are a light brown, almost honey brown, with long black hair that reaches to the middle of his back and flows like silk. The strands of black hair frame his handsome face as he slowly walks across the bank of the lake, his attention diverted by a white fluffy ball of cute on his shoulder. This was Mei, a Kitsune with two tails and bright yellow eyes and blue markings on her forehead. Her fur was white like the snow of a winter mountain, and her personality chipper and bright like the sun that arose each morning.

Denmaru held a bag over his shoulder, the weather beaten, simple bag looking as if the stitching could come loose any second and spill whatever the contents were inside. With Denmaru’s free hand, he pet the small Kitsune sitting on his shoulder as he walked. Mei bit his finger, gnawing on him and her paws batting at his hand as she balanced on his shoulder. But she fell back and rolled off his shoulder. Denmaru quickly turned a bit, using his hand to catch the fox. She plopped in his hand, her stomach on his palm and her legs hanging over limply. “So careless.” he said with a soft smile, holding the Kitsune to his chest and letting her walk up and down his arm.

He continued to walk, but paused when water suddenly splashed him and heard someone mumbling. Mei jumped out of his hold and onto the ground, shaking out her fur and leaving Denmaru to wipe the water from his face, his cloths slightly wet. As he gazed out at the water, he found a rather young boy was out there, staring at the water intently and thrashing about trying to catch fish. He had short, black, spiky hair and deep blue eyes that mimicked the very water he grappled as the tenacity of the fish battered the boy’s chance for jubilance.

Denmaru was more wet than puzzled at this point, figuring he was trying to catch fish for food. He wondered why the boy had no items if he intended to fish and had no experience with catching them with bare hands. And even more so why he did not plan to have enough food- whatever the reason was, he was out there and seemed to be having trouble catching what he desired.

“It would be much more effective if you would not go against the flow of things.” he commented, his brown eyes staring out at the boy. He doubted the advice would help much, since he was already irritated at the fish, but at least his comment may get his attention. Mei walked around the water, her button-like nose sniffing the water before she jumped in and paddled around in the water, looking like a wet kitten.

[ryosuzuki]

Ryo exhaled as he felt fish move pass him, apparently catching a short break before resuming to catch the fish. It was strange though; normally a ninja would have no problem catching the fish, although when one was active for a whole day, the mundane tasks seemed like a chore. Ryo knew this and regretted not planning ahead or at least continuing to his village (Even if he had to make his way there with an empty stomach) where he could have gotten fed there. He would have chosen one of those options at this point (simply because they seemed easier), though it was one thing holding the young ninja back: his pride. If he came back begging for food though coming home drenched, chances were that he would have to go right back to catch his dinner. That was something that he simply wouldn't allow (especially to have his sister laugh at him while going to do it), so it was best to get it over with now and go home and rest full and easy!

Ryo stood and stared at the water fiercely. His breathing slowed as he started to concentrate, watching the stream and awaiting for a fish to come near him. He waited... and waited... and waited until he felt a tinge of boredom enter him. He kicked at the water and tightened a fist, until he heard a voice give him advice.

“It would be much more effective if you would not go against the flow of things.” He said. Ryo turned behind him to see a man entering his company. Ryo was startled at first by the sudden voice, but quickly relaxed as he saw the newcomer.

"It's kind of hard to go with the flow of things when you're on an empty stomach." He stated, backing up in the water and looking at the stream. He looked to see a cat, he was pretty sure it was a cat, paddling in the water. Just then, an idea struck in his head: this newcomer and his cat could be of some assistance to him. Putting on a child-like gimmick, he turned to the newcomer and bowed.

"Do you think you could provide some assistance? You and your pet?"

[Suzumu]

A smile came to Denmaru’s face when he mentioned an empty stomach. So it seemed the boy was trying to catch some dinner for the lack of it. True, it could be rather tedious to do things when hungry. So he supposed he could sympathize with the kid on that. But who in their right mind traveled without food? And tools to get food for that matter. Denmaru questioned the boy’s logic at the moment, wondering why he had not thought this through.

However so he liked to ponder this question, his thoughts were broken when the kid asked for help. Denmaru blinked, watching the young man bow at him. As innocent as it seemed, he thought this boy was more clever than he looked, having to put him on the spot like this. Guilt wasn’t something Denmaru was on good terms with.

“Well, I suppose it is hard to say no to a starving young man that cannot catch a fish.” he said to him. Plus the fact he was already wet, so there was no point in not helping him. Denmaru whistled and Mei stopped paddling, being carried by the current some as her eyes watched Denmaru. She continued to paw at the water, slowly coming up to him and plopping on the bank. She scampered over to Denmaru, jumping onto him. Denmaru grabbed her before she could loose her grip and she shook out her fur, drenching him further with the river water.

“Mind your battle.” He said simply. Mei looked up at him, cute, yellow eyes staring at him as he said this. She stood and mewed, them jumped into a tree, crawling up over the rather sprawled out limbs that twisted every which way. Mei crawled on a thin branch that hung over the river and sat there, staring at the water, surveying the fish as they passed. Denmaru crouched down, tying his pants and making sure his waraji were tight, then set his bag down near the tree- along with his naginata and swords.

He stepped into the river, the water rushing past him and ripping around him as he walked. He only got about knee deep and stopped, his brown eyes looking further up stream, a calm embracing his expression as he watched the water flow past rocks and branches that grew into the river. He leaned over, softly submerging his black, gloved hands into the water and barely making a ripple. His eyes forged ahead, watching the fish.

He moved his hand to the left, directing a fish the other direction as it started to swim by him. It was rather large, but not so large as not to be able to be caught. Denmaru wiggled his fingers a bit, letting his hand flow through the water with the current, watching the fish follow his hand. It was simple really, distract the fish while sneaking up on it- but the trick was the water. They could feel the current and any changes within it- which is why one must not go against the flow or the fish would startle and evade.

Denmaru slowly cut his hand through the water, trapping the fish within his range. As soon as he got within distance of it his hand snatched it by the gills, fingers wedged deep as he pulled it from the water. It’s brown scales shined magnificently within the light as water flung from the fish as it wiggled and fought against Denmaru. He grappled it’s tail, holding it tight against his body and restricting it’s movement until it calmed down. When it’s movements were slow, he held it up by the mouth and sized it up. It wasn’t a small fish, that was for sure. It was about two feet long, rather wide and hefty with mud colored scaled that were spotted with black and tan fins.

“I am sure this is plenty.” He said to the young boy. Denmaru wasn’t much of a taker- only forging what was needed and no more. Denmaru had his own food, and surely this was enough for the growing lad. He walked out of the water, his cloths soaking wet and dripping all over the bank as he hauled the fish in his hand as if it was a simple catch. It wasn’t very hard to trick a fish, it just took patience and some cunning was all. He grabbed his things on the way, only pausing when he heard frantic splashing. Denmaru looked back at the river to see Mei paddling back to land. In her mouth was a fish double her size clenched tight in her jaws as it struggled, submerging Mei a couple times. But she resurfaced and kept to it.

She pulled her self up onto the shore and dragged the fish with her, holding it by the neck as it’s tail dragging on the floor. Her wet tails dragged behind her, looking like a cute wet cat and much smaller now that her fur wasn’t so poofy. Mei trotted up to Denmaru and looked up at him. He chuckled, not even having seen her jump into the water like the dare devil she was.

“You did well.” He said to the little fox. Mei dropped the fish and sat down, licking her fur and shaking her body out, trying to get the water off her. But she soon got over it and ran over to the river again, jumping into the water and swimming in it, paddling around and submerging herself and swimming in the water. She was still small and stayed near the bank, leisurely staying out of any rough current.

“I hope you are better at cooking than you are at fishing.” Denmaru said, locating the rather lacking campsite and setting the fish down on the ground. As well as his bag. He pulled the long strands of black hair from his face, the ends of his tresses damp from having fallen in the water when he was concentrating on the fish. Denmaru rung out his hakama and strapped his swords to his side, then placed the naginata at his back where it belonged.

[ryosuzuki]

[Apologies for the long wait]

"Cannot catch fish?!" Ryo shouted, repeating what the newcomer said. Ryo twisted his mouth and groaned. It was apparent that Ryo, in fact, couldn't catch a fish. Although Ryo would hate to admit it, being the arrogant ninja that he was. He moved out of the water and sat on the ground, turning his attention away from the newcomer.

"I resent that comment. If my clan or my clan members heard that I failed catching fish today, then I'd be the laughing stock!" He shouted. They would ore than likely have his sister become his babysitter, forcing her to watch Ryo wherever he went. What kid of fun would that be? No, that would be more torturous than helping! Ryo stood and brought himself to a bow to show gratitude for the newcomer's help.

"Still,... thank you for helping me though. Others would be on their way but you stayed so I am in your debt," Ryo said. The young ninja's attention diverted to the cat frolicking and climbing trees and such, then as he heard water splashing, his eyes quickly shot back at his new friend. He watched as he saw the man used a tactic to catch a rather large fish. His 'strategy' involved trapping and cornering a fish then grabbing it by its gills and pulling it from the water. When it was pulled from the water, Ryo looked in awe at the size of the fish as his stomach growled.

"Amazing...," He murmured. The very sight of the fish made Ryo's mouth water. Just then, Ryo was to be tested with cooking. His face lit up. Surely this was something that he could do -- it didn't require too much skill and it would give Ryo a chance to redeem himself. Not only that but it was the least that Ryo could do; the guy caught the fish so it was only respectful that he do the strenuous work.

"No problem good sir! I, Ryo Suzuki the great ninja of the Katsu-clan, shall create a fire for us and clean the fish!" He shouted. With great agility, Ryo jumped from one tree to another, grabbing branches and bark and throwing it down near the campsite. After getting an abundance of firewood, he dropped down and smiled.

"Whomever said I was amateur is clearly wrong," He smiled. "Ready when you are good sir."

[Suzumu]

Denmaru watched as he honorably, and confidently, spoke his name and his clan. He suddenly darted into the trees, like a lightening bolt, gathering the driest sticks he could find. Denmaru was impressed by his speed. In fact, the young ninja was possibly even faster than he! No less to be expected from a ninja. He gave a soft smile when he jumped down, beaming with confidence. “The fish is yours to eat.” Denmaru said. “There is no need to wait for me.” Denmaru simply sat down, crossing his legs and setting his bag on his lap. Surely the ninja could start the fire and cook it without him. It was a simple task. Though the fish would probably take longer to cook than a few smaller fish on a stick to roast.

Denmaru pulled an apple from his bag. The red was bright and luscious, like the color of brightly colored blood. And it gave a faint shine. He took a simple bight and gazed at his companion, Mei, who was eating her fish already. She sat there and chewed on it, eating the soft pink meat from it. “I believe I have forgotten to mention my name.” he spoke as he swallowed his chewed apple bite. The sweet flavor lingering in his mouth. “I am Denmaru Nagasaki. And my companion is Mei.”