⚡|| Arashigakure Streetlife [ Pre-koga war ] [ DONE ]

[Koresephone]

"Here lies the flowing streets and restaurants of Arashigakure, full of it's culture and it's people. Many different venues exist here, and you can find anything your heart desires. Want to eat something extravagant? Want to be entertained? All can be found here."

- Sonyo and Belamos
- Pre-Kogarashi wartime Arashigakure
- Other stuff I can't figure out what to put weeee.
 

[Koresephone]

Dextrous Prince

[ Outfit Ref ( Minus hairband and necklace ) ]


Sonyo sat in a chair at the cafe she told Belamos she'd meet him at. She had ditched her normal attire for something less... stained and more casual. It was a simple outfit, and a smile graced her face as she realized Kagerou would probably approve of her choices were she here. She wore a simple sleeveless black shirt with a dark gray high-waisted skirt and a white coat. Her legs were covered in solid black tights and ankle-height boots decorated her feet. She sipped quietly at a hot cup of tea, some sort of Arashi specialty but it was good. The flavor was rich and somewhat earthy, different than any of the teas she had before, and she had to add milk to cut the taste. It was overall fairly relaxing, and the warmth felt nice in her hands. She enviroment here in the clouds was so different than what she was used to but the soft bite in the air reminded her of home.

How long had it been since she had thought of Yukigakure and her life there? Of her family? Of Hakanai? She wondered briefly how her cousin was doing and if she was even alive. They had lost touch after all the nonsense with Kumogakure, and she hadn't been able to locate her since. The jinchuriki let out a soft sigh, closing her eyes. She bowed her head for a moment, praying to the Mother that the last of her family was alright, that Hakanai was out there some where... happy, safe, living a good life with people who supported her. It's all she could do. Sonyo opened her eyes to look at her own reflection in her tea, greatful that her- wildly unpruned hair -did not fall in to her face thanks to her new hairpin granted by Kagerou.

Hazel-brown eyes stare back at her, the eyes of her mother, with a mixture of exhaustion and calm behind them. Maybe after Belamos' tour she would find herself somewhere to sleep, even if her dreams were troubled by the ghosts of the people she couldn't save. Maybe some day they would leave her in peace, but that day wasn't coming any time soon, and seeking help was too dangerous. Kya had been the last person to try to help her and she was gone, killed before her time. How many people had she loved that had died? Was it her? Was she cursed.

She frowned, her love was a curse... Nariomi, Theodin, Kya... Everyone that mattered to her eventually faded away.





[ ⅰ ] chakra : : 895 // 1495 tab [ ⅰⅰ ] stamina : : 1405 // 1405 tab tab tab
[ I ] Jinchuriki tab [ II ] Follower of Evergreen tab [ III ] Med / Blood tab tab tab

 

[Dexterous Prince]

He had turned back and started walking home twice. This was too bold, too brash; it was not becoming to spend an evening like this with a woman he just met. No. No, he told her he would tour her around the city and so he would. A quiet, uneventful tour that he would excuse himself from as soon as the courtesy allowed himself to. Such thoughts pervaded his mind as he went back and forth in regards to his upcoming date. He was about to turn back a third time when he caught sight of her. Her dark hair was tucked behind her ear as she took a sip of tea, part of her face obscured by a white coat. As he lay eyes on her all doubt was instantly erased and he strode towards he resigned to whatever fate lay before him.

He approached her table, a warm expression upon his face as he slid into the chair opposite her. He wore simple dark pants with a black jacket over a white v-neck. He had thought it was a little 'underwhelming' but Aurelia had assured him it was a fitting minimalist look. "I'm sorry I'm late but I'm glad you were able to find the place" He said, gesturing to the small hole-in-the-wale cafe in which they sat "As I see you've noticed, they make quite a good cup of tea" He smiled at her before ordering his own cup as the waitress came around. Once he did, he returned his attention back on to her. A moment of awkward silence passed before Belamos spoke up "I'm...sorry. I'm not good at...this. It's been a while since I have been out with anyone" He nervously chuckled at his own inability to talk to the beautiful girl before him until he, finally, thought of something to say "I hope your day went well after I left. I was worried that I had taken up too much of your time with my ramblings" As his tea arrived he poured a healthy amount of milk into the dark liquid, stirring it absent-mindedly with his pinky. Of course, completely oblivious to the heat.


 

[Koresephone]

Dextrous Prince

Her eyes locked with Belamos’s golden ones and Sonyo stopped for a moment to watch him as he sat and ordered his own drink. His smile, the air about him, was warm and comforting like a fire in a cold cabin. He was truly like his own sun, casting a warm glow. Her darkened mindset from before lingered only for a moment, making her wonder how many times that warmth had been darkened by everything that was terrible in this world, before it was cast away by his awkward chuckle. Sonyo found herself smiling warmly as Belamos confided he hadn’t really gone out with anyone in a while. It probably hadn’t been since his wife passed. The young woman found her gaze looking back in to her cup as she thought about the time she had dared to let herself close to someone... Burning braziers, arms around her... then nothing. Belamos spoke again and she finally found her voice to respond to him.

”It’s alright, we get so caught up in saving and protecting the lives of others that we forget that we’re just human. Well... mostly human anyways.” She glanced up at Belamos at the joke, a small smirk forming on her lips as she took a sip from her tea. She swallowed, then continued. ”I have to admit, you’re doing much better than I was. I can sense your loss is much more recent than mine. My husband died years ago, you see. I like to blame the UHV for his death but he would have been taken from me either way due to an illness I could bever cure. I’m glad he left this world in a way that spoke for him, sacrificing himself for our village, instead of in a hospital bed.”

She took a deep breath, her eyes shutting for a moment. She was such a fatalist some times. Sonyo cleared her throat, setting the mug down with a soft ’clink’ and reopening her eyes to stare down at her hands which seemed so useless— it was a ironic fate for Nari. Have an accomplished medical shinobi of a wife, only for her not to be able to cure your cancer. Perhaps if they had caught it sooner it would have been easier; but although Nari took his time telling her, the cancer had been far beyond saving before he had ever found out about it. Her fingers drew together, clasping her hands so that the thoughts would go away.

They didn’t.

”My day went fairly normal for my life. I spent a better half of my afternoon tending after a patient of Kagerou’s and then helping the hospitall to prepare for the coming battle. I hope your evening was a little less eventful, though with war looming like a thundercloud, I doubt that.” Sonyo raised the mug from the table again and took a sip, her features crumpling a little as she got more of the taste of the tea towards the bottom of the cup. She made a soft throaty noise of discomfort before setting the tea back down.

”Mmm, didn’t realize how much it had settled. Reminds me a little of the godawful tea my mother used to make me as a child in Yukigakure. She was a wonderful woman of many talents, but more motherly tasks like making tea was not one of them.” She chuckled softly, letting out a small cough. She had very few warm memories of her mom, but many of them were when they lived in her original home. The destruction of Yukigakure had broken her mother, and she never understood when she was younger why her mother was such a bitter woman. She understood now, and only hoped her losses would not make her as bitter.





[ ⅰ ] chakra : : 895 // 1495 tab [ ⅰⅰ ] stamina : : 1405 // 1405 tab tab tab
[ I ] Jinchuriki tab [ II ] Follower of Evergreen tab [ III ] Med / Blood tab tab tab

 

[Dexterous Prince]

She was an enigma to him- she was overwhelmingly competent yet she seemed to think very little of herself. Beautiful beyond words but did not believe herself to be so. It intrigued and infuriated him- he wanted her to see herself as he saw her. Fierce, powerful and incredibly significant. He decided that even if today's visit should fall short, he would endeavor to impart a bit of that viewpoint onto her. In regards to the death of Sonyo's husband, Belamos merely sipped and nodded his head. He knew of who she spoke- Nariomi. They had met, once, in the lead-up to the final battle at Otogakure. In this instance, though he felt it would behoove him more to be a listener.

When she asked him how his day went Belamos chuckled softly and took a sip of his tea "I just spent the evening with my daughters, taking stock of what is important...well, before..." He trailed off. The unspoken truth was that he wanted to spend as much time with those he loved as he had left as the outcome of this fight was far from obvious.

As Belamos finished his tea he responded to her comments about her mother with a reflection on his own mom "Yeah, mine was too busy working to master such skills. She raised me on her own as my dad...well, he wasn't around. And, believe me, I was a handful at that age" When she finished her tea, Belamos would gesture towards the door. When she agreed, they would get up and exit together, walking down the chilly streets. Sonyo would quickly realize that the air around Belamos was pleasantly warm- easily beating out the cool evening air. The nightlife of Arashi was well under-way now and they were far from the only couple out on the town. He would chat with her as he walked, enjoying her company. This went on for almost ten minutes until he stopped before an unadorned red door with a large man sitting on a stool next to it.

Turning to her, he would extend a hand to the woman "Do you trust me?" If she returned with the affirmative, he would nod to the man who would open the door. The sound of music faded in quickly as the door opened- a fast paced jazz beat that seemed to make one feel alive. Leading Sonyo by the hand Belamos pushed through the crowd and quickly lead her to a glass staircase. They went up until they exited onto a rather well-lit and extravagant club balcony. Before them layout the entire village. The buildings twinkled in the twilight as the sunset was spread out before them to view. The music thrummed in the background and as a waiter came around, Belamos picked up two glasses of champagne from his metal tray and extended one to Sonyo "I felt this was as good a place to start as any- it's my favorite view in town accompanied by some music I have grown fond of. Cheers" He extended his glass towards her and took a sip, enjoying the beginning of an eventful night.
 

[Koresephone]

Dextrous Prince

The walk with Belamos was nice, and the small talk was even nicer. It was easy to talk with the small things with him, she felt no need to impress him with large conversations about difficult topics. When they entered the jazz club, she felt her body strain against her wanting to dance with the beat. She had almost forgotten she used to dance, was that another thing she hadn't done since she entered Suna? When was the last time she danced like she used to, with feet filled with joy and an upturned gaze to the sky? She sipped softly at the glass Belamos handed her after meeting his glass in a toast, smiling warmly at him over the rim."It was a good choice. The village is beautiful from here."

Sonyo turned her head to look at the street below, quiet for a moment. Her hazel eyes glimmered with the light from the stores and restaurants below. She felt... at peace for once, calm. Maybe this is what she needed all this time, was to just let go of all the responsibilities for a moment. "I feel like there's so many things I could ask you, so many things I want to know. Like... tell me about your daughters. Tell me about your life here in Arashigakure."





[ ⅰ ] chakra : : 895 // 1495 tab [ ⅰⅰ ] stamina : : 1405 // 1405 tab tab tab
[ I ] Jinchuriki tab [ II ] Follower of Evergreen tab [ III ] Med / Blood tab tab tab

 

[Dexterous Prince]

I Tortured Sleep I

He downed his drink in one quick pull- immediately feeling the effects of the alcohol tug at the corners of his mind. Unbeknownst to many, he was a notorious lightweight. He kept his eyes on Sonyo as she spoke and politely nodded at her comment on the village. When she told him she wanted to know more of his life, he raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly "Well, depending upon what you want to know I may need a few more of these" He said, raising up his empty glass and shaking it, a soft smile upon his face. He set the glass down on a standing table next to him and leaned on the banister overlooking the street below. He alternated between looking at the civilians in the street and Sonyo's own soft gaze as he spoke "Joke's aside, my daughters are...well the most important thing in my life. Tsuki and I only had the one, Aurelia. Thankfully she takes after her mother more than me" He laughed once more at his own self-deprecation "I also have Nohea. She is a special case, this girl. Her own family is out of the picture and she survived for most of her life on her own. She's had a hard life, exceptionally hard. She was already cared for by both me and Aurelia so I adopted her into my family and gave her the name Karna." As he laid out his history before her, he watched her tosee how she would react. His family was an unorthodox one, but one he loved nonetheless "My life here is a simple one. I come and go as I please and mostly contend myself with providing for my family and my people. Truth be told, I plan to retire soon. Warfare...bloodshed" He grew solemn, peering off into the distance at a horizon he couldn't quite see "I've had...enough. Once we earn this peace...I will fight no more"
 

[Koresephone]

Dextrous Prince

As Belamos talked about hisfamily, she felt a bittersweet feeling fill her. His daughter, Nohea, reminded her of Taylor. There was a pleasant smile on her face, but there was a measure of sadness behind her eyes. She finished the rest of her drink as well, then rested her elbows on the railing with her wrists crossed. She looked at him for a moment as he talked about retiring, from the bloodshed and the pain, from all of it. She longed for that same kind of escape, to have every day be like the night she was having, to be at peace.. for life to be simple. She had wanted it for so long that she had lost hope it could ever happen... but maybe with Belamos' help it could.

Sonyo reached out one hand, covering one of Belamos' own. She knew the pain he held, she knew how much this life destroyed. She had lived it too, lived through all the hurt and the loss and the darkness. "I..." The young woman began, taking a moment to find the words she wanted to convey. "I want that too... Peace. For the longest time I've dreamed of an easy life, a normal life. I tried to have that, before... but it's hard to be a housewife and a shinobi." She felt her jaw clench softly and her gaze trailed up from looking at her hands covering his, to Belamos' face. There was desperation in her eyes and a feeble hope. "I've had enough loss for a lifetime, Bel. I keep losing people, keep losing everything. I'm... barely still going. I haven't had a home in so long I've forgotten what it feels like to stay in one place for more than a few days at a time. My soul is tired... I am tired."





[ ⅰ ] chakra : : 895 // 1495 tab [ ⅰⅰ ] stamina : : 1405 // 1405 tab tab tab
[ I ] Jinchuriki tab [ II ] Follower of Evergreen tab [ III ] Med / Blood tab tab tab

 

[Dexterous Prince]

I Tortured Sleep I

Her troubles were his- her pain mirrored in his own heart. His own woes were many and the losses he experienced mirrored that of the woman. It was the nature of the world in which they lived and an unfortunate fact of reality. As she finished her speech, he spoke softly "As am I. A day doesn't go by that I don't think about those that I have lost. There's no easy solutions here, Sonyo, and I won't belittle you by imparting hollow words of comfort, for we both know they do nothing to fill the void. The only thing I have found to help me shoulder the burden is to cherish their memory and honor them through my actions" He shifted his gaze back to her and hesitated for a moment before continuing- choosing his words carefully as he spoke "Nobody will ever replace Tsuki- she will own a piece of my heart forever. Just as I know Nari will forever reside within you. But..." He straightened, and gestured to the door which led back downstairs and to the dance floor "...we can still enjoy the time we have left with who we have left"
 

[Koresephone]

Dextrous Prince

Belamos was right, she should enjoy the time she had left. They'd all die some day anyways, right? Hell she might even die when the war hit, she might die five minutes from now. The realization was terrifying but... somehow freeing. The differences between the man that stood before her and Nari were staggering, but she was thankful for those differences. She was a different person than she was all those years ago. The woman couldn't help the genuine smile that bloomed on her face at the gift that Belamos had given her. A sort of freedom she never knew she needed.. and she'd enjoy it for now, for she was sure her doubts would creep back in and ruin it at any moment. "I agree."

With those words, she made her way inside and back down the steps to the dance floor, making sure that Belamos was behind her. Her heart raced in excitement at the thought of dancing, of letting out all of the energy she felt inside. Once she was on the dance floor, she danced expertly with the beat, and the world fell away for a moment. She had forgotten how much she missed this, missed dancing, miss being... herself. Out of all the horrible lessons from her mother, she would never regret learning how to dance. Fora moment she even forgot Belamos was there.





[ ⅰ ] chakra : : 895 // 1495 tab [ ⅰⅰ ] stamina : : 1405 // 1405 tab tab tab
[ I ] Jinchuriki tab [ II ] Follower of Evergreen tab [ III ] Med / Blood tab tab tab

 

[Dexterous Prince]

I Tortured Sleep I

To be honest, he wasn't much of a dancer himself. He recommended the activity because he guessed that Sonyo could use the distraction and judging by her enthusiasm he had guessed correctly. She was brilliant insofar as he could tell, but more than that he was just happy to see her enjoying herself. Belamos watched her lose herself in the activity while he leaned against the bar, sipping a drink. The softer music of earlier had transitioned into a faster beat, more reminesant of an electronic club. People, of course, flooded the dance floor in response. 'Alright, now or never' He downed the rest of the drink and felt the liquid courage wash over him. As soon as the effect kicked in he set out and joined her in the mob of dancers. The sheer number of people pushed them closer together than politeness would otherwise allow, but by this point, the alcohol stopped him from caring as much as he normally would have. He cut lose with the wild enthusiasm of someone who might die tomorrow. He more or less followed her lead as it was very obvious she was the more experienced of the two. Time passed this way for an indeterminate amount of time. Five minutes? Fifty? He couldn't say for he was absorbed in the moment. Eventually, though, they separated from the crowd and wound up in one of the booths that ringed the dance floor. He a bead of sweat away from his brow and grinned excitedly- thoroughly enjoying himself. He ordered another round for the two of them, letting Sonyo make her own choice, and leaned back in his chair "This! This is what I want. People to live like this, free and happy. This is true humanity- wild and unplanned. I love it!" He laughed spread his arms out, gesturing to the chaos going on around them. Belamos Karna, on the eve before battle, had gone and let himself have a bit of fun. And to think, the night was still young.
 

[Koresephone]

Dextrous Prince

The feeling from the dance floor was infectious, and Sonyo's heart was still pounding from it all. The closeness of everyone, including Belamos, was not something she was use to and riding on the high as they ordered drinks, she ordered something more heavy than she usually would. She took her place beside Bel and took a swig of her drink, looking at him as he exclaimed that he always wanted things to be like this. Her hazel-brown eyes were warm as she watched him, a large smile on her face. Just like everything else about the demigod, his laugh was warm and infectious-- almost intoxicating. "If anyone can make it happen, I'm sure it's you. I'd like to see you achieve it. You look good with a smile on your face, it's handsome." Sonyo shirked off her coat, the previous exertion and the alcohol making her feel warmer than usual, but it wasn't a bad warm. She wanted to feel like this all the time, feel happy and excited and free.

For once there wasn't voices shouting in her head at her, there were ghosts haunting her every time she closed her eyes. There was just her, and Belamos, and the booth they sat in. She took another swig of her drink, watching the people still dancing on the floor. Could it really be possible? A place where she was just a woman who liked to garden and paint? Where she wasn't Sonyo of the White Sand, that she was just Sonyo. Every fiber in her being wanted to believe it, at least for this moment.





[ ⅰ ] chakra : : 895 // 1495 tab [ ⅰⅰ ] stamina : : 1405 // 1405 tab tab tab
[ I ] Jinchuriki tab [ II ] Follower of Evergreen tab [ III ] Med / Blood tab tab tab

 

[Dexterous Prince]

The idea of two individuals such as them coming together in such a way was as surprising to him as it was exhilarating. In many ways they were different, but the fundamentals of their personality were rooted in the same morality- that of one wishing for peace and happiness. Tsuki had been passionate, driven and fierce- it was what he needed in his life to overcome Horace and the UHV. But now the Sun of his life was at it's apex and soon to be headed towards the dusk of his life's end and he no longer sought out such things. When he was with Tsuki it was like a pairing of binary stars. Two beings of unimaginable power pouring into each other with everything they had and destroying everything that came too close. Sonyo? Well, if he was the Sun then she was his Moon- a calm, guiding presence that persisted even when the night was at it's darkness. Such grandiose metaphors poured through his mind as he stared into her eyes; Visions of tomorrow's yet lay before him.

Belamos leaned in across the table as he flashed a smile to match hers as she commented on his appearance "It comes easy when you're in good company." He leaned back and raised his glass, as two fresh drinks had been brought to them "To a peace- shall it be in our hearts forever more!" He would extended his drink to hers in response to his toast and quickly down it. What happened next, exactly, neither of them would be able to perfectly recall so long as they both lived.

Flashes of the night stuck with him. Sonyo entering into a Shuriken throwing contest. Belamos wearing a dragon head mask and breathing fire to the delight of screaming children. Drinking with Sumo Wrestlers after a particularly impressive bout. And he was pretty sure at some point they had to run from the KPD! But, the most impressionable thing that stuck with him was Sonyo's smile that endured throughout the night. He wanted to keep it on her face forever.

When the night calmed down, and was nearing it's end, the pair, not quite sober but no longer inebriated, sat on a cliffside bench, overlooking the glittering night-time village which lay sprawled out before them. They sat close by, her head leaning on his shoulder. It was a long moment before either said anything, but eventually Belamos broke the silence "Tonight wasn't...exactly what I had planned. But, I enjoyed myself regardless. It's been a while since I've had fun"
 

[Koresephone]

Dextrous Prince

Sonyo stared at the stars in a warm daze, a soft smile on her face. She had had moments like this back when she was just a genin, when life was more simple. It had been such a long time since those days, but it felt good to kow she was still capable of this happiness. And this is what it would be like every day with Belamos, she realized. Every day he would still have this infectious warmth, this radiating joy. It was just him, just the feeling he gave off. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms tightly around the arm she was leaning against, taking in that same soul-filling warmth. The air was cold, and she had lost her jacket somewhere along the way-- not that the cold bothered her at all, but the first time she didn't want to be. She wanted to bask in Belamos' glow, she wanted to forget everything.

She was afraid to speak, afraid to ruin this feeling, this moment like she had a habit of doing. She didn't want to destroy it with words she felt like she had to say, words that clogged up in her chest and wouldn't come out. She just kept her eyes closed, her cheek laying on his shoulder. She wanted to remember everything, so she could remind herself later that she could be happy. It was still possible, she wasn't completely ruined.





[ ⅰ ] chakra : : 895 // 1495 tab [ ⅰⅰ ] stamina : : 1405 // 1405 tab tab tab
[ I ] Jinchuriki tab [ II ] Follower of Evergreen tab [ III ] Med / Blood tab tab tab

 

[Dexterous Prince]

He did not press the situation, did not push to advance the physical contact between them...he just enjoyed the moment. Dawn was neigh-on upon them, but Belamos was loath for the night to end. A part of him, a small part of him, was afraid that come sunrise the magic between them would fade and the reality of the world in which they live would grind out any hope for a future as such they both wanted. But instead of worry about that, he placed his hand on top of hers and traced the feeling of the woman's smaller fingers with his own. There was no sense in worrying about things yet to come when he had happiness at this moment. When he spoke next, it was low, barely above a whisper: "When people think of a demigod, they tend to focus on the god part, you know?" He chuckled softly as he traced the edges of one of the small callouses she had on her hand "Power, immortality, wisdom; all these things belong to the divine. But what most fail to grasp is the boons humanity offers. Courage, perseverance, companionship- these are alien to the gods. Never before have I been as thankful for my human half as I am here, now, with you. Without it, I could never understand how far you have come, how much you have endured, and how deep you have felt loss, only to still be the person you are today. Evergreen may care for you and find you beautiful because of your appearance and accomplishments, and indeed I share those sentiments, but the beauty that is a lily growing in a harsh desert is something that only a human could fully appreciate." His rambling at an end, he leaned his head on top of hers, just as the first rays of the sun crested the horizon