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Honehime's face was getting redder and redder as Sakazuki antagonized her, describing something virtually identical to what she had just been imagining. Self-consciousness was flooding through her, making her all too aware of the others' attention being focused squarely on her. She didn't know why the Circe was making it a point to embarrass her so much, but it was getting to the point that she couldn't even think too straight any more. When she dared to risk a slight upward glance, she could see that Sakazuki was turned away, once again looking in the cauldron. Hopefully that meant she was done teasing her!
(9272 words + 108 words = 9380 words)


Lieselotte shook her head once again as Sakazuki increased her teasing of the embarrassed and introverted Kaguya. She watched for a moment longer, trying to decide if she wanted to get involved or not. If Sakazuki didn't leave Honehime alone soon, she'd probably have to step in, if for no other reason than the girl looked practically on the verge of tears. Something about Sakazuki seemed a little bit different since she had returned from her excursion out of camp. She didn't know what it was, but it was a change she was beginning to think wasn't such a good one. For now, she'd just continue to monitor the situation, though, she didn't want to get involved in the others' disputes if she could avoid it.
(9207 words + 132 words = 9339 words)


Mei hadn't even realized the trouble she was causing Shuku, she had only been panicking upon realizing that her clothes were all messed up, and showing far too much of her to anyone who happened to look at her, like Kuroshika had just done. When Shuku finally grew too frustrated and backed away a step, she realized what she'd done, and stopped her futile struggling, before turning back to look at the Mayonaka. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you mad..." She lowered her gaze to the ground, honestly appearing regretful. And she was, she didn't like it when anyone was mad, or sad, or upset, she wanted everyone to be happy. Cowed by nature and by Shuku's slight chastisement, she tried to fix her clothes once more, with slightly fumbling hands. "Umm, could you try helping me again?"
(9461 words + 146 words = 9607 words)

Honehime slowly felt her pulse slow as the extremely high levels of self consciousness and embarrassment she was feeling slowly began to dwindle, now that Sakazuki seemed to be done teasing her, at least for the moment. When the Circe announced the meal was done, she sighed, hoping that meant that at the least, there would be no teasing for the duration of the meal, at least.
(9380 words + 67 words = 9447 words)


Lieselotte watched with relief as Sakazuki finally stopped torturing the young Kaguya, and instead focused on the cauldron. Only a moment later, she announced it was ready. With that, Lieselotte looked around, but didn't see any bowls, or even anything that would work as bowls. Did anyone think to bring any? She herself didn't, she just had a few tools that she could bastardize into eating implements, but that was about it. Hopefully they could figure something out.
(9339 words + 80 words = 9419 words)


Mei forced herself to stay still as Shuku began to fix her outfit, even though the sensation of Shuku's hands moving against her was very ticklish. Even though she tried not to, she ended up giggling a little at a few particularly ticklish moments. Once that ordeal was done, she breathed deeply for a moment, and looked over herself. Her clothes looked to be back where they were supposed to be, Shuku had done it! Smiling happily, she gave Shuku a quick hug, showing a perhaps natural mind for trajectories, or at least blind luck, in managing to successfully hug the Mayonaka, rather than be bounced away by both of their outstanding chests. "Thank you!" When Shuku apologized for earlier, she tilted her head for a moment. "Well, I still don't know exactly what happened, so don't worry about it." She smiled again and perked her head up a little, sniffing the air. "Something smells good, do you think the stew is ready yet?"
(9607 words + 167 words = 9774 words)

Honehime watched as Sakazuki pronounced the stew was ready, and made a bowl appear from nowhere. At that, she realized she should probably dig her own out. It wasn't precisely a bowl, the official term was mess tin or something like that, but it worked as either a bowl or a plate, and was made of sturdy, durable metal.She dug out her utensil, too. Again, it was very serviceable, and not much else. One end was a spoon, the other end was a combination of a knife and fork. One edge was sharpened, and the tip was shaped into a trio of tines. Most of the time, that was all she really needed, and it should work just fine for this meal, too. She looked up once more upon seeing Sakazuki rummage up a few beakers, as substitute bowls. they would certainly work, too, for anyone who hadn't been prepared and brought survival gear of their own.
(9447 words + 160 words = 9607 words)


Lieselotte had had a slight frown on her face as she tried to deal with the problem of not having a bowl. She didn't spend vast hours outside like a survivalist, most of the time when she was outside, it wasn't for a very long stretch of time, and she was usually too busy to even make something that would require a bowl, let alone eat it. Something that she would have to remedy for the future. As for now, she had a more immediate problem. That is, until she saw Sakazuki produce several beakers and such, glass instruments usually used for measuring chemicals or concoctions, but perfectly adequate to function as bowls or cups. She moved over to the Circe, before asking if she could use one.
(9419 words + 130 words = 9549 words)


Mei took another sniff of the air, and now that she could really smell the stew, she was getting hungrier, too! She looked back at Shuku, asking if they could go, acting for all the world like she was just a little child, urging her parent to hurry up before they were late. And, at some level, perhaps that was how Mei actually perceived Shuku, even if she didn't realize it. Which made it all the more ironic that she had been the one nursing the Mayonaka earlier. She turned back to Shuku to again spur her on to hurry up, when she heard her half spoken statement. Rather than try to figure out what word she had only half spoke (she was pretty sure it was 'mittens'), instead she just asked the Mayonaka what was wrong. Judging by the look of dawning horror, it must be something really bad. Even if it was something bad, though, hopefully it could wait until after supper!
(9774 words + 165 words = 9939 words)

~:Orochimaru:~

As he left his village of followers, Orochimaru thought of what he would become when he took his first step off of the boat. He could only think of his great forefather, the original Orochimaru. He knew that the original had failed in his attempt, but Orochimaru didn't want to share the same fate as him.Instead, he wanted something totally different, something more, he wanted to prove to his people that he could be better than the former Orochimaru and be worthy of the praise that his home people granted him. Orochimaru walked off the boat that lead from his home village and looked around with dull eyes. Seemingly fazed and out of focus, Orochimaru started forwards towards the registration counter to get his schedule for the day. As he walked up to the counter, the woman there was surprised to see him as if he had been there and she didn't notice him till now. "Oh, I'm so sorry for making you wait child. What can I do for you." "... You didn't make me wait... I'm Orochimaru... I just enrolled here." He said. "Ah yes. Orochimaru. I have you right here. Now then, let me print your schedule." Said the woman as she started to copy down the room numbers and times for his classes. Orochimaru only had glanced at the paper she was coping and quietly slipped away without a word. As the woman finished writing it all down, she turned to the window and was surprised to see that Orochimaru had suddenly disappeared. "Orochimaru?... Orochimaru?... Where could he have gone?" Said the woman as she started to file once again.

Orochimaru passed a strange child, looking at him with the corner of his eye and then looked forwards and towards the ground without moving his head and saw the child upon the ground. Knowing what his class room number was, Orochimaru quickly then started to move down the hallways, passing rooms with their doors opened for him to walk into anyone of them to ask directions but it seemed that Orochimaru knew where he was to go as he walked up the stairs and then walked into a class room, attracting all the children's attention. "And with attaching your... Hello there, you must be the new student I was told about this morning," started the teacher," why don't you introduce yourself and sit down anywhere you like." The teacher was smiling... Not a good sign to Orochimaru as he learned that when a person with power starts to smile, he knew that they were going to abuse that power to force someone to do what they want and please. Orochimaru then turned to the class, "My name is of no importance or any of your business. I look forwards to graduating with you all." There were murmurs going all around the class as they started to talk about how Orochimaru was starting to freak them out, how he was an emo, and much, much more. Orochimaru couldn't care less as he started to walk to a seat in the front. As he sat down, a few kids around him started to scoot to the side to get away from him as if he was a psychopath that was sent here by his parents to get him out of their hair. Orochimaru then started to listen to the teachers lecture on Tree Climbing. As the teacher finished the lesson, she then told the class that they were going to go outside to have them try to walk up a tree. If they were to fall, they would have to mark their place by slashing into the wood with a kunai.

After the teacher passed out the kunai's, Orochimaru started to walk up to his tree when some bully threw a kunai at his leg. Orochimaru lifted his foot and then stepped down quickly as he saw it coming out the side of his eye and then started to walk forwards. After he climbed the tree, people were surprised that it was his first try. "Orochimaru? You finished it already?" Asked the teacher at the base of his tree. Orochimaru looked down towards the teacher in an uninterested stare and then stood up on the tree branch. He then started to connect his chakra to the tree as he then started to walk down towards the teacher. "So you have!" Cried out the teacher in surprise. "Well then, why don't you have free time till we finish this. That way, we can all start back up on Water Walking." Orochimaru didn't say a word as he then started to walk to the opened window. As he sat down, Orochimaru listened to the mass of people within the room, talking and playing. Orochimaru stared off into the distance and his eyes started to fade everything out from his vision and everything started to disappear from his hearing as he started to faze out. Suddenly, something dull but hard hit him in the shoulder. Without an expression of pain, Orochimaru's arm shot up and grabbed the hurt shoulder and his eyes came back into focus. Some kids were standing in front of him laughing.One of the closer kids was looking at his hand annoyed. "Damn... Why does it always do that when I throw a kunai?" Mumbled the kid. It was the same that threw the kunai at his leg as well. Orochimaru suddenly got up, slowly though and his arms were dangling at his sides. A kunai in each hand. Suddenly, Orochimaru swung his hands as if they were limp and the two kunai's flew forwards and struck the unsuspecting bully in both shoulders with the blades. The child screamed in pain as he stumbled backwards and tried to get the blades out. Every time the child moved his arms, he screamed in even more pain as the kunais would dig even deeper into the muscles with each movement. Orochimaru then started to walk away without a word and right past the teacher who ran over to see what was the matter.

As Orochimaru reached the pond in the school, the teacher came up behind him and then started to pull him back by the neck collar. "You come with me young man and apologize to-" she was cut off as Orochimaru started to talk. "Why? He hit me first with one of those kunai." The teacher seemed to loose her grip and Orochimaru started to walk forwards again, breaking free of her hold. As she tried to grab him again, Orochimaru just quickly spun, making the target for what she was going to grab out of her reach and made her stumble onto the ground. Orochimaru then reached the pond again, remembering what he heard from under the window on Water Walking, Orochimaru then started to walk upon the surface of the water and surprised the teacher as he was now even further away from the class in techniques. The teacher followed him onto the water and then grabbed him by the upper arm and then started to pull him off the pond. "Though I congratulate you on mastering Water Walking sooner than the class, I do not appreciate you hurting a fellow student." She said as she then threw him forwards towards the bully. "Now apologize." "... Apologize for what? I didn't do anything to him that he didn't deserve." Said Orochimaru as he turned his head towards the teacher and that seemed to piss her off even more. "I'm telling you to say your sorry for hurting him!" Yelled the teacher to Orochimaru. Orochimaru just stared at her and then turned towards the bully once again. "... I'm sorry that you had to be the idiot that tried to hurt me." Said Orochimaru with a dull face. The teacher seemed to blow up as she then started to walk towards Orochimaru. As she then reached for his ear, Orochimaru then turned towards the left, making the ear get out of reach as he then walked to another open window and sand down under it. "Orochimaru! I demand that you come back over here and tell him your sorry! He may net be able to moves his arms for a week before their fully recovered!" Cried out the teacher as she then started to walk towards him. "How many times to I have to say it to you ya thick headed woman? I did only what was necessary to show him that if you bully someone, there will be a price to pay later on." Said Orochimaru as he closed his eyes. The teacher in the room behind him was talking about the Art of Substitution. "THAT'S IT! Your in big trouble now you brat! Straight to the principles office! NOW!" She cried. Orochimaru didn't even move at her command. Instead, his mind was more intended to learn what was being taught in the classroom behind him. After hearing the description, Orochimaru slightly opened his eyes and noticed that there was a kid that was close by. As the teacher was about to grab his ear, Orochimaru suddenly disappeared and was replaced with another child that was grabbed hard by the ear.

Orochimaru was sitting within the back of a nearby classroom, had sneaked through the rooms south window. Sighing in boredom, Orochimaru listened to the lecture being given from the teacher. He seemed to start to faze out before a kid next to him started to nudge his arm to get his attention. "Hey new kid. What's your name?" Asked the boy. "It's of no importance right now." Said Orochimaru as he kept his face towards the front. "Aww.. Come on! You can tell me! We're all cool here!" "I say again. There is no importance in you knowing my name or not. I suggest that you stop asking and name me yourself if your intent on knowing my name." Said Orochimaru dully as he then continued to pay attention to the teacher. After listening on what to how to create a clone of himself. The teacher started to call people up by name to try out the technique. As the teacher looked towards Orochimaru's direction, she then asked if he was a new student. nodding, Orochimaru then walked to the front. "Bushin no Jutsu!" Cried Orochimaru as he made his handseals. It was odd having to expel chakra out of his body to manifest a clone to his left. Not showing a sign of struggle in his face even though his body was straining a bit, Orochimaru continued to work on the technique to get it perfect. There was a sudden cloud of smoke as the clone was conjured up besides him. It was a perfect copy to what the teacher saw. As Orochimaru got praise, he decided that he no longer wanted to stay in that room and left to go and learn from the villages.

1844 Words

Honehime looked up to see Sakazuki looking at her implement. She saw that the others had pulled out several other bowls, but she didn't see any spoons. It looked like, in addition to the bowls, there was also a bare minimum of cutlery. Did she have anything else that somebody could use for such a purpose? Thinking for a moment, she ran over her supplies. Just a knife wouldn't be much good, what she needed was another spoon, or at least something similar. She didn't think she had anything like that, but if they really needed another utensil, she could always let someone else use hers, and she could use her Kaguya abilities to make herself a spoon. A bit of a stretch, but it would work.
(9607 words + 130 words = 9737 words)


Lieselotte gratefully nodded her thanks to Sakazuki, before picking up one of the beakers. Upon seeing they needed spoons, she thought for a moment, and then thought of a solution. Digging through her pouches and pockets, she found what she was looking for. She always kept a few replacement parts for Elfriede, if she would happen to get injured. And in particular, finger pieces. They weren't exactly what would be needed, but they were somewhat close to the shape of a rough spoon. She had several of them, likely there would be enough for everyone, if they had no problem eating with something unusual like this.
(9549 words + 107 words = 9656 words)


"Yay, let's go!" Smiling happily, Mei reached over and grabbed a hold of Shuku's hand, beginning to pull her back towards the camp, tugging eagerly. Once again, she had absolutely no idea of the more serious thoughts that were running through the Mayonaka's mind, instead she was focused purely on the prospect of soon having something in her belly. Anything more than that was just extra thinking, and generally nothing she needed to worry about. Especially since she still didn't even understand exactly what Shuku had gotten so worked up over. She seemed better now, for the most part at least.
(9939 words + 105 words = 10044 words)

Honehime moved a little closer to the cauldron and helped Sakazuki fill the containers, setting them off to the side and then handing her the next one to be filled, until there would be a filled container for everyone. Now that the slight problem of no bowls or spoons had been solved, there didn't seem to be anything more standing in the way of them all sitting down to what would hopefully be a nice, simple meal. Of course, even as she thought this, that same familiar feeling rose up in her, telling her that something would be happening as a result of these actions.
(9737 words + 106 words = 9843 words)


Lieselotte watched for a moment as the other two began filling the various objects that they would be using as bowls, or in the case of a few of the beakers, cups. Once she saw that they were all filled, she counted out enough of her makeshift spoons and set them in the 'bowls', one by one, with the exception of the one that already had a utensil sticking in it. She looked up, and over to the side, as she heard a faint rustling coming from the bushes. Did that mean that the other two had finally woken up and were coming back to the camp? And what about Kuroshika, where had he gotten to as well? Something about this group seemed to indicate that they would be forever splitting up and going off on their own.
(9656 words + 138 words = 9794 words)


Even though she was in a hurry to get back to the camp and finally have something to eat, Mei still slowed to a stop when she felt Shuku do the same behind her. Glancing back at the Mayonaka, she watched for a moment to see if there was a problem, but it didn't appear to be so. She just seemed to be taking a deep breath. She was probably just enjoying the scent of the stew, just like Mei had earlier. As if to copy the Mayonaka, Mei took a deep breath, inhaling another lungful of the scent of their soon to be meal, before exhaling and looking at Shuku again. "It smells pretty strong, doesn't it?" Of course, considering Shuku was currently worrying about a different scent in the air, it was certainly possible that she might misunderstand what the oblivious cowgirl was actually referring to.
(10044 words + 150 words = 10194 words)