And We're Only Several Miles From the Sun~ [private]

[attr="class","sun"]A Foreign Sun *

I never thought I'd see

The sun!... So bright, beautiful and…. Vexingly infuriating in all its cheery fierce beauty. No matter how many times Kurenai pushes herself off the fluffy warmth of her duvets, she just can’t seem to find the rhythm in her to enjoy waking up at the ungodly hour of sunrise. Day in and day out that was the schedule she grew up with as a child. But no amount of schedules or routines was going to change a none morning person into one. Kurenai certainly didn’t look like a morning person does she.

But just like the norm she’s used to the young albino took it astride with nary a bat from her from her long lashed amethyst coloured orbs. The day filled with lessons flew by the young girl who did her best just as any ‘soldier’ being run down at boot camp would. Stomach it through and man up,

Or should she say ‘woman’ up. Best not to mess with old wordings, they tend to get messy when touch as any object would when its not broken. Why bother poking something that’s not even broken? Right?

Certainly right.

So that leaves her in her current state. Walking through the soft green grass while the long-bladed leaves tickled against the soles of her bare feet. One hand held her shoes while the other firmly gripped on a large open tome, about 300 pages thick with an equally thick aged brown leather binding holding the old text together. ‘Thousand uses of phoenix blood’ the title read, one of the interesting tomes she found while perusing through the multitude of books located within the school’s library. So far so good, she was impressed but nothing held a candle towards the library her family amassed or the one back at Chishiki. The library here was by far a close second or was it third? The girl shook the thoughts, careful not to fully draw herself in least she wanted another way to lose herself aside from the interesting text she’s currently engrossed in.

“Cleaning elixirs…” She mumbled, fumbling through a few others non-descript wordings as she went her way. Her feet going one way while her mind stayed at another. Multitasking at its finest folks, that was until she hit a hiccup. More like she actually tripping over a ‘log’ no it wasn’t a log. It

Logs weren’t soft, logs hurt. But it certainly didn’t stop the girl from losing her balance, causing the uncharacteristic unladylike comical squeak to free itself from her lips as she tipped over, falling like a sack of potatoes on whoever she accidentally turned into a landing pillow.

“Itai….” She winced, hesitantly cracking an eye open to find herself sprawled over a body. What’s worse…well it was a guy judging from the compacted flesh she felt underneath her dainty hands. How…. Awkward. How definitely awkward she must be feeling right now.

[attr="class","sun"]A Foreign Sun *

I never thought I'd see

Ouch, oh that smarts. Right on the knees and elbows where it was first to connect with the ‘log’ that wasn’t a log. Definitely didn’t feel like the rough edges lining of a fallen tree. The girl reluctant opened her gentle orb. As lilac as a fined polished amethyst stone stared back at the peridot hue of the boy’s eyes. The colour instantly made her recall the deep green of her mother’s favourite earrings. For a moment she found herself entranced by the colour until reality found a way to snap her right back into action.
His voice majorly did that, and the fact she was slumped over a half-naked body of a boy surely didn’t hurt matters aside from her…

“EEEPPP!!!” Modesty of course being the key factor. The laws of decency all those years of strict 101 lectures in proper mannerisms certainly ingrained into the girl how it was a bad idea for any lady to…be in such an awkward position. Awkward was right, the girl uncharacteristically squeaked, breaking her hard earned mask for a moment to scramble off at such speeds from the boy’s chest one might have thought she actually teleported but really that was just her trying to save her own decency.

And perhaps keep herself from passing out in sheer awkwardness? That’s always a good excuse to use. “Gomenasai!!” The girl bowed repeatedly at such a pace the girl looked comical. As though she took a clear page out of a manga to express her own awkward set of apologies towards the person she unwittingly tripped over. She only paused when the boy noted her book. She blinked, the child’s gaze shifted back to him in an ‘ehh’ expression. “My book?.... Oh, I found it in the library… I thought it looked interesting.” She replied, completely if not somewhat oblivious to the fact she’s talking to a real live phoenix of all people. Well… that’s surely one way to add to the bubbling pot of sheer awkwardness she was already feeling.

Grab a book that clearly states the species parts being mixed into various random concoctions. Yeah… as if that normally goes well.

[attr="class","sun"]A Foreign Sun *

I never thought I'd see

Why she never… Every word crossing out of those wary faced lips of his struck a nerve in the girl. A nerve that would have told her to take every thing he tossed her way as an insult to her senses but the more logical part halted her train of thoughts, forcing the girl to take a second look at the wary teenager. Or man, he looked older to her. Despite the youthful façade his appearance held he felt older than he should. But then, not everyone is human around here. Different species, different viewpoint on time. His earlier words though should have hinted her on his species. But its that pesky, veering her thoughts over the clues thing that has her forgetting about it.
Insulted by a mere book. Check,

Insulted by a book depicting phoenix parts. Oh yeah, we have a winner. She guessed phoenix, what a way to justify the earlier awkward feeling she’s been getting ever since the entire conversation started. But she didn’t let it show, she schooled her face to remain in its calm demeaner with each subtle hostility he tossed her way. She was foremost a scholar, and in a sense a diplomat with how easy she kept herself from retaliating. “Why would… I even do that when I have no reason to? Even if I knew how, why would I bother hunting a creature down just for mere body parts I don’t even know how to use?” The girl’s subtle but sharp tongue replied with the same questioning theme as her amethyst coloured eyes met those peridots of his.

“I’m a scholar who has limits thank you very much. If I have to learn about another species I’d prefer asking about their culture instead of taking every sharp object and jabbing it at their flesh. In that regard the only way I’d touch those kinds of ingredients is when its freely given without a risk to whoever owned it before life.” She groused. Somewhat annoyed at his accusation but didn’t outright say it as she hid it behind her own temper. “Mostly medical.” She choose to answer the last bit of his questioning. It would be rude if she hadn’t, the girl did pride herself for being polite. Anything remotely outside the sphere of decorum wouldn’t do for her reputation. “At least that’s as far as I’ve gotten before impromptu tripping over you.”

[attr="class","sun"]A Foreign Sun *

I never thought I'd see

Kiran made valid points she couldn’t ignore. The fact that he brought up the distasteful practice she thought of as nothing but uncivilized barbarism made it all the more harder to ignore his points. She’ll give him this victory when she internally flinched recalling the straight up details of his accusations against her own race. Sadly, it wasn’t just hers… phoenix blood was a prized commodity but back in Hisakawa the religious sects outright viewed the practice of downing such a magnificent creature as the worse crime a person dare commit. In Hisakawa its considered a crime to murder one with the punishment being a choice of either death or imprisonment. Sure it sounded archaic but murder is the same whichever viewpoint a person looks at it.

Kurenai’s lips parted in a tired sigh, knowing full well in both her logically standpoint and if she studied her current standings within their conversation that’s her literally admitting he had his points. She wasn’t as naïve to believe everyone shared her viewpoints on the wrongful acts of harming another creature for body parts but… unfortunately that’s where contradiction happens as both prime subjects she’s interested in where long time offenders in it. Alchemy and potion making…

But better… he didn’t know she was interested in it before he starts hurling further accusations her way. “I’ll be lying if I said I didn’t know of such distasteful practice but if it makes you a tad better I’m from Hisakawa. It’s against the law for us to harm phoenixes.” The girl sighed.

So much for having a decent start, no this was the opposite to a decent first impression. Just her luck she had to walk in on an ACTUAL phoenix with a damn book she randomly decided to read on as a hobby while she rested from her previous class.

Reading a book is rest to her, don’t judge.

Just as she was ready to admit defeat on fixing the situation the boy tossed another proverbial ‘screwball’ heading her way by asking her name.

A name… she just breached another protocol within etiquette by not properly introducing herself. Oh her ancestors were probably rolling in their graves for her breech of contact. “E-Eh?!” For that one moment her mask slipped from being caught off guard by his sudden request before she promptly straightened her own composure out to reply. “Shimizu Kurenai….” She replied awkwardly. This…this is why she deals better with the older generation than her own. She knew how to deal with them but teenagers?

She was like a damn fish out of the ocean.

But… how was she to learn if she didn’t try right? Steeling her own resolve, the girl awkwardly took hold of his offered hand. Her small dainty hand felt cool against the man’s warmer skin a contrast towards his healthy pallor and her almost porcelain tone. “I guess that means we can start on a proper introduction then and forget the first time mishap?” She offered a small shy smile.

[attr="class","sun"]A Foreign Sun *

I never thought I'd see

Ä fragile little doll that could break with the wrong touch or by accidentally knocking her down from her perch and into the harsh ground? She didn’t…look that breakable did she? Who she was she kidding herself? Of course she did, there was no denying how easy impressions could affect a person’s view point on another. Assumptions were made that way. Just like how his assumptions about her came to be. She wasn’t weak!

Okay…physically she was pathetic. Let’s all blame her somewhat less than stellar health record as a child. But she’s fine now. Keep thinking that way Kurenai, maybe one day the gods would be merciful enough to grant the girl with the pathetic constitution a decent body.

She blinked, at first due to the confusing he was causing her due to the smirk. This coming from a girl who prided her ability to read people. Give her someone twice her age, or around their twenties to fifties and she can easily sway into the conversation. As long as the conversation was anything but light topics, intellectual conversations she can handle, such casualness coming from somewhat her age when she didn’t know one HOOT of acting like one?

This was going to be a battle Kurenai was lacking a helmet for?

How quickly his expression changed from being wary to a light-hearted grin. The girl internally wondered if he was just this open with himself. There was something infectious about his smile that made her feel at ease despite the ongoing whispers of her awkward nature hovering from behind. Such a smile, her perception of him was indeed moving away from the previous annoyance she had with his wild accusations it went a step further when he mentioned she was talking a fellow from her homeland.

Oh that was a relief? Kurenai felt resounding chimes of it relax her tense nerves. The man was fellow from her home country. “Eastern boarder?” The girl brightened. Her amethyst orbs shone brightly. Their previous faux pass seemingly forgotten for the mean time. “I’ve been there once, it’s really beautiful, I’m from the western area in the capital.” She added with a soft smile. But then turned to another confused glance when he mentioned food. Particularly ice cream.
She knew what it was, just that… well…

“I don’t know… I haven’t actually tried it before so cant say if I like it yet.” She reluctantly replied. Before she could add anymore he was already moving, prompting the child to squeak and catch up before he left alone. Thankfully for her, she remembered her book which she now stuffed into her bag. Pesky thing, she might have to return it later on.

[attr="class","sun"]A Foreign Sun *

I never thought I'd see

Shocking isn’t it? To know that somewhere in the wide world there exist a person who hasn’t feasted on the frozen treat. Kurenai was exactly that person who might as well came from within a mountain village if she didn’t know the simplest thing such as ice cream. But this is a child who rarely knew what a ‘social’ life meant. Who was raised by adults as an adult instead of a child. None of her family enjoyed frozen treats, her parents rarely spoiled her to the extent where they would let the girl have sweets as a child.

Hell the only time she ever got sweets was tea with her god father but those were baked goods. She recalled and corrected her memory at the same time while watching the boy’s entire charade at her revelation.

She told him she never tasted ice cream. Blunt as the truth shall ever be, and he took it somewhat of a champ. If champs expressed near mortified faces as though she said something along the lines of her killing their defenceless pet kitten.

Now that’s a funny… the girl pushed the ‘cat’ subject far away from her mind. No cats allowed within the sanctity of her own thought train. There’s absolutely no need for the boy to see her wince at the mere notion of remembering her dislike for the damn feline populace.

Lets ignore a few certain facts that the people she’s closest too were also involve with the feline species. Just for the meantime let’s all ignore that fact and let her pretend it wasn’t the case. “U-Uhm…” The flustered child snapped right back just in time to hear him exclaim he was going to introduce her to the desert. She wasn’t going to argue?

She didn’t have the chance to say yes or no to his offer as he was already on the move again. Forcing the delicate female to follow after his strides as quick as her geta sandals let her without tripping her over.

Now wouldn’t that be humiliating? The idea of landing face first on the ground didn’t sound appealing to the young albino. The few passing students who walked by them didn’t bother hiding their own stares at the odd site of a well dressed albino trailing after a half-naked tattooed raven head who reminded her far too much of the infamous ‘Yakuza’ gang wars within Hisakawa.

People staring… her mask was her salvation the boy never noticed how easy it was for her to slip directly back into what he called her ‘posh’ attitude. When in reality much like his act it was all a front shield to deflect the eyes from seeing her own true persona.

“Uhm…” She reluctantly mumbled, stepping into the slightly chilled building the small space looked quaint, with a touch of homey warmth within the air. She had no problem understanding why the boy was a regular costumer here. The inviting glow surrounding the small café had its charms. “I don’t really know… you’re the expert here aren’t I right?” She tilted her head, offering a small demurred smile his way as she spoke. “So… I’ll go which whatever you recommend.” She added. In a way telling him how she didn’t mind which flavour he gets. Matcha she doesn’t mind, so is vanilla.

[attr="class","sun"]A Foreign Sun *

I never thought I'd see

How strange, letting a girl with no experience decide. That’s like saying he’s going to toss her into a lion’s cage with nothing but a broom for a weapon. No that couldn’t be right… the girl looked at both cones quizzically. On the ordinary eye there’s nothing wrong with the delectable treats. In fact they look almost as inviting the man sitting across from her on table they decided to occupy. Sweet creamy goodness staying so perfectly solid instead of white liquid she’s so used to using as a sweetener to her teas.

But don’t tell the elder members of her family, those centenarians still considered pouring milk into a perfectly good cup of tea a crime. Hey, another reason for Kurenai to giggle. She would have too if she were in the privacy of her own room. By herself where no one would judge her lapse in etiquette.

Another thing to consider about Kiran she never noticed until now was his way of trying to break her out of her mask. They may have just met but she felt that unmistakable stab against her attempts at being proper. So far each of her attempts were met with equal not so subtle jabs against her inability to ‘loosen’ up as the rest of her generation often said.

Maybe so, but she didn’t look like THAT uptight now does she? She squirmed at his scrutinizing stare. The silverette did her best to ignore it by playing the old game of ignorance. Part of it worked but there was that tiny part that still payed attention in its own subtle way. While she acted with feign in indifference on the outside. Know that the girl hid her own observant gaze by feigning it as a mere subtle glance she’d toss at him every now and then.

“The vanilla cone looks good.” She commented thus going for the vanilla cone as her first bite. Sooner the chill hit her lips her eyes widened at the rush of vanilla and sugar mixing into her tongue. Okay…she liked the vanilla, she definitely DID like the vanilla flavoured treat. She hadn’t even started on how refreshing the cold afterbite on her tongue felt like. Next as he instructed, she tried the matcha cone. It was good, the scent of tea strongly lingered within her nose at the first bite. If she wasn’t so used to the bitter aftertaste of matcha the bitter taste would have been a big let down but since she was, she easily ignored the bitter bite. It was good, but she was more in love with the vanilla cone. A subtle glance tossed its way over to the cone Kiran has in his hand. Chocolate, the whole thing was drenched in the dark liquid. Apparently… the guy has an even bigger sweet tooth than she has…