Footsteps echoed dully on the sidewalk as the newest Suripingu Mori member walked blankly along, his gaze staring up and down the shops. Well, at least, that's what would be happening normally. Today, however, Takashii had a purpose. And, apparently, so did the rest of Fiore. He'd come into Rose Garden to browse shops and, possibly, get a pass for exiting Fiore, just in case he'd ever need it in the future, for a job or something similar. He wasn't sure if the whole country had had the same idea, or if he'd come her on a bad day, but the line to get the pass was already longer than he could throw something. Which, for somebody that had been training since the age of three, was a very long throw. Sighing, Takashii lifted a hand to his head, pushing his hair away from his eyes, his fingers running through it. This was his only display of his exasperation, after which he simply dropped his arm down, shaking his head. "Okay," he said. "Might as well get started." Turning, he stepped up to the last spot in line, reaching into his pocket to pull out his book. It was a simple book, one on the most powerful mages of the region. Something probably made for women to read, but it was, at the same time, something that had not been in the Adachihara library. It was a belief among the clan that power not gained through their means was not true power at all. For a while, Takashii himself had believed it, but, after leaving, he'd seen more truth in the world than he'd ever seen while locked in that Temple. Taking out the leaf he'd placed as a bookmark, Takashii opened his book, scanning mildly through the page before finding the last sentence he'd read, and starting there. He was a patient person, completely fine with waiting out a line of people. It wasn't as if there was much he could do about it. Afterwards, he could get a bit of shopping done, too.
The line really was a long one. People all around were restless a while, but Takashii had managed to wait himself to the middle of the line, people having filled in behind him. In the end, it was the same length as when he'd started, he just wasn't at the end anymore, thankfully. Even so, every once and a while, somebody tried to discreetly cut into the line, or a family would force by, breaking the line for a moment, causing some dissent among the people waiting. Another hour of waiting brought Takashii to the second to the front. Sighing in relief, Takashii snapped his book shut. He'd managed to finish it in the time he'd been waiting, and, after bouncing a bit to stretch his aching legs, had simply restarted it. After listening to a woman argue with the booth on the price, and causing all those behind Takashii to begin to voice their restlessness, she finally relented, simply buying a ticket and walking off. After that, it only took Takashii a moment to buy his own ticket, doing it quickly to avoid disrest in those behind him. He then turned, walking along the street.
A storefront ahead caught his attention, and he tipped his head to the side, walking towards it. He hadn't remembered a pet store in town before... Curious, Takashii entered, the door creaking its protest as he pushed it open. A cacophony of restless pet noises answered him, and he raised his head in surprise, looking around. "Really," he muttered, raising his arm to cover his mouth with his sleeve. Even if it hadn't been around long, this shop had seen better days. The inside itself reeked of feces, and the pets themselves haunched in small cages, looking bored with their lives. Takashii carefully walked along the wall, his eyes looking randomly. It wasn't until one caught his attention that he actually truly looked.
Ahead of him, a hawk stood on a perch, looking at him with bored eyes. It was tethered there by a foot. Even so, most birds would still attempt to escape, but this one stood. It was then Takashii noticed that its wing was bent. He frowned slightly in sympathy for the thing, despising this place even more than before.
"That one's useless. It was brought in this morning by some little kid, thinking I'd heal it. I run a business though, I don't have the time to fix some useless bird's wing." a gruff voice said. Takashii turned his head, and saw a man standing boredly at a counter, his gaze red. Drugs... Takashii thought, shaking his head.
"Then you shouldn't have taken it from the child," he replied, his voice hard. Making a split second decision, he glanced at the bird, then the man. "I'll take him."
"Whatever. He's more trouble than he's worth, that thing." Was the only reply Takashii got. Shrugging, Takashii leaned down to a little rack beside the creature, picking up an arm band, so the thing didn't tear his arm up. Takashii then put it on, untying the rope around the bird's food. The hawk stepped on his arm easily, as if used to his routine already. Smiling slightly, Takashii ran a finger down the bird's head, and then glanced over at the man again. He was sleeping quietly, oblivious to the world. Shrugging, Takashii turned then, grabbing a container of bird treats and walking out. He was done with this place. Thankfully, so was the bird.
The line really was a long one. People all around were restless a while, but Takashii had managed to wait himself to the middle of the line, people having filled in behind him. In the end, it was the same length as when he'd started, he just wasn't at the end anymore, thankfully. Even so, every once and a while, somebody tried to discreetly cut into the line, or a family would force by, breaking the line for a moment, causing some dissent among the people waiting. Another hour of waiting brought Takashii to the second to the front. Sighing in relief, Takashii snapped his book shut. He'd managed to finish it in the time he'd been waiting, and, after bouncing a bit to stretch his aching legs, had simply restarted it. After listening to a woman argue with the booth on the price, and causing all those behind Takashii to begin to voice their restlessness, she finally relented, simply buying a ticket and walking off. After that, it only took Takashii a moment to buy his own ticket, doing it quickly to avoid disrest in those behind him. He then turned, walking along the street.
A storefront ahead caught his attention, and he tipped his head to the side, walking towards it. He hadn't remembered a pet store in town before... Curious, Takashii entered, the door creaking its protest as he pushed it open. A cacophony of restless pet noises answered him, and he raised his head in surprise, looking around. "Really," he muttered, raising his arm to cover his mouth with his sleeve. Even if it hadn't been around long, this shop had seen better days. The inside itself reeked of feces, and the pets themselves haunched in small cages, looking bored with their lives. Takashii carefully walked along the wall, his eyes looking randomly. It wasn't until one caught his attention that he actually truly looked.
Ahead of him, a hawk stood on a perch, looking at him with bored eyes. It was tethered there by a foot. Even so, most birds would still attempt to escape, but this one stood. It was then Takashii noticed that its wing was bent. He frowned slightly in sympathy for the thing, despising this place even more than before.
"That one's useless. It was brought in this morning by some little kid, thinking I'd heal it. I run a business though, I don't have the time to fix some useless bird's wing." a gruff voice said. Takashii turned his head, and saw a man standing boredly at a counter, his gaze red. Drugs... Takashii thought, shaking his head.
"Then you shouldn't have taken it from the child," he replied, his voice hard. Making a split second decision, he glanced at the bird, then the man. "I'll take him."
"Whatever. He's more trouble than he's worth, that thing." Was the only reply Takashii got. Shrugging, Takashii leaned down to a little rack beside the creature, picking up an arm band, so the thing didn't tear his arm up. Takashii then put it on, untying the rope around the bird's food. The hawk stepped on his arm easily, as if used to his routine already. Smiling slightly, Takashii ran a finger down the bird's head, and then glanced over at the man again. He was sleeping quietly, oblivious to the world. Shrugging, Takashii turned then, grabbing a container of bird treats and walking out. He was done with this place. Thankfully, so was the bird.
