Food Shopping

Wed May 25, 2022 9:02 pm

Spoiler:

A cacophony of hums and buzzes filled the air. The sun was angrily beating down on the land, and Ryota adjusted his hat to give his eyes some respite. He followed closely behind an older gentlemen, and the pace at which the man walked was unquestionably too slow for Ryota's liking. Cursing both the sweltering heat and the trudge he was on, Ryota released a curt sigh. The man in front turned to address the young ninja. "You're too young to be sighing like that," he commented dryly.

"I suppose so," replied Ryota. Their journey continued in silence for a short while, until they arrived at their first stop. A humble corner-store with open doors and windows, inviting anyone inside who happened to pass by. Upon entering the shop, the two men were greeted with rows of shelves holding a variety of food, hardware supplies, and miscellaneous knickknacks. As they walked through the aisles, the man pointed out any items he needed and Ryota gathered them for him.

"Milk... cheese... no not that one!" the man exclaimed. He quickly snatched the block of cheese from Ryota's hand and slammed it down onto the refrigerated shelf. Ryota nodded and picked up the correct dairy product, holding back the indignation he felt. After his previous job of dog-sitting, the young ninja had hoped to be assigned a task that wasn't quite as mundane, but helping this crotchety geezer with his shopping was even more mind-numbing. They continued in a similar fashion throughout every aisle, until the man was content with his selection and proceeded through the check-out.

Stepping out of the small establishment, Ryota was briefly blinded by the sharp rays of sunlight. The mission was halfway done at this point, and all that was left was to carry the man's groceries back to his home. Silence once again fell over the pair as the reembarked on the stone lined road. This didn't bother Ryota as he appreciated the tranquility, and his mind began to drift off to a world. He pondered the mechanics of a water style ninjutsu he had been attempting to learn recently, until he was abruptly brought back to reality by a booming cough.

"You don't have many manners do ya? I can tell you don't get along well with others," the man stated directly, clearly not concerned with any pretenses.

"I apologize if I offended you," Ryota answered back in a monotone cadence. The man let out a short, sardonic laugh, seemingly disappointed with this response, and their brief dialogue ended there. They continued onwards until the tall trees surrounding their path began to thin out and they came upon a quaint town. It only took a few minutes for them to reach their destination; a run-down house that almost appeared vacant. They strolled inside and Ryota unloaded the man's groceries on his kitchen table. He turned to walk out of the house immediately afterwards, but the man addressed him one last time.

"Young man, a word of advice from a man who should've listened to it sooner. It'll do you well in this life to speak your mind a little more often. Closed mouths don't get fed."

TWC: 531

Claims:
+1500 Ryo
+5 Mission AP
+5 Speed
1112/1500 WC for Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave