|
Post by nozomi on Nov 27, 2006 19:13:10 GMT -5
"Now, you're sure you can handle the store, Nozomi?" asked the old woman, her gray bangs falling in front of her eyes as she bent to pick up the muskrat that had managed to scuttle out of its cage. Placing the varmint back into the wooden holder, the woman continued, her voice broken and worried, "I can always get Pa to come out and help you."
Nozomi laughed light-heartedly, patting the woman on the back. "Qi-san, I can handle it. Besides, Fai-kun's back is hurting. Let him rest, I can handle the story until you return." And then she smiled kindly, "Besides, I need the experience. And I don't mind."
Qi, the old woman, looked at Nozomi hard for a moment, her cold brown eyes looking her face over a few times before she sighed dejectedly. "Alright, Nozomi, you may run the shop until I return with the tea and herbs for Pa." She made her way toward the wooden door, pausing as she opened it to turn back and looked at Nozomi. "Don't forget to let out the cat-owl, and the pygmy--"
Nozomi walked huskily over to the old woman and began patting her out the door, a smile on her face, as always. "Don't worry, Qi-san, I've got it all under control! You just get those herbs and tea for Fai-kun, okay?"
The old woman looked at Nozomi as she was gently shoved from the shop. "Well, alright. I'll be back around lunch."
"Of course!" Nozomi waved good-bye and shut the door slowly, turning and leaning her back against it with a deep breath. Thank goodness, she thought briskly to herself, I thought she'd never leave. Now, don't get Nozomi wrong. She loved the old couple she lived with dearly, as much as she could love her own grandparents. But Fai, the old woman's husband, needed the herbs, and Nozomi wanted to be alone in the shop for a while. The animals always seemed to calm her mind. And besides, who would come in on such a dreary day? For it had been raining for a few hours of this morning, and no one usually stepped out unless they really needed to.
Nozomi sighed and sat upon the stool behind the counter once she had let out the cat-owl and tended to the pygmy panthers.
|
|
|
Post by yuudai on Dec 1, 2006 22:57:05 GMT -5
It was a disgusting day; the rain wouldn't stop or simply pour like normal rain should, but instead it lightly drizzled constantly. The sky was dark with heavy clouds; Hiromi really wished it would pour. 'If it insists on raining it should at least do it properly,' he thought to himself as he walked down the basically empty wet street. He looked out from under his dark brown hood made almost black by the rain; the only way to describe it was miserable and to match the weather a nasty scowl was dead set on his face, exaggerating his pointed features. Behind him two men in similar cloaks walked silently; wondering why there master insisted on wandering through the rain. "Give up and go back to the inn already," Hiromi growled, stopping to speak to them, but not turning to face them. "Sire, we cannot allow you to roam the city alone; it is unsafe," On guard said in an uncertain tone; he was a newer guard. "The boy is right, you need protection," This came from the older man. His voice was like scraping a brick across gravel; unpleasant. "I am no longer my father's puppet and I will not be treated like a child. I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself." Hiromi couldn't understand, after what he had done in Zhy his father still called him son... technically speaking. "I refuse my duties, now leave me be!" Hiromi's voice echoed in the empty street; a cold and hollow sound. With his last words he dashed off and turned corners here and there making a maze of where he was going. For a short while he knew the guards were following him, but they were not skilled in Geri as he was and he moved far faster. When his breathes were coming in short gasps Hiromi slowed down; not caring where he was he wrenched open the door of the nearest building and slunk inside. He slammed the door behind him had heaved a heavy sigh as he leaned against the nearest wall and shut his eyes before taking in his surroundings. Eyes still closed he brushed his hood away from his face and off his head. A loud screech of some animal of another snapped him to attention; eyes opening in alarm. He had really hoped there would have been no one in the building he had chosen, but there behind the counter of what seemed to be a pet shop sat a girl; actually girl would be quite incorrect, it was a woman that sat behind the counter. She looked to be about Hiromi's age if not a little older; at first noticing the woman a sort of shocked expression had settled on his face, but soon he gathered himself together and his scowl was back in place. He said nothing to the woman, just starred at her.
|
|
|
Post by nozomi on Dec 2, 2006 5:10:47 GMT -5
Nozomi looked underneath the counter and pulled out a book to read; it was going to be one slow day. As she began to read, she was faintly aware that the cat-owl was causing some sort of rucuss with the chicapoos and the pygmy panthers were having a tussle with the mustached cat. After she separated the animals, she sat back behind the counter. I hope Qi-san's okay, she thought to herself, It's not right for her to be out in the cold rain. And just as she said this the door was jerked open so fast that she was startled from her seat and had fallen out of the stool. As she pulled herself from the ground behind the counter and situated her clothes right, it was then that she realized who had come in. A young man around her age, maybe a few years younger. The first thing that drew her eye to him were the braceletes and the jade stone on his forehead. She blinked a few times, and then realized the tiger-mutt was barking at him. She ignored the man's scowl and hustled over to the creature.
Pulling it away by a rop around its neck, she looked back up at him with a small smile. It was then that she realized that he was soaking. Once she hustled the animal into its pin, she turned to him and blinked, tucking a loose strand of light brown hair behind her ear. Then she smiled her calm, care-free smile and said, "You're soaking wet. Here, let me go get you a towl." Without another word and without waiting for an answer, she exited through a door behind the counter, and reappeared a few moments later with a piece of clothing. She handed it to him meekly. "My name's Nozomi, and if there is anything I can help you with, please tell me." Her smile reappeared, but this one not as toothy. Just a small, welcome smile. She was never seen very long without a smile.
|
|
|
Post by yuudai on Dec 2, 2006 11:12:24 GMT -5
Hiromi gave a side ways glance at the girl as she moved around the shop. He didn't really think about being wet until the girl said something; he looked at the floor when she left the room and was aware of how much water he was dripping onto the wood. He didn't care much; if his family was right it was below him to care about the presentation of commoners homes, than again if his family was right it was below him to be running away from home. When the girl came back and stuck the towel towards him he flinched backwards. She was speaking to him, but it all seemed like a lot of gibberish. He wasn't sure why, but he was having trouble concentration on anything much. He looked down at the towel like it was going to bit him than looked back to the girl. ' Did she say Nozomi was her name? f He wasn't sure, but he guessed that was what she said... man her smile was throwing him off. He was quite unused to people smiling around him; apparently he was quite an unpleasant person. He looked at her smile and it clicked in his mind; she was very much like her, like Hakura. "Prince Hiromi of the Yuudai Dynasty," he said shortly giving her a small nod. He didn't take the towel.
|
|
|
Post by nozomi on Dec 2, 2006 12:43:36 GMT -5
She studied the man further. He seemed completely beside himself, flinching when she tried to hand him the towel. Her eyes took on a confused glow, and her smile faltered slightly. But then it grew back into that warmth and she began to inch the towel toward him once more. He was looking at her like she might bite him or something, and she felt oddly displaced there. Like his gaze held a thousand orders. Now that she thought about it, he didn't look like a normal peasant that lived in the lower rings. A frown was threatening to come to her lips.
"Prince Hiromi of the Yuudai Dynasty," his voice startled her and she jumped, drawn back from her thoughts to the present. She blinked, taking this information in, and then her eyes slowly widened and her smile slowly began to vanish. He did not take the towel. She retracted the cloth and rung it in her hands, backing off a bit, giving him respectable space. And then her small smile was on her lips, and though she looked a bit nervous, she thought she handled her voice very nicely. "Its a pleasure to meet you, Prince Hiromi," she said, and, bending at the waist and bowing with gentle grace. "As I said, if there is anything I can do for you...just holler." She then grinned and turned to quiet the tiger-mutt and pull him away from the cat-owl. The animals are wild today because of the weather, she thought silently as she turned her back to him and began to separate the animals.
|
|
|
Post by yuudai on Dec 3, 2006 9:06:11 GMT -5
Hiromi never knew what reaction he wanted from people when they heard his title. His family had his mind beaten enough to believe that they should bend down and kiss your toes, but his childhood still held some sway over his mind and it didn't what to be treated any differently. He let out a sigh, he was the biggest jerk he knew; not that he would admit that to anyone but himself. "Ma'am, I am sorry for my intrusion, but I would appreciate the towel now,h He stepped out of his corner and moved towards the counter, unclipping the fastening of his cloak as he went. The cloak was soaked, but thankfully it had kept the better part of the rain off him; sadly though a good portion if his shirt had been soaked and no amount of dabbing with a towel was going to dry it, and it certainly wouldn't dry on the wet skin underneath it. His hair was only slightly wet as well and most of that was from the cloak. He folded his cloak inside out so to keep the store as dry as possible and set it on the counter; the contrast of wet and dry green fabric very visible now.
|
|
|
Post by nozomi on Dec 3, 2006 13:42:11 GMT -5
Nozomi didn't know exactly how to treat royalty. She had never met royalty before, and a secret part of her was excited, afraid, and a little nervous. But she knew that she was just smiling warmly and kindly, and being how she usually was on the outside. Maybe she should have bowed lower to him? Her back turned to him, her lips pulled down into a slight frown, feeling strange on her face. Perhaps she should have gotten down on her hands and knees? But that would have been digrading...even Nozomi wouldn't do that. Despite the fact that she was rather respectfull, she just didn't know how to react to him. Obviously he was just a little bit stuck up...the way he had glared at her when he ahd come in. The nerve of him, she thought, and he is in m--I mean, Qi-san's shop. He should show a little bit more respect. But Nozomi wasn't one to just jump to conclusions.
She heard him sigh from behind, and slowly drew up to her full height, the animals now separated and in their rightful cages. She reminded herself not to let the animals out again on rainy days like these. "Ma'am, I am sorry for my intrusion, but I would appreciate the towel now." She jumped at the sound of his voice and whirled around to see him unfastening his cloak and turning it inside out. She blinked and then a smile grew once more on her lips. "Of course!" she said. She went to the counter and handed him the cloth. She stood awkwardly a moment, and then cleared her throat and asked him the question that had been burning in her mind for the past few minutes, "I hope I'm not intruding...but...what were you doing out in the rain? A lot of people around here don't like to just walk out in storms...It gets really muddy and gross." She paused, and then turned away. "I mean, its none of my business...but I'm just a little curious."
|
|
|
Post by yuudai on Dec 3, 2006 17:59:31 GMT -5
Hiromi took the towel and proceeded to dry his head for all the good it would do. He could feel small droplets roll down his back as they dripped of his head and past the collar of his shirt. He stopped toweling when the girl spoke; it was a bit of a startled stop. he didn't put the towel down or even remove it from his head; he just stopped. It was hard to listen to her talk; she sounded so much like Hakura, she looked so much like Hakura. "Normally I wouldn't answer you," He said closing his eyes; not in a relaxing sort of way, but more of a snobbish can't-stand-the-sight-of-you way. "But," He looked back at her, his scowl slightly less... scowlish. "I am in your shop and I suppose it wouldn't hurt to answer such a small question." He continued to dry his hair, "I was enjoying the rain; I happen to like it," His last words were said in a tone that suggested a person had to be crazy not to like it. Of course it didn't stop it from being a lie; he hated the rain, it was cold a miserable... a little to much like he was.
|
|
|
Post by nozomi on Dec 3, 2006 18:21:26 GMT -5
At her question his toweling of the head seemed to abruptly stop and she got the feeling that perhaps she shouldn't have asked. "Normally I wouldn't answer you," Her smile faltered and she felt even worse when he closed his eyes and said nothing, in a snobbish kind of way that made her slightly annoyed. When he started speaking once more though, she fought the urge to stick her tongue out at him and instead smiled encouragingly, as if he was a little child caught lying. He continued drying his hair after telling her that it was her shop (technically it wasn't, but she wasn't about to go off and tell him that) and that she had a right to ask such questions. "I was enjoying the rain; I happen to like it," he said, and when he didn't continue, she blinked. He liked the rain. Well, quite unexpected. But then again, Nozomi was getting used to expecting the unexpected. And why it was so unexpected was a mystery to her.
She frowned at her own thoughts, but caught herself and smiled a small, soft smile. "Oh," she started, "Well, as long as you like getting wet I guess the rain isn't so bad." She paused in thought, "Me myself don't really like the rain, reminds me too much of home." She realized what she said and looked down swiftly. Then her smile returned, brighter than before and perhaps a bit more forced. Because, the thought of home...of the farm. It reminded her of her mother, and her passed brother. And of Jiro. "I guess its normal to like the rain in the end...it brings life. Like the sun and the earth." She paused and then realized she had been rambling. That's when she realized the puddle at the font door, and realized the danger it could cause to someone. Without a word she exited out the door behind the counter and came back with a mop. She mopped up the water and placed another towel over the spot. "There," she said with a pleased nod, "That should help a little."
|
|
|
Post by yuudai on Dec 4, 2006 9:19:02 GMT -5
Hiromi pulled the towel off his head; his hair now sticking up in several places and his circlet askew. He didn't try and fix it, he simple looked at the girl. "oh, well as long as you like getting wet," He opened him mouth to say he didn't like getting wet, but she continued speaking so he said nothing. She said something that meant nothing to Hiromi, but seemed to bring back painful memories to her. If he had been a sweet comforting person he would have patter her shoulder and told her everything would work out fine, but he wasn't so he just stood there looking at her with a blank, almost angry, expression on his face. He had actually stopped listening to the girl, he was spacing out has he watched her lips move; why did he have to run into a Hakura look alike. Of all the stores in Ba Sing Se he had to run into hers. It wasn't long before she stopped talking and left the room, he movement made him wonder if he should have been listening; was he supposed to follow her? He guessed not since she returned a few seconds later with a mop in hand. As she mopped up his puddle he felt a twang of quilt for making the mess. "Miss... Nozomi, was it?" He turned to look at her, but didn't keep his gaze there for Long; instead he turned it to a cat owl near by, "how much is he?" He could have killed himself; why was he buying a pet? He didn't know and event hough he was well aware that he didn't need a pet he could help but like the animal. It was really the first time he had noticed it, but he was intrigued by it's behavior. A small smile overcame his face as he watched the cat owl; maybe that was what he had needed all along, a friend who wouldn't judge him like the rest of the world. The cat owl wouldn't care if he was a prince or if he was a peasant; really he would be happy as long as Hiromi treated it right. He watched the animal as he waited for the girls response, sure now that a pet was just what he needed.
|
|
|
Post by nozomi on Dec 4, 2006 18:11:40 GMT -5
She was inspecting her work when someone spoke again. That someone just so happened to be the Prince who had walked into the shop she worked at. The Prince with the all-mighty princely attitude. The Prince that had made the puddle that she had just mopped up. Not even a 'I'm sorry about that' or an 'Here, I'll get that'. Nope. None at all, she thought dryly. But honestly, she was fine with it. Give her a broom and she'll sweep for an old woman so she wouldn't have to stoop. Give her a mop and she'd gladly mop up a mess that some prince made. At the sound of his voice, however, she turned to look back at him, tilting her head slightly with a quizicall half-smile. "Yes?" she asked.
He was turned to look at her, but he wasn't looking at her. It turned to that wretched cat-owl. The one she'd hated since the day she had applied for a job here. The one she was constantly trying to sell, but to no availl. "How much is he?" he had asked. Nozomi blinked. Rreally? Was it that easy to sell that thing? All she had needed this whole time was for a stubborn prince to come in dripping wet from the rain? She blinked again, and then her smile grew. "It's just a few silver coins," she said with a bit too much excitement in her voice, completely ignoring the small smile that had overcome the man's face as he watched the cat owl, "But I'll let you have it completely free if you are seriously wanting to take it!" She was suddenly in front of him with excitement clear in her olive-green eyes.
The cat-owl sqwaked angrily in annoyance and jumped onto her head, mrrowing and just sitting there. Nozomi frowned and reached forward to grab the cat-owl from atop her head (seemed to be the favorite perch the cat-owl had) but the cat-owl hissed and threatened to bite at her. She moaned lightly, but then turned pleading eyes to the prince. "So, what do you say?"
|
|
|
Post by yuudai on Dec 4, 2006 19:58:18 GMT -5
The second the woman had stated the price he was reaching behind him for his small leather pouch that was tied to his belt. It jingled slightly when he moved it and he was emptying his contents onto her counter when she let the cat owl out. "Free?" He looked at the woman an raised an eyebrow; giving a slight choked laugh he turned back to the coins on the counter. "I think I'll just pay for him," He counted out seven silver coins and put in a couple gold ones as well. When he had set aside the coins for payment he replaced the others into the pouch and returned it to his belt. "That should do," He said looking up at the cat owl which had perched on top of the girls head. He reached up his hand almost as if to pet him, but he only set it in front of his face. The cat hissed and snapped at his fingers; latching onto him. Hiromi winced slightly, but he didn't move his hand away. Soon the cat owls jaw loosened and Hiromi proceeded to pet his head; the small teeth marks on his hand sending small twangs of pain through his hand. "I can't see why you were so eager to get rid of him, his nice. I think I'll call him Paku-To," he smiled and stopped petting the cat owl. He held out his arm for Paku-To and the animal obliged to climb onto it after giving it a few sideways glances.
|
|
|
Post by nozomi on Dec 4, 2006 21:47:01 GMT -5
It seemed the second she had said the original price, he had turned to the counter and pulled out a leather couch the jingled richly. She paid no mind at first; it was a coin purse, of course it would jingle! However the coins that slipped out were gold and silver and her eyes widened at the gold. Never in her life had she seen gold pieces in such numbers. But she was stingy, nor was she greedy. She wasn't about to raise the price and she looked away shamefully at her surprise. Of course there would be gold pieces! He was a prince! He looked back at her and choked and she looked back at him from the corner of the eye curiously. Had that been a laugh? "I think I'll just pay for him," he was saying. He said something she hadn't caught and placed the coins he hadn't used in his purse. When he turned to look up at the bird, his body blocked the view of the coins. He reached up to the bird and the animal swiftly bit him. Nozomi let out a squeak of protest, almost telling him that he shouldn't do that to the animal. But Hiromi merely winced, and soon the cat-owl removed its vice grip. "I can't see why you were so eager to get rid of him, his nice. I think I'll call him Paku-To," he was saying as he stopped petting the cat-owl.
He moved his arm and the cat-owl-- Paku-To her mind supplied --obliged moving from her head to his arm. She rubbed the back of her head angrily eying the bird as she moved around the counter to gather the coins while she spoke. "If he's nice then I must be pretty mean," she grumbled under her breath. Then her smile returned as she turned to face him from behind he counter. It was then that she looked down to gather the coins and her smile vanished completely. "Oh no!" she exclaimed. She began to pull out the golden coins from the gather of silvers. "You misplaced some of your gold pieces!" She pushed the coins toward him without looking over at them, her face red in embarrassment.
|
|
|
Post by yuudai on Dec 5, 2006 10:07:05 GMT -5
Once Paku-To was settled happily on Hiromi's arm he proceeded to scratch his head; the animal let out a soft sound that was an indistinguishable cross between a purr and a hoot. He looked down at the gold on the counter and he smiled. "Silly girl, I didn't misplace them, I did it on purpose. Paku-to is worth ten times that much," He smiled at the girl then at the bird. This shop was changing him, no changing was the wrong word, it was returning him. He was remembering the boy he once was and was becoming the man he should have always been. "Miss Nozomi, you may not understand, but you have given me far more than a an animal today; you have returned my life to me and for that i owe it to you. Will you accept it?" He bowed his head far lower than he had ever and far lower than his family would ever see fit. She probably didn't understand what he was saying, he didn't expect her to. He had lived in a prison even when he was away from home, but now away from guards and his family he felt free and the feeling was worth a thousand gold coins and more.
|
|
|
Post by nozomi on Dec 5, 2006 19:01:00 GMT -5
Nozomi was still looking away from the prince and the coins, her face flushed with embarassment. She couldn't take these coins from him like that, she wasn't a greedy person. And while she knew that Qi and her husband would want the extra coins, they wouldn't want it via stealing. It wasn't in her right mind to just take coins. He had left them out on accident, and therefore he deserved them back."Silly girl, I didn't misplace them, I did it on purpose. Paku-to is worth ten times that much," She blinked and then turned to look at him in confusion, and his smile startle. Since he had come into the store, he wore a scowl to match those of the Dai Li. He had turned to look at the bird, but his smile brought her own back onto her face lightly. She was happy she was able to make someone happy just by selling an evil bird.
"Miss Nozomi, you may not understand, but you have given me far more than a an animal today; you have returned my life to me and for that i owe it to you. Will you accept it?" She blinked once more, then again. And again. Silence had covered the space around them when he bowed his head far lower than a prince should have to a commoner. She stumbled backward, waving her arms in front of her, saying in quick, rambling tones that it was fine that he shouldn't bow to a lowly commoner like her. When he righted, she sighed, whipping her brow dramatically. Then she smiled brightly, "Well, I'm not quite sure what you mean..." she said softly, "But we'll accept the kindness with open arms." She bowed low. When she righted herself, it felt as if an awkward silence had befallen them and, while a blush had filled her cheeks in awkward embarassment. Finally, something sprung her. "Oh! Its still raining! You're welcomed to stay here until the rain eases up, Prince Hiromi!" She said, bowing once more.
|
|