09-07-2017, 10:04 PM
Belle seethed, glaring at the back of Heidi's head as the blonde bounced ahead of her. Rubbing her smarting rear, she grumbled dark deeds under her breath – water torture and nail pulling sounded good right about now.
Hefting the bag full of water bottles – some of which were, at least, empty by now – Belle grunted and started after the hyperactive Prime. Revenge would have to wait until they arrived at their destination.
It wasn't long to wait. Before another hour had passed, the slope of the winding path had started to taper, and just over the road's horizon, Belle spotted the enormous gate.
Made as if it were regular to admit giants into the city, the huge double-doored gate was flanked on either side by an almost equally tall wall of lashed tree trunks. Figures could be seen moving to and fro just beyond, walking the wall's ramparts.
Belle slowed as they approached. One of the guards halted, spotting them, and made his way back towards the gate. “State your name and intent,” his voice bellowed. “What business have you in Mokugakure!?”
Well, this was awkward. She had somewhat assumed that they would just let them in. “My name is Belle, and she's Heidi!” Belle shouted back, pointing towards her traveling companion.
“Hello!” Heidi chirped, bouncing on her heels. Even from that distance, Belle could see the guard's eyes shift, widening as he stared down at the blonde.
“We're here because we're looking for training! Everyone says that Mokugakure has the best martial artists in the Omniverse!”
The guard seemed preoccupied, but managed to collect himself. He was older, perhaps in his early forties, with a heavy bristle of a beard that rose up his cheeks to meet the downward sweep of his helmet. “Pah! That kind of flattery won't get you anywhere, outsider! We get plenty of tourists that throw out that same line! By order of Tsunade, the walls stay closed until you can prove your intent!”
Belle gritted her teeth. This was beyond the usual; something must have happened to make them so jittery. Maybe the infection? That would make sense for why they were so suspicious – every Verse probably had similar security at the moment. “We're not infected!” Belle protested.
“Silence!” the man shouted, and his nostrils flared so hard Belle was almost certain she saw steam blow. “Unless you can prove it, turn around!”
The Hell? Did we look like we're monsters?! Belle was just about to start shouting again, when Heidi's voice cut through the air.
“I don't know what you're all talking about - with the infection and everything!” Heidi squeaked. “But that should be easy to see, isn't it?! Will it help you see better if I take off my clothes?”
Again the guard's attention snapped back to Heidi, his nostrils flaring again, starting to speak, then stopping as the blonde began to pull off her yoga top.
Belle blushed. Folding her arms, she lifted a hand to cover her flaming face as a great whooping went up from the guards on the wall. Of all the things to do...
“O-o-oooh! O-o-oooooh!” the guard shouted, and Belle looked up to see him holding out a hand. Several other guards had also stopped by now to ogle the half-naked Heidi, the girl's thumbs in the waist of her shorts. “S-stop right there, young lady!” he shouted, his face as red as a tomato – and this time, steam DID pour from his nose. “We've seen enough! P-please... We will inspect you inside.”
“Yay!” Heidi smiled, giving another bounce on her heels that sent parts of her a-jiggle. “Belle can come too, right?”
A glance thrown Belle's way. “Your friend can come too, I guess,” came the relenting grumble.
The doors creaked, heavy sound of metal reinforced wood blocks being drawn, before the gates ponderously swung outward. “Welcome to Mogakure!”
~+~+~+~
Belle crossed her legs, tapping her foot in the air, arms folded. She sat on a bench outside the guard hut that lay just inside the city walls. Heidi had been in there for a while, now... Being 'inspected' for the Dark Data virus.
Belle's own inspection had lasted all of a few seconds. Not that she was annoyed, or anything...
After what felt like ages, the door finally opened. Heidi flounced out, looking just the same as she did going in, and smiled at Belle as she stood. “They say we can go! Oh, and they gave us these.”
Heidi held out her hand. “Papers?” Belle asked, taking the small offered slip and turning it over. It was printed with all kinds of legalese. “Uh... Huh.”
“They said if anyone asks us about that stuff again, to show them that,” Heidi said, retrieving her pack from beside the bench.
“They did, huh...” Belle mused, tucking the paper into her gi. “... How many guys were inspecting you, anyway?” A pause. “You know what? On second thought: forget I asked.”
“Aaand?”
“And what?” Belle huffed, picking up her own pack. She turned to see Heidi leaning close to her, a broad smile on her face, expectant.
“Mmmmm?” Heidi prompted.
“What-... ugh.” Belle rolled her eyes, adjusting the shoulder straps as she started down the street, away from the gate and into the city. Mumbled: “Thanks. For getting us in.”
The city itself was a tangle of various structures, most with several stories. Banners of all styles hung down over the shops that occupied ground level. Most of the people were dressed like Belle herself, and many couldn't seem to help but stop and stare at the pink-clad girl with her.
“Yeesh,” Belle whispered. “Whoever makes fishnet around here must make a killing.”
Spying an electronics shop out of the corner of her eye, Belle stopped in. On display on the shelves were plenty of macro-binoculars, wearable and otherwise, trackers, VPS systems, radios, surveillance equipment, bugs, and some things Belle couldn't begin to fathom the use of. Bypassing all of those, Belle poked around until she found what she was looking for – a replacement smartphone. It was plain, and with the shock absorbent case it wasn't going to be winning any fashion contests, but it was better than nothing. Her old phone was probably a melted slag of components by now.
Stopping by the register, Belle paid and set up her account, signing a few papers before stepping back out onto the street, thumb-swiping through the menus.
“What are you looking for?” Heidi asked, peeking over Belle's shoulder.
“Dojos,” Belle mused, brows pinching. “Most of the ones on the net seem like they're dressed-up strip mall joints, though. You wouldn't think that would fly here with... You know. Ninjas.”
Well, people had to make money. Shrugging, Belle pocketed her phone. “You wanna explore?” she asked. “We might have a better chance stumbling across something than looking at my phone."
Hefting the bag full of water bottles – some of which were, at least, empty by now – Belle grunted and started after the hyperactive Prime. Revenge would have to wait until they arrived at their destination.
It wasn't long to wait. Before another hour had passed, the slope of the winding path had started to taper, and just over the road's horizon, Belle spotted the enormous gate.
Made as if it were regular to admit giants into the city, the huge double-doored gate was flanked on either side by an almost equally tall wall of lashed tree trunks. Figures could be seen moving to and fro just beyond, walking the wall's ramparts.
Belle slowed as they approached. One of the guards halted, spotting them, and made his way back towards the gate. “State your name and intent,” his voice bellowed. “What business have you in Mokugakure!?”
Well, this was awkward. She had somewhat assumed that they would just let them in. “My name is Belle, and she's Heidi!” Belle shouted back, pointing towards her traveling companion.
“Hello!” Heidi chirped, bouncing on her heels. Even from that distance, Belle could see the guard's eyes shift, widening as he stared down at the blonde.
“We're here because we're looking for training! Everyone says that Mokugakure has the best martial artists in the Omniverse!”
The guard seemed preoccupied, but managed to collect himself. He was older, perhaps in his early forties, with a heavy bristle of a beard that rose up his cheeks to meet the downward sweep of his helmet. “Pah! That kind of flattery won't get you anywhere, outsider! We get plenty of tourists that throw out that same line! By order of Tsunade, the walls stay closed until you can prove your intent!”
Belle gritted her teeth. This was beyond the usual; something must have happened to make them so jittery. Maybe the infection? That would make sense for why they were so suspicious – every Verse probably had similar security at the moment. “We're not infected!” Belle protested.
“Silence!” the man shouted, and his nostrils flared so hard Belle was almost certain she saw steam blow. “Unless you can prove it, turn around!”
The Hell? Did we look like we're monsters?! Belle was just about to start shouting again, when Heidi's voice cut through the air.
“I don't know what you're all talking about - with the infection and everything!” Heidi squeaked. “But that should be easy to see, isn't it?! Will it help you see better if I take off my clothes?”
Again the guard's attention snapped back to Heidi, his nostrils flaring again, starting to speak, then stopping as the blonde began to pull off her yoga top.
Belle blushed. Folding her arms, she lifted a hand to cover her flaming face as a great whooping went up from the guards on the wall. Of all the things to do...
“O-o-oooh! O-o-oooooh!” the guard shouted, and Belle looked up to see him holding out a hand. Several other guards had also stopped by now to ogle the half-naked Heidi, the girl's thumbs in the waist of her shorts. “S-stop right there, young lady!” he shouted, his face as red as a tomato – and this time, steam DID pour from his nose. “We've seen enough! P-please... We will inspect you inside.”
“Yay!” Heidi smiled, giving another bounce on her heels that sent parts of her a-jiggle. “Belle can come too, right?”
A glance thrown Belle's way. “Your friend can come too, I guess,” came the relenting grumble.
The doors creaked, heavy sound of metal reinforced wood blocks being drawn, before the gates ponderously swung outward. “Welcome to Mogakure!”
~+~+~+~
Belle crossed her legs, tapping her foot in the air, arms folded. She sat on a bench outside the guard hut that lay just inside the city walls. Heidi had been in there for a while, now... Being 'inspected' for the Dark Data virus.
Belle's own inspection had lasted all of a few seconds. Not that she was annoyed, or anything...
After what felt like ages, the door finally opened. Heidi flounced out, looking just the same as she did going in, and smiled at Belle as she stood. “They say we can go! Oh, and they gave us these.”
Heidi held out her hand. “Papers?” Belle asked, taking the small offered slip and turning it over. It was printed with all kinds of legalese. “Uh... Huh.”
“They said if anyone asks us about that stuff again, to show them that,” Heidi said, retrieving her pack from beside the bench.
“They did, huh...” Belle mused, tucking the paper into her gi. “... How many guys were inspecting you, anyway?” A pause. “You know what? On second thought: forget I asked.”
“Aaand?”
“And what?” Belle huffed, picking up her own pack. She turned to see Heidi leaning close to her, a broad smile on her face, expectant.
“Mmmmm?” Heidi prompted.
“What-... ugh.” Belle rolled her eyes, adjusting the shoulder straps as she started down the street, away from the gate and into the city. Mumbled: “Thanks. For getting us in.”
The city itself was a tangle of various structures, most with several stories. Banners of all styles hung down over the shops that occupied ground level. Most of the people were dressed like Belle herself, and many couldn't seem to help but stop and stare at the pink-clad girl with her.
“Yeesh,” Belle whispered. “Whoever makes fishnet around here must make a killing.”
Spying an electronics shop out of the corner of her eye, Belle stopped in. On display on the shelves were plenty of macro-binoculars, wearable and otherwise, trackers, VPS systems, radios, surveillance equipment, bugs, and some things Belle couldn't begin to fathom the use of. Bypassing all of those, Belle poked around until she found what she was looking for – a replacement smartphone. It was plain, and with the shock absorbent case it wasn't going to be winning any fashion contests, but it was better than nothing. Her old phone was probably a melted slag of components by now.
Stopping by the register, Belle paid and set up her account, signing a few papers before stepping back out onto the street, thumb-swiping through the menus.
“What are you looking for?” Heidi asked, peeking over Belle's shoulder.
“Dojos,” Belle mused, brows pinching. “Most of the ones on the net seem like they're dressed-up strip mall joints, though. You wouldn't think that would fly here with... You know. Ninjas.”
Well, people had to make money. Shrugging, Belle pocketed her phone. “You wanna explore?” she asked. “We might have a better chance stumbling across something than looking at my phone."
Uh oh. Those boys got me all tingly...
![[Image: ezgif-1-a370e630e1.gif]](https://s7.postimg.cc/elmiaogd7/ezgif-1-a370e630e1.gif)
I must calm it.
I must calm it.