I Ran [Reynard]

[Jess]

My, my, now this seems lively, doesn't it~?

“…Hnah! …Hnah! …Hnah! …Hnah!” Practice swings important to any bushido enthusiast and Ellie Edwards certainly no exception in that particular regard, with her sword secured snugly so as not to repeat a particular incident where the sheath went flying through a window and little company other than grass and the occasional tree the lass steadied herself atop a small hill, and then a grunt of authority brought her blade down over and over and over again, until she was done with her dawn exercizes.
“Whew…!” Arms and back a little sore because of this but the black beauty knowing that this was just the price she paid for improvement in her craft, with the final falling strike complete she finally let loose a breath of relief and rested her weapon on her shoulder, and then looked around herself as she took in a land which was now saturated by sunlight, and looking all the better for it.

That's blown the cobwebs off a little~! Panting a little but this of course another sign of a good workout in her opinion, Miss Edwards smiled as she used the prominence of this verdant pedastal to enjoy the scenery which surrounded her, and frankly enjoyed the view she was afforded of the small town she was staying at and the surrounding lands, as well as the chance to wipe her brow as well.
My, looks like the weather's warming up… Surprised by the clamminess which she found when she did the latter but not disappointed by this fact, it felt good for a woman like her to feel like she had worked up a bit of a sweat with what she was doing and much like her other 'rewards' for her round of swings was something that satisfied her, as well as hinted at something else as well.

A good sign~ Always happy to feel the grasp of winter easing and the blossoming caress of spring start to wash over both the land and herself, Ellie had always been quite the fan of nature and a natural outdoorswoman, and so could feel only joy at the prospect of warm days and lush life lingering close.
I wonder if there's a crisp stream around here I can wash up a little at, hm~? For the moment however more concerned with how she could spend what looked like it would be a good day and with the change in the air guessing that it shouldn't be holed up in the room that she had rented in the nearby village, instead she sensed that her time would be much better spent living a little, and so she set off from the spot with a smile on her face and a growing thirst for adventure. After all, one might as well make the most of a day of leisure, no~?

	Ellie Edwards	### words
	@tag, Early Morning Exercise

[Fennec]

-- CHAPTER 8.5 // I Ran

A waterfall billowed mist upward as it crashed into the wide stream of clear water filled with silver trout, turtles, and all matter of creatures. Looming over the tranquil waters, however, was a vulpine young man whose shadow was cast over the stream. On top of a large rock, he hummed to himself enjoying a day of fishing. It was a joy really, for Reynard, to be away from Marine life for a bit and enjoy the simplicity of outdoor life. Certainly, the greenery of the Goa's temperate forests was something he had come to miss a lot during his stay on the frozen wastes of Tequila Wolf.

"Hm... this is life... is it not Alonzo?"

The young man spoke to the fennec companion next to him. The sandy brown creature flickered its ears as it stared at the rushing water watching as some fish swam about. It poked the water with its paw scaring some of the smaller fish nearest to the bank away. Reynard chuckled as he turned back to fishing.

"Well... I mean it's relaxing but it's a little lonely I suppose... especially since Mom and Dad are taking a little longer than expected at the Capital."

He frowned slightly, a part of him greatly missed his friends on Tequila Wolf... he loved his family but... he also loved to have adventures on the high seas when he could? Sure being cooped up on a frozen bridge was hardly sport but... well... the moments he got to leave it? The moments he got to enjoy the near-endless stretches of the bright blue waters of the East Blue? Those were among the best. It made him slightly sad he had lost his ability to swim. Otherwise, he'd dive right into those waters. Although, that was perhaps an awful idea, Sea King while rare in the East Blue was still a problem. Goa itself occasionally saw the odd sea king patrolling its coast. Leaning back against a boulder behind him, he basked in the breeze relaxing a little. He couldn't swim but at least he could enjoy other wonders in life.

-- NAME // Reynard Ayoki

-- CLASS // C

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Jess]

My, my, now this seems lively, doesn't it~?

Looks like I've been beaten here, hm? The scent and freshness of the air seeming to be as informative to Miss Edwards as any sight of rippling blue could have been, the black beauty was only too happy to move toward the stretch of crispness and coolness that she found after only a modest hike over the hills, and as she did so found herself a little surprised to spy the shape of another figure who seems to have also sought out its use as well. Though not unpleasantly so at all.
“Hello there~!” Striding down the rolling green of a grassy knoll and lifting a hand high in greeting as she let the details of her fellow water seeking wash over her as much as the soft spray that the breeze whipped toward her, the strolling swordswoman shone with a smile as she called out to a new face who seemed to have the kind of features which would cause her strong intrigue, but not provoke a sense of judgement or discontent at all either. In fact, unusual as they were, those pointy cat ears looked rather cute to her eyes, didn’t they?

“Would you mind terribly if I joined you?” Perhaps showing a little of her upbringing in the stiffness of her vernacular as she continued her introduction and did the polite thing of inquiring over a shared situation rather than presuming, Ellie tilted her head and pulled her arms behind herself in a girlish fashion as she approached, and sensed from the air of youth that the lad carried that he might be a little intimidated by a stranger. Especially when said stranger was carrying a sword within her grasp as well.
“I think I underestimated the morning sun, and need to cool off a little?” Doing her best to ensure that her armament did not look more threatening than it needed to what with how she employed her bound blade almost like a walking stick as she approaches the edge of this berth, the siren kept her smile as she positioned herself a few meters away from the boy and then bent forward to dip her hand in the water, and then borrowed some of what pooled within her grasp to drizzle over her face and help her cool off much more efficiently after her little workout before…

	Ellie Edwards	### words
	@tag, Early Morning Exercise

[Fennec]

-- CHAPTER 8.5 // I Ran

It bit! One of the trout took the bait! Reynard started to pull on his pole. It seemed whatever creature had taken a bite was large too! A shadow could be seen under the waters of steam were the tugging was happening. Alonzo scurried quickly next to Reynard wagging his tail in excitment and just as he did the massive trout at least the size of an elephant poked its head out of the wide stream's waters showcasing its maw.

"Ehhhh!?? That thing is huuuuge!!! We're eating big today, Alonzo!"

Reynard yelled out in excitement his eyes widening in shock as his heart began to palpitate with anticipation. But just as that happened the tunnel vision he was getting from the moment was broken. There was a voice... not just a voice but the voice of a young maiden. Immediately his focus dropped and he lost grip of his pole which resulted in it getting pulled away by the behemoth of a fish much to Alonzo's dismay, the small vulpine drooped its tiny ears. But Reynard couldn't care about his loss. No he was now focused on the black beauty that had just entered the scene her ivory skin contrast against her jet black hair and a gentle pink blush caused by the heat of a summer's day.

"I... umm... hi!"

The young man managed to bumble still a bit taken by surprise by the newcomer's presence and beauty of course. He gently blushed slightly. Alonzo rolled his eyes at his master's reaction to the whole situation, he was such an idiot. Reynard dusted himself and stood up giving a gentle bow toward the girl. His blue dapper attire contrasting against his own ivory skin and chestnut hair. It was hard if not near impossible to spot his tail and ears with the attire. They did a good job of concealing such features, although his piercing fox-like eyes and gentle whisker-like birthmarks on his cheeks were visible.

"Oh not at all! I was just fishing umm but it seems the fish got the better of me haha."

He expressed himself, by now Reynard's flustered tone was gone he was very good at feigning confidence. Why was talking to people around his age so hard? Just the other day he'd met Risa and had a normal conversation with her. Hell! He was capable of having normal conversations with Rosie or Vaun or literally anyone. Perhaps he just needed to focus on the person more? As he did, he noticed the blade at the young woman's side. That was odd? Previously he had assumed she was some sort of traveler? Perhaps a farmer's daughter from the next town over running an errand. But the sword suggested otherwise. A bandit maybe? Then again she hadn't attacked him outright and his instincts only gave him friendly reads from this girl. Regardless of what her intentions were the young man was more than confident in his abilities to defend himself. He'd give her the benefit of the doubt and assumed she was harmless.

"Hm, yeah Goa is rather warm around this time of year."

Maybe it would be smart to just ask? Watching the girl kneel to drink from the stream he decided to break the ice. A nervous tinge fluttering in his stomach. But he played it off cooly. Without as much as an ounce of doubt in his voice.

"Pardon the intrusion, but I haven't seen you in Naya Town before. Are you a travler?"

-- NAME // Reynard Ayoki

-- CLASS // C

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Jess]

My, my, now this seems lively, doesn't it~?

“Oh, fishing huh?” Smiling at the note of panic that the lad seemed to show as she approached and finding herself wondering if it was because he had been startled by her arrival, whatever the reason Miss Edwards shook her head and smiled at such an endearing reaction, and then looked across the water curiously as he explained his reason for being here.
“What sorts do you find in these streams~?” Intrigued by his assertion about harvesting from the cool liquid which extended from both of them, while the dark delight couldn’t confess to being much of an angler personally she was certainly feeling a mite of interest in his activity now that he had mentioned it, and wondered if it might be worth emulating while she was here for the sake of experience. After all, it could be useful for a drifter like her to learn to live from the land, right?

“Quite so, in fact.” Smiling once more as he noted the inclination of the climate and nodding in response, once more Ellie lifted a palmful of cool moisture up to her face and massaged it onto her brow and then again around her neck as well to exploit the effect which was provided, and let loose a sigh of relief because of the pleasing way with which the clash seemed to balance out her feeling of comfort.
“Spring back home isn’t quite as blessed as this one?” Straightening up once she had done so and admitting that her homeland was not quite so pleasantly inclined toward morning warmth as this one seemed to be, while the realm from which this aspiring bladeswoman hailed was by no means hostile or lacking much in regard to seasonal hostility in fact, the lighter tone of her complexion admitted as much as her words did that she wasn’t quite so accustomed to being bathed in the sun as she seemed to be here. Though luckily she wasn’t burning too much, yet.

“I am, in fact, only started staying here a short while ago?” Nodding as he seemed to question his absence of familiarity with her face and parts beyond and subtly seeming to draw attention toward the fact that he was a local in the area while doing so, the radiant raven saw no reason to hide the simple truth that she was a visitor to the land, and in fact expected to be something of a fleeting one really. Though not too much, with any luck.
“My name’s Ellie, and you, sir~?” That no reason to be rude however nor ignore the gifts she was offered by this strange but verdant land, Miss Edwards nodded and smiled as she held out her hand to shake as she introduced herself in a somewhat formal fashion, and asked after the name of this stranger as well as she felt intrigued by both that polite and personal manner as well as the odd set of ears he possessed…

	Ellie Edwards	### words
	@tag, Early Morning Exercise

[Fennec]

-- CHAPTER 8.5 // I Ran

With blush in his cheeks he averted his eyes back to the stream upon being inquired about the local fish. He paused for a moment seeing some smaller trout go about their way through the temprate waters until he lifted his visage to look at the dark haired girl standing before him a gentle glow in his eye.

"Well, that's season dependent but catfish, trout, and the odd bass can be found almost year round."

That's when the women's words revealed it all. She wasn't from Goa, no, apperently here homeland wasn't as warm as the one from here. Or in her own words as blessed. Reynard tilted his head looking at her. She went on, indeed a traveler she was. Although she seemed relatively young for one... it would also explain her sword. Everyone knew that traveling without a weapon even in a peaceful Blue such as the East was a treacherous endeavor especially in this day and age. What with the pirate age thing going on.

"Ellie, I knew you were a traveler, hehehe."

Letting out a vulpine-like chuckle he wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead.

"Ah yeah, pardon my manners, my names Reynard. Oh and well met by the by."

Despite all this there was a question he had in mind. Perhaps it was intrusive but it was worth asking? Goa was a nation of relative size but it was far from a metropolitan land like Polestar. Well, at least the Capital could see travelers. But one of the surrounding towns of all places? It was strange to say the least. Reynard rubbed his cheek gently.

"So, what brings you to our lovely little, Goa?"

-- NAME // Reynard Ayoki

-- CLASS // C

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Jess]

My, my, now this seems lively, doesn't it~?

“Oh, sounds like you know these waters well~?” The young man certainly seeming to show no hint toward duplicity in his reason for being here with how well he seemed to affirm his understanding of the produce of the local waters, Miss Edwards shone with a smile as she acknowledged that understanding and admired it as well, since she knew that in his place she would be aiming more for pot luck and little else due to the difference in experience. Or the absence, in her case.
“Do you fish here often?” Only more intrigued as he mentioned that expertise and taking a striding step closer to the lad because of that, she noted the interest that he was giving to the item which had been hitched on her hip and opted to remove the potential for danger or intimidation by setting the item on the ground in a show of good nature and peaceful intent, since she really didn’t want to spook him or worse come across as some manner of brute or brigand ready to plague the land.

“Reynard, nice to meet you~” Instead opting to show off her fine manners and upstanding attitude by leaving the weapon behind her and offering out her palm instead to give a proper greeting, once more the ebony eye line of the enchantress seemed to drift a little ways upward as now it was her turn to seem curious about the new figure she had met, and in particular the perky ears which seemed to define him so splendidly from any other angler.
“I’m on a pilgrimage, to master the blade~?” Nodding back to her weapon however when he asked about her reason for being here and seeing no value nor benefit in being deceitful, as she was typical of hers, Ellie answered the matter with honesty and a tipping brow toward the weapon she had put to rest, all the while wondering if a boy like this would find it strange to see a girl like her setting out from her home with intentions so frequently seen from those who aspire toward heroics. Though really, even if he did it would be an interesting thing to explain, wouldn’t it?

	Ellie Edwards	### words
	@tag, Early Morning Exercise

[Fennec]

-- CHAPTER 8.5 // I Ran

The vulpine young man's ears flickered slightly as the girl spoke her voice was smooth and eloquent. Noble, one would say. Yes... she spoke almost like a noblewoman? But a traveler was hardly a noble. At least in his own experience with that sort of people. They had everything they wanted... fame, fortune, power. You know, the trifecta that usually motivated adventurous sorts. So perhaps this was simply a speech quirk she picked up from her travels. Or perhaps simply put she had a good education.

"Aye, Goa is my home and well my Father's farmstead is right around the corner. I've been coming to this stream since I could walk."

Reynard gave her a bright smile showing his pearly whites. More hints of his mink ancestry could be seen as his canines were significantly more pronounced than a normal person.

"I often come here with my father usually in the spring or summer time."

He replied. Reynard watched as the woman removed her blade allowing himself to be a little less paranoid of the situation. Normally he wouldn't be like this but... this was the Goa wilderness and bandits often times got very creative with their approaches. He extended his hand to meet that of Ellie's for a firm shake.

"Anyway... nice to meet you."

His eyes drifted to look at the sword as Ellie mentioned her goals. A pilgrimage to master the sword? Hm. Intriguing... given that she was using a Katana and presuming she was a local of the East Blue on this endeavour...

"Oh neat! You must be from Shimosuki Island! Right? That explains why you're so elegant too."

Reynard guessed, he felt confident on his answer as his tail swished slightly. He remembered his stay on the island however short. Originally, he had intended to look for some truffles on the island however he ended up getting in a mess with some local Ronin and in the end had defeated their leader. Wagyu "The Butcher" a bandit queen worth well over 10 million Beri. Peace was restored to Kotobuki Mountain! By this point Alonzo had began to take a nap at Reynard's feet.

"I've been there myself, you know?"

-- NAME // Reynard Ayoki

-- CLASS // C

-- TECHS USED // None.

[Jess]

My, my, now this seems lively, doesn't it~?

“A farm, you say?” Perking up ]at the mention of the lad's homestead, Miss Edwards found herself lighting up a little at the news with excitement at both the prospect of there being a hub of agriculture nearby and because she was currently conversing with the owners son to boot, which seemed to bode very well for the most significant association she would have with that fact.
“You don't raise horses, do you?” A lifelong lover of all things equestrian and feeling that it had been far too long since she had found herself in the saddle proper as well given how she had been drifting, that dark gaze brimmed with optimism and probably a weight of expectation as the lass challenged the issue hopefully, she looked something like a puppy who had just been promised a treat or a trip around the block and really oh so hard to refuse when she got like this. One could only pray that her companion would not let her down, eh?

“Oh my no, to be frank I'm kind of an amateur as far as the sword goes…” Shaking her head however as the boy next seems to assume she has come from the esteemed dojo none too many islands away based upon his weapon, Ellie felt her cheeks warm up as she corrected his guess about her ability and where it had come from, and admits that her level of skill was likely below the repute of such an establishment even now as she trained herself daily. After all, we were talking about a hallowed hall where the techniques of Wano itself were practised, weren't we?

“I wanted to polish myself up a bit before I went there?” For that reason hoping that she would to have more than a little more to 'show off' before she visited the place in order not to make a fool of herself in front of the true aficionados, though it was a little galling Miss Edwards had to note that her education hasn't exactly been in a discipline which matches her ambition, and instead she felt something of a sham artist at present.
“I've studied the rites and practices of the bushido code for years, but sadly, a proper teacher in their arts has been hard to come by?” Certainly not lacking for enthusiasm of course but most of what she knew either theoretical or gleaned from scrolls and manuals she had found herself forced to interpret with her own license, the would-be warrior couldn't help but harbour a sense of intimidation at the idea of venturing toward a place which guessed to be brimming with champions far in excess of her skill, even if it was probably the perfect place for her to get better…

	Ellie Edwards	### words
	@tag, Early Morning Exercise