| abstract | - On her back were long water canisters that were donated to her for the trip. Although advised to only fill half-way up, it came as a surprise to the townsfolk when she lugged the containers, completely filled with water, down the road. When it rained, she was donated a cap to avoid "getting a cold." Whatever that meant; how could one suffer from just exposure to a little water? Her skirt and blouse were dirtied from the long travel and her supply of water is starting to thin. Her hunger pangs had long since disappeared, but she knew that it wouldn't be long before food would become a problem. Haruna wished for the clouds to produce water for her, but they would not oblige. Her knees buckled and Haruna relented to her body's neglect, perhaps in response to her hesitance to choose a path. Although she originally planned to walk throughout the night, she ceded to rest for a time before continuing onward. Walking down a similar road, Arahitogami trotted along the desert-like terrain as streams of sweat rolled off of his face. With two large, metal tanks hanging from both sides of his body, and no water, the man was noticeably exhausted. Using the back of his hands to wipe the sweat from his drenched face, he spotted a distant figure in the horizon. Another lone walker not too far ahead of him, and with this stranger were two large canisters. "Canisters!," Arahitogami shrieked, using his last bit of strength to charge towards the stranger. His legs were tired, about to give in, but this was his last chance to try to attempt to get water. With a single burst of his energy, he rushed forward once more, increasing speed with an accompanied yell. “WAIT, PLEASE!,” he desperately shrieked, his voice echoing throughout the wall-less desert due to the sheer amplitude of the shriek. Without a second’s hesitation, he fell onto the hard-dry ground, unable to continue in motion. “Pleease..,” he muttered, his voice raspy and without any real volume. Haruna blinked at this traveler's behavior, after overcoming her initial inquisitiveness of Arahitogami's screech at her water canisters. He looked dehydrated and his voice was parched. It seemed as though the man means no harm to her, though it is always ill-advised to take that for granted. But... Haruna blinked once more. It was although there was something unlocked inside her, but she wasn't sure what who said those words or why she remembered them. But regardless, she opened a canister and offered it to Arahitogami. In a quick, desperate attempt to hydrate himself, Arahitogami snatched the canister and gulped down the water like some sort of ill-mannered beast. Water that didn't go into his mouth, streamed down the side of his cheeks and onto the dry ground, evaporating upon contact. Standing upwards, the man couldn't do anything short but hug the woman. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!," he recited with every breath, dropping the empty canister. A short few seconds later, he let go of Haruna. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to..er, startle, is startle the word. No, silly me. I meant, er.." the man jumbled around, stuttering over his words some, stopping mid phrase. Trying to understand that was harder than finding a needle in a haystack. At first, it seemed as though that jumbled mess of words were lost on Haruna as her head slowly cocks to the side in response to Arahitogami's rambling. She couldn't tell if he normally talked this way or the water was affecting his speech in some strange way. But she presumed the former, waving a hand in his face to get his attention before resorting to sign language. Since it is based on the written system, even someone who is only familiar with reading would be able to pick out some of what she was trying to say. « Do you need more? I'm thirsty too. » she signed, giving the other a blank expression. "Oh," Arahitogami started, scratching the back of his scalp, "Well, no..it'd be nice, but, er, I don't really..umm" the man continuously jumbled, before he smacked himself in the face. And hard the slap was. It left a red handprint on his right cheek, the redness of the print very vivid. Taking a deep sigh, his shoulders relaxed and he looked towards Haruna, this time adding a warming smile. "No thank you," he calmly replied, "You've helped me a lot. Thanks for the water. But, if I may ask, what is a little girl like you doing out here?" the calm manner inquired, taking another deep breath. Since the chunin exams, he had been training his public speaking, but he was still socially awkward nevertheless. He had to stay calm, remember his training with his friends, and communicate correctly. Haruna gave him a pouting face of annoyance. It had been irritating to be treated like a little girl back in the previous town that she was in and it seemed like this would be another of the same deal. Being fairly short does not help her case to any extent. « It is none of your business. » Haruna signed before pulling the canister from Arahitsugami's grasp, and drinking everything that remained. She returned the now-empty canister to her harness before continuing. « Are you going to the closest town? I lost track of how to get there. » she asked.
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