Early to the Festivities [open]

[katsumi]

Katsumi stood in the middle of what would be the area for activities later on that day. She was excited to the point she had hardly been able to sleep the previous night, trying to figure out what she was going to wear. Eventually she had alright, but she woke up later than she usually did, which prompted her to rush through the morning, even though it was still well before noon.

End result: Katsumi was alone at the virtually empty festival grounds, waiting for something...anything...to happen. Hell, I'd end up getting so bored that I might even want a ninja to attack me or something. Anything's better than just wasting time here. She sighed. Plus it's the hottest day of the week so far and I just had to pick this outfit and mask of all things...Talk about failing to dress for the weather...

Katsumi examed what little she could with her "mask" on. She wore her typical battle attire, along with an extra blood-red cape and a medieval full helmet. This is what was limiting her field of vision and Katsumi felt like she was being baked inside of it. "Great choice, Katsumi..." She muttered sarcastically as she popped open the visor and again critically examined her "dress." She could find nothing wrong, but even sliding the visor up and out of the way did nothing to allieviate the heat and stuffiness in the helmet. "I'm dying in here!"

Katsumi pulled off the helmet, her long, vibrant orange hair dropping down. She hadn't been able to wear her hair in it's usual style because of the helmet. She didn't mind it down, but at times it could just be a little unwieldy when it was loose. Katsumi shook her hair out and then stepped over to the alley where she'd left Mugenriki leaning against a wall. Between the sword's weight and the fact that it was her Kuroken, she wasn't worried about someone stealing it. Hell, most people couldn't even effectively carry it.

Katsumi stood there, debating whether or not to leave the helmet behind but she shook her head. "This is a masquerade. I can't just toss it aside. Renzo would never let me live it down I'm sure." She turned her gaze up and a few flames of determination were flickering in her eyes. "This is nothing! I've endured much worse!" With that said, she jammed her helmet back on her head and strode out to the middle of the festival grounds, her helmet in place and crossed her arms, determined to stand and wait until the festivities started.

[Luan Xi]

Xi paced herself as she walked out to the festival grounds, her long, flowing, black satin dress dragging on the ground. The mask she wore stuck to her face uncomfortably and she felt odd wearing a costume like this. what in the world was i thinking? Cat goddess? Looks like Death's wife to me. Her black mask was in the shape of a cat's face, and edged in aqua colored cloth. Her strapless dress revealed her tattoos and her long black hair was tamed into a high bun.

This outfit was completely out of the norm for her and she had to fight her natural instinct to pull the tight bun apart, but what confused her even more was that no one was here yet! She looked around the courtyard. deserted, just my rotten luck! Xi was about to leave, when she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. What the hell?

it was...a tin can..or a woman in a tin can. She couldn't be sure considering the helmet. Xi shook her head, "Well, it is a masquerade." she mumbled to herself. She let out a dog whistle to get the can's attention, "Oi, Where'd the party go? Are we terribly early or are we the only ones?"

[katsumi]

Katsumi was getting really warm inside the helmet. She could hear her cousin and the next heir of the Kuroha clan's words echoing in her brain. "There's sure to be plenty of people at the festival so we should get there early to make sure we can see everything!"

I'm gonna kill that pipsqueak, she fumed under her helmet thinking thoughts that would have made pacifists give up hope on the spot. She was still fuming inside the helmet when she heard a voice from behind her. Amazing, I'm not the only one here this early! Katsumi thought as she spun around to face the newcomer.

Katsumi was half-expecting it to be someone she didn't know and she wasn't disappointed as she turned to see a good looking woman in a black dress with aqua edges. She held a cat mask in her other hand and her long, dark hair was pulled up tightly into a bun. Katsumi knew that she would probably have to get pretty used to meeting people from outside the village as this was an open festival to everyone who wished to attend. Well, excepting major wanted criminals of course.

"If we're the only ones a certain cousin of mine who told me the festival activities were going to happen here is going to get a faceful of loose teeth!" She looked around and watched as some of the staff on the periphery started to assemble booths and the other areas for activities. "It's a hassle, but it looks like I'm not the only one that's super early and has to wait." Katsumi, realizing she still had her helmet on and shut took it off, if nothing else than to make her slightly more understandable.

Taking another appraising glance Katsumi spoke to the woman. "I don't believe I've seen you around here? I'm Katsumi, what's your name?" Katsumi's curiosity was plainly etched on her face as she tilted her head and waited for the woman's reply.

[Luan Xi]

Xi shook her head, " I might just help you out there." She smiled whimsically at the now realized knight in shining armor and was relieved that the stranger was in fact a very pretty woman. Slightly intimidating, but pretty. Loose red hair, bright flashing eyes, and a wearied expression were enough to tell her that the person wasnt in the mood to fight.

It was odd for Xi to not be on her guard,but this was a festival. No one was in the mood to fight...right? When the girl, Katsumi, asked for her name, she smiled, "Luan Xi of Sunagakure, at your service." She gave a light bow, a little dramatic she admitted but it was a masquerade. "Its been quite a journey from the dessert but I'm used to it. Plus, I'm glad that I arrived in time! Sandstorms can be quite the pain in the butt when you have a deadline. Where are you from?"

[katsumi]

Katsumi shook out her bright orange hair again, trying to get some cool on the back of her neck without looking too obvious about it. She tucked the helmet under her arm and looked to the Suna-nin. "Pleasure to meet you, Luan Xi."

Katsumi nodded as Luan spoke. "Yeah, I imagine that that could make some problems. If you were wearing that dress the whole time I can imagine it'd be even worse. There's not too many things that I'd avoid, but walking through the desert wearing a dress would certainly be one of them..."

Katsumi tilted her head. "Eh? Where am I from? Well I'm a Konoha ninja, but I don't actually live within the city walls. My family has got an estate where we spend most of our time. I've never really been to any other major places besides Konohagakure and Sunagakure, but I definitely like Konoha the best! Oh, sorry, no offense meant."

Katsumi looked up at the sun, which hadn't even reached its peak yet. "I wish they'd had a little more precise time-table on this thing... If it turns out we're a couple of hours early I'm going to knock the lights out of my cousin for not telling me when it started..."

[Tsunade]

Coming early to the festivities hadn't really been what Tsunade had planned, but with Shizune harping on her about paperwork or going to the festival, Tsunade had decided to choose the easy way out. It made for a good excuse, and she really didn't want to be doing desk work today. It was nice out, and it would be customary to at least visit the members of her village as well as the guests, right? Besides, she could keep troublemakers out of the way as well, and would be a bit of a sense of authority that probably wasn't there at the moment.

Nonetheless, she knew she shouldn't be slacking in paperwork, as she'd already gotten herself behind by about a day's work or so during her night-time escapade with Jiraiya a few days ago, but she could really care less. Desk work bored her. Walking along the streets, she saw two people who were also early to the festivities... Tsunade hadn't dared wear the ugly, bird-like mask she'd been made for the festival. Hell no, she wasn't going to. It could go burn in hell; the only time she might be caught wearing it was at the banquets or at the dancing later if she dared to go. Perhaps she'd have to ask Jiraiya about that...

"... of hours early I'm going to knock the lights out of my cousin for not telling me when it started..."Tsunade heard the words of a familiar Konoha shinobi; she recognized the girl as Kuroha Katsumi, one of the little-known Kuroha clan and a woman who lived outside of the village but was still one of the shinobi. The other girl, however, she recognized as a Sunagakure ninja; thinking on that, she might want to find Gaara later and speak with him. He was the Kazekage, after all, and perhaps some discussion about the Chuunin exams would be a good idea.

"It's not supposed to start for another fifteen minutes, I don't think, so you're not that early. Didn't you read the timetable that was posted with the papers?" Tsunade asked, her voice a bit scolding. She'd spent time posting those papers up, and to find that nobody had really read them?! Oh, she would have to change that. Perhaps sending a few flying eighteen thousand feet and halfway across Konoha would be a good idea... But she pushed back those violent thoughts and greeted the Sunagakure kunoichi.

"Hello there, Xi. Might I ask a question, have you perhaps seen Gaara, er, the Kazekage, around here anywhere?"

[Luan Xi]

Xi turned to see the newcomer, and smirked at the mention of the Kazekage. She was well versed in the tragic tale of Gaara, and remembered giving the boy a gift when she was visiting his uncle, Yashamaru, on occasion. To think that after so many trials, the boy became a man- the Kazekage no less- made her proud to a degree. "No, i haven't seen Gaara yet, but I'm looking forward to seeing him. "
She cocked an eyebrow at the obvious Hokage when she quickly recognized her, "Have we met? I know of your achievements Lady Hokage, but it is very odd that you could pick up my name and immediately attribute it to me."
Xi then grinned, "No mask, Lady Tsunade? Its good to let your more ridiculous side show, so that people can get a true look at your personality? Call it...experiance."

[katsumi]

Katsumi turned at the sound of another, much more familiar voice. Katsumi turned to see Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage walking down the street towards herself and her new aquaintence. "Good morning, Hokage," Katsumi said, bowing out of respect.

That the Hokage herself knew Luan Xi was fairly surprising to her, but not as what she heard next. "There were timeschedules up? Damn that Renzo for not telling me!" Katsumi turned and fumed to herself for a while until the next part of the conversation continued onward.

The Kazekage is coming? Katsumi repeated in her head. The one that's roughly my age? But why would he come here? Is this festival really going to be that big? "Excuse me, you said the Kazekage is coming here? If thats the case shouldn't everything be, like, already set up and stuff in case he comes early or something?"

Katsumi turned her gaze sideways and finished the rest of her sentence under her breath. "That and so certain people who hadn't been told the proper time wouldn't be standing here looking like an idiot..."

[Tsunade]

"You introduced yourself earlier to... Katsumi here - I believe that's your name, correct - and I managed to catch word of it." So Gaara hadn't come yet? Well, after what she'd heard about the Akatsuki's movements from Jiraiya a couple days ago, she needed to find the man as soon as possible. Of course, that also meant... She had to somewhat keep her promise to Jiraiya. She'd technically promised him that if he could win her over, he'd get that "date" he wanted. The part that Tsunade truly hated about that promise was the fact that Jiraiya didn't want it for his research reasons. He was being genuine and kind about it. Mature, really. Then again, he also knew what sorts of disastrous things would happen to him if he wasn't like that about it. Tsunade could be scary when she wanted to...

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at everything being set up. "This part of the festival is already set up. They're working on the ballroom and the banquet hall right now. And perhaps you shouldn't learn to listen to people who could possibly play pranks on you," Tsunade added as she caught the bare end of the girl's whispered sentence.

When the Suna kunoichi asked about her wearing a mask, Tsunade scoffed a little. Like she'd wear a mask to something like this. The banquet, maybe, but it's not like she could hide her real face any more than she already did. "I've no need for ridiculous masks. Perhaps if I go to the banquet later, or the dancing, sure, but there's really no need to wear it yet. I'll probably just spend most of my time keeping troublemakers in line." That entire point was true; Tsunade could easily keep anyone who decided to make trouble here in perfect line. She was able to keep one of the legendary Sannin and probably Konoha's most legendary pervert, Jiraiya, in perfect line. He didn't dare step an atom over a line with her in that way, because he knew full well what could happen to him, or rather, what would happen to him.

"Please, if either of you see Gaara, tell him I'm looking for him. Say it's important matters. Or, even if you see Temari or Kankuro. They can send a message to him." Tsunade glanced back as a few more people were making their way towards the festival, and in the distance she could see a much larger crowd. "Looks like the festivities are about to start," she muttered, and continued strolling down the street to examine some of the interesting sights there were to see.

[Luan Xi]

Xi watched the fifth Hokage go her own way and grinned, "I'll let Gaara know, I promise." Proud...definately proud. a good quality for a leader. She turned away from the other girl and took her mask off, revealing the dramatic black eyeliner she had put on and the smokey eyeshadow, which enhanced the intensity of her ice blue eyes. She grimaced. This amount of make-up was unusual for her and she would have prefered to keep it simple, but her over active imagination once again took her to the overall extreme. She glanced back to the Knight. " Soo, your cousin set you up huh? That sucks, but hey, you get a free shot at the games. I know i go for a round of ski ball once in a while." She grinned "But for you, I suggest the whack-a-mole game, except, use your cousin as the mole. Much more satisfying."
She looked around at the people filling in the small courtyard and examined the gleefull faces of childeren and parents. A small part of her wished she could experiance that part of life, but she kept those emotions in check as she watched a father lift his kid onto his shoulders.

[katsumi]

Katsumi, as the conversation continued wondered what the Kazekage looked like. She herself had never seen the young leader of the Sand village, but everyone had heard stories about how the village screw-up Naruto had managed to stop him. Katsumi mentally snorted. If he could've stopped it then that's probably not all that impressive...Still that screw-up's probably learned some new things when he was gone from the village...maybe I should challenge him?

Katsumi turned her head as Luan Xi made a suggestion mightily to her liking. "Oh, I can think of so many other games to play with him as well! Dunk the Renzo, the Renzo Toss, Pin the Tail on the Renzo, ohhh so many games, so little time." Katsumi smiled earnestly at Luan Xi. "Good thing the festival's five days long so I can play them all!"

((acks short post >_< ))

[Luan Xi]

Completely amused with the earnestness of Katsumi's voice, Xi smiled, "Ha, you should play one of my favorites. Bowling!"

Xi's amusement, however was cut short by the obnoxious growling of her stomach. The organ knawed at her backbone and she quickly wrapped an arm around her stomach Goddamnit! She looked up at Katsumi and gave her a sheepish look, "The trip must have taken alot more out of me than I thought! I swear to Shiva that I ate just before I came."

She corrected herself and looked around for one of those blasted timetables that Tsunade had told them about. Upon finding one, she looked for the time dinner would be served. Oh, Blast it! Dinner isnt served until another hour." She sighed, wrapping an arm around her waist and resting the other on it so she could conceal her face in her hand, "I am Screwed"

[katsumi]

Katsumi frowned. "That could be a problem...I'm sure there's probably some kinda snack vendor out here...somewhere..." Katsumi looked around at the booths that were just filling up with slightly more activity but still not enought to indicate the festival was starting.

"Huh, I wonder if Ichiraku's open before the festival..." She said to herself, placing her free hand hand thoughtfully under her chin. "Well, Luan, there might be a place still open. I just hope you don't mind ramen. Ichiraku Ramen. It's a really good place, a ton of people go there and it just might still be open before the festival. Let's check it out!" Katsumi pointed south in the direction of the stand and started to walk to the stand.

"So...bowling huh? But would Renzo be the ball or the pins? He'd make a bad ball, but a worse pin, I think. He's pretty agile..." Katsumi shrugged and sighed and continued to walk. "Eh, whatever I do to him, its going to be a pounding in some way. Maybe it will be Whack-a-Renzo..."

[/blockquote]

[Luan Xi]

Xi flinched at being called Luan. The referance reminded her of her mother, who used that name when she was in trouble. now Luan.. she heard her mother's voice in her head when you go to a party, make sure you eat before you come. Its only proper....

She drowned out the voice quickly before anything could happen, "Please, just call me Xi. Luan is way to formal for me." Her mood, however, considerably lightned at the mention of a restraunt being possibly open. she couldnt help but grin with the thought of Ramen. "You Kiddin? I could live off Ramen! Besides, anything to keep me from embarassing myself would be a Blessing from Shiva."
She watched Katsumi as she walked, and quickly followed, her high heels clicking in the stone below her. "After you, Knight of Kuroha. or Double K." Xi stopped herself before she got on her guide's bad side.

[katsumi]

"Huh? Okay then, Xi." Katsumi noticed the (much) older woman flinch, but didn't have the vaguest idea of why such a thing would happen. Oh well, Katsumi, it's not your place to know.

Katsumi turned once they got to the edge of the festival grounds. "Hang on here a sec, I forgot something back at the festival grounds." Katsumi then turned and ran to the alley she'd entered through to the festival grounds in the first place.

After a few moments she returned, hefting a massive sword taller than herself on her shoulder. "Sorry about that. I couldn't leave Mugenriki behind. I bring it everywhere." With an adept and swift action, she spun the massive sword with a single hand and hung it on her back. "It's not like anyone could steal it though..."

Katsumi flashed a grin and then continued on down the street, leading the way to the popular Ramen stand. "I hope you don't mind if I brag a little bit, but I don't really get to talk to anyone outside of Konoha very often. Konoha's got all kinds of great things. The woods are huge and really peaceful, and we've got things from all over the world. We've got some awesome shops too. If you ever need flowers, the Yamanaka's flower shop is an excellent place and I've yet to find ramen as good as Ichiraku's!" Katsumi continued down the street, making her way steadily towards the ramen shop. Hopefully Naruto hasn't eaten them out of stock again, Katsumi thought sourly for a moment.

Katsumi stopped outside the shop and waved at Luan. "Xi, here we are. Ichiraku Ramen!" That being said she stepped inside. To her relief there was another customer, but it wasn't Naruto so the chances of there still being ramen left were great.