Scrounging

[Oki W. Nanda]

Paddle contested to his treatment with annoyance. He did not like being used to sift muddy water and complained in gasping gurgles. Oki hummed, "He cannot expect her to do it, when it is something he is meant to do. Do not deny he is happy to be in any kind of water, even if a bit muddy."

A BIT MUDDY? This slog was positively atrocious. There was gravel, stones, frogs and who knew what else. Why was she even doing this? Come now. For all they knew with was waste. Oki hummed, smiling, "Why does he think she is wearing gloves[/b]?"

Because your mad as a hatter. OH! FOUND SOMETHING! Oki pushed Paddle slowly and pushed a small metal box from the sludge. She smiled, whipping Paddle to the side to get him clean. Not perfectly but so he could see. She put his rod into the ground and knelt down to look over the box.

Smaller than a tool box, heavy a a lock box she wiped the mess from it and hummed softly. "Most of this is clay, refuse from animals. He should not worry so much. She will take them back to the ocean and bathe soon enough. The sea has all the salt we will ever need. Yes? Of course she is correct. He worries far too much. AH! A simple lock[/b]."

She set the box on its side and plucked paddle up. Aiming, the tiny woman began to swing down. He protested immediately realizing what she was about to do. He could be hurt or worse! Her muscles flexed, his top bare centimeters from the box. "He is such an infant, but if he insists, she will do this another way[/b]."

She sighed, planting him back into the earth beneath her feet. Oki produced a screwdriver from an outside pocket of her messenger bag and picked up a rock before kneeling. She set the tip of the driver into the slot, grinned at the randy thought crossing her mind, and THWACK, slammed the rock against the screwdriver end.

KACHUNK! The lock shattered with a clamoring echo. Oki giggled and cheered, tucking away the screwdriver and tossing the rock casually back into the wild. Oki began to sing softly, as she began removing her gloves before she dared open the box. With luck, the contents wouldn't be ruined.

"Locks and keys.. When you're talking about security...As long as you got locks and keys..There's always some plac' good to hide[/b]~"

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai would be standing at the foot of the muddy water looking down at the woman and her Paddle it was curious thing watching her and he could have sworn she was speaking to it but he didn't really know, hell one of his pupils talked to someone that wasn't there so anything could be possible. While he watching though it seemed as though she had found something and had broken it open. Now he was a bit curious as to what she found and moved closer to take a look.

[Oki W. Nanda]

Oki gave no notice to any form close by, or far away. Paddle gave no warning, both were preoccupied with the discovery. Oki, wary of setting off any possible retaliation from the violated box, leaned slightly to the side. If something were to shoot out there would only be damage done to her burned side, Oki did not care. Let the burns be torn, they would only add to the illustriously spiraling roses trailing up her arm.

Opening the box, one eye closed and the other open, Oki breathed a sigh of relief. Shoulders relaxing, a wild smile crossing her lips as her eyes narrowed in delight. "Of all the things," she crooned softly.

She lifted a thick glass bottle up with the tender focus of a mother holding a newborn. Removing the stopper, she sniffed and shivered; running her pinky along the lip and tasting her finger. Oki exhaled a chirp of delight, scotch. It was scotch, full and oaken. Stoppering the bottle, she set it just between her knees and reached back in.

She produced a small stack of bills, banded at the five hundred marker, "They should have spent it when they could have. Now she'll have to use it for kindling... bandages? Does he think it would work? She would have to wear them thin. She should have asked if there is still value in these[/b]." Setting it aside and lifting the final item, a small Polaroid. Her smile dimmed, studying it with interest.

Paddle stood ever diligent.

SPOILER: Click to show

// ooc: my dearest darling. I understand you're busy and there isn't a post requirement, but I have something I'd like to request of you? Would you please do me a solid and be more clear on your position and the like? I'm a bit confused.

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

(Ooc: Yes ma'am I am sorry bout that I'll try to be more clear for future post.)

Rai was only a feet off to her left side he couldn't tell what was in the bottle she pulled out but she seemed to be really happy at the find, next he could see must have been a lot of money. Then she started to talk to herself again, she was an interesting person to be sure. The last she pulled out he wasn't too sure of but something about it must have been important to her. Rai's curiosity was still unsated and decided there was only one thing left to do. Go up and talk to her. He approached her cautiously and spoke softly not wanting to spoke her, he didn't want to end up into an unnecessary scramble due to a failed understanding.

"Excuse me ma'am? Hi, my name is Raikotsu Sudeki. May I ask what is your name?"

[Oki W. Nanda]

Oki looked up, honeyed eyes moving from concentrated fondness to warm curiosity. Now here was a tender looking soul! And with manners? She would be impressed if it truly went further than the use of the minor formal title. The oar beside her sat still and silent, as it should as it was inanimate; but to Oki, Paddle warned against a false sense of security. After all there had been those students with particular talents who were to never be forgotten.

Young, tall and a bit of growing left to do here and there, his tone sweet. It was curious how these warring children acted, polite rather than wild. The contrast to her alone was amusing. She wondered if the source of these troubles was as mad as she, rather than as mad as they. Paddle warned against such thoughts, it suggested sides and it wasn't determined who (if any) was best.

Oki took note of his blackened sclera with golden pupil. As both eyes trained focus on her, she held no worry of him being blind- though with a want to check his eyes. It could be a mutation, from qi, from stress or a genetic fault. It was curious and consuming.

Rising to her feet slowly, the hourglass woman smiled sweetly, lovingly. Her voice cooed with lavish delight, "Her name is Oki Nanda. And he is?"

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai did a slight bow making sure not to take his eyes off of her, she was a lovely looking woman and had a tender voice. She seemed like a nice person.

"Raikotsu Sudeki, at your service. It is a pleasure to meet you Miss Nanda."

He noted the way she spoke but decided against speaking about it.

"What brings out to these parts in Dragon Territory? I used to think that patrolling out here was a waste of time."

[Oki W. Nanda]

A slow nod, she seemed content to stay as she was, "The delight is all hers, Raikotsu Sudeki. What wonderful manners he possesses."

Sudeki....Sudeki... full lips puckered a moment in thought. Sudeki? Why did that name sound so familiar? She crossed her arms, Polaroid facing towards him. It was a family portrait, four people crammed together in an above shot. They were all smiles, happy and dressed primly. Oki had found the value in the moment it displayed, a better time in the world.

Sude... She smiled, "She has heard this surname before. Leon Sudeki. Are they related[/b]?"

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai took note of the picture and the sight of it hurt him in his core, he remembered when there were times like that amongst his own family, but the sight of it reminded him of the all to gruesome truth that a lot of his family would no longer be able to experience those joys... it was sad that he had never truly thought about how much family he had lost during the hunt to bring the family down...

"I... Yes, he is my Uncle. I am rather close to him... though I think he gets annoyed with me at times."

Rai sad this rubbing the back of his head from the all to familiar times that Leon had hit him out of sheer, just because.

[Oki W. Nanda]

Then Barker hadn't help him long. It was a small relief, a big assumption but judging by the boys fond reaction well based. "He was an interesting student. Her interactions with him were limited however he seemed a good intentioned soul[/b]," she told him with quiet fondness.

Oh how she missed that nurses office and classroom.

She missed a great deal of things from then.

Uncrossing her arms, taking a knee, she began to pack. Swaddling the bottle in a heavy cloth, possibly a curtain at one time, she hummed. Looking up, "He asked her why she was here. The answer to his query is this[/b]-."

Bottle away, bills stashed in a pocket and photo tucked away, the petite woman stood while slinging the messenger bag over her shoulder. She was barely chest height to him, but for her it was one of her many endearing qualities making her appear sweet, soft. She lift the boat oar from the ground, a deal of the rod had been buried, it was nearly as tall as Raikotsu. One handed, she peace tied Paddle to her back and bag.

Honeyed eyes rested on the boy with a quiet madness, smile stern and gentle in the same breath. Ever kind, her tone remained warm and honest, "Oki has been away long enough for the world to shatter. She has come to see how the ducklings are fairing. Oki has heard tale of illness brought by poor nature, lack of assistance and know how. She is here to fend for herself, to see these ducklings and to see how they are running their sandbox. Even see a friend or two, if they are around or still exist[/b]."

[Yachiru]

A pink-haired creature appeared out of behind Rai-Rai's left shoulder looking in awkward silence at the new woman she had met before now in front of both Yachiru and Rai. Though deciding to break the long silence she spoke.

"Hiya there! I'm Yachiru!"

[Oki W. Nanda]

It was as if he was awestruck. Perhaps she'd spoken too formally? Paddle murmured suspicion on decoys and trouble. Oki was tempted to agree, perhaps the manners had been a front. She shifted as if to turn and leave, it wouldn't take much to remove the tie and take a defensive stance. It would be a poor end to a pleasant day.

And then a child appeared.

Oki's attention shifted instantly. A velour giggle crossed her at the sight. Pink hair, red eyes? Perhaps the child had a touch of albinism to her and the pink was dye to hide the pale tone associated? She realized she'd missed the name.

Oki's posture relaxed and welcoming, she smiled and the well tended honey in her tone glowed brilliant. "Hello, Duckling. Isn't she lovely. What is her name?"

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai had been lost in thought still took over by his emotion from seeing the picture. He probably wouldn't have even notice if Oki had left. But with Yachiru's impromptu appearance he snapped out of it and was a little bashful noticing that his silence was longer than he noticed.

"Sorry, I was taken aback to better times... But this is Yachiru. My 'unofficially' adopted child as well as one of my pupils."

[Oki W. Nanda]

She raised a fine brow, smiled. He was so young and taking responsibilty for someone so young? How very noble and yet what of him? He looked to be around the age where he should be considering... ah yes- that no longer existed did it?

She bowed her head, "A pleasure to meet Duckling Yachiru. Her name is Oki Nanda.

Looking back up and to Raikotsu, her tone held no judgement but there was a curious narrowing to her eyes, "Pupil? What is it he teaches to a duckling so young[/b]?"

[Yachiru]

After being there listening to her Yachiru noticed oki-noki had a weird way of talking, but nothing Yachiru couldn't keep up with herself.

"Hiya Oki-Noki! and Rai-Rai here is gonna train me to be a dragon!"

With that said Yachiru would stand atop Rai's left shoulder and point here hands in the shape of claws at Oki trying to be as intimidating as possible. "Raaaarrrggggg!" Yachiru roared.

[Oki W. Nanda]

Crossing an arm beneath her bust, the hand of the other covering her mouth, a twittering chirp of a laugh sounded. Yachiru was precious. Paddle believed the child mad. It only reminded Oki of the younger children she'd once taught, even longer ago than within the destroyed school.

Arms crossed, she smiled, "Ah she sees. Then he is her martial instructor and father figure. So very young and very responsible, she supposes in this world this must be. Are there many ducklings Raikotsu is the master of[/b]?"