Catching Up


Goh, Mushi

Date: March 29, 2012


Goh and Mushi catch up after a long time apart.

Poster's note: Profanity filtered in obvious places.

"Catching Up"

Fishing Pond, Konoha.

The sun has travelled across the sky, finishing its travels as it sets over the horizon. Replaced by a starry night, the cool winds of the evening sweep through the village known as Konoha. Sending a chill through the villagers that are still out and about.

Some places are colder than others, naturally. If you're next to water for example, it's likely to be a bit cooler. Which could be why Goh is here. He enjoys the cool, and at this time of night, there were few better places in Konoha to be in. Watching the moon reflect against the water of the pond was always nice.

He sort of just sits there, on his own at the waters edge. Cross legged, arms resting in his lap. He almost seems to be in a trance. Just staring. Thinking. His life had changed. The world around him had changed.

Mushi began making a circular search of the village, and it's not long before she comes to the lake. She began in the morning and now during the afternoon she sees him — all too soon — Goh. For awhile she just stands at a distance, rocking back and forth on her heels. Now that she's located him she seems to be considering whether she'll approach him. Well, she decides to meet him. With the wariness of approaching an unknown cat, Mushi would tread forward.

At the end however her pace quickens until she's right beside him. She pushes her hair away from her face and smooths down her button up shirt. "Goh-kun," she says, so quietly he might not hear. "Long time no see."

Goh is almost startled, his ears pricking up. "Uh — wha? Mushi?! Oh, I mean. Goh? I'm not Goh. I'm…uh," He quickly makes sure to look away, as if hiding his face. "I'm just a replica of him! Y-Yeah! I don't even know him, really." Cough cough.

"…oh damn." Knowing that he was caught out, and that his plan had fallen through, he turns back around to look up at the female. "Yeah, you could say that. You're a sight for sore eyes, babe." The only really difference to Goh is his build. Slightly more mature and adult looking. That, and of cours the epic scar that is now across his torso. Battle wounds or something.

"How did you know I was here?"

"A replica of Goh-kun?" Mushi says, in that same quiet voice. "So if I beat you to a pulp it won't actually be beating up him?" She looks him up and down, taking in his scar with a slight frown. She too has grown up a bit too, her hair a bit longer. She doesn't seem to know what to do with her hands. She swings them at her side, makes fists, and eventually stuffs them in her pockets. But her eyes are always on him, piercingly green.

"Wanpo met me," she says softly. "He told me that it's been very hard for you, that you were very courageous, and that you came looking for me, and then CHICKENED OUT when you finally found me!" Her hands come out of her pocket, and she steps so close she's quite within range of slapping or punching him. Instead, she steps forward and wraps him in a — quite literally — crushing hug. "You big idiot." She sniffles.

"Wanpo. That traitor." Goh grumbles, as if not happy with his little Salamander. "Uh, well, let's forget the chickening out part. I liked the courageous part more." He smiles a little as he's hugged, although finds his arms pinned to his side when she wraps him up. So he's unable to hug her back as well as he would like!

"People calling me an idiot. I'm not that dumb, really. I can be smart too." He pauses a little, then sheepishly, he opens his mouth to say something. It doesn't come out at first, so he tries again. "Sorry. For, y'know. Leaving you behind. I know you wanted to come with me, but I couldn't put you in that kind of danger. Even if you are ten times the person I am." He says with a bit of amusement. "I'm… happy that you managed to move on and stuff. It's good. You look pretty good."

Mushi scowls when Goh talks about danger. "Yeah, because it's been a safe cake walk back here," she says, with a slight snarl in her otherwise mild tone. "But you are an idiot. If I am ten times as powerful as you, it would've taken one tenth the time to come back. But…I couldn't have gone with you, not for two years, I have my Center to look after." She scuffs her foot rather forcefully against the ground, kicking up a chunk of dirt and grass.

She blinks at Goh's final words. "Are you happy, the way things are?" she asks coldly. "When you came back did you grin when you saw me with a guy? Fill you with joy? I'm sure you were elated. Jumped up and down, danced around, did laps with Wanpo? No doubt you were planning to come around and congratulate me tomorrow."

Goh is a little puzzled. This sort of stuff he was no good at, primarily because he had never much experience with it. He sighs loudly, reaching arms to tuck behind his head. It had been a while, but he still has the same mannerisms it seems. "No, it didn't make me happy." He admits, almost quietly. "You don't want to know how it made me feel. But when I… dunno, started to think about it, the thought of you being happy made me feel a little better. You probably thought I was gone, so I thought it was a great idea to have you continue believing that. I didn't want to cause you any more troubles in life." There's an honest shrug.

"But that bastard, Wanpo! Tch. I'm gonna have to teach him a lesson." There's almost a mischievous grin that comes across his face. It soon passes though.

"So. Wana give me a run down of what you've been up to? How's the Center been?"

That's a wide question. Mushi seems to put off being angry for a bit, as she relates a few things. "As far as the Center goes…many people have chosen to leave. There's been wars, fights, scandals when you were gone. It gets hard for one of our wanderer to keep out of a fight. I'm now the only original wandering medic until we get someone new into the field." She lets out a very long sigh. "As for going out, it's been a few months. Figured you'd moved on, I'd know if you died after all."

Her chin tilts up. "You won't do any such thing to Wanpo," she says tartly. "It took some initiative for Wanpo to approach me, especially since you didn't want him to. I'm…glad he did." Her voice fades away. She reaches out then to grasp both Goh's arms. "Please," she says, her voice thick. Her eyes are watery, and she blinks so no tears will fall. "Don't disappearing again."

"You'll manage to keep it going. You always have." Goh says with a happpy grin, perhaps proud that Mushi is still functioning in such conditions. "I hadn't really moved on." Goh admits, seeming to scratch his head. "I just moved away for a little bit. I was always thinking about you and stuff. Especially through some of those trials." His brows narrow uncomfortably. "Do you have sensing powers too? Is that how you would have known if I had died?"

With his arms grasped, Goh smirks a little bit. He does notice the shimmering eyes, where he lifts a hand to cup her cheek a little. His thumb will caress her skin just a little, as if trying to comfort her. "You know me babe. I always try my best at least." He'll take his hand away at this point, before looking back out at the pond.

"What are you, the Wanpo police? I'm gonna get him good. Heh heh."

"We'll see," Mushi sighs. "We have new arrivals too, people who come to the Center for the same reason others leave. And there are quite a few people now here and there who want to be my pupil. Even one in this village. She might blackmail me…" She sighs and rubs the back of her neck. "But as for knowing if you were dead, I am a bit of a chakra sensor, but that's not realy why. Since it's you…I think I'd just know." She looks a bit embarrassed when she says that.

She looks Goh directly in the eye. Hers are quite dry now, though she looks a little strained. "I loved you, Goh-kun," she says clearly. "Love you. I wish I had never learned that you came back. I was angry at Wanpo as well. But this is how it is, right? So we can go back all the way, to the first day, we were friends at first. Can you be my friend?"

"You're not serious. Mushi, the Sensei?" Goh cants his head back, looking at the stars. "You'd probably make the best teacher! Super smart, super hot. Super strong." He grins in a cheeky way, before his face falls a little bit. "That's why I didn't want to tell you. I knew you'd rather be without the knowledge that I was around." He shakes his head. Perhaps he really was a little snugged at Wan-wan?

"I'll always love you, Mushi." He says quite honestly, lifting a hand to grasp her shoulder. He gives it a squeeze. "I always have. From the moment I first saw you, really. And I know that I always will." Sucking in a breath, he turns to face the pond. He takes a step for it, his hands on his hips. "I know this means that we can't be together. But I would like to at least be near you. As a friend. We'll see how it goes. Just remember one thing."

He turns around, his tongue poking out in another cheeky expression.

"I've seen you naked. Nyah nyah."

Mushi rolls her eyes. "Yeah really hot, she'd love that," she says sardonically. Her mouth twists. "Well…it could be worse than Wanpo telling me. We could just randomly bump into each other, a year after you returned or something. Maybe it's best to…get it out of the way." Weird words for talking about a heartfelt reunion. She bites her lip when he grabs her shoulder and suddenly becomes quite interestedin her feet. Just listening to what he has to say, her face reddening. Until he mentions that last bit.

Then she turns scarlet. "Th-th-that's…you remember that?" she stammers. "Th-thought…and you bring it up like…you — " She never completes the sentence as she aims to slug him on the shoulder, so hard he'd topple back if hit. "You…that's…you be quiet!"

"Kukukuku!" Goh replies with a laugh, moving forward to grasp Mushi at the waist just as she goes to slug him in the shoulder! If successful, he'll hoist her up over his shoulder and without another beat, will charge straight into the water!

Once he gets knee deep, he'll sort of fall in, dragging the medic nin with him. Both of them soaked and submerged. Or such is the idea. Just a bit of fun.

"Of course I remember!" Goh cries, surfacing and taking a breath of air. "Probably one of the best times of my life. When a girl takes her clothes off for you, I imagine it's the best time in any mans life." He'll go to splash her again, throwing his head back to laugh loudly.


Mushi is caught off guard when Goh goes to tackle her, and she's submerged in the lake. Spluttering and also flailing, something that may catch Goh with her feet or arms. "Why you…" She aims to grab him by the scarf and drag him down, holding him there. That's the idea. She says, "I don't remember at all, forgot it right after it happened. I'm not even sure it happened, can't really prove it." Seems she's in complete denial, though her face betrays her.

She's actually laughing, but after a bit seems to realize it, and falls silent. She retreats several steps, and sighs. "This…can't happen." She turns away to tromp out of the lake, chewing on her lip she's in danger of biting it right off.

Goh is pulled back under the water, his scarf grabbed. As he surfaces, the Pickler splutters and coughs. Perhaps he was not ready to be pulled under, and didn't have time to get his breath? Seems likely. However, as she's walking away, Goh will follow her a little up and out of the Pond.

"Hey, wait. What's wrong?" Of course, Goh himself is soaked from head to toe. His bangs are falling over his face a little, and his clothes are all dripping. Something Mushi will see if she turns around. Only his ankles are still under water. "We're friends, right? Friends have fun and play around, don't they?"

"Play around?" Mushi says, as if she's never heard the words before. She looks a bit confused, but the lip chewing has stopped. She gives an uncomfortable shrug. "Well I'm doing serious important stuff," she mumbles. "Busy person, I'm not really the type to play around…wastes time." She doesn't turn to face him. She takes in a calming breath, and Goh might be hard pressed to react. She turns around, makes a quick seal and the muddy ground would launch up, plastering him in a thick muddy layer if he didn't move in time. And she smiles, "Guess playing around is fine once in awhile. But a guy flashy and noisy as you, how did you expect to go in cognito for long? I would've heard of you anyway, famous Pickled Vegetabler."

Goh is just sort of standing there, an idiotic looking expression on his face. However, when mud comes up to hit him from beneath, he just sort of watches it splash onto him! "Ugh-waugh!" He coughs and spits, trying to shield his face from the mud as it splashes up onto his face.

It does little, which shows when he's covered head to toe in the filthy stuff. "Thanks. Yes, that was very nice." He mentions in a dry tone. Bending down to wash the mud off of his face, he goes about washing himself off as best he can.

"I dunno, really. Didn't think about it too much. Was just gonna go and see how I went. How long did I last? Fifteen hours or something?" There's a short laugh, before he shrugs. "I'm a super sneaky ninja, you know. Sometimes, anyway. I could have stayed hidden if I really wanted." Oy.

"So still wandering all around the land?"

"You're welcome," Mushi says graciously. She is squeezing water from her clothes, and doesn't look the least bit guilty. In fact, she's smiling a little. "When is the last time I did something that dumb?" She pushes some of her curling hair back that's plastered to her face. All the while facing Goh a bit warily in case he tries some counter-attack.

"I don't doubt you could." She pauses. "As for me, I'm a permanent wanderer. My reputation is good, and if I do a good job then it'll advertise our existence even within the shinobi villages. Not that we're much needed, since the only time I'm called is when there's been a battle and not enough healers to help. Still, it doesn't hurt. And I don't mind, I'm keeping tabs on some people in each village. Kages…top ranked officials…" Her voice drops, "…who the Jinchuuriki are. Did you know, Senju Daisuke revealed he had a bijuu within him during his fight? Everyone knows it now." She gives up drying herself up as a lost cause. "But I should ask you, what have you been doing. It sounds like it's been…arduous."

"No kidding? As in, Hashi's relation Daisuke? Oh, Senju. Right." He nods a bit. "That must be nice for you, yeah? Meeting some Jinchuu's." Getting out of the water, Goh stumbles over to Mushi before falling onto the plush grass, laying on his back. Seems he's keen on drip drying. "It's always nice when you meet people that you can relate to. I would love to meet someone from the Akuu clan. Anyone." There's a hint of envy in Goh's voice, but it quickly passes.

As he's laying down, his vest is sort of falling next to his body. Revealing the big scar across his torso. It stretches from his left pectoral to his right hip. One huge gash, it seems. "Well. I failed the Senju training. To do it, or to master it, I had to let go of the things I hold dear. To become completely one with nature, escaping everything. I wasn't willing to let you go, so I descended into an abyss. The Salamander helped me out as much as they could." Goh follows up. "…they are a great family. But I was on my own, largely. Fighting in the epic depths of the ground, against creatures I couldn't even start to describe. Every day was a slog to survive, as I tried to make my way out. It was a swirling vortex of fire, sorta. Difficult to describe. One of the beasts got me good across here." He points to his chest. "I was bleeding out severely. Igneel, the boss Salamander, intervened by breathing fire on me. Cauterised the wound, so I survived." A dramatic sigh. "I haven't seen him since! I think he's hugged at me for falling short."

"How did you…oh yeah, I told you!" Mushi exclaims, when Goh quite openly admits to knowing her secret. Her eyes grow distant with thought, somehow little had come of that realization before he left. "I'm sure you'll meet someone from your Clan, someday," she says. She doesn't say more after that, just listens intently to his story. Her face grows very grim as he goes on. It's clear that she believes him from, the way the lip biting returns. She reaches out to very gently touch the cauterized area. He'd feel a wave of chakra go through him, light as a feather brush.

"I can try and heal that," she says. "I think I have the right technique. Did you know, I completed my training! I was getting terrible headaches from the dark aura of my bijuu. Its name is Choumei. So I went to a Fire Temple, and failed to achieve enlightenment. Which was the point. When I admitted that I couldn't, I was truly ready to begin the trial for mastering my darkness, and I did."

Goh almost quivers a little when the chakra goes through his body. Or it could simply be her touch. His own hand goes to take Mushi's on his torso, as if holding it there. Just enjoying the sensation, really. "If you think you can heal it, by all means. This thing… it hurts." Goh admits. "Every time I go into battle, it stings. It's like a painful reminder, but I want it gone. I'm moving on with my life." Letting her hand go, he will wait for her to do her magic. "That, and it's ruined my amazing physique." He jokes.

Listening to the story, he seems a bit confused. "A Fire Temple? You were trying to fail enlightenment? Well — I'm glad you succeeding in failing." There's a little smirk from his face. "So what you're saying is.. you're in full control now or something? Of the beast inside? How on earth did you learn its name?"

Mushi indicates that Goh should sit down, and she does as well. She's usually like this, needing no room or tools to use her techniques. Though Goh might not be reassured as she is counting on her fingers, no doubt choosing which technique she might try out. Eventually she'd use her signature once, making several seals and stamping her hand on the ground. Lines of ink shoot out to surround Goh in a triangle, with lines running up to a mark right over his scar. He'd feel a slight tingle but no pain. Then she glances around. It's a hot day, and any people are at a distance. So without preamble she gathers her chakra. It's not white or red, but a lurid blue as if water is flowing around her. It fans out in several wings, but coalesces into a shimmering cloak. She places her hands on the markings and the black lines grow blue, traveling up to heal Goh's scar. There's a soothing coolness to the technique, but underneath there's pain as the wound would be forcefully broken down and healed into normal, undamaged tissue.

As she works for a few minutes Mushi says, "I went to the Fire Temple and they told me that to conquer my bijuu and my darkness, I must attain perfect enlightenment. So I tried. REALLY tried. But I couldn't so after weeks of futility I went and told him I couldn't no one could. And he said 'You've admitted that you will never be perfect, even if you tame your bijuu.'" She sighs in exasperation. "Then we went to a special room that broke down and separated the bijuu's power. I was able to master it. I've been speaking with my bijuu for awhile. He has the lamest jokes and chatters alot, told me his name was Choumei."

Goh sits up from his laying position. Wiggling himself into place, he sort of blinks… Just watching as Mushi begins to transform in front of him. He's in awe really, just watching her do her thing. The pain is quite harsh though, and the blonde grits his teeth to get himself through it. However, right before his eyes, the scar begins to just sort of.. roll away. Fade into nothingness.

"This is… amazing. I knew you were good, but that's something else."

He isn't entirely sure what to say about the mastering of the Jinchuu, though it sounds like a really big deal. "That sounds really good. You've really come a long way since I last saw you, that's for sure." He grins in between deep breaths, perhaps becoming a little tired from the move just used on him. It hurt, after all!

"Thanks for that. Now I'm back to my handsome self!"

The cloak vanishes from around Mushi. "Sorry about that," she says. "It's my most forceful technique. It's more like forcing something to heal, rather than speeding up the natural healing process. But see, your scar is gone." She reaches out to touch his chest. This time a soothing current would spread through him like warm water, erasing the pain of the scar and the technique she just used. "Soothing Heal, I use it for physical and mental pain, when — mm, nevermind, sorry, I get carried away." She slaps him on the chest which would no longer hurt. At least not much since the area would be rather tender.

"Grown…nah, I haven't really grown," she says amusedly. "I've just done what I needed to do, is all. The one who has grown is you. I'm happy that you're back. Will you take it easy from now on?" She asks this without much hope.

As he's slapped in the chest, Goh sort of punches it too. Just confirming that it can take a hit. "Nice one, Mushi." He grins widely, before standing up in the cool night air. It had grown to be quite late at this stage. Only the distant lights really keep the area from going pitch black. Oh, and the moon of course.

"Don't stop." He enthuses. "I like it when you talk about your healing stuff. And please, I haven't grown at all. You've gotten control of the beast inside. All I've done is… well, get a manly scar on my chest, which is now gone. It's like I've just stepped out from time. From two years ago to now." At the question, his brow seems to furrow.

"Take it easy? No way. I'm not going to change at all. Just because of what might happen." Thppt. "Dunno what I'm going to do now. These ninja around here haven't even heard of my pickling wares. Can you believe that?" Asked honestly! "…so I'm going to probably build a little home outside the village. Get back on the radar again. Check to see if my pot supply is still going strong."

Mushi smirks, "I guess in some ways you haven't grown at all. But you've proven you were strong, more than strong. Maybe realizing what you can become is just as important as…oh, what am I talking about? You're a big goofball!" Another punch, but this one playful rather than painful. "And you're right, it was a manly scar. But you have grown a few inches." She uses her eyes to measure their difference in height, which is just about the same actually.

She shrugs when Goh comments on her healing. "Okay," she says. "Those were two high level heals, that took several minutes of my time. I'll be charging you 50 ryo for the time of my services. Fork it over. If you want I can use the most powerful healing technique for you, but that'll cost even more."

"Heh!" Goh flinches a little when he's punched again, raising his guard. "Takes one to know one, missy." Goofballs, that is. "Yeah? You think so?" He comments about growing, lifting a hand to the top of his forehead. "I can't notice much of a difference." Probably because he's not measuring himself against anything. Oy.

"High level healing skills, huh. Well, I ain't got no money. I'm gonna build my little wonderland with wood I cut down. But I can pay you with something better. Pickled carrots! Maybe some potatos on the side too. You remember what they do, right? They warm the soul! Invigorate the health of every person who consumes them!"

"…but it might have to wait. I have to check my storage, like I said. Can you imagine what some of those vegies will taste like? They've been pickling for two years! They'll be unbelievably great!"

"Yeah you have, you were this tall last time I met you," Mushi says, holding out her hand to indicate the level of a young boy. "Wanpo grew too, I noticed. Really big, but same as ever, hehehe." But she waves off his future plans to pay her back. "If I offer to heal someone without them approaching me, it's usually on the house. After…what you've been through, I think it's the last I could do. For not being there and helping you." There's definitely guilt in her tone when she says that.

And it's gone as quickly as it came. "So you're going back to your pickled vegetables…gross. I can't understand why you or anyone else likes them. I suppose as far as they go, I hate yours less than others, so something must be going for them. But maybe you should try something new. Like sushi. Or red bean paste buns? They're more in demand, anyway."

"Oh come on." Goh muses, giving Mushi's shoulder a playful shove. "You weren't down in the depths of the earth because you were healing people that mattered in this world. If you feel bad about not being there with me one more time, I'm gonna have to… well, do something really bad!" Yeah, take that.

"You must have taken a hit to the head or something. Or that Bijuu has influenced you too much! Either way, you're wrong about the vegies. They're the best thing ever. People like them because they invigorate your lifeforce, like I said. Charge the soul. And they taste like amazing." Laughing, he walks a bit further up the hill near the pond, taking a seat under the big tree. "Sushi? Are you mad? Raw fish in seaweed? That will never last." Goh says confidently. "And red bean paste buns? That's like me saying you should stop healing and become… I dunno, a sell sword! It's like a complete reversal. Never!"

"So how long you in Konoha for, anyway?"

Mushi shakes her head so vigorously it's in danger of falling off. "Who said I felt guilty?" she says, not meeting his eye. "I don't feel anything of the sort, and if you try anything bad, I'll do something even worse." She folds her arms and looks challengingly at Goh, daring him to do anything.

Her eyes get a distant misty look quite suddenly. Her lips move silently as if she's talking with voices in her head. Which, it turns out, she is. She looks to Goh with an evil grin and says, "Choumei quite agrees with me. About pickled vegetables. They're terribly disgusting. You're outvoted, two to one. He suggests switching to ramen and miso. Also, in some ways I am kind of a sell sword." She aims to flick his forehead.

"Ow." He says, recoiling a bit. Goh hands a lift to rub his forehead a bit. "Remember babe, third eye? You don't see me go around flicking your eyeballs." He shakes his head in a short laugh.

"As if I'm going to listen to the giant beast in you! And please don't do that again. I thought you were going blind. And hey, my vote counts for at least a squajillion. You know why? Cause… I'm Goh." He points a thumb to his chest. "…and I'm more awesome. Yeah, that's it."

"And you're more like a sell…healer. Have you even wielded a sword before? Heh. So are you going to answer my question? You gonna linger in Konoha for a bit? Or are you just pit-stopping in, and travelling away with the new boy once everything here is squared away?"

Mushi blinks as Goh responds rather dramatically to the flick. Her eyes widen in mortification when he mentions his third eye. She opens her mouth to apologize, but it cracks into a grin. And she starts laughing, so hard her eyes are shaking. "S-S-Sorry," she giggles. "Your eye, yeah…Eye'll be more careful about that keyend of thing."

She almost flicks him again, but forbears. And she shakes her head sadly at Goh's retort. "Nope, you even told me. You're a replica of Goh, not Goh himself," she says. "Remember? Therefore, your vote doesn't even count as one."

"And yes I'm going to stay for awhile. I need to see if I can help out Daisuke-kun a bit. And because, well…" She trails off and flushes into silence, looking at some point over Goh's shoulder.

"Yeah I bet you will." Goh says sarcastically, rubbing the spot again. "Actually, it didn't do too much damage. Did you know that my third eye is actually impervious to most forms of damage? One of the mercs who was after the Akuu stabbed my magic eye once. You know what happened?" He leaves Mushi time to pause. "The knife shattered. Broke, clean into two bits. Safe to say, he was surprised. Well, I was too. Weird how it works."

"Good news that you're staying at least. I'm sure you'll be able to help out Daisuke way more than Hashi can. No offence to her of course." He smirks, before looking over his shoulder to where Mushi is looking. "Because of what? Have you got some things to do in Toshiba Forest?" That seemed to be roughly the direction she was looking in. From a distance, anyway. "Oh, is the pupil you're taking on in Konoha? You're training him or her in Toshiba?" That makes sense at least!

Mushi droptly flips out a kunai and angles it to point at Goh's forehead. "Let's test to see if that's true," she says, but then smirks and tucks it away. Reaches out to pat Goh's cheek fondly. "I always knew you were hard headed." Yes, she couldn't resist saying it. Mushi glances back to his forehead again, frowning. "An impervious eye…that might hold a great deal of knowledge that could contribute to medicine…hmmm…"

She shrugs thought at the comment of the Hokage. "Unless I missed my mark, Daisuke-kun has already mastered his bijuu. He doesn't need my help to get much, much stronger. But he needs to know his limits. That's why I'm going to beat him." She grins. "With ease. Getting drunk on your own power can be a dangerous thing, and it's likely since Daisuke-kun who won the Jounin Exams. But…he's not the pupil. It might be Hyuuga Uma." She looks worried. "She knows I'm a bijuu," she says in a low voice, and with a trait of bitterness. "She saw it with those all seeing squeezing eyes of hers."

Goh's eyes narrow a little bit, before trying to recall the name. "A Hyuuga? Oh, the Byakugan. Of course, it makes sense they would be able to see it. Crazy X-Ray eyes and stuff. I'm not sure I understand the problem." Goh says simply, still sitting down. Though he does sound concerned, as if trying to understand what the issue is.

"A Hyuuga knows you're a jinchuu. Why is that bad? That knowledge should be safe with Konoha, right?" Truth be told, Goh still isn't sure why Mushi is keeping it a secret. But he doesn't want to seem like an idiot for asking, so he keeps his mouth shut.

"Well, have fun beating the tar out of Daisuke." Goh muses with a grin. "Be careful and all that."

"It's bad because…she's not the first," Mushi says glumly. "More than one Hyuuga knows what I am. I suppose I might be able to come up with a technique that conceals the nature of my chakra, but then they'd see that seal as well." She gives a shrug. "A horde of Hyuuga knowing my secret…I hate to say it but I don't trust the upper echelons of that clan." Then she gives him a radiant smile. "I don't want to have to beat any of you guys up if you come after me."

Mushi nods solemnly. "Yes, I'll be quite careful about beating up Daisuke-kun. But I'm also going to offer to take him on as a pupil, depending on how he does. I doubt he'll need me but…I want to keep an eye out for my fellow Jinchuurikis. Hehe."

"How many pupils are you planning to have?" Goh says with a grin. "Maybe I should get some just so I can measure up and compare myself to you in some way again!" There's a short laugh, before it fades. "No offence to the Hyuuga, but from what I've met of them, the higher class of them are all… I dunno. hoity-toity. I don't like them. If you get a chance to smash one of their faces off like you're planning to do Daisuke, then I say go for it. Get it? Goh for it? Heh. It has my thumb up of approval." He seems to ponder. "How will the pupils work when you're travelling from place to place? Come to think of it, how are you going to offer it to him? Might be a bit weird. Punch him square in the nose, then say, 'hey, wana come with me?'. Might sound a bit weird. If you know what I mean." He adjusts himself on the grass a little, leaning against the trunk.

Mushi shrugs. "It'll be a standing offer, I'm not gonna say 'take it or leave it right now.' Anyway, how can I possibly get a young boy to be my pupil if I don't show I can drub him?" But she does smirk at his idea to get a pupil. "What kind of pupil? One who can carry on the Akuu ways? One who can fight with Salamanders? Fire? Or maybe an apprentice you teach all your secret pickling techniques to." She shakes her head as she tries to answer his questions again. "As for travel arrangements I…really don't know. I suppose I'll think of something. I really don't want to stay in Konoha for a long time, it may look suspicious since I haven't been hired to work here right now." She tilts her chin to Goh. "What about you? Are you going to stay here for awhile?"

"In Konoha? Snuggle no." Goh replies all too casually. What a cool dude! "I'm only here to assert my dominance as the key Pickler in this village. After that, I need to head to Sunagakure. You remember the days where we preferred the sand over the grass? We liked it more over there I seem to remember. Well, that still hasn't changed. I want to catch up with some of our old friends over there. Like Itami, or even the Kazekage. Want to see how things have gone." He pauses, rubbing his chin.

"Then I'm going to have to make the eventual trip to Kirigakure. Work on my beach tan. You know how it is." He smirks. "Kumo is probably last on the list. I haven't got many contacts there at all. But yeah, have to get my life back on track. But you know how it is. Life on the road and all that."

"As far as apprentices go, who knows? I guess my kind of… area in life is pretty specific. And I am pretty young. Don't wana seem like an old man having pupils. But if one comes up to me, who knows what will happen?" He shrugs.

"Man, it's getting late. Gotta be nearly midnight. Where are you and the boy crashing? Outside the village or in a hotel?"

Mushi listens with a wry smile to where Goh is gohing. Seems like he's going to every place. Though she does say, "Wow. I can't believe you want to go to Kirigakure before Kumogakure. You should know that, as usual, Kirigakure's been acting up against the other villages again. Shirayuki Hikan, the Mizukage, has sent them on plenty of violent missions. But once you see him, he's not erratic as his actions seem. He can be reasonable, mild even, whereas Mitsuo was pure evil."

"And Sunagakure…well, you'll see for yourself. The Exams took place there. Shintaro-kun was the only person in Konoha to be promoted." She sounds a little proud when she says that. "As for where I'm staying, I'll see. I just got here after all. But I'll tell you when I find a place." Again she's not quite meeting his eye. But then she stands on her tiptoes and kisses his cheek lightly. "It's nice to see you safe, Goh-kun. You…you take care, okay?" Then she'd leave hastily.

"So Sunagakure's been trashed? Is that what you're trying to tell me?" Goh enquires. As Mushi comes up to him and wishes him farewell, the Akuu will move to give her a fierce hug. Right after she asked him to take care, as it were. Very tight, as if he's trying to sap her body heat. He takes in her scent, and just sort of holds her there. Perhaps it's something he wanted to do for the past… long while? Exhaling longingly, he then slowly lets her go so she can run off.

"You too, babe… You too." He says quietly, though she's probably too far away to hear it. She can run!
