★ quest: skies of winter savory. ( private )

[Estilo]

maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts--

--it's not easy facing up when your whole world is black.

★ Chapter One

Garin "Sickle" Yagataki

It snowed, heavily, that bleak December day. The pine trees wore coats of white and patches of evergreen, the ground blanketed by at least three feet of snow. And it was on this day, a day of blizzards and sporadic snow storms, that the medical ninja Hirihi Rinji would find herself completing a mission for Kumogakure. Her task? Scouting the mountainous lands in search of any refugees that might have been trapped by the torrents of icy white. But it would not be easy, as Kaminari no Kuni was one of the largest landscapes to cover the continent, and its selection of caverns and summits were seemingly endless. How long until she found any source of life? How long until she was forced back to the comfort of her home village?

The land was relentless, the cold unforgiving. But in due time, this horrible status of weather was bound to diminish in power. At least, for the time being. The clear horizon afar, although beset by a deep gray sky overhead, pictured a low-level mountain range. A natural corridor, ran through this range, one that would lead most to believe that a path was obscured under the snow that flooded said passage. Naturally, Hirihi would soon enough find herself venturing through this passage, headed towards a chance at discovering isolated life- any survivors that might have needed aid. So she would continue, the two mountains at each side towering in height, steep cliffs and rocky outcrops incapable of scaling. The path ahead? Shrouded in mystery by a sudden light snow, rolling hills of white ahead with seemingly no end.

Then suddenly- a shriek. A sharp and ear-splitting cry, followed by an enormous and explosive 'clunk'. Like the sound one would expect from an anvil being dropped from hundreds of feet in the air. What would happen next would undoubtedly catch the young woman by surprise. A growl in the earth, of apocalyptic proportions, then the sight of cascading snow from the sides of the mountains. It came tumbling downwards, like waves of frosty milk, threatening her life and forcing her to sprint forwards and away. By the end of it, she had escaped the avalanche, but at a cost. The corridor behind her, perhaps the only exit in miles, was now blocked by towering piles of thick snow and numbing ice. She was now faced with being trapped herself.

This predicament would force her to continue onwards. And eventually, she would reach yet another mountain range. But this one had, somehow, avoided the worst of the snowstorms. One could assume that the surrounding summits and their sheer size had taken the majority of the blizzard, protecting this natural cul-de-sac from the icy terrors. Long and sporadic visions of green fauna could be seen throughout. Dark caverns spotted along the ridges and cliffs of the mountains, thousands of them. Just where did these caverns lead? Well, the only viable choice she had at the moment was to scale these mountains, enter them and see. All the while, avoiding the life-risking dangers of Kaminari no Kuni.

[Hirihi]

.:Enter:.

Hirihi had never been on a mission this deep into Kaminari no Kuni. She had always managed to stay safe in the comfort of the areas she knew. With the order to go to an unkown area, searching for survivors that refused to leave their homes in the harsh blizzard, she found herself trapped in what appeared a one-way road. As if a sign from the heaven's above, she was being tested. What she was being tested for, she did not know. She had never known herself to be the tried kind, nature having its way with her life, but she knew that she had to survive.

She had entirely too much waiting for her back home. Her students at the hospital, her... "friendship" with Atlas. It was all enough to keep her going, striving to move carefully through the abyss-like area that she was now trapped in by a very generous avalanche. Running her fingertips along some of the fauna, Hirihi examined it for anything that seemed out of the ordinary, only stopping for a moment to continue forward, her pace brisk as she walked. With the area seeming untouched by the weather, she could only assume that she would be safe there as long as she continued forward.

Moving deeper and deeper into the unknown, a fair fear that she may not live to see the next day, she kept her eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. If there was even a remote sign of life, anything from a flicker of a bonfire to a sound that was even slightly human, she was prepared to rush forward and investigate. Part of her began to hear things, making up sounds that had no real source and making her feel as if she was feeling bits of insanity creeping up her spine. it was not uncommon for a situation of fear to make one lose hope, or hear things, but she had to stay focused.

Occasionally, as she moved, she would almost have put a bet on it that she was hearing things. Talking, voice. They were saying things, though, that only her mentor would say. They shared the same voice, too, telling her that it was her mind, once again, playing tricks on her. She could just see Ashlin's face now, her harsh voice telling her where she had screwed up. "You should not have gone alone. You should be melting through the ice and escaping. You have no idea what you are walking into." The thing was, Ashlin never really was her instructor when it came to field assignments. For that, she had been left on her own, always fending for herself. None of the advice really seemed like Ashlin, adding a bit to her own ideas that she may very well be going insane.

[Estilo]

★ Chapter One - Garin "Sickle" Yagataki

The distant sound of something like rocks plopping into a lake of water suddenly began to resonate throughout the natural cul-de-sac. It was, presumably, coming from one of the caverns up there- on the sides of the mountains surrounding Hirihi at every turn. But which one? Well, the young female wouldn't have to search long to find out. Out of a cavern entrance to the north-west, a dark wide crevice flooded with black, a flock of small blue jays hurried out, fluttering their wings and chirping. Something had spooked them within, causing them to flee.

After scaling the jagged sides of the mountain, either using the available protruding fauna as leverage or her bare fists alone, Hirihi would discern the sound of mumbling echoing from the depths of the cavern out around the perimeter of its entrance. Angry mumbling, a dog whining suddenly and the sound growing fainter as it seemed to go away. But from the entrance of the cavern, there was nothing or no one in sight. Should she decide to venture onwards, Hirihi would find herself in the deep darkness of the mountain cave- cold and barren.

Despite the fact that there was no current sunshine strong enough to pierce the depths of this place, it was becoming more and more obvious that it was larger than it had appeared on the outside. A vast network of passageways and smaller inner caverns, the bumpy ground covered with puddles of water. But as she advanced into this unknown darkness, the sounds grew louder and clearer. These she would use as a means of tracking the origin of the noise, as a means of navigating through the cavern. Eventually, she would spot a faint blue light in the distance.

This light, however, suddenly flared bright orange. And as she stood there, watching the orange turn into a deeper shade of crimson, she would soon realize that the light was growing bigger. Advancing... towards her! The sudden wave of heat that rushed towards her like an angry summer wind would only attest to the fact that the light that was approaching her was nothing safe. Not even a light, at that! But LAVA! A burst of hot steaming magma! With only seconds to react, exactly how would the female ninja react to the danger rushing towards her?

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[Hirihi]

The climb was simplified as Hirihi held the fauna in her hands, chakra on the soles of her shoes holding her against the wall as she moved up the wall. Once she felt like she had a stable footing, Hirihi merely relied on her own upper body strength to get her up the wall, eventually coming across an opening into the mountain. As dark as it was, Hirihi would move forward without fear. She had seen signs of no one in the area, so her senses were not alerting her. Wasting the chakra to use her sensor abilities would only prove her right in this, and she did not want to end up exhausted in the middle of nowhere. Without any kind of back-up to help her, she had to be conservative.

Moving into the darkness, she would hear the sounds getting louder. What she saw at first, the blue light, made her think of sunlight. The warmth of the sun would have been nice on her skin, the feeling that she was not trapped leaving her for only the moments that the sun was there. her hopes of it being sunlight, though, were dashed as it changed color. Only taking an appraising glance at it at first, Hirihi did not move. Once she felt the surge of heat, noting that it was not a light, but a powerful heat source that could seer her skin clear off. she immediately set into action.

Focusing the chakra of her body into as high of a concentration as she could, Hirihi turned herself towards the wall she had been using as a balance while she had walked. Throwing all of her weight forward, a clenched fist full of chakra, Hirihi punched directly into the stone of the wall, letting out a loud SMASH! throughout the cavern and falling forward into the hole that she had created. Should the hole be sufficient in protecting her from the burst of magma, she would take only minor damage from the heat of the fiery substance.

Who is throwing lava around? Was the only thought that filled her mind. The better question was, how did she know it was a person? What if it was some creature that lay dormant in that very cavern, and she was trespassing. The lingering question still was there, though. What if it was a person?

SPOILER: Click to show

Chakura no Iko (Chakra Strength Gathering)
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Type: Supplementary / Medical Arts / Nintaijutsu
Range: Self
Chakra/Stamina: Mid - Very High
Special: Serves as a base for all Medic-Strength techniques by boosting Souin with power equal to highest rank known. Highest rank known also determines the amount of time needed for Souin users to momentarily gather their strength and energy before unleashing the powered-up strike.

* D: Whole turn
* C: 3/4th of a turn
* B: Half a turn
* A: 1/4th of a turn
* S: Near-Instant


Description: The basic behind the Chakra Strength lies in gathering one's chakra at a fine point in their body while performing quick, volatile movements so that their strength is enhanced. By molding their chakra at the desired appendage, it glows a unique color, representing the presence of Chakra Strength. Users of this style should not be taken lightly.
Domain: Souin.

Oukashou (Cherry Blossom Collision)
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Type: Offensive / Medical Arts / Nintaijutsu
Range: 0 - 5 meters
Chakra/Stamina: High
Special: Can destroy barriers equal or lower to the highest rank known. Bonus damage of strike depends on highest rank of 'Chakura no Iko' known.
Description: Basic yet lethal, an immense amount of chakra is kneaded inside the body, and a moment later all of it it is gathered into the fist. That chakra is then released into the target, which does a great amount of damage. With the damage done dependent on the amount of chakra used, it is also possible for a skilled shinobi to amass it in their fingertip. When the ground is hit it is pulverized into minute pieces by the excess shock, which are then scattered like flower petals, giving rise to the name "Cherry Blossom Impact".
Domain: Souin. Chakura no Iko.

[Estilo]

★ Chapter One - Garin "Sickle" Yagataki

The aftermath of her near death experience with the fiery terror was only brightened by the fact that she had managed to survive. If she had reacted but a second slower, stopped to think about her reaction for even a moment, the burst of lava that had exploded into the depths of the cave would have melted the flesh off of her bones. But luckily for Hirihi, the manifestation of this lava had proven to be just that- a burst. In contrast to a flowing river, or full-on volcanic eruption. As it settled down now, however- cooling and losing its luminous orange glow- the cave was once again safe to navigate... for the moment.

The smell of sulfur that had accompanied the lava was anything but pleasant. A vile and near intolerable odor, one that would give most people the sensation to gag, perhaps even trained shinobi. But once the sound of lava simmering on cold rock quieted down a little, that distant voice in the cavern would become audible to the female's ears once more. A grumbling dissatisfaction, an old and haggard tone. There appeared to be a human presence here, further into the cavern. Was this perhaps a refugee that needed rescuing? Or a bandit hiding from the law? How would Hirihi know? Whether she decided to advance or not, it was clearly something that merited investigation. Something that pertained to the original mission she had undertaken.

Should she decide to approach the source of the sound, she would find that its tone was not getting any nicer. In fact, its incessant course of grumbling and foul words only continued in intensity, until suddenly another bright flash of orange illuminated the cavern depths. The invisible heat wave that reverberated off the walls of the natural labyrinth attested to the fact that it was yet another burst of lava. But thankfully, this one had not been as strong in intensity as the last, and was incapable of reaching Hirihi to deal out some fiery damage. Finally, as she would approach the cavern deeper, a glimmer of that faint blue light she had seen earlier would appear once more. The sound of streaming water, peaceful as it was, ruined by the sound of anger.

The darkness died out at the end of that passageway, into a large and circular natural stone arena, the sight of a crystalline cave river flowing against the north wall, surrounded by fungi and mushrooms, arriving and entering through specific crevices in the cavern. In the center of this spacious chamber, the stone ground covered with various puddles, was a campsite. A lit fire, buckets and pans propped on firmly arranged sticks, a bedroll. Signs of a stay long initiated. And the shadowy figure of a man, standing at six feet tall, turning over his shoulder to shoot a glare at his newest visitor. "I thought I heard you coming through..." The voice growled, a sneer in the man's barely visible gray eyes. "Kumogakure's sending women towards me now? How despicable."

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[Hirihi]

With the burst of lava passing by her, leaving her skin feeling strangely chilled moreso by the return of coo air, Hirihi slipped out of the small hole she had made in the cavern and gave it a light tap with her fingertips as she left the safe cubbyhole. The after smell from the lava that had been shot at her was more than overwhelming. She found herself having difficulty breathing, as the air was entirely too rancid with the odor of sulfur lingering in the air. Coughing a few times, Hirihi was thankful that the stench was slowly dissipating, leaving behind the earthy smell of the cavern that she had nearly forgotten. Approaching the end of the tunnel, moving slowly, she would see the arena before her with the various amenities that would be found in a home.

From the looks of things, Hirihi had found someone who had not been holed up here for a short time, but what appeared to be a long stay. How they had survived here as they had was something of a mystery to her. Then, there was the thought that this had to be the person who shot the lava at her. If this were true, the second one that had come at her had shown that he did not have the strength to do so again. Faking her out was unlikely, as he would have use the opportunity to get her in the confined space of the tunnel to end her. Not wait until she was out in the open where she could attack in retaliation.

The sound of the older man's voice was alarming to her, making her uneasy as she approached. Was he a refugee, or was he a criminal? Either way, her job was here to help those in need. If he HAD been the one to fire upon her, he would need to pay for what he had done. There was no good reason to attack a shinobi from Kumogakure. She was not trespassing, and even if she was, no one would get away with attacking her with such a deadly attack. A warning shot would have definitely sufficed for this purpose. Approaching the edge of his small camp, Hirihi cleared her throat and kept her crimson eyes on him.

"Sir, I mean no harm to you. I'm merely here looking for refugees from the harsh winter weather." She said, showing her intentions as plain as she could to the man. She didn't really want to see another lava blast coming her way, that was for certain. "As far as being a Kumogakure shinobi, that I am. You already know that, though, from how you speak of us." She said, lowering her brow a bit in thought. How to approach the subject of his identity without getting a bath in lava, should he have been the one to do the earlier assault. "Are you in need of aid, sir?" She asked, trying to keep a close eye on his hands, in case he may very well point-blank fire anything at her.

[Estilo]

★ Chapter One - Garin "Sickle" Yagataki

The mysterious individual listened to Hirihi, his customary sneer never leaving his eyes throughout the entire ordeal. It was clear he neither wanted to listen to her, nor have her around. But why he didn't just chase her out of the cavern was still a mystery, even to him. How had she found him? How had she survived the blizzards that had terrorized the lands? When she asked if he required aid, the old geiser simply huffed. "I don't need any of your help, woman." He barked.

Walking off to pick up a ripped bag at the end of the campsite, stained darkly with blood, he shook his head. "And if you're looking for refugees, you'll find this place is lacking!" Shaking the bag off, droplets of crimson red hitting the cold stone ground, he approached the firelight. It was then that his features appeared out from the shadows. A sharp but leathery face, covered with wrinkles and impressions. Deep gray hair, like the mane of a wolf, covered his scalp- smooth in the front, but spiked at the back and edges. A bushy moustache resided under his nose, twitching from time to time as he half-heartedly mumbled profanities and indirect insults.

Holding the ripped and bloodied bag, the man made sure to shoot Hirihi a suspicious glare before tossing the ruined item into the fire. The faint smell of... meat, seemed to rise into the air in that moment. Somewhere in the distance, the sound of a faraway dog eating could be heard, echoing throughout these damp caverns. But on what?

The old man, currently picking up some utensils that had been scattered around the campsite, seemed to not mind Hirihi's presence at the moment. Or at least, it seemed like he could bear it for a little while longer, despite the fact that she had no purpose being here anymore. But his patience was running low. When he finished picking up all the pots and pans around the cave floor, he'd make sure to kick her out. And if she refused, then he'd have to get a bit more... aggressive.

"You got anything else you want to say, woman?"

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[Hirihi]

Hirihi had never met a man who was so... arrogant. He was rash in his behavior towards someone only seeking to help, and he gave her the feeling that more was going on there than meets the eye. Scowling a bit, she had to bite back her anger towards the elderly man and keep her approach somewhat professional with him. She was on a mission from Kumogakure, so she would have to maintain the same stance she would take as if she were addressing the Raikage himself. As he set out to gather up the various utensils that were scattered along his little campsite, Hirihi would keep an eye on him, looking around for only a brief moment to see where the other noise was coming from.

With the faint smell of meat wafting into the air, Hirihi felt her stomach begin to give a soft grumble. She had fought hunger for days at a time when she was working in the field, unwilling to pull away from her mission, so it was not uncommon for this to happen. Though most thought her a bit crazy for it, she believed that focusing on her own needs during a mission was a good way to end up with a failure. One failure led to a second, then a third. It was only a chain reaction that led to sloppy behavior. This was why she had so few failures in her records.

When she was addressed again by the elderly man, Hirihi remembered where she was, the small train of thought carrying her away fro a short second and catching her a bit offguard. Speaking in the same profession tone, Hirihi thought it best to state her questions to him, as any inquisitive mind would. "Just a moment ago, you launched a stream of lava at me, didn't you?" She asked, not stating it in a way that sounded accusatory, but more of befuddlement. How had he managed to master an art that she had never, even in her wildest dreams, had considered learning. She had always believed that she was incapable of learning such a thing, because she came from no special bloodline. Maybe this man could hold the answers to her learning how to harness a power beyond her own reach?

"I only ask, because I am a curious soul. I seek to learn what I can from those around me, as I have most of my other senses." She said, referring to her various elemental affinities she had picked up. "If you were the one, in fact, to have done that, I'd be willing to learn. If you, however, were not, proving to be just a grumpy old man holed up in a cavern, then I apologize for the mistake. I just see no one else here who would have been able to conjure such a torrential power and push me to the brink of death in mere seconds." Her approach was very direct, yes, but this man was old. He was tired of the games of deceit. She figured if he wanted to play around, he'd play coy. If he was unwilling to teach, though, she may have to accept the loss and move on.

[Estilo]

★ Chapter One - Garin "Sickle" Yagataki

When the girl voiced her first question, the stranger- out of habit- lent a temporary ear. Just a moment ago, you launched a stream of lava at me, didn't you? The old geiser nearly laughed, but settled for a chortle that sounded more like a death rattle. "Don't flatter yourself, Pink Hair." Then at that moment, the visage of an old and skinny hound appeared out from the shadows of a crevice at the end of the cavern, sniffing about, chewing on a elastic piece of meat. The old man acknowledged it with a sneer. "That 'lava' wasn't meant for you..." He continued in a whisper, slowly picking up a large metal spoon from the ground as he targeted the dog in the distance with a single angry eye.

"It was meant for that goddamn meat-stealing mutt!" With that sudden yell, he would throw the metal spoon far across the cavern, right at the dog. The canine, of course, scampered away into the darkness far before the spoon could even manage to strike it. It hit the cold stone ground with a sharp 'clank' in the distance. The dog had, obviously, been the reason behind the ripped and bloodied bag the old man had thrown into the fire. Its hunger had lead it to 'thievery' and its thievery had thusly made the old geiser angry. It was because of that pet that the man had lashed out in anger with streams and bursts of lava.

The geiser snarled, gathering and spitting a glob of saliva into the flames of his campfire. "Goddamn mooch..." He grumbled angrily, his gaze shifting towards the shadows suspiciously before reminding himself that he was still in the presence of the Kumogakuran female. She was proposing something now... that she 'learn'? How funny.

A nasty old smile crossed his face, his eyes narrowing to the brink of being closed. "Learn!? You want to just jump into it and 'learn'?! HA HA. The element of Youton doesn't bow down to just everyone, woman. And I doubt you have the fortitude to even try! You want to learn- how amusing. Only a select few have been capable of attaining it. What makes you think you're one of them, eh?" He was obviously having a gay old time, enjoying every second he spent harassing and breaking down the Kumogakuran's barriers. But at the same time... he was listening. And in his own sadistic way, he was giving her a chance to prove herself. Doubting she would, however, he simply laughed.

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[Hirihi]

Hirihi could only let out a chuckle at his obvious cover. In her eyes, she believed the man a liar. He had intended to end her life, for that was the only way a stream of that kind would have come at her. She wouldn't argue with him, but she was going to drop the professional act. This man had no need to see such respect from her. His story about the mutt that she laid eyes upon made her laugh a bit. How could a man who commanded such a powerful release end up with only a mutt as a friend? The ways of the hermits were confusing to her. She could not see a world where she had no allegiances. It was just too opposite.

As she watched the man, Hirihi began to realize little things about him. He may have acted cold and distant from the world, but he honestly was deprived from the social contact. Who knew how long he had been between visits with a human on the other end of a conversation, rather than the company of a dog who steals his meat. Standing still where she was, she continued to observe him, even as he began to criticize her words. At first, her heart sank a bit at the thought that she would not be able to learn something like this from him. She knew no one who could even command such a release.

Her spirits would lift a bit at the words that would follow his criticisms. Prove herself? She was a Jounin for Kumogakure no Sato! Proving herself, that was going to be something simple in her opinion. What to do, though, to prove herself? Stepping back, Hirihi looked around and tapped her chin with a finger before turning her crimson eyes back to his with a dark smile. "I'm fairly certain I could do well enough to show you my ability to handle such a thing." Hirihi said, flipping through a set of handseals and turning towards the direction she had come. Curling her fingers around her lips, Hirihi forced out a large burst of fire, filling the room with light as she moved the flames against the wall to her left and up.

The flames would arc up against the wall and move further left and into the corner, leaving the rock behind with a red glow that slowly cooled down to nothing, the flames dissipating as she turned back to look at him, curious to know if there was something else she would need to do to prove her abilities. She remained silent, waiting to be told that she was not adequate to learn from him with such a simple display of raw power. In her mind, the closest thing she could do was produce large plumes of fire.

SPOILER: Click to show

Enkou Shinka (Essence of the Sacred Flames)
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Type: Supplementary / Katon Ninjutsu
Range: 0 - 50 meters
Chakra: Mid
Special: Allows the user the ability to create, control and move Katon (Fire) chakra of their own for multiple purposes. Degree of heat and effect of flame depends on the highest rank known.

* D: 10 meters
* D: 20 meters
* D: 30 meters
* D: 40 meters
* D: 50 meters


Description: Katon, the birth of the flame itself. With but a mere thought, masters of the flame learn to birth their fire over large expanses. Intense training opens the door for other techniques, but they all rely on one simple core - the user's ability to birth a flame from a distance.
Domain: Katon.

Goukakyuu no Jutsu (Great Fireball Technique)
Rank: C
Type: Offensive / Katon Ninjutsu
Range: See special!
Chakra: Mid
Special: Distance and size of flames depends on the user's highest 'Enkou Shinka' rank, halved. Because the flames are slightly more intense than other katon jutsu, each time this is retrained, the user can stack 'C' ranked burning damage. However, when using this jutsu, the user must be standing still in order to control the powerful stream of fire.
Description: Goukakyuu no Jutsu is a fundamental katon ninjutsu technique which allows the user to freely control fire itself as it leaves their body. The ninja does the necessary hand seals, draws chakra from their mouth into their chest and them immediately exhales it. During this point, they then blow a stream of fire which erupts into a large sphere of flames. To better manage the flames the ninja will bring their hand to their mouth to control it.
Domain: Katon. Enkou Shinka 'C'

[Estilo]

★ Chapter One - Garin "Sickle" Yagataki

The old bastard could only laugh, a cold belligerent laugh- one you would imagine the lions makes once it feels the deer struggle beneath its sharp and bloody claws. A stronger power, belittling the weaker. "HA HA! You dare compare that mere flame to the power of Youton?! Foolish girl. I'll show you what real heat can do." And with that, he'd simply have to suck in a deep breath. A master at his craft, his cheeks would glow fiery orange as he gathered chakra at the base of his throat. And, within the second, he would billow out a powerful plume of lava, its red-hot substance hitting the cave wall across from them.

The stone seemed to melt upon contact- melt- and the sheer heat that emanated from the lava expelled was enough to cause the pools of water beneath it to evaporate into hot steam. The wave of lava that billowed out of the old man's mouth eventually hardened against the cave wall, waves of ash-gray cascading down the now scorched stone surface. Within the parameters of this spacious cavern room, this was perhaps the best display of Youton's power the old man could have given the young Kumogakuran woman. "That... is power."

His now dry lips cracked into a greasy and fat smirk, the whiskers on his bushy moustache twitching as he gauged the girl's reaction. "I have to admit... however. As much as I hate to even consider the idea... you might have some potential in you, woman." He truly didn't think the Kumogakuran female had a snowball's chance in Hell- almost literally- but at the same time, her experience with Katon techniques had managed to peak his interest. There weren't many from Kumogakure with that release, and he supposed she wasn't all that bad.

Slapping his hands together, in an effort to wipe away gathered dust and ash, he narrowed his eyes at her. "Learn, you said... you want to learn." She'd displayed her proficiency with ninjutsu. Perhaps, then... he could teach her a thing or two. Not because he was a lonely old man living the last of his days in solitude in this cave. No, of course not. Not because he felt the sudden desire to leave some sort of legacy behind. Hell no. He had much more self-respect than that.

"What's your name, Pink Hair?"

-- Shojoukazan (Blasting Lava Globs)

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[Hirihi]

The very sight of laughter coming from the old man told Hirihi that she had screwed up. Her own mind full of doubts was telling her that she had made the wrong move, had analyzed him wrong, and was likely to never leave that place with the knowledge of Youton, something she had only heard of in stories and never seen performed. When his sentence began to change as he spoke, her eyes narrowed a bit, still attempting to understand and analyze the man. He was a very peculiar man, someone that was confusing to her. She didn't know how to take his words, or how to approach the conversation. She was running blind at full speed, playing her best and putting her best foot forward.

It all seemed to pay off, though, as she would move back at the sight of his glowing red cheeks as they would begin to fill with chakra and a stream of lava would shoot out of his mouth and latch onto the wall, melting it with great ease. The very heat from the lava would make her sweat, the flash sweat causing her to also rapidly freeze in place in the absence of the heat once it was gone. She just stood and watched as the stone would begin to melt, just as water would melt ice, but at a much faster rate. It was an amazing sight, and she wanted to learn how to do it. She NEEDED to learn how to do this.

It could very well have proven to be the culmination of her life's journey in the Ninjutsu universe. On the medical side of things, she had found her niche. In that hospital, she was almost god-like among her students. Outside of that, though, she was about as weak as it came. There was little to say about it. She had often been bested in combat by that guard from the caravans, and she had little to use. Her katon was not proving sufficient, and she needed to step up her game. This was the very way to do it. That dark longing for power pushed her forward, reminding her that she had to be careful how far she let herself go.

When he had said he would teach her what he could, Hirihi was respectful and did not jump with joy like most would. She knew this would not reflect her age, or the seriousness of the matter. She had to prove she could handle such a thing as heavy as Youton. With her name being requested, the thoughts of protecting her identity to Kumogakure no Sato flooded her mind, eventually settling on the thought that he was a loner. He would tell few of who she was, and it mattered not. She wasn't being hunted, to her knowledge at least. "Hirihi." She said, waiting for a response from him after speaking the information he had requested of her.

[Estilo]

★ Chapter One - Garin "Sickle" Yagataki

"Hirihi?" The old man replied, arching a single brow with a wicked yet taunting grin. "HA HA HA. I guess your parents didn't really care about giving you a good name, did they?" He laughed bitterly, loving the fact that he was as cruel a man as he had hoped he was. If the girl didn't have respect for her elders, or was weak of heart, he wouldn't be able to teach her a damn thing anyway. Well, minus the respect half. He didn't need that from her, nor did he think she'd be so willing in giving it out. But, then again, he wouldn't deal with any nonsense.

Still catching his breath from the somewhat maniacal laughter, the old man flipped a bucket nearby top-side and took a seat by his campfire. The pot that had been boiling over the fire- held up by a strong pair of branches- had finished cooking his lizard and vegetable soup. He was ready to, despite his lack of meat, feast on what he had ready now. Tossing Hirihi a glance, he grunted towards another wooden bucket nearby, strewn carelessly across the stone ground. "Are you slow? Take a seat and eat, woman. I hate when people watch just stand there." Turning back towards the utensils on the ground beside him, he picked up two wooden bowls and spoons. Time for supper.

They sat down by the campsite for a moment, wooden bowls filled with soup- sliced vegetables and what appeared to be a boiled piece of leg meat floating in the hot liquid. The man, he ate without shame, without manners. Slurping up the juices of his meal, gnawing on the skinned and cooked lizard leg. The dog, it had emerged from the shadows once more to stalk the human's activity. But it knew better than to approach the old man any further. It wouldn't like another spoon chucked at it.

"So," The old geiser began, more out of curiosity than willingness to partake in a friendly conversation with the girl "Is Kumogakure still as soft as I left it? On account of you being here, I'd imagine they've started warming up to the idea of women playing ninja. How sad." He chewed on a rather elastic piece of boiled lizard meat, gnawing on it for a minute more before swallowing it down with a grumble. "Boy, I remember- back during the glory days- when Kumogakure wasn't the little pansy it is now. We knew what being shinobi was all about."

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[Hirihi]

Hirihi almost wanted to smack the man for what he said. Her mother had chosen that name for her. It was the one thing that her father could do to honor the memory of his late wife. She had requested that he not contest any names that she offered up, and when she had been born, for the first few minutes, she decided on Hirihi. It was a mouthful of vowels, yeah, but it was still a name that people would remember. Who else had a name like that, right? Watching him as he fluttered about, Hirihi would jump as he motioned to the seat, calling her daft for not seeing the chance to sit and taking it immediately. She had always been a person to stand, as that was how she always knew she would be safe from those around her. Sitting left her at a disadvantage.

Taking a seat, since had had more or less asked her in the nicest way that any old man could, Hirihi took whatever bit of food was offered to her with gratitude. She had not eaten in the last few hours, the hiking through the mountains making her far hungrier than she could have thought possible. Surviving a blizzard, as well as a lava burst from this man had left her with quite the appetite. As she ate, she watched the old man with curiosity.

When he mentioned Kumogakure no Sato, she felt her blood begin to boil. How did her presence as a ninja have ANYTHING to do with the will of the village? Maybe the village recognized the abilities of women, seeing as Hirihi was one of the high ranking officers in the village now. No one was just given the title. It was earned. She didn't have to prove herself to this man. She would not let him tarnish her feelings of pride in her own village. He was just old, and the olden days are the golden age for him. Nostalgia, a drug that when indulged too much can make you forget reality.

Looking at him in more curiosity now, pushing her anger to the backburner for now, Hirihi raised a brow. This man was in Kumogakure? How odd. He didn't seem the type to become part of any kind of organized village. She wondered what rank he had gotten to, why he had left, and if he had served in the war that had previously passed. Hirihi had heard some small stories about the war from Atlas, since he knew more about the history than herself, but if this man had lived through it, maybe he might know something about Atlas? "The village has held up better than you'd have imagined. While I am very insulted you would assume me weak for my born status, I will put that aside. Kumogakure no Sato has managed to survive through the war and now thrives. We are not weak in spirit or in strength, and I imagine if you were to return to the village, you'd be proud of how the Raikage has improved upon the village."

[Estilo]

★ Chapter One - Garin "Sickle" Yagataki

The old man grunted at the end of Hirihi's response. "Go back there? Humph. As if I wanted to. You can talk all high and mighty about what you have now, whatever shadow is leading the village- but the truth will remain the same. It'll never be as strong as it once was. And that goes for the entire shinobi society! Every last one of you, a bunch of young fools running around with techniques that feign power. When in reality, even an old fool like me can take them down with a wave of my hand!" He made the intended gesture and, strangely enough, the fire in front of him responded with a brief flare.

The geiser was a master at his art, at the control of ninjutsu and Youton- including the elements that it as compromised of. Such abilities had been gained during his experience as a general in the last world war, and to say that his age was getting in the way of such abilities was inaccurate. In fact, his ninjutsu only got better with age, his previous display of power only a thimble of what he could truly do. But alas, the old man no longer had a reason to use such power except for in self-defense against the occasional wild animal or roaming bandit. He was more of use as a storyteller, despite the fact that he was scarce on people to tell the stories to. Other than that, he was pretty much certain he'd die alone and forgotten.

What may have had depressed others to suicide, however, only bounced off the old man's rough exterior. He was a man who hated weakness, in himself and in others, and was nearly incapable of letting a single indication of such to escape his physical gestures. Decades of being a grouchy and merciless bastard ha drilled that mindset into his brain, and he was no longer capable of showing any emotion he regarded as pitiful. Talking to this strange pink-haired woman from Kumogakure no Sato was no exception. Acknowledging her with a single cold glance, as he bit into the half-eaten leg of his boiled iguana, the man snorted.

"You're foolish to put your trust so blindly into that village, y'know. But then again, I suppose it can't be helped, eh? They've brainwashed you good, probably from the moment you started walking. And I don't suppose you know much about the previous war... do you?" He raised a single brow, his frown still held upon his wrinkled features, but a tinge of curiosity permeating his eyes. He wasn't quite sure how old she was, but he figured she was in her early twenties at least. Definitely not old enough to know the full story behind the last world was. At least, not on her own.