Whilst Walking (PM for Entry)

[Hirihi]

.:Enter:.

With the sun rising over the mountains, Hirihi was quick to move out of her house before her father woke up. Something about him in the morning, dealing with her and the realization of her being a shinobi, somehow brought out the worst in him. Not to the point of hitting. She'd never stand for something like that. It was just a passive aggressive anger that boiled beneath the surface. She only left like this on rare occasion, but today was just such an occasion that called for her to leave.

Fleeing to the safety of the streets, a place where she was slightly known, Hirihi wandered around the shops as they were just setting up. There were a few restaurants open that were willing to serve breakfast, but the pink haired kunoichi had a different idea for the day. Moving to the edge of the busier district, she sat down on a bench and swept her hair out of her face, the pink strands of hair that hid her crimson hued eyes tossing lightly in the wind. With a quick gaze to those around her, Hirihi gathered up her thoughts and began to people watch.

A fun activity, it did the job of what she needed most. She needed to get away from her own life for a while. It kept her out of trouble, and it required literally no energy of her own. She got some odd stares here and there, but those people weren't typically who she was looking at. She put miniature dialogues between people that were likely not real, along with some background stories.

All this, just to escape her own personal failures. She knew it was crazy, and it was the very reason that she kept it toherself. It was best not to draw the attention her father could use to get her out of the shinobi lifestyle. Part of her wondered when he would eventually accept her decision to be a medic for the village, but she never thought it was going to come. it was very unlikely, given his very strong stance on protecting her from herself. Going back to her people watching, she wondered if anyone of them noticed her staring at them from the corner of their eye, silently judging them.

[Estilo]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] OH, HAVE A LITTLE MIXED MERCY ON ME. A stroll through one of Kumogakure's most lively plazas- that was what I needed to get myself started through the day, a day I planned on spending to my own heart's content. Finally, a break from the duties that came with being the Nidaime Raikage. A day I could waste to excessive lounging, eating out, and plain old adventure. To be honest, I could not remember the last time I'd acquired such time to do these things- after the Chuunin Exams, perhaps? I wasn't sure. But now that I had the full opportunity of the following twenty-four hours ahead of me, I could rediscover the meaning of the word 'relaxation', at last. My stroll was only the beginning, a casual stride through the somewhat crowded plaza, with my gloved paws resting comfortably in the pockets of my black long coat. A fresh morning breeze tenderly cooling my face as I walked on and gazed about with a smile. It was only as I neared the rear of the plaza, a section that was bordered by various restaurants and shops on nearly every front, that I locked eyes with a pink-haired young woman sitting at a bench afar. My emerald green optics glanced at her own crimson pools briefly when we shared stares, a completely random and abrupt action that our eyes had seemingly followed out of instinct. Or... was it that she had been looking at me first? I raised a brow, stopped in my tracks, and looked around me at the people passing by. Perhaps she was looking at someone else. Maybe this was all a misunderstanding of some sort. Not that I would blame her for looking at me- since it wasn't everyday that you saw a half-masked man with dark red hair casually walking through a public area. When I saw no one standing nearby, checking with the girl's stare once more to rest assured that she was still looking in my direction, I gave a confused smile. Do I know her? Without a hesitation, I started my stride towards the copper-colored bench the young woman occupied, my buckled black boots carrying me easily towards her nearby location. I kept my eyes on her as I walked, glancing around from time to time to make sure I didn't run into anybody passing by, before reaching the bench and ensconcing myself on the open seat beside her. Beaming I laid back on the seat in order to attain a comfortable position, turning my head towards her while my arms reached over the side of the bench and stayed there. As I had imagined from afar, her eyes were the color of scarlet red blood. How interesting, reminded me of someone I once knew. Someone I'd met during the Chuunin Exams. "Have I met you before?" I asked blatantly, smiling and clearly in a good mood. "I saw you looking at me just now, and I can't help but wondering whether we've been acquainted formerly. You know, like prior to the war, perhaps- back then." A past which I was currently very in the dark about, having lost a majority of my memories during the Great Flash. Maybe I had met her before? There was no way of knowing until I regained those lost moments of life I wasn't sure I wanted to recollect anymore. This girl had caught my interest, and apparently I had caught hers in some way. Whatever it was that was drawing us together at this moment, I was sure it shouldn't be ignored. I suddenly found myself wanting to know more- her name, her age, her occupation. That question continuing to ring through my mind- who is she? The more I knew, the sooner I'd find out. made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- -this human pageantry.

[Hirihi]

As she sat there, watching silently as her mind quietly formed stories for the people she was watching, Hirihi would notice the occasional glance back at her, making sure to shift her eyes and make it appear that she was just scanning the world around her. This tactic only seemed to work for the few that weren't really paying attention. I wonder if what I'm doing is considered as creepy. She thought to herself. At that very moment, a man with long red hair and a half-mask over his face caught her eye. Staring at him, she began to wonder the story behind him. This was one person she could instantly tell had something interesting to offer the world.

As she stared, his eyes would meet hers, emerald and crimson locked in a stare that seemed to make her forget that she was staring. Before she knew it, his gait was poised towards her and she began to panic. Oh no! Why is he coming over here? She thought quietly to herself as she panicked. On the outside, it would appear that Hirihi was perfectly fine. Even as he approached, though her eyes were averted, she could still hear his footsteps. Even in the noisy plaza, she managed to SOMEHOW hear his footsteps over everything else. Was it her guilt for being so scrupulous towards others? She didn't know, but she half-expected him to yell at her for being a weirdo.

When she heard the footsteps stop, she looked up to see that he was now sitting beside her. Wonderful. Now she had to deal with the awkwardness of explaining her people watching to this man. Whoever he was, he was treading through dangerous waters if he was expecting to get an answer from her peculiarities. When the first words to come out of his lips weren't a question of accusation, not in the sense of her staring, her guard would drop and she would turn to look at him. Her pale, thin hands rested on her lap as she relaxed a bit.

When the second question came up, more a statement, she tensed back up, her nose twitching in that usual manner when she was nervous. Had she seen this man before? She didn't know. She knew so few people, her father keeping her protected from the world. "I... Don't think so. I'm just a medic here in the village. If you've been in for healing, that may be a time you have seen me." She said. It was honest. She really wasn't sure how she might know this man. "My father keeps me pretty secluded, or he used to." She said, hoping that maybe that might shed some light on where he might have met her before. Extending her hand to him, she pushed herself to smile. "My name is Rinji Hirihi." She said, in quiet greeting.

[Estilo]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] OH, HAVE A LITTLE MIXED MERCY ON ME. Her nose twitched, and my smile grew a few inches wider. If that wasn't cute, then my name wasn't Atlas Burabiya. "My name is Atlas Burabiya." I replied light-heartedly, glad to see her smile and shaking her hand lightly with my own gloved paw. "It's a complete delight meeting you, notwithstanding the unconventional circumstance behind our meeting." Yeah, these days you didn't catch much people even glancing at one another in public. The fact that nearly everyone was a stranger to each other suppressed the urge to dare and form some sort of bond. Hardly anyone had the nerve to do such a thing, or acknowledge another person if it didn't lead to some sort of gain or solution on their part. Hirihi's seemingly curious habit of observing others, and my general interest in people, had thankfully brought us both into conversation. "If I may be so blunt in asking- what's this about your father secluding you?" I asked, letting her hand slip out of my velvety grasp. "I hope it isn't anything serious, love. I'm a shinobi, you see. When I'm not slinking in the shadows, it's my job to care for the well-being of others. Especially such a lovely lady like yourself." I looked on at her with a serene emerald gaze, taking in the sight of her medium-length pink hair, coral-colored locks slightly obstructing her eyes from view. But even then, her crimson shaded optics glistened through. She was as pretty as a picture, and I didn't lack the perspective to wonder that this beauty might have- in some way- resulted in the seclusion her father implemented. How frustrating, to imagine such a blight. As she replied, I turned my gaze away from her briefly and gazed about at the lively scenery. There were trees of green, red roses too. They seemed to have bloomed for the sole purpose of brightening this day. Such a wonderful world, with skies of blue and clouds of white, bright blessed days and dark sacred nights. And to my surprise, a colored rainbow streaked above, so pretty in the sky. Kind of like the faces of the people walking by. Friends shaking hands, saying 'How do you do?'. A casual scene that strangely put me at ease. Away from the clutter and troubles of the Raikage Tower. And here I was, talking to a self-declared medic who seemed to be having a slight problem with the parental figure in her life. I wasn't one to pry- often- but I felt she could use someone to talk to, instead of gazing at the strangers that passed by. I could not recall the last time I had met a full-fledged medical officer, but then again- I had yet to discover whether Hirihi was a full-fledged medic or not. Often times, I would come across medical students, who never really got past being just that. Students. But perhaps this pink-haired young woman was different. Perhaps she was just the person I was looking for. Having remembered the mission I had only just recently taken with Yukiko, where we came across an injured deer, I found myself aching to learn medical ninjutsu more than ever. Sure, I could put up a fight with offensive ninjutsu and other types. But when it came to healing those I cared for or sought to help, I was utterly hopeless. As the new Raikage, I needed to correct that. But for now, simple conversation with Rinji Hirihi was enough to occupy this beautiful morning. made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- -this human pageantry.

[Hirihi]

As Hirihi felt the man's hand wrap around her own, they shared a mutual exchange of smiling back and forth. As she let his hand go, he listened to his name be spoken and began to commit it to memory. Atlas. Quite a name to have for someone as... different as him. Not different in a bad way, but in a way that struck her as something to pay attention to. Like a shimmer in the dark, you can't help but look away. At the raised question to her father, Hirihi had to bite her tongue to prevent from speaking ill of him. She had to find a way to speak firm about him without seeming opinionated. Wait, who was she kidding? Why should she give details of the man? He was a stranger. He didn't need to know of her personal history.

Deciding it best to keep her answer vague, Hirihi let her hand slip back into her lap and her eyes to turn to the people that were walking by. "My father tried to keep me in the dark from what he used to be, not people. You'd assume he did it to prevent his cherry blossom from growing up and moving on. The truth is, he fears the fires of war will consume his cherry blossom." She said, putting it as poetic as she could. Saying it that way, it was quite a statement. It helped give her the perspective he tried to make her see on a daily basis.

"I don't resent the man. I know he only wants the best for me, but he doesn't understand that someone like me can't be... average. Being a medic, as well as a shinobi, is in my blood." She said, as if talking to herself now. She'd do this in private, yes, but never with a stranger around. Realizing that she had probably said too much, she sighed and turned her eyes back to him. "What about you?" She asked, curious to know something about this red haired stranger.

Hirihi had not been made so aware of the looks she got from men until the last few weeks. The time that she had spent with Satsui. She was aware of the looks he gave her, as well as the way he handled himself. It was as if he didn't know how to act around her, and it gave her the sense that she was attractive in his eyes. As for him, she wasn't sure how to feel. She had spent a lot of her time focusing on medical studies and practicing her chakra control. There was never a thought of a man's appearance in her mind until he came along and began to act funny. This put into question Atlas. Never had she been so confuddled with these thoughts, and now her mind couldn't wrap around it.

[Estilo]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] OH, HAVE A LITTLE MIXED MERCY ON ME. "Me?" I replied, the warm-hearted look in my eyes paired beautifully beside my customary simper. "Oh, I'm not that interesting, to be honest. Just a run of the mill gentleman, pursuing what he considers happiness." I shot her a blithe wink before grinning and turning to the multitude of people passing us by left and right. "No... I'm afraid my story is far too long to dictate. Far too many twists and turns, with a narrator who doesn't even know what's happening half the time." Which happened to be quite literal, in my case, due to the memory loss that had afflicted me in the aftermath of the Great Flash. I turned back to her, flashed a smile. "It'd only serve to frustratingly confuse you, dear. I don't think you'd like to waste your time on it." After gauging her facial expression and body language, I continued. "But enough about me for now, hm? I'm exceptionally more interested in the plight of this lovely blossom that wasn't allowed to thrive. You say you're a medic now... if you don't mind me asking, exactly what compelled you to undertake such a potentially difficult profession?" I asked, a gleam of interest in my eyes. Should she ever decided to instruct me on the techniques used by medical agents, it would be enlightening to know the drive behind her efforts as a healer. I held little to no doubt that her reasons hardly differed from my own- the desire to protect those we loved- but perhaps there was another factor lining that will for the life and security of others, a personal goal. She had mentioned that it was in her blood, but surely she was not following some urge mindlessly like some undead drone. There had to be a reason behind it, one that made her complete- one that satisfied her own needs. Love, self-esteem, redemption. Like any other profession of choice, being a medic offered a way to fill up an empty hole of something with work and accomplishment. Exactly what Hirihi was using to continue on with her medical profession was still unknown to me. But I supposed, in certain circumstances, people could follow a profession without necessarily having any other reason but money, following it along while their lust for life slowly died. It seemed highly unlikely- based on the manner she had spoken about this career- that Hirihi was like that. And while I mused about these motives and rationales, I slowly began to think of my own justifications behind becoming Raikage, and beside that, an Academy Teacher. I was sure I had my own selfish reasons for undertaking those two professions, but I wasn't sure I'd be able to come to a concrete conclusion- admitting to myself that I sometimes tended to be bias when judging what I've done or plan on doing. That was for someone else to decide, someone that neither liked me nor hated me. My true reasons behind the acceptance of these jobs... I was interested to know what they were, despite having a few solid guesses. But at least I was certain there wasn't anything malevolent behind my reasons. If there had been, I probably would have taken these jobs the moment the opportunity had arisen. But both of them had needed several weeks of contemplation on my part, for insecurities to be dealt with. Had the same occurred for Hirihi? made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- -this human pageantry.

[Hirihi]

Hirihi couldn't believe what he had said! No one ever gave her such a compliment so openly. It was something she couldn't find a response for. No one, outside of her father, had said something that nice to her. Satsui had hinted at his feelings towards her "beautiful" appearance, but Atlas had just... said it. She was left blushing and turning away at the compliment. She still heard his question, but she had to take a minute to get the heat of embarrassment out of her face. It was funny. Everyone seemed to ask the same question of her in conversation. She'd just had a conversation similar to this a few weeks ago with that boy with the strange eyes.

Just as she had before, she remained honest. Finding her composure, she turned her face after clearing her throat and attempted to carry the conversation forward as if she hadn't stopped talking due to her own embarrassment. "I... I became a medic for the same reason a person becomes an apprentice. When you are an apprentice, learning a trade under someone, you learn if you would like to do the job, as well as your own personal ability with the profession. For me, though, it came around while I was in the academy. I had exceptional ability with molding chakra. Ninjutsu, genjutsu, all of it came so easily to me." She said, seeming to relive the past.

"As you can imagine, the Academy teacher thought it best to push me towards something I might excel at. Chakra molding somehow made him think of his friend in the hospital who, upon meeting me, saw the potential for me to learn under her." Thus had begun her track to where she was now. "From there, you can kind of piece it together yourself. I don't do it for the fame, or because someone in my family died. I do it because of the thought that it is what I am meant to be. It sounds convoluted, not having some big, glamorous reason, but I think it shows more clearly my resolve. I'm willing to work through this profession, getting good at what I do, because I can. Not some traumatic event, or a desire to overcome death."

She felt like she was doing it again, talking too much. "I'm sorry I am so long-winded. Sometimes, I feel like I don't get my point across. So, I keep talking until I have shut out anyone's chance to interrupt my outward thought process." Going quiet, she wondered quietly to herself. Did I just do it again? Am I talking too much? She couldn't help but think she was, which had prompted her to find a way to get him talking instead. "Maybe, when things aren't so confusing, we could talk about you instead of my boring, mediocre tales." She said, smiling at him and waiting for some kind of response to her statements.

[Estilo]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] OH, HAVE A LITTLE MIXED MERCY ON ME. So now he understood... well, partially. The reason why she had become a medic in the first place. It seemed to have given some form of stability in her life, something she could stay true to and improve on. But again, I was not entirely sure this was the exact reason, nor did I find the matter quite worrying. In time, should we cross paths again, should we meet later, I would surely figure it out through her actions. And there it was, the prospect whether we'd see each other after this brief bench meeting or not. Based on her cute quirks and personality so far, I wouldn't mind chancing upon her at some point. Or perhaps meeting her elsewhere, maybe even to train those medical techniques I'd been eyeing! Surely, with all of her experience, she could teach. I had no doubt about it. "Don't fret," I said with a warm look in my eyes, a silky tone escaping my vocals. "Hearing you talk is a pleasure, and the fact that you are so open and courteous is quite a nice change of pace." I smiled, leaning closer to her, raising a single hand to gently brush a lock of pink hair away from her eyes. For a moment, I remained locked in that position, emerald green eyes glued to hers. I felt like I actually knew her now, or like I'd seen her before- somewhere. But when nothing else came to mind, I leaned back into my original position and smiled. "Well," I continued, as if that moment of close intimacy had never happened. "I suppose I owe you for being so plain-spoken in your response. It wouldn't be right for me to leave you in the dark about myself." Leaning back on the steel bench, arms splayed over its sides, I turned to her cheerily. "Go ahead and ask me anything you want. I'll try to respond with as clear an answer as I'm permitted to. Promise." made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- -this human pageantry.

[Hirihi]

When she looked towards him, their eyes meeting, she felt the flush of embarrassment wash over her face in a light blush. It was a pink similar to her hair, leaving her looking rather odd to anyone that may be looking from the outside in on their conversation. When he leaned close to tuck the tuft of hair out of her face, she nearly went crimson. What the hell? She had to calm down. If she had any doubt of his attentions towards her before, there were definitely a million doubts now. She had no clue whether to think he was being kind, being a charmer, or just making conversation. It was as confusing as a battle, only made more difficult in her inability to read him.

When the conversation was turned back to words and not actions, she was thankful to feel the warmth in her cheeks go away. At the thought of what to ask him, she focused mostly on the words he spoke towards the end of his sentences. Permitted? Was he an important person? She couldn't know, but she was very tempted to ask. You know what, what was the harm in asking something about him like that? He was a very kind man. Maybe he was like a Jounin in the village, maybe higher. He didn't dress the part, but the dress code was something that never seemed enforced among the higher ranks. Not even for Genin. Look at how she dressed. She was able to wear bright pink clothing all day long. On missions, especially stealth, she'd change clothes, but casual wear was just what she preferred.

"You seem like someone who knows quite a bit. You must be pretty important in the village." She said, looking away from him as she rested her chin on her palm, glancing towards him. "Tell me a bit about yourself. Things you might tell a perfect stranger you just met a little while ago." She said, smiling as she was feeling her own comforts begin to return.

[Estilo]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] OH, HAVE A LITTLE MIXED MERCY ON ME. "Things I might tell the perfect stranger..." I repeated, my gaze drifting upwards towards the gray sky as I mused with a simper. "Well, I suppose you can consider me a vital part of this village, and I know my fair share of things. I am an Academy Teacher, you see." I beamed, worming my way out of that one again- out of openly admitting I was the Raikage. It had gotten me in far too many awkward situations before... situations I was getting tired of. People had a tendency to only look at the title, after all, and not the man behind it. Not again. At least, not for now. Telling someone such a thing was much easier when you knew the person well, my theory having been proven weeks ago with my little sister Yukiko. "I'm an avid reader," I continued, trailing off to less dramatic things in my typical debonair tone of voice. "I'm also quite the collector when it comes to expensive wines and liquors. When I'm not chasing down targets and cracking some heads, you can bet your bottom dollar I'm probably at some hangout sipping at a glass of champagne. And none of that flat drivel, mind you." I'd say, turning towards Hirihi as I remained laid back. I would then continue with a smile, drifting my eyes towards the clouds, as if recalling a distant dream. "Liquid gold, elegantly enjoyed in a sparkling crystal glass. The deliciously enticing urge to drink as the champagne bubbles kiss your nose, when you press your lips to the glass, then take that first heavenly sip. It's wonderful." I grinned, my face the epitome of merriment. "I don't suppose you get what I'm talking about. Hell, I don't even know if you drink, for that matter." I chuckled, lightly shaking my head. made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- -this human pageantry.

[Hirihi]

Hirihi could only chuckle. An academy teacher, eh? He seemed the type. Intellectual, full of big words, and his overall attitude spoke volumes of his confidence. She seemed to have a knack for finding the people in the village who were very interesting. A socially awkward outcast, a newcomer from another village, and a silent, yet deadly, hunter among the wild. Speaking of which, had he made it out alive from the mountains? No matter. If he hadn't made it off the mountain, there were likely people already looking for him.

Her mind wandering back to the conversation at hand, she smiled at the slight poem that he spoke. The thought of alcohol made her cringe a bit. The smell of harsh alcohol always had a tendency of making her think of medicine. How could one consume something that could be used for medical purposes? She knew of many medics who carried straight alcohol for two purposes. One was to keep some disinfectant handy, while the other was for when it was needed to shut out a horrible day. The stuff could literally burn the throat of whoever was stupid enough to partake of it.

Being underage, she was not technically allowed to drink. Shrugging her shoulders at the question, Hirihi set her hands back on her lap. "I would be illegally drinking if I were to even touch wine. My father has let me drink once or twice, but I can only think of medicine when I do. Liquor especially because of how high the proof of the liquid is." She said. "It isn't proper for me to say my own age, so we will leave it at that I am underage." She said, knowing that he'd probably already know her age anyways. Anyone who was an academy teacher had access to her files, especially her training regimen she had taken on during her academy days.

"It is nice to know that there are still ninja that are willing to read. It shows that brute strength isn't all it takes to get anywhere in the world." Her response also reflected on herself, the thin frame of the medic far from intimidating.

[Estilo]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] OH, HAVE A LITTLE MIXED MERCY ON ME. "Yeah," I replied, watching as a mother and the stroller that carried her month old child passed by. "Brute strength has its uses, I won't lie. But I always say- you can learn much more from a single day of reading than an entire day of push-ups. Don't get me wrong, though." Smiling at the sight of pigeons swarming around a kid tossing seeds on the ground, I continued. "I respect a good fighter. But outsmarting somebody in battle impresses me much more." I turned to the girl, gauging her reactions, coming to the thought that perhaps she wasn't too into the 'combat' of the ninja life either. The fact that she was a medic made me guess that I had subconsciously figured that out beforehand. While she wasn't old enough to drink, and therefore incapable of sharing that expensive hobby of mine, at least we both shared a common bookworm. A sigh, as I turned back to the crowd flowing past us in both directions. Sitting on a bench, during a nice chilly day like this, was fine for a half-hour or so. But i could feel the restlessness in my legs starting to grow. Only way to stay comfortably warm during days like these was to keep physically active, I knew that from experience. "Now," I'd smile, abruptly lifting myself up from the bench in one swift motion, hopping up on both feet and shrugging my shoulders to loosen the muscles on my arms and back. Turning to Hirihi, spinning around on a single boot, I would slightly bow and extend my gloved hand- the other hidden behind my back. A courteous and rather Victorian gesture. "What do you say we take a walk to the Academy, m'lady? You may be underage when it comes to drinking liquor, but not for teaching runts, right? Why, I'd say you're about nineteen or twenty." I smiled, waiting for a response and keeping my hand open in wait for her own. "The munchkins await~!" made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- -this human pageantry.

[Hirihi]

Hearing the words of someone who appeared to be strong speak so firmly on the fence made her feel a little bit awkward. Strength was good, and it had its place. Just like everything in life, there were times for strength, and there were times for brains. It was this very thought that made her a little bit afraid of her own future. What if she didn't have the brains to proceed, or the power to protect those that she cared about? These were the idle thoughts of a medic who knew that she had no clue about what the future may hold. The morbid thoughts of a woman who does not know her own fate.

On the surface, she did agree with him. There was a time and a place for everything that could happen. Death and murder had its place, as did strength and betrayal. When she saw him stand, she frowned a bit. This was the part where a person left, ending the conversation. Because of how rapidly he had risen, the surroundings making her seem to tune him out for several seconds, she couldn't hide the frown at the thought of ending such a great conversation. That frown would immediately change to a smile as he would extend his hand to her and offer to walk with her back to the academy.

"You know, I think that would be great." She said, smiling and taking his head and slightly pulling on it to stand. "Teaching munchkins has always been a pastime of mine." She said, grinning. "Hey, that's not fair! You looked at my file, didn't you?" She said, teasing as she walked with him towards the academy. "Most people think I'm 16 or younger... since I'm so short and tiny compared to others." She said, a little happy to know that he had not assumed her a child and treated her as such.

[Estilo]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,420,true] OH, HAVE A LITTLE MIXED MERCY ON ME. Fingers entwining with hers as I helped her up, I could not help but spread a joyful grin in response to her own. Teaching munchkins has always been a pastime of mine. "Has it now?" I responded with a wry gleam in my eyes. Surprised but delighted to see the spark of her Chesire cat grin, I gently cupped her chin with the end of my right hand. "It's nice to finally see you smile like that Hirihi. Your report photo was far more dreary." Hey, that's not fair! You looked at my file, didn't you? I barked out a single laugh, shaking my head as we started our walk out of the vast plaza slash park. "I seem to recall coming across your file, yes. But only because you've just recently come back from the Chuunin Exams!" I assured her, raising a single finger to exaggerate my point. "I wouldn't want you thinking I lurk around in other people's private information just for kicks." I continued, rubbing the back of my neck with a sheepish simper. "Just business, file transfers- all that jazz." It was all honest, of course. Files that had resided within the Academy vaults had been prepared for a transfer into the Raikage Tower. Said files belonged to a majority of the previous Chuunin Exam participants, including Hirihi's. As an Academy Teacher, I had been assigned to sort them out and organize them for delivery. And while I hadn't really read through her information long enough to know much about her, I had at least managed to remember her face and age. What was teasing my curiosity now was whether she had passed the Exams or not. As Raikage, I was still currently going through countless numbers of participants who had succeeded in Kumogakure's name- and giving them their just promotion. But the name "Hirihi Rinji" had yet to make an appearance on my desk. But now... now was the perfect opportunity to find out whether she'd attained victory or not. An interview, sort of speak. As we calmly walked through the mass of people inhabiting the stone-paved boardwalk, I turned my emerald gaze to the young girl. She was definitely a character, and from what I've seen so far, a good person. Side by side, we would reach the Academy soon enough. But not before I cleared up that little event first, should she feel open enough to talk about the experience. "So," I began, turning back to the boardwalk in front of me as I maneuvered through the crowd with Hirihi. "The Chuunin Exams... how'd those go for you, love?" Having asked with a hint of tentative caution, I waited sedately for her answer- eager to hear her story, eager to find out. made by renni

[atrb=valign,top] this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- this seasoned beauty- -this human pageantry.

[Hirihi]

Hirihi met his gaze for the moment that he had his fingertips beneath her chin. A blush would shimmer through her face as she was held in this stance, thankful for the moment in which she was able to look away. No one had ever forced her to make eye contact with them before. Not so much forced, but inclined her to do it with that kind of a gesture. It was different, to say the least. When the mention of how he had seen her file during a transfer of records to the Raikage's office came up, in lieu of the Chuunin Exams, she would immediately go quiet. That inner hatred for herself, for failing in the last part of the exams, hit her like a ton of bricks.

This was the reason she did not smile. Her failures seemed so much greater than they were in reality, and she couldn't let them go. It was one thing to fail a mission, which she hadn't done to date... yet. Forcing herself to remain cheerful on the outside would prove too great a task, though, as he would begin to ask the prying questions that Johlin had asked. She'd barked at Johlin for asking, because he had been slightly pushy about the entire thing. Atlas had been rather kind in his questioning. She was certain that he would hear of her through talks with others through the village, so there was no point in hiding what had happened.

As they walked, she forced herself to at least remain slightly cheerful, which was hard enough to do. "I'm fairly certain I finished the first portion well. The questions on the test were simple, while also complex in their own right. For the second part of the exams, we were placed in some... Virtual reality world. I went with the task of choosing which group to fight for between what appeared to be scenes from this past war. It was an elderly man, a little boy, and an injured woman all wielding weapons against an army. The rest of that seems to all blur together, likely from the way they administered the test." Hirihi said, thinking back on what had happened.

Then, the gloom of her own despair would strike out at her. "Then, came the last round. We fought people from various villages. I don't know how the others did, as I have not seen most of them since we left together, but I know that I lost. This... girl... she seemed to be made of pure water. I miscalculated one of my techniques and ended up trapped inside of a sphere of water, her applying enough pressure to break bowns and crush organs before the examiner would end the round." Even as she spoke, her voice would slightly waiver, as talking about it was causing her to get flashes of images her mind kept stored from the event. "I'm not sure if I just froze, or if I wasn't prepared enough for it, but, that was basically all that happened. I woke up in my room, with my wounds wrapped in medical tape. I healed myself and came home."

That was the story. All of it. "It's kind of funny. You're the first person I have even told of this. I figure there were reports sent to the Raikage from the examiners, all added to my file. If he hasn't reviewed it yet, he will eventually." She said, taking a deep breath and letting it out, glancing over to Atlas. "All in all, I know I have the brains to advance, but I had little I could use as far as in my battle to secure me a win. I guess that's what happens when you envelope your time in the hospital, rather than in the battlefield." Hirihi only hoped that the Raikage, whoever they were, didn't grade her as harshly as she graded herself. "Did you ever participate in the Chuunin Exams?" Hirihi asked, curious if maybe he had been through a similar experience.