chance encounter.

[luneth]

private.

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It was late morning in Kumogakure, and though the now familiar chill still hung about, the sun was shining brightly. Haru could be seen sitting on the edge of a small peak of land, contentedly observing the beautiful scenery that surrounded him. Enormous snow-capped mountains jutted out and up into the clouds, which, due to the mountainous plateau the village sat on, seemed very low even to him. It was the type of view he couldn’t have dare dreamt about in Konohagakure, and it was for reasons like this that he felt no regret in not only abandoning his home-village, but also joining this one.

Looking down, he would see that the majority of people passing by looked to be ninja themselves; another major contrast from his previous life, where civilians usually crowded the streets. He’d study them for several more moments before getting up, having now decided to take a walk himself. As he descended back down to the ground, the young Hyūga could be seen wearing a collared white long-sleeve shirt that slightly opened at his chest, slim black pants, and low-cut black nin-sandals. A sheathed katana hung along his back, and a small Kumogakure hitai-ate was fastened to his left upper-arm

He didn’t feel the need to conceal his identity anymore; therefore, today he wouldn’t wear the contacts that had formerly been used to disguise his true nature. Whether he wore them or not, it didn’t necessarily matter, the boy just didn’t like the stares of villagers who were ignorant to the reasons behind his colorless eyes. Either way, now that he adorned the symbol of Kumogakure on his shoulder, Haru figured the public would accept him as a ninja regardless. Thus, he’d wear a smile as he strode through the heart of their town, giving friendly nods to fellow Shinobi and citizens alike as he passed by.

He’d eventually reach his destination, of which he’d only thought of on his way. It was a fairly high building, more toward the back of Kumo, where the larger structures such as the Kage Tower stood; the rooftop was used mainly by Shinobi and citizens seeking to get a better view of the village and everything surrounding it. He’d scale the lengthy wall and arrive at the top shortly thereafter; the young Hyūga would once again gaze back out, now looking upon Kumo as a whole. If someone were to come up, they would find the young Genin still staring out into the vicinity, a satisfied smile etched across his face

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[Hirihi]

.:Enter:.

Hirihi was never one to take idle walks through the village in the morning. She was more of a late sleeper, which often angered her father as she would appear lazy in his eyes. Regardless of some of her past events, though, she always found that he was merely joking on most occasions of berating her for being a little lazy. This was his minor way of trying to push her out of the shinobi life. He didn't see to realize that becoming a shinobi was a permanent thing. It wasn't like a job where you have the choice on when you wanted to leave. She didn't believe it was that way, at least. Why would they make it an option to leave? Wouldn't that make it less likely for people to push through the hard times as a shinobi?

Her thoughts aside, Hirihi was not out here today for pleasure. She was doing a job, or so she thought. She'd picked up a mission to hunt down a girl who would know something about a man and his cheap parlor tricks. So far for the day, though, she had been met with little progress. Wiping some of the morning dew that had frozen over in the chill, she sat and stared at it a moment, some stopping to give her rather strange looks. It wasn't unusual for people to do this, being that she was dressed in nearly monochromatic colors. Pink shirt with a black tanktop, black skirt down to her knees with black shinobi sandals. She wasn't creative. Clothing was never her big concern anyways.

Flicking one of the ice crystals on her finger away before it completely melted, she vanished out of sight down one of the side streets and continued her shirt. She would easily be seen from above as her bright pink hair was a dead give away to her location. It had been how her father had looked for her when she was younger, getting lost in the maze that was Kumogakure. Finding herself on the other end of town, wandering the larger buildings and finding no answers as to where her target was, Hirihi groaned and gave a kick to the side of what appeared to be a vacant building. "Guess I'm going to spend more time on this than I thought." Hirihi said to herself, looking up towards the roof and wonder just how useful it would be to get a new view on the situation.

Running up the wall of the building, Hirihi walked over the side and onto the roof, seeing at first that she was not alone. Her normally shy instincts told her to leave him alone. Dark red eyes staring forward, though, told her that he was likely already aware of her presence. Walking forward, attempting to appear as peaceful as possible, Hirihi sat down on the side of the roof, her pale legs hanging out over the side as she sat near him as he was taking in the scenery. Turning her head to look at him, she did a brief evaluation, as if to see what kind of a person she was sharing the rooftop with. Her nose giving that usual twitch, she forced herself to speak aloud to him.

"Hi there." Even the sound of her own voice seemed alien. Was pushing through her social anxiety a good idea, with a minor chance she may lose herself in the process?

[luneth]

The sudden influx of emotions pouring through him were remarkable; the simple fact that he was here was amazing, that he'd accomplished the goals he'd set for himself only weeks ago. The transition from Konoha to Kumo Shinobi had been successfully completed; it was more evident than ever as he stared out at the landscape of Kaminari no Kuni that stretched above, but also the countless amount villagers below. "wow..." The sensation of being so high up made the boy chuckle, though a little frightened as he continued to stare down.

His senses would become more alert as he felt the presence of someone nearby; the young Hyūga’s gaze would twitch to his side for only a split-second before turning back to its original position. He’d spotted a Shinobi that had now taken a seat close enough for him to observe via his peripherals. It seemed she was here for the same reason he was, and didn’t appear to be emanating any hostile emotions. Thus, he’d let his guard down somewhat; however, of course, would still take time to watch and inspect the Kumo-nin.

Upon further examination, Haru noticed she looked to be older than he was; though he couldn’t have been too sure, as he felt he may have had her beaten height-wise. Once she turned her head towards him, the young Genin’s attention would leave the scenery altogether and start to wonder who this girl was. The boy would turn his head as she began to talk, now listening to her greeting with a faint smile before hesitantly deciding to speak himself. Although feeling slightly shy and apprehensive, he would try to utilize a more calm, friendly tone.

“oh, hello.. i-i’m new here, so uh.. you know, just getting a better view of everything.”

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[Hirihi]

Watching as the male stumbled through an explanation, Hirihi couldn't help but give a small chuckle. It wasn't meant to seem as if she were finding him odd in a funny way. It was more of a cute kind of way. Like... seeing him act all shy made her wonder if that was how she looked when she approached someone new or was approached. In an attempt to make him a bit more easy to talk to, Hirihi nodded her head and swung her legs over the side of the to where she could stand back on the roof again. Crossing the gap between the two, Hirihi extended her hand to him. "My name is Hirihi." She said, waiting quietly for him to take her hand as a polite way to break the ice.

"You're new here, eh? Are you still in the academy, or are you graduate into a genin?" She asked, curious to know a bit more about the boy. When she got closer to him, she was quick to notice the colorless eyes that he had, making her feel a little bit weird. She had never seen someone with eyes like those before. Actually, come to think of it, she had. In the exams, there had been a guy on her team who had eyes similar to those. She had never asked him about them, nor had she seen them used. She just assumed it was one more of those mysteries she would know little about.

Her own eyes would seem probably far stranger to him as her eyes were a dark crimson, making most of her look like a pink flame. The only real reason she had continued to dress this way even into her late teens, came from the comfort of the clothes. They just felt natural to her to wear in memory of her mother. Her mother had loved the color, and though she had died in the war, she was not one to tarnish such a special memory she had of the woman.

"Well, wehre are you staying at in the village? You have family here or are you slumming in one of the housing complexes throughout the village?" She was just a powerhouse of conversation. Questions continued to pop into her head, and she made sure to weed out any of them that led to talking about his eyes. As much as she may be wondering about it. She knew it was inappropriate to ask, and she knew that most would probably find that respectful, while others found it foolish.

[luneth]

He’d watch carefully after speaking, wondering how the girl would respond; therefore, the small chuckle she let out would confuse the boy. A puzzled look could be seen on his face, though it’d disappear as she stood. It was the first time he’d gotten a decent glimpse of the Kunoichi’s attire, which consisted of mainly pink and black. He’d be forced to observe for a few moments, as he couldn't recall a time ever seeing a ninja garbed in such colors. The boy would additionally take notice of her pink hair, which too was unique in itself.

The fellow Kumo-nin would be in front of him with a hand outstretched as he finished looking; Haru would politely shake it, simultaneously listening as she stated her name — Hirihi. It was nice, and he himself would respond without taking too much time. “oh i’m haru, nice to meet you.” As he finished, the young Hyūga would take note of her momentary glance toward his eyes; now that they’d introduced themselves, he felt it was only right to maybe explain a bit. “ahh, the eyes.. it’s my clan’s kekkai genkai, if you were wondering.”

He was careful not to give too much information, in the case that it’d somehow be used against him; not that she seemed the type person that would do such a thing, the young Genin had just learned over time that you couldn’t ever be too careful. Following any response she may have had, his attention would then get caught on Hirihi’s own eyes; they were both a deep, dark crimson, the likes of which he hadn’t ever seen before. Though he wouldn’t bother to ask, it made Haru curious as to whether she had some sort of Kekkai Genkai herself.

Subsequent to a second or two of staring, he’d then avert his attention back to the two questions that the girl asked. Other than the Raikage, she would be the only person he told, as the boy hadn’t necessarily made it a priority to go out and make any other friends. “well, i am a genin, but i’m new as in a just moved here from konoha; the village is filled with too many civilians and a lot of weak shinobi, i felt i needed to be somewhere stronger... oh and upon arriving i was given a small apartment. heh.. well then, what about you?”

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[Hirihi]

Holding her arms behind her, leaning back a bit ,she listened to him talk about himself. She had controlled the conversation enough talking about herself. It was his turn to begin talking about who he was and the like. When she felt that he had noticed her glancing at his eyes for a moment longer than she normally would, Hirihi blushed a bit and forced herself not to apologize. It would be rude to interrupt him while he was talking just to give an apology for looking at his eyes longer than normal.

When he spoke more about his eyes, mentioning that it was part of his clan's abilities, Hirihi was a bit intrigued. She was curious to know what the eyes did, but she kept her mouth shut. Maybe she may see it in action one of these days, and be able to remember it in case she comes across someone from his clan that did not wish for peace against her. Since she had rarely seen people with those eyes, she had to assume they were indigenous to the village that he had come from. Mentioning Konohagakure, Hirihi was curious how exactly that had worked out, transferring villages.

Letting her hands fall to her sides, she nodded and began to go over the details of her own life in an attempt to condense them. "I have lived here since the war was over. My father was a ninja during the war, but he retired in an attempt to prevent me from going down the same road. It is kind of born into our blood, though, to be ninja. I'm a full-fledged Genin with a medic background, and I am quite good at it. I've been told often, by others, my talents." She said, turning her crimson eyes to look over the edge of the building.

"I live here in the village with my father, and he does what he can to slow my progress down as a ninja. I hope he'll eventually get used to me being a ninja." She said, wondering what he was doing at that very moment. Was he plotting another plan to keep her from going out again? "Other than that, there is little to know about me. Just a medic, running around doing errands for the village." She said, referring to her current mission spree she was on. "You enjoying your stay here in the village so far?' She asked, her eyes turning back to him as she smiled.

[luneth]

Carrying with him a friendly grin, the boy would attentively listen to the Kunoichi as she began to explain a bit about herself. He would attempt to glean as much information from the Kumogakure ninja as possible, seeing that, not counting the short one he’d had with the Raikage, this would be Haru’s first actual conversation with an ordinary Shinobi from the village. He hadn’t quite had the time to pick up on or really learn about the culture of Kaminari no Kuni yet, and so would happily pay attention to each and every word voiced by Hirihi.

He felt that he could relate in particular to the comment on being a ninja was born into your blood; as a Hyūga, Main Family or not, there wasn’t much of a choice on what you would be. Thinking back, he recalled that the very few that had refused to enter the ninja academy had been shunned from the clan altogether. He’d nod in agreement as she continued, becoming even more intrigued at the mention of her being a medic-nin. He’d completed a few missions at the Konoha Hospital, and had amassed a ton of respect for them during that time.

Furthermore, upon her asking the question, Haru would wordlessly contemplate on how things had gone so far. The answer came easily, as it’d been something he’d thought about several times before. “it took some time to get used to the altitude, climate, thunder and everything, but since then it’s been really, really great; all i’ve done so far is a few missions, but even then life’s much better now than how it’d been in konohagakure.” He’d finish with a shake of his head, subsequently taking a short glance out at his new surroundings.

As the young Hyūga turned his gaze back toward the girl, his prying nature would take over and the boy would begin to grow curious. In all of his time around the iryō-nin of Konoha, he had never stopped to ask them about anything pertaining to their craft, and now noticed that a decent opportunity to do so had presented itself unto him. In an attempt to further their conversation, he would voice his thoughts, speaking in a kind, clear tone. “a medic.. i used to know a few hyūga ones myself; i’m curious, what made you choose such a field?”

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[Hirihi]

If she didn't know any better, she'd say that she was actually learning from Haru. Not so much learning like you'd get from a book, but learning to just be herself for a change. She knew little about socializing, as she always had this chip on her shoulder that made her think she was much better off not conversing at all. In mid-conversation, she found herself more comfortable talking to him than she had in all of the solitude she kept herself surrounded by. How odd it felt, but it felt like a necessary change to make herself a much better medic, as well as a ninja for the village.

Though they didn't talk about much, keeping conversation light on details, they seemed to be getting along just fine. Passing back and forth with their own words, it was a nice change of pace. His mention of his need to acclimate to the new area was definitely something she had not anticipated. She had noticed it in running down the mountain towards Tetsu no Kuni, but they were definitely at a much different elevation than the rest of the world. They had grown accustomed to taking deep breaths when they walked, their bodies getting used to thinner air.

"It's good that you are getting adjusted to being up here. I'd say that it would not take much time at all, but I will be honest, I have lived here too long to know what it is like to live elsewhere. I spent some time down in Tetsu no Kuni, but I did not stay long enough to lose my bearings for living on these mountains." She said, motioning in a circle with her right hand as if to reference the mountains surrounding them.

At the question of why she had chosen to become a medic, she couldn't help but smile, moving to sit down on the edge of the roof and stare forward towards the scenery once more. "It was while I was in the academy. I was training hard, but, I appeared so much younger than the others. I was often teased and ridiculed for it. You'd probably not know this looking at me, but I'm actually 19 years old. My body jsut doesn't age with my actual age. My father couldn't explain it to me why, but the other kids assumed I was a prodigy for being so young, by appearance, and being in the academy. I'd often get singled out to fight and end up going to the hospital. One day, I met one of the mentors at the hospital who asked me some questions. She asked me to do some training sessions with her, which I believe was her way to judge my abilities. Within the next few days following our second training session, she arranged that I work under her at the hospital and learn to be a medic." She said.

Realizing that she had probably missed his point entirely, she cleared her throat and tried to cover the slip up with a smile, cutting to the chase. "Long story short, I chose to become a medic for my natural aptitude for it, as well as my urge to help people. I'm not much of a fighter, but I can heal wounds better than you'd think." She said, raising her hand and a bright green glow gathering in her palm, surrounding her hand as she demonstrated the basic healing technique. "What about you? What makes you unique, Haru, aside from your clan?" She asked, curious to know more about the person, not his abilities.

[luneth]

Following an understanding nod at her first few comments, the boy would then wait patiently for Hirihi’s response to his medic question. A few short moments would pass before she spoke; he began to grow a bit worried during that time, as Haru wasn’t sure if maybe he’d crossed a line and asked something that she didn’t necessarily feel comfortable answering. As he swiftly contemplated on it, the Genin noticed that the death of a close one was probably a big reason many ninja entered this type of profession, and almost decided to say nevermind.

However, that didn’t seem to be the case with this Kunoichi, and instead her reasoning was completely different. He’d sigh in relief, concurrently taking a seat beside her on the edge of the roof. Thinking about it, her story had still been pretty intriguing, especially the small fact that she was actually 19. Although he didn’t feel age mattered, it was still a surprise, seeing that he’d have guessed her to be about 14 or 15 at the most. Even the mentioning of her being picked on had been a shock, as she didn’t look the type to get pushed around.

Haru would eye her hand as Hirihi finished speaking, watching the semi-familiar, bright green glow as she demonstrated a fundamental healing technique. The brief display would lead into a new question of hers, the likes of which he’d have to think hard about before answering. It was tough, though he assumed she hadn’t expected it to be, and thus would simply look at her with a slight smile. His inside emotions were, however, far from happy; it was a very revelatory few seconds for the boy, as he began to ponder on the lastest inquiry.

However embarrassing or sad it may have been, he felt that there was nothing too distinctive about him; what am i, aside from my clan…? Nothing was the harsh answer, though he hoped it’d change while he grew and developed as a Kumo Shinobi, away from them all. Seconds would pass before he finally spoke on his thoughts, “hmm.. other than my clan, what’s special about me? I don’t think there’s much; the hyūga are all I’ve ever known, up until me graduating from the academy, which happened only a little over a month ago.”

Haru would force himself to stop thinking about it for the time being; however, had decided it’d be something he’d have to come back to when alone. The young Hyūga would consequently end the little subject, now directing his attention on moving their conversation toward a different topic. He’d recall Hirihi speaking on her venture to the iron country, a region he only knew as the place that had held the Chunin exams. He was nearing the end of his stay at the academy upon them being announced, and thus hadn’t been able to enter.

“you said you travelled to tetsu no kuni; were you there for the exams? heh, if you were, how'd you do?"

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[Hirihi]

Hirihi nodded and listened to him talk about the things that made him who he was. In all honesty, the question had been unfair. She had asked a question that most do not ever discover about themselves. Just because she had learned about her want to be a medic from a young age did not mean most found their reason to exist just as easily. Her eyes moved from Haru to the landscape, curiously taking it all in for a moment as silence would pass between them. it was not an uncomfortable silence. It was merely a moment of thought between the two. She DID feel a bit uncomfortable not talking, but she wasn't going to force the conversation more than she needed to.

When the question about Tetsu no Kuno came up, Hirihi flinched and closed her eyes tight. The memories of it all were still pushing for dominance, begging to be thought about. She had told no one of her failures, not even Johlin. She had done so remarkably well, and yet, she had failed so miserably. Sighing, she shook her head as she tried to shake the thoughts out of her mind. She could still feel the pressure of the water against her body, crushing her bones and bruising her muscles.

"I...I did go to Tetsu no Kuno to participate in the Chuunin Exams." She said, stating more of an obvious fact just to attempt talking about it. Her lips parted to speak more, but they merely froze and nothing came out. Trying to speak, she eventually gave up and dropped her head. "I can't talk about it. I'm sorry, haru, but there are some things I still have trouble putting into words." She said, raising her eyes to look at him and sighing. "Think of it this way. Maybe, one of these days, I'll manage to talk about it, and it will give us something to talk about then."

With that said, Hirihi looked back towards the landscape once more and just let silence fall between them. She had no idea what to say next. The memory of the exams had hit her hard, knocking the proverbial wind out of her.

[luneth]

Hirihi’s slight flinch upon him asking the question had let him know he’d pressed the wrong button, and might have put her in an uncomfortable situation. Though, he wasn’t quite sure if her reaction had just been a coincidence; therefore, he’d continue to sit and listen as the Kunoichi confirmed the fact that she’d participated in the latest Chūnin Exams. It also turned out his earlier assumption had been correct; as she followed the confirmation by kindly explaining that, for the time being, it wasn’t something she could explain or talk about.

He’d merely nod to her in understanding, subsequently following the Kumo-nin’s lead by staring out into the picturesque village that stretched under them in every direction. The young Genin would be as respectful as possible, despite the fact that the female’s response had actually piqued his curiosity even more. He’d silently ponder the subject, though wouldn’t act on it, of course, but instead simply let their silence linger for a bit, not wanting to push their conversation, but also because he felt Hirihi probably needed a few seconds to herself.

He’d carry on with his contemplation during this short time period, wondering why she seemed so reluctant to speak on her experience in Tetsu. Something pretty bad had to have happened, though he wasn’t sure what it could be. He’d heard the Chūnin Exams were very difficult, and most repeated them several times before finally passing; but if that was the case, he didn’t think it’d be a huge deal to fail or even be defeated in them. Either way, it really was none of his business, and after only moments more of thinking, he would drop the subject.

Turning his attention back towards their conversation, Haru would work to bring something up that wouldn’t bother the girl. When nothing came to him, he’d simply speak on whatever came to his mind first — namely, the vast city that they had both been staring at. The young Hyūga would speak in a more polite tone, hoping that what he said didn’t leave him with the same results as before. “heh so.. you’ve been living here for a long while; what is it that you spend most of your time doing in Kumo, when not completing missions and all?”

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[Hirihi]

Hirihi was thankful when the conversation was led down to something a bit more pleasant for her to respond to. She really didn't have a good answer for this, though. She was not the social butterfly that knew everything there was to know about the village. She mostly spent her time in the medical facilities with patients. She even spent a good amount of time with her father at home, taking care of the house. She had few friends. It just... wasn't her thing. So she told herself, at least.

"I spend a good amount of time bouncing back and forth with my father and the hospital. Being as I am one of the more experienced medics, trained in a lot more techniques and procedures, I am one of the on call staff that has to be there if things go bad. Thankfully, we have had a minimum of medical emergencies as of late. I spent about a month away, while I was in Tetsu. The village didn't burn down, so I'm not as integral as they make it out to be. Aside from that, I'm with my father." She said, looking to him and the same cheerfulness returning.

"I used to have a team. My team and I would train together. It was one of the hardest times I've ever been trained in my life." She said, shaking her head. "He's no longer with us, and I have no clue where he went. I just know that Drago was the toughest leader I've ever had the displeasure of knowing." She said, laughing a bit at the thought of what she had said. Drago had been right. She needed to be tougher, harder, and faster.

"I'm not super active when it comes to the social scene here. I don't have a team or training partners. I just do what I can here and there, hoping to get stronger on my own." She said, wondering what she could ask him next. The conversation had gone back to a light note, which made her feel a bit better. The further they were from the exams, the better. "Were you a big socialite when you were in Konoha?" Hirihi asked, curious to know his previous village life.

[luneth]

The young Hyūga would listen with a smile as Hirihi began to reply, simply glad their conversation was back on the right track. He’d already taken note of the fact that she was a medic, though carefully listened as the Kunoichi explained just how experienced she was; it was neat, to think that the ninja beside him was such a qualified and skilled iryō-nin. Haru would listen even more attentively once she’d moved on to talking about her previous team, how hard she’d been trained while with them, as well as how their leader, Drago, had just disappeared.

Reflecting on this, the thought of having some type of ninja squad was intriguing to the boy, as he hadn’t had the chance to be a part of a team during his time in Konoha. As a Genin, he’d been focused more on completing missions during the weeks he’d been there, rather than searching for a sensei or teammates. Now that he’d found a village where he felt at home, and could live in without any harsh feelings towards it, the Kumo-nin would begin to consider searching for one. It sounded like a nice idea, having a set of close comrades and such.

Only time would tell whether that’d actually happen or not, though either way he wouldn’t force it, as working in close quarters with other Shinobi wasn’t something he’d even thought about doing before this. Progressing onto her next few remarks, he’d learn that she wasn’t the type to have a ton of friends, but rather had been working to improve by herself. It was something he could partially relate to, as, following the death of his older brother, staying alone and away from the majority of his family and peers was how he’d decided to live.

He never again wanted to feel the emotions he'd had during his siblings death; thus, becoming close with anyone was something he tried hard to avoid, as he knew their death would put him through the same pain. The young Genin still followed this principle; though, he was a bit more open now than he’d been during his time in the academy. While he didn't plan on having any 'best friends', the boy now felt that forming relationships with other villagers was actually the smart thing to do, especially in a new environment such as this.

With the thoughts still fresh on his mind, when asked a question pertaining to his social life, the response would come easily. He'd make sure not to give too much information relating to the passing of his brother, as that was something some of his clan members hadn't even known about. He'd instead try focus more on his earlier life, though wasn't quite sure what all he'd say, and the possibility of slipping up and actually speaking on it was still there. Nevertheless, not wanting to waste anymore time, he'd decide to voice his answer.

“lets see.. making friends, whether it be inside my clan or not, was something i spent a lot of time doing as a little kid; i was pretty social way back then. erm... i stopped however, around the time of my admission into the ninja academy.. s-since then, i’ve tried to stay away from most people, peers and family alike; i mean, i did have a few friends, but i made sure not to get too close even to them. i-i believe i've changed a bit during what little time i've been here in Kumo though, heh i might not be such a loner anymore.”

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[Hirihi]

Hirihi gave him his turn to speak, her eyes showing genuine interest as the words left his mouth. He was definitely an enigma, one with what sounded a sorted past. She got the feeling that something more provoked him to move to Kumogakure. No one just up and left a village for no reason. She couldn't imagine leaving the village that had put her through the academy. It was something along the lines of a belief of repaying the village. Maybe that, or she was just more loyal than most were since the war had transpired.

Listening to his story, she thought about her own family. She was a loner by nature. She preferred to do everything herself, and that had been her downfall. She'd relied so heavily on herself that she had not been able to prepare for all of the possibilities that a ninja might face one day. It had left her vulnerable, and she had fallen in the fight, horribly representing her village before hundreds of people as well as the competing village. There was little she could do about it, yes, but it was just like an anchor.

As he finished his story about him having a change of heart, no longer being able to be a loner much longer. Hirihi could only nod and agree. "When it comes to being a genin, we depend greatly on others to help us. There is little I can learn on my own. It takes someone with more experience to truly help me overcome the obstacles that I've encountered." She said, wondering about what she should do now that she had come to terms with the thought she couldn't change everything on her own.

"I may start looking for a team to join after I finish this next mission. I'd like to be part of a team again. I am sure Drago would want me to become a stronger genin, as much as he may have ridiculed me." She said, laughing and kicking her feet over the side of the building, her heels hitting against the side of the wall. "I remember one time, while we were training, he made a point to show me that I am weak. He buried me, literally, in a pile of snakes and left me to dig myself out. Slimy things, snakes..." She said, grimacing at the memory.

[luneth]

Hirihi’s more educated response to his own comments would force the boy to pay full attention, knowing that she had much more experience in the situations and obstacles that he himself would probably face as a Genin. The young ninja decided that what she had said made sense, as no one was invincible, and he knew deep down there’d probably be times when he’d have to depend on someone else. Thus, Haru would take heed to the girl’s brief counsel, now becoming aware of the fact that avoiding others much longer could only damage him.

Pondering on those previous thoughts, he realized that if he wouldn’t have met this Kunoichi, he may have remained the way he was, never even thinking to change; this idea was another that enlightened the boy on the importance of other, more experienced Shinobi. While getting close was still something he may have been a bit tentative about, the young Hyūga had decided to let his guard down a little, and would probably spend the rest of the day after this strolling around town, familiarizing himself with a few more ninja of the village.

Haru would continue contemplating as Hirihi now spoke on, after completing her latest mission, joining a team; the concept seemed even more appealing now than it had earlier, and was something he'd consider even more seriously. From what he’d seen so far, the majority of Shinobi in Kumogakure seemed to be very skilled, or atleast have the potential to be. He guessed that being surrounded by a small squad of such ninja could only help him, as they would all push each other, and he believed he could hold his own against near anyone.

Now moving onto an even lighter note, he’d listen as the iryōo-nin began to tell him a little story about being buried in a pile of snakes. However outlandish, he couldn’t help but let out a chuckle, as the idea of it happening was quite amusing, but at the same time, he did feel for the girl. “hehe, well i guess you proved him wrong, huh?” Haru would continue to smile after his small remark, now looking out into the near vicinity. His mind averting back to the thoughts of forming a team, he would decide to tell the Kunoichi he planned on it too.

“oh, about what you said earlier; i’ll probably go searching for a team too, i’m not sure how soon, but it does sound like a pretty nice idea.”

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