Rising [p]

[Etherion]

Kai sighed blowing a cloud of warm breath into the cold night air, his crimson eyes scanning the moonless sky twitching from one spec of light to the next. He found that since he'd been cursed only the cool night air calmed the burning black mark at the base of his neck.

The ornate spiral seemed like poison the first year as it coursed and burned making him pass out front he blaze at the base of his skull. Every now and then Kai would passively touch the mark at the base of his neck to feel of his skin felt like fire again but for the past year it hadn't bothered him at all. He guessed he should've counted himself lucky, since the burning had landed him in the sick bay a number of times.

He stood up looking out over the tree ridden plateau he had found to shelter himself from any prying eyes that would see his rampages throughout the woods leaving his gouges through them that would be apparent close up. If he had his way no one would ever see his sanctuary...

[/blockquote][/blockquote]

[Kaifuu]

Once again, Kaifuu found himself lost amongst the mountains of Kumogakure, unfamiliar with the land due to him being a newly recruited shinobi. He enjoyed nighttime, but would rather be indoors during this time of the night. There was only one thing on his mind, and that was finding his way back home. Unfortunately, not even he knew where that was. If only he was a sensor, he would be able to detect chakra.

“Well, this is a nuisance.”

Rubbing his neck then sighing, he looked to his left and right, analyzing the area in an attempt to retrace his steps. Things like this were difficult to him due to his lack of memory. His odds of reaching the village before sunrise diminished once midnight arrived with the full moon taking its throne in the sky. Dashing through trees, he would eventually reach an open area, spotting another as he dropped into the opening.

“Hey!”

He was not sure if he could trust the stranger or not, but if anything went down, he was more than prepared to execute an assault. As for now, he remained relaxed, keeping a smile on his face to kill the bad impression. Maybe they could help him get back to the village. With each step, he gradually approached, now standing five meters behind the person. Crossing his arms, he decided to introduce himself.

“Kaifuu Yotsuki, of Kumogakure.”

He said, pointing at his headband.

“And you are?”

He was curious to know them.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

x1 Massive / x2 High

---

Equipped

[Etherion]

Kai went stiff as he heard the voice of a newcomer, his gaze swept across the edge of his clearing till he found the intruder looking him over briefly. He had announced himself as Kaifuu, not that Kai particularly cared who he was just why he was here.

"Kai, kumogakure as well," he preceded to take out his kumogakure headband from his left pocket but the material wrapped around the slashed foreign headband and made it fall out of his pocket landing symbol side up. "Well... that's annoying... Why are you here"

He bent down to pick up the trophy and brush it off before putting away along with his own band. His gaze lifted to the male seeing how he was prepared to fight and Kai was ill-prepared for that... aside from his mark, which started to burn across the back of his neck.

[Kaifuu]

As the boy stated his name and village, Kaifuu smiled. He was delighted that Kai was one of his own. The anxiety that had build up to this point was finally relieved. Looking down, he noticed that the boy dropped their headband, and with it, came another. It landed face up, clear enough to see, and on it was the symbol of Sunagakure, albeit slashed. Grimacing at the boy as they picked up the headband, he reached into his left pocket, pulling out his own.

“Well, that’s strange.”

Kaifuu completely ignored the boy when they were speaking. His mind had strayed off as his stared at his old headband. It, too, had the symbol of Sunagakure on it. Unlike the one Kai dropped, his did not have a slash. Despite him now being a Kumogakure shinobi, Kaifuu was still loyal to Sunagakure. One day, he would return. Snapping out of his daze, he smirked again, rubbing the back of his head with his right hand, and extended out the other.

“I used to be from Sunagakure.”

His tone soft and gentle.

“Until I got captured by Kumogakure.”

His statement was true.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

x1 Massive / x2 High

---

Equipped

[Etherion]

Kai slowly went rigid as he watched the suna headband fall from Kaifuu's person. The headband Kai held was a trophy fora mission though his associate's seemed to be for loyalty reasons. "So does that mean you're loyal to Sunagakure?..."

His crimson eyes became watchful and he became ever more apparent that he was weaponless, nothing around but the foliage and the loose dirt through which it grew. He found himself growing untrusting of the shinobi though not unwarranted. "and You didn't answer why you're here."

[Kaifuu]

Kai had asked a simple question. To even question if Kaifuu was loyal to Sunagakure was ignorant. Of course, he was, and he would always be. That was his home, and where he was from. If he had the chance to go back, he would take it. Kaifuu grimaced at Kai, slightly upset by his words. Speaking with that kind of tongue got people like him killed. Returning to a calm smile, Kaifuu reached into his other pocket, and pulled out his Kumogakure headband.

“You got it all wrong.”

He held up his Kumogakure headband, showing Kai.

“I’m loyal to Kumogakure.”

He held up his Sunagakure headband, showing Kai.

“But Sunagakure will always be my home.”

His words were sincere.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

x1 Massive / x2 High

---

Equipped

[Etherion]

Kai slowly calmed down wincing slightly as the mark started to burn again. He could understand the importance of home, though he never had been to Kirigakure he felt attachment through his blood. He nodded to the boy taking a more relaxed posture, aside form his burning neck anyway.

"I can understand the pull of a home,"

His gaze shifted to the Eastern sky briefly before his gaze fell back to his companion with a smile and a shrug.

"Sorry about the interrogation I'm a closed in person."

[Kaifuu]

Kaifuu did not mind Kai being an introvert, as he was one himself. All his life, Kaifuu was a loner with not a single friend. Kaifuu kept to himself most of the time, not speaking to those around him unless they were close to him. Kaifuu may have been a shinobi, but he had feelings too. Kaifuu could feel the tears trickling down his face from his eyes. Wiping them with the sleeve of his left arm, Kaifuu put both headbands back away.

“It’s fine, haha.”

It was as if Kaifuu’s entire demeanor shifted. Kaifuu did not want anything to seem wrong. Besides, there were better things to focus on. This entire time, Kaifuu was pondering why Kai was rubbing his neck. Had he been in pain? Squinting his eyes, Kaifuu tried focusing on the area that was being caressed, noticing a black mark. Kaifuu had never seen anything like this before. Kaifuu assumed it was a tattoo, but he wanted to know for sure.

“Uhh…if you don’t mind me asking.”

Kaifuu right index finger rose to his lower lip.

“What is that mark on your neck?”

Kaifuu pointed his left index finger at Kai.

---

SPOILER: Click to show

x1 Massive / x2 High

---

Equipped

[Etherion]

Considering his earlier tact, Kai said nothing noticing the brief tears the other boy shed as winced faintly feeling the mark spike again wresting for control as a few fire red scales grew out over the side of his neck. Almost like a dog Kai tried to scratch at the dammed thing but it seemed it had caught his companions notice.

"Don't say a word to anyone..."

Reluctantly Kai turned and pushed down the back of his shirt collar wile lifting his hair revealing the curse mark upon his neck spreading in the visage of fiery scales out from a trio of spiked spirals.