T/ Mighty Mighty Man

[Estilo]

Her initial response to the advice he had given gave him a good idea of what she was about to say, and his thumbs unraveled back into a normal hand and rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. He, uh... probably should have mentioned that a bit earlier, huh? Oh well! The Cloud ninja would simply chuckle and tap his imoto lightly on the shoulder as she moved on to the final part of her training. "Keep at it, you're going to get it soon. You'll be sensing chakra in no time~" With his Mind's Eye still activated, he would observe as she moved her chakra into motion- gathering it, controlling it and guiding it in less than a few seconds. This was going well. He had been expecting a smooth training session to begin with, but the speed in which she was currently advancing had caught him off guard. Geez, he could probably learn a thing or two from her- in regards to training methods and chakra control. He smiled at the thought of being schooled by a ten-year old before sitting straight up and flexing his neck.

Would they continue on to train something else, or would they leave next? That was entirely up to his little, blue-eyed sister. As far as Atlas was concerned, he could stay here a few more hours in training before submitting to whatever fatigue he might have later on. The night was young, the setting was adequate, and there were lit torches to warm them up should a cold breeze sweep through at any moment. The Chuunin Exams were not so much of a bother in his mind. He had already prepared for them mentally and physically before arriving to Tetsu no Kuni, and he was confident in his ability to obtain the privilege of being considered for the Chuunin rank in his homeland. No, if anything, he cared more about bringing Yukiko back home safe and well, and helping his Kumogakuran companion should she need any assistance. If he could have things his way, he would stay here for weeks- meeting as much of the contestants as he could and possibly fighting a few for kicks. But he would have plenty of time to do so in the outside world- the world that lay in wait outside of the Summit HQ, outside of the cold barren lands that was Tetsu no Kuni. And maybe he could take Yuki on his travels~!

There was of course the chance that he did indeed become a Chuunin once he reached Kumogakure, which obviously meant he would take upon more responsibilities in and outside of his homeland. Traveling the lands and meeting new people could become somewhat difficult for him then, but he had faith in the new Raikage and the policies of his village. He would find a way. And he would achieve these dreams. He was confident in this fact. But for now, he would have to deal with the trials and the obstacles of the present. The people in his present, and the goals he needed to attain now. One of them being the self-improvement of his young companion here, and her ability to perceive others in her range should they be in hiding. Boy, he could tell her hundreds of stories about how his Mind's Eye had saved him during the war, but he was sure she understood the handiness of the technique already. Examples were most likely not needed. But he had them ready should she require them for some reason. Shifting his gaze back towards his temporary student, to see her progress and evaluate it all.

To his surprise, she turned to him just in that instant. The faint blue glow of chakra around her body, and covering her eyes, was strong. She... she had completed her training?! Impressive! His suspicion would only be confirmed as fact when his imoto spoke with victory in her voice, again describing the result of her efforts. A giant eye, her Mind's Eye, had appeared before her and given her the liberty of sensing the chakra readings all over the terrain at a ten meter radius. She seemed just as surprised as he was, and probably just as proud~! "I'm pretty sure you've completed it at last, kiddo~!" Atlas would begin. "Congrats! You've taken your first step in Kagura-ism. Or... whatever." He'd flick off his sensory with a blink of his eyes and smile. "You want to continue with more Kagura techniques? I've got a while list of 'em. Even one that suppresses chakra. Whaddya say?"

_______________________________________

[Yuki-chan]

Her male senpai congratulated her with how her training had gone. "You want to continue with more Kagura techniques? I've got a while list of 'em. Even one that suppresses chakra. Whaddya say?" said Atlas with his usual smile.

"Mmmm...that sounds kinda dangerous. Can we continue on this jutsu? I want to sense stuff that are further away from me if that's possible. It would be a little weird; I have a Yukina jutsu that can make your range expand every time you learn it" said the female.
That technique was her dominion jutsu that she had trained on numerous times over the last two years or so in order to gain a decent fighting range.

[Apple]

[/b] +3
SPADA:+10[/ul]

[Estilo]

Kagura Shingan (Kagura Mind's Eye)
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Type: Supplementary / Sensory Ninjutsu
Range: 0 - 50 meters
Special: When first learned, the Sensor can extend their Mind's Eye up to 10 meters in any direction. Each new rank extends the range by 10 more meters, for a maximum of 50 meters. Upon learing the 'S' ranked version, the user will no longer have to close their eyes nor form handseals to activate.
Description: Kagura Shingan is an advanced Sensory Ninjutsu technique used by all sensors, and serves as the root to the entire sensory tree. After a series of handseals, the sensor closes their eyes and uses their inate ability to detect chakra in order to determine the location of their opponent by the faintest of chakra trails, as well as discerning the size of an approaching unseen force, and even their chakra capacity.
Domain: Sensors

Teaching ϟ Yukiko

"Sure thing, we can continue on with your Mind's Eye if you'd like. But there's no need to be afraid of the chakra suppressing technique." He'd smile with a slight chuckle. "It's not dangerous at all, trust me." Then he would stand up from his previously seated position, and smooth out the lapels on his jacket neatly. "Alright, so I'm sure you've noticed that your Mind's Eye has a range of ten meters at the current moment, right?" He would continue, this time folding up his sleeves. "That's usually the range one obtains when the technique is first learned. Well, now we're going to try and extend it another ten meters. An effective way of testing that, though, would be for me to stand twenty meters away from you. I think we have enough space here to try such a thing." He would scan the scenery in front of them, a garden complete with large fauna and decorative ponds. Then a gleam appeared in his eyes, one of those ideas that made training refreshing.

"Heeey, I got a swell idea. How about a game of hide-and-seek?" He would lightheartedly say. He'd then issue a single hand seal and summon a single crow, holding out the index finger on his right hand for the black bird to perch on. He would then turn towards one of the flat stones and lay the raven there. "You close your eyes and start concentrating on gathering your chakra." The Akegarasu would continue. "In the meantime, I'll find a hiding place that is exactly twenty meters away from your position. Should I need to relay some advice to you, my little crow here will do so." Tapping Yukiko's forehead lightly, the brunette would continue. "No peeking now. You're going to use your sensory to find me from here. Now close your eyes while I find a hiding spot. No cheating!" With a carefree chuckle, the man would make sure her eyes were closed before he went off to find his hiding spot.

The back patio was indeed spacious, and it was only now that he was looking for a neat little location to hide that he gauged the exact size of it all. About fifty by fifty meters, he'd say. A bit more, considering there were borders of bush blocking passage to the forest beyond. He'd move as quietly as the leaves and grass on the ground permitted him, making sure Yukiko would not find out his position with sound alone. Then when he spotted the plant he was going to hide behind, the Akegarasu would hurry on. It was a purple-spotted fly-eater plant, covering a width of five meters with its size, and a height of two meters. An impressive plant, with a strangely alluring smell, too. He'd advance towards it and sit behind with a relaxing sigh, confident the distance he'd measured from Yukiko and this plant covered exactly twnety meters. He would then lay down on the grass and stare up at the stars and moon in the sky above.

Closing his emerald green eyes, the teacher would establish the mental connection with the raven he had put beside Yukiko and use it to communicate."All set." The raven would suddenly say in Atlas' typical, smooth voice. "Now gather your chakra like before, and this time let the energy stir within you first. That way it becomes much more smoother and relaxed- easier to transmit and control, basically. Ask the crow if you have any questions, young one~!" With that said and done, the half-masked male would return to his incessant star-gazing. Thousands of blinking lights in the darkened heavens. Somewhere within that masterpiece he was ogling was Orion's Belt. He'd always wanted to locate it as a child, but had never managed to get past the multitude of stars. Well, now he had the time, didn't he! So he would narrow his eyes and attempt to find the Belt again, doing this while his Kumogakure companion focused on her sensory training in the meantime.

_______________________________________

[Yuki-chan]

[Training on Minds eye "C"-rank, 0/50]

"Alright, so I'm sure you've noticed that your Mind's Eye has a range of ten meters at the current moment, right? That's usually the range one obtains when the technique is first learned. Well, now we're going to try and extend it another ten meters. An effective way of testing that, though, would be for me to stand twenty meters away from you. I think we have enough space here to try such a thing." said the male.

'20 meters!? That's REALLY far away!' thought the female with eyes as wide as dinner plates. "Heeey, I got a swell idea. How about a game of hide-and-seek?" suggested Atlas before he summoned one of the crows she had seen earlier. "I like hide-and-seek" said Yukiko as she looked at the crow that had appeared out of nowhere, curious on what would happen next.

. "You close your eyes and start concentrating on gathering your chakra. In the meantime, I'll find a hiding place that is exactly twenty meters away from your position. Should I need to relay some advice to you, my little crow here will do so." said the young man.
He then poked her forehead, which received a small 'ai' sound from the girl. 'At least he is nice enough to teach me jutsus like this' thought the Genin as she rubbed her forehead a little bit.

"No peeking now. You're going to use your sensory to find me from here. Now close your eyes while I find a hiding spot. No cheating!" said the older Genin with his usual semi-goofy smile.
"OK...one...two...three...four...five" counted the female while she heard someone move in the grass behind her. She stopped after reaching twenty and looked around to see if there was anything that could reveal his location.

But as expected, the forest looked just the same as it had done for about twenty seconds ago. 'He is a shinobi, so he has to be a little good at hiding. Now to see how far I can extend the mind's eye' thought the brunette as she started to mold chakra for the technique.
The girl decided to mold a bit more than last time since she had to extend the technique a bit further than usual. Just HOW far could she push the range of her inner eye this time!?

'Right...this is not the first time I try to make a technique cover a bigger area. Just focus' thought Yukiko as she awakened her inner eye again. The odd image of the forest appeared and she tried to keep a tab of how far she could see.
'I THINK that birch tree is ten meters away from where I am now. Maybe I can push it a little further than that' thought the female as she started to 'zoom in' on the tree with her chakra.

She tried to not go too fast since it might waste the extra chakra she had molded for this attempt. 'Come on...just a little further...only a couple feet will be good...' thought the Genin as she approached the birch tree with somewhat slow speed.
Her crystal blue eyes were shut tight while her upper front teeth bit down on her lower lip; concentration was written all over her face. The minds eye was now at the birch tree and it was time to see if her method had worked. The girl could feel a small strain, but it was not as terrible compared to the extension work she had to do with the Yuki no Jutsu for instance.

Her inner eye then suddenly passed the birch tree with slow speed before it continued a little bit further into the forest. 'I DID IT! AND I CAN STILL SEE EVERYTHING THAT I'M SUPPOSED TO SEE!' thought the brunette as she let out a small squeal in happiness.
But after ten seconds or so, her inner eye went black and she had to open her eyes again. "Well, that went fine...I can just do this until I can't get any further" said the female to herself with a somewhat low voice.

[Estilo]

Kagura Shingan (Kagura Mind's Eye)
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Type: Supplementary / Sensory Ninjutsu
Range: 0 - 50 meters
Special: When first learned, the Sensor can extend their Mind's Eye up to 10 meters in any direction. Each new rank extends the range by 10 more meters, for a maximum of 50 meters. Upon learing the 'S' ranked version, the user will no longer have to close their eyes nor form handseals to activate.
Description: Kagura Shingan is an advanced Sensory Ninjutsu technique used by all sensors, and serves as the root to the entire sensory tree. After a series of handseals, the sensor closes their eyes and uses their inate ability to detect chakra in order to determine the location of their opponent by the faintest of chakra trails, as well as discerning the size of an approaching unseen force, and even their chakra capacity.
Domain: Sensors

Teaching ϟ Yukiko

Mentally connected with the crow he had left perched beside his little imoto, the Akegarasu would gaze up at the stars in search of Orion's Belt. Space. It was truly a magnificent thing to behold, ever expanding and ever present in the night sky above. He imagined whether any human would ever garner the luxury of immersing themselves within it one day. Then his mind drifted elsewhere, to the rumors of space-based jutsu- forbidden, feared and hidden... but powerful. As intimidating as the thought of learning them was, the half-masked male actually considered searching for them one day. Not only to find out if they even exist, but to discover their true origins and studying them. He knew it would most likely take time, but he felt he was prepared for such an endeavor. That, and one day searching for the blade his wife had once owned. And in doing so, perhaps finding her... Only time would tell.

A lone star suddenly blinked on the dark canvas above. And the first thought that came to Atlas' mind was how strange. He found it peculiar, he found it beautiful, he found it... daunting. A sense of fear suddenly appearing within the depths of his soul. He longed to know why he felt this way. Why this small thing was making him harbor the sensation of fear. Then a memory came to mind. A child's laughter, a creaking swing set. This was the spark that was igniting his terror. A memory from his past, drive out by the sight he was gazing at now. He tried to force it away at first, to forget he had ever remembered it. But it kept coming back. It would not leave- or at least, it would not leave so easily. To attempt to at least forget about it for the time being, Atlas would divert his attention back to the student he was training. It had been a minute or two, surely she was making some progress. To see if she was, he would bolster his mental connection with his crow and see through its vision.

Concentration. He could see it all over the features on her small face. It was a good thing, it meant she was actually paying a ton of focus into learning this sensory technique and getting the range down once and for all. He was proud, and he was amazed to see how she could still go on with such an effort like this. At her age, all he could remember was being a slacker and a deviant. But with Yukiko it was different. As much as he tried to find out why, however, he would always end up basing it all on her gender. She was a girl, and girls tended to be more mature and headstrong than boys, right? At least, at that age. Thankfully, that helped a lot when he was the one teaching. Now came a curious question, just how quickly could his Kumogakure companion complete the twenty meter range she was trying to achieve now. If there was somebody else to do it with, he would set a winning bet!

Her eyes seemed to squint, he could see it through his crow's vision. As if the beautiful little black creature knew what he was thinking, it would hop lightly onto the sleeve of Yukiko's jacket and then make its way to her shoulder with a single flap of its wings. There it would perch, the outer layer of Yukiko's clothing protecting her from the sting of the talons on its feet. It would remain perched there, and listen in when Yukiko finally opened her eyes and mumbled something. Atlas, of course, would be listening in, too. "So, it went fine, huh?" The crow would transmit through Atlas' mental connection. "If you need to expand a bit further, I suggest picturing the landscape beyond in your mind while you are directing the chakra in front of you. Use your imagination, it helps from time to time." And with that, the crow would finish talking, on to observe Yukiko Fuyumori's progress further.

_______________________________________

[Yuki-chan]

[Double post, 0/50]

"So, it went fine, huh?" said the crow with the male's voice. The female jumped, but tried to not make the crow jump off her shoulder in fright. "If you need to expand a bit further, I suggest picturing the landscape beyond in your mind while you are directing the chakra in front of you. Use your imagination, it helps from time to time." said Atlas' voice.
He had just given Yukiko the biggest clue so far; to use the imagination to improve the jutsu.

Crystal blue eyes squinted as they looked a bit further into the forest. But she could not see much further than the birch tree due to the darkness outside, despite the flames that lit up the place. 'Perhaps I should take a look and see what's in there' thought the girl as she walked towards the foliage that was close to the backyard.
'Senpai said he would be twenty meters away, so I should be fine as long as I keep it within 15 meters or something' thought the Genin as she felt her heartrate go up a little. Darkness was actually one of her largest fears despite that she was borne in the middle of the winter.

'OK...there is the birch tree that I managed to get a little past last time. Let's see what can be my next target' thought the female as she looked around in the forest. Her eyes then landed on a somewhat large rock covered with snow on the top.
'He he, it almost looks like an ice cream sundae! I'll try that one next' thought the brunette as she headed back to her start position in the backyard.

"Sorry!" said the girl as she almost made the crow fall off her shoulder. She utilized her small hands to re-position the animal on her shoulder, which was easy since the crow seemed used to humans. 'Time to see if I can get my sensor vision to that rock' thought Yukiko as she started to gather a new amount of the weird energy inside her.
Some uncomfortable chills ran up her spine for a second; it was a sign that her hyouton-chakra nature had increased in strength. It would hopefully be strong enough to extend the range of her mind's eye jutsu.

The female then closed her eyes as she tried to imagine where the rock was in the forest that was right in front of her. 'Focus now!' thought the Genin as her chakra started to stir a bit inside her body. 'My chakra wants to get out, so it's SHOWTIME!' thought the girl as she activated her 'inner eye' with what she had learned.
Everything in front of her looked rather odd, but she was able to see the life energy of some small squirrels in the top of the tree. So far so good...she wondered if it would keep up if she tried to extend her range even further.

Both eyes were shut tightly as her inner eye moved further into the forest in an attempt to find her now hidden senpai. 'Everything is a little more detailed now. I can see the small twigs a bit clearer than before' thought the brunette as she passed a small eucalyptus tree.
She now approached the birch tree; it would definitely get harder from this point. The female tried to stretch her chakra as she came closer to her former target.

'WHAT THE...!' thought Yukiko as her inner eye managed to go a bit further than the birch tree. Her eyes were now on the rock that looked like (in her opinion at the least) like an ice cream sundea with whipped cream.
'Come on, come on, come on!!!' thought the girl as she approached her new goal with a somewhat unsteady speed. Her inner eye came closer to the rock while her chakra worked hard in order to maintain the sensor jutsu. The jutsu eventually reached the rock but the 'sensor vision' disappeared completely after just five seconds or so.

'At least I got further' thought the Genin as she jogged into the forest again in order to find a new goal. She had reached about 13 meters now, so a new target that was about two meters away had to be chosen for her next attempt.
Her choice felt on a log that had moss on it. The female smiled as she went back to the patio. It was time to continue the practice!

[Estilo]

Kagura Shingan (Kagura Mind's Eye)
Rank: D, C, B, A, S
Type: Supplementary / Sensory Ninjutsu
Range: 0 - 50 meters
Special: When first learned, the Sensor can extend their Mind's Eye up to 10 meters in any direction. Each new rank extends the range by 10 more meters, for a maximum of 50 meters. Upon learing the 'S' ranked version, the user will no longer have to close their eyes nor form handseals to activate.
Description: Kagura Shingan is an advanced Sensory Ninjutsu technique used by all sensors, and serves as the root to the entire sensory tree. After a series of handseals, the sensor closes their eyes and uses their inate ability to detect chakra in order to determine the location of their opponent by the faintest of chakra trails, as well as discerning the size of an approaching unseen force, and even their chakra capacity.
Domain: Sensors

Teaching ϟ Yukiko

With his advice taken, the teacher could now leave the technique in Yukiko's care while he returned to whatever he had been doing before. A chilly breeze swept throughout the scenery, and he couldn't help but find himself wondering what else Tetsu no Kuni had to offer. Surely, it wasn't as dull a place as he thought it was, just because it was the home of the stern and typically buzz kill Samurai. Every land had something to offer, he had learned this long ago in his youth. And he truly wanted to explore the hidden gems this land might have to offer, but he wasn't sure whether that would sit well with the Samurai looking over them or not. This was their territory, after all, their birthplace. And he would understand if they were still a bit wary about the ninja here on their premises, and the goals that fueled said ninja. They were all on guard.

From time to time, as the half-masked Akegarasu reflected on his thoughts whilst he stared up into the night sky above, he would tap into the mental connection with his raven and observe the progress his young little student was making. The crow was still perched on her shoulder, but she nearly dropped it once or twice as she stood up, which made the brunette male smile with the humor. It seemed she was moving closer to his position, but obviously she would still have to perfect her sensory technique to find him accurately and fast. He trusted she knew what she was doing- and wasn't trying to cheat in anyway!- so the Akegarasu would lay back and chill. It was getting kind of cold, so the man would roll down his sleeves and cross his arms with a satisfying, but relatively silent sigh. He wondered how Kumogakure was faring, whether the glistening stars there were the same.

He'd didn't think he would ever find himself even thinking this, but he was starting to miss the interesting little village he called home. A strange feeling appeared within him, a feeling that he would return stronger than before- perhaps mentally, physically or both. There was so much he still wanted to do for his country and homeland, so many tasks he wanted to take with Yukiko. Tasks, if he recalled correctly, that he had promised her before. "Any missions she'd like", he'd said. And like always, the crow aficionado kept his promises. Then there were the techniques. A vast array of them stored within his mind- techniques he wanted to learn, techniques he wanted to teach, and techniques he wanted to create. He would also get to work on them when he had the time, when he returned to his apartment in Kumogakure and and sit down at his desk with a pen and pencil in hand. That was how he did things, after all. Brainstorm on paper, then put to action the day after. That was his style!

His vision would return with the crow once more, and he would inspect the current position his blue-eyed imoto was in by turning the avifauna's small black head. "Whatcha doin'?" The crow would ask with his voice, beady black eye shifting back and forth with a curious gleam about them. She had changed her position quite drastically-- perhaps she had given up on finding her temporary sensei? The thought that his hiding skills were that good brought a smile to Atlas' face. After Yukiko explained herself in some manner, the crow would continue. "If you're having trouble expanding and maintaining the sensory vision you have now, you can also try holding the seal and using it as an anchor for your concentration." Yes, that was a good bit of advice he'd used himself during training. Why hadn't he suggested it earlier? "I get the feeling you are close to completing this, by the way. But you are the only one who can tell!" The crow would transmit.

Sensor training deducts 50% from the required exp when learning a technique. So the next post might be your last Yuki~ you'll still get 50 exp from this C-Rank, but in less time. A post equivalent of 25 exp.

_______________________________________

[Yuki-chan]

[Triple post, 0/25]

((OOC: Hoooray! This was SO nice to find out after three killing days at school!))

"Whatcha doing?" said the crow as he looked at her. "I could not see the forest properly since it's getting so dark" said the female as her eyes were at the crow's head. "If you're having trouble expanding and maintaining the sensory vision you have now, you can also try holding the seal and using it as an anchor for your concentration. I get the feeling you are close to completing this, by the way. But you are the only one who can tell!" said the bird.

"Guess I can try that" said Yukiko before her head turned back to the forest ahead of her. Her chakra started to circulate in the body as she concentrated. 'I have to go as far as I can now!' thought the girl as the weird energy made her small spine shiver a little.
Both of her glove-clad hands then formed the dragon seal as her eyes closed in concentration. All of the chakra was released and activated her inner eye once more.

Everything around her now got a different look since the inner eye went for chakra. This meant that dead things like trees did not look very pretty when this was activated. Living things like birds or animals however lightened up things, literally.
'Concentrate Yuki, CONCENTRATE!' thought the Genin as her inner eye pushed past the former birch tree with more ease than before. Would she be able to pass the ice-cream rock with the same ease as earlier?

Said rock approached her, so the female checked her chakra to see if there was any strain there at the moment. There was no strain at the moment but that might change once her inner eye had passed a certain point beyond that rock.
Her inner eye passed the ice cream rock and something with a chakra system could be seen behind a large plant that was not too far away. It looked a bit like a human...could it be her senpai? Or was it one of the samurais perhaps?

Curiosity took over the brunettes mind and she decided to see who was hidden behind that giant plant. 'Perhaps I did not measure the distance correctly when I was in the forest earlier. But it's not easy to measure a meter when you're short' thought the girl as she tried to make her chakra last for a little longer.
Her inner eye came closer to the human being while her willingness to find this out kept her chakra going for a bit further. 'FOUND YOU SENPAI!' thought Yukiko with glee as she recognized the chakra system.

She then jumped into the nearest tree as silent as possible while the crow flied right above her. It did not take that long until the female saw Atlas sit behind a rather large plant. The Genin then jumped down and landed a couple of feet behind him; she did not made a sound since her feet were covered in a thin layer of ice chakra.
"FOUND YOU!" yelled the girl as loud as she could. If there were any enemies nearby, they would probably clutch their ears due to her loud voice.

[Sayomi]

Learned @ Yuki + 3 exp!

Espada + 30 exp!

[Estilo]

The Akegarasu would relax in his hiding position without a care in the world as Yukiko continued to attempt to find him elsewhere. And as she did, the young man would continue to keep his eyes locked on the glistening starlight above, swimming in his pool of thoughts and wondering what the future may have in store for him. It wouldn't take long for his thoughts to form into memories soon afterwards, and it was thus that one particular event came to mind. Such a random memory that he had not willed to his conscious, one that had simply surfaced in what he would call his temporary meditation. But now that it was running through his mind once more, playing like an old projected film behind closed eyelids, he didn't deny it. Surely, his subconscious had a reason for putting it to his thoughts. Surely, there was something he could garner from it in terms of his history and past self. It was his duty to recall who he once was, and he could not find himself denying an opportunity like this.

On the morning of the celebration for his best friend's dead wife Keiko a chilly rain fell, unseasonal for late May, though these days who could bank on seasonal? Seeing the umbrellas and the raincoats, the quick dashes for cover as the clan gathered, Atlas was glad to be in his apartment, warm and snug, settling in for his first nicotine fix of the day. He scanned the crowd, wondering which one of them would be the next to die, casting his vote with a woman who stood at the edge of a small group, skittish and curiously alone. They might be genuinely sad down there, but from Atlas' vantage point their appropriate little faces looked like bereavement emoticons. Atlas hadn't really been part of this clan since graduation from the academy, and he didn't wish to be a part of it. They were sons and daughters of the stereotypical rich parents: businessmen and women, neurosurgeons and council members, entrepreneurs and royalty. "My dad's a veteran," Atlas used to say when people asked in the early days of his first year. "And my mom's an artist." They gave him uncomfortable, vaguely scandalized looks, and the conversation would grind to an abrupt and awkward halt.

Atlas' surprise was clear but muted as he flung his eyes open. He sensed his crow, it was flying? He had an idea of what was occurring, but before he could prepare himself, the deed was already done. With an optimistic yell that would leave the Akegarasu's ears ringing afterwards, Yukiko would manage to catch the drop on him and send him struggling to get up on his feet in surprise and just a tinge of fright. She'd found him alright, and she'd also managed to nearly scare the socks off of him in the process. Was he really getting that old that he couldn't hear his own imoto approaching anymore? Nah, he would tell himself. Things were different when he was around the little squirt, he didn't have his guard up with her as much as he did with other people. And why would he? Potential reasons came to mind as he sat upright and began to laugh. "Ha ha, oh man." He'd anxiously mutter, tapping her forehead with his next statement. "You actually managed to scare me into getting up, kiddo! I didn't think you'd get the technique down that soon. But nicely done!"

Hopping up onto both feet, the man would look up at the intensely darkened sky above and smile. It was getting darker and chillier by the second, he was almost sure Yukiko's parents would want her to head off to sleep now, and he had a duty to fulfill for them. Content with the basic technique of the Kagura he had just taught her, the half-masked male decided it was high time to leave. Off to the Chuunin Exams, and perhaps even Kumogakure soon afterwards. "C'mon, Yuki. We should probably head out, hm? We can continue our Kagura techniques in Kumogakure when we arrive there later on." He'd look down at her with that warm smile of his and pat her on the head. He was glad to have her as a student, as a friend, as a traveling companion. In a way, she was helping him understand his past and himself, keeping him occupied and lively since the day they had both met- and he appreciated it. Whatever the future had in store for him next, the Akegarasu knew he would always remain by her side until she no longer needed his help or companionship. Little did he know that what time had in store for him next was a title he would have never had imagined obtaining.

EXIT
_______________________________________

[Kii!]

+10 EXP

[Yuki-chan]

The male's reaction made the small female laugh in amusement. "C'mon, Yuki. We should probably head out, hm? We can continue our Kagura techniques in Kumogakure when we arrive there later on" said Atlas. "Yeah, I can't wait to get home" said Yukiko before she let out a small yawn.

Her eyes looked at the green watch strapped to her wrist. It showed 07:20 PM...not that late but late enough for someone as young as her. Not to mention that the girl had learned two brand new ninjutsus today.
She walked next to the young man while she wondered how it would be when she got home. Her parents would probably be a little disappointed for not passing, but few people became Chuunin at 10 years old.

'Perhaps I can go next year. I might have a bigger chance to pass then' thought the Genin as they walked towards the hotel they stayed at. You could learn a lot of new jutsus and go on a lot of missions in a year.
'I ALMOST FORGOT THAT! Senpai promised me that we could do any mission that I wanted when we got back home to Kumogakure!' thought the female while a sudden smile formed on her face.

She wanted to go on a high "C"-ranked or maybe even a low "B"-ranked mission if the older Genin was promoted. Both of them had now reached the hotel they slept at. "See you tomorrow after breakfast senpai! Sleep well!" said the brunette as she jogged up to her room. It was time to enjoy the last night without parent supervision; she would eat up the candy plus watching that anime that started in ten minutes.

[Exit Yukiko]